Patent ID: 7634966

Claim:
A remote-controlled vehicle for travelling on aerial conductors, comprising: a frame; inspection systems mounted on the frame for inspecting at least one conductor; motor means for displacing the vehicle on said conductor; a remote control system for controlling the inspection systems and the motor means; at least two carrying arms located on opposite sides of said conductor, the carrying arms being pivotally attached to the frame and exerting a pressure in a direction of said conductor so as to enable the frame to be suspended from said conductor; at least two opposing wheels, each wheel being attached to each carrying arm for enabling the vehicle to travel along said conductor while maintaining the vehicle suspended therefrom, each wheel having an axis of rotation that is inclined with respect to a vertical axis, at least one of said two wheels being activated by the motor means; and at least one temporary support rotor mounted with one of the wheels and provided with at least two pivoting blades, disposed above the corresponding conductor, for temporarily supporting the vehicle, wherein, when the vehicle travels on said conductor and one of the blades encounters an obstacle, the rotor starts to rotate so that another one of the blades passes over the obstacle and temporarily rests on the conductor and/or the obstacle and supports the vehicle, causing the respective wheel to temporarily loose contact with said conductor, and, once the wheel passes over the obstacle, the blades guide the respective wheel towards said conductor so as to contact said conductor once again.