Unmanned aerial vehicle folding wing capable of being automatically unfolded in air and design method thereof

By designing a folding wing structure for UAVs that can automatically deploy in mid-air, the problems of large space occupation during UAV storage and transportation and inability to automatically deploy during launch are solved. This achieves automatic deployment and reliable fixation of the folding wings of UAVs, which is suitable for swarm-loaded and launched UAVs, improving flight performance and reliability.

CN121516291APending Publication Date: 2026-02-13XIAN AISHENG TECH GRP
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511799124.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-12-02
Publication Date
2026-02-13

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing folding wing technology for drones occupies a large space during drone storage and transportation, and cannot automatically unfold during launch, thus failing to meet the needs of small and medium-sized swarm drones.

Method used

Design a folding wing for a drone that can automatically deploy in mid-air, including a main wing, a folding wing, a deployment drive assembly, a folding locking assembly, and a deployment locking assembly. The folding wing is automatically deployed by the deployment drive assembly, and locked by the folding locking assembly and the deployment locking assembly.

Benefits of technology

It enables the folding of drone wings during storage and transportation to save space, and automatically unfolds and locks them during launch. It is suitable for cluster-loaded launch-type drones with limited storage space, improving flight ceiling and range, and enhancing reliability and flexibility.

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Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle folding wing capable of being automatically unfolded in the air and a design method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The wing is divided into a main wing section and a folding wing section, by designing an unfolding driving assembly, a folding locking assembly and an unfolding locking assembly, folding locking of the folding wing below the main wing is achieved through the folding locking assembly, and automatic unlocking can be achieved through an explosive bolt in the folding locking assembly; the unfolding driving assembly provides automatic unfolding driving force for the folding wing after the folding locking assembly is unlocked, and unfolding of the folding wing is achieved. And the unfolding locking assembly realizes automatic locking of the unfolding state of the folding wing after the folding wing is unfolded. The wing structure is suitable for the long-endurance fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle has two modes of wing folding and wing unfolding, and the folding wings are in a folded state under the condition of storage and transportation; after the unmanned aerial vehicle is launched, the folding wings can be automatically unfolded and locked at any needed moment.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically to a UAV folding wing that can automatically deploy in mid-air and its design method. Background Technology

[0002] Folding wings were initially used for launching drones from launch platforms to reduce the platform's footprint and increase the number of drones that could be parked. With the continuous development of drone technology, especially the rapid development of swarm drone systems, folding-wing drone technology has received widespread attention and application. Compared to manned aircraft folding wings, drone folding wing technology has the following characteristics: First, the operating conditions (environment, overload) are more complex; second, the deployment process is performed at high speeds, requiring higher levels of automation and reliability; third, drones have higher requirements for the weight and size of the folding wings. Therefore, existing manned aircraft folding mechanisms, such as hydraulic drives or planetary gear drives, suffer from problems such as heavy weight and poor flexibility, failing to meet the requirements of small and medium-sized swarm drones for low takeoff weight, flexible deployment, and high operational reliability.

[0003] In existing UAV folding wing technologies, such as the academic paper "A Design Method for Folding Wing Mechanisms" which proposes a folding wing mechanism for tube-launched drones, this mechanism passively unfolds after launch by rotating, lacking autonomy. In the utility model patent with publication number CN220298785U, a linkage mechanism is used to fold the UAV's outer wing forward, reducing the drone's size and improving storage efficiency. This design primarily addresses the problems of large size and inconvenient transportation and placement during storage, but lacks the ability for automatic unfolding under maneuvering conditions during launch. In the utility model patent with publication number CN221404095U, a folding drive unit on the fuselage rotates the entire wing from a parallel position to a perpendicular position intersecting the fuselage. This type of folding wing mechanism is mainly used for small tube-launched UAVs; however, during launch, the lack of a main wing makes the fuselage prone to roll, leading to launch failure.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a folding wing for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can automatically deploy in mid-air and its design method, so as to achieve wing folding to save space during UAV storage and transportation, and to achieve automatic wing deployment in mid-air during launch. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved: To avoid the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a foldable wing for a drone that can automatically deploy in mid-air and its design method, for use with fixed-wing drones. During drone storage and transportation, the wing can be folded to save storage and transportation space; during drone launch, the wing can automatically deploy and lock at any time.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is: a folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air, comprising: The main wing is fixedly connected to the fuselage of the drone; Folding wing, which can be folded and installed at the end of the main wing away from the fuselage; The deployment drive assembly connects the main wing and the folding wing, and provides the driving force for the deployment of the folding wing; when the folding wing is deployed, it is on the same plane as the main wing, and the two together constitute the wings of the UAV. A folding locking component is used to lock the folding wing when it is in the folded state; when the folding wing is in the folded state, it is folded under the main wing; the folding locking component is electrically connected to the drone control system and is unlocked by the drone control system. And an unfolding locking component, which is used to lock the folding wing when it is unfolded.

[0007] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the deployment driving component includes: A fixed sleeve is horizontally positioned and fixedly connected to the rib plate on the outer end face of the main wing; Two rotating sleeves are provided, which are symmetrical and coaxially rotated and fitted onto the two ends of the fixed sleeve. Both rotating sleeves are fixedly connected to the rib plate on the inner end face of the folding wing. And torsion springs, two of which are coaxially installed in the inner cavities of the fixed sleeve and the rotating sleeve. The torsion springs are used to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate relative to the fixed sleeve by their own elastic force after the folding locking assembly is unlocked. The two torsion springs and the two rotating sleeves are installed correspondingly.

[0008] A further technical solution of the present invention is that, in the unfolded state of the folding wing, the ribs on the outer end face of the main wing and the ribs on the inner end face of the folding wing face each other.

[0009] A further technical solution of the present invention is as follows: the two rotating sleeves are a first rotating sleeve and a second rotating sleeve, and the two torsion springs are a first torsion spring and a second torsion spring; one end of the first torsion spring is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first rotating sleeve; one end of the second torsion spring is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second rotating sleeve.

[0010] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the folding locking assembly includes: A fixing block, which is fixedly connected to the main wing; The docking block is fixedly connected to the folding wing; And the explosive bolt, which connects the fixing block and the mating block, is also electrically connected to the UAV control system. The explosive bolt is controlled by the UAV control system to explode, which is used to disconnect the fixing block and the mating block.

[0011] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the unfolding locking component includes: Locking mount, which is installed inside the main wing; The movable locking plate is installed at the bottom of the locking seat. One end of the movable locking plate is provided with a pivot, which is hinged to the locking seat. The other end is provided with a locking part with a serrated structure. The locking part passes through the corresponding slot provided on the outer end face rib of the main wing. A tension spring, one end of which is connected to a locking seat and the other end to a movable locking plate, is used to reset the locking part of the movable locking plate after it rotates around the pivot. The locking plate is fixed to the rib plate on the inner end face of the folding wing. Its installation position corresponds to the movable locking plate. The locking plate has a serrated structure that can engage with the locking part of the movable locking plate.

[0012] A further technical solution of the present invention is: it also includes a buffer block, which is installed on the rib plate on the outer end face of the main wing. The buffer block is used for elastic buffering when the folding wing is deployed, and is used to eliminate the gap between the meshing teeth of the locking plate and the movable locking plate after they are locked.

[0013] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the buffer block is made of rubber, and there are two of them, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slot extending from the movable locking plate.

[0014] A design method for an automatically deployable folding wing for a drone, comprising the following steps: Based on the geometry of the folding wing, determine the weight and moment of inertia of the folding wing; Based on the UAV's flight speed and external interference boundary conditions, determine the final velocity of the locking plate in the locking assembly when the folding wing is deployed; Based on the forces acting on the folding wing during flight, the installation torque and working torsional deformation angle of the two torsion springs were initially determined. Based on the weight of the folding wing, the moment of inertia of the folding wing, and the final velocity of the locking plate, the working torque of the two torsion springs is determined according to the law of conservation of energy. Determine the diameter, mean diameter, and effective number of coils of the two torsion springs based on their installation torque, working torque, and working torsional deformation angle. Determine the effective engagement depth of the locking plate and the movable locking plate based on the force conditions of the folding wing in the locked state; Based on the installation space reserved inside the main wing for the deployment locking assembly, determine the distance between the locking part of the movable locking plate and the rotating shaft, as well as the distance between the tension spring axis and the rotating shaft; then calculate the locking spring travel ratio based on the distance between the locking part and the rotating shaft, and the distance between the tension spring axis and the rotating shaft. The working stroke of the tension spring is determined based on the effective engagement depth and the lock spring stroke ratio. Calculate the downward force of the movable locking plate based on the working torque of the two torsion springs, the distance between the movable locking plate and the fixed sleeve, and the angle between the serrated inclined surface of the locking part and the horizontal plane. Calculate the working load of the tension spring based on the downward force of the movable locking plate and the spring travel ratio, and determine the installation load of the tension spring based on the working load of the tension spring. Determine the diameter, mean diameter, and effective number of coils of the tension spring based on its working load, working stroke, and installation load. Based on the two torsion springs and tension springs designed, an unfolding drive assembly, a folding locking assembly, and an unfolding locking assembly are designed. Based on the unfolding drive assembly, the folding locking assembly, the unfolding locking assembly, the main wing, and the folding wing, a UAV folding wing that can automatically unfold in the air is obtained.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention discloses an automatically deployable folding wing for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The wing is divided into a main wing and a folding wing. Through the design of a deployment drive component, a folding locking component, and a deployment locking component, the folding locking component locks the folding wing under the main wing, and the explosive bolts in the folding locking component automatically unlock. The deployment drive component provides the driving force for automatic deployment of the folding wing after the folding locking component unlocks, thus deploying the folding wing. The deployment locking component automatically locks the folding wing in its deployed state. This wing structure is suitable for long-endurance fixed-wing UAVs, enabling the UAV to have both folded and deployed wing modes. During storage and transportation, the folding wing is in a folded state. After launch, the folding locking component can be unlocked at any time via the UAV's onboard control system, allowing the folding wing to automatically deploy and lock. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for UAVs with limited storage space and those used in cluster-launched systems, achieving automatic deployment and reliable fixation of the UAV's folding wing, effectively improving the UAV's flight ceiling, flight range, and the advantages of integrated storage, transportation, and launch of the UAV system.

[0016] Specifically, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The foldable wing structure of the present invention can reduce the storage and transportation space of UAVs, realize the storage and transportation function of multiple UAVs in one vehicle, and achieve the integrated use of storage, transportation and delivery.

[0017] 2. The wing structure of this invention realizes the function of automatic deployment and reliable fixation of folding wings in the air. The deployment process is stable and reliable, the left and right wings have good synchronization in deployment, and the impact on the flight attitude of the UAV is small.

[0018] 3. The present invention has a lightweight structure and high reliability. By adjusting the design parameters, it can meet the aerial deployment requirements of folding wings for different types of UAVs. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a UAV folding wing that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to the present invention (in the figure, the folding wing shown by the dashed line is in its deployed state). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and installation of the unfolding drive component in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and installation of the folding locking component in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolding drive component structure in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolding locking component structure in this invention (locking piece not shown).

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Main wing, 11. Rib on the outer end face of the main wing, 2. Folding wing, 21. Rib on the inner end face of the folding wing, 3. Deployment drive assembly, 31. Fixed sleeve, 311. First connecting lug, 32. First rotating sleeve, 321. Second connecting lug, 33. Second rotating sleeve, 331. Third connecting lug, 34. First torsion spring, 35. Second torsion spring, 4. Folding locking assembly, 41. Fixed block, 42. Connecting block, 43. Explosion bolt, 5. Deployment locking assembly, 51. Locking seat, 511. Mounting post, 52. Movable locking plate, 521. Rotating shaft, 522. Locking part, 53. Tension spring, 54. Locking piece, 6. Front buffer block, 7. Rear buffer block, 8. Fuselage. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Example 1 An embodiment of the present invention, a folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a main wing 1, a folding wing 2, an unfolding drive assembly 3, a folding locking assembly 4, and an unfolding locking assembly 5. Figure 1 The diagram shows only the structure of one wing; in actual use, the left and right wings are symmetrically installed on both sides of the fuselage.

[0024] The main wing 1 is the fixed section of the wing, which is fixedly connected to the fuselage 8 of the UAV. The folding wing 2 is installed at the end of the main wing 1 furthest from the fuselage. The folding wing 2 has two states: folded and unfolded. In the folded state, the folding wing 2 folds down and hides under the main wing 1 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The solid line indicates the folding wing 2; in the unfolded state, the folding wing 2 and the main wing 1 are on the same plane (as shown by the solid line). Figure 1 The folding wing 2, shown by the dashed line, together constitute the wing of the UAV.

[0025] The folding wing 2 and the main wing 1 are hinged by the deployment drive assembly 3, allowing the folding wing 2 to fold and flip relative to the main wing 1. When the folding wing 2 is in the folded state, it is locked by the folding locking assembly 4. When the folding locking assembly 4 is unlocked, the deployment drive assembly 3 provides a driving force to the folding wing 2 to unfold, and after the folding wing 2 is unfolded, the unfolding locking assembly 5 locks the folding wing 2 in the unfolded state.

[0026] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the unfolding drive assembly 3 is an elastic hinge structure, including a fixed sleeve 31, two rotating sleeves, and two torsion springs.

[0027] The fixing sleeve 31 is a hollow cylindrical structure with open ends. The outer wall of the fixing sleeve 31 is provided with two first connecting lugs 311. The first connecting lugs 311 and the rib plate 11 on the outer end face of the main wing are fixedly connected by fasteners, so that the fixing sleeve 31 is horizontally installed at the bottom center position of the rib plate 11 on the outer end face of the main wing 1.

[0028] The two rotating sleeves have identical structures, being hollow cylindrical structures with one end open and the other closed, denoted as the first rotating sleeve 32 and the second rotating sleeve 33. The two rotating sleeves are symmetrically and coaxially fitted onto the two ends of the fixed sleeve 31. The open end of the rotating sleeve fits within the outer diameter of the stop provided at the end of the fixed sleeve 31, allowing the rotating sleeve to rotate coaxially relative to the fixed sleeve 31. The outer wall of the rotating sleeve is provided with connecting lugs for fixed connection to the rib 21 on the inner end face of the folding wing 2. Figure 2 and 4 As shown, the second connecting lug 321 of the first rotating sleeve 32 is fixedly connected to the rib plate 21 on the inner end face of the folding wing 2 by fasteners, and the third connecting lug 331 of the second rotating sleeve 33 is fixedly connected to the rib plate 21 on the inner end face of the folding wing 2 by fasteners.

[0029] Two torsion springs, designated as first torsion spring 34 and second torsion spring 35, have the same structure but different directions of rotation, one left-handed and the other right-handed. They are coaxially mounted within the inner cavities of the fixed sleeve 31 and the rotating sleeve. The torsion springs are used to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate relative to the fixed sleeve 31 using their own elasticity after the folding locking assembly 4 is unlocked. The two torsion springs and two rotating sleeves are installed correspondingly. Specifically, one end of the first torsion spring 34 is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve 31, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first rotating sleeve 32; one end of the second torsion spring 35 is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve 31, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second rotating sleeve 33. In this embodiment, as... Figure 4 As shown, a slot is formed on the wall of the fixed sleeve 31, and a slot is formed on the wall of the rotating sleeve. One end of the torsion spring passes through the slot of the fixed sleeve 31, and the other end passes through the slot of the rotating sleeve. Since the torsion spring is pre-tightened and in a compressed state, the folding wing 2 is locked in a folded state by the folding locking assembly 4, and the torsion spring uses its own elastic force to fix both ends. Until the folding locking assembly 4 is unlocked, the two torsion springs use their own restoring elastic force to drive the corresponding rotating sleeve to rotate, thereby driving the folding wing 2 to rotate and unfold. In the unfolded state of the folding wing 2, the rib plate on the outer end face of the main wing 1 and the rib plate on the inner end face of the folding wing 2 face each other, and the main wing 1 and the folding wing 2 are on the same plane.

[0030] The folding locking component 4 is used to lock the folding wing 2 in its folded state. Specifically, as shown... Figure 3 As shown, the stacking locking assembly 4 includes a fixing block 41, a mating block 42, and an explosion bolt 43.

[0031] The fixing block 41 is fixedly connected to the main wing 1. The upper end of the fixing block 41 is fixed to the bottom end face of the root of the main wing 1, and the lower end of the fixing block 41 is a double-eared structure with mounting holes on the ears of the double-eared structure. The lower end of the docking block 42 is fixedly connected to the wingtip of the folding wing 2. The upper end of the docking block 42 has a through hole that matches the mounting hole on the ear of the double-eared structure. The upper end of the docking block 42 is inserted into the middle of the double-eared structure of the fixing block 41, aligning its through hole with the mounting hole of the ear, and then inserting an explosive bolt 43. The fixing block 41 and the main wing 1 are fixedly connected by the explosive bolt 43. The explosive bolt 43 is filled with explosives. At the same time, the explosive ignition device of the explosive bolt 43 is electrically connected to the UAV control system. The UAV control system controls the detonation of the explosive bolt 43 to disconnect the connection between the fixing block 41 and the docking block 42.

[0032] like Figure 2 , Figure 5 As shown, the deployment locking assembly 5 is used to lock the folding wing 2 in its deployed state. It includes a locking seat 51, a movable locking plate 52, a tension spring 53, and a locking piece 54. The locking seat 51 is installed inside the main wing 1, and the movable locking plate 52 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the locking seat 51. One end of the movable locking plate 52 is provided with a pivot 521, which passes through a hinge hole at the bottom of the locking seat 51 to achieve hinge connection between the movable locking plate 52 and the locking seat 51, allowing the movable locking plate 52 to rotate downward around the pivot 521. The other end of the movable locking plate 52 is provided with a serrated locking part 522, which protrudes from a corresponding slot on the outer end face rib plate 11 of the main wing 1. The locking part 522 is used to lock with the locking piece 54. The size of the slot on the outer end face rib plate 11 of the main wing meets the travel requirements of the locking part 522 rotating downward around the pivot 521. The tension spring 53 is used to reset the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52 after it rotates downward around the pivot 521. The tension spring 53 is set perpendicular to the movable locking plate 52. The upper end of the tension spring 53 is hooked and fixed to the mounting post 511 set on the upper part of the locking seat 51, and the lower end of the tension spring 53 is hooked and fixed to the middle of the movable locking plate 52. The tension spring 53 has a pre-tension in the initial installation state, which can tighten the movable locking plate 52 so that it is close to the bottom of the locking seat 51. The locking piece 54 is fixed on the rib plate 21 on the inner end face of the folding wing 2. Its installation position corresponds to the movable locking plate 52. The locking piece 54 has a serrated structure that can engage with the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52.

[0033] When the folding locking assembly 4 is unlocked, the folding wing 2 unfolds due to the restoring force of the two torsion springs. Under the action of the torsion spring force and the inertial force of the folding wing 2, the locking piece 54 installed on the folding wing 2 will press down on the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52. The locking part 522 rotates downward around the pivot 521, and the tension spring 53 is stretched until the serrated structure on the locking piece 54 is fully inserted into the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52. Under the action of the tension spring 53, the movable locking plate 52 returns to its original position, so that the serrated teeth of the locking piece 54 and the serrated teeth of the locking part 522 are fully engaged, and the tension spring 53 returns to its initial state.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, two buffer blocks are provided on the rib plate 11 on the outer end face of the main wing 1, namely the front buffer block 6 and the rear buffer block 7. The two buffer blocks are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slot protruding from the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52. The two buffer blocks are used for elastic buffering when the folding wing 2 is unfolded, to avoid excessive impact on the locking plate 54 and the locking part 522. They are also used to eliminate the gap between the meshing tooth surfaces of the locking plate 54 and the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52 after they are locked. The elastic buffer is made of rubber. After the folding wing 2 is unfolded, it abuts against the rib plate 21 on the inner end face of the folding wing and the rib plate 11 on the outer end face of the main wing, which will generate a thrust on the folding wing 2, so that the meshing surfaces of the teeth of the locking plate 54 and the teeth of the locking part 522 are tightened.

[0035] The selection of rubber buffer blocks mainly considers two factors. First, based on the magnitude of the impact force during the unfolding of the folding wing 2, a rubber material with appropriate hardness is selected. Second, based on the gap between the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52 and the serrated structure of the locking piece 54, it is ensured that the meshing gap of the serrated structure can be eliminated under the thrust of the buffer block.

[0036] The folding wings used on both sides of the drone have the same structure and working principle, and can automatically deploy in mid-air.

[0037] When the UAV using the structure of this invention is in storage or transportation, the folding wing 2 is in a folded state and locked by the folding locking assembly 4. At this time, the two torsion springs in the deployment drive assembly 3 are in a compressed state. When the UAV is launched, it can be launched directly with the folding wing 2 folded to reduce the launch space. When the folding wing 2 needs to be deployed after the UAV is launched, the folding locking assembly 4 is unlocked by the UAV's onboard control system (i.e., the explosive bolt 43 is disconnected, releasing the connection between the fixing block 41 and the docking block 42), and the folding wing 2 can be automatically deployed and automatically locked by the deployment locking assembly 5 after deployment.

[0038] Example 2 A design method for an automatically deployable folding wing of a drone, as described in Embodiment 1, is provided. The core of this design method lies in the design of the deployment drive component 3 and the deployment locking component 5, particularly in determining the parameters of the two torsion springs of the deployment drive component 3 and the tension spring 53 of the deployment locking component 5.

[0039] This design method specifically includes the following steps: Step 1. Determine the weight m and moment of inertia of folding wing 2. : Based on the specific structural form of folding wing 2, determine the weight m and moment of inertia of folding wing 2. .

[0040] In this embodiment, the unmanned folding wing 2 weighs 2kg, and its rotational inertia at the central axis of the deployment drive assembly 3 is... .

[0041] Step 2. Determine the final velocity V1 of the locking plate 54 installed on the folding wing 2 after it is deployed: Based on the boundary conditions such as the UAV's flight speed and external interference, and combined with engineering practice experience, the appropriate final velocity V1 of the locking plate 54 when the folding wing 2 is deployed is determined. In this embodiment, V1 is taken as 0.5m / s.

[0042] Step 3. Determine the installation torque T1 of the first torsion spring 34 and the second torsion spring 35, as well as the working torsional deformation angle. : Based on the force conditions of the outer wing (folding wing 2) when the drone's folding wings are fully deployed during flight, the installation torque T1 of the two torsion springs is initially determined. Based on the specific installation and fixing method of folding wing 2 on the drone, the working torsional deformation angle of the torsion springs is determined. .

[0043] In this embodiment, the two torsion springs are one left-handed and one right-handed, with identical material and mechanical properties. The installation torque of a single torsion spring is T1 = 0.5 Nm, and the working torsional deformation angle is... .

[0044] Step 4. Determine the working torque T2 of the first torsion spring 34 and the second torsion spring 35: Based on the known weight m of folding wing 2 and the moment of inertia of folding wing... Based on the law of conservation of energy, the final velocity V1 of the locking plate 54 is used to determine the working torque T2 of the two torsion springs.

[0045] In this embodiment, the total working torque of the two torsion springs is determined to be 5 Nm according to the law of conservation of energy. Therefore, the working torque of a single torsion spring is T2 = 2.5 Nm.

[0046] Step 5. Determine the basic parameters of the first torsion spring 34 and the second torsion spring 35: Based on the known installation torque T1, working torque T2, and working torsional deformation angle of the first torsion spring 34 and the second torsion spring 35... According to the torsion spring design method in the Mechanical Design Handbook, determine the material, diameter d1, mean diameter D1, and effective number of coils n1 of the two torsion springs.

[0047] In this embodiment, the material of a single torsion spring is carbon steel wire, the diameter of the torsion spring wire is d1=3mm, the mean diameter of the torsion spring is D1=18mm, and the deformation angle during installation is... Deformation angle during operation The effective number of coils of the torsion spring is n1 = 22.73 coils, so we take 23 coils.

[0048] Step 6. Determine the effective engagement depth L between the locking piece 54 and the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52: Based on the force exerted on the folding wing 2 in the locked state, the effective engagement depth L of the locking plate 54 and the locking part 522 is determined. In this embodiment, the effective engagement depth L = 3 mm.

[0049] Step 7. Determine the spring travel ratio 'a' in the unfolding locking assembly 5: Based on the installation space reserved inside the main wing 1 for the deployment locking assembly 5, the distance L1 between the locking part 522 of the movable locking plate 52 and the rotating shaft 521, the distance L2 between the axis of the tension spring 53 and the rotating shaft 521, and the spring travel ratio a = L1 / L2 are determined.

[0050] In this embodiment, L1=23.5mm, L2=14.5mm, and a=1.62.

[0051] Step 8. Determine the working stroke s1 of tension spring 53: Based on the effective engagement depth L between the locking piece 54 and the locking part 522, and the spring travel ratio a, the working stroke s1 of the tension spring 53 is determined to be L / a. In this embodiment, s1 = 1.85.

[0052] Step 9. Determine the downward force F1 applied to the movable locking plate 52 when the folding wing 2 is deployed: Based on the known working torque T2 of the first torsion spring 34 and the second torsion spring 35, the distance s2 between the movable locking plate 52 and the fixed sleeve 31, and the angle θ between the sawtooth inclined surface of the locking part 522 and the horizontal plane, the downward force F1 of the movable locking plate 52 is calculated as F1 = T2 / s2 × cosθ. In this embodiment, F1 = 3.79 N.

[0053] Step 10. Determine the working load F2 of tension spring 53: Based on the known downward force F1 of the movable locking plate 52 and the spring stroke ratio a, the working load F2 of the tension spring 53 can be calculated according to the formula F2=k×F1×a, where k is the dynamic load coefficient, which is taken as 3~5 according to engineering experience. In this embodiment, k is taken as 3, and the calculated value of F2 is 18.42N, which is rounded to 20N.

[0054] Step 11. Determine the basic parameters of tension spring 53: Based on the working load F2 and working stroke s1 of the tension spring 53, the initial installation load F3 = 0.5F2 of the tension spring is set. According to the tension spring design method, based on the known working load F2, working stroke s1 and installation load F3 of the tension spring, the diameter d2, mean diameter D2 and effective number of coils n2 of the tension spring 53 are determined.

[0055] In this embodiment, the tension spring is made of carbon steel wire of type B II, the wire diameter d2 = 0.8 mm, the mean diameter of the tension spring D2 = 4.5 mm, the deformation during installation is 1.17 mm, the working deformation is 3.19 mm, the effective number of coils n2 = 8.88 coils, and 9 coils are selected.

[0056] Step 12. Based on the designed torsion springs and tension springs 53, complete the design of the deployment drive assembly 3, the folding locking assembly 4, and the deployment locking assembly 5. Based on the deployment drive assembly 3, the folding locking assembly 4, the deployment locking assembly 5, the main wing 1, and the folding wing 2, obtain a UAV folding wing that can automatically deploy in the air.

[0057] The key to this design method lies in determining the design of the two torsion springs and the tension spring 53. As for the design of other structural components, it is a conventional design method, which only needs to ensure the installation structure, position, space and strength requirements, and will not be elaborated here.

[0058] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air, characterized in that, include: The main wing is fixedly connected to the fuselage of the drone; Folding wing, which can be folded and installed at the end of the main wing away from the fuselage; Deployment drive assembly, used to connect the main wing and the folding wing, and to provide drive force for the deployment of the folding wing; When the folding wings are unfolded, they are on the same plane as the main wing, and together they form the wings of the drone. Folding locking assembly, used for locking when the folding wing is in the folded state; When the folding wing is in the folded state, it folds under the main wing; The folding locking component is electrically connected to the drone control system, and its unlocking is controlled by the drone control system. And an unfolding locking component, which is used to lock the folding wing when it is unfolded.

2. The folding wing of a drone that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 1, characterized in that, The deployment driving component includes: A fixed sleeve is horizontally positioned and fixedly connected to the rib plate on the outer end face of the main wing; Two rotating sleeves are provided, which are symmetrical and coaxially rotated and fitted onto the two ends of the fixed sleeve. Both rotating sleeves are fixedly connected to the rib plate on the inner end face of the folding wing. And torsion springs, two of which are coaxially installed in the inner cavities of the fixed sleeve and the rotating sleeve. The torsion springs are used to drive the rotating sleeve to rotate relative to the fixed sleeve by their own elastic force after the folding locking assembly is unlocked. The two torsion springs and the two rotating sleeves are installed correspondingly.

3. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air, as described in claim 2, is characterized in that... When the folding wing is in the unfolded state, the ribs on the outer end face of the main wing and the ribs on the inner end face of the folding wing face each other.

4. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 2, characterized in that, The two rotating sleeves are the first rotating sleeve and the second rotating sleeve, and the two torsion springs are the first torsion spring and the second torsion spring; one end of the first torsion spring is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve, and the other end is fixedly connected to the first rotating sleeve; one end of the second torsion spring is fixedly connected to the fixed sleeve, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second rotating sleeve.

5. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 1, characterized in that, The folding locking component includes: A fixing block, which is fixedly connected to the main wing; The docking block is fixedly connected to the folding wing; And the explosive bolt, which connects the fixing block and the mating block, is also electrically connected to the UAV control system. The explosive bolt is controlled by the UAV control system to explode, which is used to disconnect the fixing block and the mating block.

6. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unfolding locking component includes: Locking seat, which is installed inside the main wing; The movable locking plate is installed at the bottom of the locking seat. One end of the movable locking plate is provided with a pivot and hinged to the locking seat, and the other end is provided with a locking part with a serrated structure. The locking part passes through the corresponding slot provided on the outer end face rib of the main wing. A tension spring, one end of which is connected to a locking seat and the other end to a movable locking plate, is used to reset the locking part of the movable locking plate after it rotates around the pivot. The locking plate is fixed to the rib plate on the inner end face of the folding wing. Its installation position corresponds to the movable locking plate. The locking plate has a serrated structure that can engage with the locking part of the movable locking plate.

7. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a buffer block, which is installed on the rib plate on the outer end face of the main wing. The buffer block is used for elastic cushioning when the folding wing is deployed, and is used to eliminate the gap between the meshing teeth of the locking plate and the movable locking plate after they are locked.

8. A folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle that can automatically deploy in mid-air according to claim 8, characterized in that, The buffer blocks are made of rubber and there are two of them, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slot extending from the movable locking plate.

9. A design method for an automatically deployable folding wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), characterized in that, Based on the geometry of the folding wing, determine the weight and moment of inertia of the folding wing; Based on the UAV's flight speed and external interference boundary conditions, determine the final velocity of the locking plate in the locking assembly when the folding wing is deployed; Based on the force conditions of the folding wing during flight, the installation torque and working torsional deformation angle of the two torsion springs are preliminarily determined. Based on the weight of the folding wing, the moment of inertia of the folding wing, and the final velocity of the locking plate, the working torque of the two torsion springs is determined according to the law of conservation of energy. Determine the diameter, mean diameter, and effective number of coils of the two torsion springs based on their installation torque, working torque, and working torsional deformation angle. Determine the effective engagement depth of the locking plate and the movable locking plate based on the force conditions of the folding wing in the locked state; Based on the installation space reserved inside the main wing for the deployment locking assembly, determine the distance between the locking part of the movable locking plate and the rotating shaft, as well as the distance between the tension spring axis and the rotating shaft; then calculate the locking spring travel ratio based on the distance between the locking part and the rotating shaft, and the distance between the tension spring axis and the rotating shaft. The working stroke of the tension spring is determined based on the effective engagement depth and the lock spring stroke ratio. Calculate the downward force of the movable locking plate based on the working torque of the two torsion springs, the distance between the movable locking plate and the fixed sleeve, and the angle between the serrated inclined surface of the locking part and the horizontal plane. Calculate the working load of the tension spring based on the downward force of the movable locking plate and the spring travel ratio, and determine the installation load of the tension spring based on the working load of the tension spring. Determine the diameter, mean diameter, and effective number of coils of the tension spring based on its working load, working stroke, and installation load. Based on the two torsion springs and tension springs designed, an unfolding drive assembly, a folding locking assembly, and an unfolding locking assembly are designed. Based on the unfolding drive assembly, the folding locking assembly, the unfolding locking assembly, the main wing, and the folding wing, a UAV folding wing that can automatically unfold in the air is obtained.

Citation Information

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