Unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of achieving automatic opening and locking

Abstract

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of achieving automatic opening and locking. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism comprises a hinge connecting rod movement mechanism and a push rod assembly. Through unique mechanical structure combination and optimization design, the unmanned aerial vehicle arm locking mechanism has the remarkable beneficial effects that the comprehensive requirements of automatic folding, unfolding and locking of an unmanned aerial vehicle arm are successfully met in function implementation, the limitation that a traditional locking mechanism is single in function is broken through, and the locking mechanism is suitable for popularization and application. The unmanned aerial vehicle can be deployed and stored more quickly and conveniently in various application scenes, the unmanned aerial vehicle is particularly suitable for scenes such as emergency rescue and field operation with extremely high response speed requirements, and the working efficiency is greatly improved; from the aspect of structural design, the mechanism is simple in structural composition and few in part number, so that the difficulty and cost of machining and assembling are reduced, fault points possibly occurring due to the fact that the parts are numerous are reduced, the stability and reliability of the mechanism are remarkably improved, and the service life of the unmanned aerial vehicle is effectively prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of drone folding arm technology, specifically relating to a drone folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism that can automatically open and lock. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, drones are increasingly widely used in many fields such as aerial photography, logistics, surveying and mapping, and agricultural plant protection. In the design structure of drones, the arm is a key component that carries the power unit and some functional modules. Its ease of folding and unfolding, stability and reliability have an important impact on the overall performance and user experience of the drone.

[0003] Currently, the locking mechanisms used in drone arm folding are relatively simple, mostly employing common traditional structures such as ordinary spring latches and threaded sleeves. Spring latch locking mechanisms typically rely on the spring force to maintain the arm's locking state. During unfolding and folding operations, manual overcoming of the spring force is required, making automated unfolding and locking impossible and cumbersome. Furthermore, frequent operation can lead to spring fatigue and failure, affecting the reliability of the locking mechanism. Threaded sleeve locking mechanisms fix the arm through the engagement of threads. Unfolding and folding require manual rotation of the threaded sleeve, which is not only slow but also prone to thread wear after prolonged use, leading to insecure locking or even loosening, affecting the drone's flight safety. Furthermore, these traditional locking mechanisms primarily focus on fixing the arms, failing to meet the comprehensive functional requirement of automatically folding, unfolding, and locking the arms. With the trend of drones moving towards intelligence and automation, the need for arms to automatically fold, unfold, and lock is becoming increasingly urgent. For example, in scenarios requiring rapid deployment and storage of drones, such as emergency rescue and field operations, the manual operation required by traditional locking mechanisms makes the entire process time-consuming and inefficient, failing to meet the need for rapid response. Moreover, as drone application scenarios continue to expand, in environments with stringent space requirements, such as confined indoor spaces or complex terrain, traditional locking mechanisms are also difficult to meet practical needs due to their inconvenient operation.

[0004] From a market perspective, there is currently a lack of innovative locking mechanisms specifically designed for the automatic folding, unfolding, and locking of drone arms. Existing drone locking mechanisms cannot meet the increasingly diverse usage needs in terms of functionality, nor have they achieved breakthroughs or innovations in terms of principle, resulting in a significant market gap. Therefore, developing an innovative mechanism that can achieve the automatic folding, unfolding, and locking of drone arms is of great practical significance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a drone folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism that can automatically open and lock, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a drone folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism that can automatically open and lock, comprising a hinge linkage motion mechanism and a push rod assembly;

[0007] The hinge linkage motion mechanism includes a movable arm section, a movable hinge fixed to the end of the movable arm section, a fixed arm section, a fixed hinge fixed to the end of the fixed arm section, a hinge shaft connecting the movable hinge and the fixed hinge, a support link, a push-open link, a link pin, a guide pin seat fixed to the outside of the movable hinge, a push-open guide pin mounted on the guide pin seat, a locking shaft seat fixed to the outside of the fixed hinge, and an unfolding lock mounted on the fixed hinge via a locking shaft. The front end of the support link is hinged to the hinge shaft, and the front end of the push-open link is movably connected to the guide pin seat via a push-open guide pin.

[0008] The push rod assembly includes an electric push rod mounting base, an electric push rod body, and an electric push rod mounting pin. The electric push rod mounting base is fixed inside the fixed section of the machine arm. The electric push rod mounting pin hinges the tail of the electric push rod body to the electric push rod mounting base. The electric push rod body has an electric push rod telescopic rod that can extend and retract relative to the electric push rod body.

[0009] Preferably, the hinge linkage mechanism further includes a torsion spring connected between the locking pivot and the unfolding lock.

[0010] Preferably, the outer side of the movable hinge section is integrally provided with a beveled protrusion corresponding to the unfolding latch.

[0011] Preferably, the front end of the electric actuator telescopic rod is hinged to the rear end of the support connecting rod and the opening connecting rod via a connecting rod pin.

[0012] Preferably, the inner side of the unfolding latch is fixed with a curved boss corresponding to the front end of the push-opening connecting rod, relative to the inner side of the fixed section hinge.

[0013] Preferably, the supporting link is L-shaped, the opening link is Y-shaped, and the guide pin seat is U-shaped.

[0014] Preferably, the unfolding latch has a hook at one end and a flat end at the other.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Through a unique combination and optimized design of mechanical structures, this invention brings about several significant benefits: In terms of functional implementation, it successfully meets the comprehensive requirements of automatic folding, unfolding, and locking of the drone's arms, breaking through the limitations of the single function of traditional locking mechanisms. This allows drones to be deployed and stored more quickly and conveniently in various application scenarios, especially suitable for scenarios with extremely high response speed requirements, such as emergency rescue and field operations, greatly improving work efficiency. From a structural design perspective, the mechanism has a simple structure and few parts, which not only reduces the difficulty and cost of processing and assembly but also reduces potential failure points due to numerous parts, thereby significantly improving the stability and reliability of the mechanism and effectively extending the service life of the drone. In terms of control and implementation, the ingenious design avoids the addition of additional actuators, simplifies the control process, reduces the difficulty and complexity of functional implementation, and reduces the corresponding equipment and effort investment. At the same time, due to the small number of parts and optimized structure, it does not add too much weight to the drone, which helps to improve the overall performance and endurance of the drone, making it more flexible and stable during flight, further expanding the application scope and market competitiveness of the drone. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge linkage motion mechanism of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the push rod assembly of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the robotic arm after folding and before unfolding in this invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the latch being pushed open during the arm deployment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the state where the arm of the present invention has been deployed and locked.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the state where the latch is pushed open during the folding of the arm of the present invention;

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Hinge linkage mechanism; 11. Arm moving section; 12. Moving section hinge; 121. Inclined boss; 13. Hinge shaft; 14. Fixed section hinge; 15. Arm fixed section; 16. Support link; 17. Push-open link; 18. Link pin; 19. Push-open guide pin; 110. Guide pin seat; 111. Unlocking latch; 1111. Curved boss; 112. Torsion spring; 113. Locking latch pivot; 114. Locking latch pivot seat; 2. Push rod assembly; 21. Electric push rod body; 22. Electric push rod telescopic rod; 23. Electric push rod fixing seat; 24. Electric push rod mounting pin. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 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.

[0025] Example

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 7 The present invention provides the following technical solution: a drone folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism that can automatically open and lock, including a hinge linkage motion mechanism 1 and a push rod assembly 2, wherein the hinge linkage motion mechanism 1 is an important component for realizing the folding, unfolding and locking functions of the drone arm, and the push rod assembly 2 is the key to the automated realization of the folding, unfolding and locking functions of the drone arm;

[0027] The hinge linkage motion mechanism 1 includes a movable arm section 11, a movable section hinge 12 fixed to the end of the movable arm section 11, a fixed arm section 15, a fixed section hinge 14 fixed to the end of the fixed arm section 15, a hinge shaft 13 connecting the movable section hinge 12 and the fixed section hinge 14, a support link 16, a push-open link 17, a link pin 18, a guide pin seat 110 fixed to the outside of the movable section hinge 12, a push-open guide pin 19 mounted on the guide pin seat 110, a locking shaft seat 114 fixed to the outside of the fixed section hinge 14, and an unfolding lock 111 rotatably mounted on the fixed section hinge 14 via the locking shaft 113. The front end of the support link 16 is hinged to the hinge shaft 13, and the front end of the push-open link 17 is movably connected to the guide pin seat 110 via the push-open guide pin 19.

[0028] The push rod assembly 2 includes an electric push rod fixing seat 23, an electric push rod body 21, and an electric push rod mounting pin 24. The electric push rod fixing seat 23 is fixed inside the arm fixing section 15. The electric push rod mounting pin 24 hinges the tail of the electric push rod body 21 to the electric push rod fixing seat 23. The electric push rod body 21 has an electric push rod telescopic rod 22 that can telescopically move relative to the electric push rod body 21.

[0029] In this embodiment, preferably, the hinge linkage motion mechanism 1 further includes a torsion spring 112 connected between the locking pivot 113 and the unfolding lock 111.

[0030] In this embodiment, preferably, the outer side of the movable hinge 12 is integrally provided with a sloping boss 121 corresponding to the unfolding latch 111.

[0031] In this embodiment, preferably, the front end of the electric actuator telescopic rod 22 is hinged to the rear end of the support connecting rod 16 and the opening connecting rod 17 via the connecting rod pin 18.

[0032] In this embodiment, preferably, the inner side of the unfolding latch 111 is fixed with a curved boss 1111 corresponding to the front end of the push-opening connecting rod 17, relative to the inner side of the fixed section hinge 14.

[0033] In this embodiment, preferably, the support link 16 is L-shaped, with one end being the same thickness as the body and having a pin hole A, and the other end being open with a pin hole B. The pin hole B is parallel to the axis of the pin hole A. The pin hole A is mounted on the hinge shaft 13 located between the movable hinge 12 and the fixed hinge 14, so the support link 16 can rotate around the hinge shaft 13 together with the movable hinge 12. There is no mutual constraint between the support link 16 and the movable hinge 12, and their rotation around the hinge shaft 13 is independent. The push-opening link 17 is Y-shaped, with one end being the same thickness as the link body and having a unique shape that can push open the curved boss 1111. A guide groove A is provided in the middle, and the other end is open with a pin hole C. The axis of the pin hole C is parallel to the axis of the guide groove A. The axes of the two semi-circular holes at both ends of groove A are parallel. After the pin hole B at the open end of the supporting connecting rod 16 and the pin hole C at the open end of the opening connecting rod 17 are coaxially assembled, they are inserted into the connecting rod pin 18. The supporting connecting rod 16 and the opening connecting rod 17 are connected by the connecting rod pin 18. Both the supporting connecting rod 16 and the opening connecting rod 17 can rotate independently around the connecting rod pin 18. The guide pin seat 110 is U-shaped. The bottom surface of the guide pin seat 110 contacts the movable section hinge 12 and is fixed to the movable section hinge 12 with screws. The opening guide pin 19 is installed in the through hole on the side of the end of the guide pin seat 110 to guide the guide groove A of the opening connecting rod 17. The guide groove A of the opening connecting rod 17 is installed in the middle of the U-shaped groove of the guide pin seat 110 and fits on the opening guide pin 19. When the opening connecting rod 17 moves, the opening guide pin 19 guides the opening connecting rod 17.

[0034] In this embodiment, preferably, the unfolding latch 111 has a hook at one end and a flat end at the other. A rotating support structure is provided in the middle near the hook direction. A pin hole D is provided on the side of the support structure. A specially shaped curved boss 1111 is provided below the unfolding latch 111 to cooperate with the opening connecting rod 17 to achieve the function of lifting itself up and opening. Two latch bearings 114 are distributed on both sides of the unfolding latch 111, and are installed together to support the latch pivot 113. The two latch bearings 114 are fixedly installed on the fixed section hinge 14 with screws. The unfolding latch 111 is installed between the two latch bearings 114, so that the pin hole D is aligned with the hole in the middle part of the latch bearing 114, and is inserted into the latch pivot 113. The torsion spring 112 is a parallel double torsion structure, and the torsion spring 112 is sleeved on the latch pivot 113. The torsion spring 112 is positioned between the two supporting structures on both sides of the unfolding latch 111. The lever arm of the torsion spring 112 is opposite to the latch hook. The lever arms on both sides of the torsion spring 112 rest on the outer surface of the fixed section hinge 14, and the middle connecting lever arm rests on the inner top surface of the unfolding latch 111. Under the elastic force of the torsion spring 112, the unfolding latch 111 rotates around the latch pivot 113. The hook end of the unfolding latch 111 faces downward and is fastened to the fixed section hinge 14.

[0035] In summary, as Figure 4 As shown, the arm is in a folded state before it unfolds. At this time, the electric actuator telescopic rod 22 is fully extended, the support link 16 and the opening link 17 are pushed to their farthest point, and the opening guide pin 19 slides to the rear end of the guide groove A on the opening link 17. The support link 16 and the movable section hinge 12 rotate around the hinge axis 13 to the predetermined angle for the arm to fold. The movable section 11 of the arm also moves to the folding motion angle along with the movable section hinge 12. Driven by the torsion spring 112, the unfolding latch 111 rotates around the latch pivot 113 to the position shown in the figure (the latch at the front end of the unfolding latch 111 moves downward to its limit, and the flattened section at the rear end of the unfolding latch 111 is raised high). After the electric actuator telescopic rod 22 extends, it stops moving, and the arm is locked in the folded position. Figure 5 As shown, this is the state where the deployment lock 111 is pushed open during the arm deployment process. Figure 4 As can be seen, when the arm is in the folded position, the unfolding latch 111 is forced to move to its lowest point under the drive of the torsion spring 112. For the arm to unfold from the folded position to its fully extended position, the hinge 12 of the moving section must pass over the unfolding latch 111. The position shown in the diagram is the state when the unfolding latch 111 is pushed open during the arm's unfolding process. During the process of the arm moving from the folded state to the unfolded state, the unfolding latch 111 is sequentially pushed open by the push-opening link 17 and the inclined boss 121. When the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 retracts, the curved surface on the push-opening link 17 pushes the unfolding latch 111 open to... Figure 5In the current state, the movable hinge 12 is pulled to rotate by the push-opening connecting rod 17---the inclined boss 121 contacts the inclined surface in front of the unfolding latch 111--the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 continues to retract--the inclined boss 121 continues to push open the unfolding latch 111--until the inclined surface at the front end of the unfolding latch 111 completely passes over the inclined boss 121--finally, driven by the torsion spring 112, the unfolding latch 111 rotates--until the inclined surface of the unfolding latch 111 hooks the inclined boss 121 ( Figure 6 (State), ultimately realizing the function of unfolding the latch 111 and locking the movable section hinge 12; the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 retracts under the drive of the electric push rod body 21, and the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 drives the support connecting rod 16 and the opening connecting rod 17 to move through the connecting rod pin 18; the opening connecting rod 17 moves backward under the pull of the electric push rod telescopic rod 22, and the opening guide pin 19 slides to the front end of the guide groove A of the opening connecting rod 17; at the same time, the support connecting rod 16 rotates around the hinge axis 13 under the pull of the electric push rod telescopic rod 22; the opening guide pin 19 is fixed to the movable section hinge 12 through the guide pin seat 110, so the retraction of the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 drives the movable section hinge 12 to rotate around the hinge axis 13; the movable section 11 of the arm is fixed to the movable section hinge by screws. On chain 12, the retraction of the electric actuator telescopic rod 22 causes the movable section 11 of the arm to rotate around the hinge axis 13 along with the movable section hinge 12; when the push-opening link 17 moves backward, it contacts the curved boss 1111 below the unfolding latch 111; as the push-opening link 17 continues to move backward, it will lift the hook at the front end of the unfolding latch 111; then the inclined surface of the inclined boss 121 on the movable section hinge 12 touches the inclined surface in front of the hook of the unfolding latch 111; as the push-opening link 17 continues to move backward, the inclined surface of the inclined boss 121 continues to lift the unfolding latch 111 until the inclined boss 121 completely slides past the inclined surface at the front end of the unfolding latch 111; during the rotation of the movable section hinge 12, it drives the movable section 11 of the arm to rotate to the unfolded position. Figure 6 As shown, the drone's arms are in an extended and locked state, by... Figure 5 It can be seen that, under the pull of the electric push rod telescopic rod 22, the movable section hinge 12 pushes up the unfolding latch 111 and passes over the hook at the front end of the unfolding latch 111; the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 continues to retract, pulling the movable section hinge 12 towards the arm unfolding position through the support connecting rod 16 and the opening connecting rod 17; after the inclined surface in front of the unfolding latch 111 contacts the inclined surface of the inclined boss 121, the unfolding latch 111 rotates around the latch pivot 113 under the drive of the torsion spring 112, so that the hook of the unfolding latch 111 is hooked on the side surface of the inclined boss 121; the hook at the front end of the unfolding latch 111 is hooked on the side surface of the inclined boss 121, at which point the arm unfolding and locking is completed. Figure 6As shown, the drone arm is in the extended and locked state, which is also the initial state of the folded arm. At this time, the electric actuator telescopic rod 22 retracts to its shortest state, and the unfolding latch 111, driven by the torsion spring 112, tightly hooks the movable section hinge 12. Figure 7 As shown, this is the state where the unfolding latch 111 is pushed open after the arm folding begins. When the arm folding begins, the unfolding latch 111 tightly holds the hinge 12 of the movable section, and the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 begins to extend forward. As the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 extends, it causes the support connecting rod 16 to rotate around the hinge axis 13 via the connecting rod pin 18, while simultaneously causing the push-opening connecting rod 17 to move forward. As the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 continues to extend, the push-opening guide pin 19 slides to the rear end of the guide groove A of the push-opening connecting rod 17. At this time, the curved side of the front end of the push-opening connecting rod 17 will contact the curved boss 1111 and push up the unfolding latch 111. The unfolding latch 111 is pushed upward by the push-opening connecting rod 17 and rotates around the latch pivot 113, causing the unfolding latch 111 to... The hook of 1 moves upward; after the front hook of the unfolding latch 111 moves to the point of disengaging from the side of the inclined boss 121, the function of automatically opening the arm unfolding lock is completed; the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 continues to extend forward, and under the force transmission of the support link 16 and the opening link 17, the movable section hinge 12 rotates around the hinge axis 13 through the opening guide pin 19 until the arm is folded; since the movable section 11 of the arm is fixed to the movable section hinge 12 by screws, the movable section 11 of the arm moves to the folded position with the movable section hinge 12; after the electric push rod telescopic rod 22 extends forward to the end, it stops moving, so the movable section 11 of the arm is fixed in the folded position, and the arm folding action is completed.

[0036] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described (see the detailed description above), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking, characterized in that: The hinge linkage mechanism (1) and the push rod assembly (2) are included. The hinge linkage mechanism (1) includes a movable section of a machine arm (11), a movable section hinge (12) fixed at the end of the movable section of the machine arm (11), a fixed section of a machine arm (15), a fixed section hinge (14) fixed at the end of the fixed section of the machine arm (15), a hinge shaft (13) connected between the movable section hinge (12) and the fixed section hinge (14), a supporting linkage (16), a top opening linkage (17), a linkage pin shaft (18), a guide pin seat (110) fixed outside the movable section hinge (12), a top opening guide pin (19) installed on the guide pin seat (110), a lock shaft seat (114) fixed outside the fixed section hinge (14), and a deployment lock (111) rotatably installed on the fixed section hinge (14) through a lock rotating shaft (113) arranged, the front end of the supporting linkage (16) is hingedly connected with the hinge shaft (13), and the front end of the top opening linkage (17) is movably connected with the guide pin seat (110) through the top opening guide pin (19). The push rod assembly (2) includes an electric push rod fixed seat (23), an electric push rod body (21), and an electric push rod mounting pin shaft (24), the electric push rod fixed seat (23) is fixed inside the fixed section of the machine arm (15), the electric push rod mounting pin shaft (24) hingedly connects the tail of the electric push rod body (21) and the electric push rod fixed seat (23), and the electric push rod body (21) is provided with an electric push rod telescopic rod (22) which can telescopically move relative to the electric push rod body (21).

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge linkage mechanism (1) further includes a torsion spring (112) connected between the lock rotating shaft (113) and the deployment lock (111).

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side of the movable section hinge (12) is integrally provided with a beveled boss (121) corresponding to the deployment lock (111).

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front end of the electric push rod telescopic rod (22) is hingedly connected with the rear end of the supporting linkage (16) and the top opening linkage (17) through the linkage pin shaft (18).

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner side of the deployment lock (111) is fixed with a curved boss (1111) corresponding to the front end of the top opening linkage (17) relative to the inner side of the fixed section hinge (14).

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting linkage (16) is in an L shape, the top opening linkage (17) is in a Y shape, and the guide pin seat (110) is in a U shape.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle folding arm unfolding and locking mechanism capable of automatic opening and locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deployment lock (111) has a hook at one end and is flat at the other end.

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