Folding wing type water-air cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a folding wing type water-air cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle, belongs to the technical field of underwater robots, and aims to solve the problems that maneuverability is limited due to the fact that an arm structure generates high resistance underwater, a single power system cannot give consideration to water-air dual-domain efficiency, and traditional materials are difficult to balance light weight and corrosion resistance. The system comprises: a support control module; the folding wing flight power module is connected to one end of the support control module and is used for providing lift force in an air medium and controlling a flight attitude; the folding wing flight power module comprises an upper top cover fixedly connected with the supporting control module, a folding wing mechanism arranged on the outer circumference of the upper top cover and a driving adjusting module for driving the folding wing mechanism to unfold or fold; the navigation power module is connected to the other end of the support control module and is used for providing propulsive force in an underwater medium; and the energy module is carried on the support control module, is electrically connected with the support control module, and provides power for the whole system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of underwater robots, and in particular relates to a folding-wing water-to-air medium-spanning unmanned submersible. Background Art

[0002] With the growing demand for marine resource development and military reconnaissance, cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have become a research hotspot due to their ability to freely navigate both water and air. Traditional aircraft are limited by their ability to operate in a single medium. For example, fixed-wing aircraft rely on the Bernoulli principle to generate lift. While they offer the advantage of high-speed cruising in the air, they suffer from poor underwater maneuverability and complex structures. While bionic designs offer biomimetic advantages in terms of medium transitions, they suffer from insufficient reliability due to the high precision required of their motion mechanisms, and their bionic propulsion efficiency significantly decreases underwater. Multi-rotor architectures have become the mainstream due to their mature control capabilities and flexible vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. However, the deployed arms of conventional quadrotors create significant drag underwater, severely limiting their speed and endurance.

[0003] Current technical bottlenecks focus on the contradiction between medium adaptability: (1) High-efficiency rotor systems in the air become a source of resistance underwater. (2) A single power system is difficult to adapt to the density difference between water and air. (3) The contradiction between lightweight and corrosion resistance: The marine environment requires materials to be resistant to salt corrosion, but aluminum alloy frames are prone to pitting corrosion, while titanium alloys are expensive and difficult to popularize. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle to solve the problems in the existing technology that the arm structure generates high resistance underwater, resulting in limited maneuverability, the single power system cannot take into account the efficiency of both water and air domains, and traditional materials are difficult to balance lightweight and corrosion resistance; and to solve the core contradiction between "lift generation in the air" and "low-resistance navigation underwater".

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned submersible comprising: Support control module; A folding-wing flight power module connected to one end of the support control module is used to provide lift and control flight attitude in the air. The folding-wing flight power module includes an upper cover fixedly connected to the support control module, a folding-wing mechanism arranged on the outer circumference of the upper cover, and a drive and adjustment module that drives the folding-wing mechanism to expand or fold; a navigation power module connected to the other end of the support control module, for providing propulsion in an underwater medium; and an energy module mounted on the support control module, wherein the energy module is electrically connected to the support control module to provide power for the entire system.

[0006] The support control module includes: A control cabin is provided with an electric regulator to coordinate the actions of the folding-wing flight power module and the navigation power module; an upper hatch located at one end of the control cabin; a lower hatch located at the other end of the control cabin, the lower hatch and the upper hatch being arranged opposite to each other; And a plurality of guide columns evenly distributed around the circumference, each guide column is connected to the upper hatch and the lower hatch respectively, one end of the guide column is fixedly connected to the upper cover of the folding wing flight power module, and the other end is fixedly connected to the navigation power module.

[0007] The control cabin adopts a symmetrical design of a rotating body, and four threaded hole flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference; the lower hatch and the upper hatch have the same structure, and eight flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference of the upper hatch, of which the four flanges evenly distributed are screw-connected with the four threaded hole flanges of the control cabin, and the other four flanges evenly distributed are installed and positioned in cooperation with the guide column.

[0008] The control cabin, upper hatch, lower hatch and guide column are made of carbon fiber composite materials.

[0009] The folding wing mechanism comprises: A plurality of cranks evenly distributed around the circumference, one end of each crank being hinged to the upper cover; A slider nut is located between the upper cover and the support control module, the other end of each crank is connected to the slider nut via a connecting rod, and each crank, the connecting rod corresponding to the crank, and the slider nut form a crank slider mechanism; A plurality of folding wing aluminum tubes, one end of each of the folding wing aluminum tubes being fixedly connected to the plurality of cranks; A plurality of folding-wing motors, each of which is disposed at the other end of the plurality of folding-wing aluminum tubes through a plurality of motor mounts; and a plurality of blades, wherein the plurality of blades are respectively arranged at the output ends of the plurality of folding-wing motors.

[0010] The drive adjustment module includes: The motor flange is connected to the upper cover through the connecting aluminum tube; A drive motor fixedly mounted on a motor flange; A bearing fixing seat fixed on the upper cover; And a screw, one end of which is axially fixed on the bearing fixing seat and connected to the output end of the driving motor through a coupling, and the other end is radially supported by a slider nut to form a screw nut pair.

[0011] The navigation power module includes: A landing gear, wherein the landing gear is fixedly connected to the guide column; Four motor brackets evenly distributed around the bottom of the landing gear; Four underwater propulsion motors are evenly distributed around the circumference, and the four underwater propulsion motors are respectively fixed on the same side of the four motor brackets; And four propeller blades, the four propeller blades are respectively fixed on four underwater propulsion motors.

[0012] The energy module includes a battery compartment fixedly arranged on the lower compartment cover.

[0013] The material of the battery compartment is carbon fiber composite material.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: A folding-wing, water-to-air, cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle achieves efficient water-to-air conversion through an innovative folding-wing flight propulsion module. Its core lies in a dynamic folding mechanism driven by a screw-crank slider mechanism. When the vehicle enters an underwater environment from the air, the arms can quickly fold parallel to the fuselage axis, significantly reducing underwater navigation resistance and resolving the problem of increased fluid resistance caused by deploying the arms in traditional quadcopter structures. Furthermore, the coordinated design of the carbon fiber composite fuselage and nickel-plated aluminum alloy moving parts significantly reduces overall weight while ensuring structural strength, effectively resisting seawater salt corrosion and extending the service life of the device in harsh marine environments. The independent layout of the flight propulsion module avoids interference with the flight components. The underwater thrusters are directly integrated into the bottom of the landing gear, and the control module in the sealed control cabin intelligently switches power modes to ensure maximum dual-domain propulsion efficiency. The rotary sealed cabin supporting the control module and the multi-layered waterproof structure, such as the flange locking of the upper and lower hatches and the watertight joints through the cabin, create a reliable waterproof barrier. The integrated design of the energy module's battery compartment and carbon fiber frame optimizes center of gravity distribution for enhanced flight stability while also providing modular assembly and disassembly interfaces for rapid maintenance. Through structural innovation and optimized materials, the overall design overcomes the common contradiction between high efficiency in the air and heavy weight underwater in cross-media equipment, providing a next-generation operational platform that combines agility, durability, and environmental adaptability for scenarios such as marine exploration and military reconnaissance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is an assembly diagram of the overall structure of a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flight mode of a folding-wing water-to-air medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a folding-wing flight power module in a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned underwater vehicle according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a drive and adjustment module in a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned submersible of the present invention; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of a support control module and an energy module in a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned submersible of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a navigation power module in a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned submersible of the present invention; Wherein: 1. Folding wing flight power module, 101. Upper cover, 102. Crank, 103. Connecting aluminum tube, 104. Coupling, 105. Drive motor, 106. Motor flange, 107. Bearing fixing seat, 108. Slider nut, 109. Connecting rod, 110. Folding wing aluminum tube, 111. Motor seat, 112. Folding wing motor, 113. Blades, 114. Lead screw; 2. Navigation power module, 201. Landing gear, 202. Motor bracket, 203. Underwater propulsion motor, 204. Propeller blade; 3. Support control module, 301. Guide column, 302. Upper hatch, 303. Control cabin, 304. Lower hatch, 4. Energy module, 401, battery compartment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] See also Figures 1-6 The present invention provides a folding-wing water-air cross-medium unmanned submersible comprising: Support control module 3; A folding-wing flight power module 1 connected to one end of the support control module 3 is used to provide lift and control flight attitude in the air. The folding-wing flight power module 1 includes an upper cover 101 fixedly connected to the support control module 3, a folding-wing mechanism arranged on the outer circumference of the upper cover 101, and a drive and adjustment module that drives the folding-wing mechanism to unfold or fold; The navigation power module 2 connected to the other end of the support control module 3 is used to provide propulsion in the underwater medium; And an energy module 4 mounted on the support control module 3, the energy module 4 is electrically connected to the support control module 3 to provide power for the entire system.

[0018] The support control module 3 includes: A control cabin 303 is provided with an electric regulator to coordinate the movements of the folding-wing flight power module 1 and the navigation power module 2; An upper hatch 302 located at one end of the control cabin 303; A lower hatch 304 is located at the other end of the control cabin 303, and the lower hatch 304 and the upper hatch 302 are arranged opposite to each other; And a plurality of guide columns 301 evenly distributed around the circumference, each guide column 301 is respectively connected to the upper hatch 302 and the lower hatch 304, one end of the guide column 301 is fixedly connected to the upper cover 101 of the folding-wing flight power module 1, and the other end is fixedly connected to the navigation power module 2.

[0019] The control cabin 303 adopts a symmetrical design of a rotating body to ensure that the center of gravity is as close to the central axis of the fuselage as possible, and four threaded hole flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference; the lower cabin cover 304 and the upper cabin cover 302 have the same structure, and eight flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference of the upper cabin cover 302, of which the four flanges evenly distributed on the circumference are screwed to the four threaded hole flanges of the control cabin 303, and the other four flanges evenly distributed on the circumference are installed and positioned in coordination with the guide column 301.

[0020] The upper hatch cover 302 is provided with a large through hole in the center and four threaded holes around it for installing the screw support side flange of the folding wing mechanism; two threaded holes are reserved and installed with through-cabin watertight joints, and the folding wing flight power module 1 on the upper part of the fuselage is sealed and connected to the electric adjustment in the control cabin 303 through the through-cabin watertight joints; the lower hatch cover 304 is provided with a through-cabin watertight joint hole and a through-cabin watertight joint is installed, and the lower navigation power module 2 is watertightly connected to the electric adjustment in the control cabin 303 through the through-cabin watertight joints.

[0021] The battery compartment 401 , the control compartment body 303 , the upper compartment cover 302 , the lower compartment cover 304 and the guide column 301 are made of carbon fiber composite materials to meet the requirements of lightness and compressive strength.

[0022] The folding wing mechanism comprises: A plurality of cranks 102 are evenly distributed around the circumference, one end of each crank 102 being hinged to the upper cover 101; each rotating pair is connected by a pin and fixed by a cotter pin; A slider nut 108 is located between the upper cover 101 and the support control module 3. The other end of each crank 102 is connected to the slider nut 108 via a connecting rod 109. Each crank 102, the connecting rod 109 corresponding to the crank 102, and the slider nut 108 form a crank 102 slider mechanism; A plurality of folding wing aluminum tubes 110, one end of each of the plurality of folding wing aluminum tubes 110 being fixedly connected to the plurality of cranks 102; A plurality of folding-wing motors 112 are respectively disposed at the other end of the plurality of folding-wing aluminum tubes 110 through a plurality of motor mounts 111; and a plurality of blades 113, each of which is disposed at the output end of the plurality of folding-wing motors 112. When the folding-wing mechanism is deployed, the blades 113 and the folding-wing aluminum tube 110 are both perpendicular to the axis of the submersible; when the folding-wing mechanism is folded, the blades 113 and the folding-wing aluminum tube 110 are both parallel to the axis of the submersible.

[0023] The drive adjustment module includes: A motor flange 106 connected to the upper cover 101 via an aluminum connecting tube 103; A drive motor 105 fixedly mounted on a motor flange 106; A bearing fixing seat 107 fixed on the upper cover 101; And a screw 114, one end of which is axially fixed on the bearing fixing seat 107 and connected to the output end of the drive motor 105 through the coupling 104, and the other end is radially supported by the slider nut 108 to form a screw 114 nut pair.

[0024] The drive motor 105 controls the rotation of the lead screw 114 through the coupling 104, thereby driving the slider nut 108 to move linearly along the direction of the lead screw 114. The slider nut 108 serves as the active component in the slider mechanism of the crank 102, and transmits power through the connecting rod 109, causing the crank 102 to perform a 90° circular reciprocating motion, thereby realizing the folding or unfolding movement of the wing.

[0025] The bearing fixing seat 107 and the slider nut 108 are made of aluminum alloy treated with chemical nickel plating to enhance their seawater corrosion resistance.

[0026] The navigation power module 2 includes: The landing gear 201 is connected to the bottom of the aircraft by screws through four guide posts 301, and grooves and small holes are machined around it for positioning and installing the motor bracket 202; Four motor brackets 202 evenly distributed around the bottom of the landing gear 201; Four underwater propulsion motors 203 are evenly distributed around the circumference, and the four underwater propulsion motors 203 are respectively fixed on the same side of the four motor brackets 202; And four propeller blades 204, the four propeller blades 204 are respectively fixed on four underwater propulsion motors 203. The output shaft of the underwater propulsion motor 203 and the axis direction of the propeller blades 204 are arranged parallel to the axis of the submersible.

[0027] The energy module 4 includes a battery compartment 401 fixedly disposed on the lower compartment cover 304 .

[0028] The present invention adopts a modular design. The flight propulsion system utilizes a folding wing mechanism. During the transition from air to water, the wings fold, significantly reducing the drag area between the cross-medium vehicle and the incoming flow, effectively improving the vehicle's underwater maneuverability and mobility. In the control system, a sealed control cabin 303 protects the control components, including the main control microcontroller, flight control system, electronic speed controller, motor driver, and various sensors. Simultaneously, the component layout is optimized to stabilize the vehicle's center of gravity and facilitate control. In the energy system, power batteries are installed in a battery compartment 401, ensuring a fixed battery position and preventing displacement or misalignment during flight, ensuring safe and reliable flight operations. In the underwater navigation system, underwater propulsion motors 203 are fixedly connected to the unmanned submersible's landing gear 201. Four underwater propulsion motors 203 are evenly distributed around the circumference, similar to the control method used in airborne flight, enabling the vehicle to achieve flexible multi-degree-of-freedom underwater motion.

Claims

1. A folding-wing water-air medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle, characterized in that: include: Support control module (3); A folding-wing flight power module (1) connected to one end of the support control module (3) is used to provide lift and control flight attitude in an air medium, wherein the folding-wing flight power module (1) comprises an upper cover (101) fixedly connected to the support control module (3), a folding-wing mechanism arranged on the outer circumference of the upper cover (101), and a drive adjustment module for driving the folding-wing mechanism to unfold or fold; A navigation power module (2) connected to the other end of the support control module (3) and used to provide propulsion in an underwater medium; and an energy module (4) mounted on the support control module (3); the energy module (4) is electrically connected to the support control module (3) to provide power for the entire system.

2. The folding-wing water-air medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support control module (3) comprises: A control cabin (303), wherein an electric regulator is provided in the control cabin (303), and the actions of the folding-wing flight power module (1) and the navigation power module (2) are coordinated by the electric regulator; an upper hatch (302) located at one end of the control cabin (303); a lower hatch cover (304) located at the other end of the control cabin (303), wherein the lower hatch cover (304) and the upper hatch cover (302) are arranged opposite to each other; and a plurality of guide columns (301) uniformly distributed around the circumference, each guide column (301) being connected to the upper hatch (302) and the lower hatch (304) respectively, one end of the guide column (301) being fixedly connected to the upper cover (101) of the folding-wing flight power module (1), and the other end being fixedly connected to the navigation power module (2).

3. The folding-wing water-air medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control cabin (303) adopts a symmetrical design of a rotating body, and four threaded hole flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference; the lower cabin cover (304) and the upper cabin cover (302) have the same structure, and eight flanges are evenly distributed on the outer circumference of the upper cabin cover (302), of which the four flanges evenly distributed on the circumference are screw-connected with the four threaded hole flanges of the control cabin (303), and the other four flanges evenly distributed on the circumference are installed and positioned in coordination with the guide column (301).

4. The folding-wing water-air-spanning medium unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control cabin (303), the upper cabin cover (302), the lower cabin cover (304) and the guide column (301) are made of carbon fiber composite materials.

5. The folding-wing water-air-spanning medium unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding wing mechanism comprises: a plurality of cranks (102) evenly distributed around the circumference, one end of each crank (102) being hinged to the upper cover (101); A slider nut (108) is located between the upper cover (101) and the support control module (3); the other end of each crank (102) is connected to the slider nut (108) via a connecting rod (109); each crank (102), the connecting rod (109) corresponding to the crank (102), and the slider nut (108) form a crank (102) slider mechanism; A plurality of folding wing aluminum tubes (110), one end of each of the plurality of folding wing aluminum tubes (110) being fixedly connected to a plurality of cranks (102); A plurality of folding-wing motors (112), wherein the plurality of folding-wing motors (112) are respectively arranged at the other ends of the plurality of folding-wing aluminum tubes (110) via a plurality of motor seats (111); and a plurality of blades (113), wherein the plurality of blades (113) are respectively arranged at the output ends of the plurality of folding-wing motors (112).

6. The folding-wing water-air-medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The drive adjustment module includes: A motor flange (106) connected to the upper cover (101) via a connecting aluminum tube (103); A drive motor (105) fixedly mounted on a motor flange (106); A bearing fixing seat (107) fixed on the upper cover (101); and a lead screw (114), one end of which is axially fixed on the bearing fixing seat (107) and connected to the output end of the drive motor (105) through the coupling (104), and the other end of which is radially supported by the slider nut (108) to form a lead screw nut pair.

7. The folding-wing water-air-medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The navigation power module (2) comprises: A landing gear (201), wherein the landing gear (201) and the guide column (301) are fixedly connected; Four motor brackets (202) evenly distributed around the bottom of the landing gear (201); Four underwater propulsion motors (203) evenly distributed around the circumference, the four underwater propulsion motors (203) being fixed on the same side of the four motor brackets (202); and four propeller blades (204), wherein the four propeller blades (204) are respectively fixed on the four underwater propulsion motors (203).

8. The folding-wing water-air medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The energy module (4) comprises a battery compartment (401) fixedly arranged on the lower compartment cover (304).

9. The folding-wing water-air-medium-spanning unmanned underwater vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that: The material of the battery compartment (401) is carbon fiber composite material.

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