A wing foldable fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle with foldable wings, and aims to solve the problem of large ground space occupied by the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle when it is stored on the ground. The application comprises a left wing, a propeller, a fuselage, a right wing, a front wheel, a wing folding device, a rear wheel, a horizontal tail and a vertical tail. The wing folding device is installed on the fuselage, and the wing folding device is connected with the fuselage through a base and a guide rod thereon. The left wing and the right wing are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the fuselage, and the left wing and the right wing are respectively installed on a left wing base and a right wing base on the wing folding device. The propeller is installed at the front end of the fuselage. The front wheel is arranged below the fuselage. The rear wheel, the horizontal tail and the vertical tail are all arranged on a tail base of the wing folding device. In the flight process, the folding and unfolding of the wings can be realized. When the wings are in the completely folded or unfolded state, the stability in the folded or unfolded state can be ensured by the pulling force of the spring on the two wings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically to a fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings. Background Technology

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are powered, unmanned aerial vehicles initially used primarily in the military field for aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems, playing a crucial strategic and tactical role. With technological advancements and innovation, UAVs have seen wider applications and development in various fields, including agricultural production, geographic surveying, energy monitoring, earthquake relief, and even cultural and recreational activities, playing an indispensable role in social development and progress. Compared to multi-rotor UAVs, fixed-wing UAVs offer advantages such as longer flight time, greater range, higher speed, better stability, and stronger payload capacity. However, they also have disadvantages such as larger footprint and poorer adaptability, especially when used in cross-medium environments, where the deployed wings create significant drag upon entering water. Folding-wing UAVs could make carrying and transportation more convenient, but existing folding mechanisms may increase the UAV's size or occupy more internal space, potentially leading to increased weight. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention addresses the problem of large space requirements for fixed-wing drones when stored on the ground by providing a fixed-wing drone with foldable wings.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:

[0005] A fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle with foldable wings comprises a left wing, a propeller, a fuselage, a right wing, a nose wheel, a wing folding device, a rear wheel, a horizontal tail, and a vertical tail. The wing folding device is mounted on the fuselage and connected to the fuselage via a base and guide rod. The left and right wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fuselage, and are respectively mounted on the left and right wing mounts of the wing folding device. The propeller is mounted at the front of the fuselage, the nose wheel is located below the fuselage, and the rear wheel, horizontal tail, and vertical tail are all mounted on the tail mount of the wing folding device.

[0006] Furthermore, the wing folding device includes a guide rod, a large slider, a tail fin seat, a small electric actuator, a small slider, a slide rail, two square nuts, two bolts, two L-shaped connecting plates, two connecting rods, a base, a left wing seat, a right wing seat, a left spring, a right spring, a left pin, a right pin, a left triangular block, a right triangular block, a left fixing block, and a right fixing block. The large slider is slidably connected to the guide rod, the tail fin seat is installed at the rear end of the guide rod, the small electric actuator is installed at the bottom of the tail fin seat, the lower end of the small slider is connected to the actuator on the small electric actuator, the upper end of the small slider is slidably connected to the slide rail, the two square nuts are respectively set at both ends of the slide rail and slidably connected to the slide rail, the bolts are threadedly connected to the square nuts, and the two L-shaped connecting plates are symmetrically arranged. At the upper and lower ends of the slide, one end of the L-shaped connecting plate is connected to the slide, and the other end is connected to the large slider. The left and right wing seats are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line. The left wing seat is hinged to the base via a left pin, and the right wing seat is hinged to the base via a right pin. The base is located at the front end of the guide rod. Two connecting rods are symmetrically arranged at the left and right ends of the large slider. One end of the left connecting rod is hinged to the large slider, and the other end is hinged to the bottom of the left wing seat. One end of the right connecting rod is hinged to the large slider, and the other end is hinged to the bottom of the right wing seat. The left and right springs are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line. One end of the left spring is connected to the left fixed block, and the other end of the left spring is connected to the left triangular block. One end of the right spring is connected to the right fixed block, and the other end of the right spring is connected to the right triangular block. The left and right fixed blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line. Both the left and right fixed blocks are fixed to the base. The left and right triangular blocks are symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal center line, and the left triangular block is fixed on the left wing mount, while the right triangular block is fixed on the right wing mount.

[0007] Furthermore, the wing folding device also includes lateral limiting blocks and longitudinal limiting blocks. The two lateral limiting blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line and are located at the front end of the left and right pins. The two longitudinal limiting blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line and are located inside the left and right pins.

[0008] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0009] 1. The fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings of the present invention can fold and unfold the wings during flight, and therefore can be applied in cross-media fields; and when the wings are in a fully folded or fully unfolded state, the tension of the left and right springs on the two wings can ensure the stability of the fully folded or fully unfolded state.

[0010] 2. The fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings of the present invention is driven by a small electric actuator. Compared with other power drives, the small electric actuator has the characteristics of being lightweight and space-saving. Combined with the working principle of the left and right springs in the present invention, and by using the gap between the two square nuts to reduce the required stroke of the small electric actuator, that is, to reduce the weight of the small electric actuator, thereby reducing the weight of the entire wing folding device.

[0011] 3. The fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings of the present invention has the advantages of long flight time, long range, high speed and good stability when the wings are unfolded, and the advantages of convenient storage and carrying when the wings are folded. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the overall structure of the fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a top view of the wing folding device 6;

[0014] Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the overall structure of the bottom of the wing folding device 6;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the left pin 6F, right pin 6G, left spring 6D, right spring 6E, left fixing block 6J, right fixing block 6K, left triangular block 6H, right triangular block 6I, lateral limiting block 6S, longitudinal limiting block 6T, left wing seat 6B, right wing seat 6C and base 6A.

[0016] Figure 5 A top view of the wing folding device 6 in the initial state of a fixed-wing UAV;

[0017] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The right view;

[0018] Figure 7 This is a top view of the wing as the wing folding device 6 gradually unfolds;

[0019] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The right view;

[0020] Figure 9 This is a top view of the wing when the wing folding device 6 is fully extended;

[0021] Figure 10 for Figure 9 The right view;

[0022] Figure 11 This is a top view of the wing as the wing folding device 6 gradually folds;

[0023] Figure 12 for Figure 11 The right view.

[0024] The components are as follows: 1. Left wing; 2. Propeller; 3. Fuselage; 4. Right wing; 5. Nose wheel; 6. Wing folding device; 60. Guide rod; 61. Large slider; 62. Tail fin mount; 63. Small electric actuator; 64. Small slider; 65. Slide rail; 66. Square nut; 67. Bolt; 68. L-shaped connecting plate; 69. Connecting rod; 6A. Base; 6B. Left wing mount; 6C. Right wing mount; 6D. Left spring; 6E. Right spring; 6F. Left pin; 6G. Right pin; 6H. Left triangular block; 6I. Right triangular block; 6S. Lateral limit block; 6T. Longitudinal limit block; 7. Rear wheel; 8. Horizontal tail; 9. Vertical tail. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described below to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes are obvious as long as they are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined and determined by the appended claims. All inventions utilizing the concept of the present invention are protected.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, this invention provides a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with foldable wings, comprising a left wing 1, a propeller 2, a fuselage 3, a right wing 4, a nose wheel 5, a wing folding device 6, a rear wheel 7, a horizontal tail 8, and a vertical tail 9. The wing folding device 6 is mounted on the fuselage 3 and connected to the fuselage 3 via a base 6A and a guide rod 60. The left wing 1 and right wing 4 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fuselage 3, and are respectively mounted on the left wing mount 68 and the right wing mount 6D on the wing folding device 6. The propeller 2 is mounted on the front end of the fuselage 3, the nose wheel 5 is located below the fuselage 3, and the rear wheel 7, horizontal tail 8, and vertical tail 9 are all mounted on the tail mount 64 of the wing folding device 6. The base 6A and the front end of the guide rod 60 of the wing folding device 6 are connected to the fuselage 3.

[0027] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the wing folding device 6 includes a guide rod 60, a large slider 61, a tail fin seat 62, a small electric push rod 63, a small slider 64, a slide rail 65, two square nuts 66, two bolts 67, two L-shaped connecting plates 68, two connecting rods 69, a base 6A, a left wing seat 6B, a right wing seat 6C, a left spring 6D, a right spring 6E, a left pin 6F, a right pin 6G, a left triangular block 6H, a right triangular block 6I, a left fixing block 6J, and a right fixing block 6K.

[0028] The large slider 61 is slidably connected to the guide rod 60. The tail fin seat 62 is installed at the rear end of the guide rod 60. The small electric actuator 63 is installed at the bottom of the tail fin seat 62. The lower end of the small slider 64 is connected to the push rod on the small electric actuator 63, and the upper end of the small slider 64 is slidably connected to the slide rail 65. Two square nuts 66 are respectively set at both ends of the slide rail 65 and are slidably connected to the slide rail 65. The bolt 67 is threadedly connected to the square nuts 66. Two L-shaped connecting plates 68 are symmetrically set at the upper and lower ends of the slide rail 65. One end of the L-shaped connecting plate 68 is connected to the slide rail 65, and the other end of the L-shaped connecting plate 68 is connected to the large slider 61. The left wing seat 6B and the right wing seat 6C are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal centerline OO. The left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C are hinged to the base 6A via the left pin 6F and the right wing mount 6C via the right pin 6G, respectively, both mounted on the base 6A. The base 6A is located at the front end of the guide rod 60. Two connecting rods 69 are symmetrically arranged at the left and right ends of the large slider 61. One end of the left connecting rod 62 is hinged to the large slider 61, and the other end is hinged to the underside of the left wing mount 6B. One end of the right connecting rod 62 is hinged to the large slider 61, and the other end is hinged to the underside of the right wing mount 6C. The left spring 6D and the right spring 6E are symmetrically arranged on the base 6A with respect to the longitudinal centerline OO. One end of the left spring 6D is connected to the left fixed block 6J, and the other end of the left spring 6D is connected to the left triangular block 6H. One end of the right spring 6E is connected to the right fixed block 6K, and the other end of the right spring 6E is connected to the right triangular block 6I. The left fixed block 6J and the right fixed block 6K are symmetrically arranged on the base 6A with respect to the longitudinal center line OO. Both the left fixed block 6J and the right fixed block 6K are fixed to the base 6A. The left triangular block 6H and the right triangular block 6I are symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal center line OO, and the left triangular block 6H is fixed to the left wing mount 6B, and the right triangular block 6I is fixed to the right wing mount 6C. The longitudinal center line OO is the longitudinal center line of the base 6A. The base 6A and the front end of the guide rod 60 are mounted on the fuselage 3.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown, the wing folding device 6 also includes a lateral limiting block 6S and a longitudinal limiting block 6T. The two lateral limiting blocks 6S are symmetrically arranged on the base 6A with respect to the longitudinal centerline OO. The two lateral limiting blocks 6S are located at the front end of the left pin 6F and the right pin 6G. The lateral limiting blocks 6S are used to restrict the rotation of the left wing seat 6B and the right wing seat 6C when they are unfolded (i.e., the left wing seat 6B and the right wing seat 6C are at 180°). The two longitudinal limiting blocks 6T are symmetrically arranged on the base 6A with respect to the longitudinal centerline OO. The two longitudinal limiting blocks 6T are located inside the left pin 6F and the right pin 6G. The longitudinal limiting blocks 6T are used to restrict the rotation of the left wing seat 6B and the right wing seat 6C when they are folded (i.e., the left wing seat 6B and the right wing seat 6C are at 10°).

[0030] Working principle of the invention:

[0031] The wing folding device 6 of this invention consists of two crank-slider structures symmetrically distributed. Power is provided by a small electric actuator 63, which drives a large slider 61 to slide on a guide rod 60. The large slider 61 simultaneously drives two connecting rods 69, which in turn drive the left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C to rotate, thereby achieving wing folding and unfolding. A left spring 6D is placed between the base 6A and the left wing mount 6B, and a right spring 6E is placed between the base 6A and the right wing mount 6C. The tension of the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E on the two wings ensures stability in both states. Combined with the working principle of the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E in this invention, and utilizing the spacing between the two square nuts 66 to reduce the required stroke of the small electric actuator 63, i.e., reducing the weight of the small electric actuator 63, the overall weight of the wing folding device 6 is reduced.

[0032] The working principle of the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E in this invention: The left spring 6D and the right spring 6E are always in a stretched state. The line connecting the left pin 6F to the left fixed block 6J is defined as the left rotation baseline P, and the line connecting the right pin 6G to the right fixed block 6K is defined as the right rotation baseline Q. When the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E are inside the left rotation baseline P and the right rotation baseline Q, as... Figure 5 or Figure 11 As shown, the tension of the left spring 6D on the left wing mount 6B will cause the left wing mount 6B to generate a clockwise torque around the left pivot pin 6F, and the tension of the right spring 6E on the right wing mount 6C will cause the right wing mount 6C to generate a counterclockwise torque around the right pivot pin 6G. At this time, the tensions of the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E help the wing fold. Conversely, when the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E are outside the left rotation baseline P and the right rotation baseline Q, as... Figure 7 or Figure 9 As shown, the tension of the left spring 6D on the left wing mount 6B will cause the left wing mount 6B to generate a counterclockwise torque around the left pin 6F, and the tension of the right spring 6E on the right wing mount 6C will cause the right wing mount 6C to generate a clockwise torque around the right pin 6G. At this time, the tension of the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E helps the wing to deploy.

[0033] 1. When the wings are folded, it is the initial state of the fixed-wing UAV. The small slider 64 is located between the two bolts 67, see... Figure 5 and Figure 6 ;

[0034] 2. When the wings need to be deployed, the small electric actuator 63 pulls the small slider 64 to extend. The small slider 64 moves forward along the slide rail 65. After it contacts the bolt 67 in front, it will drive the slide rail 65 and the large slider 61 to slide forward, and cause the left wing mount 6B to rotate clockwise around the left pivot pin 6F and the right wing mount 6C to rotate counterclockwise around the right pivot pin 6G. After the small electric actuator 63 is fully extended, see... Figure 7 and Figure 8 The tension of the left spring 6D on the left wing mount 6B will cause the left wing mount 6B to continue rotating clockwise around the left pivot 6F, and the tension of the right spring 6E on the right wing mount 6C will cause the right wing mount 6C to continue rotating counterclockwise around the right pivot 6G. When the left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C are fully extended (i.e., the left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C are at 180°), see... Figure 9 and Figure 10 At this point, the outer end face of the left wing mount 6B and the outer end face of the right wing mount 6C respectively contact the corresponding lateral limiting block 6S. The lateral limiting block 6S balances the tension generated by the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E and is in a stable state, thus ending the entire deployment process.

[0035] 3. When the wings transition from an deployed to a folded state, the small electric actuator 63 pulls the small slider 64 back. The small slider 64 moves backward along the slide rail 65. After contacting the bolt 67 at the rear, it causes the slide rail 65 and the large slider 61 to slide backward, causing the left wing mount 6B to rotate counterclockwise around the left pivot pin 6F and the right wing mount 6C to rotate clockwise around the right pivot pin 6G. After the small electric actuator 63 has fully retracted, see... Figure 11 and Figure 12 The tension of the left spring 6D on the left wing mount 6B will cause the left wing mount 6B to continue rotating counterclockwise around the left pivot 6F. The tension of the right spring 6E on the right wing mount 6C will cause the right wing mount 6C to continue rotating clockwise around the right pivot 6G. When the left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C are folded to their smallest state (i.e., the angle between the left wing mount 6B and the right wing mount 6C is approximately 10°), see... Figure 5 and Figure 6 At this point, the inner end face of the left wing mount 6B and the inner end face of the right wing mount 6C are in contact with the corresponding longitudinal limiting block 6T. The longitudinal limiting block 6T balances the tension generated by the left spring 6D and the right spring 6E and is in a stable state, thus ending the entire folding process.

Claims

1. A fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle with foldable wings, characterized in that: The fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings includes a left wing, a propeller, a fuselage, a right wing, a front wheel, a wing folding device, a rear wheel, a horizontal tail, and a vertical tail. The wing folding device is mounted on the fuselage and is connected to the fuselage via a base and guide rod. The left and right wings are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fuselage, and are respectively mounted on the left and right wing mounts of the wing folding device. The propeller is mounted at the front of the fuselage, the front wheel is located below the fuselage, and the rear wheel, horizontal tail, and vertical tail are all mounted on the tail mount of the wing folding device. The wing folding device includes a guide rod, a large slider, a tail fin seat, a small electric actuator, a small slider, a slide rail, two square nuts, two bolts, two L-shaped connecting plates, two connecting rods, a base, a left wing seat, a right wing seat, a left spring, a right spring, a left pin, a right pin, a left triangular block, a right triangular block, a left fixing block, and a right fixing block. The large slider is slidably connected to the guide rod. The tail fin seat is installed at the rear end of the guide rod. The small electric actuator is installed at the bottom of the tail fin seat. The lower end of the small slider is connected to the actuator on the small electric actuator, and the upper end of the small slider is slidably connected to the slide rail. Two square nuts are respectively located at both ends of the slide rail and are slidably connected to the slide rail. The bolts are threadedly connected to the square nuts. Two L-shaped connecting plates are symmetrically located at the upper and lower ends of the slide rail. One end of the L-shaped connecting plate is connected to the slide rail, and the other end of the L-shaped connecting plate is connected to the large slider. The left and right wing seats are symmetrically located on the base with respect to the longitudinal centerline. The left wing mount is hinged to the base via a left pin, and the right wing mount is hinged to the base via a right pin. The base is located at the front end of the guide rod. Two connecting rods are symmetrically arranged at the left and right ends of the large slider. One end of the left connecting rod is hinged to the large slider, and the other end is hinged to the bottom of the left wing mount. One end of the right connecting rod is hinged to the large slider, and the other end is hinged to the bottom of the right wing mount. The left and right springs are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line. One end of the left spring is connected to the left fixed block, and the other end of the left spring is connected to the left triangular block. One end of the right spring is connected to the right fixed block, and the other end of the right spring is connected to the right triangular block. The left and right fixed blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line. Both the left and right fixed blocks are fixed to the base. The left and right triangular blocks are symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal center line. The left triangular block is fixed to the left wing mount, and the right triangular block is fixed to the right wing mount.

2. The fixed-wing UAV with foldable wings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wing folding device also includes lateral limiting blocks and longitudinal limiting blocks. The two lateral limiting blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line and are located at the front end of the left and right pins. The two longitudinal limiting blocks are symmetrically arranged on the base with respect to the longitudinal center line and are located inside the left and right pins.

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