Split type hovercar module butt joint method

Abstract

The invention discloses a split type hovercar module butt joint method, and aims to realize reliable butt joint and locking between a flight module and a chassis module. According to the scheme, based on the core logic of positioning guiding, posture calibration, mechanical docking, locking verification and electrical connection, precise docking and reliable locking of two modules are sequentially completed through a positioning mode of fusion of laser positioning and visual recognition, multi-degree-of-freedom posture adjustment, a self-adaptive mechanical locking structure and a multi-dimensional verification mechanism. By fully combining the characteristics of the two modules, the butt joint accuracy, stability and safety of the split type hovercar modules are effectively improved, the failure rate in the butt joint process is reduced, the butt joint requirements in the complex environment are met, and key technical support is provided for commercial application of the split type hovercar.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of split-type flying car technology, specifically to a method for docking the flight module and chassis module of a split-type flying car. Background Technology

[0002] Split-type flying cars represent an important development direction for future transportation. By separating flight and ground driving functions into different modules, they can effectively improve vehicle flexibility and energy efficiency. Among these technologies, the reliable docking and locking between the flight module and the chassis module is a core technology ensuring the safe operation of split-type flying cars.

[0003] Existing docking solutions for split-type flying cars mostly employ a single mechanical positioning and locking structure, which has the following shortcomings: First, the positioning accuracy is low, easily affected by environmental factors (such as wind speed and ground flatness), making it difficult to accurately align the docking interfaces and increasing the difficulty of docking; second, the docking mechanism of the flight module is complex, large in size and heavy in weight, significantly affecting the flight performance of the flight module; third, the attitude adjustment capability is limited, unable to adapt to the attitude deviations of each module during the docking process, and is prone to docking jamming; fourth, the locking verification mechanism is imperfect, making it difficult to accurately determine whether the locking is reliable, posing a safety hazard; fifth, the coordination between electrical docking and mechanical docking is poor, easily leading to electrical shocks or signal interruptions.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a docking process solution that can achieve precise positioning of each module, flexible attitude adjustment, reliable locking verification, and coordinated electrical connection, in order to solve the shortcomings of existing technologies and promote the industrialization of split-type flying cars. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a modular docking process for a split-type flying car, so as to achieve reliable docking and locking between the flight module and the chassis module.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a method for docking modules of a split-type flying car, wherein the split-type flying car includes a flight module and a chassis module, and the docking process sequentially includes a positioning guidance stage, an attitude calibration stage, a mechanical docking stage, a locking verification stage, and an electrical connection stage, the specific details of each stage are as follows:

[0007] 1. Positioning and Guidance Phase: The chassis module aligns with the ground reference point using the onboard GNSS positioning unit to complete initial positioning. After takeoff, the flight module activates its onboard laser positioning unit and visual recognition unit. The laser positioning unit emits laser signals to the chassis module and calculates the relative distance between the flight module and the chassis module using the laser reflection time difference. The visual recognition unit uses a binocular camera to capture feature markings (such as circular QR codes or infrared markers) at the chassis module's docking interface. A feature point matching algorithm identifies the location of these feature markings, obtaining the precise coordinates of the docking interface. The positioning results from the laser positioning unit and the visual recognition unit are fused using a Kalman filter algorithm to eliminate errors from single positioning methods, generating a precise docking path between the flight module and the chassis module's docking interface. The flight module's position information is updated in real time, guiding it towards the docking area.

[0008] 2. Attitude Calibration Phase: Based on the real-time position information acquired during the positioning and guidance phase, the flight module adjusts the aircraft's heading and attitude within a 360° range to ensure initial alignment of the flight module's docking interface axis with the chassis module's docking interface axis. Simultaneously, the chassis module activates the docking adjustment mechanism via the onboard controller. This mechanism, driven by multi-axis servos, adjusts the chassis's pitch and roll angles by adjusting the servo angles. This ensures the docking interfaces of the flight module and chassis module are coaxially aligned, laying the foundation for subsequent mechanical docking.

[0009] 3. Mechanical Docking Phase: After the docking interfaces of the flight module and chassis module are coaxially aligned, the flight module slowly approaches the chassis module along the calibrated docking path. A tapered elastic guide sleeve is installed at the docking interface of the flight module, and a corresponding guide post is installed at the docking interface of the chassis module. When the two initially contact, the tapered elastic guide sleeve undergoes slight elastic deformation under contact pressure, guiding the guide post to precisely insert into the tapered elastic guide sleeve, achieving a complete fit of the docking interfaces. Subsequently, the locking drive mechanism installed within the chassis module's support platform is activated, driving the locking tongue to insert into the corresponding lock hole at the docking interface of the flight module. The extension speed of the locking tongue can be adjusted in real time according to the docking pressure. When the locking tongue extends to the preset displacement, the servo motor stops rotating, completing the initial mechanical locking.

[0010] 4. Locking Verification Phase: To ensure the reliability of the mechanical locking, a multi-dimensional verification mechanism is implemented. A pressure sensor is installed on the mating surface of the docking interface to detect the mating pressure. When the detected mating pressure is within a preset threshold range, the docking interface is considered to be tightly fitted. A grating displacement sensor is installed on the movement path of the latch to detect the actual extension displacement of the latch. When the detected extension displacement reaches a preset displacement, the latch is considered to be fully extended. Three Hall sensors are evenly distributed inside the lock hole. When the latch is fully inserted into the lock hole, all three Hall sensors can detect the magnetic mark on the latch, indicating that the latch and lock hole are fully locked. Only when the pressure detection, displacement detection, and Hall sensor detection all meet the preset conditions is the locking considered reliable, and the process proceeds to the next stage. If any detection fails to meet the preset conditions, the locking is considered to have failed, the locking drive mechanism retracts the latch, and the process returns to the attitude calibration phase to re-execute the docking procedure. Simultaneously, a fault alarm signal is sent to the vehicle control system.

[0011] 5. Electrical Connection Phase: After successful lock verification, the vehicle control system sends a connection signal to the electrical docking mechanism between the flight module and the chassis module. The electrical docking mechanism employs a floating plug and socket structure. The plug is located at the docking interface of the flight module, and the socket is located at the docking interface of the chassis module. The front end of the plug has a guide chamfer, and the socket has an elastic clamping structure to ensure precise guidance and reliable contact during the docking process. Electrical connection is achieved in a hierarchical manner. First, signal connection between the vehicle control system, flight module control system, and chassis module control system is completed via a low-voltage signal interface, performing a signal self-test. After the signal self-test passes, power supply connection is completed via a high-voltage power interface to avoid electrical shocks during docking. Once electrical connection is complete, each control system sends a normal connection signal back to the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system integrates the status information of each module, confirms the completion of the docking process, and the split-type flying car enters a ready state.

[0012] In addition, this solution includes an emergency unlocking phase to address docking failures or module separation requirements. When docking timeouts occur, the number of lock verification failures exceeds a preset threshold, or module separation is necessary, the vehicle control system issues an emergency unlocking signal. First, the high-voltage power supply is cut off, followed by the low-voltage signal. The elastic clamping structure of the electrical docking mechanism releases, separating the plug and socket. Subsequently, the locking drive mechanism retracts the locking tongue. Simultaneously, a signal is sent to the flight module's altitude control channel, causing the flight module to separate from the chassis module by 2 meters. The flight module takes off and leaves the docking area according to a preset path, and the chassis module travels to a safe area, completing the emergency unlocking process.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) The positioning method of laser positioning and visual recognition is combined with Kalman filtering algorithm to improve positioning accuracy and stability, effectively resist the interference of environmental factors and ensure accurate positioning of docking interface; (2) The docking method is designed by fully combining the characteristics of flight module and chassis module to make flight module docking mechanism as simple as possible and not affect flight performance of flight module; (3) Through the synergistic effect of the two modules, flexible attitude calibration of flight module and chassis module is realized, which can adapt to attitude deviation of the two modules in docking process and avoid docking jamming phenomenon; (4) A multi-dimensional locking verification mechanism is set up to verify mechanical locking from three aspects: fitting pressure, locking tongue displacement and locking status, to ensure reliable locking and improve the safety of docking process; (5) A graded electrical connection method is adopted to complete signal connection first and then power connection, avoiding electrical shock, and at the same time, the reliability of electrical connection is ensured by floating electrical docking structure; (6) An emergency unlocking stage is added to cope with docking failure or module separation requirements, and improve the fault tolerance and safety of the system. This solution has a clear process and rigorous logic, enabling reliable docking and locking of the various modules of the split-type flying car, providing strong support for the safe operation of the split-type flying car, and has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is an overall block diagram of the docking process of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a split-type flying car according to the present invention;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning and guidance phase of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment during the attitude calibration stage of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanical docking stage of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the emergency unlocking phase of the present invention.

[0020] Attached diagram descriptions: 100: Split-type flying car; 101: Flight module; 102: Chassis module; : Flight module yaw adjustment angle; : Chassis module pitch adjustment angle; : Chassis module roll adjustment angle. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0022] Example 1: This example provides a docking process scheme for a split-type flying car module. The split-type flying car includes a flight module and a chassis module. The flight module is equipped with a laser positioning unit, a visual recognition unit (binocular camera), a docking interface, a conical elastic guide sleeve, a flight module control system, a lock hole, and an electrical docking plug. The chassis module is equipped with a docking interface, guide column, Hall sensor, lock tongue and electrical docking socket, vehicle-mounted GNSS positioning unit, docking adjustment mechanism (4 servo motors), locking drive mechanism (servo motor + ball screw), pressure sensor, grating displacement sensor, and chassis module control system.

[0023] The specific implementation steps of the docking process are as follows:

[0024] 1. Positioning and Guidance Phase: The chassis module aligns with the ground reference point using the GNSS positioning unit to complete initial positioning. After takeoff, the flight module activates the laser positioning unit and the visual recognition unit. The laser positioning unit emits a laser signal to the chassis module, calculating the relative distance between the initial position of the flight module and the docking interface of the chassis module to be 10m, with an azimuth angle of 0°. The visual recognition unit captures the circular QR code feature mark on the docking interface of the chassis module and identifies the precise coordinates of the docking interface using a feature point matching algorithm. The laser positioning and visual recognition results are fused using a Kalman filter algorithm to generate a precise docking path from the flight module to the docking interface, guiding the flight module to approach the docking area at an appropriate speed.

[0025] 2. Attitude Calibration Phase: When the flight module approaches to within 2 meters of the docking interface, the laser positioning and visual recognition unit detects a 10° yaw angle deviation, a 3° pitch angle deviation, and a 2° roll angle deviation between the flight module's docking interface axis and the chassis module's docking interface axis. Upon receiving the yaw angle error input, the flight control computer controls the flight module's yaw channel to adjust the yaw angle by 10° to eliminate the error. The onboard controller sends adjustment signals to the chassis module's docking adjustment mechanism, and four servo motors drive the chassis module to adjust its pitch angle by 3° and roll angle by 2°, eliminating the pitch and roll angle deviations and ensuring the docking interfaces of the two modules are coaxially aligned.

[0026] 3. Mechanical docking phase: After attitude calibration, the flight module continues to approach the chassis module at an appropriate speed. The tapered elastic guide sleeve contacts the guide post and guides the two to fully engage. Subsequently, the servo motor of the locking drive mechanism starts, driving the ball screw to extend the locking tongue and insert it into the locking hole of the flight module. When the extension displacement of the locking tongue reaches the appropriate displacement, the servo motor stops rotating.

[0027] 4. Locking verification stage: The pressure sensor detects that the mating pressure of the docking interface reaches the preset range; the grating displacement sensor detects that the extension displacement of the lock tongue meets the preset threshold; all three Hall sensors detect the magnetic mark on the lock tongue, determine that the lock is reliable, and send a locking verification pass signal to the vehicle controller.

[0028] 5. Electrical Connection Phase: After receiving the lock verification signal, the onboard controller sends a connection signal to the electrical docking mechanism. First, the low-voltage signal pin of the floating plug connects to the low-voltage signal interface of the socket, completing the signal connection between the vehicle control system, flight module control system, and chassis module control system. The signal self-test shows normal operation. Subsequently, the high-voltage power pin connects to the high-voltage power interface of the socket, and the elastic clamping structure clamps the plug, completing the power supply connection. Each control system sends a normal connection signal back to the onboard controller, which confirms the docking process is complete, and the split-type flying car enters the ready state.

[0029] Example 2: This example demonstrates the implementation of an emergency unlocking procedure. When a docking timeout occurs, the vehicle control system issues an emergency unlocking signal. First, the high-voltage power supply is cut off, followed by the low-voltage signal. The elastic clamping structure of the electrical docking mechanism releases, separating the plug and socket. Subsequently, the locking drive mechanism retracts the locking tongue. Simultaneously, a signal is sent to the flight module's altitude control channel, causing the flight module to separate from the chassis module by 2 meters. The flight module takes off and leaves the docking area according to a preset path, while the chassis module travels to a safe area, completing the emergency unlocking procedure.

[0030] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are 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 method for docking modules of a split-type flying car, characterized in that, The split-type flying car includes a flight module and a chassis module. The docking process includes, in sequence, the positioning and guidance stage, the attitude calibration stage, the mechanical docking stage, the lock verification stage, and the electrical connection stage. The specific details of each stage are as follows: (1) Positioning and guidance stage: The chassis module aligns with the ground reference positioning point through the vehicle-mounted GNSS positioning unit to complete the initial positioning; after the flight module takes off, it activates its own laser positioning unit and visual recognition unit, and fuses the positioning results of the laser positioning unit and visual recognition unit through the Kalman filter algorithm to eliminate the error of the single positioning method, generate a precise docking path between the flight module and the chassis module docking interface, and update the position information of the flight module in real time to guide the flight module to approach the docking area; (2) Attitude calibration stage: The flight module adjusts the heading and attitude of the aircraft based on the real-time position information obtained in the positioning and guidance stage to ensure that the docking interface axis of the flight module is initially aligned with the docking interface axis of the chassis module. At the same time, the chassis module starts the docking adjustment mechanism through the vehicle controller. The docking adjustment mechanism is driven by a multi-axis servo motor. By adjusting the angle of the servo motor, the pitch and roll angles of the chassis are adjusted to make the docking interfaces of the flight module and the chassis module coaxially aligned, laying the foundation for subsequent mechanical docking. (3) Mechanical docking stage: After the docking interfaces of the flight module and the chassis module are coaxially aligned, the flight module approaches the chassis module slowly along the calibrated docking path. A conical elastic guide sleeve is provided at the docking interface of the flight module, and a corresponding guide post is provided at the docking interface of the chassis module. When the two initially come into contact, the conical elastic guide sleeve undergoes slight elastic deformation under the action of contact pressure, guiding the guide post to accurately insert into the conical elastic guide sleeve, thus achieving complete fit of the docking interface. Subsequently, the locking drive mechanism provided in the bearing platform of the chassis module is activated, and the locking drive mechanism drives the locking tongue to insert into the corresponding lock hole at the docking interface of the flight module. The extension speed of the locking tongue can be adjusted in real time according to the docking pressure. When the locking tongue extends to the preset displacement, the servo motor stops rotating, completing the initial mechanical locking. (4) Locking verification stage: To ensure the reliability of mechanical locking, a multi-dimensional verification mechanism is set up; a pressure sensor is set on the mating surface of the docking interface to detect the mating pressure of the docking interface. When the detected mating pressure is within the preset threshold range, it is determined that the docking interface is tightly mated; a grating displacement sensor is set on the movement path of the lock tongue to detect the actual extension displacement of the lock tongue. When the detected extension displacement reaches the preset displacement, it is determined that the lock tongue has extended to the correct position; Hall sensors are evenly distributed inside the lock hole. When the lock tongue is fully inserted into the lock hole, the Hall sensors can detect the magnetic mark on the lock tongue, and it is determined that the lock tongue and the lock hole are completely locked; only when the pressure detection, displacement detection and Hall detection all meet the preset conditions can it be determined that the locking is reliable and proceed to the next stage; if any one of the detections does not meet the preset conditions, it is determined that the locking has failed, the locking drive mechanism drives the lock tongue to retract, and returns to the attitude calibration stage to re-execute the docking process. At the same time, a fault alarm signal is sent to the vehicle control system. (5) Electrical connection stage: After the lock verification is passed, the vehicle control system sends a connection signal to the electrical docking mechanism of the flight module and the chassis module. The electrical docking mechanism adopts a floating plug and socket structure. The plug is set at the docking interface of the flight module and the socket is set at the docking interface of the chassis module. The socket is equipped with an elastic clamping structure to ensure accurate guidance and reliable contact during the docking process of the plug and socket. The electrical connection adopts a hierarchical connection method. First, the signal connection between the vehicle control system, the flight module control system and the chassis module control system is completed through the low-voltage signal interface to complete the signal self-test. After the signal self-test is passed, the power supply is connected through the high-voltage power interface to avoid electrical shock during the docking process. After the electrical connection is completed, each control system feeds back a normal connection signal to the vehicle control system. The vehicle control system integrates the status information of each module, confirms that the docking process is completed, and the split flying car enters the ready state.

2. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the positioning and guidance phase, the laser positioning unit emits a laser signal to the chassis module and calculates the relative distance between the flight module and the chassis module by using the laser reflection time difference; the visual recognition unit uses a binocular camera to capture the feature marks of the chassis module docking interface, and uses a feature point matching algorithm to identify the position of the feature marks and obtain the precise coordinates of the docking interface.

3. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the attitude calibration phase, the aircraft's heading, attitude, and yaw angle can be adjusted within a 360° range, reusing the flight control channel without adding any additional adjustment mechanisms.

4. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the mechanical docking stage, the surface of the guide post is coated with a wear-resistant coating; the locking drive mechanism adopts a servo motor driven ball screw structure, and the extension speed of the locking tongue is adjustable.

5. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the lock verification phase, three Hall sensors are provided.

6. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the electrical connection phase, the plug is provided with a guide chamfer.

7. The method for docking split-type flying car modules according to claim 1, characterized in that, The docking process also includes an emergency unlocking phase. When a docking failure occurs or the modules need to be separated, the vehicle control system sends an unlocking signal, the electrical docking mechanism automatically cuts off power and separates, and the locking drive mechanism drives the locking tongue to retract, so that the flight module and the chassis module can be smoothly separated.

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