A spring cylinder with variable performance and its UAV docking device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a spring cylinder with variable performance and a UAV docking device thereof. The spring cylinder body includes a cylinder inner cavity. Both ends of the cylinder inner cavity along the sliding direction of its piston rod are respectively connected with first connecting pipelines. The servo valve includes a first connecting position for connecting the cylinder inner cavity to the atmosphere to reduce its stiffness, and a blocking position for disconnecting the cylinder inner cavity from the atmosphere to enhance its stiffness. The first connecting position and the blocking position can be switched and respectively connected to each first connecting pipeline. The servo valve is actuated to connect the cylinder inner cavity to the first connecting position, and the first connecting position pipeline in the first connecting position is connected to the outside atmosphere. At this time, the stiffness of the spring cylinder is provided solely by the stiffness of its inner spring itself. The servo valve is actuated to connect the cylinder inner cavity to the blocking position. At this time, the cylinder cavity is in a closed state. The gas enclosed in the cylinder cavity itself has stiffness. At this time, the stiffness of the spring cylinder is a composite of the spring stiffness and the stiffness of the enclosed gas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) docking, and in particular to a spring cylinder with variable performance and a UAV docking device thereof. Background Art

[0002] A drone docking device is an intelligent device that captures and secures a drone to a specific platform. It not only securely docks with the drone but also places it in a designated location. After completing its mission and returning home, a drone is typically recovered by a mobile carrier, such as a vehicle or ship. However, environmental factors like wind, waves, and road conditions can cause turbulence between the drone and the carrier. If the recovery carrier is too rigid, a collision with the drone could damage it; if the recovery carrier is too rigid, the device could become unstable during recovery. Therefore, existing technologies require further development. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN202011493156 proposes a docking device that utilizes a push rod. However, this approach has significant drawbacks: its high rigidity and invariable stability mean that the turbulence caused by rigid docking could damage the drone. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN201710286228 proposes a docking device that utilizes electromagnetic attraction. However, this method has a limited docking range and generates a magnetic field that could interfere with drone communications.

[0003] Currently, drone docking devices primarily consist of a chassis, a hatch, a lifting platform, a drone locking device, a leveling mechanism, a charger, a camera, and sensors. The hatch protects the docking device, the lifting platform docks the drone, the drone locking device locks the drone, the leveling mechanism adjusts the docking device's position during docking, the charger charges the drone, and the camera and sensors monitor the drone's status. Upon receiving a docking command, the drone docking device opens its hatch, extends the lifting platform, and, with the assistance of the camera and sensors, adjusts its position to await docking. Once the docking device and the drone are docked, the drone locking device locks the drone to prevent it from shaking or even detaching from the docking device. The charger then charges the drone.

[0004] The Brazilian company TideWise, in collaboration with STABLE, a supplier of marine stabilization platforms, has developed a docking system for drones at sea. The docking system uses the stabilization platform to maintain stability, while the drone adjusts its posture using visual guidance to maintain relative positioning with the docking system. This ensures the drone and the docking system remain stationary in all directions except the vertical, enabling the drone to land vertically on the docking platform. However, this approach, combined with the stability control of the platform and the drone's attitude adjustment, has its drawbacks. In strong winds and waves, the docking system's attitude changes rapidly, exacerbating the disturbances experienced by the drone. This makes it difficult for the drone to adjust its attitude quickly and accurately, and increases the risk of collision with the docking system. Therefore, docking is difficult to achieve using only visual guidance, requiring the docking system to incorporate some active docking functionality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a spring cylinder with variable performance and its drone docking device to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art. The configuration based on pneumatic transmission can respond quickly and change the stiffness to ensure the speed, stability and safety of the docking process.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a spring cylinder with variable performance, comprising a spring cylinder body and a servo valve for controlling the connection between the spring cylinder body and the atmosphere, the spring cylinder body comprising a cylinder inner cavity, and the two ends of the cylinder inner cavity along the sliding direction of its piston rod are respectively connected with a first connecting pipeline, the servo valve comprising a first connecting position for connecting the cylinder inner cavity to the atmosphere to reduce its stiffness, and a blocking position for disconnecting the cylinder inner cavity from the atmosphere to enhance its stiffness, the first connecting position and the blocking position can be switched and respectively connected to each of the first connecting pipelines, the first connecting position is provided with a first connecting position pipeline connecting each of the first connecting pipelines and the atmosphere, and the blocking position is provided with a circuit breaker for blocking the connection between each of the first connecting pipelines and the atmosphere.

[0007] Preferably, the servo valve is connected to a reversing valve, and two second connecting pipes are connected between the reversing valve and the servo valve. The reversing valve includes a second connecting position for connecting the cylinder cavity to the high-pressure gas to adjust the extension of the piston rod, and a third connecting position connected to the atmosphere. The second connecting position is provided with a high-pressure air inlet circuit and a high-pressure air return circuit respectively connecting the two second connecting pipes and the high-pressure gas source, and the third connecting position is provided with an atmospheric passage that synchronously connects the two second connecting pipes and the atmosphere.

[0008] Preferably, the first connecting position includes a positive connecting position and a reverse connecting position for driving the piston rod to extend and retract respectively, and the first connecting position pipeline includes two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths respectively arranged in the positive connecting position and the reverse connecting position, and the directions in which the two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths enter the two first connecting pipelines are opposite.

[0009] Preferably, the positive communication position and the reverse communication position are both equipped with a regulating mechanism for regulating the intake pressure, and each regulating mechanism is connected to each first connecting pipeline.

[0010] Preferably, the high-pressure gas source includes a gas storage tank and a high-pressure air pump connected to the gas storage tank, and the high-pressure air pump is connected between the gas storage tank and the second connecting point.

[0011] A drone docking device is also provided, comprising a chassis, a plurality of spring cylinders with piston rods facing upward and axes arranged vertically, the spring cylinders being coaxially connected in series along the vertical direction, a fixing frame being provided at the end of the lower spring cylinder between two adjacent spring cylinders, a guide rail being provided on the fixing frame for the upper spring cylinder to slide, and the piston rod of the lower spring cylinder being connected to the cylinder body of the upper spring cylinder, and the drone being docked on the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder.

[0012] Preferably, a locking mechanism for locking the drone is provided on the chassis, and the locking mechanism is arranged opposite to the end of the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder.

[0013] Preferably, a sliding cover for sealing the chassis is provided on the top of the chassis.

[0014] Preferably, a guide rail groove extending in a vertical direction is provided on the outer wall of the cylinder body of the spring cylinder, and the guide rail is slidably arranged in the guide rail groove.

[0015] Preferably, a piston is slidably provided in the cylinder cavity, a piston rod for connecting to an object to be supported is passed through one end of the cylinder cavity, and the piston rod is connected to the piston, and a spring is connected between the other end and the piston.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects:

[0017] First, the spring cylinder body includes a cylinder cavity, and the two ends of the cylinder cavity along the sliding direction of its piston rod are respectively connected with a first connecting pipeline. The servo valve includes a first connecting position for connecting the cylinder cavity to the atmosphere to reduce its stiffness, and a blocking position for disconnecting the cylinder cavity from the atmosphere to enhance its stiffness. The first connecting position and the blocking position can be switched and respectively connected to each first connecting pipeline. The first connecting position is provided with a first connecting position pipeline connecting each first connecting pipeline and the atmosphere, and the blocking position is provided with a first connecting position pipeline that blocks the communication between each first connecting pipeline and the atmosphere. The circuit is disconnected, and the servo valve is actuated to connect the cylinder cavity to the first connecting position. Since the first connecting position pipeline in the first connecting position is connected to the outside atmosphere, the stiffness of the spring cylinder is provided solely by the stiffness of the inner spring itself. Then, the servo valve is actuated to connect the cylinder cavity to the blocking position. Since the blocking position disconnects the cylinder cavity from the atmosphere, the cylinder cavity is in a closed state. The gas enclosed in the cylinder cavity has its own stiffness. Therefore, the stiffness of the spring cylinder is a composite of the spring stiffness and the stiffness of the enclosed gas.

[0018] Second, the servo valve is connected to a reversing valve, and two second connecting pipelines are connected between the reversing valve and the servo valve. The reversing valve includes a second connecting position for connecting the cylinder cavity to the high-pressure gas to adjust the extension of the piston rod, and a third connecting position connected to the atmosphere. The second connecting position is provided with a high-pressure air inlet and a high-pressure air return that respectively connect the two second connecting pipelines to the high-pressure gas source. The third connecting position is provided with an atmospheric passage that synchronously connects the two second connecting pipelines to the atmosphere. When the reversing valve is actuated and switched to the third connecting position, the atmospheric passage on the third connection position is connected to the second connecting pipeline and the atmosphere. Then, the servo valve is actuated to switch the connection or disconnection between the cylinder cavity and the atmosphere. When the reversing valve is actuated and switched to the second connecting position, the high-pressure air inlet and high-pressure air return on the second connecting position are connected to the second connecting pipeline and the high-pressure gas. Then, the servo valve is actuated to switch the connection position so that the cylinder cavity is connected to the high-pressure air inlet and high-pressure air return. The high-pressure gas is used to push the piston and piston rod to move, so that the piston rod of the spring cylinder extends or retracts, adaptively changing the length of the drone that needs to be docked.

[0019] Third, the first connecting position includes a positive connecting position and a reverse connecting position for driving the piston rod to extend and retract respectively. The first connecting position pipeline includes two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths respectively arranged in the positive connecting position and the reverse connecting position. The two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths enter the two first connecting pipelines in opposite directions. That is to say, by switching the positive connecting position and the reverse connecting position by the servo valve, the high-pressure gas enters the two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths in opposite directions, and then enters the two first connecting pipelines in opposite directions, so as to complete the opposite movement of the piston in the spring cylinder pushed by the high-pressure gas, and then complete the extension or retraction of the piston rod of the spring cylinder.

[0020] Fourth, the spring cylinders are coaxially connected in series along the vertical direction. Between two adjacent spring cylinders, a fixing frame is provided at the end of the lower spring cylinder. The fixing frame is provided with a guide rail for the upper spring cylinder to slide, and the piston rod of the lower spring cylinder is connected to the cylinder body of the upper spring cylinder. The drone is docked on the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder. In terms of stiffness: when all spring cylinders are in a closed state, the stiffness of each spring cylinder is the composite stiffness of the enclosed gas and the spring, and the stiffness of the entire docking device is the largest. When some spring cylinders are in a closed state and the remaining spring cylinders are connected to the atmosphere, the stiffness of the entire docking device is composed of the composite stiffness of some spring cylinders and the stiffness of the individual springs. Reduced. When all spring cylinders are connected to the atmosphere, the stiffness of the entire docking device is only composed of the stiffness of a single spring, and the stiffness is the smallest. That is to say, through the series connection of each spring cylinder, a variety of stiffness changes are presented, which is more suitable for the docking work of the UAV; in terms of length: the servo valve and the reversing valve are connected, so that the spring cylinder is connected to the high-pressure gas to adjust the extension and contraction of the piston rod of the spring cylinder. The upper spring cylinder can slide along the guide rail under the extension and contraction of the piston rod of the lower spring cylinder to change its position, and the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder is extended or retracted separately to change the position of the piston rod docking with the UAV as a whole, presenting a variety of length changes, which is more suitable for the docking work of the UAV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the UAV docking device of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the spring cylinder connected in series according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the variable stiffness mode of the spring cylinder of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the variable length mode of the spring cylinder of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the spring cylinder stiffness control mode of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the spring cylinder length control mode of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the spring cylinder stiffness and length control mode of the present invention;

[0029] Among them, 1-chassis, 2-sliding cover, 3-locking mechanism, 4-series spring cylinder assembly, 5-spring cylinder, 6-guide rail, 7-fixed frame, 8-reverse connection position, 9-blocking position, 10-positive connection position, 11-second connecting pipeline, 12-atmosphere, 13-gas tank, 14-third connection position, 15-second connection position, 16-reversing valve, 17-high-pressure air pump, 18-servo valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a spring cylinder with variable performance and its drone docking device to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art. The configuration based on pneumatic transmission can respond quickly and change the stiffness to ensure the speed, stability and safety of the docking process.

[0032] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7The present embodiment provides a spring cylinder with variable performance, including a spring cylinder body, a servo valve 18 for controlling the connection between the spring cylinder body and the atmosphere 12, the spring cylinder body including a cylinder cavity, the cylinder cavity along the sliding direction of its piston rod at both ends are connected with a first connecting pipe, the servo valve 18 includes a first connecting position for connecting the cylinder cavity to the atmosphere 12 to reduce its stiffness, and a blocking position 9 for disconnecting the cylinder cavity from the atmosphere 12 to enhance its stiffness, the first connecting position and the blocking position 9 can be switched and respectively connected to each first connecting pipe, the first connecting position is provided with a first connecting position pipe connecting each first connecting pipe and the atmosphere 12 Road, the blocking position 9 is provided with a circuit breaker that blocks the connection between each first connecting pipeline and the atmosphere 12, and the servo valve 18 is operated to connect the cylinder cavity to the first connecting position. Since the first connecting position pipeline in the first connecting position is connected to the external atmosphere 12, the stiffness of the spring cylinder 5 is provided solely by the stiffness of the inner spring itself, and then the servo valve 18 is operated to connect the cylinder cavity to the blocking position 9. Since the blocking position 9 disconnects the connection between the cylinder cavity and the atmosphere 12, the cylinder cavity is in a closed state at this time, and the gas enclosed in the cylinder cavity itself has stiffness, so the stiffness of the spring cylinder 5 is a composite of the spring stiffness and the stiffness of the enclosed gas.

[0034] Among them, the servo valve 18 is connected to the reversing valve 16, and two second connecting pipes 11 are connected between the reversing valve 16 and the servo valve 18. The reversing valve 16 includes a second connecting position 15 for connecting the cylinder cavity with the high-pressure gas to adjust the extension of the piston rod, and a third connecting position 14 connected to the atmosphere 12. The second connecting position 15 is provided with a high-pressure air inlet path and a high-pressure air return path respectively connecting the two second connecting pipes 11 and the high-pressure gas source. The third connecting position 14 is provided with an atmospheric passage that synchronously connects the two second connecting pipes 11 and the atmosphere 12. The reversing valve 16 is actuated and switched to the third connecting position 14, so that the third connecting position The atmospheric passage on the cylinder is connected to the second connecting pipeline 11 and the atmosphere 12, and then the servo valve 18 is actuated to switch the connection or disconnection between the cylinder cavity and the atmosphere 12, and the reversing valve 16 is actuated and switched to the second connecting position 15, so that the high-pressure air inlet and high-pressure return paths on the second connecting position 15 are connected to the second connecting pipeline 11 and the high-pressure gas, and then the servo valve 18 is actuated to switch the connecting position so that the cylinder cavity is connected to the high-pressure air inlet and high-pressure return paths, and the high-pressure gas is used to push the piston and the piston rod to move, so that the piston rod of the spring cylinder 5 extends or retracts, adaptively changing the length of the drone that needs to be docked.

[0035] That is to say, each spring cylinder 5 has two working modes, namely variable stiffness mode and variable length mode. The working principle of the air circuit is as follows: Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown. Figure 3As shown, the reversing valve 16 is in the third communication position 14, and the servo valve 18 performs position control to lock the spring cylinder 5 or connect it to the atmosphere 12, thereby realizing the change of the stiffness of the spring cylinder 5. When the spring cylinder 5 is locked, its stiffness is large, and when the spring cylinder 5 is connected to the atmosphere 12, its stiffness is small. Figure 4 As shown, the reversing valve 16 is located at the second communication position 15 , and the servo valve 18 regulates the inlet and outlet pressures to lock or move the spring cylinder 5 , thereby changing the length of the spring cylinder 5 .

[0036] Furthermore, the first connecting position includes a positive connecting position 10 and a reverse connecting position 8 for driving the piston rod to extend and retract respectively. The first connecting position pipeline includes two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths respectively arranged in the positive connecting position 10 and the reverse connecting position 8. The two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths enter the two first connecting pipelines in opposite directions, that is, the positive connecting position 10 and the reverse connecting position 8 are switched by the servo valve 18, and the high-pressure gas enters the two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths in opposite directions, and then enters the two first connecting pipelines in opposite directions, so as to complete the opposite movement of the piston in the spring cylinder 5 pushed by the high-pressure gas, and thereby complete the extension or retraction of the piston rod of the spring cylinder 5.

[0037] Preferably, the positive connection position 10 and the reverse connection position 8 are both equipped with an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the intake pressure. Each adjusting mechanism is connected to each first connecting pipe. The intake volume is controlled by setting the adjusting mechanism to control the extension speed of the piston rod, and the on-off of the air circuit can be controlled to ensure that the piston rod is extended or retracted to the corresponding length.

[0038] Among them, the high-pressure air source includes an air tank 13 and a high-pressure air pump 17 connected to the air tank 13. The high-pressure air pump 17 is connected between the air tank 13 and the second connecting position 15. Through the connection between the high-pressure air pump 17 and the air tank 13, a high-pressure air source is provided for each air path, so as to effectively move the piston rod and push the corresponding spring cylinder body.

[0039] Furthermore, a drone docking device is also provided, comprising a chassis 1, a plurality of spring cylinders 5 with piston rods facing upward and axes arranged vertically, the spring cylinders 5 are coaxially connected in series along the vertical direction to form a series spring cylinder assembly 4, and between two adjacent spring cylinders 5, a fixing frame 7 is provided at the end of the lower spring cylinder 5, and a guide rail 6 for the upper spring cylinder 5 to slide is provided on the fixing frame 7, and the piston rod of the lower spring cylinder 5 is connected to the cylinder body of the upper spring cylinder 5, and the drone is docked on the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder 5. In terms of stiffness: when all spring cylinders 5 are in a closed state, the stiffness of each spring cylinder 5 is the composite stiffness of the enclosed gas and the spring, and the stiffness of the entire docking device is the largest. When some spring cylinders 5 are in a closed state and the remaining spring cylinders 5 are connected to the atmosphere 12, the entire docking device is The stiffness of the spring cylinders 5 is composed of the combined stiffness of some spring cylinders 5 and the stiffness of the individual springs, resulting in a reduced stiffness. When all spring cylinders 5 are connected to the atmosphere 12, the stiffness of the entire docking device is composed solely of the stiffness of the individual springs, which is minimal. In other words, by connecting the individual spring cylinders 5 in series, a variety of stiffness variations are present, making it more suitable for docking with drones. In terms of length, the servo valve 18 and the reversing valve 16 are turned on, allowing the spring cylinders 5 to be connected to high-pressure gas to adjust the extension and contraction of the piston rods of the spring cylinders 5. The upper spring cylinders 5 can slide along the guide rail 6 under the extension and contraction of the piston rods of the lower spring cylinders 5 to change their position. The piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder 5 can be extended or retracted individually to change the position of the piston rod docking with the drone as a whole, presenting a variety of length variations, making it more suitable for docking with drones. In other words, the entire docking device, with the spring cylinders 5 as the basic docking component, has a simple structure and fast response, solving the problems of poor flexibility and interference with drones in the prior art. It can also simultaneously change stiffness and length to adapt to different docking environments.

[0040] like Figure 2 、 5, 6 and 7, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the entire docking device has two spring cylinders 5 connected in series, and includes a guide rail 6 and a fixing frame 7. The piston rods of the upper spring cylinder 5 and the lower spring cylinder 5 are connected together by the fixing frame 7. In this preferred embodiment, the air circuit of the entire docking device is composed of two spring cylinders 5, two servo valves 18, two reversing valves 16, an air pump, and a high-pressure air source. Each reversing valve 16 can only connect to the air circuit composed of the corresponding servo valve 18 and spring cylinder 5, and share a high-pressure air source and air pump. Each reversing valve 16, together with a spring cylinder 5 and a servo valve 18, forms a separate basic pneumatic circuit. Multiple basic pneumatic circuits are connected in parallel to form the entire circuit, but each basic pneumatic circuit does not affect each other. The stiffness of the docking device is switched by switching the air circuit. According to the changes in the state of the valve and the spring cylinder 5, the conversion between multiple stiffnesses can be achieved. The high stiffness state of the docking device is achieved by utilizing the compressibility of the gas.

[0041] Stiffness adjustment: There are three working modes, namely stiffness control mode, length control mode and stiffness and length control mode. The working principle of the gas circuit is as follows: Figure 5 、 6 As shown in FIG. 7 , the two reversing valves 16 are located at the third communication position 14. Figure 5 As shown, the two servo valves 18 perform position control so that each spring cylinder 5 is closed or connected to the atmosphere 12. At this time, when the servo valve 18 is in the positive connection position 10 or the reverse connection position 8, the spring cylinder 5 is connected to the outside atmosphere 12. At this time, the stiffness of the spring cylinder 5 is only provided by the spring inside it. When the servo valve 18 is in the blocking position 9, the spring cylinder 5 is in a closed state. At this time, the stiffness of the spring cylinder 5 is provided by the composite stiffness of the enclosed gas and the spring, realizing the transformation of the stiffness of the two spring cylinders 5 in series to ensure the stability of the docking process. When each spring cylinder 5 is closed, the stiffness of the docking device is the largest. When each spring cylinder 5 is connected to the atmosphere 12, the stiffness of the docking device is the smallest. Length adjustment: The two reversing valves 16 are in the second connection position 15, as shown Figure 6 As shown, the two servo valves 18 regulate the inlet and outlet pressures, closing or moving the two spring cylinders 5 to achieve changes in the extension length of the piston rod. Specifically, when the two reversing valves 16 are in the second connection position 15 and the servo valve 18 is in the positive connection position 10 or the reverse connection position 8, the piston rod of the spring cylinder 5 extends or retracts. After reaching the predetermined position, the servo valve 18 switches to the blocking position 9. In addition, one reversing valve 16 is in the second connection position and the other reversing valve 16 is in the third connection position. Figure 7 As shown, the two spring cylinders 5 respectively realize changes in length and stiffness. While the stiffness of several spring cylinders 5 at the end is adjusted, the length of other spring cylinders 5 can be adjusted, so that the docking device can be positioned while docking with the drone, so as to effectively improve the docking efficiency.

[0042] As another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chassis 1 is provided with a locking mechanism 3 for locking the drone. The locking mechanism 3 is arranged directly opposite the end of the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder 5. After docking is completed, the spring cylinder 5 retracts the drone. When the drone reaches the predetermined position, the locking mechanism 3 locks the drone, at which point the spring cylinder 5 disengages from the drone and fully retracts. Once the spring cylinder 5 is fully retracted, the entire drone docking process is complete. When the drone needs to detach, the locking mechanism 3 is released, and the drone flies away.

[0043] Furthermore, a sliding cover 2 is provided on the top of the chassis 1 for sealing the chassis 1. When the drone docking device is in a non-working state, each spring cylinder 5 is in a retracted state and the sliding cover 2 is closed. When the drone docking device performs a drone docking task, the sliding cover 2 is opened and the spring cylinder 5 is extended to dock with the drone, so as to prevent the interior of the chassis 1 and the drone and the spring cylinder 5 from being easily contaminated by the outside world.

[0044] Furthermore, a guide rail 6 groove extending in the vertical direction is provided on the outer wall of the cylinder body of the spring cylinder 5, and the guide rail 6 slides through the guide rail 6 groove. Since the guide rail 6 is fixed on the fixing frame 7 and is located in the guide rail 6 groove of the spring cylinder 5, the upper spring cylinder 5 can move in the axial direction relative to the lower spring cylinder 5 through the guide rail 6.

[0045] Furthermore, a piston is slidingly provided in the cylinder cavity, a piston rod for connecting to the object to be supported is passed through one end of the cylinder cavity, and the piston rod is connected to the piston, and a spring is connected between the other end and the piston to form a spring cylinder 5, thereby realizing the combined adjustment of gas compression and spring deformation.

[0046] Adaptive changes based on actual needs are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] It should be noted that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and non-restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, not the foregoing description, and it is intended that all variations within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims be encompassed within the present invention. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the claim to which they relate.

[0048] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A UAV docking device, characterized in that: It includes a chassis, a plurality of spring cylinders with piston rods facing upwards and axes arranged vertically; The spring cylinder includes a spring cylinder body and a servo valve for controlling the connection between the spring cylinder body and the atmosphere. The spring cylinder body includes a cylinder inner cavity. Both ends of the cylinder inner cavity along the sliding direction of its piston rod are respectively connected to a first connecting pipeline. The servo valve includes a first connecting position for connecting the cylinder inner cavity to the atmosphere to reduce its stiffness, and a blocking position for disconnecting the cylinder inner cavity from the atmosphere to enhance its stiffness. The first connecting position and the blocking position can be switched and respectively connected to each of the first connecting pipelines. The first connecting position is provided with a first connecting position pipeline connecting each of the first connecting pipelines and the atmosphere, and the blocking position is provided with a circuit breaker that blocks the connection between each of the first connecting pipelines and the atmosphere. The spring cylinders are coaxially connected in series along the vertical direction. Between two adjacent spring cylinders, a fixing frame is provided at the end of the lower spring cylinder, and a guide rail for the upper spring cylinder to slide is provided on the fixing frame. The piston rod of the lower spring cylinder is connected to the cylinder body of the upper spring cylinder, and the drone is docked on the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder. The servo valve is connected to a reversing valve, and two second connecting pipelines are connected between the reversing valve and the servo valve. The reversing valve includes a second connecting position and a third connecting position. The second connecting position is provided with a high-pressure air inlet path and a high-pressure air return path respectively connecting the two second connecting pipelines and a high-pressure air source. The third connecting position is provided with an atmospheric passage synchronously connecting the two second connecting pipelines and the atmosphere. A piston is slidably provided in the cylinder cavity, a piston rod for connecting to an object to be supported is passed through one end of the cylinder cavity, and the piston rod is connected to the piston, and a spring is connected between the other end and the piston.

2. The UAV docking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first connecting position includes a positive connecting position and a reverse connecting position for driving the piston rod to extend and retract respectively. The first connecting position pipeline includes two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths respectively arranged in the positive connecting position and the reverse connecting position. The directions in which the two groups of air inlet and air outlet paths enter the two first connecting pipelines are opposite.

3. The UAV docking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The positive communication position and the reverse communication position are both equipped with a regulating mechanism for regulating the intake pressure, and each regulating mechanism is connected to each first connecting pipeline.

4. The UAV docking device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The high-pressure gas source includes an air storage tank and a high-pressure air pump connected to the air storage tank, and the high-pressure air pump is connected between the air storage tank and the second connecting position.

5. The UAV docking device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The chassis is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the drone, and the locking mechanism is arranged opposite to the end of the piston rod of the uppermost spring cylinder.

6. The UAV docking device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A sliding cover for sealing the chassis is provided on the top of the chassis.

7. The UAV docking device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A guide rail groove extending in a vertical direction is provided on the outer wall of the cylinder body of the spring cylinder, and the guide rail is slidably arranged in the guide rail groove.

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