Locking and releasing mechanism, wing and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The present application discloses a locking and releasing mechanism, a wing, and a drone, belonging to the field of locking mechanisms. The mechanism includes at least one locking and releasing structure; the locking and releasing structure includes a fixed shell, a latch assembly, a shape memory alloy wire, a reset elastic member, and a fixed seat; the fixed shell is fixed to the drone body, and a through hole is provided on the surface near the structure to be locked; the latch assembly is provided in the inner cavity of the fixed shell, and when the lock hole provided on the structure to be locked is aligned with the through hole, the front end of the latch assembly can extend out of the through hole and engage with the lock hole under the action of the elastic force released by itself; the bottom plate of the fixed seat is provided at the end of the fixed shell away from the structure to be locked, and the surface is parallel to the end face of the fixed shell; one end of the shape memory alloy wire is connected to the latch assembly, and the other end passes through the bottom plate and is connected to the heating providing mechanism; the reset elastic member is sleeved on the shape memory alloy wire, and its two ends respectively abut against the latch assembly and the bottom plate. The present application can realize the wing deployment to any angle at any time and at will.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of locking mechanisms, and in particular to a locking release mechanism, a wing, and a drone. Background Art

[0002] A drone is an unmanned aircraft controlled by a radio remote control and its own programmable controls, or operated fully or intermittently autonomously by an onboard computer. Compared to manned aircraft, drones are often better suited for missions deemed too "dull, dirty, or dangerous." During the aerial launch process, the drone's wings are folded before it is released to minimize its footprint. Once the drone is transported to a designated high-altitude location, it is launched into the air and allowed to fly autonomously.

[0003] During autonomous flight, the drone's morphing wings allow it to respond to changing flight conditions or mission requirements. The wings can be fully extended for cruising, folded for high-speed or maneuvering flight, or extended to a specific angle to balance high speeds and altitudes. Overall, deployable wings improve a drone's cruising and sprint capabilities, as well as its maneuverability.

[0004] When a drone is flying in the air, the change in the angle of its wing spread is continuous. For example, in high-speed flight state, the drone's wings are spread to 45° and locked; when the drone needs to change from high-speed flight state to low-speed flight state, the wings need to be spread from 45° to 60° and locked; when the drone is in low-speed flight state and needs to rise from the current altitude to another altitude, the wings need to be spread from 60° to 90° and locked; when the drone needs to slow down at the current altitude, the wings need to be retracted from 90° to 45° and locked.

[0005] Currently, to lock the wings after they are deployed, a recessed lock hole is provided on the surface of the wing that contacts the locking mechanism. When the wing is deployed to the desired angle, the locking mechanism's pin is released, and the front end of the pin extends into the lock hole corresponding to the deployment angle, locking the wing. A pyrotechnic device is placed in this lock hole. When the wing needs to be deployed to another angle again, the pyrotechnic device is ignited, causing the front end of the pin to exit the lock hole, releasing the pin's constraint on the wing and allowing the wing to continue to deploy to the next angle. However, this wing unlocking solution is a one-time operation and cannot achieve secondary unlocking at a specific angle. For example, if the wing is currently deployed at a 45° angle and needs to be deployed to a 60° angle, the pyrotechnic device in the lock hole corresponding to the 45° angle is detonated, causing the front end of the locking mechanism's pin to exit the 45° lock hole, releasing the pin's constraint on the wing and allowing the wing to deploy to a 60° angle. When the wing needs to be unfolded to 45° again, the pyrotechnics in the lock hole corresponding to 60° of the wing are exploded, and the front end of the pin of the locking mechanism is withdrawn from the 60° lock hole, and the wing can be retracted to 45°. However, since the pyrotechnics in the lock hole corresponding to 45° on the wing have already exploded, the front end of the pin of the locking mechanism can no longer be withdrawn from the lock hole corresponding to 45°. Then the wing can only be in the 45° unfolded state and cannot be unfolded to other angles.

[0006] It can be seen from this that the existing locking mechanism used for wings after unfolding is only unlocked once at a certain angle and cannot be unlocked a second time, which makes it impossible to switch the wings to any angle at any time. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide a locking and releasing mechanism, a wing, and a drone, which solves the problem of the existing locking mechanism used for wings after they are unfolded. Unlocking at a certain angle is one-time and cannot be achieved a second time, which makes it impossible to switch the wings to any angle at any time.

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a locking and releasing mechanism comprising at least one locking and releasing structure; the locking and releasing structure comprising a fixed housing, a bayonet assembly, a shape memory alloy wire, a resilient member, and a fixed seat; the fixed housing being fixed to a drone body and having a through hole formed on a surface adjacent to the structure to be locked; the bayonet assembly being disposed within an inner cavity of the fixed housing; and when a locking hole formed on the structure to be locked is aligned with the through hole, the front end of the bayonet assembly, under the action of its own released elastic force, can extend through the through hole and engage with the locking hole.

[0009] ; The fixing seat includes a base plate, which is arranged at the end of the fixing shell away from the structure to be locked and the surface is parallel to the end face of the fixing shell; one end of the shape memory alloy wire is connected to the pin assembly, and the other end passes through the base plate and is connected to the heating providing mechanism; the reset elastic member is sleeved on the shape memory alloy wire, and the two ends are respectively against the pin assembly and the base plate.

[0010] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the pin assembly includes a sleeve, a pin, a pin push elastic member, a mounting shell and a fixing plate; the inner cavity of the fixing shell includes a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity is close to the structure to be locked, and in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the inner cavity, the area of ​​the first cavity is smaller than the area of ​​the second cavity; the pin includes a first pin segment, a second pin segment and a third pin segment, and in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the pin from the front end to the bottom end of the pin, the cross-sectional areas of the first pin segment, the second pin segment and the third pin segment gradually increase; the bottom surface of the third pin segment is provided with an axially inwardly recessed concave hole; the cross section through the central axis of the sleeve itself is U-shaped, the sleeve is clamped in the second cavity and can slide along its axial direction, the top surface faces the structure to be locked and is provided with a protruding hole; the area of ​​the protruding hole The locking cam is configured to lock the locking cam of the locking cam and lock the locking cam of the locking cam, wherein the locking cam is secured to the locking cam of the locking cam and is located on a side of the third pin segment of the pin, with the U-shaped opening facing the locking cam; the locking cam is configured to lock the locking cam of the locking cam and lock the locking cam of the locking cam.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, one end of the shape memory alloy wire passes through the upper surface from the lower surface of the fixed plate, and then passes through the lower surface from the upper surface, and the place where the shape memory alloy wire and the upper surface of the fixed plate are in contact is located at the symmetry axis of the upper surface of the fixed plate, so as to realize the connection between the shape memory alloy wire and the fixed plate.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, a groove recessed downward from the upper surface is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate where the shape memory alloy wire contacts the upper surface of the fixing plate.

[0013] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the locking and releasing mechanism further includes a fixing frame, which includes a fixing shaft and a fixing leg; both ends of the fixing shaft are respectively connected to one end of a fixing leg; the other ends of the two fixing legs are fixed to the drone body; and the end of the shape memory alloy wire that faces away from the pin assembly passes around the fixing shaft.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the locking and releasing mechanism further includes a fixing member; the fixing shell includes a fixing plate and a cylinder, and the fixing plate is fixed to one end of the cylinder; the fixing member is used to be fixed to the drone body, and its upper surface is provided with a first card groove with the same shape as the fixing plate and a first through hole matching the shape of the cylinder, and the cylinder of the fixing shell can pass through the first through hole and allow the fixing plate to be clamped in the first card groove.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the fixing member includes a disc and a fixing block, and the side wall of the disc is fixed to the side wall of the fixing block; the thickness of the fixing block is greater than the thickness of the disc, and the first card slot and the first through hole are arranged on the fixing block; the drone body is provided with a second card slot with the same surface shape as the fixing member and a second through hole matching the shape of the fixing block, and the fixing block can pass through the second through hole and make the fixing member stuck in the second card slot.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation, two groups of the locking and releasing structures are included.

[0017] In a second aspect, another embodiment of the present invention provides a wing comprising the above-mentioned locking and releasing mechanism.

[0018] Thirdly, another embodiment of the present invention provides a drone, comprising the locking and releasing mechanism described above.

[0019] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention provides a locking release mechanism, which includes at least one set of locking release structures. The locking release structure includes a fixed shell, a pin assembly, a shape memory alloy wire, a reset elastic member and a fixed seat. The fixed shell is fixed to the structure to be locked, and a through hole is provided on the surface close to the structure to be locked. The pin assembly is provided in the inner cavity of the fixed shell. When the lock hole provided on the structure to be locked is aligned with the through hole, the front end of the pin assembly can extend out of the through hole and be locked into the lock hole under the action of the elastic force released by itself. The fixed seat includes a base plate, which is provided at one end of the fixed shell away from the structure to be locked and has a surface parallel to the end face of the fixed shell. One end of the shape memory alloy wire is connected to the pin assembly, and the other end passes through the base plate and is connected to the heating providing mechanism. The reset elastic member is sleeved on the shape memory alloy wire, and its two ends respectively abut against the pin assembly and the base plate.

[0021] In the locking and releasing mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention, when the wing is folded or not locked at a specific angle, the front end of the latch assembly does not extend out of the fixed housing. When the wing is unfolded to a desired angle, the corresponding locking hole rotates above the latch assembly, releasing its own elastic force and snapping the front end into the corresponding locking hole, locking the wing. To unfold the wing to another angle, the front end of the latch assembly must exit the locking hole corresponding to the current angle. At this time, the shape memory alloy wire is heated, causing it to contract, pulling the latch assembly downward. The front end of the latch assembly exits the locking hole and retracts into the inner cavity of the fixed housing, compressing the reset elastic member. When the shape memory alloy wire stops heating and cools, it no longer exerts contractile force on the latch assembly, causing the reset elastic member to release its elastic force, pushing the latch assembly out toward the structure to be locked, resetting the latch assembly and allowing it to be snapped into the next locking hole. The locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present invention can allow the pin assembly to exit the lock hole at any time according to actual needs. When the wing is unfolded to another angle, the front end of the pin assembly can be snapped into the lock hole corresponding to the angle, so that the wing can be unfolded to any angle at any time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are 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.

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0024] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 3 ;

[0026] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 4 ;

[0027] Figure 5 The explosion of the locking release mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 6 The explosion of the locking release mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the locking and releasing mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 5 ;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone provided in an embodiment of the present application with its wings in a folded state;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone provided in an embodiment of the present application when it is unfolded 45 degrees;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone provided in an embodiment of the present application when it is unfolded 60°.

[0033] Icons: 1-fixing part; 11-first slot; 12-disc; 13-fixing block; 2-fixing shell; 21-first chamber; 22-second chamber; 23-fixing plate; 24-cylinder; 3-pin; 31-first pin segment; 32-second pin segment; 33-third pin segment; 4-elevator elastic part; 5-sleeve; 6-mounting shell; 7-reset elastic part; 8-fixing seat; 81-fixing cylinder; 82-bottom plate; 9-fixing frame; 91-fixing shaft; 92-fixing leg; 10-fixing plate; 20-shape memory alloy wire; 30-structure to be locked. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] 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 them. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. The terms "first", "second" and "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a communication between the two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] When the drone is flying autonomously, the wings can be deployed in a variant structure to respond to changing flight conditions or mission requirements. The wings can be fully deployed for cruising or fully folded for high-speed or maneuvering flight. Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the drone's wings in the folded state. It can also be unfolded to a certain angle to meet the requirements of higher speed and flight altitude. Generally speaking, the unfoldable wings can improve the drone's cruising and sprinting capabilities, as well as its flight maneuverability.

[0037] When the drone is flying in the air, the change of its wing angle is continuous. For example, in high-speed flight, the drone's wings are spread to 45 degrees and locked. Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of the drone with its wings extended to 45°. When the drone needs to change from a high-speed flight state to a low-speed flight state, the wings need to be extended from 45° to 60° and locked. Figure 10 The diagram shows the structure of the drone's wings extended to 60 degrees. When the drone is in low-speed flight and needs to rise from its current altitude to another altitude, the wings need to be extended from 60 degrees to 90 degrees and locked. When the drone needs to slow down at its current altitude, the wings need to be retracted from 90 degrees to 45 degrees and locked.

[0038] Currently, to lock the wings after they are deployed, a recessed lock hole is provided on the surface of the wing that contacts the locking mechanism. When the wing is deployed to the desired angle, the locking mechanism's pin is released, and the front end of the pin extends into the lock hole corresponding to the deployment angle, locking the wing. A pyrotechnic device is placed in this lock hole. When the wing needs to be deployed to another angle again, the pyrotechnic device is ignited, causing the front end of the pin to exit the lock hole, releasing the pin's constraint on the wing and allowing the wing to continue to deploy to the next angle. However, this wing unlocking solution is a one-time operation and cannot achieve secondary unlocking at a specific angle. For example, if the wing is currently deployed at a 45° angle and needs to be deployed to a 60° angle, the pyrotechnic device in the lock hole corresponding to the 45° angle is detonated, causing the front end of the locking mechanism's pin to exit the 45° lock hole, releasing the pin's constraint on the wing and allowing the wing to deploy to a 60° angle. When the wing needs to be unfolded to 45° again, the pyrotechnics in the lock hole corresponding to 60° of the wing are exploded, and the front end of the pin of the locking mechanism is withdrawn from the 60° lock hole, and the wing can be retracted to 45°. However, since the pyrotechnics in the lock hole corresponding to 45° on the wing have already exploded, the front end of the pin of the locking mechanism can no longer be withdrawn from the lock hole corresponding to 45°. Then the wing can only be in the 45° unfolded state and cannot be unfolded to other angles.

[0039] It can be seen from this that the existing locking mechanism used for wings after unfolding is only unlocked once at a certain angle and cannot be unlocked a second time, which makes it impossible to switch the wings to any angle at any time.

[0040] An embodiment of the present invention provides a locking and releasing mechanism, which includes at least one group of locking and releasing structures, that is, it may include one group, two groups, three groups, etc. of locking and releasing structures.

[0041] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the locking and releasing structure includes a fixing shell 2, a latch assembly, a shape memory alloy wire 20, a reset elastic member 7 and a fixing seat 8. The fixing shell 2 is fixed to the drone body and has a through hole on its surface near the structure to be locked 30.

[0042] The structure to be locked 30 may be a wing, or of course other structures that need to be locked. In the embodiments of the present invention, the structure to be locked 30 is taken as a wing.

[0043] The bayonet assembly is arranged in the inner cavity of the fixed shell 2. When the lock hole set on the structure to be locked is aligned with the through hole, the front end of the bayonet assembly can extend out of the through hole and be locked into the lock hole under the action of its own elastic force.

[0044] For example, when the structure 30 to be locked is a wing, the wing needs to be rotated 45°, 60°, and 90° to be locked, and a locking hole is set at the positions of 45°, 60°, and 90° respectively. Of course, if the wing needs to be rotated to any required angle, a locking hole can be set at the required angle.

[0045] The fixing base 8 includes a base plate 82, which is disposed on the end of the fixing housing 2 facing away from the structure to be locked 30 and has a surface parallel to the end surface of the fixing housing 2. Generally, to facilitate the placement of a bayonet assembly, etc., within the interior of the fixing housing 2, one end of the fixing housing 2 is open, and the base plate 82 is provided to seal the opening of the fixing housing 2.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the fixing base 8 further includes a fixing cylinder 81. The end surface of one end of the fixing cylinder 81 is fixed to the surface of the bottom plate 82. The fixing cylinder 81 is fixed to the inner cavity of the fixing shell 2 at the end away from the structure to be locked 30. The provision of the fixing cylinder 81 of the fixing base 8 facilitates the fixing of the fixing base 8 to the fixing shell 2 and also provides guidance during the contraction and ejection of the resetting elastic member 7.

[0047] In practice, the wing angle conversion speed is very fast. When the bayonet assembly exits from the previous lock hole, the bayonet assembly needs to be quickly reset so that when the wing rotates to the next angle, the front end of the bayonet assembly can continue to be locked into the lock hole of the next angle. At this time, the shape memory alloy wire 20 cannot cool quickly, and the setting of the reset elastic member 7 is that when the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated and shrinks, pulling the bayonet assembly downward, the reset elastic member 7 is compressed. When the shape memory alloy wire 20 is no longer heated, the reset elastic member 7 releases its elastic force, and the two ends of the reset elastic member 7 respectively press against the bayonet assembly and the bottom plate 82 of the fixed seat 8, so that the elastic force of the reset elastic member 7 is mainly used to push the bayonet assembly toward the direction of the structure to be locked 30, and overcome the pulling force on the bayonet assembly generated by the shape memory alloy wire 20 when it has not completely cooled, helping the bayonet assembly to reset quickly.

[0048] One end of the shape memory alloy wire 20 is connected to the bayonet assembly, and the other end passes through the base plate 82 and connects to a heating mechanism. This heating mechanism is typically a power source. The resetting elastic member 7 is sleeved over the shape memory alloy wire 20, with its ends respectively abutting the bayonet assembly and the base plate 82. The base plate 82 primarily serves to support the resetting elastic member 7.

[0049] Among them, shape memory alloys (English: shape memory alloys, abbreviated: SMA) are materials composed of two or more metal elements that have a shape memory effect (English: shape memory effect, abbreviated: SME) through thermoelasticity and martensitic phase transformation and its inversion. Shape memory alloy is the material with the best shape memory performance among shape memory materials. The shape memory alloy wire 20 of the present application uses a one-way memory alloy wire. Before use, the shape memory alloy wire 20 needs to be pre-stretched to prepare pre-strain. The shape memory alloy wire 20 will shrink after heating, driving the front end of the pin assembly to exit the lock hole. After the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated and shrunk once and then cooled, the shape memory alloy wire 20 is pre-stretched again during the upward push of the reset elastic member 7, waiting for the next heating and shrinkage.

[0050] The locking and releasing mechanism provided by the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, when the wing is in a folded state or is not locked at a certain angle, the front end of the bayonet assembly does not extend out of the fixing housing 2. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, when the wing is unfolded to a certain desired angle, the lock hole corresponding to the angle rotates to the top of the bayonet assembly, the elastic force of the bayonet assembly itself is released, and the front end is locked into the lock hole corresponding to the angle, and the wing is locked. Figure 3 As shown, when the wing needs to be unfolded to another angle, the front end of the bayonet assembly needs to exit the lock hole corresponding to the current angle. At this time, the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated, and the shape memory alloy wire 20 contracts, pulling the bayonet assembly downward, and the front end of the bayonet assembly exits the lock hole and returns to the inner cavity of the fixed shell 2, and the reset elastic member 7 is in a compressed state. Figure 4 As shown, when the shape memory alloy wire 20 stops heating and begins cooling, it loses its contraction force and no longer pulls the bayonet assembly. The reset elastic member 7 releases its elastic force, pushing the bayonet assembly toward the structure to be locked 30, thereby resetting the bayonet assembly and allowing it to be engaged in another keyhole. The locking and release mechanism provided in this embodiment of the present invention can be used to allow the bayonet assembly to be withdrawn from the keyhole at any time, depending on actual needs. When the wing is deployed to another angle, the front end of the bayonet assembly can be reengaged in the keyhole corresponding to that angle, allowing the wing to be deployed to any angle at any time.

[0051] The bayonet assembly includes a sleeve 5, a pin 3, a push pin elastic member 4, a mounting shell 6 and a fixing plate 10. Optionally, the push pin elastic member 4 and the reset elastic member 7 can be a spring, a compression spring, etc.

[0052] The interior of the fixed housing 2 includes a first chamber 21 and a second chamber 22. The first chamber 21 is adjacent to the structure to be locked 30. A through hole is provided on the surface of the first chamber 21 adjacent to the structure to be locked 30. In a cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the interior of the fixed housing 2, the area of ​​the first chamber 21 is smaller than that of the second chamber 22.

[0053] Pin 3 comprises a first segment 31, a second segment 32, and a third segment 33. The cross-sectional areas of the first, second, and third segments 31, 32, 33 gradually increase from the front end to the bottom end of the pin 3, as measured perpendicular to the central axis of the pin 3. The bottom surface of the third segment 33 is provided with an axially inwardly recessed hole.

[0054] The sleeve 5 has a U-shaped cross-section along its own central axis. The sleeve 5 is secured to the second chamber 22 and can slide axially therewith. Its top surface faces the structure to be locked 30 and is provided with a projection hole. The projection hole has an area smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the third pin segment 33 perpendicular to its own central axis, but greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second pin segment 32 perpendicular to its own central axis. This allows the outer edge of the projection hole to form a blocking ring, preventing the third pin segment 33 from sliding out of the sleeve 5 when the front end of the pin 3 is extended. Preferably, the projection hole has an area equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second pin segment 32 perpendicular to its own central axis, so that the projection hole can guide the second pin segment 32 as it slides.

[0055] The bottom end of the pin 3 is arranged in the sleeve 5 and can slide along the inner cavity of the sleeve 5, so that the second pin segment 32 can extend out of the extension hole and slide along the first chamber 21. Then, the front end of the first pin segment 31 extends out of the through hole on the fixed shell 2 and is locked into the locking hole set on the structure to be locked 30.

[0056] The cross section of the mounting shell 6 through its own central axis is U-shaped. The mounting shell 6 is fixed to the inner cavity of the sleeve 5 and is located on one side of the third pin section 33 of the pin 3, with the U-shaped opening facing the pin 3.

[0057] The ejector pin elastic member 4 is arranged in the inner cavity of the recessed hole and the mounting shell 6, with its two ends respectively resting on the top surface of the recessed hole and the bottom surface of the inner cavity of the mounting shell 6. When the pin 3 is not inserted into the locking hole, the ejector pin elastic member 4 is in a compressed state. When the locking hole on the structure to be locked 30 is aligned with the through hole on the fixed shell 2, that is, the locking hole is located directly above the pin 3, the elastic force of the ejector pin elastic member 4 is released to cause the pin 3 to pop out.

[0058] The fixing plate 10 is fixed to the U-shaped opening of the sleeve 5 and is connected to the shape memory alloy wire 20 .

[0059] When the wing rotates into position, the pin 3 needs to be ejected quickly. The shape-memory alloy wire 20 is connected to the fixed plate 10, which is fixed to the sleeve 5. When the pin 3 is ejected, it can be ejected directly under the action of the ejector elastic member 4, unaffected by the tension of the shape-memory alloy wire 20. This results in a faster ejection speed and a better locking and release mechanism. When the pin 3 needs to be withdrawn from the keyhole, the shape-memory alloy wire 20 is heated and contracted. This contraction force pulls the fixed plate 10, which is fixed to the sleeve 5, to drive the front end of the pin 3 out of the keyhole. Therefore, during the process of the pin 3 being inserted into and out of the keyhole, the pin 3 is not affected by the tension of the shape-memory alloy wire 20.

[0060] The latch assembly provided by the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, when the wing is in a folded state or not locked at a certain angle, the front end of the pin 3 does not extend out of the fixed shell 2, and the ejector elastic member 4 is in a compressed state. Figure 2 As shown, when the wing is unfolded to a certain desired angle, the lock hole corresponding to the angle rotates to the top of the pin 3, the elastic force of the ejector elastic member 4 is released, and the pin 3 is ejected under the elastic force of the ejector elastic member 4, and the upper end extends into the lock hole corresponding to the angle, and the wing is locked. Figure 3 As shown, when the wing needs to be unfolded to another angle, the front end of the pin 3 needs to exit the lock hole corresponding to the current angle. At this time, the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated, and the shape memory alloy wire 20 contracts, pulling the fixed plate 10 to move downward. Since the fixed plate 10 is fixed at the U-shaped opening of the sleeve 5, the fixed plate 10 drives the sleeve 5 to move downward. The outer edge of the protruding hole on the sleeve 5 fits with the third pin section 33, and the mounting shell 6 is fixed to the inner cavity of the sleeve 5. Therefore, when the sleeve 5 moves downward, it drives both the pin 3 and the mounting shell 6 to move downward. The pin 3 exits the lock hole, and the bayonet assembly returns to the inner cavity of the fixed shell 2, and the reset elastic member 7 is in a compressed state. As shown Figure 4 As shown, when the shape memory alloy wire 20 stops heating and begins cooling, it loses its contraction force and no longer pulls the fixed plate 10 and sleeve 5. The resetting elastic member 7 releases its elastic force, pushing the fixed plate 10 and sleeve 5 toward the structure to be locked 30, thereby resetting the bayonet assembly and allowing it to be engaged with another lock hole. The bayonet assembly provided by the embodiment of the present invention has a sophisticated structure and is easy to implement, allowing the pin 3 to be quickly engaged and withdrawn from the lock hole.

[0061] like Figures 1 to 5As shown, one end of the shape memory alloy wire 20 passes through the upper surface from the lower surface of the fixed plate 10, and then passes through the lower surface from the upper surface, and the part where the shape memory alloy wire 20 and the upper surface of the fixed plate 10 are in contact is located at the symmetry axis of the upper surface of the fixed plate 10, so as to realize the connection between the shape memory alloy wire 20 and the fixed plate 10. The connection method of the shape memory alloy wire 20 of the embodiment of the present application can make the tension of the shape memory alloy wire 20 on the fixed plate 10 more uniform by pre-tightening the shape memory alloy wire 20 and pressing the shape memory alloy wire 20 against the upper surface of the fixed plate 10. In addition, with this connection method, when the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated, the shape memory alloy wire 20 can provide two pulling forces to the fixed plate 10, so that when the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated and contracted, the front end of the pin 3 can exit the lock hole more quickly.

[0062] like Figure 6 As shown, a groove is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate 10 where the shape memory alloy wire 20 and the upper surface of the fixing plate 10 meet, which is recessed downward from the upper surface. This allows the shape memory alloy wire 20 to be clamped in the groove. By pre-tightening the shape memory alloy wire 20, the shape memory alloy wire 20 is pressed into the groove. After the shape memory alloy wire 20 is installed, it does not protrude from the surface of the fixing plate 10. As a result, the surface of the fixing plate 10 on which the shape memory alloy wire 20 is installed is flat, and when installed on the sleeve 5, it can better fit with other components. At the same time, since the shape memory alloy wire 20 is located in the groove and does not protrude from the surface of the fixing plate 10, it can protect the shape memory alloy wire 20 from damage, thereby increasing the service life of the locking and releasing mechanism.

[0063] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the locking and releasing mechanism also includes a fixing frame 9, which includes a fixed shaft 91 and fixed legs 92. The ends of the fixed shaft 91 are each connected to one end of a fixed leg 92. The other ends of the two fixed legs 92 are fixed to the drone body. The end of the shape memory alloy wire 20, facing away from the bayonet assembly, passes around the fixed shaft 91, allowing the shape memory alloy wire 20 to change direction after passing through the fixing base 8 and protecting the shape memory alloy wire 20 from damage.

[0064] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the locking and releasing mechanism also includes a fixing member 1. The fixing housing 2 includes a fixing plate 23 and a cylindrical body 24. The fixing plate 23 is fixed to one end of the cylindrical body 24. The fixing member 1 is used to secure the drone body. Its upper surface is provided with a first engaging groove 11 of the same shape as the fixing plate 23 and a first through-hole matching the shape of the cylindrical body 24. The cylindrical body 24 of the fixing housing 2 can pass through the first through-hole and lock the fixing plate 23 in the first engaging groove 11.

[0065] In practice, the cylinder 24 of the fixing shell 2 is passed through the first through hole on the fixing member 1, and then the fixing plate 23 is clamped in the first slot 11, and then the fixing plate 23 is fixed to the fixing member 1 with bolts. This can firmly fix the fixing shell 2 to the fixing member 1, and the double fixation has a better fixing effect.

[0066] Optionally, the fixing member 1 includes a disc 12 and a fixing block 13, with the sidewalls of the disc 12 fixed to the sidewalls of the fixing block 13. The fixing block 13 is thicker than the disc 12, and the first slot 11 and the first via are provided on the fixing block 13. The drone body is provided with a second slot having the same surface shape as the fixing member 1 and a second via matching the shape of the fixing block 13. The fixing block 13 can pass through the second via and engage the fixing member 1 in the second slot.

[0067] In practice, the fixing block 13 of the fixing member 1 is passed through the second through hole on the structure to be locked 30, and then the fixing member 1 is clamped in the second clamping groove, which can firmly fix the fixing member 1 on the structure to be locked 30, and the fixing effect is good.

[0068] Furthermore, the locking and releasing mechanism includes two sets of locking and releasing structures. In practice, the pin 3 is inserted into the keyhole to lock the wing. When the pin 3 needs to be withdrawn from the keyhole, the shape memory alloy wire 20 is heated, causing it to contract and drive the pin 3 out of the keyhole, allowing the wing to continue rotating. However, the shape memory alloy wire 20 requires time to cool, and during this cooling period, the pin 3 cannot be ejected again. However, if the wing rotates quickly from the current angle to the next angle, the rotation time is very short, and the pin 3 of the previous locking and releasing mechanism cannot be ejected. In this case, another set of locking and releasing structures is provided to ensure that the pin 3 of the locking and releasing structure will be ejected to lock the wing when the wing rotates to the next angle. Of course, if the wing rotates slowly and it is possible to wait until the shape memory alloy wire 20 cools, a single set of locking and releasing structures can also be provided. For greater convenience, three, four, or other sets of locking and releasing structures can also be provided. Providing two sets of locking and releasing structures ensures that the wing can be locked at any angle while also reducing costs.

[0069] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a wing including the above-mentioned locking and releasing mechanism.

[0070] Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a drone, comprising the above-mentioned locking and releasing mechanism.

[0071] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0072] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments can still be modified, or some or all of the technical features therein can be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. A locking and releasing mechanism, characterized in that: including at least one set of locking and releasing structures; The locking and releasing structure includes a fixing shell, a bayonet assembly, a shape memory alloy wire, a reset elastic member and a fixing seat; The fixing shell is fixed to the drone body and has a through hole on its surface adjacent to the structure to be locked. The bayonet assembly is disposed in the inner cavity of the fixing shell. When the locking hole provided on the structure to be locked is aligned with the through hole, the front end of the bayonet assembly can extend out of the through hole and engage in the locking hole under the action of its own elastic force. The fixing seat includes a bottom plate, which is arranged at an end of the fixing shell away from the structure to be locked and has a surface parallel to the end surface of the fixing shell; One end of the shape memory alloy wire is connected to the bayonet assembly, and the other end passes through the bottom plate and is connected to the heating providing mechanism; The resetting elastic member is sleeved on the shape memory alloy wire, and two ends thereof respectively abut against the bayonet assembly and the bottom plate.

2. The locking and releasing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The bayonet assembly includes a sleeve, a pin, a push pin elastic member, a mounting shell and a fixing plate; The inner cavity of the fixed shell includes a first cavity and a second cavity, the first cavity is close to the structure to be locked, and in a cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the inner cavity, the area of ​​the first cavity is smaller than the area of ​​the second cavity; The pin includes a first pin segment, a second pin segment, and a third pin segment. In a cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the pin taken from the front end to the bottom end of the pin, the cross-sectional areas of the first pin segment, the second pin segment, and the third pin segment gradually increase. The bottom surface of the third pin segment is provided with an axially inwardly recessed hole. The cross-section of the sleeve passing through its own central axis is U-shaped, the sleeve is clamped in the second chamber and can slide along its axial direction, the top surface faces the structure to be locked and is provided with an extension hole; the area of ​​the extension hole is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the third pin segment perpendicular to its own central axis, and is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second pin segment perpendicular to its own central axis; The bottom end of the pin is disposed in the sleeve and can slide along the inner cavity of the sleeve, so that the second pin segment can extend out of the extension hole and slide along the first cavity, and then the front end of the first pin segment extends out of the through hole and is engaged with the lock hole; The cross section through the center axis of the mounting shell is U-shaped, the mounting shell is fixed to the inner cavity of the sleeve and is located on one side of the third pin section of the pin, with the U-shaped opening facing the pin; The ejector pin elastic member is provided in the concave hole and the inner cavity of the mounting shell, with its two ends respectively abutting against the top surface of the concave hole and the bottom surface of the inner cavity of the mounting shell. When the pin is not engaged in the locking hole, the ejector pin elastic member is in a compressed state. The fixing plate is fixed at the U-shaped opening of the sleeve and is connected to the shape memory alloy wire.

3. The locking and releasing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: One end of the shape memory alloy wire passes through the upper surface from the lower surface of the fixed plate, and then passes through the lower surface from the upper surface, and the place where the shape memory alloy wire and the upper surface of the fixed plate are in contact is located at the symmetry axis of the upper surface of the fixed plate, so as to realize the connection between the shape memory alloy wire and the fixed plate.

4. The locking and releasing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: A groove is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate where the shape memory alloy wire contacts the upper surface of the fixing plate and is recessed downward from the upper surface.

5. The locking and releasing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: Also included is a fixing frame, the fixing frame including a fixing shaft and fixing legs; Both ends of the fixed shaft are respectively connected to one end of a fixed leg; The other ends of the two fixed legs are fixed to the drone body; One end of the shape memory alloy wire facing away from the bayonet assembly is wound around the fixed shaft.

6. The lock release mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes fixings; The fixed shell includes a fixed plate and a cylinder, wherein the fixed plate is fixed to one end of the cylinder; The fixing part is used to be fixed to the drone body, and its upper surface is provided with a first card slot with the same shape as the fixing plate and a first through hole matching the shape of the cylinder. The cylinder of the fixing shell can pass through the first through hole and allow the fixing plate to be clamped in the first card slot.

7. The locking and releasing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The fixing member includes a disc and a fixing block, and the side wall of the disc is fixed to the side wall of the fixing block; The thickness of the fixing block is greater than the thickness of the wafer, and the first slot and the first via hole are provided on the fixing block; The drone body is provided with a second slot having the same surface shape as the fixing piece and a second through hole having a shape matching that of the fixing block. The fixing block can pass through the second through hole and enable the fixing piece to be clamped in the second slot.

8. The lock release mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: It comprises two sets of locking and releasing structures.

9. A wing, characterized in that: It comprises the locking and releasing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A drone, characterized in that: It comprises the locking and releasing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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