A drone rotor folding mechanism and a drone comprising the same

Abstract

The application provides a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle rotor storage folding mechanism and unmanned aerial vehicle consisting of it, belong to unmanned aerial vehicle technical field, mechanism includes fuselage connecting part, mirror image setting arm assembly, four-bar linkage, synchronous control mechanism and limit locking mechanism. Wherein, four-bar linkage is connected by fixed link, first movement link, second movement link and third movement link hinge, realize arm along predetermined trajectory deployment and storage;Synchronous control mechanism is translated into slide rail translation by slide rail, parallel shaft and protrusion cooperation, and forcibly drives the synchronous mirror image movement of the other side arm;Limit locking mechanism adopts spring cam structure, and automatically mechanically locks when arm moves to deployment or storage terminal;The application realizes the synchronization, smooth folding and reliable locking of unmanned aerial vehicle arm;The application simultaneously provides unmanned aerial vehicle containing above-mentioned mechanism, significantly improves the portability and user experience of product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drone technology, specifically to a drone rotor folding and storage mechanism and a drone composed of it. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, drones are widely used in various fields such as aerial photography, surveying, logistics, and entertainment due to their flexibility and convenience. To improve the portability of drones, most products are designed with foldable arm structures for easy transportation and storage.

[0003] In existing technologies, the folding function of drone arms mainly relies on a single spring-driven pivot mechanism. Each arm is independently equipped with an independent pivot and spring mechanism, and the unfolding and folding of a single arm is achieved through manual or automatic drive. The advantage of this structure is its simple design and few parts, but it also has the following obvious drawbacks:

[0004] Asynchronous folding and lack of unified control: Because each arm folds independently, each arm must be handled individually during operation, making it impossible to achieve synchronous and angled folding and unfolding of multiple arms. This results in cumbersome user operation steps, a poor user experience, and low efficiency during rapid deployment or storage. Non-optimal storage volume: The independent folding mechanism makes it difficult to accurately coordinate the final position of each arm in the stored state. The arms often cannot be folded towards the center of the fuselage in the most compact way, resulting in a large overall envelope volume of the drone in the folded state. This fails to fully utilize space to achieve the minimum storage size, affecting portability. Unreliable status locking: Existing limiting methods using simple springs or buckles are prone to accidental rebound or loosening of the arms when the drone is subjected to vibration or external impact, leading to structural instability during flight or in the stored state, posing a safety hazard.

[0005] In summary, existing drone folding mechanisms are inadequate in terms of ease of operation, space efficiency during storage, and reliability of status locking. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a novel mechanism for the storage and folding of drone rotors and the drones thereof, which enables synchronous and coordinated folding of multiple arms, ensures minimal storage volume, and provides reliable position locking, thereby improving user experience and product performance.

[0007] Technical solution: The present invention provides a drone rotor folding and storage mechanism, comprising a fuselage connecting part, at least one pair of mirror-arranged arm assemblies, a four-bar linkage, a synchronization control mechanism, and a limit locking mechanism; the two sides of the fuselage connecting part are respectively connected to the arm assemblies through the four-bar linkage.

[0008] The four-bar linkage includes a fixed link fixedly connected to the fuselage connection; a first moving link hinged to the end of the fixed link away from the fuselage connection via a first pivot; a third moving link hinged to the end of the first moving link away from the fixed link via a second pivot; a second moving link hinged to the end of the third moving link away from the first moving link via a third pivot; and a fixed link hinged to the end of the second moving link away from the third moving link via a fourth pivot. The third moving link is connected to the arm assembly. A synchronization control mechanism is connected to the four-bar linkage to ensure that the arm assemblies on both sides remain synchronized and rotate at the same angle during deployment or retraction. A limit locking mechanism is provided on the four-bar linkage to lock the arm assembly when it moves to the deployment or retraction position.

[0009] This invention uses a four-bar linkage as the core motion framework to connect the fuselage and arms. When the user operates the arms, each link in the four-bar linkage rotates around its hinge point, causing the arms to move along a predetermined trajectory, achieving the transition between deployed (flight mode) and retracted (portable mode). A synchronization control mechanism ensures that the angles of both arms are completely consistent during movement; a limit locking mechanism reliably locks the arms when they reach a preset position, preventing accidental rebound or loosening.

[0010] Furthermore, the synchronization control mechanism includes a slide rail, a parallel shaft, and protrusions on the parallel shaft; the slide rail is tangent to the parallel shaft and slides along the parallel shaft, and the slide rail is provided with guide grooves corresponding to the protrusions; the parallel shaft is fixedly connected to the first motion link, and the protrusions at both ends of the parallel shaft are respectively engaged in the guide grooves on both sides; when one side of the arm assembly rotates, it drives the first motion link and the parallel shaft on that side to rotate, and through the movement of the protrusions in the guide grooves, it drives the slide rail to translate, and then through the slide rail, it drives the protrusions and the parallel shaft on the other side, so that the first motion link and the arm assembly on the other side can achieve mirror synchronous movement.

[0011] When one arm rotates, it drives its corresponding first motion linkage to rotate, thereby driving the parallel shaft fixed to it to rotate. The protrusion on the shaft moves within the guide groove of the slide rail, converting the rotational motion into linear translation of the slide rail. Since the slide rail connects the protrusions on both sides, its translational motion synchronously drives the protrusion on the other side and the shaft, thus driving the other arm to achieve a completely mirror-image synchronous motion.

[0012] Furthermore, the limit locking mechanism is a spring cam mechanism, including a rotating cam, a limit cam, and an elastic element;

[0013] The rotary cam is fixedly connected to the shaft of the first moving link of the four-bar linkage and rotates with it; the limiting cam is linearly movable and mounted on the base, with one end in contact with the contour surface of the rotary cam; the elastic element provides a preload force to the limiting cam to press it against the rotary cam; when the arm assembly rotates to the preset unfolding or retracting position, the limiting cam is engaged in the corresponding groove on the rotary cam under the action of the elastic element, thereby achieving position locking.

[0014] When the arm rotates, the shaft of the first motion linkage drives the rotary cam to rotate. The cam profile pushes the limit cam to move linearly and compresses the elastic element. When the shaft rotates to the preset angle of unfolding or retracting, the groove on the rotary cam aligns with the limit cam, the elastic element releases its elastic force, and pushes the limit cam into the groove, achieving mechanical locking. In reverse operation, a certain external force must be applied to disengage the limit cam from the groove before the mechanism can continue to move.

[0015] Furthermore, the elastic element is a compression spring. The compression spring stores elastic potential energy when the limiting cam is lifted by the rotating cam, and releases the energy when the groove is aligned, pushing the limiting cam to engage.

[0016] Furthermore, the dimensions and hinge point positions of the four-bar linkage are designed such that when the arm assembly is in the extended state, the third motion link is on the same horizontal plane as the body connection; when the arm assembly is in the retracted state, the four-bar linkage retracts towards the center of the body and fits tightly.

[0017] By precisely designing the length of the four links and the position of each hinge point, the third moving link (connecting the arm) and the fixed link (connecting the fuselage) are on the same plane when the mechanism is deployed, forming a stable flight platform; when it is retracted, the links retract so that the arm is close to the fuselage, achieving the minimum envelope volume.

[0018] Furthermore, there are two arm assemblies, which are connected to the fuselage connection part through a four-bar linkage, a synchronization control mechanism, and a limit locking mechanism, respectively. The mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the fuselage, and each side contains a complete four-bar linkage, synchronization control, and limit locking subsystem, which achieves bi-lateral linkage through the synchronization mechanism in the middle.

[0019] A drone includes a drone rotor storage and folding mechanism as described above.

[0020] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0021] (1) The present invention uses a four-bar linkage as the core motion skeleton. Through precise size and hinge point design, the arm is kept on the same plane as the body when it is extended and is tightly folded to the side of the body when it is stored. This makes the drone structurally stable and aesthetically pleasing when it is extended, and obtains the minimum envelope volume when it is stored, which significantly reduces the overall storage size and greatly improves portability, making it easier for users to store and operate.

[0022] (2) The present invention uses a synchronous control mechanism consisting of a cam and a slide rail to convert the rotation of one side arm into the linear motion of the slide rail and mechanically transmit it to the other side arm. This design ensures that the left and right arms remain synchronized and rotate at the same angle during folding and unfolding, achieving the "one-fold synchronization" operation effect, eliminating the trouble of users adjusting one by one, making the folding and unfolding of the whole machine smooth and symmetrical, and extremely easy to operate.

[0023] (3) The present invention provides a spring cam type limit locking mechanism at the pivot of the motion link. When the arm rotates to the preset unfolding or retracting position, the mechanism can automatically lock the limit cam into the corresponding groove of the rotating cam by the spring force, forming a mechanical self-lock. This design provides the arm with a clear and reliable positioning locking function, effectively preventing the arm from accidentally folding back or loosening due to vibration or accidental contact during the flight or transport of the UAV, thereby ensuring the safety and stability of the use process. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the extended state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is another perspective view of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the extended state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the intermediate state of the arm's movement in this invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is another perspective view of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the middle state of the arm's movement in this invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the retracted state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is another perspective view of the four-bar linkage mechanism in the retracted state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous control mechanism in the extended state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0031] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous control mechanism in the intermediate state of the arm's movement in this invention;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the synchronous control mechanism in the retracted state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting and locking mechanism in the extended state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting and locking mechanism in the intermediate state of the arm movement in this invention;

[0035] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting and locking mechanism in the retracted state of the robotic arm in this invention;

[0036] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in Example 2. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a drone rotor folding and storage mechanism for achieving synchronous folding, unfolding, and reliable locking of the drone arms. The mechanism mainly includes: a fuselage connection part 1, a pair of mirror-aligned arm assemblies 2, two sets of four-bar linkages 3, a synchronization control mechanism 4, and two sets of limit locking mechanisms 5.

[0040] The fuselage connection part 1 is a rigid plate or frame structure used to fix it to the main body of the UAV, serving as the installation base for the entire mechanism.

[0041] The arm assembly 2 includes an arm body and a rotor motor mounting base (not shown in detail in the figure) located at its end. The inner end of each arm assembly 2 is fixedly connected to the output end of a four-bar linkage 3.

[0042] The four-bar linkage 3 is the core of the drive arm assembly 2 to move along a specific trajectory. Taking the mechanism on the left side of the machine body as an example, it includes a fixed link 31, a first moving link 32, a second moving link 33, and a third moving link 34 as an output link.

[0043] One end of the fixed connecting rod 31 is fixedly connected to the body connecting part 1 by bolts or welding, and remains stationary throughout the movement. One end of the first moving connecting rod 32 is hinged to the other end of the fixed connecting rod 31 via a first rotating shaft 61, allowing the first moving connecting rod 32 to rotate around the first rotating shaft 61. One end of the third moving connecting rod 34, which is fixed to the arm assembly 2, is hinged to the other end of the first moving connecting rod 32 via a second rotating shaft 62. One end of the second moving connecting rod 33 is hinged to the other end of the third moving connecting rod 34 via a third rotating shaft 63. The other end of the second moving connecting rod 33 is hinged to another point on the fixed connecting rod 31 via a fourth rotating shaft 64.

[0044] Thus, the fixed link 31, the first moving link 32, the third moving link 34, and the second moving link 33 are hinged end to end through four pivots (61, 62, 63, 64), forming a complete planar four-bar linkage system. By precisely designing the length of each link and the position of the hinge points (61, 64) on the fixed link 31, the trajectory of the third moving link 33 (i.e., the arm assembly 2) is strictly limited when the mechanism moves: in the fully extended position, the arm assembly 2 and the body connection part 1 are approximately on the same horizontal plane; in the fully retracted position, the arm assembly 2 retracts inward, close to or parallel to the center plane of the body, achieving the minimum retracted volume.

[0045] The synchronization control mechanism 4 is used to force the left and right arm assemblies 2 to move synchronously. It includes a slide rail 41 that can translate along the front-rear direction of the machine body, a horizontally arranged parallel shaft 42, and protrusions 43 fixed at both ends of the parallel shaft 42. The slide rail 41 is slidably mounted on the fixed connecting rods 31 on both sides via a slide groove or guide rail. The slide rail 41 is tangent to the parallel shaft 42 and slides along the parallel shaft 42. The slide rail 41 has a guide groove 44 that matches the shape of the protrusion 43. The parallel shaft 42 is rotatably inserted through the second rotating shaft 62 of the first moving connecting rods 32 on both sides. During transmission, when the user rotates one side of the arm assembly 2, the first moving connecting rod 32 on that side drives the parallel shaft 42 to rotate, and the protrusion 43 on it rotates accordingly. Under the constraint of the guide groove 44, the rotational motion is converted into linear translation of the slide rail 41. Since the slide rail 41 simultaneously drives the protrusion 43 on the other side, it forces the parallel shaft 42 and the first motion link 32 on the other side to rotate in a completely mirror image, ultimately achieving synchronous folding and unfolding of the two arm assemblies 2 with the same angle.

[0046] The limiting locking mechanism 5 is a spring cam mechanism, with two sets, respectively located at the first rotating shaft 61 of the first moving link 32 of the four-bar linkage 3 on both sides. Each set includes a rotating cam 51, a limiting cam 52, and a compression spring 53 as an elastic element. The rotating cam 51 is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft 61 and rotates together with the first moving link 32. The limiting cam 52 is linearly slidable on a base fixed to the body connection part 1 in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft, with one end always pressing against the contour surface of the rotating cam 51 under the preload of the compression spring 53. When the arm assembly 2 rotates to a preset angle of full extension or full retraction, a specific groove on the rotating cam 51 rotates to the front of the limiting cam 52. The limiting cam 52 quickly engages the groove under the push of the compression spring 53, producing a "click" sound and providing a clear mechanical locking feel, preventing the arm from moving accidentally during airflow impact or handling. To unlock, an external force sufficient to overcome the spring force and disengage the limiting cam 52 from the groove must be applied.

[0047] Example 2

[0048] A drone includes a fuselage 6, and the two sides of the fuselage 6 are connected to the drone rotor storage and folding mechanism mentioned in Embodiment 1 via fuselage connecting parts 1.

[0049] Specifically, the drone includes a fuselage, a flight control system, a power system (battery, ESC, etc.), and four rotors. Two sets of drone rotor folding mechanisms, as described in detail in Example 1, are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the fuselage. The fuselage connection part 1 of each mechanism is fixedly connected to the drone fuselage, and a rotor motor and propeller are mounted at the end of its arm assembly 2.

[0050] When the user needs to store the drone, simply hold one arm assembly 2 with one hand and rotate it inward to fold it. Under the action of the synchronization control mechanism 4, the other arm assembly 2 will automatically and synchronously fold inward. When the arm reaches its position, the limiting locking mechanisms 5 on both sides will make a "click" sound and lock, at which point the drone is in a compact storage state, making it easy to put into a backpack. When it needs to be unfolded for use, pull the arm outward to the fully unfolded position, and the limiting locking mechanism 5 will lock again, and the drone will enter a stable flight ready state.

[0051] As described above, although the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments, it should not be construed as limiting the invention itself. Various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drone rotor folding and storage mechanism, characterized in that: It includes a fuselage connection part (1), at least one pair of mirror-arranged arm assemblies (2), a four-bar linkage (3), a synchronization control mechanism (4), and a limit locking mechanism (5); the two sides of the fuselage connection part (1) are respectively connected to the arm assemblies (2) through the four-bar linkage (3). The four-bar linkage (3) includes a fixed link (31) fixedly connected to the body connection part (1), a first moving link (32) hinged at one end of the fixed link (31) away from the body connection part (1) via a first pivot (61), a third moving link (34) hinged at one end of the first moving link (32) away from the fixed link (31) via a second pivot (62), a second moving link (33) hinged at one end of the third moving link (34) away from the first moving link (32) via a third pivot (63), and a fixed link (31) hinged at one end of the second moving link (33) away from the third moving link (34) via a fourth pivot (64); the third moving link (34) is connected to the arm assembly (2); The synchronization control mechanism (4) is connected to the four-bar linkage (3). The synchronization control mechanism (4) is used to ensure that the arm assemblies (2) on both sides remain synchronized and rotate at the same angle during the unfolding or retraction process. The synchronization control mechanism (4) includes a slide rail (41), a parallel shaft (42), and a protrusion (43) provided on the parallel shaft (42). The slide rail (41) is tangent to the parallel shaft (42) and slides on the parallel shaft (42). The slide rail (41) is provided with a guide groove (44) corresponding to the protrusion (43). The parallel shaft (42) is fixedly connected to the first moving link (32), and the protrusions (43) at both ends of the parallel shaft (42) are respectively inserted into the guide grooves (44) on both sides; When the arm assembly (2) on one side rotates, it drives the first motion link (32) and the parallel shaft (42) on that side to rotate. Through the movement of the protrusion (43) in the guide groove (44), the slide rail (41) is driven to translate. Then, through the slide rail (41), the protrusion (43) and the parallel shaft (42) on the other side are driven, so that the first motion link (32) and the arm assembly (2) on the other side can achieve mirror synchronous movement. The limiting locking mechanism (5) is disposed on the four-bar linkage (3) and is used to lock the arm assembly (2) when it moves to the unfolded position or the retracted position.

2. The drone rotor folding and storage mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting locking mechanism (5) is a spring cam mechanism, including a rotating cam (51), a limiting cam (52), and an elastic element (53). The rotating cam (51) is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft (61) of the first moving link (32) and rotates with it; the limiting cam (52) is linearly mounted on the base, with one end of it contacting the contour surface of the rotating cam (51); the elastic element (53) provides a preload force to the limiting cam (52) to press it against the rotating cam (51); when the arm assembly (2) rotates to the preset unfolding or retracting position, the limiting cam (52) is engaged in the corresponding groove on the rotating cam (51) under the action of the elastic element (53) to achieve position locking.

3. The drone rotor folding and storage mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic element (53) is a compression spring.

4. The drone rotor folding and storage mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dimensions and hinge point positions of the four-bar linkage (3) are designed such that when the arm assembly (2) is in the extended state, the third motion link (34) and the body connection part (1) are on the same horizontal plane; when the arm assembly (2) is in the retracted state, the four-bar linkage (3) retracts towards the center of the body and fits tightly.

5. A drone rotor folding and storage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The number of the arm assemblies (2) is two, which are connected to the body connection part (1) through the four-bar linkage (3), the synchronization control mechanism (4), and the limit locking mechanism (5), respectively.

6. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), characterized in that: Includes the drone rotor storage and folding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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