Electric power transmission structure maintenance apparatus and method
A power transmission structure maintenance apparatus is disclosed. The power transmission structure maintenance apparatus includes a first climber; a second climber spaced from the first climber; a carrier assembly positioned between the first and second climbers and slidably connected at a first end to the first climber and at a second end to the second climber; and a carriage positioned on the carrier assembly and including a robotic arm. The carriage is moveable along the carrier assembly to position the robotic arm in a pre-determined position along a power transmission structure to allow the robotic arm to perform maintenance on the power transmission structure.
1 . A power transmission structure maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a first climber;
a second climber spaced from the first climber;
a carrier assembly positioned between the first and second climbers and slidably connected to the first climber and to the second climber; and
a carriage positioned on the carrier assembly and including a robotic arm, the carriage moveable along the carrier assembly to position the robotic arm in a pre-determined position along a power transmission structure to allow the robotic arm to perform maintenance on the power transmission structure;
wherein the first and second climbers each include an upper gripper assembly, a lower gripper assembly, and a rail positioned therebetween; and
wherein each of the gripper assemblies includes hooks that are pivotally mounted to a base and configured to selectively engage and disengage a power transmission structure.
2 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier assembly includes a first climbing module slidably connected to the rail of first climber and a second climbing module slidably connected to the rail of the second climber.
3 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the first climbing module includes a motor-driven gear engaging a gear track of the rail of the first climber to move the first climbing module along the rail of the first climber; and
the second climbing module includes a motor-driven gear engaging a gear track of the rail of the second climber to move the second climbing module along the rail of the first climber.
4 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carrier assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart rails and slidably connected to the first and second climbing modules and the carriage is slidably connected to the spaced-apart rails of the carrier assembly.
5 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carrier assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart rails and slidably connected to the first and second climbing modules and each of the spaced-apart rails of the carrier assembly comprise two or more sections connected to each other by hinges.
6 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carriage is equipped with at least one surface preparation tool and least one coating applicator.
7 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the surface preparation tool is selected from the group consisting of grinding wheels, scrapers, sanders, wire brushes, and lasers.
8 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the coating applicator is selected from the group consisting of sprayers, brushes, and rollers.
9 . A power transmission structure maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a first climber;
a second climber spaced from the first climber;
a carrier assembly positioned between the first and second climbers and slidably connected to the first climber and to the second climber; and
a carriage positioned on the carrier assembly and including a robotic arm, the carriage moveable along the carrier assembly to position the robotic arm in a pre-determined position along a power transmission structure to allow the robotic arm to perform maintenance on the power transmission structure;
wherein the first and second climbers each include an upper gripper assembly, a lower gripper assembly, and a rail positioned therebetween; and
wherein each of the upper gripper assemblies includes a motor-driven gear engaging a gear track of the rail of the corresponding climber.
10 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carrier assembly includes a first climbing module slidably connected to rail of first climber and a second climbing module slidably connected to the rail of the second climber.
11 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
the first climbing module includes a motor-driven gear engaging a gear track of the rail of the first climber to move the first climbing module along the rail of the first climber; and
the second climbing module includes a motor-driven gear engaging a gear track of the rail of the second climber to move the second climbing module along the rail of the first climber.
12 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the carrier assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart rails and slidably connected to the first and second climbing modules and the carriage is slidably connected to the rails.
13 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carrier assembly further includes a pair of spaced-apart rails and slidably connected to the first and second climbing modules and each of the spaced-apart rails of the carrier assembly comprise two or more sections connected to each other by hinges.
14 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carriage is equipped with at least one surface preparation tool and least one coating applicator.
15 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the surface preparation tool is selected from the group consisting of grinding wheels, scrapers, sanders, wire brushes, and lasers.
16 . The maintenance apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the coating applicator is selected from the group consisting of sprayers, brushes, and rollers.
17 . A method of maintaining a power transmission structure, comprising:
providing a maintenance apparatus, comprising:
a first climber;
a second climber spaced from the first climber;
a carrier assembly positioned between the first and second climbers and slidably connected to the first climber and to the second climber; and
a carriage positioned on the carrier assembly and including a robotic arm, the carriage moveable along the carrier assembly to allow the robotic arm to perform maintenance on the power transmission structure;
wherein the first and second climbers each include an upper gripper assembly, a lower gripper assembly, and a rail positioned therebetween; and
wherein each of the gripper assemblies includes hooks that are pivotally mounted to a base and configured to selectively engage and disengage a power transmission structure:
coupling the maintenance apparatus to the power transmission structure at or near ground level;
using a surface preparation tool manipulated by the robotic arm to prepare a surface of the power transmission structure; and
using a coating application tool manipulated by the robotic arm to apply a coating to the prepared surface of the power transmission structure.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising using the first and second climbers to move the maintenance apparatus to different locations on the power transmission structure.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of preparing a surface of the power transmission structure includes:
(a) using a surface preparation tool manipulated by the robotic arm to prepare a surface of the power transmission structure;
(b) using the first and second climbers to raise the maintenance apparatus to a new location on the power transmission structure; and
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the maintenance apparatus reaches an upper portion of the power transmission structure.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of coating a surface of the power transmission structure includes:
(a) using the first and second climbers to raise the maintenance apparatus to an upper portion of the power transmission structure;
(b) using a coating application tool manipulated by the robotic arm to coat the prepared surface of the power transmission structure;
(c) using the first and second climbers to move the maintenance apparatus to a new location on the power transmission structure; and
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the maintenance apparatus reaches at or near ground level.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the carriage is equipped with at least one surface preparation tool and least one coating applicator; and
the step of preparing a surface of the power transmission structure includes using the robotic arm to retrieve the surface preparation tool from the carriage.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the surface preparation tool is selected from the group consisting of grinding wheels, scrapers, sanders, wire brushes, and lasers.
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the carriage is equipped with at least one surface preparation tool and least one coating applicator; and
the step of preparing a surface of the power transmission structure includes using the robotic arm to retrieve the coating applicator from the carriage.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the coating applicator is selected from the group consisting of sprayers, brushes, and rollers.