Coaxial connection device for unmanned aerial vehicle based on unmanned boat operation

Abstract

The present invention proposes a coaxial connection device for unmanned aerial vehicles based on unmanned boat operations to solve the problems of difficulty in air docking of two unmanned aerial vehicles on the unmanned boat and instability of the connection; the receiving module is installed at the upper end of the downlink aircraft, and the docking module and the receiving module are detachably connected; the docking module includes a first fixing frame and a docking sleeve, the first fixing frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the docking sleeve is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first fixing frame, a guide plate is provided on the side of the docking sleeve, and a concave electromagnet is provided at the lower end of the docking sleeve; the second fixing frame is fixedly connected to the upper end of the aircraft, the winding mechanism is connected to the upper end of the second fixing frame, the receiving sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper end of the winding mechanism, the other end of the tape steel belt passes through the receiving sleeve and its end is rotatably connected to the receiving seat, and the upper end of the receiving seat is fixedly connected to a convex permanent magnet; a spiral downward guide incision is provided on the side of the receiving sleeve, and a card slot is provided at the lower end of the guide incision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aircraft equipment, in particular to a coaxial connection device for an unmanned aircraft used for unmanned boat operations. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has developed rapidly. Unmanned surface vehicles (UAVs) have become a growing research focus for scholars both domestically and internationally due to their maneuverability and ability to replace human operators in hazardous areas. The use of UAVs on UAVs can enhance aerial reconnaissance capabilities during operations. Quadcopter UAVs are compact, simple, agile, and capable of vertical takeoff and landing. However, their limited four drive units significantly restrict their maneuverability. Compared to quadcopters, octocopters offer greater drive power and payload capacity, but their significantly increased energy consumption makes them less suitable for extended operations. Therefore, the concept of combining two quadcopters into an octocopter is proposed, allowing for flexible combinations during UAV operations.

[0003] However, when two quadrotor UAVs cooperate with unmanned boats for offshore operations, there are several problems with the docking of the two UAVs:

[0004] 1. Due to the influence of wind and waves at sea, it is difficult for the two aircraft to locate each other in the air, making it inconvenient for automatic docking.

[0005] 2. After automatic docking, the connection between the two aircraft is not firm, and it is easy for the two aircraft to separate when towing heavy objects due to wind and waves. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above situation, in order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a coaxial connection device for unmanned aerial vehicles for unmanned boat operations to solve the problems of difficulty in air docking of two unmanned aerial vehicles on the unmanned boat and unstable connection.

[0007] The technical solution is as follows: the present invention comprises a docking module and a receiving module, the two modules are respectively installed on two aircraft used in combination, the docking module is installed at the lower end of the ascending aircraft, and the receiving module is installed at the upper end of the descending aircraft, and the docking module and the receiving module are detachably connected; the docking module comprises a first fixing frame and a docking sleeve, the first fixing frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the ascending aircraft, the docking sleeve is fixedly connected to the bottom of the first fixing frame, at least one guide plate is provided on the side of the docking sleeve, and a concave electromagnet is provided at the lower end of the docking sleeve; the receiving module comprises a second fixing frame, a receiving sleeve, a tape measure steel belt and a winding mechanism, the second fixing frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the descending aircraft The upper end of the device, the winding mechanism is connected to the upper end of the second fixed frame, the receiving sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper end of the winding mechanism, one end of the tape measure steel belt is wound in the winding mechanism and controlled by the winding mechanism, the other end of the tape measure steel belt passes through the receiving sleeve and its end is rotatably connected to the receiving seat, and the upper end of the receiving seat is fixedly connected to a convex permanent magnet; at least one spiral downward guide cut is provided on the side of the receiving sleeve, and a card slot is provided at the lower end of the guide cut; the docking sleeve and the receiving sleeve are both shaped like a funnel with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the docking sleeve can be inserted into the receiving sleeve; the convex permanent magnet can be inserted into the concave electromagnet and the magnetic poles of the two docking ends are opposite; the guide plate can be clamped in the card slot in the guide cut.

[0008] Preferably, the winding mechanism includes a shell, a servo, a drum shaft and two rollers. The shell and the servo are fixedly connected to the second fixed frame, and the servo is arranged parallel to one side of the shell. The drum shaft and the two rollers are respectively rotatably connected to the shell, and one end of the roller close to the servo and the drum shaft are coaxially connected with driven gears. The two driven gears are respectively located on both sides of the winding device. The drum shaft is coaxially fixedly connected with a winding drum located in the shell. The winding drum is used to wind up the measuring tape. The measuring tape passes between the two rollers, and the two rollers are squeezed on the measuring tape.

[0009] Preferably, the servo has two coaxial output shafts, each of which is coaxially connected to an internal ratchet gear, and each of which is keyed to a pawl plate. The pawl plate is located at the axis of the internal ratchet gear, and the pawl on the pawl plate acts on the ratchet teeth on the internal ratchet gear.

[0010] Preferably, the ratchet teeth in the two internal ratchet gears are in opposite directions, and the pawls on the two output shafts of the steering gear are in the same direction.

[0011] Preferably, the docking sleeve is located at the axis of the ascending vehicle, and the guide plate on the side of the docking sleeve is located on the bisector of the angle between any two cantilevers of the ascending vehicle.

[0012] Preferably, the receiving sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper end of the shell, the receiving sleeve is located at the axis of the downlink aircraft, and the card slot on the receiving sleeve is parallel to a cantilever of the downlink aircraft.

[0013] Preferably, the steel tape of the measuring tape is formed by splicing two identical pieces of measuring tape, and the outside of the steel tape of the measuring tape is wrapped with a heat shrink tube.

[0014] Compared with the existing known technologies, the technical solution provided by the present invention has the following significant effects:

[0015] 1. Through the coordinated setting of the docking module and the receiving module, the guide plate on the docking sleeve can smoothly slide into the slot along the guide cutout on the receiving sleeve, thereby clamping the docking sleeve and the receiving sleeve together to achieve a fixed connection between the two aircraft, reducing the difficulty of docking. The position of the guide plate and the slot defines the position of the two aircraft after docking, so that a total of eight cantilevers of the two aircraft are staggered to form an eight-rotor aircraft, making the connection between the two aircraft more stable and improving the load capacity.

[0016] 2. By coordinating the measuring tape and the servo, the pawl ratchet structure is used to realize the separate control of the two inner ratchet gears, so that the measuring tape can be retracted and unwound more stably; and after the convex permanent magnet on the measuring tape is attracted by the concave electromagnet at the lower end of the docking sleeve, the traction of the measuring tape can better guide the docking of the uplink aircraft and the downlink aircraft, playing a guiding role. When cooperating with the unmanned boat in offshore operations, it can resist the influence of sea waves on the aircraft and improve the success rate of docking between the two aircraft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the connection between the docking module and the receiving module of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the present invention after the docking module and the receiving module are separated.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the winding mechanism of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the butt joint sleeve and the receiving sleeve of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the docking module of the present invention when it is assembled on the ascending aircraft.

[0022] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the receiving module of the present invention when it is assembled on the descending aircraft.

[0023] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the docking of two aircraft of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the present invention and the unmanned boat.

[0025] Explanation of the numbers in the schematic diagram:

[0026] 1. Docking module; 101. First fixing frame; 102. Docking sleeve; 103. Guide plate; 104. Concave electromagnet; 2. Receiving module; 201. Second fixing frame; 202. Receiving sleeve; 203. Measuring tape; 204. Receiving seat; 205. Convex permanent magnet; 206. Guide cutout; 207. Slot; 3. Upward aircraft; 4. Downward aircraft; 5. Reeling mechanism; 501. Housing; 502. Servo; 503. Reel shaft; 504. Roller; 505. Driven gear; 506. Reeling drum; 507. Internal ratchet gear; 508. Ratchet disk. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a coaxial connection device for an unmanned aerial vehicle used for unmanned boat operations.

[0029] refer to Figures 1 to 8 The coaxial connection device of an unmanned aerial vehicle for unmanned boat operation includes a docking module 1 and a receiving module 2. The two modules are respectively installed on two aircraft used in combination. The docking module 1 is installed at the lower end of the ascending aircraft 3, and the receiving module 2 is installed at the upper end of the descending aircraft 4. The docking module 1 and the receiving module 2 are detachably connected. The two aircraft are assembled together through the connection between the docking module 1 and the receiving module 2.

[0030] The aircraft located above is defined as the ascending aircraft 3, and the aircraft located below is defined as the descending aircraft 4. The receiving module 2 is installed at the upper end of the descending aircraft 4, and the docking module 1 is detachably connected to the receiving module 2.

[0031] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 The docking module 1 includes a first fixing frame 101 and a docking sleeve 102. The first fixing frame 101 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the uplink vehicle 3. The docking sleeve 102 is fixedly connected to the lower side of the first fixing frame 101. A guide plate 103 is provided on the side of the docking sleeve 102, and a concave electromagnet 104 is provided at the lower end of the docking sleeve 102.

[0032] refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4The above-mentioned receiving module 2 includes a second fixing frame 201, a receiving sleeve 202, a tape steel belt 203 and a winding mechanism 5. The second fixing frame 201 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the downlink aircraft 4, the winding mechanism 5 is connected to the upper end of the second fixing frame 201, the receiving sleeve 202 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the winding mechanism 5, one end of the tape steel belt 203 is wound in the winding mechanism 5 and controlled by the winding mechanism 5, the other end of the tape steel belt 203 passes through the receiving sleeve 202, and the upper end of the tape steel belt 203 is rotatably connected to the receiving seat 204 through a bearing, and the upper end of the receiving seat 204 is fixedly connected to a convex permanent magnet 205; a spiral downward guide cut 206 is opened on the side of the receiving sleeve 202, and a card slot 207 is opened at the lower end of the guide cut 206.

[0033] The above-mentioned convex permanent magnet 205 can be inserted into the above-mentioned concave electromagnet 104 and the magnetic poles of the two docking ends are opposite. The adsorption of the two magnets is utilized to facilitate the connection between the measuring tape 203 and the docking module 1. The traction of the measuring tape 203 is used as a guide to more accurately complete the connection between the docking module 1 and the receiving module 2.

[0034] The guide plate 103 can enter the card slot 207 along the guide cutout 206. By engaging the guide plate 103 with the card slot 207, the connection between the docking module 1 and the receiving module 2 is completed, thereby preventing the two combined aircraft from accidentally separating when towing heavy objects, thereby enhancing the carrying capacity.

[0035] Furthermore, in order to facilitate the docking of the two modules, the docking sleeve 102 and the receiving sleeve 202 are both shaped like a funnel with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the docking sleeve 102 can be inserted into the receiving sleeve 202 .

[0036] Specifically, when the ascending aircraft 3 is docked with the descending aircraft 4, the docking sleeve 102 is inserted into the above-mentioned receiving sleeve 202, the concave electromagnet 104 is docked with the above-mentioned convex permanent magnet 205 and the two are adsorbed together, and the guide plate 103 gradually slides into the slot 207 along the guide cutout 206. When the guide plate 103 is located in the slot 207, the docking sleeve 102 and the receiving sleeve 202 are clamped together.

[0037] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The above-mentioned docking sleeve 102 is located at the axis of the ascending aircraft 3, and the guide plate 103 on the side of the docking sleeve 102 is located on the bisector of the angle between two adjacent cantilevers of the ascending aircraft 3; the above-mentioned receiving sleeve 202 is located at the axis of the descending aircraft 4, and the card slot 207 on the receiving sleeve 202 is parallel to one of the cantilevers of the descending aircraft 4; in this way, after the two aircraft are docked, the four cantilevers of the ascending aircraft 3 and the four cantilevers of the descending aircraft 4 are staggered to form an eight-rotor aircraft.

[0038] refer to Figure 4 The above-mentioned winding mechanism 5 includes a shell 501, a steering gear 502, a drum shaft 503 and two rollers 504. The shell 501 and the steering gear 502 are fixedly connected to the second fixed frame 201, and the steering gear 502 is arranged parallel to one side of the shell 501. The drum shaft 503 and the two rollers 504 are respectively rotatably connected to the shell 501, and one end of the roller 504 close to the steering gear 502 and the drum shaft 503 are coaxially connected with a driven gear 505. The two driven gears 505 are respectively located on both sides of the winding device. The drum shaft 503 is coaxially fixedly connected with a winding drum 506 located in the shell 501. The winding drum 506 is used to wind up the measuring tape 203. The measuring tape 203 passes between the two rollers 504, and the two rollers 504 squeeze the measuring tape 203.

[0039] Furthermore, in order to use one servo 502 to control the independent rotation of the two internal ratchet gears 507, the servo 502 has two coaxial output shafts, and the two output shafts are respectively coaxially connected to the internal ratchet gears 507, and the two output shafts are respectively keyed to a pawl plate 508, the pawl plate 508 is located at the axis of the internal ratchet gear 507, and the pawl on the pawl plate 508 acts on the ratchet teeth on the internal ratchet gear 507, the ratchet teeth in the two internal ratchet gears 507 are in opposite directions, and the pawls on the two output shafts of the servo 502 are in the same direction, so that when the servo 502 rotates forward or reverse, one and only one of the two internal ratchet gears 507 rotates actively.

[0040] Specifically, when the servo 502 rotates forward, one of the inner ratchet gears 507 rotates actively, driving the reel shaft 503 to rotate, and the reel 506 to reel in, shrinking the measuring tape 203, while the other inner ratchet gear 507 is not controlled by the output shaft of the servo 502, that is, the roller 504 at this time only rotates passively driven by the measuring tape 203, so that the reeled measuring tape 203 is tighter and more stable.

[0041] Correspondingly, when the servo 502 reverses, one of the inner ratchet gears 507 rotates to drive a roller 504 to rotate, so that the two rollers 504 squeezed on the measuring tape 203 rotate synchronously, thereby dragging the measuring tape 203 upward and extending it out. At this time, the other inner ratchet gear 507 is not controlled by the output shaft of the servo 502, that is, the reel is passively unwound, so that the measuring tape 203 will not get stuck when unwinding, and the measuring tape 203 can be extended upward smoothly.

[0042] Furthermore, the above-mentioned measuring tape steel strip is formed by splicing two identical measuring tapes, and the outer surface of the measuring tape steel strip 203 is wrapped with a heat shrink tube.

[0043] Furthermore, two more rollers 504 may be provided above the two existing rollers 504 on the housing 501 , so as to better guide the measuring tape 203 .

[0044] One point that needs to be emphasized is that the control system and communication system of the aircraft are all existing technologies. The hovering, rotation and remote control of the electromagnet and the servo 502 of the aircraft can all be achieved using existing technologies. We will not go into details here. The present invention only designs the mechanical structure for docking two aircraft to better achieve stable docking of the two aircraft.

[0045] The docking method of two aircraft in the air is as follows:

[0046] The unmanned boat carries at least two aircraft, wherein the two aircraft perform flight operations separately, the aircraft carrying the docking module 1 is the up-flight aircraft 3, and the aircraft carrying the receiving module 2 is the down-flight aircraft 4 (such as Figure 8 shown);

[0047] When towing a heavy object, the two aircraft need to be spliced and used. First, the downlink aircraft 4 is hovered, and the servo 502 is remotely started to reverse. The two ratchet plates 508 rotate, and one of the ratchet plates 508 drives an inner ratchet gear 507 to rotate. The inner ratchet gear 507 drives the roller 504 to rotate through the driven gear 505. Under the squeezing and rotating action of multiple rollers 504, the measuring tape 203 is moved upward. At this time, the reel is no longer controlled by the servo 502 and rotates freely under the pull of the measuring tape, thereby guiding the measuring tape 203 to be dragged upward smoothly. The part of the measuring tape 203 that is separated from the squeezing of the roller 504 is vertically inserted into the receiving sleeve 202, waiting to be docked with the uplink aircraft 3;

[0048] Then, the ascending aircraft 3 moves to the top of the descending aircraft 4 and then slowly moves downward, while the concave electromagnet 104 is powered on and magnetized. By using the magnetic force, the concave electromagnet 104 can be easily attracted to the convex permanent magnet 205, completing the preliminary docking of the two aircraft.

[0049] Then, the steering gear 502 is controlled to rotate in the opposite direction, the measuring tape 203 is wound up, and the upward aircraft 3 is dragged closer to the downward aircraft 4 until the docking sleeve 102 is inserted into the receiving cone, completing the docking;

[0050] Finally, the upward aircraft 3 is controlled to rotate. Since the convex permanent magnet and the receiving seat 204 can rotate on the winding steel belt, when the two magnets are adsorbed together, the upward aircraft 3 can still rotate synchronously with the docking sleeve 102. At the same time, under the drag of the measuring tape 203, the guide plate 103 gradually moves downward along the guide cut 206 until the guide plate 103 is engaged in the card slot 207, completing the engagement of the docking sleeve 102 and the receiving sleeve 202, thereby fixing the two aircraft together.

[0051] When the two aircraft need to be separated, first, the concave electromagnet 104 is powered off and demagnetized, then the upward aircraft 3 rotates to disengage the guide plate 103 from the slot 207, and then the docking sleeve 102 and the receiving sleeve 202 can be separated, and the two aircraft are separated.

[0052] In the present invention, through the coordinated arrangement of the docking module 1 and the receiving module 2, the guide plate 103 on the docking sleeve 102 can smoothly slide into the slot 207 along the guide cutout 206 on the receiving sleeve 202, thereby clamping the docking sleeve 102 and the receiving sleeve 202 together, realizing a fixed connection between the two aircraft and reducing the difficulty of docking. The position of the guide plate 103 and the slot 207 defines the position of the two aircraft after docking, so that a total of eight cantilevers of the two aircraft are staggered to form an eight-rotor aircraft, thereby improving the carrying capacity. By coordinating the measuring tape 203 and the servo 502, the pawl and ratchet structure is used to realize the separate control of the two inner ratchet gears 507, so that the measuring tape 203 can be wound and unwound more stably; and after the convex permanent magnet on the measuring tape 203 is adsorbed by the concave electromagnet 104 at the lower end of the docking sleeve 102, the traction of the measuring tape 203 can better guide the docking of the ascending aircraft 3 and the descending aircraft 4. When cooperating with the unmanned boat for offshore operations, it can resist the influence of sea waves on the aircraft and improve the success rate of docking of the two aircraft.

[0053] It can be seen that the use of the coaxial connection device for unmanned aerial vehicles for unmanned boat operations provided by the present invention can effectively solve the problems of difficulty in docking two aircraft in the air and instability of the connection.

[0054] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent for this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A coaxial connection device for unmanned aerial vehicles used for unmanned boat operations, characterized in that: It includes a docking module and a receiving module. The two modules are respectively installed on two aircraft used in combination, the docking module is installed at the lower end of the ascending aircraft, and the receiving module is installed at the upper end of the descending aircraft. The docking module and the receiving module are detachably connected; The docking module includes a first fixing frame and a docking sleeve, wherein the first fixing frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the ascending aircraft, and the docking sleeve is fixedly connected below the first fixing frame. At least one guide plate is provided on the side of the docking sleeve, and a concave electromagnet is provided at the lower end of the docking sleeve. The receiving module includes a second fixing frame, a receiving sleeve, a measuring tape and a winding mechanism, wherein the second fixing frame is fixedly connected to the upper end of the downlink aircraft, the winding mechanism is connected to the upper end of the second fixing frame, the receiving sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper end of the winding mechanism, one end of the measuring tape is wound in the winding mechanism and controlled by the winding mechanism, the other end of the measuring tape passes through the receiving sleeve and its end is rotatably connected to the receiving seat, and the upper end of the receiving seat is fixedly connected to a convex permanent magnet; at least one spiral downward guide cut is opened on the side of the receiving sleeve, and a card slot is opened at the lower end of the guide cut; The docking sleeve and the receiving sleeve are both shaped like a funnel with a larger top and a smaller bottom, and the docking sleeve can be inserted into the receiving sleeve; The convex permanent magnet can be inserted into the concave electromagnet and the magnetic poles of the two butting ends are opposite; The guide plate can be clamped in a clamping groove in the guide cutout.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The winding mechanism includes a shell, a servo, a drum shaft and two rollers. The shell and the servo are fixedly connected to the second fixed frame, and the servo is arranged parallel to one side of the shell. The drum shaft and the two rollers are respectively rotatably connected to the shell, and one end of the roller close to the servo and the drum shaft are coaxially connected with driven gears. The two driven gears are respectively located on both sides of the winding device. The drum shaft is coaxially fixedly connected with a winding drum located in the shell. The winding drum is used for winding the measuring tape. The measuring tape passes between the two rollers, and the two rollers are squeezed on the measuring tape.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The servo has two coaxial output shafts, which are coaxially connected to internal ratchet gears. The two output shafts are keyed to ratchet plates, which are located at the axis of the internal ratchet gears, and the pawls on the ratchet plates act on the ratchet teeth on the internal ratchet gears.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The ratchet teeth in the two internal ratchet gears are in opposite directions, and the pawls on the two output shafts of the steering gear are in the same direction.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The docking sleeve is located at the axis of the ascending aircraft, and the guide plate on the side of the docking sleeve is located on the bisector of the angle between any two cantilevers of the ascending aircraft.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 2, characterized in that: The receiving sleeve is fixedly connected to the upper end of the shell body, and the receiving sleeve is located at the axis of the descending aircraft. The card slot on the receiving sleeve is parallel to a cantilever of the descending aircraft.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle coaxial connection device for unmanned boat operation according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The measuring tape steel strip is formed by splicing two identical measuring tapes, and the outside of the measuring tape steel strip is wrapped with a heat shrink tube.

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