Automatic propeller retracting machine nest and propeller retracting method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and in particular to an automatic propeller-retracting machine nest, comprising a machine nest body, a first top door, a second top door, and four paddle members. The first top door and the second top door are both slidably connected to the machine nest body, and the first top door and the second top door can approach or move away from each other along a first direction. Two paddle members are connected to the inner side surface of the first top door, and the remaining two paddle members are connected to the inner side surface of the second top door. The four paddle members are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the four groups of blades of the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that when the first top door and the second top door are approaching and closing, the four paddle members can respectively contact the blades in the direction of rotation of the four groups of blades, and make the blades located within the area surrounded by the four motors of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The present invention also provides a paddle-retracting method, which is applied to the above-mentioned automatic propeller-retracting machine nest. The above-mentioned automatic propeller-retracting machine nest can realize automatic paddle retraction by applying the above-mentioned paddle-retracting method, and the steps are simple and the cost is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to an automatic propeller retracting machine nest and a propeller retracting method. Background Art

[0002] When recovering a drone, the current drone pod requires ample space between the platform and the pod to prevent the propellers from colliding and damaging the pod. If the space between the platform and the pod is insufficient, manual retraction of the propellers is necessary, increasing both manpower and financial costs. Furthermore, manual operation can lead to damage due to possible negligence.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automatic propeller retracting machine nest and a propeller retracting method to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to provide an automatic propeller folding machine nest, which can avoid manpower input and damage to the propeller blades when the space between the platform and the machine nest is not large enough.

[0005] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] Provided is an automatic propeller retracting machine nest, comprising:

[0007] Machine nest body;

[0008] a first top door and a second top door, wherein the first top door and the second top door are both slidably connected to the nest body, and the first top door and the second top door can move closer to or farther away from each other along a first direction;

[0009] There are four paddle members, two of which are connected to the inner side of the first top door, and the remaining two are connected to the inner side of the second top door. The four paddle members are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the four groups of blades of the drone, so that when the first top door and the second top door are close to each other, the four paddle members can respectively contact the blades in the rotation direction of the four groups of blades, and make the blades located within the area enclosed by the four motors of the drone.

[0010] As a preferred solution for the automatic paddle retracting machine nest, it also includes a first slide rail and a second slide rail, the first slide rail is arranged on the inner side surface of the first top door, and the second slide rail is arranged on the inner side surface of the second top door, the first slide rail and the second slide rail are both extended along the second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, two of the paddle members are slidably arranged on the first slide rail, and the remaining two paddle members are slidably arranged on the second slide rail.

[0011] As a preferred solution for the automatic paddle-retracting machine nest, it also includes four groups of driving devices, and the output ends of the four groups of driving devices are respectively connected to the four paddle members to adjust the positions of the four paddle members on the first slide rail and the second slide rail respectively.

[0012] As a preferred solution for the automatic propeller retracting machine nest, it also includes a first detection device, which is used to detect the rotation direction of the four groups of blades. The first detection device is communicatively connected to the four groups of drive devices.

[0013] As a preferred solution for the automatic propeller retracting machine nest, it also includes a second detection device, which is used to detect the positions of the four motors. The second detection device is communicatively connected to the four groups of drive devices.

[0014] As a preferred solution for the automatic paddle retracting machine nest, it also includes a lifting platform, and the drone is located on the lifting platform. The lifting platform can rise to a first position so that the height of the paddle member is consistent with the height of the blade, and the lifting platform can descend to a second position so that the drone is located on the inner side of the first top door and the second top door.

[0015] As a preferred solution for the automatic propeller-retracting machine nest, a third detection device is also included, which can detect the height of the propeller blades of the drone and the overall height of the drone. The third detection device is communicatively connected to the lifting platform.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a propeller retracting method that can be applied to an engine nest and can avoid manpower input and damage to the propeller blades when the space between the platform and the engine nest is not large enough.

[0017] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0018] A propeller folding method is provided, which is applied to the above-mentioned automatic propeller folding machine nest, and the propeller folding method includes the following steps:

[0019] S01: The first top door and the second top door are respectively in the open position, and the automatic propeller retracting engine sends a low-speed propeller rotation command to the drone, and the drone controls the propeller blades to rotate;

[0020] S02, the first top door and the second top door are moved closer to each other to the propeller retracted position, so that the four paddle members can contact the propellers in the rotation direction of the four groups of propellers, and the propellers are located within the area enclosed by the four motors of the drone;

[0021] S03: The automatic propeller retracting engine nest sends a stop rotation instruction to the UAV.

[0022] As a preferred solution of the propeller retracting method, in step S01, after the drone controls the propeller blades to rotate, the method further includes:

[0023] The first detection device detects the rotation direction of the four groups of blades and transmits the rotation direction information to the four groups of driving devices. The four groups of driving devices drive the four paddle members to be located at positions that can face the four groups of blades.

[0024] As a preferred solution of the propeller retracting method, in step S02, before the first top door and the second top door approach each other, the lifting platform is first adjusted to a first position;

[0025] In step S03, after the drone stops rotating, the lifting platform is lowered to the second position, and the first top door and the second top door continue to approach each other until they are closed.

[0026] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0027] The present invention provides an automatic propeller-retracting drone, comprising a drone body, a first top door, a second top door, and four paddle shifters. The first and second top doors are both slidably connected to the drone body, and can move closer to or further away from each other along a first direction. Two paddle shifters are connected to the inner side of the first top door, and the remaining two paddle shifters are connected to the inner side of the second top door. The four paddle shifters are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the four sets of propeller blades of a drone, so that when the first and second top doors are approaching and closing, the four paddle shifters can respectively contact the propeller blades in the direction of rotation of the four sets of propeller blades and position the propeller blades within the area enclosed by the drone's four motors. When the propeller blades of the drone are rotating, the two top doors begin to approach each other, and the four paddle shifters can contact and shift the propeller blades as the two top doors move, causing the propeller blades to retract. This automatic propeller-retracting drone can automatically retract and shift the propeller blades when the space between the platform and the drone is insufficient, thus avoiding manpower input and damage to the propeller blades.

[0028] The present invention also provides a propeller retracting method, which is applied to the above-mentioned automatic propeller retracting machine nest, and the propeller retracting method includes the following steps: S01, the first top door and the second top door are respectively located in the open position, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest sends a low-speed propeller rotation instruction to the drone, and the drone controls the rotation of the blades; S02, the first top door and the second top door are close to each other to the propeller retracting position, so that the four propeller shifting members can respectively contact the propellers in the direction of rotation of the four groups of propellers, and the propellers are located in the area surrounded by the four motors of the drone; S03, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest sends a stop rotation instruction to the drone. The above-mentioned automatic propeller retracting machine nest can realize automatic propeller retraction by applying the above-mentioned propeller retraction method, and the steps are simple. The propeller shifting members move with the top door, and there is no need to set up a separate propeller retracting device. The propeller retraction effect can be achieved at a relatively low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of the automatic propeller retracting machine nest provided by an embodiment of the present invention from a first perspective;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the automatic propeller retracting machine nest provided by an embodiment of the present invention from a second perspective;

[0031] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of the propeller retraction method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In the picture:

[0033] 1. Engine nest body; 2. First top door; 3. Second top door; 4. Paddle assembly; 5. Lifting platform;

[0034] 800, drone; 801, propeller blade; 8011, first propeller blade group; 8012, second propeller blade group; 8013, third propeller blade group; 8014, fourth propeller blade group; 802, motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings only show portions relevant to the present invention, not all of them.

[0036] 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 broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed or detachable connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention.

[0037] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0038] like Figure 1-Figure 2As shown, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest of this embodiment includes a machine nest body 1, a first top door 2, a second top door 3 and four propeller members 4. Figure 1 For a bird's-eye view, Figure 2 For upward perspective, Figure 1 The ab direction is the first direction, and the cd direction is the second direction.

[0039] The first top door 2 and the second top door 3 are both slidably connected to the nest body 1, and the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 can move closer to or farther away from each other along a first direction. Two paddle members 4 are connected to the inner side of the first top door 2, and the remaining two paddle members 4 are connected to the inner side of the second top door 3. The four paddle members 4 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the four groups of blades 801 of the drone 800, so that when the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 are approaching and closing, the four paddle members 4 can respectively contact the blades 801 in the direction of rotation of the four groups of blades 801, and the blades 801 are located within the area enclosed by the four motors 802 of the drone 800.

[0040] Preferably, the portion of the paddle member 4 that contacts the blade 801 is provided with an elastic anti-collision layer to prevent damage to the paddle member 4 caused by contact with the blade 801. Preferably, the portion of the paddle member 4 that contacts the blade 801 is further provided with a contact groove, the shape of which conforms to the sidewall of the blade 801 to increase the contact area of the paddle member 4 on the blade 801, further preventing damage to the paddle member 4 caused by contact and pushing of the blade 801.

[0041] like Figure 2 Taking the drone 800 model shown as an example, the first blade group 8011 located in the upper left corner of the figure rotates clockwise. When the paddle member 4 just enters the rotation area of the first blade group 8011, the blade 801 close to the paddle member 4 will directly contact the paddle member 4 and retract as the paddle member 4 moves. The blade 801 away from the paddle member 4 will continue to rotate clockwise until it contacts the paddle member 4 and retracts as the paddle member 4 moves, until all blades 801 of the first blade group 8011 are retracted into the area enclosed by the four motors 802 of the drone 800 and point to the downward direction in the figure. Similarly, the second blade group 8012 located in the lower left corner of the figure rotates counterclockwise and will eventually be retracted and point to the upward direction in the figure. The third blade group 8013 located in the upper right corner of the figure rotates counterclockwise and will eventually be retracted and point to the downward direction in the figure. The fourth blade group 8014, located in the lower right corner of the figure, rotates clockwise and will eventually be retracted, pointing upward in the figure. At this point, all blades 801 are retracted into the area enclosed by the four motors 802 of the drone 800. Of course, the rotation direction of the blades 801 of the drone 800 corresponding to this automatic retracting mechanism is not limited to the above-described one. The above explanation is merely an example to illustrate the relationship between the position of the paddle member 4 and the rotation direction of the blades 801.

[0042] When the propeller blades 801 of the drone 800 are rotating, the two top doors begin to approach each other, and the four paddle members 4 can contact and paddle the propeller blades 801 as the two top doors move, so that the propeller blades 801 are retracted. The automatic propeller retracting machine nest can automatically retract the propeller blades 801 when the space between the platform and the machine nest is not large enough, avoiding manpower input and damage to the propeller blades 801. Not only that, the paddle members 4 of the automatic propeller retracting machine nest can complete the paddle retraction action as the two top doors move, and there is no need to separately set up a power device for moving the paddle members 4 along the first direction, which can reduce cost investment, and complete the paddle retraction during the process of closing the door, which is more time-saving and convenient.

[0043] When the model of drone 800 corresponding to the automatic propeller retracting mechanism is fixed, the position of the propeller member 4 can be set according to the relationship between the setting position of the propeller member 4 and the rotation direction of the blades 801. That is, the propeller member 4 on the left side can be located between or on both sides of the first blade group 8011 and the second blade group 8012. Similarly, the propeller member 4 on the right side can be located between or on both sides of the third blade group 8013 and the fourth blade group 8014. Of course, the setting position of the propeller member 4 can also be fixed first, and then the rotation direction of each group of blades 801 of the drone 800 can be controlled so that the propeller member 4 can face the direction of rotation of the blades 801.

[0044] Of course, the position of the paddle member 4 can also be adjusted in real time according to the rotation direction of each group of blades 801 of the drone 800. Optionally, the automatic paddle retracting machine nest may also include a first slide rail and a second slide rail. The first slide rail is arranged on the inner side of the first top door 2, and the second slide rail is arranged on the inner side of the second top door 3. The first slide rail and the second slide rail are both extended along the second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Two paddle members 4 are slidably arranged on the first slide rail, and the remaining two paddle members 4 are slidably arranged on the second slide rail, so that the positions of the four paddle members 4 relative to the four motors 802 in the second direction are adjustable.

[0045] In order to realize automatic adjustment of the position of the paddle member 4, preferably, the automatic paddle retracting machine nest also includes four sets of driving devices, and the output ends of the four sets of driving devices are respectively connected to the four paddle members 4 to adjust the positions of the four paddle members 4 on the first slide rail and the second slide rail respectively.

[0046] Preferably, the automatic paddle retracting machine nest also includes a first detection device, which is used to detect the rotation direction of the four groups of blades 801. The first detection device is communicatively connected to the four groups of driving devices, and the four groups of driving devices can adjust the positions of the four paddle members 4 according to the rotation direction of the four groups of blades 801.

[0047] Optionally, the first detection device includes a camera that is used to photograph propeller 801. When propeller 801 is rotating at a low speed, the camera takes two consecutive photos. Features of propeller 801 are then extracted, and the images of propeller 801 are input into an image analysis control unit for calculation to determine the rotation direction of propeller 801. In other embodiments, different devices may be used as the first detection device, as long as they can determine the rotation direction of propeller 801.

[0048] To ensure the accurate position of the paddle member 4 and the effectiveness of its retracting and retracting action on the blades 801, the automatic paddle retracting mechanism preferably further includes a second detection device for detecting the positions of the four motors 802. The second detection device is communicatively connected to each of the four drive devices. That is, by detecting the positions of the motors 802, it can be determined whether the paddle member 4 is in the correct orientation relative to the motors 802 in the second direction and whether the distance relative to the motors 802 meets a preset value, allowing the drive devices to accurately adjust the position of the paddle member 4.

[0049] In order to ensure that the paddle member 4 is not too large in the vertical direction, and on the basis of ensuring that it can contact the blades 801, it does not interfere with other structures of the drone 800 during the further closing of the top door, or occupy too much space in the automatic paddle retractor nest, the automatic paddle retractor nest preferably also includes a lifting platform 5. Specifically, the drone 800 is positioned on the lifting platform 5, and the lifting platform 5 can be raised to a first position so that the height of the paddle member 4 is consistent with the height of the blades 801. The lifting platform 5 can be lowered to a second position so that the drone 800 is located inside the first top door 2 and the second top door 3.

[0050] In order to ensure that the lifting and lowering action of the lifting platform 5 can accurately conform to the size of the drone 800, so that the automatic propeller retracting machine nest can be suitable for different models of drones 800 and can automatically adjust to adapt to the sizes of different models of drones 800, preferably, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest also includes a third detection device. The third detection device can detect the height of the position of the blades 801 of the drone 800 and the overall height of the drone 800. The third detection device is connected to the lifting platform 5 for communication so that the lifting platform 5 can determine the specific heights of the first position and the second position. It can be seen that the detection task of the third detection device can be performed when the drone 800 falls into the automatic propeller retracting machine nest to determine the lifting position of the lifting platform 5 in advance.

[0051] Optionally, the third detection device uses laser ranging technology to scan the entire drone 800, and then extracts the top and bottom positions of the drone 800 from the point cloud data to calculate the overall height of the drone 800. By extracting the top position of the blade 801, the height of the blade 801 can be calculated.

[0052] Optionally, the second and third detection devices can be the same device. Based on the scanned point cloud data of drone 800, the position of propeller 801 can be extracted. The center point can then be calculated from the position of propeller 801 to determine the specific position of motor 802 within the automatic propeller retracting mechanism. Of course, in other embodiments, the second and third detection devices can be different devices or employ different detection methods. These are all conventional techniques and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0053] Of course, in other embodiments, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest designed for the fixed model UAV 800 may not be provided with the first detection device, the second detection device and the third detection device, so as to further reduce material cost, assembly difficulty and weight, etc.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment also provides a propeller folding method, which is applied to the above-mentioned automatic propeller folding machine nest, and the propeller folding method includes the following steps:

[0055] S01, the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 are respectively in the open position, the automatic propeller retracting engine nest sends a low-speed propeller rotation instruction to the drone 800, and the drone 800 controls the propeller blades 801 to rotate at a low speed.

[0056] Preferably, after the drone 800 controls the rotation of the blades 801, for the automatic propeller retracting machine nest equipped with a first detection device, it is also necessary to detect the rotation direction of the four groups of blades 801 through the first detection device, and transmit the rotation direction information to the four groups of driving devices. The four groups of driving devices drive the four paddle members 4 to be located in positions that can face the four groups of blades 801.

[0057] Preferably, for an automatic paddle retracting machine nest provided with a second detection device, the positions of the four motors 802 can also be detected by the second detection device, and the position information of the motors 802 can be transmitted to four sets of drive devices so that the four sets of drive devices can accurately adjust the positions of the four paddle members 4.

[0058] S02, the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 are close to each other until they are in the paddle retracted position, that is, the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 together form a semi-open state, so that the four paddle members 4 can respectively contact the blades 801 facing the rotation direction of the four groups of blades 801, and make the blades 801 located in the area enclosed by the four motors 802 of the drone 800.

[0059] Preferably, before the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 approach each other, the lifting platform 5 needs to be adjusted to the first position first to ensure that the paddle member 4 and the paddle blade 801 are at the same height and can contact the paddle blade 801.

[0060] S03. After completing the propeller retraction action, the automatic propeller retraction engine sends a stop rotation instruction to the drone 800 to ensure that the propeller blades 801 no longer rotate.

[0061] Preferably, after the drone 800 stops rotating, the lifting platform 5 can be lowered to the second position, at which time the paddle member 4 is disengaged from the blade 801, and the first top door 2 and the second top door 3 continue to approach each other until they are closed.

[0062] The above-mentioned automatic oar retracting machine nest applies the above-mentioned oar retracting method to realize automatic oar retracting, and the steps are simple. The oar moving member 4 moves with the top door, and there is no need to set up a separate oar retracting device. The oar retracting effect can be achieved at a relatively low cost.

[0063] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. Automatic propeller retracting machine nest, characterized by: include: Machine nest body(1); A first top door (2) and a second top door (3), wherein the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) are both slidably connected to the nest body (1), and the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) can move closer to or farther away from each other along a first direction; Four paddle members (4), two of which are connected to the inner side surface of the first top door (2), and the remaining two of which are connected to the inner side surface of the second top door (3), and the four paddle members (4) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the four groups of paddle blades (801) of the drone (800), so that when the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) are approaching and closing, the four paddle members (4) can respectively contact the paddle blades (801) in the direction of rotation of the four groups of paddle blades (801), and the paddle blades (801) are located within the area surrounded by the four motors (802) of the drone (800); A first slide rail and a second slide rail, wherein the first slide rail is arranged on the inner side surface of the first top door (2), and the second slide rail is arranged on the inner side surface of the second top door (3), and the first slide rail and the second slide rail are both extended along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and two of the paddle members (4) are slidably arranged on the first slide rail, and the remaining two of the paddle members (4) are slidably arranged on the second slide rail; Four sets of driving devices, wherein the output ends of the four sets of driving devices are respectively connected to the four paddle members (4) to adjust the positions of the four paddle members (4) on the first slide rail and the second slide rail respectively; A first detection device is used to detect the rotation direction of the four groups of blades (801), and the first detection device is communicatively connected to the four groups of driving devices.

2. The automatic propeller retracting machine nest according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a second detection device, which is used to detect the positions of the four motors (802). The second detection device is communicatively connected to the four groups of driving devices.

3. The automatic propeller retracting machine nest according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a lifting platform (5), on which the UAV (800) is located. The lifting platform (5) can be raised to a first position so that the height of the position where the paddle member (4) is located is consistent with the height of the position where the blade (801) is located. The lifting platform (5) can be lowered to a second position so that the UAV (800) is located on the inner side of the first top door (2) and the second top door (3).

4. The automatic propeller retracting machine nest according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a third detection device, which is capable of detecting the height of the position of the blade (801) of the drone (800) and the overall height of the drone (800), and the third detection device is communicatively connected to the lifting platform (5).

5. The method for retracting the propellers is characterized in that: Applied to the automatic propeller retracting machine nest according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the propeller retracting method comprises the following steps: S01, the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) are respectively in the open position, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest sends a low-speed propeller rotation instruction to the drone (800), and the drone (800) controls the propeller blades (801) to rotate; S02, the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) are moved closer to each other to the paddle retracting position, so that the four paddle members (4) can respectively contact the paddles (801) facing the rotation direction of the four groups of paddles (801), and the paddles (801) are located within the area enclosed by the four motors (802) of the drone (800); S03, the automatic propeller retracting machine nest sends a stop rotation instruction to the drone (800).

6. The propeller-folding method according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S01, after the drone (800) controls the blade (801) to rotate, the process further includes: The first detection device detects the rotation direction of the four groups of blades (801) and transmits the rotation direction information to the four groups of driving devices. The four groups of driving devices drive the four paddle members (4) to be respectively located at positions capable of facing the four groups of blades (801).

7. The propeller-folding method according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S02, before the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) approach each other, the lifting platform (5) is first adjusted to a first position; In step S03, after the drone (800) stops rotating, the lifting platform (5) is lowered to a second position, and the first top door (2) and the second top door (3) continue to approach each other until they are closed.

Images