Pneumatic catapult for launching tube-mounted folding drones

Abstract

This invention provides a pneumatic ejection device for launching foldable, cylindrical drones. It enables automatic ejection under given commands and autonomous piston reset after launch, allowing for continuous launches and improved efficiency. The pneumatic ejection device includes: a top cover, a connecting rod, a cylinder, a base, a push rod motor, a rotating rod, a bent air nozzle, a controller, a piston, and a locking mechanism. In use, the foldable drone is placed inside the cylinder, which restrains it. The controller operates an air pump to pressurize the system and control the ejection device to unlock the piston, achieving ejection. After ejection, it automatically resets. This pneumatic ejection device is lightweight, compact, and easy to carry. The controller enables ejection and automatic reset, ensuring ease of use and safety. It is suitable for rapid deployment of foldable drones in complex environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a catapult device, specifically a pneumatic catapult device for launching a cylindrical folding drone, belonging to the field of pneumatic catapult technology. Background Technology

[0002] Catapult launch is an important method for drone takeoff; it uses a catapult to give the drone an initial speed or to propel it to a certain altitude. Common drone catapult methods include elastic catapult, pneumatic catapult, gas catapult, and electromagnetic catapult. With the increasing prevalence of drones, new demands have been placed on their portability, leading to the development of foldable drones. These drones can be folded and stored in a launch tube, which then restrains them. When needed, the folded drone is launched from the launch tube using power, automatically unfolding into flight mode. Currently, most drone launchers use a launch rail and launch pad, which is not suitable for foldable, tube-mounted drones. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention provides a pneumatic catapult device for launching a foldable, cylindrical drone, which is compact, easy to operate, and highly automated.

[0004] A pneumatic ejection device for launching a tube-shaped folding drone includes: a tube unit, a pneumatic ejection unit, and a locking mechanism;

[0005] The cylindrical unit is used to house the drone in a folded state;

[0006] The pneumatic ejection unit is located at the bottom of the cylindrical unit and is used to pneumatically eject the UAV when it is in a folded state.

[0007] The locking mechanism is used to lock and unlock the pneumatic catapult unit.

[0008] Preferably, the pneumatic ejection unit includes: an elbow-shaped air nozzle and a piston;

[0009] The piston is disposed inside the cylindrical unit, dividing the internal space of the cylindrical unit into upper and lower parts, wherein the space above the piston is used to place the drone in a folded state.

[0010] One end of the elbow nozzle is connected to an air pump, and the other end is connected to the lower space of the piston inside the cylindrical unit. It is used to fill or evacuate the space to push the piston to move along the axial direction of the cylindrical unit, thereby realizing the pneumatic ejection of the UAV inside the cylindrical unit and the reset of the piston after ejection.

[0011] Preferably, the piston comprises: a piston plate, a sealing ring, a piston connecting rod, and a directional ring;

[0012] The upper end of the piston connecting rod is connected to the piston plate, and the lower end passes through the directional ring. The piston plate divides the internal space of the cylindrical unit into upper and lower parts. A sealing ring is installed on the outer circumferential surface of the piston plate.

[0013] Preferably, the locking mechanism includes: a rotary drive unit, a locking ball, an outer sleeve, and a rotating sleeve;

[0014] The rotary drive unit is used to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate about its own axis;

[0015] The upper end of the rotating sleeve extends into the inside of the cylindrical unit and cooperates with the piston connecting rod;

[0016] The upper end face of the rotating sleeve has a groove for the piston connecting rod to extend into; the outer sleeve is fitted on the outer circumference of the portion of the rotating sleeve located inside the cylindrical unit; two or more corresponding holes for placing locking steel balls are distributed circumferentially at intervals on the circumferential surface of the groove of the rotating sleeve and the circumferential surface of the corresponding position of the outer sleeve. The holes are frustoconical holes to ensure that the locking steel balls do not fall out between the outer sleeve and the rotating sleeve.

[0017] The lower circumferential surface of the piston connecting rod has grooves distributed axially at intervals corresponding to the holes. When the holes on the outer sleeve and the rotating sleeve are aligned and the locking steel ball is located between the outer sleeve and the rotating sleeve, the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position. When the rotating sleeve rotates, causing the holes on the rotating sleeve to be misaligned with the holes on the outer sleeve, the inner wall of the outer sleeve presses the locking steel ball, causing the locking steel ball to protrude from the inner surface of the rotating sleeve and be inserted into the groove corresponding to the piston connecting rod, at which point the locking mechanism is in the locked position.

[0018] Preferably, the rotary drive unit includes a push rod motor and a rotating rod;

[0019] The rotating rod is an inclined rod with a driving end and an actuating end at its two ends. The driving end has a groove, and a roller connected to the power output end of the push rod motor is located in the groove. The actuating end of the rotating rod is connected to the rotating sleeve. When the push rod motor moves linearly, it pushes or pulls the driving end of the rotating rod through the roller, thereby driving the rotating sleeve to rotate through the rotating rod.

[0020] Preferably, the cylindrical unit includes: a top cover, a connecting rod, a cylindrical body, and a base;

[0021] The top cover and the base are connected by two or more connecting rods; the cylinder is a cylindrical structure with open ends, and the cylinder is inserted from the central through hole of the top cover until it is supported on the base.

[0022] Preferably, it further includes a controller; the controller receives external control commands to control the air pump and the push rod motor.

[0023] Preferably, the cylinder body is made of a composite wave-transparent material.

[0024] Preferred configuration: Before ejection: The folded drone is placed inside the cylinder; the lower end of the piston connecting rod extends into the rotating sleeve, and the push rod motor is controlled by the controller, which in turn drives the rotating sleeve to rotate through the rotating rod, so that the locking mechanism is in the locked position, thereby locking the piston;

[0025] When the controller receives a pressurization command, it controls the air pump to perform a pressurization operation. The air pump injects compressed air into the air chamber below the piston inside the cylinder through the elbow air nozzle. When the pressure in the air chamber reaches the set pressure, the controller controls the air pump to stop working, thus completing the pressurization operation.

[0026] When the controller receives the ejection command, it controls the push rod motor to drive the rotating rod to rotate, which in turn drives the rotating sleeve to rotate, so that the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position; at this time, the compressed gas in the air chamber expands and pushes the piston upward to complete the ejection operation of the UAV.

[0027] When the pressure inside the air chamber matches the external air pressure, the piston stops moving. The controller controls the air pump to draw air, causing the piston to move towards the bottom of the cylinder. When the piston moves to the point where the lower end of the piston connecting rod extends into the rotating sleeve, the controller shuts off the air pump and then controls the push rod motor to start, which drives the rotating sleeve to rotate through the rotating rod, so that the locking mechanism is in the locked position, thereby completing the reset operation.

[0028] Beneficial effects:

[0029] (1) The present invention utilizes a controller to realize automatic ejection of the ejection device under given command conditions and autonomous piston reset after launch, which can realize continuous launch and improve efficiency.

[0030] (2) The pneumatic catapult has a high degree of integration. Except for the need for an external air pump, all functions are integrated into the launching device, which has good mobility and portability.

[0031] (3) The cylinder body completes the constraint of the folding drone, eliminating the need for additional limiting mechanisms, reducing the overall number of parts, improving device reliability, and reducing processing difficulty and production costs.

[0032] (4) A simple, reliable, and ingenious locking mechanism was designed to ensure the reliability of locking and smooth unlocking.

[0033] (5) Compressed gas ejection has the characteristics of strong safety, high concealment and good economy. Moreover, the ejection process is low in noise, light, heat and smoke, and has high environmental adaptability. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the pneumatic catapult device of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the pneumatic catapult device of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the pneumatic catapult device of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the piston mechanism of the pneumatic ejection device of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism of the pneumatic catapult device of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the unlocked state.

[0040] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the locked state.

[0041] Figure 8 Controller workflow diagram;

[0042] The components are: 1-top cover, 2-connecting rod, 3-cylinder body, 4-base, 5-push rod motor, 6-rotating rod, 7-elbow air nozzle, 8-controller, 9-piston, 10-locking mechanism, 9-1-piston plate, 9-2-sealing ring, 9-3-piston connecting rod, 9-4-directional ring, 10-1-locking steel ball, 10-2-outer sleeve, 10-3-rotating sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0044] This embodiment provides a pneumatic ejection device for launching small foldable drones. It is lightweight and compact, easy to carry, and can achieve ejection and automatic reset, ensuring ease of use and safety. It is suitable for rapid ejection deployment of foldable drones in complex scenarios.

[0045] The pneumatic ejection device includes: a cylindrical unit, a pneumatic ejection unit, a locking mechanism, and a controller 8; wherein the cylindrical unit is used to hold the foldable drone; the pneumatic ejection unit is located at the bottom of the cylindrical unit and is used to pneumatically eject the foldable drone; the locking mechanism is used to lock and unlock the actuators in the pneumatic ejection unit to avoid accidental operation; and the controller 8 is used to receive control commands to control the pneumatic ejection unit and the locking mechanism.

[0046] Specifically: such as Figure 1 As shown, the cylindrical unit includes: a top cover 1, connecting rods 2, a cylindrical body 3, and a base 4; the top cover 1 and the base 4 are connected by four connecting rods 2 arranged in a rectangular pattern; the cylindrical body 3 is a cylindrical structure with openings at both ends, and the top cover 1 has a central through hole corresponding to the central hole of the cylindrical body 3; the cylindrical body 3 is inserted into the central through hole of the top cover 1 until it is supported on the base 4, thereby limiting the cylindrical body between the top cover 1 and the base 4, at which point the four connecting rods 2 are arranged in a rectangular pattern around the periphery of the cylindrical body 3. Before ejection, the foldable drone is placed inside the cylindrical body 3, and the cylindrical body 3 is used to constrain the foldable drone. After detaching from the cylindrical body 3, the foldable drone automatically unfolds.

[0047] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the pneumatic ejection unit includes: a bent nozzle 7 and a piston 9; wherein the piston 9 is the actuating component of the pneumatic ejection unit; the bent nozzle 7 is located on the lower end face of the base 4; the piston 9 is located inside the cylinder 3, dividing the internal space of the cylinder 3 into upper and lower parts, wherein the space above the piston 9 is used to place a foldable drone. One end of the bent nozzle 7 is connected to an air pump, and the other end is connected to the lower space of the piston 9 inside the cylinder 3, for inflating the space to push the piston 9 to move axially along the cylinder 3.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, piston 9 includes: sealing ring 9-2, piston plate 9-1, piston connecting rod 9-3, and directional ring 9-4; wherein the upper end of piston connecting rod 9-3 is connected to piston plate 9-1, and the lower end passes through directional ring 9-4, piston plate 9-1 and directional ring 9-4 ensure good guidance of the overall movement of piston 9; sealing ring 9-2 is installed on the outer circumferential surface of piston plate 9-1 to ensure airtightness of piston 9 during overall movement.

[0049] The locking mechanism 10 is used to lock and unlock the piston 9, and includes: a push rod motor 5, a rotating rod 6, a locking steel ball 10-1, an outer sleeve 10-2, and a rotating sleeve 10-3; wherein the push rod motor 5 and the rotating rod 6 are set on the lower end face of the base 4 as rotation drive components; the locking steel ball 10-1, the outer sleeve 10-2, and the rotating sleeve 10-3 together form the locking execution component. The rotating rod 6 is used to drive the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate, so as to lock and unlock the piston 9 by the locking execution component. The rotating rod 6 is an inclined rod, with its two ends being the driving end and the actuating end, respectively. Its driving end has a groove, and the roller connected to the power output end of the push rod motor 5 is located in the groove. The actuating end of the rotating rod 6 is fixedly connected to the locking mechanism 10. When the power output end of the push rod motor 5 moves linearly, it pushes (or pulls) the driving end of the rotating rod 6 through the roller, thereby driving the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate through the rotating rod 6, that is, applying rotational torque to the rotating sleeve 10-3 through the rotating rod 6. The push rod motor 5 is controlled by the controller 8.

[0050] like Figures 5-7 As shown, the locking actuator is located at the center of the base 4, with one end extending into the cylinder 3 to engage with the piston connecting rod 9-3, and the other end connected to the actuating end of the rotating rod 6. Specifically: the rotating sleeve 10-3 is a stepped shaft, including a smaller diameter shaft section A and a larger diameter shaft section B; during installation, shaft section A of the rotating sleeve 10-3 passes through the inner bottom surface of the base 4 and is fixedly connected to the actuating end of the rotating rod 6, driving the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate around its own axis through the rotating rod 6; shaft section B is located on the inner bottom surface of the base 4, and the upper end surface of shaft section B has a groove that engages with the piston connecting rod 9-3, and the lower end of the piston connecting rod 9-3 can extend into this groove; the outer sleeve 10-2 is fitted onto the rotating sleeve 10- The outer circumference of shaft segment B is fixedly connected to the base 4 via the outer sleeve 10-2. Holes for placing locking steel balls 10-1 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the circumferential surface of the groove of the rotating sleeve 10-3 and on the corresponding circumferential surface of the outer sleeve 10-2. These holes are frustoconical holes with a slight taper (i.e., the holes on the outer sleeve 10-2 taper outwards, and the holes on the rotating sleeve 10-3 taper inwards) to ensure that the locking steel ball 10-1 remains between the outer sleeve 10-2 and the rotating sleeve 10-3 and does not fall to the outside. After the lower end of the piston connecting rod 9-3 extends into the rotating sleeve 10-3, a groove is provided at the position corresponding to the hole on the rotating sleeve 10-3; Figure 6As shown, when the locking mechanism 10 is in the unlocked position, the holes on the outer sleeve 10-2 and the rotating sleeve 10-3 are aligned, and the locking ball 10-1 is located between the outer sleeve 10-2 and the rotating sleeve 10-3. When the rotating sleeve 10-3 is rotated by the rotating rod 6, causing the holes on the rotating sleeve 10-3 to be misaligned with the holes on the outer sleeve 10-2, the inner wall of the outer sleeve 10-2 presses the locking ball 10-1, causing the locking ball 10-1 to protrude from the inner surface of the rotating sleeve 10-3 and be inserted into the corresponding groove of the piston connecting rod 9-3. At this time, the locking mechanism 10 is in the locked position, thereby locking the piston 9.

[0051] To further reduce the overall weight of the ejection device and improve portability, the cylinder 3 is made of composite wave-transparent material, while the remaining components are made of aluminum alloy, reducing the overall weight of the ejection device while ensuring strength.

[0052] The operating procedure of this pneumatic catapult device is as follows: Figure 8 As shown:

[0053] First, prepare for launch: Securely fix the pneumatic launch device, connect the elbow nozzle 7 to the air pump, power on the controller 8 and push rod motor 5, insert the lower end of the piston connecting rod 9-3 into the rotating sleeve 10-3, and control the push rod motor 5 to start, which in turn drives the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate through the rotating rod 6, so that the hole on the rotating sleeve 10-3 is misaligned with the hole on the outer sleeve 10-2, and the locking steel ball 10-1 protrudes from the inner surface of the rotating sleeve 10-3 and is inserted into the corresponding groove of the piston connecting rod 9-3, thus completing the fixing of the piston 9.

[0054] Then pressurization: After receiving the pressurization command, the controller 8 controls the air pump to perform pressurization operation. The air pump fills the space below the piston 9 inside the cylinder 3 (let's call this space the air chamber) with compressed air through the elbow air nozzle 7. When the pressure in the air chamber reaches the set pressure (monitored by the pressure sensor built into the air pump output pipe), the controller 8 controls the air pump to stop working, thus completing the pressurization operation.

[0055] Next, the ejection: After receiving the ejection command, the controller 8 controls the push rod motor 5 to pull the rotating rod 6, which in turn drives the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate, aligning the hole on the rotating sleeve 10-3 with the hole on the outer sleeve 10-2. At this time, the locking structure 10 is unlocked. After the piston 9 is no longer restricted by the locking mechanism 10, the compressed gas in the air chamber expands and pushes the piston 9 upward (when the piston 9 moves upward, it squeezes the locking steel ball 10-1 through the piston connecting rod 9-3, so that the locking steel ball 10-1 is located between the outer sleeve 10-2 and the rotating sleeve 10-3), completing the ejection operation of the small folding drone.

[0056] Finally, the reset is completed: when the pressure inside the air chamber matches the outside air pressure, the piston 9 stops moving; the controller 8 sends a command to the air pump to perform a pumping operation, causing the piston 9 to move towards the bottom of the ejection device; after the piston 9 is in place, the controller 8 shuts off the air pump; then it controls the push rod motor 5 to drive the rotating sleeve 10-3 to rotate through the rotating rod 6, rotating the rotating sleeve 10-3 to the locking position to lock the piston 9, thus completing the reset operation, and the next ejection operation can be performed.

[0057] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with general descriptions and specific embodiments, modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A pneumatic catapult device for launching a tube-mounted folding drone, characterized in that: include: Cylinder unit, pneumatic ejection unit and locking mechanism (10); The cylindrical unit is used to house the drone in a folded state; The pneumatic ejection unit is located at the bottom of the cylindrical unit and is used to pneumatically eject the UAV when it is in a folded state. The locking mechanism (10) is used to lock and unlock the pneumatic ejection unit; The cylindrical unit is provided with a piston (9) inside, which divides the internal space of the cylindrical unit into upper and lower parts, wherein the space above the piston (9) is used to place the drone in a folded state; The piston (9) has a piston connecting rod (9-3). The locking mechanism (10) includes: a rotary drive unit, a locking steel ball (10-1), an outer sleeve (10-2), and a rotating sleeve (10-3). The rotary drive unit is used to drive the rotating sleeve (10-3) to rotate around its own axis; The upper end of the rotating sleeve (10-3) extends into the interior of the cylindrical unit and engages with the piston connecting rod (9-3); The upper end face of the rotating sleeve (10-3) has a groove for the piston connecting rod (9-3) to extend into; the outer sleeve (10-2) is fitted onto the outer circumference of the portion of the rotating sleeve (10-3) located inside the cylindrical unit; on the circumferential surface of the groove of the rotating sleeve (10-3) and on the circumferential surface of the corresponding position of the outer sleeve (10-2), there are two or more corresponding holes for placing locking steel balls (10-1) at intervals along the circumference. The holes are frustoconical holes to ensure that the locking steel ball (10-1) does not fall out between the outer sleeve (10-2) and the rotating sleeve (10-3); The lower circumferential surface of the piston connecting rod (9-3) is axially spaced with grooves corresponding to the holes. When the holes on the outer sleeve (10-2) and the rotating sleeve (10-3) are aligned and the locking ball (10-1) is located between the outer sleeve (10-2) and the rotating sleeve (10-3), the locking mechanism (10) is in the unlocked position. When the rotating sleeve (10-3) rotates, causing the holes on the rotating sleeve (10-3) to be misaligned with the holes on the outer sleeve (10-2), the inner wall of the outer sleeve (10-2) presses the locking ball (10-1), causing the locking ball (10-1) to protrude from the inner surface of the rotating sleeve (10-3) and be inserted into the corresponding groove of the piston connecting rod (9-3), the locking mechanism (10) is in the locked position. Before ejection, the locking mechanism (10) is in the locked position to lock the piston (9); then compressed air is injected into the air chamber below the piston (9) in the cylinder (3) to complete the pressurization operation; after receiving the ejection command, the locking mechanism (10) is in the unlocked position, at which time the compressed gas in the air chamber expands and pushes the piston (9) upward to complete the ejection operation of the drone; after the ejection of the drone is completed, the piston (9) moves to the bottom of the cylinder (3); when the piston (9) moves to the lower end of the piston connecting rod (9-3) and extends into the rotating sleeve (10-3), the locking mechanism (10) is in the locked position to achieve reset.

2. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a tube-mounted folding drone as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The pneumatic ejection unit includes: an elbow nozzle (7) and a piston (9); One end of the elbow nozzle (7) is connected to the air pump, and the other end is connected to the lower space of the piston (9) inside the cylinder unit. It is used to fill or evacuate the space to push the piston (9) to move along the axial direction of the cylinder unit, thereby realizing the pneumatic ejection of the UAV inside the cylinder unit and the reset of the piston (9) after ejection.

3. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a tube-mounted folding UAV as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The piston (9) includes: piston plate (9-1), sealing ring (9-2), piston connecting rod (9-3) and directional ring (9-4). The upper end of the piston connecting rod (9-3) is connected to the piston plate (9-1), and the lower end passes through the directional ring (9-4). The piston plate (9-1) divides the internal space of the cylinder unit into upper and lower parts. A sealing ring (9-2) is installed on the outer circumferential surface of the piston plate (9-1).

4. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a cylindrical folding drone as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The rotary drive unit includes: a push rod motor (5) and a rotating rod (6); The rotating rod (6) is an inclined rod with the two ends of the inclined rod being the driving end and the actuating end, respectively. The driving end has a groove, and the roller connected to the power output end of the push rod motor (5) is located in the groove. The actuating end of the rotating rod (6) is connected to the rotating sleeve (10-3). When the push rod motor (5) moves linearly, the roller pushes or pulls the driving end of the rotating rod (6), thereby driving the rotating sleeve (10-3) to rotate through the rotating rod (6).

5. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a tube-mounted folding UAV as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The cylindrical unit includes: a top cover (1), a connecting rod (2), a cylindrical body (3), and a base (4); The top cover (1) and the base (4) are connected by two or more connecting rods (2); the cylinder (3) is a cylindrical structure with open ends, and the cylinder (3) is inserted from the central through hole of the top cover (1) until it is supported on the base (4).

6. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a cylindrical folding drone as described in claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a controller (8); the controller receives external control commands to control the air pump and the push rod motor (5).

7. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a cylindrical folding drone as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The cylinder (3) is made of composite wave-transparent material.

8. The pneumatic catapult device for launching a cylindrical folding drone as described in claim 6, characterized in that: Before ejection: Place the folded drone into the cylinder (3); the lower end of the piston connecting rod (9-3) extends into the rotating sleeve (10-3), and the push rod motor (5) is controlled by the controller (8), which in turn drives the rotating sleeve (10-3) to rotate through the rotating rod (6), so that the locking mechanism (10) is in the locked position, thereby locking the piston (9); When the controller (8) receives the pressurization command, it controls the air pump to perform pressurization operation. The air pump fills the air chamber below the piston (9) inside the cylinder (3) through the elbow air nozzle (7). When the pressure in the air chamber reaches the set pressure, the controller (8) controls the air pump to stop working and completes the pressurization operation. When the controller (8) receives the ejection command, it controls the push rod motor (5) to drive the rotating rod (6) to rotate, which in turn drives the rotating sleeve (10-3) to rotate, so that the locking mechanism (10) is in the unlocked position; at this time, the compressed gas in the air chamber expands and pushes the piston (9) to move upward, completing the ejection operation of the UAV; When the pressure inside the air chamber is consistent with the external air pressure, the piston (9) stops moving; the controller (8) controls the air pump to draw air, causing the piston (9) to move towards the bottom of the cylinder (3); when the piston (9) moves to the point where the lower end of the piston connecting rod (9-3) extends into the rotating sleeve (10-3), the controller (8) shuts off the air pump, and then controls the push rod motor (5) to start, driving the rotating sleeve (10-3) to rotate through the rotating rod (6), so that the locking mechanism (10) is in the locked position, thereby completing the reset operation.

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