US 12,408,653 B1
Bird diverter applicator that attaches bird diverters to power lines
John Paul Lethin, Lihue, HI (US)
Filed by John Paul Lethin, Lihue, HI (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/097,187.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/299,352, filed on Jan. 13, 2022.
Int. Cl. A01M 29/06 (2011.01); B64U 101/28 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01)
CPC A01M 29/06 (2013.01) [B64U 2101/28 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bird diverter applicator for drones to attach bird diverters to power lines, said bird diverter applicator comprising:
a holder comprising two holder sides and a holder base, wherein the holder is mounted to a top surface of an aerial drone;
a pair of diverter slots connected to the holder between the two holder sides and configured to secure a bird diverter flag of a bird diverter between the two holder sides of the holder, wherein the bird diverter comprises a retention device and a spring, wherein the retention device comprises break bars that insert into an opening between bird diverter jaws of the bird diverter and are configured to hold open the bird diverter jaws of the bird diverter until upward thrust of the aerial drone in contact with a power line provides pressure sufficient to break the break bars, wherein the spring is under spring tension when the bird diverter jaws of the bird diverter are open and the break bars restrain closing of the bird diverter jaws, wherein the spring tension is released when the break bars break under pressure and the spring closes the jaw opening clamping the bird diverter jaws together; and
a pair of guide wings that connect to the holder and are configured to align the bird diverter with the power line to which the bird diverter attaches during upward flight of the aerial drone.