Flapping wing air vehicle with foldable wings

Abstract

The invention discloses an ornithopter with foldable wings, and belongs to the technical field of ornithopters. The device comprises a driving assembly which is symmetrically connected with a swing mechanism, the swing mechanism is connected with a flapping transmission rod, the flapping transmission rod is provided with a second inner wing connecting piece, one end of the first inner wing connecting piece is connected with the first inner wing connecting piece, and the other end of the first inner wing connecting piece is connected with the second inner wing connecting piece; the direction control assembly is connected with an output crank, and the output crank is connected with one end of an inner wing connecting piece connected to the second inner wing connecting piece. The outer wing connecting piece is connected with the outer end part of the inner wing connecting piece; the front-end main frame is connected with the rear-end main frame connecting rod; the power module is used for supplying power to the aircraft; according to the invention, the extension degrees of the wings are respectively and accurately controlled, and the flight attitude is adjusted, so that the flight is more stable, and excellent bionic performance is shown.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings, belonging to the technical field of flapping-wing aircraft. Background Art

[0002] A flapping-wing aircraft is an aircraft that generates lift and forward motion through the active movement of its wings like a bird. Its characteristic is that the wings are the main movement, the reaction force of the wings flapping the air is used as lift and forward motion, and the flight direction is changed by changing the position of the tail.

[0003] Current bionic flapping-wing aircraft primarily mimic birds and insects, with the majority focusing on bird-like flapping-wing aircraft. Examples include the FESTO company's smartbird and the French aeronautical engineer Edwin Van Ruymbeke's Metafly, both of which have achieved significant success. Domestic universities have also made significant progress in flapping-wing aircraft. Harbin Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics have successfully developed numerous prototypes, ranging from micro to medium-to-large flapping-wing aircraft. They have also expanded their power sources from traditional batteries and motors to electrostatic propulsion and other avenues. However, most of these single-segment wings differ significantly from the bionic characteristics of real bird flight and present several drawbacks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings, which can stretch the wings during the downstroke and fold the wings during the upstroke, imitating the flight mode of birds, and can realize the lifting and steering functions through the servo. In order to achieve the above objectives / solve the above technical problems, the present invention is implemented by adopting the following technical solutions: A flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings, comprising: A drive assembly and an inner wing connector 1 are provided on the front main frame, the drive assembly is symmetrically connected to a swing mechanism, the swing mechanism is connected to a flapping transmission rod, and the flapping transmission rod is provided with an inner wing connector 2; an inner wing connecting member, wherein one end of the inner wing connecting member is connected to the first inner wing connecting member, and the other end is connected to the second inner wing connecting member; A direction control assembly is provided on the rear main frame, the direction control assembly is connected to an output crank, and the output crank is connected to one end of the inner wing connector connected to the second inner wing connector; an outer wing connector connected to an outer end portion of the inner wing connector; The front main frame is connected to the rear main frame connecting rod; It also includes a power module for providing power to the aircraft.

[0005] Optionally, the inner wing connecting member includes a foldable quadrilateral structure consisting of inner wing part one, inner wing part two, inner wing part three and inner wing part five.

[0006] Optionally, one end of the inner wing part two is connected to the inner wing connector one, and the other end is connected to the inner wing part five; one end of the inner wing part five is connected to the outer wing connector, and the other end is connected to the inner wing part three; one end of the inner wing part three is connected to the inner wing part one, the other end of the inner wing part three is connected to the inner wing part four, and the other end of the inner wing part one is connected to the inner wing connector two.

[0007] Optionally, the direction control assembly includes two servos for controlling the left and right sides, the servos are connected to an output crank, the output crank is connected to a servo transmission rod, and the servo transmission rod is connected to an inner wing part.

[0008] Optionally, the outer wing connecting member includes outer wing part one, outer wing part two and outer wing part three, and the outer wing part two and outer wing part three are installed in outer wing part one.

[0009] Optionally, it also includes a tail wing connecting part, which includes tail wing part one, tail wing rod one, tail wing part two, tail wing rod two, tail wing part three and a tail wing transmission rod. Tail wing part one is adhered to the rear end main frame, tail wing rod one and tail wing rod two are adhered to tail wing part two, and the tail wing transmission rod is hinged to tail wing part three.

[0010] Optionally, the driving assembly includes a motor, a driving shaft gear, a passive gear, a gear mechanism fixing frame and a driving gear, the motor is engaged with the driving gear, the driving shaft gear is fixedly connected to the driving gear through the gear mechanism fixing frame, both ends of the driving shaft gear are engaged with passive gears, and the swing mechanism is installed on the passive gear.

[0011] Optionally, the swing mechanism includes a fisheye bearing 1 eccentrically arranged on the passive gear, the fisheye bearing 1 is connected to a fisheye bearing 2 via a connecting bolt, and the fisheye bearing 2 is connected to the flapping transmission rod.

[0012] Optionally, the gear module of the driving shaft gear, the passive gear and the driving gear is ., the number of teeth of the driving shaft gear is , the number of teeth of the passive gear is , and the gear ratio is approximately: .

[0013] Optionally, the gear mechanism fixing frame fixes the passive shaft via a bearing, and the passive gear is connected to the passive shaft via a fastening bolt.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The invention has a wingspan of 120cm, a fuselage length of 60cm and a total weight of about 230g, and the action of the servo to unfold the wings when flapping down and fold the wings when flapping up can increase lift.

[0015] This invention precisely controls the extension of its wings and adjusts its flight attitude, resulting in more stable flight and exhibiting excellent biomimetic performance. This design not only enables the robot to perform highly maneuverable flight missions in low-altitude environments but also has potential reconnaissance applications, providing a flexible and efficient solution for exploring complex environments.

[0016] The core of this invention lies in its unique wing motion mechanism, with carefully tuned upward and downward flapping angles of 40° and 20°, accurately simulating the flight patterns of real birds, effectively generating sufficient forward force and lift. A single motor drives both wings, achieving synchronized and equal-amplitude motion, ensuring high stability and controllability during flight, demonstrating the outstanding application of technological innovation in the field of biomimetic flight.

[0017] This invention creatively utilizes the angle adjustment function of the two tail fins to generate precise aerodynamic torque, enabling flexible adjustment of the robot's flight attitude. This design not only enhances the robot's adaptability and stability in complex flight scenarios, but also broadens its application scenarios, enabling it to excel in tasks requiring high-precision navigation and positioning.

[0018] The two-section wings of the present invention can imitate the flapping motion pattern of birds in real flight, realizing the stretching of the wings during the downstroke and the folding of the wings during the upstroke. Compared with the single-section wings, it has higher bionic performance, can perform high-maneuverability flight at low altitude, and can carry image sensors and other equipment on the loading platform to realize reconnaissance, exploration, and search functions.

[0019] The upper and lower flapping angles of the inner wing connector of the present invention are determined by the angle between the two ends of the inner wing connector, which is approximately 40°. When the wings are stretched, they are parallel to the ground, the flapping angle is 0, and the upward flapping angle is 40°, so that they can generate sufficient forward force and lift. It is driven by a motor, and the power is transmitted to the spatial crank rocker mechanism through a two-stage reduction device to drive the wings on both sides to flap, which can ensure that the movement amplitudes of the left and right wings are the same, and can ensure the stability of the flight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the main part of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 2 Shown is a schematic structural diagram of a flapping-wing aircraft drive assembly with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 3The figure shows a schematic structural diagram of the inner wing portion of a flapping-wing assembly of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 4 The figure shows a schematic structural diagram of the outer wing portion of a flapping-wing assembly of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 5 The figure shows a schematic structural diagram of a tail assembly of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 6 Shown is a schematic right side view of the main body of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention; Figure 7 Shown is an overall schematic diagram of a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure: 1. Front mainframe; 2. Inner wing connector 1; 3. Motor shaft gear; 4. Front and rear frame connecting rod 1; 5. Servo 1; 6. Rear mainframe; 7. Front and rear frame connecting rod 2; 8. Fixing assembly 1; 9. Fixing assembly 2; 10. Flapping transmission rod; 11. Motor; 12. Active shaft gear; 13. Passive gear; 14. Gear mechanism fixing frame; 15. Servo transmission rod; 16. Inner wing section 1; 17. Output crank 1; 18. Inner wing connector 2; 19. Inner wing section 2 ; 20. Inner wing part three; 21. Inner wing part four; 22. Inner wing part five; 23. Outer wing part one; 24. Outer wing part two; 25. Outer wing part three; 26. Servo two; 27. Tail part one; 28. Tail rod one; 29. Tail part two; 30. Tail rod two; 31. Tail part three; 32. Tail transmission rod; 33. Output crank two; 34. Servo fixing bracket; 35. Connecting bolt; 36. Fisheye bearing one; 37. Driving gear; 38. Fisheye bearing two. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects achieved by the present invention easier to understand, the present invention is further described below in conjunction with specific implementation methods.

[0023] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0025] like Figure 1-Figure 7 As shown, a flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings, comprising: The drive assembly and the inner wing connector 1 2 are provided on the front main frame 1, the drive assembly is symmetrically connected to the swing mechanism, the swing mechanism is connected to the flapping transmission rod 10, and the flapping transmission rod 10 is provided with the inner wing connector 2 18; An inner wing connector, one end of which is connected to inner wing connector 1 2, and the other end is connected to inner wing connector 2 18; A direction control assembly provided on the rear main frame 6, the direction control assembly being connected to an output crank, the output crank being connected to one end of an inner wing connector connected to the inner wing connector 2 18; an outer wing connector connected to an outer end portion of the inner wing connector; The front main frame 1 is connected to the rear main frame 6 by a connecting rod; It also includes a power module for providing power to the aircraft.

[0026] The inner wing connecting member includes a foldable quadrilateral structure consisting of inner wing part 16, inner wing part 2 19, inner wing part 3 20 and inner wing part 5 22.

[0027] One end of inner wing section 2 (19) is connected to inner wing connector 1 (2), and the other end is connected to inner wing section 5 (22). Inner wing section 5 (22) is connected to the outer wing connector (2) at one end, and to inner wing section 3 (20) at the other end. Inner wing section 3 (20) is connected to inner wing section 1 (16) at one end, and inner wing section 4 (21) at the other end. Inner wing section 1 (16) is connected to inner wing connector 2 (18) at the other end. The inner wing section components are made of aluminum alloy, and the outer wing components are carbon fiber rods to reduce wing weight. These two components form the skeletal structure of the flapping wing assembly and will later be covered with polyester fiber to form the complete flapping wing assembly. The present invention features a unique wing motion mechanism with carefully set upward and downward flapping angles of 40° and 20°, accurately simulating the flight pattern of real birds and effectively generating sufficient forward force and lift. A single motor drives both wings to achieve synchronized and equal-amplitude motion, ensuring high stability and controllability during flight, demonstrating the outstanding application of technological innovation in the field of bionic flight.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the driving assembly includes a motor 11, a driving shaft gear 12, a passive gear 13, a gear mechanism fixing frame 14 and a driving gear 37. The motor 11 is engaged with the driving gear 37. The driving shaft gear 12 is fixedly connected to the driving gear 37 through the gear mechanism fixing frame 14. Both ends of the driving shaft gear 12 are engaged with the passive gear 13, and the swing mechanism is installed on the passive gear 13.

[0029] Both the driving gear 37 and the driving shaft gear 12 are machined directly on the driving shaft and fixed to the gear mechanism mounting bracket 14 via bearings. The driven gear 13 is connected to the driven shaft via fastening bolts and meshes with the driving shaft gear 12 at both ends of the driven shaft. The driven shaft is fixed to the gear mechanism mounting bracket 14 via bearings, and the output end is a shaft fixed to the driven gear 13. The gear module is 0.5, the large gear has 80 teeth, the small gear has 16 teeth, and the gear ratio is 1:5. The gears and gear shafts of the reduction mechanism are made of aluminum alloy to reduce weight.

[0030] The swing mechanism includes a fisheye bearing 1 36 eccentrically arranged on the passive gear 13 , the fisheye bearing 1 36 is connected to a fisheye bearing 2 38 via a connecting bolt 35 , and the fisheye bearing 2 38 is connected to the flapping transmission rod 10 .

[0031] The motor 18 is a brushless DC motor, and a DC brushless motor of the model X2212 KV2450 produced by Sunnysky is selected, which weighs about 57g.

[0032] The swing mechanism includes a fisheye bearing 1 36 eccentrically arranged on the driven gear 13, and a fisheye bearing 2 38 is connected to the fisheye bearing 1 36 via a connecting bolt 35; Figure 1 As shown, the other end of the fisheye bearing 1 36 is connected to the flapping transmission rod 10, and a material such as a wire is used to pass through the hole of the inner wing connector 1 2 to fix the flapping transmission rod 10 thereto. At the same time, the flapping transmission rod 10 passes through the hole of the fixing component 2 9, and the fixing component 2 9 is fixed to the front main frame 1; Figure 3 As shown, the flapping transmission rod 10 passes through the hole of the inner wing connecting piece 2 18, and the inner wing part 16 is connected to the inner wing connecting piece 2 18 through an inserting structure, and the two can rotate relative to each other in the front and rear directions. The inner wing part 2 19 is connected to the inner wing connecting piece 1 2 by bolts.

[0033] like Figure 5 As shown, the servo mounting bracket 14 and the tail section 1 27 are fixed to the rear main frame 6, and the servo 2 26 is connected to the servo mounting bracket 14 at its left and right ends respectively. One end of the tail transmission rod 32 is connected to the servo 2 output crank 17, and the other end is connected to the tail section 31. The servo 2 output crank 17 transmits power to the rear tail through the tail transmission rod 32. The rear tail is composed of the tail rod 1 28, the tail section 2 29, the tail rod 2 30 and other parts. It can swing up and down around the front tail, providing a portion of the yaw moment and pitch moment, thereby realizing functions such as steering and changing movement posture.

[0034] The up and down flapping angle of the wings is determined by the angle between the two ends of the inner wing connector, which is about 40°. When the wings are stretched, they are parallel to the ground, the flapping angle is 0, and the upward flapping angle is 40°, so that they can generate sufficient forward force and lift; it is driven by an electric motor, and the power is transmitted to the spatial crank rocker mechanism through a two-stage reduction device to drive the wings on both sides to flap, which can ensure that the movement amplitude of the left and right wings is the same, and the stability of the flight can be guaranteed.

[0035] The invention has a wingspan of 120 cm, measuring the distance between the farthest ends of the left and right outer wings; and a length of 60 cm, measuring the distance from the front end of the mainframe to the farthest end of the tail. The two-segment wing mimics the flapping motion of real-life bird flight, extending the wings during the downstroke and folding them during the upstroke. Compared to a single-segment wing, it offers superior biomimetic performance, enabling high-maneuverability at low altitudes. The platform can also accommodate equipment such as image sensors, enabling reconnaissance, exploration, and search capabilities.

[0036] The direction control assembly includes a steering gear 5, an output crank 17, a steering gear transmission rod 15, Figure 3As shown, specifically: the output end of the servo 15 is connected to the servo 15 output crank 17, one end of the servo transmission rod 15 is connected to the servo 1 output crank 17, and the other end is connected to the inner wing part 16, so as to transmit the power from the servo to the inner wing. The middle and one end of the inner wing part 16 are punched with holes, and each part of the inner wing is connected through the holes by bolts. The inner wing part 16 is connected to the flapping wing part 2 19 and the flapping wing part 3 20 through these holes respectively. The hole at one end of the flapping wing part 2 19 is connected to the inner wing connector 1 2, and the hole at the other end is connected to the inner wing part 5 22. The hole at the other end of the inner wing part 3 20 is connected to the inner wing part 4 21, and the hole in the middle section is connected to the inner wing part 5 22; as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, outer wing section 1 (23) has two holes, connecting to inner wing section 4 (21) and inner wing section 5 (22), respectively. The hole connecting inner wing section 5 (22) also connects outer wing section 2 (24) and outer wing section 3 (25). Each end of outer wing section 1 (23), outer wing section 2 (24), and outer wing section 3 (25) is connected to a carbon fiber rod.

[0037] The power module is used to provide power for the aircraft. The power module uses a model aircraft battery and is equipped with an electronic speed controller. Subsequently, various components will be installed on the middle end of the main frame using materials such as ties and Velcro.

[0038] like Figure 1 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 6 The fisheye bearing 1 36 eccentrically arranged on the passive gear 13 forms a crank rocker mechanism, which converts the rotational motion of the gear into an up and down reciprocating motion. The fisheye bearing 2 38 is connected to the fisheye bearing 1 36 via a connecting bolt 35, driving the flapping transmission rod 10 to rotate around the central axis of the flapping-wing robot as a whole. In turn, the inner wing connector 1 2 and the inner wing connector 2 18 connected to the flapping transmission rod 10 also rotate around the central axis, thereby completing the up and down flapping of the flapping-wing structure. like Figure 1 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4One end of the servo transmission rod 15 is connected to the servo output crank 17, and the swing of the servo 5 is transmitted to the inner wing part 16 through the servo transmission rod 15, so that the inner wing part 16 swings back and forth around the inner wing connecting piece 2 18. The inner wing part 16, the inner wing part 2 19, the inner wing part 3 20, and the inner wing part 5 22 form a parallelogram as a whole. When the inner wing part 16 swings back and forth around the inner wing connecting piece 2 18, the shape of the parallelogram changes, thereby completing the folding and stretching of the inner wing part. At the same time, due to the inner wing part 4 21 and the inner wing part 5 22 The swinging speeds are inconsistent. When the wings are flapping and stretching, the inner wing part four 21 swings faster, which will drive the outer wing part one 23, the outer wing part two 24 and the outer wing part three 25 to swing toward the far end. When the wings are flapping and folding, the inner wing part four 21 swings slower, which will drive the outer wing part one 23, the outer wing part two 24 and the outer wing part three 25 to swing inward, thereby realizing the synchronous folding and stretching of the inner and outer wings that can be controlled by the servo one 5 during the flapping process.

[0039] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings, characterized in that: include: A drive assembly and an inner wing connecting member (2) are provided on the front main frame (1), the drive assembly being symmetrically connected to a swing mechanism, the swing mechanism being connected to a flapping transmission rod (10), and the flapping transmission rod (10) being provided with an inner wing connecting member (18); An inner wing connector, one end of which is connected to inner wing connector one (2), and the other end is connected to inner wing connector two (18); A direction control assembly is provided on the rear main frame (6), the direction control assembly being connected to an output crank, the output crank being connected to one end of an inner wing connector connected to the second inner wing connector (18); an outer wing connector connected to an outer end portion of the inner wing connector; The front main frame (1) and the rear main frame (6) are connected by a connecting rod; It also includes a power module for providing power to the aircraft.

2. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wing connecting member includes a foldable quadrilateral structure consisting of an inner wing part one (16), an inner wing part two (19), an inner wing part three (20) and an inner wing part five (22).

3. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 2, characterized in that: One end of the inner wing part two (19) is connected to the inner wing connecting piece one (2), and the other end is connected to the inner wing part five (22). One end of the inner wing part five (22) is connected to the outer wing connecting piece, and the other end is connected to the inner wing part three (20). One end of the inner wing part three (20) is connected to the inner wing part one (16). The other end of the inner wing part three (20) is connected to the inner wing part four (21). The other end of the inner wing part one (16) is connected to the inner wing connecting piece two (18).

4. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 3, characterized in that: The direction control assembly includes two servos for controlling the left and right, the servos are connected to an output crank, the output crank is connected to a servo transmission rod, and the servo transmission rod is connected to the inner wing part (16).

5. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer wing connecting member includes outer wing part one (23), outer wing part two (24) and outer wing part three (25), and the outer wing part two (24) and outer wing part three (25) are installed in outer wing part one (23).

6. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a tail connecting member, wherein the tail connecting member includes a tail portion 1 (27), a tail rod 1 (28), a tail portion 2 (29), a tail rod 2 (30), a tail portion 3 (31) and a tail transmission rod (32), wherein the tail portion 1 (27) is attached to the rear main frame (6), the tail rod 1 (28) and the tail rod 2 (30) are attached to the tail portion 2 (29), and the tail transmission rod (32) is hinged to the tail portion 3 (31).

7. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly comprises a motor (11), a driving shaft gear (12), a passive gear (13), a gear mechanism fixing frame (14) and a driving gear (37); the motor (11) is meshed with the driving gear (37); the driving shaft gear (12) passes through the gear mechanism fixing frame (14) and is fixedly connected to the driving gear (37); both ends of the driving shaft gear (12) are meshed with passive gears (13); and the swing mechanism is mounted on the passive gear (13).

8. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 7, characterized in that: The swing mechanism includes a fisheye bearing 1 (36) eccentrically arranged on the passive gear (13), the fisheye bearing 1 (36) is connected to a fisheye bearing 2 (38) via a connecting bolt (35), and the fisheye bearing 2 (38) is connected to the flapping transmission rod (10).

9. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 7, characterized in that: The gear modules of the driving shaft gear (12), the driven gear (13) and the driving gear (37) are 0.5, the number of teeth of the driving shaft gear (12) is 8, the number of teeth of the driven gear (13) is 53, and the gear ratio is approximately 1:

7.

10. The flapping-wing aircraft with foldable wings according to claim 7, characterized in that: The gear mechanism fixing frame (14) fixes the passive shaft via a bearing, and the passive gear (13) is connected to the passive shaft via a fastening bolt.

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