1. A waterproof device for waterproofing connected parts of a wire and a terminal fitting, comprising:
a waterproof cover into which a wire connecting portion of the terminal fitting and a part of the wire are to be accommodated, the wire connecting portion being continuous with a terminal portion to be connected with a connection object, the waterproof cover having opposite front and rear ends spaced apart along forward and backward directions, a front wall being formed at the front end,
wherein clearances in the waterproof cover are at least partly filled with a filling material,
the waterproof cover is formed with at least one locking portion for engaging the terminal fitting and positioning the terminal fitting along the forward and backward directions and relative to the front wall and at least one holding portion for holding the terminal fitting in such a manner as to prevent a movement of the terminal fitting with respect to the waterproof cover by coming into contact with the terminal fitting in a direction substantially parallel to the front wall.
2. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein the waterproof cover has a wall formed with at least one confirmation opening substantially corresponding to a front end portion of the wire projecting forward from the wire connecting portion.
3. The waterproof device of claim 2, wherein the holding portion projects from the wall of the waterproof cover that has the confirmation opening and is arranged behind the confirmation opening.
4. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein:
the terminal portion comprises a positioning portion that contacts the front wall of the waterproof cover, wherein the front wall defines at least part of the locking portion for engaging the terminal portion of the terminal fitting and positioning the terminal fitting along the forward and backward directions and relative to the front wall.
5. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein a contact position of the holding portion with the wire connecting portion is close to the front end of the wire connecting portion.
6. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein an injection opening is formed in a wall of the waterproof cover for injecting the filling material into the waterproof cover and wherein the holding portion projects from the wall.
7. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein:
the wire connecting portion has a base plate, two lateral crimping pieces standing up from the base plate and configured so that a conductor of the wire is at least partly surrounded by the base plate and the crimping pieces; and
the crimping pieces being curved inwardly and have standing end edges that bite in the conductor to define a valley extending substantially in forward and backward directions in the wire connecting portion.
8. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein the holding portion includes a plurality of projections that contact the wire connecting portion at a plurality of laterally spaced-apart positions.
9. The waterproof device of claim 8, wherein a space enclosed by the plurality of projections and the outer surface of the wire connecting portion defines a flow path for permitting a flow of the filling material in substantially forward and backward directions.
10. The waterproof connector of claim 7, wherein the holding portion has at least one fitting that is fit into the valley.
11. The waterproof device of claim 1, wherein at least one receiving portion is formed on an inner surface of the waterproof cover to sandwich the wire connecting portion together with the holding portion.
12. A waterproof device, comprising:
a waterproof cover having a main body with a bottom wall, side walls and a front wall projecting up from the bottom wall and an open top, locking grooves formed in the side walls and extending from the open top toward the bottom wall;
a terminal fitting having opposite front and rear ends, a terminal portion at the front end and a wire connecting portion at the rear end, the wire connecting portion being connected with a core of a wire and being accommodated in the main body, the terminal fitting further having locking projections being engaged in the locking grooves for positioning the terminal fitting relative to the front wall;
a lid closing at least a portion of the open top of the main body, a holding portion projecting from the lid in a direction substantially parallel to the front wall and contacting the wire connecting portion for holding the wire connecting portion in fixed relationship to the bottom wall of the main body; and
a filling material in the main body and substantially surrounding the wire connecting portion.
13. The waterproof device of claim 12, wherein the lid is configured to define at least one confirmation opening substantially corresponding to a front end portion of the wire projecting forward from the wire connecting portion.
14. The waterproof device of claim 12, the terminal having has a positioning portion that contacts the front wall.
15. The waterproof device of claim 12, wherein the holding portion includes a plurality of projections that contact the wire connecting portion at a plurality of laterally spaced-apart positions.
16. A method for producing a waterproof device, comprising:
connecting a wire connecting portion of a terminal fitting with a conductor of a wire;
accommodating the connected conductor and wire connecting portion in a main body of a waterproof cover so that locking projections of the terminal fitting engage in locking grooves of the main body to limit movement of the terminal fitting relative to the main body in directions substantially parallel to the wire;
injecting a first part of the filling material into the main body;
mounting a lid in an opening of the main body to bring at least one holding portion of the lid into contact with the wire connecting portion of the terminal fitting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wire in such a manner to prevent a movement of the terminal fitting with respect to the waterproof cover; and
injecting a second part of the filling material into the main body.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of injecting a part of the filling material onto the bottom surface of the main body before the connected conductor and wire connecting portion are accommodated into the main body.
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting a filled state of the filling material through at least one confirmation opening formed in the waterproof cover.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning a positioning portion of the terminal portion into surface contact with a front wall of the waterproof cover, wherein the holding portion contacts a front end portion of the wire connecting portion in a direction substantially parallel to the front wall.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A vehicle for use on a live line, comprising:
three coplanar traction wheels mounted on a frame and spaced along a first longitudinal axis parallel to the live line and above therefrom;
two movable coplanar pressure wheels mounted on the frame and spaced along a second longitudinal axis parallel to the line and below therefrom;
a driving motor mounted on the frame, for driving the traction wheels, the motor having a source of energy;
pressure means mounted on the frame and coupled to the pressure wheels, for maintaining the line squeezed between the traction wheels and the pressure wheels; and
control means coupled to the motor for controlling the motor; and thereby in use, the vehicle is moved along the line.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of the pressure wheels is mounted on an arm pivotally connected to the frame, and wherein the pressure means comprises:
a drum pivotally mounted on the frame, the drum rotating between a first blocked position and a second blocked position of the drum;
a lever connected to the drum for manually rotating the drum between the blocked positions;
a pair of cables, each of the cables having portions wound about the drum and pulleys, each of the cables having a first end attached to the drum and a second end attached to the arm of each of the pressure wheels; thereby, in use, in the first blocked position of the drum, the pressure wheels are brought close together with the traction wheels, whereas in the second blocked position of the drum, the pressure wheels are moved away from the traction wheels.
3. The vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:
a tension spring connected in series on a section of each of the cables; and
a return spring connected between the arm of each pressure wheel and the frame.
4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control means further comprise additional control means for controlling the pressure means.
5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a core of at least one wheel is made of polyurethane.
6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein an additive of an abrasive type can be added to the polyurethane
7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the additive comprises a silicate or a metal type.
8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a core of at least one wheel is made of natural rubber or thermoplastic synthetic rubber.
9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the source of energy of the motor comprises a battery.
10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the battery is of a nickel metal hydride type.
11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprise a remote control system.
12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the remote control system comprises a wireless radio system.
13. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising cleaning, de-icing, maintenance or surveillance systems.
14. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a de-icing tool mounted on the vehicle, the de-icing tool comprising:
a collar having two parts opening and closing around the line, the collar supporting blades concentrically spaced apart from each other and forming an open cone in a forward moving direction of the vehicle.
15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the blades is fixed on a pivoting plate forming an integral part of the collar.
16. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the collar comprises three or four blades.
17. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising means for moving the collar back and forth in a direction parallel to the line, thereby, in use, breaking ice accumulated on the line.
18. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the collar is mounted on a first rod longitudinally sliding along the vehicle, the vehicle further comprising an impacting system for striking the first rod.
19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the impacting system comprises:
a motor coupled via a camshaft to a second rod sliding longitudinally along the vehicle; and
a spring coupled to the second rod for storing energy when the motor moves the second rod; and thereby, in use, when the second rod is uncoupled from the motor, the second rod strikes the first rod pushing the collar in a forward direction.
20. A de-icing tool mounted on a vehicle for use in a live line, comprising:
a collar having two parts opening and closing around the line, the collar supporting blades concentrically spaced apart from each other and forming an open cone in a forward moving direction of the vehicle.
21. The vehicle according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the blades is fixed on a pivoting plate forming an integral part of the collar.
22. The de-icing tool according to claim 20, wherein the collar comprises three or four blades.
23. The de-icing tool according to claim 20, wherein the collar is mounted on a first rod longitudinally sliding along the vehicle, the vehicle further comprising an impacting system for striking the first rod.
24. The de-icing tool according to claim 23, wherein the impacting system comprises:
a motor coupled via a camshaft to a second rod sliding longitudinally along the vehicle; and
a spring coupled to the second rod for storing energy when the motor moves the second rod; and thereby, in use, when the second rod is uncoupled from the motor, the second rod strikes the first rod pushing the collar in the forward direction of the vehicle.