US 12,241,518 B2
Autonomous robot for power line vibration control and inspection
Oumar Barry, Blacksburg, VA (US); Jiamin Wang, Blacksburg, VA (US); and Paul-Camille Kakou, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Appl. No. 17/998,735
Filed by VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/035875
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/247982, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,736, filed on Jun. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0332660 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. H02G 1/02 (2006.01); F16F 7/10 (2006.01); H02G 7/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16F 7/1005 (2013.01) [H02G 1/02 (2013.01); H02G 7/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vibration control robot, comprising: a frame, the frame comprising a frame roller cage configured to roll open and closed around a cable; a drive system comprising a motor system to maneuver the vibration control robot along the cable; and a vibration absorption system to admit and absorb mechanical vibrations from the cable, the vibration absorption system comprising a messenger cable segment mechanically coupled to the frame of the vibration control robot and a sliding mass that slides along the messenger cable segment.
 
12. A method for a vibration control robot, comprising: sensing movement of a cable by the vibration control robot; and positioning the vibration control robot along a cable to increase suppression of the movement and energy harvesting by the vibration control robot, wherein the vibration control robot comprises: a frame, the frame comprising a frame roller cage configured to roll open and closed around the cable; a drive system comprising a motor system to maneuver the vibration control robot along the cable; and a vibration absorption system to admit and absorb mechanical vibrations from the cable.
 
16. A suspended cable system, comprising:
a frame, the frame comprising a frame roller cage configured to roll open and closed around a cable;
a drive system comprising a motor system to maneuver the suspended cable system along the cable; and
a vibration absorption system to admit and absorb mechanical vibrations from the cable, the vibration absorption comprising:
a messenger cable segment of a predetermined length, the messenger cable segment being mechanically coupled to the frame, to admit mechanical vibrations from the cable onto the messenger cable segment;
an absorbing counterweight tip mass secured at one end of the messenger cable segment; and
a sliding mass that slides along the messenger cable segment.