Unmanned aerial vehicle heat management system, unmanned aerial vehicle and arrangement method of heat dissipation fins

Abstract

The application relates to a UAV heat management system, a UAV and a heat dissipation fin arrangement method. The UAV heat management system comprises a main body, connecting arms, a propeller and heat dissipation fins. Some or all of the connecting arms are provided with condensation cavities, the main body is provided with an evaporation cavity, a working medium is arranged in the evaporation cavity, the evaporation cavity is communicated with the condensation cavities, and the evaporation cavity is attached to the heating end of a power element, so that the liquid working medium in the evaporation cavity can be phase changed into gaseous working medium by absorbing heat and enter the condensation cavities. The heat dissipation fins are arranged on the outer circumferential side of the condensation cavities and are connected to the connecting arms. The outer side of each connecting arm is provided with a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the connecting arms. Along the direction from the propeller shaft to the main body, the heat dissipation area of the heat dissipation fins shows an increasing trend. The UAV heat management system, the UAV and the heat dissipation fin arrangement method provided by the application solve the problems of low heat dissipation efficiency and large occupied volume of the heat management system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) heat dissipation technology, and in particular to a UAV thermal management system, a UAV, and a method for arranging heat dissipation fins. Background Technology

[0002] As drones become increasingly feature-rich, their power components, such as batteries, lidar, CPUs, and signal amplifiers, require timely heat dissipation. Because drones must be sufficiently lightweight and compact to maintain long flight times and perform a variety of functions, the size and weight of all components are subject to stringent requirements. However, existing drone cooling systems are inefficient in handling the increasing demands of these high-power components, and their size is excessively large. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a thermal management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a method for arranging the UAV and heat dissipation fins, to solve the problems of insufficient heat dissipation efficiency and excessive size of existing thermal management systems.

[0004] The UAV thermal management system provided in this application includes a main body, connecting arms, propellers, and heat dissipation fins. Each propeller is supported and connected to the main body via a corresponding connecting arm. Some or all of the connecting arms are provided with a condensation chamber, and the main body is provided with an evaporation chamber. The evaporation chamber contains a working fluid and is connected to the condensation chamber to form a heat pipe structure. The evaporation chamber is attached to the heating end of the power element, allowing the liquid working fluid in the evaporation chamber to absorb heat and transform into a gaseous working fluid, which then enters the condensation chamber. The gaseous working fluid can also release heat in the condensation chamber, transforming back into a liquid working fluid and flowing back to the evaporation chamber. Heat dissipation fins are located on the outer periphery of the condensation chamber and connected to the connecting arms, allowing the heat released after the gaseous working fluid liquefies in the condensation chamber to be transferred to the heat dissipation fins through the connecting arms. Multiple heat dissipation fins are provided on the outer side of each connecting arm, and these fins are spaced apart along the extension direction of the connecting arm. The heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins increases along the direction from the propeller shaft to the main body.

[0005] In one embodiment, the heat dissipation fins are in the form of thin sheets, and multiple heat dissipation fins are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The plane of each heat dissipation fin is arranged parallel to the axis of the propeller, so that the airflow generated by the propeller can pass through the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins in parallel.

[0006] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting arm tends to increase along the direction from the propeller shaft to the main body.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the connecting arm is elliptical, with the major axis of the connecting arm cross-section being vertical and the minor axis being horizontal.

[0008] In one embodiment, the heat dissipation fins are welded to the connecting arm, or the heat dissipation fins and the connecting arm are integrally formed.

[0009] In one embodiment, heat dissipation fins are fitted onto the outer periphery of the condensation cavity.

[0010] In one embodiment, the connecting arm includes a telescopic section, a first fixed section, a first driving member, and a first controller. The main body can be connected to the propeller sequentially through the telescopic section and the first fixed section. Heat dissipation fins are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first fixed section. The first controller is electrically connected to the first driving member, and the first controller can control the first driving member to drive the telescopic section to retract or extend, so as to drive the corresponding propeller to move in a direction closer to or away from the main body.

[0011] In one embodiment, the connecting arm includes a flexible segment, a first rigid segment, a second drive member, and a second controller. The main body can be connected to the propeller sequentially through the flexible segment and the first rigid segment. Heat dissipation fins are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first rigid segment. The second controller is electrically connected to the second drive member, and the second controller can control the second drive member to drive the flexible segment to bend and deform, so that the first rigid segment and the propeller can deflect synchronously relative to the main body.

[0012] This application also provides a drone that includes the drone thermal management system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0013] This application also provides a method for arranging heat dissipation fins, which is used to arrange the heat dissipation fins in the UAV thermal management system described in any of the above embodiments. The method includes the following steps:

[0014] Drive the propeller to rotate, and plot the function curves of wind speed and rotation radius at different rotation radius positions of the propeller along the extension direction of the propeller blades;

[0015] The first orthographic projection is defined as the orthographic projection of the propeller on a plane perpendicular to its own axis, and the second orthographic projection is defined as the orthographic projection of the heat dissipation fins on a plane perpendicular to the propeller axis. Along the radial direction of the propeller, the first orthographic projection completely covers the second orthographic projection.

[0016] Find the corresponding position of the second orthographic projection of each heat dissipation fin on the first orthographic projection, obtain the rotation radius of the propeller at the corresponding position based on the corresponding position on the first orthographic projection, and combine it with the obtained function curve to obtain the wind speed corresponding to each heat dissipation fin.

[0017] The heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins is set so that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins is directly proportional to the wind speed at the corresponding rotation radius of the propeller.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the UAV thermal management system, UAV and heat dissipation fin arrangement method provided in this application have the main body, connecting arm and propeller as inherent structural components of the UAV. Furthermore, a condensation cavity is set in the connecting arm and an evaporation cavity is set in the main body. That is, the inherent structural components of the UAV are used to form a heat pipe structure to dissipate heat from the power components inside the UAV.

[0019] Furthermore, the connecting arm itself is a hollow structure, meaning there is generally an assembly gap between the power component and the main body housing. Therefore, placing a condensation chamber inside the connecting arm and an evaporation chamber at the heat-generating end of the power component will not significantly increase the size of the drone. Moreover, due to the high heat dissipation efficiency of the heat pipe structure, the drone's heat dissipation performance is greatly improved compared to existing air-cooling systems.

[0020] Because the propeller rotates, the angular velocity is the same at all points on the same blade. However, since the radius of rotation varies at different points on the propeller from the axis of rotation, the linear velocity of rotation also varies, with the linear velocity increasing the further the propeller is from the axis. Combined with the statement that "the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat sink fins increases along the direction from the propeller axis to the main body," we can conclude that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat sink fins is positively correlated with the linear velocity of the propeller's rotation. This allows for maximum utilization of the wind force generated by the propeller to dissipate heat from the heat sink fins, thereby further increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the UAV's thermal management system. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 A side view of a drone according to an embodiment provided in this application;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) thermal management system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of another embodiment of the UAV thermal management system provided in this application;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) thermal management system according to another embodiment provided in this application;

[0026] Figure 5A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the connecting arm and the second drive structure according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the connecting arm and the second drive structure according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support plate according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Reference numerals: 100, Main body; 110, Evaporation chamber; 120, Power component; 130, Charging port; 200, Propeller; 300, Heat dissipation fins; 400, Connecting arm; 410, Condensation chamber; 420, Telescopic section; 421, First corrugated tube; 430, First fixed section; 440, Second fixed section; 450, First driving component; 451, First motor; 452, First lead screw; 453, First fixed component. 454. Fixed plate; 455. Second motor; 456. Second lead screw; 457. Third motor; 458. Third lead screw; 460. Flexible section; 461. Second corrugated tube; 470. First rigid section; 480. Second rigid section; 490. Second driving component; 491. Support plate; 4911. Slide groove; 492. Fourth motor; 493. Fourth lead screw; 494. Slider; 495. Push rod. Detailed Implementation

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0031] 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 at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0036] As drones become increasingly feature-rich, their power components, such as batteries, lidar, CPUs, and signal amplifiers, require timely heat dissipation. Because drones must be sufficiently lightweight and compact to maintain long flight times and perform a variety of functions, the size and weight of all components are subject to stringent requirements. This means that the thermal management system on a drone must overcome the shortcomings of existing systems, such as insufficient heat dissipation efficiency and excessive size.

[0037] In view of this, please refer to Figures 1-7This application provides a drone thermal management system, a drone and a method for arranging heat dissipation fins 300. The drone thermal management system includes a main body 100, a connecting arm 400, a propeller 200 and heat dissipation fins 300, and each propeller 200 is supported and connected to the main body 100 through a corresponding connecting arm 400.

[0038] It should be noted that a drone typically has a main body 100, and multiple propellers 200 are distributed on the outside of the main body 100. Each propeller 200 is connected to the main body 100 through a corresponding connecting arm 400. In order to improve the flight stability of the drone, the number of propellers 200 can be three or more, but it is not limited to this. The number of propellers 200 of the drone can also be one or two, as can be seen in helicopters.

[0039] The shape of the main body 100 of the drone can also be diverse, such as square, triangle, rhombus, hexagon or octagon, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0040] As shown in the figure, Figures 2-4 As shown, some or all of the connecting arms 400 are provided with a condensing chamber 410, and the main body 100 is provided with an evaporating chamber 110. The evaporating chamber 110 contains a working fluid, and the evaporating chamber 110 is connected to the condensing chamber 410 to form a heat pipe structure. The evaporating chamber 110 is attached to the heating end of the power element 120 (including but not limited to the battery, lidar, CPU, and signal amplifier) ​​so that the liquid working fluid in the evaporating chamber 110 can absorb heat and change into a gaseous working fluid and enter the condensing chamber 410.

[0041] Furthermore, the heat dissipation fins 300 are disposed on the outer periphery of the condensation cavity 410 and connected to the connecting arm 400, so that the heat released after the gaseous working fluid is liquefied in the condensation cavity 410 can be transferred to the heat dissipation fins 300 through the connecting arm 400.

[0042] Specifically, in one embodiment, such as Figures 2-4 As shown, the heat dissipation fins 300 are sleeved on the outer periphery of the condensation cavity 410, but not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the heat dissipation fins 300 can also be snapped or welded to one side of the condensation cavity 410.

[0043] It should be noted that the heating end of the power element 120 can be completely immersed in the liquid working fluid, or it can be partially immersed in the liquid working fluid.

[0044] Furthermore, in order to prevent working fluid leakage, in one embodiment, the evaporation chamber 110 and the heating end of the power element 120 are integrally sealed in the form of a static seal. Specifically, a sealing method using a sealing ring and bolts can be adopted.

[0045] However, this is not the only option. In another embodiment, the evaporation chamber 110 and the heating end of the power element 120 can also be sealed by welding.

[0046] However, this is not the only option. In another embodiment, the evaporation chamber 110 and the heating end of the power element 120 can also be sealed using 3D printing.

[0047] It should be noted that one condensing chamber 410 can be set to correspond to multiple evaporating chambers 110, one evaporating chamber 110 can be set to correspond to multiple condensing chambers 410, or the evaporating chamber 110 and the condensing chamber 410 can be set to correspond one-to-one.

[0048] Furthermore, one power element 120 can be configured to correspond to one evaporation chamber 110, or multiple power elements 120 can be configured to correspond to one evaporation chamber 110.

[0049] Furthermore, the power element 120 can also combine or separate adjacent heat pipe structures according to a preset operating temperature range to adjust the heat dissipation efficiency of the power element 120, thereby enabling the power element 120 to reach a suitable operating temperature, and making the counterweight of each propeller 200 tend to be equal.

[0050] During the flight of the drone, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, the vertical height of the propeller 200 is greater than the vertical height of the main body 100. Therefore, the vaporized working fluid can rise along the connecting arm 400 towards the propeller 200, and after the gaseous working fluid liquefies, it flows back into the main body 100 by gravity. Liquid suction cores can also be provided on the inner wall of the condensation chamber 410 and the inner wall of the evaporation chamber 110. In this case, the connecting arm 400 can be arranged horizontally, that is, the vertical height of the propeller 200 can be equal to the vertical height of the main body 100.

[0051] Furthermore, the main body 100, connecting arm 400 and propeller 200 are inherent structural components of the UAV. In this application, a condensation chamber 410 is provided in the connecting arm 400 and an evaporation chamber 110 is provided in the main body 100. That is, a heat pipe structure is formed by utilizing the inherent structural components of the UAV to dissipate heat from the power components 120 inside the UAV.

[0052] In summary, this design cleverly integrates the heat pipe structure for heat dissipation into the drone. Furthermore, since the connecting arm 400 itself is a hollow structure, meaning there is generally an assembly gap between the power element 120 and the main body 100, the inclusion of the condensation chamber 410 within the connecting arm 400 and the evaporation chamber 110 at the heat-generating end of the power element 120 does not significantly increase the drone's size. Moreover, due to the high heat dissipation efficiency of the heat pipe structure, the drone's heat dissipation performance is greatly improved compared to existing air-cooling systems.

[0053] Since the propeller 200 is rotating, the angular velocity of the same blade of the propeller 200 is the same at all points. Since the rotation radius of the propeller 200 at different points is different from the axis of rotation, the rotational linear velocity of the propeller 200 at different points is different. Furthermore, the farther the propeller 200 is from the axis of rotation, the faster its rotational linear velocity is.

[0054] Therefore, in order to enable the drone thermal management system to have better heat dissipation performance, in one embodiment, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, each connecting arm 400 has a plurality of heat dissipation fins 300 on its outer side, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins 300 are spaced apart along the extension direction of the connecting arm 400. Furthermore, along the direction from the propeller 200 shaft to the main body 100, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 tends to increase.

[0055] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the fin tip to the fin root of each heat dissipation fin 300 is equidistant, that is, the heat dissipation fin 300 is in the shape of a circular thin sheet, with the center of the circle being the center of the connecting arm 400.

[0056] This facilitates uniform heat dissipation from all parts of the heat dissipation fins 300.

[0057] However, it is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the heat dissipation fins 300 can also be square, triangular or elliptical, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0058] It should be noted that since the connecting arm 400 connects the main body 100 and the propeller 200, the "extension direction of the connecting arm 400" is the direction from the main body 100 to the propeller 200, or the direction from the propeller 200 to the main body 100.

[0059] Furthermore, it should be noted that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fin 300 is the area of ​​the heat dissipation fin 300 used to release heat. Specifically, when the heat dissipation fin 300 is a circular thin sheet, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fin 300 is the area of ​​the circular thin sheet, and when the heat dissipation fin 300 is spherical, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fin 300 is the surface area of ​​the sphere.

[0060] Since the linear velocity of the propeller 200 increases along the direction from the shaft of the propeller 200 to the main body 100, and considering that "the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 increases along the direction from the shaft of the propeller 200 to the main body 100," it can be concluded that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 is positively correlated with the rotational linear velocity of the propeller 200. In this way, the wind force generated by the propeller 200 can be used to dissipate heat from the heat dissipation fins 300 to the maximum extent, thereby further increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the UAV thermal management system.

[0061] It is understandable that, since the structure of the propeller 200 blades is not a single strip structure, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the propeller 200 blades is not necessarily exactly the same at different points. Therefore, during actual rotation, the magnitude of the wind force generated at different points of the propeller 200 is not necessarily directly proportional to the rotation radius of the propeller 200 blades. In other words, along the direction from the propeller 200 shaft to the main body 100, the magnitude of the wind force generated by the propeller 200 does not necessarily show a uniform increasing trend.

[0062] To better achieve the arrangement of the heat dissipation fins 300, this application also provides a method for arranging the heat dissipation fins 300, which includes the following steps:

[0063] Drive the propeller 200 to rotate (this can be done through physical testing or three-dimensional simulation testing), and along the extension direction of the propeller 200 blades (which can be from the propeller 200 shaft to the main body 100, or from the main body 100 to the propeller 200 shaft), plot the function curves between the wind speed and the rotation radius at different rotation radius positions of the propeller 200.

[0064] It should be noted that the structure and number of propellers 200 need to be determined based on the intended use of the drone.

[0065] Furthermore, the orthographic projection of the propeller 200 onto a plane perpendicular to its own axis is defined as the first orthographic projection, and the orthographic projection of the heat dissipation fins 300 onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the propeller 200 is defined as the second orthographic projection. Along the radial direction of the propeller 200 (that is, the plane direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the propeller 200), the first orthographic projection completely covers the second orthographic projection.

[0066] In this way, it can be ensured that the wind power generated by the propeller 200 can be delivered to the corresponding heat dissipation fins 300.

[0067] Next, the position of the second orthographic projection of each heat dissipation fin 300 (center point) on the corresponding position of the first orthographic projection is found. Based on the corresponding position on the first orthographic projection, the rotation radius of the propeller 200 at the corresponding position is obtained. Combined with the obtained function curve, the wind speed corresponding to each heat dissipation fin 300 is obtained.

[0068] The heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 is set so that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 is directly proportional to the wind speed at the corresponding rotation radius of the propeller 200.

[0069] Thus, the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 is set according to the wind speed at the corresponding rotation radius, so that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 is proportional to the wind force. On the one hand, the wind force generated by the propeller 200 can be used to the maximum extent to dissipate heat and improve heat dissipation efficiency. On the other hand, it can avoid the irregular arrangement of the heat dissipation fins 300, which would cause excessive wind resistance in the flight of the drone.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, the heat dissipation fins 300 are in the shape of thin sheets, and multiple heat dissipation fins 300 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The plane of each heat dissipation fin 300 is arranged parallel to the axis of the propeller 200, so that the airflow generated by the propeller 200 can pass through the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins 300 in parallel.

[0071] In this embodiment, the area of ​​the thin sheet is the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fin 300.

[0072] This configuration not only increases the amount of air intake through the heat dissipation fins 300 generated by the propeller 200, but also reduces the wind resistance of the heat dissipation fins 300 on the airflow generated by the propeller 200, thereby reducing the flight drag of the UAV.

[0073] However, this is not the only embodiment. In another embodiment, adjacent heat dissipation fins 300 can also overlap to form a wavy heat dissipation strip.

[0074] Furthermore, in one embodiment, as Figures 2-4 As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting arm 400 increases along the direction from the shaft of the propeller 200 to the main body 100.

[0075] Specifically, in the connecting arm 400 part corresponding to the propeller 200, the connecting arm 400 is tapered.

[0076] This configuration can, on the one hand, increase the volume of the condensation chamber 410, thereby increasing the heat dissipation area of ​​the working fluid; on the other hand, since the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins 300 tends to increase along the direction from the propeller shaft 200 to the main body 100, this configuration can strengthen the connection between the heat dissipation fins 300 and the connecting arm 400.

[0077] To facilitate the charging of the working propellant, in one embodiment, such as Figures 2-4As shown, the evaporation chamber 110 is provided with a filling port 130. The filling port 130 can be easily opened or closed so as to allow for the filling of working fluid at any time without affecting the sealing performance of the evaporation chamber 110.

[0078] In one embodiment, the UAV thermal management system further includes a connecting harness (not shown). Each propeller 200 is electrically connected to the main body 100 through a corresponding connecting harness. The heat dissipation fins 300 are provided with mounting holes. The connecting arm 400 corresponding to each propeller 200 and the connecting harness pass through the mounting holes respectively, so that the connecting harness is fixedly attached to the outer periphery of the connecting arm 400.

[0079] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the UAV thermal management structure also includes an assembly tube (not shown), which is welded to the assembly hole of the heat dissipation fin 300, and a connecting arm 400 passes through the assembly tube.

[0080] In this application, since the internal space of the connecting arm 400 (i.e., the condensation chamber 410) is used as part of the heat pipe structure, placing the connecting harness on the outside of the connecting arm 400 helps to avoid interference with the operation of the working fluid within the heat pipe structure. Furthermore, the connecting harness is cleverly fixed using the heat dissipation fins 300, eliminating the need for additional fixing structures. Therefore, the size of the drone is reduced, and the assembly difficulty of the drone is lowered.

[0081] However, this is not the only embodiment. In other embodiments, the connecting harness may also be attached to the connecting arm 400.

[0082] It should be noted that, in order to reduce the flight drag of the drone, in one embodiment, the cross-section of the connecting arm 400 is elliptical, with the major axis of the cross-section of the connecting arm 400 being vertical and the minor axis being horizontal. Similarly, the heat dissipation fins 300 are also elliptical, but not limited to this. In other embodiments, the heat dissipation fins 300 can also be square, triangular, or circular, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0083] In order to improve the thermal conductivity between the connecting arm 400 and the heat dissipation fins 300, in one embodiment, the heat dissipation fins 300 may be welded to the connecting arm 400, but it is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the heat dissipation fins 300 may also be integrally formed with the connecting arm 400.

[0084] It should be noted that in the first scenario, the drone achieves horizontal or tilted flight by tilting the entire drone. In the second scenario, the drone achieves horizontal or tilted flight by tilting the propeller 200 relative to the fuselage.

[0085] In the first scenario, the overall tilt of the drone is typically achieved by adjusting the rotational speed of some of the motors corresponding to the propellers 200, without tilting the drone's propellers 200 relative to the main body 100. However, adjusting the rotational speed of different propellers 200 requires a very complex algorithm.

[0086] Therefore, in order to reduce the difficulty of drones flying at an angle, this application provides a completely different solution. Specifically, in one embodiment, as follows: Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the connecting arm 400 includes a telescopic section 420, a first fixed section 430, a first drive component 450, and a first controller (not shown). The main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the telescopic section 420 and the first fixed section 430. The heat dissipation fins 300 are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first fixed section 430.

[0087] The first controller is electrically connected to the first drive unit 450, and the first controller can control the first drive unit 450 to drive the telescopic section 420 to retract or extend, so as to drive the corresponding propeller 200 to move toward or away from the main body 100.

[0088] With this configuration, when the telescopic section 420 retracts, the corresponding propeller 200, the first fixed section 430, and the heat dissipation fins 300 will move synchronously toward the main body 100. At this time, the center of gravity of the entire drone will change. Specifically, the center of gravity of the drone will move toward the side opposite to the retracted connecting arm 400, so that one side of the retracted connecting arm 400 tilts upward and the corresponding side sinks, thereby causing the entire drone to tilt.

[0089] When the telescopic section 420 extends, the corresponding propeller 200, the first fixed section 430, and the heat dissipation fins 300 will move synchronously away from the main body 100. At this time, the center of gravity of the entire drone will change. Specifically, the center of gravity of the drone will move towards the same side as the extended connecting arm 400, so that the side of the extended connecting arm 400 sinks and the corresponding side tilts upward, thereby causing the entire drone to tilt.

[0090] Furthermore, controlling the extension and retraction of the connecting arm 400 via the first controller is obviously less difficult than controlling the multiple propellers 200 to adjust their rotation speed.

[0091] Furthermore, it can be understood that since the propeller 200 and the heat dissipation fins 300 tilt synchronously, the wind resistance of the heat dissipation fins 300 to the propeller 200 will not change during the drone's oblique flight, which is beneficial to improving the drone's flight stability.

[0092] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the telescopic section 420 includes a first corrugated tube 421. The main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the first corrugated tube 421 and the first fixed section 430. The first corrugated tube 421 can shorten or lengthen the telescopic section 420 by its own compression or extension.

[0093] It should be noted that the first corrugated tube 421 refers to a tubular elastic sensitive element made of foldable corrugated sheets connected along the folding and stretching direction.

[0094] In another embodiment, the telescopic section 420 includes a telescopic sleeve (not shown), which includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is movably sleeved on the outside of the inner sleeve. The main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the inner sleeve, the outer sleeve and the first fixed section 430. Alternatively, the main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve and the first fixed section 430.

[0095] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the connecting arm 400 also includes a second fixed section 440, and the telescopic section 420 is connected to the main body 100 through the second fixed section 440.

[0096] It should be noted that the second fixed section 440, the telescopic section 420 and the first fixed section 430 are all provided with interconnected condensation chambers 410.

[0097] Thus, the telescopic section 420 is positioned between the first fixed section 430 and the second fixed section 440, increasing the assembly space of the first drive component 450 and preventing the assembly of the first drive component 450 from being interfered with by the propeller 200 and the main body 100.

[0098] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the two ends of the telescopic section 420 are respectively connected to the first fixed section 430 and the second fixed section 440 by first fasteners (including but not limited to rivets, bolts and buckles).

[0099] However, this is not the only embodiment. In other embodiments, the two ends of the telescopic segment 420 are respectively bonded, screwed, or welded to the first fixed segment 430 and the second fixed segment 440. Alternatively, the two ends of the telescopic segment 420 are 3D printed and connected to the first fixed segment 430 and the second fixed segment 440.

[0100] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first driving component 450 includes a first motor 451, a first lead screw 452, and a first fixing plate 453. One of the first motor 451 and the first fixing plate 453 is fixedly connected to the first fixing section 430, and the other is fixedly connected to the second fixing section 440.

[0101] Specifically, the first motor 451 is detachably connected to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440 via an adapter, or the first motor 451 is welded to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440. The first fixed plate 453 is fixedly sleeved and welded to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440, or the first fixed plate 453 is detachably connected to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440.

[0102] One end of the first lead screw 452 is fixed to the output end of the first motor 451, and the other end passes through the first fixed plate 453 and is threadedly engaged with the first fixed plate 453.

[0103] Because the first lead screw 452 and the first fixed plate 453 are connected by a movable thread, and the first fixed plate 453 is fixedly installed and cannot rotate with the first lead screw 452, when the first motor 451 drives the first lead screw 452 to rotate, the first lead screw 452 can drive the first motor 451 and the first fixed plate 453 to move along the axial direction of the first lead screw 452. Specifically, the first motor 451 and the first fixed plate 453 can move towards each other and compress the telescopic section 420, or the first motor 451 and the first fixed plate 453 can move away from each other and stretch the telescopic section 420.

[0104] This design greatly improves the sensitivity of the 420-degree telescopic section during stretching and contraction.

[0105] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first motor 451 is electrically connected to the first controller so that the first controller can control the rotation of the first motor 451.

[0106] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first driving member 450 also includes a second fixing plate 454. The first motor 451 and the second fixing plate 454 are fixedly connected to the same one in the first fixing section 430 and the second fixing section 440. The first lead screw 452 can be movably inserted through the second fixing plate 454.

[0107] It should be noted that when the first motor 451 is connected to the first fixed section 430, the second fixed plate 454 is also fixedly connected to the first fixed section 430. Similarly, when the first motor 451 is connected to the second fixed section 440, the second fixed plate 454 is also fixedly connected to the second fixed section 440.

[0108] This configuration allows the second fixing plate 454 to provide some support and guidance for the first lead screw 452.

[0109] It should be noted that the second fixing plate 454 is fixedly sleeved and welded to the first fixing section 430 or the second fixing section 440, or the second fixing plate 454 is detachably connected to the first fixing section 430 or the second fixing section 440.

[0110] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the first driving member 450 further includes a first guide rod (not shown). The first guide rod is disposed on the side of the telescopic section 420 opposite to the first lead screw 452. One end of the first guide rod is fixedly connected to one of the first fixed plate 453 and the second fixed plate 454, and the other end is movably inserted through the other of the first fixed plate 453 and the second fixed plate 454.

[0111] In this way, the telescopic section 420 can be prevented from becoming eccentric, ensuring that the telescopic section 420 moves in a straight line along its own axis.

[0112] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first driving component 450 also includes a second lead screw 456 and a second motor 455. The first motor 451 and the second motor 455 are fixedly connected to the same one in the first fixed section 430 and the second fixed section 440, that is, the first motor 451 and the second motor 455 are arranged in the same direction.

[0113] It should be noted that when the first motor 451 is connected to the first fixed section 430, the second motor 455 is also fixedly connected to the first fixed section 430. Similarly, when the first motor 451 is connected to the second fixed section 440, the second motor 455 is also fixedly connected to the second fixed section 440.

[0114] Specifically, the second motor 455 is detachably connected to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440 via an adapter, or the second motor 455 is welded to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440.

[0115] One end of the second lead screw 456 is fixed to the output end of the second motor 455, and the other end passes through the first fixed plate 453 and is threadedly engaged with the first fixed plate 453.

[0116] Furthermore, it should be noted that the second lead screw 456 can also be movably mounted on the second fixed plate 454.

[0117] In another embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first drive unit 450 also includes a third lead screw 458 and a third motor 457. One of the first motor 451 and the third motor 457 is fixedly connected to the first fixed section 430, and the other is fixedly connected to the second fixed section 440. That is, the third motor 457 and the first motor 451 are arranged opposite to each other.

[0118] Specifically, the third motor 457 is detachably connected to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440 via an adapter, or the third motor 457 is welded to the first fixed section 430 or the second fixed section 440.

[0119] One end of the third lead screw 458 is fixed to the output end of the third motor 457, and the other end passes through the second fixed plate 454 and is threadedly engaged with the second fixed plate 454.

[0120] Furthermore, it should be noted that the third lead screw 458 can also be movably mounted on the first fixed plate 453.

[0121] In the second scenario, when the drone control propeller 200 is tilted to make the drone fly at an angle or sideways, the direction of the airflow generated by the propeller 200 will also change. In particular, when the direction of the airflow generated by the propeller 200 is not parallel to the heat dissipation fins 300, the heat dissipation fins 300 will generate greater resistance to the airflow. Furthermore, as the tilt angle of the propeller 200 changes, the wind resistance generated by the heat dissipation fins 300 also changes continuously, which will affect the flight stability of the drone.

[0122] To address the issue of wind resistance changes in the heat dissipation fins 300 affecting the flight stability of the UAV when the propeller 200 is tilted, in one embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the connecting arm 400 includes a flexible section 460, a first rigid section 470, a second drive member 490, and a second controller (not shown). The main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the flexible section 460 and the first rigid section 470. The heat dissipation fins 300 are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first rigid section 470.

[0123] The second controller is electrically connected to the second drive unit 490, and the second controller can control the second drive unit 490 to drive the flexible segment 460 to bend and deform, so that the first rigid segment 470 and the propeller 200 can be synchronously deflected relative to the main body 100.

[0124] It should be noted that "the first rigid section 470 and the propeller 200 can be synchronously deflected relative to the main body 100" means that the first rigid section 470 and the propeller 200 can tilt synchronously relative to the main body 100 so that the UAV can fly at an angle.

[0125] Furthermore, it should be noted that "the first rigid section 470 and the propeller 200 can deflect synchronously relative to the main body 100" includes the following situations: In the first situation, the second controller controls the first rigid section 470 to directly drive the propeller 200 to deflect synchronously; in the second situation, the propeller 200 and the first rigid section 470 move separately, but due to the presence of the second controller, the first rigid section 470 and the propeller 200 can achieve synchronous deflection.

[0126] Since the heat dissipation fins 300 are fixedly mounted on the outer periphery of the rigid section, the heat dissipation fins 300 can deflect synchronously with the first rigid section 470, thereby ensuring that the wind resistance of the heat dissipation fins 300 to the propeller 200 remains constant, and avoiding the change in wind resistance of the heat dissipation fins 300 during the tilting process of the propeller 200, which would affect the flight stability of the UAV.

[0127] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the flexible section 460 includes a second corrugated tube 461. The main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the second corrugated tube 461 and the first rigid section 470. The second corrugated tube 461 can bend and deform itself to make the flexible section 460 bend and deform.

[0128] This design is beneficial for the bending deformation of the flexible segment 460.

[0129] In another embodiment, the flexible segment 460 includes a rubber tube (not shown) or a silicone tube (not shown), and the main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the rubber tube and the first rigid segment 470, or the main body 100 can be connected to the propeller 200 in sequence through the silicone tube and the first rigid segment 470.

[0130] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the connecting arm 400 also includes a second rigid section 480, and the flexible section 460 is connected to the main body 100 through the second rigid section 480.

[0131] It should be noted that the second rigid section 480, the flexible section 460 and the first rigid section 470 are all provided with interconnected condensation chambers 410.

[0132] Thus, the flexible segment 460 is positioned between the first rigid segment 470 and the second rigid segment 480, increasing the assembly space of the second drive component 490 and preventing the assembly of the second drive component 490 from being interfered with by the propeller 200 and the main body 100.

[0133] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the two ends of the flexible segment 460 are respectively connected to the first rigid segment 470 and the second rigid segment 480 by second fasteners (including but not limited to rivets, bolts and clips).

[0134] However, this is not the only embodiment. In other embodiments, the two ends of the flexible segment 460 are respectively bonded or screwed to the first rigid segment 470 and the second rigid segment 480.

[0135] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the second driving component 490 includes a support plate 491, a fourth motor 492, a fourth lead screw 493, a slider 494, and a push rod 495. One end of the support plate 491 is fixedly connected to the second rigid section 480, and the other end extends toward the first rigid section 470 along a preset direction.

[0136] The fourth motor 492 is fixedly mounted on the support plate 491, and the slider 494 is movably mounted on the support plate 491 and can slide and engage with the support plate 491 in a preset direction. One end of the fourth lead screw 493 is connected to the output end of the fourth motor 492, and the other end extends in a preset direction and slides and engages with the slider 494, so that the fourth motor 492 can drive the slider 494 to slide and engage with the support plate 491 in a preset direction through the fourth lead screw 493.

[0137] In other words, the fourth motor 492 drives the fourth lead screw to rotate, and the fourth lead screw 493 drives the slider 494 to move along the preset direction by rotating itself. At this time, the slider 494 does not rotate.

[0138] One end of the push rod 495 is hinged to the slider 494, and the other end is hinged to the first rigid section 470, so that the slider 494 can drive the push rod 495 to push the first rigid section 470 to bend in a direction away from the support plate 491.

[0139] It is understandable that the second rigid segment 480 is connected to the first rigid segment 470 in sequence through the slider 494 and the push rod 495, and the slider 494 is driven by the fourth motor 492 and the fourth lead screw 493.

[0140] Since the two ends of the push rod 495 connect to the first rigid segment 470 and the slider 494 respectively, when the slider 494 moves to a position where the push rod 495 is perpendicular to the preset direction, the hinge point between the push rod 495 and the first rigid segment 470 is furthest from the support plate 491, and at this time, the bending angle of the first rigid segment 470 is the largest. Correspondingly, the smaller the angle between the straight line direction of the push rod 495 and the preset direction, the closer the hinge point between the push rod 495 and the first rigid segment 470 is to the support plate 491, and at this time, the bending angle of the first rigid segment 470 is smaller.

[0141] Thus, it can be seen that precise control of the bending angle of the flexible segment at 460 degrees can be achieved.

[0142] However, this is not the only option. In other embodiments, the slider 494 can be moved directly by a cylinder structure, or the bending angle of the first rigid segment 470 can be changed by an eccentric wheel structure.

[0143] Furthermore, in one embodiment, as Figure 7 As shown, the support plate 491 is provided with a slide groove 4911, the slider 494 can move along the slide groove 4911, and when the length direction of the push rod 495 is parallel to the preset direction, the push rod 495 can be accommodated in the slide groove 4911.

[0144] With this configuration, when the push rod 495 is housed in the slide groove 4911, the push rod 495 will not force the first rigid section 470 to bend. That is, the first rigid section 470, the flexible section 460 and the second rigid section 480 can be set along a preset direction. At this time, the connecting arm 400 can remain straight.

[0145] This application also provides a drone that includes the drone thermal management system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0146] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0147] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the patent protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, It includes a main body (100), a connecting arm (400), a propeller (200) and heat dissipation fins (300), and each of the propellers (200) is supported and connected to the main body (100) through the corresponding connecting arm (400). Some or all of the connecting arms (400) are provided with a condensing chamber (410), the main body (100) is provided with an evaporating chamber (110), the evaporating chamber (110) is provided with a working fluid, and the evaporating chamber (110) is connected to the condensing chamber (410) to form a heat pipe structure. The evaporating chamber (110) is attached to the heating end of the power element (120) so that the liquid working fluid in the evaporating chamber (110) can absorb heat and change into a gaseous working fluid and enter the condensing chamber (410), and the gaseous working fluid can release heat and change into a liquid working fluid in the condensing chamber (410) and flow back to the evaporating chamber (110). The heat dissipation fins (300) are disposed on the outer periphery of the condensation cavity (410) and connected to the connecting arm (400) so that the heat released after the gaseous working fluid is liquefied in the condensation cavity (410) can be transferred to the heat dissipation fins (300) through the connecting arm (400). Each of the connecting arms (400) has a plurality of heat dissipation fins (300) on its outer side, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins (300) are spaced apart along the extension direction of the connecting arm (400). Along the direction from the rotor shaft of the propeller (200) to the main body (100), the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins (300) tends to increase. The connecting arm (400) includes a telescopic section (420), a first fixed section (430), a first driving component (450), and a first controller. The main body (100) can be connected to the propeller (200) in sequence through the telescopic section (420) and the first fixed section (430). The heat dissipation fins (300) are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first fixed section (430). The first controller is electrically connected to the first drive unit (450), and the first controller can control the first drive unit (450) to drive the telescopic section (420) to contract or extend, so as to drive the corresponding propeller (200) to move toward or away from the main body (100).

2. A thermal management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, It includes a main body (100), a connecting arm (400), a propeller (200) and heat dissipation fins (300), and each of the propellers (200) is supported and connected to the main body (100) through the corresponding connecting arm (400). Some or all of the connecting arms (400) are provided with a condensing chamber (410), the main body (100) is provided with an evaporating chamber (110), the evaporating chamber (110) is provided with a working fluid, and the evaporating chamber (110) is connected to the condensing chamber (410) to form a heat pipe structure. The evaporating chamber (110) is attached to the heating end of the power element (120) so that the liquid working fluid in the evaporating chamber (110) can absorb heat and change into a gaseous working fluid and enter the condensing chamber (410), and the gaseous working fluid can release heat and change into a liquid working fluid in the condensing chamber (410) and flow back to the evaporating chamber (110). The heat dissipation fins (300) are disposed on the outer periphery of the condensation cavity (410) and connected to the connecting arm (400) so that the heat released after the gaseous working fluid is liquefied in the condensation cavity (410) can be transferred to the heat dissipation fins (300) through the connecting arm (400). Each of the connecting arms (400) has a plurality of heat dissipation fins (300) on its outer side, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins (300) are spaced apart along the extension direction of the connecting arm (400). Along the direction from the rotor shaft of the propeller (200) to the main body (100), the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins (300) tends to increase. The connecting arm (400) includes a flexible segment (460), a first rigid segment (470), a second drive component (490), and a second controller. The main body (100) can be connected to the propeller (200) in sequence through the flexible segment (460) and the first rigid segment (470). The heat dissipation fins (300) are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the first rigid segment (470). The second controller is electrically connected to the second drive unit (490), and the second controller can control the second drive unit (490) to drive the flexible segment (460) to bend and deform so that the first rigid segment (470) and the propeller (200) can deflect synchronously relative to the main body (100).

3. The UAV thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heat dissipation fins (300) are in the shape of thin sheets, and a plurality of heat dissipation fins (300) are arranged in parallel at intervals. The plane of each heat dissipation fin (300) is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the propeller (200), so that the airflow generated by the propeller (200) can pass parallel through the gap between adjacent heat dissipation fins (300).

4. The UAV thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Along the direction from the shaft of the propeller (200) to the main body (100), the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting arm (400) tends to increase.

5. The UAV thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cross-section of the connecting arm (400) is elliptical, and the major axis of the cross-section of the connecting arm (400) is vertically set, while the minor axis of the cross-section of the connecting arm (400) is horizontally set.

6. The UAV thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heat dissipation fins (300) are welded to the connecting arm (400), or the heat dissipation fins (300) and the connecting arm (400) are integrally formed.

7. The UAV thermal management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heat dissipation fins (300) are fitted onto the outer periphery of the condensation cavity (410).

8. A drone, characterized in that, The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) thermal management system includes any one of claims 1-7.

9. A method for arranging heat dissipation fins, characterized in that, This arrangement method is used to arrange the heat dissipation fins (300) in the UAV thermal management system according to any one of claims 1-7, and the arrangement method includes the following steps: Drive the propeller (200) to rotate, and plot the function curves between the wind speed and the rotation radius at different rotation radius positions of the propeller (200) along the extension direction of the blades of the propeller (200); The orthographic projection of the propeller (200) onto a plane perpendicular to its own axis is defined as the first orthographic projection, and the orthographic projection of the heat dissipation fins (300) onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of the propeller (200) is defined as the second orthographic projection. Along the radial direction of the propeller (200), the first orthographic projection completely covers the second orthographic projection. Find the corresponding position of the second orthographic projection of each heat dissipation fin (300) on the first orthographic projection, obtain the rotation radius of the propeller (200) at the corresponding position according to the corresponding position on the first orthographic projection, and combine the obtained function curve to obtain the wind speed corresponding to each heat dissipation fin (300); The heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins (300) is set such that the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation fins (300) is directly proportional to the wind speed at the corresponding rotation radius of the propeller (200).

Images