Aircraft dragging and transferring device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of underwater vehicle transfer equipment, and provides a vehicle dragging and transferring device which comprises a support body, a steering mechanism and a plurality of lifting supports, the steering mechanism is arranged at the front end of the support body, the lifting supports are arranged on the support body, and wheel bodies are assembled at the front end and the rear end of the support body respectively. According to the dragging and transferring device for the aircraft, the problems of deviation and shaking caused by asynchronous steering of traditional universal wheels can be solved, stable and accurate control is achieved, the dynamic leveling capacity of the horizontal posture of the aircraft can be kept on a slope road surface, and the application scene is expanded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater vehicle transfer equipment technology, and in particular to a vehicle towing and transfer device. Background Technology

[0002] Underwater vehicles, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), are becoming increasingly important due to their widespread application in marine exploration, resource surveys, pipeline inspection, and national defense. These vehicles are mostly long cylindrical structures with a high length-to-diameter ratio, integrating numerous systems such as energy, propulsion, navigation, and control, resulting in significant overall weight and limited structural rigidity. This structural characteristic makes the transfer of underwater vehicles between land-based laboratories, assembly plants, testing grounds, and docks a crucial and challenging aspect of their daily maintenance, testing, deployment, and recovery operations. Therefore, the performance of specialized transport vehicles for carrying and moving underwater vehicles directly affects their operational efficiency, safety, and lifespan.

[0003] Currently, in the field of land-based transport, most common transport trolleys adopt a configuration of "omnidirectional wheels plus directional wheels," resembling industrial or commercial flatbed trolleys in form and function. However, this traditional design has revealed many inherent defects and limitations in practical applications, making it difficult to meet the efficient, precise, and safe transport requirements of modern underwater vehicles. First, in terms of steering and control, existing transport trolleys mainly rely on one (or a few) omnidirectional wheels for steering, with the remainder being directional wheels that can only roll. This steering method has a fundamental deficiency: the two or more omnidirectional wheels cannot achieve precise synchronous angle control during steering, and the steering resistance of each wheel also varies. This causes the transport trolley to easily deviate from its trajectory, experience irregular swaying, or even "jamming" during movement, especially during steering. This instability not only requires operators to expend more physical effort to correct the direction but also poses a potential threat to the valuable underwater vehicles it carries, potentially causing damage to internal precision instruments or structural stress concentration due to swaying and impact. Secondly, regarding load-bearing capacity and durability, omnidirectional wheels, due to their complex structure integrating rollers and steering mechanisms, typically have a significantly lower load-bearing capacity per wheel compared to fixed heavy-duty wheels of the same specifications. Bearing the immense weight of underwater vehicles for extended periods, the wheel body, bearings, and steering pivots of omnidirectional wheels are prone to excessive wear, resulting in a higher failure rate, posing certain safety hazards, and increasing equipment maintenance costs. Furthermore, existing transport vehicles generally lack active traction or drive mechanisms. Their movement relies entirely on manual pushing and pulling by operators, with directional control dependent on the operator applying thrust in different directions to "guide" the vehicle. This method suffers from low control precision, high labor intensity, and a risk of loss of control on slopes or slippery surfaces. For large underwater vehicles weighing several tons, manual operation is particularly difficult and imprecise. In addition, the height of the carrying platform is usually fixed, which greatly inconveniences the loading and unloading of underwater vehicles and their docking with test benches, transport vehicles, or surface deployment systems at different heights. Operations often require multiple lifting and positioning operations using additional lifting equipment, resulting in cumbersome procedures, low efficiency, and the introduction of additional safety risks.

[0004] Chinese patent CN113231996A discloses a horizontal-to-vertical conversion device and method for flipping the cylindrical hull of an underwater vehicle. Through a mechanical structure with lifting capabilities, combined with an openable semi-circular clamp, the hull's center of gravity is clamped, and it is first lifted vertically, then rotated horizontally, thus achieving a change in the hull's attitude from horizontal to vertical (or vice versa). In practical applications, this solution has shortcomings in terms of "mobile transport," "in-transit attitude adaptive leveling," "ease of operation," and "mobile stability," failing to meet the comprehensive requirements for safe, stable, and efficient transport of underwater vehicles in complex road conditions.

[0005] Therefore, how to provide a new type of transfer device that can achieve stable and reliable steering and movement, has stronger load-bearing capacity and durability, integrates power drive to reduce manpower burden and improve control precision, and has platform height adjustment function to adapt to diverse operating scenarios, thereby comprehensively improving the land support level of underwater vehicles, has become an urgent technical problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, in order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle towing and transfer device.

[0007] The present invention provides a towing and transfer device for an aircraft, which includes a support body, a steering mechanism and multiple lifting supports. The steering mechanism is located at the front end of the support body, and the multiple lifting supports are located on the support body. Wheels are respectively mounted at the front end and the rear end of the support body.

[0008] Optionally, in the aircraft towing and transfer device of the present invention, the main body of the support is generally in the shape of a four-sided frame. The main body of the support consists of two parallel first columns and second and third columns symmetrically arranged at both ends of the two first columns. The first column is provided with a first fastening hole, the two ends of the second column are symmetrically provided with vertical steering shaft holes, and the two ends of the third column are respectively provided with a plurality of second fastening holes parallel to the axis of the third column.

[0009] Optionally, the aircraft towing and transfer device of the present invention includes a steering mechanism comprising two symmetrically distributed steering connection components and a tie rod connecting the tops of the two steering connection components.

[0010] Optionally, the towing and transfer device for an aircraft of the present invention includes a steering connection assembly comprising a fork-shaped seat, a wheel seat, two pressure bearings, a steering shaft seat, a steering handle, and a steering pin. The wheel seat is fixedly mounted on the closed side of the fork-shaped seat, the two pressure bearings are symmetrically arranged inside the open end of the fork-shaped seat, the steering shaft seat is mounted on the top of the fork-shaped seat, and the lower end of the steering handle is coaxially assembled inside the steering shaft seat.

[0011] Optionally, in the vehicle towing and transfer device of the present invention, a limiting groove is provided on the upper side wall of the steering shaft seat, and a limiting protrusion is integrally connected to the lower side arm of the steering handle. The limiting protrusion is assembled in the limiting groove. When the steering handle is rotated, the steering shaft seat is driven to rotate synchronously through the cooperation between the limiting protrusion and the limiting groove.

[0012] Optionally, in the aircraft towing and transfer device of the present invention, the end of the second column of the support body is assembled between two pressure bearings, and the steering pin is coaxially assembled with the steering shaft hole at the end of the second column and the inner side of the two pressure bearings.

[0013] Optionally, the aircraft towing and transfer device of the present invention includes a lifting bracket comprising a connecting base, two supporting folding arm assemblies, a bearing assembly, a threaded block, a rocker arm, and a supporting sleeper. The two supporting folding arm assemblies are symmetrically distributed, with the bottom of the supporting folding arm assembly hinged to the connecting base and the top of the supporting folding arm assembly hinged to the supporting sleeper.

[0014] Optionally, in the vehicle towing and transfer device of the present invention, the supporting folding arm assembly is composed of a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm that are hinged to each other, the bearing assembly is disposed at the hinge of one supporting folding arm assembly, and the threaded block is disposed at the hinge of the other supporting folding arm assembly.

[0015] Optionally, in the vehicle towing and transfer device of the present invention, one end of the rocker arm is coaxially mounted inside the bearing assembly, and the other end of the rocker arm is provided with an external thread and is threaded to the inner side of the threaded block.

[0016] Optionally, in the towing and transfer device for the aircraft of the present invention, a rotary bearing is provided inside the bearing assembly, and one end of the rocker arm rotates circumferentially inside the bearing assembly. When the rocker arm is rotated, the other end of the rocker arm can drive the threaded block to move in the horizontal direction under the action of the threaded engagement, and synchronously drive the support folding arm assembly to fold or unfold, so that the support sleeper is raised or lowered.

[0017] The underwater vehicle towing and transfer device of the present invention solves the problem of offset and swaying caused by the asynchronous steering of traditional universal wheels through comprehensive structural design, and achieves stable and precise control; the integrated height-adjustable lifting bracket gives the device the ability to dynamically level the vehicle on sloping roads, expands the application scenarios, and provides a safe, efficient and reliable land transfer device for underwater vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a vehicle towing and transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural example diagram of the support body according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 Structural example diagram of the steering mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a partial structural example diagram of a vehicle towing and transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5This is a structural example diagram of a lifting support according to an embodiment of the present invention; In the diagram, A - main support body, B - steering mechanism, C - lifting support, D - wheel body, A1 - first column, A2 - second column, A3 - third column, A11 - first fastening hole, A21 - steering shaft hole, A31 - second fastening hole, B1 - steering connection assembly, B2 - tie rod, B11 - fork seat, B12 - wheel seat, B13 - bearing, B14 - steering shaft seat, B15 - steering handle, B16 - steering pin, B141 - limiting groove, B151 - limiting protrusion, C1 - connecting base, C2 - supporting folding arm assembly, C3 - bearing assembly, C4 - threaded block, C5 - rocker arm, C6 - supporting sleeper, C21 - first support arm, C22 - second support arm. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other; and, based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0022] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0023] Figure 1 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle towing and transfer device is provided, such as Figure 1 As shown, the aircraft towing and transfer device of this embodiment includes a support body A, a steering mechanism B, and multiple lifting supports C. The steering mechanism B is located at the front end of the support body A, and the multiple lifting supports C are located on the support body A. Wheels D are respectively mounted at the front and rear ends of the support body A.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a structural example diagram of the support body according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, as an optional example, in this embodiment, the support body A is generally square-shaped. Specifically, the support body A consists of two parallel first columns A1 and second columns A2 and third columns A3 symmetrically arranged at both ends of the two first columns A1. The first columns A1 are provided with first fastening holes A11. The two ends of the second columns A2 are symmetrically provided with vertical steering shaft holes A21. The two ends of the third columns A3 are respectively provided with multiple second fastening holes A31 parallel to the axial direction of the third column A3. In practical applications, the first fastening holes A11 are used for fixed connection with the lifting support C, the steering shaft holes A21 are used for fixed connection with the steering mechanism B, and the second fastening holes A31 are used for assembly connection with the wheel body D.

[0025] Figure 3 A structural example diagram of the steering mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 This is a partial structural example diagram of a vehicle towing and transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the steering mechanism B includes two symmetrically distributed steering connection components B1 and a tie rod B2 connecting the tops of the two steering connection components B1.

[0026] The steering connection assembly B1 includes a fork-shaped seat B11, a wheel seat B12, two bearing bearings B13, a steering shaft seat B14, a steering handle B15, and a steering pin B16. The wheel seat B12 is fixedly mounted on the closed side of the fork-shaped seat B11. The two bearing bearings B13 are symmetrically arranged inside the open end of the fork-shaped seat B11. The steering shaft seat B14 is located on the top of the fork-shaped seat B11. The lower end of the steering handle B15 is coaxially assembled inside the steering shaft seat B14. It should be noted that in this embodiment, a limiting groove B141 is provided on the upper side wall of the steering shaft seat B14, and a limiting protrusion B151 is integrally connected to the bottom side arm of the steering handle B15. The limiting protrusion B151 is fitted into the limiting groove B141. When the steering handle B15 is rotated, the steering shaft seat B14 rotates synchronously through the cooperation of the limiting protrusion B151 and the limiting groove B141, thereby realizing the steering control of the wheel D, which is assembled and connected to the wheel seat B12. In practical applications, the vehicle towing and transfer device of this embodiment is pushed and pulled by the steering handle B15, and the overall movement direction of the device is controlled by controlling the steering mechanism B. The steering handle B15 provides the operator with a clear point of force application, and combined with the smoothness brought by synchronous steering, the pushing, pulling and steering operations are more effortless and intuitive. Although manual traction is still required, the optimized mechanical design reduces the operator's labor intensity.

[0027] In this embodiment, the end of the second column A2 of the bracket body A is assembled between two pressure bearings B13, and the steering pin B16 is coaxially assembled with the steering shaft hole A21 at the end of the second column A2 and the inner side of the two pressure bearings B13, so as to realize the assembly connection between the steering connection component B1 and the bracket body A.

[0028] In this embodiment, the tie rod B2 connects two steering connection components B1, enabling synchronous control of the two steering connection components B1 during the movement and steering of the entire device. This eliminates problems such as "mutual jamming," trajectory deviation, and vehicle swaying caused by asynchronous steering and uneven resistance in traditional two independent casters. This ensures a smooth transfer process and reduces the risk of damage to internal instruments or structural stress concentration caused by swaying impacts on the precision underwater vehicle being carried. Simultaneously, synchronous steering allows the operator to accurately and reliably predict and control the direction of movement of the transfer device, improving the quality of operation.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a structural example diagram of a lifting support according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting bracket C includes a connecting base C1, two supporting folding arm assemblies C2, a bearing assembly C3, a threaded block C4, a rocker arm C5, and a supporting sleeper C6. The two supporting folding arm assemblies C2 are symmetrically distributed. The bottom of the supporting folding arm assembly C2 is hinged to the connecting base C1, and the top of the supporting folding arm assembly C2 is hinged to the supporting sleeper C6. As an optional example, in this embodiment, the supporting folding arm assembly C2 consists of a first supporting arm C21 and a second supporting arm C22 that are hinged to each other.

[0030] In this embodiment, the bearing assembly C3 is disposed at the hinge of a supporting folding arm assembly C2, and the threaded block C4 is disposed at the hinge of another supporting folding arm assembly C2. For example, the bearing assembly C3 or the threaded block C4 is fixed at the hinge of the first supporting arm C21 and the second supporting arm C22 by fasteners.

[0031] In this embodiment, one end of the rocker arm C5 is coaxially mounted inside the bearing assembly C3, and the other end of the rocker arm C5 is provided with an external thread and is threaded into the inner side of the threaded block C4. It should be noted that a rotary bearing is installed inside the bearing assembly C3, and one end of the rocker arm C5 rotates circumferentially inside the bearing assembly C3. When the rocker arm C5 is rotated, the other end of the rocker arm C5 can drive the threaded block C4 to move horizontally under the action of the threaded engagement, synchronously driving the support folding arm assembly C2 to fold or unfold, thereby raising or lowering the support sleeper C6. Specifically, when the threaded block C4 moves inward, the support folding arm assembly C2 unfolds, raising the support sleeper C6; when the threaded block C4 moves outward, the support folding assembly C2 folds, lowering the support sleeper C6.

[0032] In this embodiment, by replacing the support sleepers C6 with different specifications and sizes, various models and sizes of underwater vehicles can be safely and stably supported, enhancing the versatility and application range of the device. The operator can adjust the height of the mounted underwater vehicle by adjusting the height of the lifting bracket C as needed, facilitating docking with test benches, transport vehicles, or deployment systems at different heights, improving the convenience and safety of loading and unloading operations. When transferring the vehicle on a slope, the two lifting brackets C can be adjusted to different heights to keep the support sleepers C6 horizontal, thereby ensuring the stability of the underwater vehicle on them. This function is crucial for preventing long cylindrical underwater vehicles from rolling or structurally deforming due to tilting.

[0033] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A towing and transfer device for an aircraft, characterized in that, The vehicle towing and transfer device includes a support body, a steering mechanism, and multiple lifting supports. The steering mechanism is located at the front end of the support body, and the multiple lifting supports are located on the support body. Wheels are respectively mounted at the front and rear ends of the support body.

2. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body of the support is in the shape of a four-sided frame. The main body of the support consists of two parallel first columns and second and third columns symmetrically arranged at both ends of the two first columns. The first column is provided with a first fastening hole. The two ends of the second column are symmetrically provided with vertical steering shaft holes. The two ends of the third column are provided with multiple second fastening holes parallel to the axis of the third column.

3. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The steering mechanism includes two symmetrically distributed steering linkage components and a tie rod connecting the tops of the two steering linkage components.

4. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The steering connection assembly includes a fork-shaped seat, a wheel seat, two bearing bearings, a steering shaft seat, a steering handle, and a steering pin. The wheel seat is fixedly mounted on the closed side of the fork-shaped seat. The two bearing bearings are symmetrically arranged inside the open end of the fork-shaped seat. The steering shaft seat is located on the top of the fork-shaped seat. The lower end of the steering handle is coaxially assembled inside the steering shaft seat.

5. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A limiting groove is provided on the upper side wall of the steering shaft seat, and a limiting protrusion is integrally connected to the lower side arm of the steering handle. The limiting protrusion is assembled in the limiting groove. When the steering handle is rotated, the steering shaft seat is driven to rotate synchronously through the cooperation between the limiting protrusion and the limiting groove.

6. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The end of the second column of the bracket body is assembled between two pressure bearings, and the steering pin is coaxially assembled with the steering shaft hole at the end of the second column and the inside of the two pressure bearings.

7. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting support includes a connecting base, two supporting folding arm assemblies, a bearing assembly, a threaded block, a rocker arm, and a supporting sleeper. The two supporting folding arm assemblies are symmetrically distributed. The bottom of the supporting folding arm assembly is hinged to the connecting base, and the top of the supporting folding arm assembly is hinged to the supporting sleeper.

8. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The supporting folding arm assembly consists of a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm that are hinged to each other. The bearing assembly is located at the hinge of one supporting folding arm assembly, and the threaded block is located at the hinge of the other supporting folding arm assembly.

9. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 8, characterized in that, One end of the rocker arm is coaxially mounted inside the bearing assembly, and the other end of the rocker arm is provided with an external thread and is assembled with the internal thread of the threaded block.

10. The aircraft towing and transfer device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bearing assembly is equipped with a rotary bearing. One end of the rocker rotates circumferentially inside the bearing assembly. When the rocker is rotated, the other end of the rocker can drive the threaded block to move horizontally under the action of the threaded engagement, and synchronously drive the support folding arm assembly to fold or unfold, so that the support sleeper is raised or lowered.

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