Automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of aircrafts, and discloses an automatic charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, which comprises a cabin internally provided with a cross bar; the charger is arranged in the machine room, and the charger is located beside one end of the cross rod; a walking mechanism is arranged on the bottom side of the machine body, the walking mechanism is provided with a plurality of rolling wheels arranged in the length direction of the cross rod, the rolling wheels can rotate on the cross rod, and a charging connector is arranged at the position, corresponding to the charger, of the machine body; according to the invention, through the crawling movement of the plurality of rollers, the power transmission line inspection and the butt joint during automatic charging can be realized, the number of structural members and control devices is greatly reduced, and the use reliability and convenience of the whole system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft and discloses an automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Background Technology

[0002] To address the challenges of operation and maintenance in the harsh working environment of power transmission lines and the complex process of deploying and deploying robots, the current method of equipping drones with power transmission line inspection equipment can effectively achieve the inspection of power transmission lines.

[0003] Deploying this type of drone in operation and maintenance presents significant challenges, especially in remote areas or locations where it is typically unattended and requires on-site personnel for carrying and operation. While some drone hangars exist that allow drones to automatically return and dock for charging, these hangars often employ complex centering and environmental isolation measures, necessitating intricate alignment structures for docking with the charging equipment. This results in a high failure rate and makes them unsuitable for drones equipped with power line inspection equipment. Therefore, a simpler drone charging docking system suitable for drones used in power line inspection is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve one or more technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provide a beneficial option or create conditions.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an automatic charging system for a drone includes: a cabin with a crossbar inside; a charger disposed in the cabin, the charger being located beside one end of the crossbar; a fuselage with a walking mechanism disposed on its bottom side, the walking mechanism having a plurality of rollers disposed along the length direction of the crossbar, the plurality of rollers being rotatable on the crossbar, and a charging connector disposed on the fuselage corresponding to the position of the charger.

[0006] This technical solution has at least the following beneficial effects: A walking mechanism is installed on the underside of the fuselage. When inspecting power transmission lines, the fuselage can crawl along the lines using multiple rollers on the underside. This eliminates the need for complex suspension and positioning structures on the fuselage, allowing for movement and inspection relative to the transmission lines. When charging is required, the fuselage flies to the cabin and lands on a crossbar. Again, the wheels crawl along the crossbar to reach the charger located beside the end of the crossbar, connecting the charging connector on the fuselage to the charger. This crawling motion using multiple rollers enables both power transmission line inspection and automatic charging, significantly reducing the number of structural components and control devices, and improving the reliability and convenience of the entire system.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the outer periphery of the plurality of rollers is provided with annular grooves, and the crossbar extends into the plurality of annular grooves.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a guide group is provided on the bottom side of the machine body. The guide group includes guide frames located on both sides of the roller. Two guide frames are respectively connected to the bottom side of the machine body. The two guide frames are inclined downward in a direction away from each other. The guide group has multiple members arranged along the length of the crossbar.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the plurality of guide groups, a battery compartment is connected between the bottom sides of the plurality of guide frames located on the same side.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first detector is provided on the top side of the battery compartment, and the detection direction of the first detector is upward.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a mounting groove is provided on the bottom side of the machine body, the mounting groove extends along the length direction of the crossbar, a plurality of rollers are rotatably connected in the mounting groove, and the bottom sides of the plurality of rollers protrude downward from the mounting groove.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the walking mechanism includes a first motor disposed in the body and a transmission shaft rotatably connected in the mounting slot. Multiple transmission shafts are spaced apart along the length direction of the mounting slot. The first motor is drivenly connected to multiple transmission shafts, and multiple rollers are respectively connected to multiple transmission shafts.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a mounting base is provided on the top side of the body, and the charger includes a fixed base and a movable base slidably connected to the fixed base. The movable base can slide in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal bar. An elastic member is provided between the fixed base and the movable base. The elastic member has a tendency to make the movable base slide on the fixed base to the middle of its stroke. A power receiving groove is provided on the side of the movable base near the charging connector. A power receiving piece is provided in the power receiving groove. A guide flare is formed between the two ends of the power receiving piece. The space of the guide flare gradually increases along the direction of the groove near the power receiving groove.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the housing includes a base and a sliding cover slidably connected to the base. A housing is provided on one side of the base, and two support seats are spaced apart on the top side of the base. A crossbar is connected between the two support seats, and the charger is connected to one of the support seats located above the crossbar. A driving device is provided on the base, and the driving device is connected to the sliding cover. The driving device can drive the sliding cover to slide closer to or away from the housing.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the driving device includes a second motor, a driven shaft, a gear and a rack. The second motor is connected to the base and drives the driven shaft. The gear is connected to the driven shaft, and the rack is connected to the inner side of the sliding cover. The gear and the rack mesh with each other.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly explained below. Obviously, the described drawings are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Those skilled in the art can obtain other design schemes and drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall perspective view of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a front view of the fuselage of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the charger of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the movable seat and the fixed seat after the top surface structure of the fixed seat is hidden.

[0022] In the attached diagram: 110-crossbar, 120-base, 121-support seat, 130-sliding cover, 141-second motor, 142-driven shaft, 143-rack, 200-charger, 210-fixed seat, 220-movable seat, 221-connection groove, 230-elastic element, 240-connection piece, 241-guide flare, 300-body, 310-roller, 311-annular groove, 320-charging connector, 330-guide frame, 340-battery compartment, 350-first detector, 360-mounting slot, 370-mounting seat, 380-second detector. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0026] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0027] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] In the description of this application, the use of terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example," "some instances," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," and "some examples" indicates that the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2According to a first aspect of the present invention, an automatic charging system for a drone includes a cabin, a charger 200, and a fuselage 300. A crossbar 110 is provided inside the cabin. The charger 200 is disposed inside the cabin, located beside one end of the crossbar 110. A walking mechanism is provided on the bottom side of the fuselage 300. The walking mechanism has multiple rollers 310 arranged along the length of the crossbar 110, and the multiple rollers 310 can rotate on the crossbar 110. A charging connector 320 is provided on the fuselage 300 corresponding to the position of the charger 200. Naturally, the charger 200 has a charging slot that can be paired and connected to the charging connector 320 on the fuselage 300. Multiple connecting arms are connected to the fuselage 300, and each connecting arm is connected to a drive motor. Each drive motor drives a propeller, thereby achieving overall lifting and lowering movement by rotating the propellers. The number of connecting arms can be four or six, etc.

[0030] As described above, a walking mechanism is provided on the bottom side of the fuselage 300. When it is necessary to inspect the power transmission line, it can crawl on the power transmission line through multiple rollers 310 on the bottom side. At this time, there is no need to configure a complex suspension and positioning structure on the fuselage 300 to realize relative movement and inspection of the transmission line. When it is necessary to charge, the fuselage 300 flies to the cabin and lands on the crossbar 110. At this time, it also uses the rollers 310 to crawl on the crossbar 110, so that the fuselage 300 reaches the charger 200 located on the side of the end of the crossbar 110. The charging connector 320 on the fuselage 300 is connected to the charger 200. In this way, the crawling movement of multiple rollers 310 can realize the docking of power transmission line inspection and automatic charging, which greatly reduces the number of structural components and control devices, and improves the reliability and convenience of the entire system.

[0031] To improve the stability of the rollers 310 as they crawl on the crossbar 110 and the power transmission line, in this embodiment, annular grooves 311 are provided on the outer periphery of the plurality of rollers 310, and the crossbar 110 extends into the plurality of annular grooves 311. The annular grooves 311 form a limiting structure, and when the rollers 310 crawl on the crossbar 110, the inner wall surface of the annular grooves 311 can better fit against the outer surface of the crossbar 110, making the rotation of the rollers 310 on the crossbar 110 more stable, thereby improving the accuracy of the pairing between the charging connector 320 and the charger 200.

[0032] To further improve the accuracy of the fuselage 300 when landing on the crossbar 110 and the power transmission line, in this embodiment, a guide group is provided on the bottom side of the fuselage 300. The guide group includes guide frames 330 located on both sides of the roller 310. The two guide frames 330 are respectively connected to the bottom side of the fuselage 300. The two guide frames 330 are inclined downward in a direction away from each other. Multiple guide groups are provided along the length of the crossbar 110. For example, two guide groups may be provided on the bottom side of the fuselage 300. In any guide group, the two guide frames 330 form a downwardly widening flared structure. When the machine body 300 lands on the crossbar 110 or the power transmission line, if the crossbar 110 or the power transmission line abuts against either guide frame 330, it will be tilted and guided to move relative to the roller 310, thereby adjusting the position of the machine body 300 so that the roller 310 is accurately lowered on the crossbar 110 or the power transmission line. Especially when automatic charging is required, it can improve the accuracy of the docking between the charging connector 320 and the charger 200 and reduce the overall docking accuracy requirements.

[0033] Furthermore, in the plurality of guide assemblies, battery compartments 340 are connected between the bottom sides of the plurality of guide frames 330 located on the same side. By forming battery compartments 340 on both sides below the fuselage 300, power sources that provide power to the entire aircraft can be installed in both battery compartments 340. During flight or crawling, the two power sources lower the center of gravity of the entire fuselage 300, making the aircraft fly or travel on guide wires more stably. In practical applications, connecting rods are also connected between the two battery compartments 340 and the fuselage 300 to improve the stability of the connection between the battery compartments 340 and the fuselage 300.

[0034] In some embodiments, a first detector 350 is disposed on the top side of the battery compartment 340, with the detection direction of the first detector 350 facing upward. Since the battery compartment 340 is positioned below the fuselage 300, the first detector 350 for detecting transmission lines can be installed on the battery compartment 340, allowing for a more comprehensive inspection of the transmission lines, effectively reducing blind spots and preventing missed detections. In practical applications, the first detector 350 can also employ a visible light camera or an infrared camera. The visible light camera can detect damage and dirt on the surface of the insulator, while the infrared camera can detect the heating of the insulator.

[0035] To facilitate the installation of the rollers 310, in this embodiment, a mounting groove 360 ​​is provided on the bottom side of the machine body 300. The mounting groove 360 ​​extends along the length of the crossbar 110, and multiple rollers 310 are rotatably connected within the mounting groove 360. The bottom sides of the multiple rollers 310 protrude downwards from the mounting groove 360. The mounting groove 360 ​​provides space for the installation of multiple rollers 310, facilitating the stable installation of multiple rollers 310 into the machine body 300, and allowing them to protrude downwards from the machine body 300 to achieve a crawling function, resulting in a more compact overall structure.

[0036] The walking mechanism has a drive source capable of rotating multiple rollers 310. This could be achieved by configuring multiple motors to drive the rollers 310 individually. However, in this embodiment, a single motor drives the multiple rollers 310. Specifically, the walking mechanism includes a first motor disposed within the fuselage 300 and a transmission shaft rotatably connected to the mounting slot 360. Multiple transmission shafts are spaced apart along the length of the mounting slot 360. The first motor is driveably connected to the multiple transmission shafts, and the multiple rollers 310 are respectively connected to the multiple transmission shafts. The first motor transmits power to the multiple transmission wheels, thereby driving the rollers 310 on the transmission shafts to rotate. In practical applications, worm gear reducers can be installed at positions corresponding to the multiple transmission shafts. The worm gear reducers can both redirect the power of the first motor to the rollers 310 and provide a self-locking function when the drone stops moving, which helps prevent the drone from easily slipping due to slight external forces.

[0037] In some embodiments, a mounting base 370 is provided on the top side of the housing 300, and a second detector 380 is provided on the mounting base 370, with the detection direction of the second detector 380 facing downward. The mounting base 370 provides a mounting support for the second detector 380, enabling the second detector 380 to better detect the transmission lines located below. Thus, detectors are present both above and below the housing 300, effectively reducing blind spots and preventing missed detections. In practical applications, the second detector 380 can also be a visible light camera or an infrared camera. The visible light camera can detect damage and dirt on the surface of the insulator, while the infrared camera can detect the heating of the insulator.

[0038] To ensure that the charging connector 320 can more accurately mate with the charger 200, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, in this embodiment, the charger 200 includes a fixed base 210 and a movable base 220 slidably connected to the fixed base 210. The movable base 220 can slide horizontally perpendicular to the crossbar 110. An elastic member 230 is provided between the fixed base 210 and the movable base 220. The elastic member 230 has a tendency to allow the movable base 220 to slide on the fixed base 210 to the middle of its travel. A charging groove 221 is provided on the side of the movable base 220 near the charging connector 320. The electrical receiving groove 221 is provided with an electrical receiving piece 240. A guide flare 241 is formed between the two ends of the electrical receiving piece 240. The space of the guide flare 241 gradually increases along the direction close to the groove of the electrical receiving groove 221. In practical applications, the elastic element 230 can be an elastic structure such as a spring or elastic rubber. The elastic element 230 can be provided on both sides of the movable seat 220 and the fixed seat 210 respectively, so as to provide elastic force on both sides of the movable seat 220 and better maintain the relative position of the movable seat 220 on the fixed seat 210. The movable seat 220 has the freedom to slide horizontally perpendicular to the crossbar 110 on the fixed seat 210. The movable seat 220 is floatingly positioned at the middle of its stroke by the elastic member 230. The movable seat 220 is provided with a charging groove 221 for the charging connector 320 to be inserted. The charging piece 240 in the charging groove 221 first brings its two ends together to clamp and position the charging connector 320. Then it extends outward in a direction away from each other to form a guide flare 241 that gradually widens towards the opening of the charging groove 221. When the charging connector 320 is inserted into the charging groove 221, the guide flare 241 allows the movable seat 220 to slide on the fixed seat 210, so that the charging connector 320 can be accurately inserted into the charging piece 240 to form a stable electrical connection. This reduces the docking accuracy required when the charging connector 320 is aligned with the charger 200 and improves the reliability of the UAV docking and charging.

[0039] The housing may have an openable structure to provide enclosed protection for the charger 200 and the drone during charging. In this embodiment, the housing includes a base 120 and a sliding cover 130 slidably connected to the base 120. A housing is provided on one side of the base 120, and two support seats 121 are spaced apart on the top side of the base 120. A crossbar 110 is connected between the two support seats 121. The charger 200 is connected to one of the support seats 121 located above the crossbar 110. A driving device is provided on the base 120, and the driving device is connected to the sliding cover 130. The driving device can drive the sliding cover 130 to slide closer to or away from the housing. The housing can accommodate electrical components such as a heat sink and a controller. The base 120 has a structure that provides support and positioning for the crossbar 110, and the charger 200 can be installed on one of the support seats 121. When the device 300 needs to be charged, the drive device moves the sliding cover 130 away from the housing, exposing the base 120. After the device 300 is lowered onto the crossbar 110, the drive device moves the sliding cover 130 closer to the housing to cover the base 120. At this time, the sliding cover 130 and the base 120 form a space that can accommodate the device 300 and other structures, effectively reducing external interference to the device 300.

[0040] The drive device is mainly used to provide driving force for the sliding cover 130 to reciprocate in a linear direction. It can have various structural forms, such as a cylinder, electric lead screw, or hydraulic cylinder. In this embodiment, the drive device includes a second motor 141, a driven shaft 142, and a gear and rack 143. The second motor 141 is connected to the base 120 and drives the driven shaft 142. The gear is connected to the driven shaft 142, and the rack 143 is connected to the inner side of the sliding cover 130. The gear and rack 143 mesh with each other. When it is necessary to move the sliding cover 130, the second motor 141 drives the gear to rotate through the driven shaft 142. Because the gear and rack 143 mesh, power can be transmitted to the sliding cover 130, causing the sliding cover 130 to slide on the base 120, thus improving the accuracy of controlling the sliding of the sliding cover 130. In practical applications, gears can be provided at both ends of the driven shaft 142, and racks 143 can be provided on both sides of the sliding cover 130. The two gears mesh with the two racks 143 respectively, thereby providing driving force on both sides of the sliding cover 130 and improving the stability of the sliding cover 130.

[0041] Two limit switches are provided on the base 120 at a position where the sliding cover 130 slides away from the chassis. Two trigger protrusions are provided on the inside of the sliding cover 130. When the sliding cover 130 slides away from the chassis to open the base 120, one trigger protrusion contacts one of the limit switches, thus determining that the sliding cover 130 has slid to the correct position. When the sliding cover 130 slides closer to the chassis to close the base 120, the other trigger protrusion contacts the other limit switch, thus determining that the sliding cover 130 has closed the base 120.

[0042] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that: include: The cabin is equipped with crossbars (110). A charger (200) is disposed inside the machine compartment, and the charger (200) is located on one side of one end of the crossbar (110); The body (300) has a walking mechanism on its bottom side. The walking mechanism has multiple rollers (310) arranged along the length direction of the crossbar (110). The multiple rollers (310) can rotate on the crossbar (110). The body (300) has a charging connector (320) at the position corresponding to the charger (200).

2. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the plurality of rollers (310) is provided with annular grooves (311), and the crossbar (110) extends into the plurality of annular grooves (311).

3. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guide group is provided on the bottom side of the body (300). The guide group includes guide frames (330) located on both sides of the roller (310). The two guide frames (330) are respectively connected to the bottom side of the body (300). The two guide frames (330) are inclined downward in a direction away from each other. The guide group has multiple members along the length of the crossbar (110).

4. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the plurality of guide groups, a battery compartment (340) is connected between the bottom sides of the plurality of guide frames (330) located on the same side.

5. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 4, characterized in that: A first detector (350) is provided on the top side of the battery compartment (340), and the detection direction of the first detector (350) is upward.

6. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom side of the body (300) is provided with a mounting groove (360), which extends along the length of the crossbar (110). A plurality of rollers (310) are rotatably connected in the mounting groove (360), and the bottom sides of the plurality of rollers (310) protrude downward from the mounting groove (360).

7. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 6, characterized in that: The walking mechanism includes a first motor disposed in the body (300) and a drive shaft rotatably connected in the mounting slot (360). Multiple drive shafts are spaced apart along the length of the mounting slot (360). The first motor is driven to multiple drive shafts, and multiple rollers (310) are respectively connected to multiple drive shafts.

8. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The charger (200) includes a fixed base (210) and a movable base (220) slidably connected to the fixed base (210). The movable base (220) can slide in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal bar (110). An elastic element (230) is provided between the fixed base (210) and the movable base (220). The elastic element (230) has a tendency to make the movable base (220) slide on the fixed base (210) to the middle of its stroke. A charging groove (221) is provided on the side of the movable base (220) near the charging connector (320). A charging piece (240) is provided in the charging groove (221). A guide flare (241) is formed between the two ends of the charging piece (240). The space of the guide flare (241) gradually increases along the groove direction near the charging groove (221).

9. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing includes a base (120) and a sliding cover (130) slidably connected to the base (120). A housing is provided on one side of the base (120). Two support seats (121) are spaced apart on the top side of the base (120). A crossbar (110) is connected between the two support seats (121). The charger (200) is connected to one of the support seats (121) located above the crossbar (110). A driving device is provided on the base (120). The driving device is connected to the sliding cover (130) and can drive the sliding cover (130) to slide closer to or away from the housing.

10. The automatic charging system for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 9, characterized in that: The driving device includes a second motor (141), a driven shaft (142), a gear and a rack (143). The second motor (141) is connected to the base (120). The second motor (141) drives the driven shaft (142). The gear is connected to the driven shaft (142). The rack (143) is connected to the inner side of the sliding cover (130). The gear and the rack (143) mesh with each other.

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