An unmanned aerial vehicle air docking mechanism

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and discloses an aerial docking mechanism for UAVs, comprising: a docking mechanism including a docking rod, wherein a wedge-shaped groove is formed at the connection between the upper and lower parts of the docking rod; and a take-up and take-down mechanism including a take-up and take-down housing, spring torsion plates, a torsion spring, and a rotating assembly. There are two spring torsion plates, symmetrically and horizontally installed within the take-up and take-down housing, with a central groove formed between the two spring torsion plates. The two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates at their closest points are connected to the inner sidewalls of the take-up and take-down housing via the torsion springs; the two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates at their furthest points are rotatably connected to the take-up and take-down housing via the rotating assembly. This invention enables two UAVs to dock in mid-air, achieving docking through the wedge-shaped groove of the docking rod and the UAV with the docking rod installed can also overcome the force of the spring torsion plates to separate, thus solving the problem of UAV docking in mid-air.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically, relates to an aerial docking mechanism for UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] To date, numerous methods for mid-air docking between two aircraft have been studied. Manned reconnaissance aircraft and fighter jets have used aerial refueling via docking, and docking technology has also been employed by spacecraft and space stations.

[0003] When one spacecraft approaches another, the former is in an active state, and its docking mechanism aligns with the "pin" and guide rod as the center, while the latter is in the process of docking. During the docking process, the guide rod correctly aligns the docking mechanisms of the two spacecraft, the pin is inserted into the control hole, and the locking mechanism automatically locks, completing the docking.

[0004] Initially, drones were developed for military purposes to reduce pilot casualties, but their applications in civilian sectors such as disaster relief, weather observation, security, forest surveillance, and drone delivery are gradually expanding. Fixed-wing drones fly using air lift, have a high lift-to-drag ratio, high speed, large payload, and are economical and efficient in cruise mode, making them primarily used for long and distant cruise missions. Rotary-wing drones, while having relatively lower energy efficiency and shorter flight time, have the advantage of vertical takeoff and landing in challenging environments. Therefore, developing a docking mechanism to combine and separate these two types of drones in mid-air, allowing them to leverage their respective strengths, is an important research direction.

[0005] The docking of two drones requires them to be brought together close together from several meters apart, as even a small mistake can lead to an accident. Therefore, the separation and engagement of the drone docking mechanism must be sufficiently reliable. Most aerial docking between drones is based on space docking technology. To study the design of aerial docking for drones, space docking structures have been referenced, and the docking device typically uses a "needle-cone" structure. However, current drone docking technology requires the use of linear brakes, which increases the operational difficulty. Activating the device requires automatic circuits, communication equipment, and external force, resulting in a complex drone docking device structure, high maintenance difficulty, and poor reliability. In particular, if the automatic circuit fails or communication is disrupted, the drones will fail to dock and crash.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve the problems existing in the aforementioned background technology. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention proposes an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the specific technical solution of which is as follows:

[0008] An aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes:

[0009] The docking mechanism includes a docking rod, the upper part of which is cylindrical and the lower part is spherical, and a wedge-shaped groove is formed at the connection between the upper and lower parts.

[0010] The retraction mechanism includes a retraction box, spring torsion plates, torsion springs, and a rotating assembly. There are two spring torsion plates, which are symmetrically and horizontally installed in the retraction box, and a central groove is formed between the two spring torsion plates. The two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates that are close to each other are respectively connected to the inner sidewall of the retraction box through the torsion springs. The two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates that are far apart from each other are respectively rotatably connected to the retraction box through the rotating assembly.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention can enable two drones to dock in the air. The docking is completed by the wedge-shaped groove of the docking rod in conjunction with the spring torsion plate. The drone with the docking rod installed can also overcome the force of the spring torsion plate and separate, thus solving the problem of drone docking in the air.

[0012] The aerial docking mechanism of this invention for UAVs has a simple structure, requires no assistance from electrical circuits, manual equipment, or communication equipment, and can be fully mechanically controlled for release and recovery. It is easy to maintain and highly reliable.

[0013] Preferably, the upper part of the docking rod is fixed to the abdomen of one drone, and the retraction mechanism is fixed to the back of another drone.

[0014] Preferably, the docking mechanism consists of two docking rods.

[0015] Preferably, the central groove is rectangular in shape.

[0016] Preferably, each end of the torsion spring extends a hook, a cylindrical boss is fixed on the outer side wall of the spring torsion plate, and a cylindrical boss is fixed on the inner side wall of the storage box; when the spring torsion plate is horizontal, the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss are concentrically arranged on the same side of the spring torsion plate; the torsion spring is looped on the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss, and both the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss are provided with spring hook holes.

[0017] Preferably, each of the two spring torsion plates has a torsion plate rotating part on both sides of one end away from each other. The torsion plate rotating part has a shaft hole one. The storage box has a side support part corresponding to the position of the torsion plate rotating part. The side support part has a shaft hole two. The rotating assembly passes through the corresponding coaxial shaft hole two and shaft hole one to rotatably connect the spring torsion plate to the corresponding storage box.

[0018] Preferably, the rotating assembly includes a stepped shaft and two deep groove ball bearings. The stepped shaft passes through the corresponding shaft hole two and shaft hole one. Both deep groove ball bearings are installed on the small-diameter shaft section of the stepped shaft, and the bearings are separated from each other by a sleeve. The shaft hole one of the spring torsion plate is fitted onto the outside of the small-diameter shaft section of the stepped shaft and engages with the stepped shaft through the two deep groove ball bearings. The deep groove ball bearings are axially fixed by the sleeve and the steps on the stepped shaft. The two ends of the stepped shaft are fixed to the side support of the storage box by means of thread and nut engagement.

[0019] Preferably, the deep groove ball bearing is a miniature double-cap deep groove ball bearing.

[0020] Compared to existing technologies, this invention, a drone aerial docking mechanism, primarily addresses the issues of how to dock and separate drones in mid-air, as well as the integration of air, structure, power, and control aspects. This invention achieves aerial docking between two types of drones by installing a cylindrical docking rod on the belly of one drone and connecting the rod to the central slot of the deployment / retraction mechanism on the back of another drone. Considering the relatively high speed of drones landing on the platform, this invention also designs the central slot as a long rectangle, which increases the freedom of landing position and significantly reduces the difficulty of landing.

[0021] This invention utilizes spring torsion plates installed on both sides of a central groove. When the spring torsion plates rotate upwards or downwards, the torsion springs cause them to return to their original positions. When the drone lands, it serves to secure the wedge-shaped slot of the docking rod and the spring torsion plates (accurately engaging the wedge-shaped slot of the docking rod within the central groove between the two spring torsion plates).

[0022] This invention employs a rod-cone docking mechanical separation design for UAV aerial docking. It is a purely mechanical design method where takeoff and landing are controlled by the force of the torsional spring, with the docking rod clamped in a wedge-shaped slot and a spring torsion plate. Because the release and retraction are controlled by spring force, no circuitry or external manual force is required. It can automatically lock and unlock, featuring a simple mechanism and reliable separation and engagement. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the deployment and take-up mechanism in an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the docking mechanism in an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the torsion spring in the retraction mechanism of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the spring torsion plate in the retraction mechanism of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the take-up and take-down box in the take-up and take-down mechanism of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a torsion spring.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rotating assembly in the launching and retracting mechanism of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the drone before takeoff.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the drone about to detach from the launch and take-off mechanism.

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the drone completely detached from the launch and take-off mechanism.

[0034] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the drone's imminent landing.

[0035] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the complete landing of a drone.

[0036] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a vertical take-off and landing platform for a drone equipped with a launch and recovery mechanism.

[0037] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating the takeoff and landing process of a drone.

[0038] In the picture:

[0039] 10-Dating mechanism, 11-Dating rod, 111-Wedge-shaped groove;

[0040] 20-Retracting mechanism, 21-Retracting housing, 211-Cylindrical boss two, 212-Side support of retracting housing, 22-Spring torsion plate, 221-Cylindrical boss one, 222-Torsion plate rotating part, 23-Twist spring, 231-Hook, 24-Rotating assembly, 241-Stepped shaft, 242-Deep groove ball bearing, 243-Sleeve, 244-Shaft end nut, 245-Locking nut, 246-Washer. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0042] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0043] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0044] Example:

[0045] This invention discloses an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The mechanism utilizes a docking rod 11 and a retraction / deployment mechanism 20 to complete the aerial docking of the UAV. The docking rod 11 is a cylindrical structure, and the retraction / deployment mechanism 20 is a box-like structure. Docking is achieved by installing a cylindrical column rod on the underside of the UAV and connecting the rod to the center of a slot.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 1-7 As shown, the UAV aerial docking mechanism includes a docking mechanism 10 and a retraction and deployment mechanism 20.

[0047] Among them, such as Figure 2As shown, the docking mechanism 10 includes a docking rod 11, the upper part of which is cylindrical and the lower part is spherical, and a wedge-shaped groove 111 is formed at the connection between the upper and lower parts. The docking mechanism 10 adopts a rod-cone combination method to realize docking and separation.

[0048] like Figure 1 , 3 As shown in Figure 7, the take-up and release mechanism 20 includes a take-up and release box 21, a spring torsion plate 22, a torsion spring 23, and a rotating assembly 24. There are two spring torsion plates 22, which are symmetrically and horizontally installed inside the take-up and release box 21, and a central groove is formed between the two spring torsion plates 22 (i.e., Figure 1 (As indicated by point A in the middle), during docking, the wedge-shaped slot 111 engages within the central slot, completing the docking. The central slot is a long rectangular shape, which can improve the freedom of the UAV's landing position and significantly reduce the difficulty of landing. The two outer side walls of the two spring torsion plates 22 that are close to each other are connected to the inner side walls of the take-up and drop box 21 through torsion springs 23. Therefore, there are four torsion springs 23 in total. When the torsion springs 23 are relaxed, the upper surface of the spring torsion plate 22 is parallel to the upper surface of the take-up and drop box 21, and the torsion springs 23 support the spring torsion plate 22 to prevent it from rotating downwards. The two ends of the two spring torsion plates 22 that are far apart are rotatably connected to the take-up and drop box 21 through rotating assemblies 24.

[0049] In this invention, the upper part of the docking rod 11 is fixedly mounted on the abdomen of one drone, and the retraction mechanism 20 is fixedly mounted on the back of another drone, forming a structure as follows: Figure 13 The vertical take-off and landing platform shown.

[0050] Furthermore, the docking mechanism 10 generally consists of two docking rods 11 to achieve stable docking.

[0051] In a further specific embodiment, each end of the torsion spring 23 extends a hook 231, a cylindrical boss 221 is fixed on the outer side wall of the spring torsion plate 22, and a cylindrical boss 211 is fixed on the inner side wall of the storage box 21; when the spring torsion plate 22 is horizontal, the cylindrical boss 221 and the cylindrical boss 211 located on the same side of the spring torsion plate 22 are concentrically arranged (i.e. on the same axis); the torsion spring 23 is looped around the cylindrical boss 221 and the cylindrical boss 211, and both the cylindrical boss 221 and the cylindrical boss 211 are provided with spring hook holes, and the two ends of the torsion spring 23 are hung on the spring hook holes.

[0052] Furthermore, each of the two spring torsion plates 22 has a torsion plate rotating part 222 on both sides of the opposite end. The torsion plate rotating part 222 has a shaft hole 1. The storage box 21 has a storage box side support part 212 at the position corresponding to the torsion plate rotating part 222. The storage box side support part 212 has a shaft hole 2. There are four sets of rotating assemblies 24. The rotating assemblies 24 pass through the corresponding coaxial shaft hole 2 and shaft hole 1 to rotatably connect the spring torsion plate 22 to the corresponding storage box 21.

[0053] In a specific embodiment, the rotating assembly 24 includes a stepped shaft 241 and two deep groove ball bearings 242. The stepped shaft 241 passes through the corresponding shaft hole two and shaft hole one, rotatably connecting the spring torsion plate 22 to the corresponding side support part 212 of the storage box. The two deep groove ball bearings 242 are both installed on the small diameter shaft section in the stepped shaft 241, and the bearings are separated from each other by a sleeve 243. The shaft hole one of the spring torsion plate 22 is fitted onto the outside of the small diameter shaft section in the stepped shaft 241, and cooperates with the stepped shaft 241 through the two deep groove ball bearings 242. The deep groove ball bearings 242 are axially fixed by the sleeve 243 and the steps on the stepped shaft 241.

[0054] The two ends of the stepped shaft 241 are fixed to the side support 212 of the retractable box by means of thread and nut engagement, so that the spring torsion plate 22 can rotate smoothly up and down through the two bearings on the stepped shaft 241 to achieve the retractable effect.

[0055] Specifically, both ends of the stepped shaft 241 are threaded. One end of the stepped shaft 241 is locked to the outer side of the side support 212 of the storage box using a shaft end nut 244, and the other end of the stepped shaft 241 is locked to the outer side of the other side of the side support 212 of the storage box using a locking nut 245. At the same time, washers 246 are provided between the shaft end nut 244 and the outer side of the side support 212 of the storage box, and between the locking nut 245 and the outer side of the side support 212 of the storage box.

[0056] refer to Figure 8-12 The diameter and length of the torsion spring 23 are selected by considering the gravity and lift of the two drones. With a suitable torsion spring 23, the two drones can dock and take off vertically together. When the gravity and lift reach the torsion limit of the torsion spring 23, the docking rod 11 will disengage from the deployment and recovery mechanism 20, and the drones will detach from the deployment and recovery platform. Upon landing, the two drones land vertically together after completing the aerial docking.

[0057] refer to Figure 8When the drone is about to take off, the docking mechanism 10 retracts into the central slot of the retraction mechanism 20. The torsion spring 23 only serves a supporting function, keeping the spring torsion plate 22 horizontal and fixed by the retraction box 21 of the retraction mechanism 20, so that it can take off vertically facing the wing.

[0058] refer to Figure 9 As the cruise phase begins, the drone accelerates after docking with the deployment and recovery container 21. The faster the speed, the greater the difference in gravity and lift between the two drones. When this difference reaches the torque limit of the torsion spring 23, the drone can overcome the resistance of the spring torsion plate 22, separate, and complete the takeoff mission.

[0059] refer to Figure 10 Once the drone has fully taken off, the torsion spring 23 rebounds, and the spring torsion plate 22 returns to its horizontal position under the action of the torsion spring 23 and the rotating assembly 24.

[0060] refer to Figure 11 After the drone completes its flight mission, it is inserted downward into the central slot of the retraction mechanism 20 via the docking rod 11. The torsion spring 23 bends downward and the spring torsion plate 22 rotates downward.

[0061] refer to Figure 12 The drone docking mechanism 10 is fully inserted into the central slot of the take-up and take-down mechanism 20 (that is, the wedge-shaped slot 111 of the docking rod 11 is accurately locked between the two spring torsion plates 22), the torsion spring 23 rebounds, and the two drones dock and land together.

[0062] This invention provides an aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of automatic locking and unlocking without the use of any additional equipment. A groove is formed between two spring torsion plates 22 controlled by a torsion spring 23, and this groove is designed to contact the docking rod 11 to which the UAV is connected. (Reference) Figure 14 When the drone connected to docking rod 11 descends, the wedge-shaped slot 111 of docking rod 11 and the spring torsion plate 22 interlock, completing the docking. The drone can then take off after overcoming the capturing force of the spring torsion plate 22 and gravity. Figure 14 In the text, 'a' refers to a fixed-wing UAV, 'b' refers to the UAV taking off, 'c' refers to the UAV performing a mission, 'd' refers to the UAV docking, and 'e' refers to the UAV landing.

[0063] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the method section.

[0064] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An aerial docking mechanism for unmanned aerial vehicles, characterized in that, include: The docking mechanism includes a docking rod, the upper part of which is cylindrical and the lower part is spherical, and a wedge-shaped groove is formed at the connection between the upper and lower parts. The retraction mechanism includes a retraction box, spring torsion plates, torsion springs, and a rotating assembly. Two spring torsion plates are symmetrically and horizontally installed within the retraction box, with a central groove formed between them. The two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates at their closest points are connected to the inner sidewall of the retraction box via the torsion springs. The two outer sidewalls of the two spring torsion plates at their furthest points are rotatably connected to the retraction box via the rotating assembly. Each end of the torsion spring extends into a hook. A cylindrical boss is fixed on the outer side wall of the spring torsion plate, and a cylindrical boss is fixed on the inner side wall of the storage box. When the spring torsion plate is horizontal, the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss are concentrically arranged on the same side of the spring torsion plate. The torsion spring is looped around the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss, and both the cylindrical boss and the cylindrical boss are provided with spring hook holes. Each of the two spring torsion plates has a torsion plate rotating part on one side away from the other end. The rotating part of the torsion plate has a shaft hole. The storage box has a side support part corresponding to the rotating part of the torsion plate. The side support part of the storage box has a shaft hole. The rotating assembly passes through the corresponding coaxial shaft hole and shaft hole, and rotatably connects the spring torsion plate to the corresponding storage box. The rotating assembly includes a stepped shaft and two deep groove ball bearings. The stepped shaft passes through the corresponding shaft hole two and shaft hole one. Both deep groove ball bearings are installed on the small-diameter shaft section of the stepped shaft, and the bearings are separated from each other by sleeves. The shaft hole one of the spring torsion plate is fitted onto the outside of the small-diameter shaft section of the stepped shaft and engages with the stepped shaft through the two deep groove ball bearings. The deep groove ball bearings are axially fixed by the sleeves and the steps on the stepped shaft. The two ends of the stepped shaft are fixed to the side support of the storage box by means of thread and nut engagement.

2. The UAV aerial docking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper part of the docking rod is fixed to the abdomen of one drone, and the retraction mechanism is fixed to the back of another drone.

3. A UAV aerial docking mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The docking mechanism consists of two docking rods.

4. The UAV aerial docking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central groove is rectangular in shape.

5. The UAV aerial docking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deep groove ball bearing is a miniature double-cap deep groove ball bearing.

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