A wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring

Abstract

The application discloses a wing unfolding mechanism using a torsion spring, which comprises a mounting support, a limiting sleeve, a shaft sleeve, a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, a bearing for the shaft sleeve and a bearing for the rotating shaft; the wing unfolding mechanism is installed at the lower part of the fuselage of an aircraft; two groups of wings of the aircraft are stacked one above another and connected with the fuselage of the aircraft through the wing unfolding mechanism; in the storage and transportation state, the two groups of wings are folded to the lower part of the fuselage of the aircraft and parallel to the axis of the fuselage through the wing unfolding mechanism; when the wings are unfolded, the two groups of wings are reversely rotated under the action of the wing unfolding mechanism, and are locked by the wing unfolding mechanism after being unfolded to the position. The whole structure is compact, the synchronous unfolding of the two groups of wings is realized by using one torsion spring, the whole weight is light, the occupied space in the aircraft is small, and the limiting position is accurate and reliable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and relates to a wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring. Background Technology

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology is widely used worldwide. Currently, fixed-wing UAVs mainly take off using several different methods, including runway takeoff, catapult takeoff, rocket-assisted takeoff, and tube launch takeoff. Except for tube launch takeoff, the other methods involve minimal structural adjustments during takeoff, eliminating any variation process. The wings generate lift during takeoff, resulting in a relatively stable and controllable overall process. For tube launch takeoff, the wings are folded and pressed tightly against the fuselage, folding the entire UAV along its length into a long strip and fitting it into a suitable launch tube. The UAV is then launched from the tube using catapult technology or rocket booster, after which the wings unfold and propulsion begins. Tube launch technology reduces UAV storage space and lowers maintenance costs. Furthermore, by concentrating the air into the launch tube, aerodynamic drag is reduced, enabling the UAV to be air-dropped or launched.

[0003] However, tube-launched aircraft place higher demands on the wing deployment process. For example, after the UAV exits the tube, the wings need to quickly build lift to maintain a stable flight attitude. The required wing deployment time is very short; if the wings cannot deploy reliably and smoothly, the aircraft will crash and fail to fulfill its mission. Therefore, the wing deployment device needs to provide a large torque. Currently, the torque for wing deployment is mainly provided in the following ways. The first method is to use a gas-operated actuator as a power source to drive a linkage mechanism to deploy the wings. The main problem with this method is that the gas-operated actuator uses pyrotechnics as a power source and is not adaptable to various applications. The first method involves using a wing deployment mechanism with a motor-driven system. This mechanism offers the advantage of controllable movement and low impact force, but it fails to provide sufficient deployment energy in a short time. The motor power and structural weight are also difficult to control, and the cost is relatively high. The second method is to use a wing deployment mechanism driven by a spring or torsion spring as an energy storage component. This method is currently widely used for the wing deployment of various small unmanned aerial vehicles, such as the Switchblade UAV. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring, comprising a mounting bracket, a limiting sleeve, a bushing, a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, a bearing for the bushing, and a bearing for the rotating shaft. The wing deployment mechanism is installed on the lower part of the aircraft fuselage, with two sets of wings stacked vertically and connected to the aircraft fuselage via the wing deployment mechanism. In storage and transport mode, the two sets of wings are folded to the lower part of the aircraft fuselage and parallel to the fuselage axis via the wing deployment mechanism. When the wings are deployed, the two sets of wings rotate in opposite directions under the action of the wing deployment mechanism, and are locked in place by the wing deployment mechanism. This invention has a compact overall structure, uses a single torsion spring to achieve synchronous deployment of the two wings, is lightweight, occupies little internal space, and has accurate and reliable limiting positions.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is as follows:

[0006] A wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring includes a mounting bracket, a limiting sleeve, a bushing, a rotating shaft, a torsion spring, a bearing for the bushing, and a bearing for the rotating shaft.

[0007] The wing deployment mechanism is installed on the lower part of the aircraft fuselage. The two sets of wings of the aircraft are stacked one on top of the other and connected to the aircraft fuselage through the wing deployment mechanism. In the storage and transportation state, the two sets of wings are folded to the lower part of the aircraft fuselage and parallel to the fuselage axis through the wing deployment mechanism. When the wings are deployed, the two sets of wings rotate in opposite directions under the action of the wing deployment mechanism. After being deployed in place, they are locked by the wing deployment mechanism. The wing closer to the fuselage is the inner wing, and the wing farther from the fuselage is the outer wing.

[0008] The mounting bracket is installed on the aircraft fuselage to fix the wing deployment mechanism to the fuselage and bear the load during deployment and flight. The mounting bracket has a bearing mounting hole in the middle. After the bushing bearing is installed into the bearing mounting hole, a limiting sleeve is used to fix the bushing bearing on the mounting bracket.

[0009] The limiting sleeve is a flange-type stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. Several screw holes are provided on the flange surface for mounting the limiting sleeve on the mounting bracket. Two sets of limiting sleeve bosses are symmetrically arranged on the flange surface. After the limiting sleeve is installed in place, the bushing is installed into the limiting sleeve. The bushing is an integral stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. A bearing step hole is provided inside the narrow end face of the bushing for installing a bearing for the rotating shaft. Two sets of wings are installed onto the bushing and tightened to prevent rotation. The wings press the bearing for the rotating shaft and achieve axial positioning and tightening of the bushing. A bushing boss is provided radially at the thick end of the bushing, which cooperates with the limiting sleeve boss to limit the rotation angle of the bushing. An opening is made inside the bushing boss for inserting a torsion spring axial swing arm to transmit the torsion spring torque to the internal wings.

[0010] The rotating shaft is a shaft structure with a short step at one end. The rotating shaft passes from the inside of the aircraft fuselage into the bushing. A bearing mounting hole is provided at the short step for installing a bearing for the rotating shaft. The wing is pressed into the inner ring of the bearing for the rotating shaft, pressing the bearing for the rotating shaft and achieving axial positioning and fastening of the rotating shaft. A rotating shaft boss is provided radially at the middle of the upper end of the rotating shaft, which cooperates with the boss of the limiting sleeve to limit the rotation angle of the rotating shaft. The upper end face of the rotating shaft is slotted for inserting a torsion spring radial swing arm to realize the process of transmitting the torsion spring torque to the outer wing.

[0011] The torsion spring is a cylindrical torsion spring. The radial swing arm extends radially and is inserted into the corresponding hole of the bushing. The axial swing arm is bent radially and inserted into the corresponding groove of the rotating shaft, driving the bushing and the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0012] During the folding process inside the launch tube, the inner and outer wings are rotated along the pivot at the wing root towards the fuselage axis. The bushing and pivot rotate synchronously with the wings, compressing the torsion spring until the bushing boss and pivot boss abut against the limiting sleeve boss. The wings are then extended to be parallel to the fuselage. The entire aircraft is then placed into the launch tube, where the inner wall of the launch tube limits the wings, thus achieving wing folding and extension. After the aircraft is launched from the launch tube, the wings are in a free state. Under the action of the torsion spring, the torsion spring force is released, causing the bushing and pivot to rotate synchronously with the wings until the bushing boss and pivot boss abut against the limiting sleeve boss, thus limiting the wing deployment angle. This completes the folding and deployment of the aircraft.

[0013] Preferably, the wing deployment mechanism is connected to the aircraft fuselage via screws using mounting brackets.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0015] 1. The invention has a compact overall structure, uses a torsion spring to achieve synchronous deployment of the two wings, is lightweight, and occupies little internal space;

[0016] 2. This invention achieves mechanical positioning in both folded and unfolded states by setting a simple limiting sleeve, ensuring accurate and reliable positioning.

[0017] 3. This invention uses a torsion spring as the energy source for deployment, which is basically unaffected by the environment, has good consistency in use, and is reliable in use after the product selection and debugging are completed;

[0018] 4. The present invention uses bearings to install and fix the wing pivot, resulting in low mechanical resistance during rotation and minimal swaying of the wing mounted on the deployment mechanism during flight. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the folded state of the wing deployment mechanism of the present invention mounted on the fuselage.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the wing deployment mechanism of the present invention installed on the fuselage in its deployed state.

[0021] Figure 3 The diagram shows the wing deployment mechanism of the present invention, including (a) a sectional view, (b) a perspective view, and (c) a top view.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the external wing of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal wings of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting bracket for the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting sleeve of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the bushing of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating shaft of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the torsion spring of the present invention.

[0029] In the diagram, 1-fuselage, 2-outer wing, 3-inner wing, 4-wing deployment mechanism, 5-first screw, 6-mounting bracket, 7-second screw, 8-limiting sleeve, 9-bearing for bushing, 10-shoulder sleeve, 11-washer, 12-first cylindrical pin, 13-shaft, 14-bearing for shaft, 15-second cylindrical pin, 16-torsion spring, 17-outer wing boss, 18-outer wing mounting hole, 19-outer wing pin hole, 20-inner wing boss. 21-Inner wing mounting hole, 22-Outer wing pin hole, 23-Mounting support boss, 24-Counterhead hole, 25-Limit sleeve boss, 26-Stop, 27-Lower step shaft of bushing, 28-Upper step shaft of bushing, 29-Step hole, 30-Bushing pin hole, 31-Bushing boss, 32-Hole, 33-Lower step shaft of rotating shaft, 34-Upper step shaft of rotating shaft, 35-Rotating shaft pin hole, 36-Rotating shaft boss, 37-Groove, 38-Radial swing arm, 39-Axial swing arm. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] The main objective of this invention is to develop a wing deployment mechanism that uses torsion springs as energy storage components, which simultaneously deploys two wings that are folded along the fuselage axis to a direction perpendicular to the fuselage axis, thereby enabling tubular storage and normal flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle after wing deployment.

[0032] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the wing deployment mechanism of the present invention is as follows:

[0033] The wing deployment mechanism consists of components including mounting brackets, limiting sleeves, bushings, rotating shafts, torsion springs, bearings for bushings, and bearings for rotating shafts.

[0034] The wing deployment mechanism of the present invention is installed on the fuselage of an aircraft. Two sets of wings are stacked on top of each other and installed on the fuselage of the aircraft via a mounting bracket at the pivot point. The mounting bracket is used to fix the wing deployment mechanism to the fuselage and bear the load during deployment and flight. The mounting bracket has a bearing mounting hole with a retaining ring in the middle. After the bushing bearing is installed into the bearing mounting hole, a limiting sleeve is used to fix the bushing bearing on the mounting bracket.

[0035] The limiting sleeve is a flange-type stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. Several screw holes are provided on the flange surface for installing the limiting sleeve on the mounting bracket. Two sets of bosses are symmetrically arranged on the flange surface. The bosses cooperate with the corresponding bosses on the bushing and the rotating shaft for mechanical limiting after unfolding and folding. After the limiting sleeve is installed in place, the bushing is installed into the limiting sleeve. The bushing is in the form of a stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. The thin end face of the stepped shaft is provided with a bearing step hole for installing the bearing for the rotating shaft. The wing is installed on the bushing and tightened to prevent rotation. The bearing is pressed by the wing and the axial positioning and tightening of the bushing is achieved. The thick end of the bushing is provided with a boss along the radial direction. It cooperates with the boss on the limiting sleeve to limit the rotation angle of the bushing (i.e., the inner wing). The boss has an opening in the middle for inserting a torsion spring swing arm to realize the process of transmitting the torsion spring torque to the inner wing.

[0036] The rotating shaft is a shaft structure with a short step at one end. The rotating shaft passes through the bushing from the inside of the fuselage outward. The bearing for the rotating shaft is installed at the step and at the bearing mounting hole at the thin end of the bushing. The wing is pressed into the inner ring of the bearing for the rotating shaft. A hole is opened on the side above the mounting position of the thin shaft bearing. The wing is installed on the rotating shaft and tightened to prevent rotation. The wing also presses the bearing for the rotating shaft and achieves axial positioning and tightening of the rotating shaft. A boss is provided radially in the middle of the thick end of the rotating shaft. It cooperates with the boss on the limiting sleeve to limit the rotation angle of the rotating shaft (i.e., the outer wing). The end face of the thick end of the rotating shaft is slotted to insert a torsion spring swing arm to realize the process of transmitting the torsion spring torque to the outer wing.

[0037] The torsion spring is a cylindrical torsion spring. One swing arm extends radially and is inserted into the corresponding hole of the bushing, while the other swing arm is bent radially and inserted into the corresponding groove of the rotating shaft, driving the bushing and the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0038] During the folding process inside the launch tube, the inner and outer wings are rotated along the pivot at the wing root towards the fuselage axis. The bushing and pivot rotate synchronously with the wings, compressing the torsion spring until the protrusions on the bushing and pivot reach the corresponding protrusions on the limiting sleeve. The wings are then extended to be parallel to the fuselage. The entire aircraft is then placed into the launch tube, and the inner wall of the launch tube limits the wings, thus achieving the folding and extension of the wings. After the aircraft is launched from the launch tube, the wings are in a free state. Under the action of the torsion spring, the torsion spring force is released, causing the bushing and pivot to rotate synchronously with the wings until the protrusions on the bushing and pivot reach the corresponding protrusions on the limiting sleeve, thus limiting the wing deployment angle. This completes the folding and deployment of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0039] Example:

[0040] The wing deployment mechanism 4 of this invention is installed on the lower part of the aircraft fuselage 1. The two sets of wings are the outer wing 2 and the inner wing 3, which are arranged on the lower part of the fuselage 1 and stacked vertically. They are connected to the fuselage 1 through the wing deployment mechanism 4. Figure 1 As shown, in the storage and transportation state, the outer wing 2 and the inner wing 3 are folded to the lower part of the fuselage 1 and parallel to the fuselage axis by the wing deployment mechanism 4. When the wings are deployed, the outer wing 2 and the inner wing 3 rotate in opposite directions under the action of the wing deployment mechanism 4. After being deployed in place, they are locked by the wing deployment mechanism.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, the wing deployment mechanism 4 mainly consists of a mounting bracket 6, a limiting sleeve 8, a bushing 10, a washer 11, a rotating shaft 13, a torsion spring 16, and standard parts. The outer wing 2 and the inner wing 3, as positioning components, are also components of the wing deployment mechanism 4. The wing deployment mechanism 4 is connected to the fuselage 1 via the mounting bracket 6 using the first screw 5, as shown. Figure 6 As shown, the mounting bracket has a mounting bracket boss 23 in the middle and a countersunk hole 24 inside. After the bushing 10 is installed into the countersunk hole 24, the outer ring of the bushing 10 is fastened with a limiting sleeve 8 and a second screw 7. Figure 7 As shown, the limiting sleeve 8 is a flange with a hole in the middle. Two sets of symmetrical limiting sleeve bosses 25 are provided on one side of the flange for mechanical limiting during unfolding and folding. A stop 26 is provided on the other side of the flange for pressing the bearing 9 of the bushing. After the bearing 9 of the bushing is installed in place, the bushing 10 is inserted from the small end downwards into the inner hole of the bearing 9 of the bushing until it hits the bearing 9 of the bushing. Figure 8As shown, the bushing 10 is a stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. The stepped shaft has two ends, from thinner to thicker: a lower stepped shaft 27 and an upper stepped shaft 28. The upper stepped shaft 28 mates with the inner ring of the bushing bearing 9. A washer 11 and an internal wing 3 are then inserted sequentially. The upper stepped shaft 28 has a side hole 30, and a first cylindrical pin 12 connects it to the pin hole 22 on the internal wing 3, thus securing the internal wing 3 to the bushing 10. Simultaneously, the inner ring of the bushing bearing 9 is pressed tightly, thus securing the bushing 10 and the internal wing 3 together. For the tight fixing of wing 3, a stepped hole 29 is opened inside the lower stepped shaft 27 end of bushing 10, which is used to install the bearing 14 for the rotating shaft; an internal wing boss 20 is provided in the internal wing shaft part for positioning in the height direction, and a hole is opened in the center of the rotating shaft part for cooperating with bushing 10, and an internal wing pin hole 22 is opened on the side of the wing root to cooperate with the corresponding pin hole 30 on the bushing; after the bearing 14 for the rotating shaft is installed in place, the rotating shaft 13 is inserted from the narrow end until it hits the bearing 14, and the rotating shaft 13 has one end that is small and gradually increases in size. The shaft has a hollow structure consisting of two lower stepped shafts 33 and an upper stepped shaft 34. The lower stepped shaft 33 is used to mate with the outer wing 2, and has a shaft pin hole 35 on its side to mate with the corresponding pin hole on the outer wing 2. A second cylindrical pin 15 is inserted to connect and fasten the outer wing 2 to the shaft 13. The upper stepped shaft 34 is used to mate with the shaft bearing 14. A shaft boss 36 is provided on the side of the cylindrical section thereafter, which mates with the corresponding limiting sleeve boss 25 on the limiting sleeve 8 to achieve anti-rotation positioning of the shaft 13. A groove 37 is opened at the other end of the shaft to mate with the torsion spring. The radial swing arm 38 is used to transmit torque; the outer wing 2 has an outer wing boss 17 at the pivot point for positioning in the height direction, and a central hole at the pivot point for engaging with the pivot 13. The outer wing pin hole 19 is opened on the side of the wing root and engages with the corresponding pivot pin hole 35 on the pivot; the torsion spring is a cylindrical torsion spring. The radial swing arm 38 is bent radially and inserted into the corresponding groove 37 of the pivot 13. The axial swing arm 39 extends axially and is inserted into the corresponding hole 32 of the bushing 10, driving the bushing 10 and the pivot 13 to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0042] The working process of the present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments.

[0043] In the folded state, the inner wing 3 and outer wing 2 are folded axially toward the fuselage 1. The bushing 10 and the pivot 13 rotate synchronously with the two wings, compressing the torsion spring 16 until the bushing boss 31 on the bushing 10 and the pivot boss 36 on the pivot 13 abut against the corresponding limiting sleeve boss 25 of the limiting sleeve 8. The inner wing 3 and outer wing 2 are retracted to be parallel to the fuselage 1. The inner wall of the launch tube limits the inner wing 3 and outer wing 2, thus realizing the folding and retraction of the wings. After the aircraft is launched from the tube, the wings are in a free state. Under the action of the torsion spring 16, the torsion spring force is released, causing the bushing 10 and the pivot 13 to rotate synchronously with the inner wing 3 and outer wing 2 until the bushing boss 31 on the bushing 10 and the pivot boss 36 on the pivot 13 abut against the corresponding limiting sleeve boss 25 of the limiting sleeve 8, thus limiting the wing deployment angle. This realizes the folding and deployment of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. A wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring, characterized in that, This includes mounting supports, limit sleeves, bushings, rotating shafts, torsion springs, bearings for bushings, and bearings for rotating shafts; The wing deployment mechanism is installed on the lower part of the aircraft fuselage. The two sets of wings of the aircraft are stacked one on top of the other and connected to the aircraft fuselage through the wing deployment mechanism. In the storage and transportation state, the two sets of wings are folded to the lower part of the aircraft fuselage and parallel to the fuselage axis through the wing deployment mechanism. When the wings are deployed, the two sets of wings rotate in opposite directions under the action of the wing deployment mechanism. After being deployed in place, they are locked by the wing deployment mechanism. The wing closer to the fuselage is the inner wing, and the wing farther from the fuselage is the outer wing. The mounting bracket is installed on the aircraft fuselage to fix the wing deployment mechanism to the fuselage and bear the load during deployment and flight. The mounting bracket has a bearing mounting hole in the middle. After the bushing bearing is installed into the bearing mounting hole, a limiting sleeve is used to fix the bushing bearing on the mounting bracket. The limiting sleeve is a flange-type stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. Several screw holes are provided on the flange surface for mounting the limiting sleeve on the mounting bracket. Two sets of limiting sleeve bosses are symmetrically arranged on the flange surface. After the limiting sleeve is installed in place, the bushing is installed into the limiting sleeve. The bushing is an integral stepped shaft with a hole in the middle. A bearing step hole is provided inside the narrow end face of the bushing for installing a bearing for the rotating shaft. Two sets of wings are installed onto the bushing and tightened to prevent rotation. The wings press the bearing for the rotating shaft and achieve axial positioning and tightening of the bushing. A bushing boss is provided radially at the thick end of the bushing, which cooperates with the limiting sleeve boss to limit the rotation angle of the bushing. An opening is made inside the bushing boss for inserting a torsion spring axial swing arm to transmit the torsion spring torque to the internal wings. The rotating shaft is a shaft structure with a short step at one end. The rotating shaft passes from the inside of the aircraft fuselage into the bushing. A bearing mounting hole is provided at the short step for installing a bearing for the rotating shaft. The wing is pressed into the inner ring of the bearing for the rotating shaft, pressing the bearing for the rotating shaft and achieving axial positioning and fastening of the rotating shaft. A rotating shaft boss is provided radially at the middle of the upper end of the rotating shaft, which cooperates with the boss of the limiting sleeve to limit the rotation angle of the rotating shaft. The upper end face of the rotating shaft is slotted for inserting a torsion spring radial swing arm to realize the process of transmitting the torsion spring torque to the outer wing. The torsion spring is a cylindrical torsion spring. The radial swing arm extends radially and is inserted into the corresponding hole of the bushing. The axial swing arm is bent radially and inserted into the corresponding groove of the rotating shaft, driving the bushing and the rotating shaft to rotate synchronously in opposite directions. During the folding process inside the launch tube, the inner and outer wings are rotated along the pivot at the wing root towards the fuselage axis. The bushing and pivot rotate synchronously with the wings, compressing the torsion spring until the bushing boss and pivot boss abut against the limiting sleeve boss. The wings are then extended to be parallel to the fuselage. The entire aircraft is then placed into the launch tube, where the inner wall of the launch tube limits the wings, thus achieving wing folding and extension. After the aircraft is launched from the launch tube, the wings are in a free state. Under the action of the torsion spring, the torsion spring force is released, causing the bushing and pivot to rotate synchronously with the wings until the bushing boss and pivot boss abut against the limiting sleeve boss, thus limiting the wing deployment angle. This completes the folding and deployment of the aircraft.

2. The wing deployment mechanism using a torsion spring according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wing deployment mechanism is connected to the aircraft fuselage via mounting brackets and screws.

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