Mooring unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and provides a mooring unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device which comprises a storage basket, an unwinding disc, a guide supporting seat and a guide part. The storage basket comprises a vertical unwinding bracket; the unwinding disc and the vertical unwinding support are coaxially arranged, and the unwinding disc is rotationally arranged on the top of the vertical unwinding support. The guide supporting seat and the unwinding disc are coaxially arranged, the guide supporting seat comprises a guide ring, the guide ring is located above the unwinding disc, and a plurality of first rolling pieces are arranged on the guide ring; a pipe cable cavity used for a pipe cable to pass through is formed in the guiding piece, the guiding piece is connected with the unwinding disc and can synchronously rotate along with the unwinding disc, the lower end of the pipe cable cavity is located above the side portion of the vertical unwinding support, and the upper end of the pipe cable cavity is located on the inner side of the guiding ring. The defects that when an existing mooring unmanned aerial vehicle is unreeled, a pipe cable and an unwinding disc can cause a large traction force effect on the unmanned aerial vehicle, the flight stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle is reduced, the aerial operation precision is affected, and even the unmanned aerial vehicle falls are overcome.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more particularly to a tethered UAV unwinding device. Background Technology

[0002] A tethered drone is a type of drone that is connected to a ground control station via a physical connection (such as a cable).

[0003] In existing technologies, tethered drones generally use horizontal unwinding reels to deploy and retract cables. During aerial operations (such as high-altitude firefighting), the drone first unwinds the cable from the unwinding reel. Because the cable has many turns on the unwinding reel, and the unwinding reel itself is quite heavy, the cable and the unwinding reel exert a significant traction force on the drone, reducing the drone's flight stability, affecting the accuracy of aerial operations, and even causing the drone to crash. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a tethered drone unwinding device to solve the problem that existing tethered drones have defects where the cable and unwinding reel exert a large traction force on the drone during unwinding, reducing the drone's flight stability, affecting the accuracy of aerial operations, and even causing the drone to crash.

[0005] The present invention provides a tethered drone unloading device, comprising: a storage basket, an unloading reel, a guide support base, and a guide component.

[0006] The storage basket includes a vertical unwinding bracket; the unwinding reel is coaxially arranged with the vertical unwinding bracket, and the unwinding reel is rotatably disposed on the top of the vertical unwinding bracket; the guide support is coaxially arranged with the unwinding reel, the guide support includes a guide ring, the guide ring is located above the unwinding reel, and the guide ring is provided with a plurality of first rolling elements; a cable cavity for cable passage is formed in the guide element, the guide element is connected to the unwinding reel and can rotate synchronously with the unwinding reel, the lower end of the cable cavity is located above the side of the vertical unwinding bracket, and the upper end of the cable cavity is located inside the guide ring.

[0007] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device provided by the present invention, the cable cavity is inclined toward the center of the unwinding reel.

[0008] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device provided by the present invention, the inclination angle of the cable cavity is 10° to 45°.

[0009] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device provided by the present invention, the diameter of the vertical unwinding support gradually decreases from bottom to top.

[0010] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device provided by the present invention, the taper of the side of the vertical unwinding bracket is 5° to 15°.

[0011] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle unwinding device provided by the present invention, both the upper and lower ports of the guide are provided with second rolling elements, which are used to convert the sliding friction between the cable and the guide into rolling friction.

[0012] The tethered drone unwinding device provided by the present invention further includes a drive component disposed in the storage basket, wherein the output end of the drive component is connected to the unwinding reel for driving the unwinding reel to rotate.

[0013] According to the tethered drone unwinding device provided by the present invention, the driving assembly includes a driving motor, a friction wheel, and an adjustment mechanism; the adjustment mechanism includes a fixed plate, an adjusting spring, and a telescopic adjustment assembly, the fixed plate is connected to the side of the storage basket, the first end of the adjusting spring is connected to the driving motor, the driving end of the telescopic adjustment assembly can move vertically to compress the adjusting spring, the friction wheel is connected to the output shaft of the driving motor, and the friction surface of the friction wheel abuts against the unwinding reel.

[0014] According to the tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device provided by the present invention, the adjustment mechanism further includes an adjustment plate and a guide post; the second end of the adjustment spring is connected to the inner surface of the adjustment plate, and the driving end of the telescopic adjustment assembly is located on the side of the outer surface of the adjustment plate; the guide post and the fixed plate slide vertically together, the adjustment plate is connected to the guide post, the adjustment spring is sleeved on the guide post, the side wall of the guide post is provided with an abutment plate, the first end of the adjustment spring abuts against the abutment plate, and the guide post is connected to the drive motor.

[0015] According to the tethered drone unwinding device provided by the present invention, the guide support seat further includes a support ring and multiple fixing rods. The support ring is disposed at the top of the storage basket, and the multiple fixing rods are disposed circumferentially between the support ring and the guide ring. The diameter of the guide ring is smaller than the diameter of the support ring, so that an inwardly inclined guide slope is formed on the side of the guide support seat by the multiple fixing rods.

[0016] The tethered drone unwinding device provided by this invention, by setting up a storage basket, an unwinding reel, a guide support, and a guide member, allows the tethered drone to automatically detach the cable during takeoff by driving the cable through the cable cavity of the guide member. The tethered drone pulls the cable, and the unwinding reel rotates at its rotational connection point with the vertical unwinding bracket, causing the guide member to rotate synchronously, thus automatically detaching the cable wound on the vertical unwinding bracket. Furthermore, a guide ring is provided on the outer side of the upper end of the guide member, which can limit the cable during unwinding to prevent large-scale shaking. The first rolling element provided on the guide ring can convert the sliding friction between the cable and the guide ring into rolling friction, reducing the frictional resistance experienced by the cable during unwinding. As a result, the tethered drone is only subjected to the weight of the cable itself and a small amount of frictional resistance (including the frictional resistance when the unwinding reel rotates with the vertical unwinding bracket and the frictional resistance between the cable and the guide member and guide ring) when it takes off, without needing to drive the unwinding reel as a whole, which greatly improves the stability of the drone during flight.

[0017] 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

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tethered drone unwinding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the storage basket in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the unwinding reel in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the unwinding reel in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in this embodiment of the invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the guide support seat in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the guide component in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the drive component in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is the second schematic diagram of the drive component in the tethered drone unwinding device provided in this embodiment of the invention.

[0027] Figure label: 10. Storage basket; 110. Vertical unwinding bracket; 111. Toothless rotary support; 120. Base; 130. Outer protective frame; 20. Unwinding reel; 30. Guide support seat; 310. Guide ring; 320. First rolling element; 330. Support ring; 40. Guide element; 410. Second rolling element; 50. Drive assembly; 510. Drive motor; 520. Friction wheel; 530. Adjustment mechanism; 531. Fixing plate; 532. Adjusting spring; 533. Telescopic adjustment assembly; 5331. Threaded adjustment element; 5332. Adjusting nut; 534. Adjustment plate; 535. Guide column; 536. Linear bearing. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0029] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 8 This invention describes the tethered drone unwinding device provided by the present invention.

[0030] See Figure 1 As shown, the tethered drone unloading device provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: a storage basket 10, an unloading reel 20, a guide support 30, and a guide member 40.

[0031] The storage basket 10 includes a vertical unwinding bracket 110; an unwinding reel 20 is coaxially arranged with the vertical unwinding bracket 110 and is rotatably mounted on the top of the vertical unwinding bracket 110; a guide support 30 is coaxially arranged with the unwinding reel 20 and includes a guide ring 310 located above the unwinding reel 20, and a plurality of first rolling elements 320 are provided on the guide ring 310; a cable cavity for cable passage is formed in the guide element 40, the guide element 40 is connected to the unwinding reel 20 and can rotate synchronously with the unwinding reel 20, the lower end of the cable cavity is located above the side of the vertical unwinding bracket 110, and the upper end of the cable cavity is located inside the guide ring 310.

[0032] The tethered drone unwinding device provided by this invention, by setting up a storage basket 10, an unwinding reel 20, a guide support 30, and a guide member 40, allows the tethered drone to take off with its cable. During this process, the cable passes through the cable cavity of the guide member 40. When the tethered drone pulls the cable, the unwinding reel 20 rotates at its rotational connection point with the vertical unwinding bracket 110, causing the guide member 40 to rotate synchronously. This causes the cable wound around the vertical unwinding bracket 110 to automatically detach. Furthermore, a guide ring 310 is provided on the outer side of the upper end of the guide member 40, which can restrict the cable unwinding process. To prevent significant swaying during cable unwinding, the first rolling element 320 on the guide ring 310 converts the sliding friction between the cable and the guide ring 310 into rolling friction, reducing the frictional resistance experienced during cable unwinding. This allows the tethered UAV to be subjected only to the weight of the cable itself and a small amount of frictional resistance (including the frictional resistance when the unwinding reel 20 rotates with the vertical unwinding bracket 110 and the frictional resistance between the cable and the guide element 40 and the guide ring 310) when it takes off, without needing to rotate the unwinding reel 20 as a whole, thus greatly improving the stability of the UAV during flight.

[0033] It should be noted that the cable is wound up to the side of the vertical unwinding bracket 110 in a bottom-to-top and inside-to-out manner. During unwinding, the vertical unwinding bracket 110 remains fixed. When the tethered drone takes off, it uses its own power to pull the cable gradually off the vertical unwinding bracket 110, without having to rotate the vertical unwinding bracket 110 (and the remaining cable wound on the vertical unwinding bracket 110), which can significantly reduce the traction force on the tethered drone during flight.

[0034] Specifically, see Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the storage basket 10 also includes a base 120 and an outer protective frame 130. Both the vertical unwinding bracket 110 and the outer protective frame 130 are located on the base 120. The vertical unwinding bracket 110 is located inside the outer protective frame 130, forming a storage space for storing cables between the vertical unwinding bracket 110 and the outer protective frame 130. The bottom of the guide support 30 is located at the top of the outer protective frame 130, and the guide ring 310 and the top of the outer protective frame 130 are vertically spaced. Simultaneously, the outer protective frame 130 can also protect the cables wound around the vertical unwinding bracket 110.

[0035] See Figure 2As shown, the vertical unwinding support 110 includes a first annular support, with a toothless rotary support 111 (such as a bearing) at its center. The first annular support and the toothless rotary support 111 are connected and fixed (e.g., welded) by multiple top connecting rods evenly distributed circumferentially. The center of the unwinding reel 20 is rotatably connected to the vertical unwinding support 110 via the toothless rotary support 111. The first annular support and the base 120 are connected and fixed (e.g., welded) by multiple first side connecting rods evenly distributed circumferentially, forming a side space for winding the cable. The outer sheath 130 includes a second annular support and multiple second side connecting rods, which are evenly distributed circumferentially between the second annular support and the base 120.

[0036] By setting the storage basket 10 as a frame structure, the structure of the storage basket 10 can be made simple, with less material and lighter weight, while ensuring the structural stability of the storage basket 10, making it easy to process, manufacture and assemble.

[0037] The first rolling element 320 can be a rolling element such as a ball, a roller, or a ball bearing.

[0038] See Figure 3 and 4 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the cable cavity is inclined toward the center of the unwinding reel 20. During unwinding, the cable gradually detaches from the vertical unwinding support 110 under the action of the UAV, and under the action of the unwinding reel 20 and the guide member 40, the portion of the cable located at the upper end of the guide member 40 will oscillate circumferentially. By setting the cable cavity to be inclined toward the center of the unwinding reel 20, the upper end of the guide member 40 can be made closer to the center of the unwinding reel 20, reducing the oscillation amplitude of the portion of the cable located at the upper end of the guide member 40, reducing the restraining effect of the cable on the tethered UAV, thereby improving the stability of the tethered UAV during flight.

[0039] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the inclination angle of the cable cavity is 10° to 45°. By setting the inclination angle of the cable cavity to 10° to 45°, the cable cavity can effectively guide the cable while preventing the cable from bending at an excessive angle, thus increasing the friction between the cable and the port of the cable cavity.

[0040] See Figure 2 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the vertical unwinding support 110 gradually decreases from bottom to top. By setting the diameter of the vertical unwinding support 110 to gradually decrease from bottom to top, the outer contour of the vertical unwinding support 110 forms a frustum conical structure. When the cable is unwound from the vertical unwinding support 110, the contact between the cable and the side of the vertical unwinding support 110 can be reduced, allowing the cable to disengage more smoothly from the side of the vertical unwinding support 110.

[0041] See Figure 2 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the taper of the side portion of the vertical unwinding support 110 is 5° to 15°. By setting the taper of the side portion of the vertical unwinding support 110 to 5° to 15°, the variation of the side diameter of the vertical unwinding support 110 can be kept within a reasonable range. This facilitates the winding of the cable while minimizing contact between the cable and the side portion of the vertical unwinding support 110 when the cable is unwound from the vertical unwinding support 110.

[0042] Specifically, if the taper of the side of the vertical unwinding support 110 is too large, it will not be able to wind up the cable effectively.

[0043] See Figure 6 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, both the upper and lower ports of the guide member 40 are provided with second rolling elements 410. The second rolling elements 410 are used to convert the sliding friction between the cable and the guide member 40 into rolling friction. By providing second rolling elements 410 at both the upper and lower ports of the guide member 40, the sliding friction between the cable and the guide member 40 can be converted into rolling friction, thereby reducing the frictional resistance between the cable and the guide member 40, improving the stability of the cable during unwinding or rewinding, and preventing wear on the cable and the guide member 40.

[0044] Specifically, in this embodiment, the guide member 40 is a frame structure, and four rollers are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the guide member 40. When the cable is unwound or wound up, the rollers can rotate around their own axes to reduce the friction between the cable and the guide member 40. In addition to rollers, the second rolling member 410 can also be a ball or roller.

[0045] See Figure 1 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the tethered drone unwinding device further includes a drive assembly 50, disposed in the storage basket 10. The output end of the drive assembly 50 is connected to the unwinding reel 20 for driving the unwinding reel 20 to rotate. By providing the drive assembly 50, when the mass of the unwinding reel 20 and / or the cable itself is large, or when the rotational friction between the unwinding reel 20 and the vertical unwinding support 110 is large, the unwinding reel 20 can be driven to rotate along the unwinding direction of the cable during the unwinding process, assisting in the unwinding of the cable. This can further reduce the traction effect of the cable on the tethered drone and improve the stability of the tethered drone during flight.

[0046] See Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the drive assembly 50 includes a drive motor 510, a friction wheel 520 (the friction wheel 520 is provided with textures or friction structures, such as friction teeth or friction grooves, for increasing the friction between itself and the unwinding reel 20), and an adjustment mechanism 530. The adjustment mechanism 530 includes a fixed plate 531, an adjusting spring 532, and a telescopic adjustment assembly 533. The fixed plate 531 is connected to the side of the outer frame 130. The first end of the adjusting spring 532 is connected to the drive motor 510. The drive end of the telescopic adjustment assembly 533 can move vertically to compress the adjusting spring 532. The friction wheel 520 is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 510, and the friction surface of the friction wheel 520 abuts against the unwinding reel 20. By providing an adjustable drive assembly 50, the magnitude of the friction force applied by the drive wheel to the unwinding reel 20 can be adjusted, thereby enabling the device to perform drive operations adapted to different specifications of unwinding reels 20 or different specifications of cables. For example, when the mass of the unwinding reel 20 and / or the cable is large, the friction wheel 520 can be adjusted by the adjusting mechanism 530 to apply a larger frictional force to the unwinding reel 20, so as to prevent slippage between the friction wheel 520 and the unwinding reel 20.

[0047] In addition, the drive assembly 50 uses a friction wheel 520 to drive the unwinding reel 20. The drive assembly 50 can be set on the side of the storage basket 10. During the cable winding process, the drive assembly 50 located on the side of the storage basket 10 will not interfere with the cable or the like.

[0048] Specifically, during adjustment, pressure can be applied to the second end of the adjusting spring 532 through the drive end of the telescopic adjusting component 533, causing the spring to compress, thereby applying pressure to the drive motor 510 and the friction wheel 520 located on the drive motor 510, so as to adjust the magnitude of the friction force between the friction wheel 520 and the component to be driven.

[0049] The first end of the adjusting spring 532 can be directly connected to the drive motor 510 or connected via an intermediate connecting component. The output shaft of the drive motor 510 is connected to the connecting shaft via a coupling, and the friction wheel 520 is mounted on the connecting shaft. The drive motor 510 is a servo drive motor 510, which can precisely control the direction and rotation angle of the output shaft to achieve precise drive. The telescopic adjustment component 533 can be a hydraulic adjustment component, a pneumatic adjustment component, a screw adjustment component, or an electric linear component, etc.

[0050] The hydraulic adjustment component regulates the telescopic length using hydraulic pressure, controlling the spring's compression. The pneumatic adjustment component uses compressed air to drive the telescopic movement, controlling the spring's compression. The screw adjustment component adjusts the telescopic length by rotating a screw drive rod, controlling the spring's compression and thus adjusting the friction between the friction wheel 520 and the driven component. The electric linear component uses an electric motor to drive a screw or slider to achieve precise telescopic adjustment, controlling the spring's compression.

[0051] The above methods can all control the degree of spring compression, thereby adjusting the friction force between the friction wheel 520 and the driven component. Of course, the telescopic adjustment component 533 can also adopt other methods in the prior art, and the present invention does not specifically limit it.

[0052] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 530 further includes an adjustment plate 534 and a guide post 535.

[0053] The second end of the adjusting spring 532 is connected to the inner surface of the adjusting plate 534, and the driving end of the telescopic adjusting assembly 533 is located on the side of the outer surface of the adjusting plate 534. The guide post 535 and the fixed plate 531 slide vertically together, the adjusting plate 534 is connected to the guide post 535, and the adjusting spring 532 is sleeved on the guide post 535; the side wall of the guide post 535 is provided with an abutment plate, the first end of the adjusting spring 532 abuts against the abutment plate, and the guide post 535 is connected to the drive motor 510.

[0054] By setting the adjusting plate 534, the driving force of the telescopic adjusting component 533 can be transmitted to the second end of the adjusting spring 532, thereby improving the stability of the device during adjustment. By setting the guide post 535, the adjusting spring 532 can be limited and fixed, ensuring its stability during use. At the same time, the pressure generated when the spring is compressed can be transmitted to the drive motor 510 through the guide post 535, improving the stability of the force applied to the drive motor 510. During adjustment, the driving end of the telescopic adjusting component 533 drives the adjusting plate 534 to move upward, compressing the adjusting spring 532. The second end of the adjusting spring 532 transmits the force to the guide post 535 through the abutment plate. Since the guide post 535 and the fixed plate 531 slide vertically together, under this force, the guide post 535 will move slightly vertically to transmit the spring pressure to the drive motor 510.

[0055] It should be noted that the drive end of the telescopic adjustment component 533 can be connected to the adjustment plate 534 (e.g., by welding or detachable connection). Driving the telescopic adjustment component 533 can cause the adjustment plate 534 to move synchronously.

[0056] The driving end of the telescopic adjustment component 533 can also abut against the outer surface of the adjustment plate 534. For example, in the initial state, the driving end of the telescopic adjustment component 533 is located in the initial position and has a certain distance between it and the outer surface of the adjustment plate 534. When the driving end of the telescopic adjustment component 533 moves a certain distance toward the adjustment plate 534, the driving end of the telescopic adjustment component 533 can abut against the outer surface of the adjustment plate 534. When it continues to move, the adjustment spring 532 can be compressed through the adjustment plate 534.

[0057] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 530 includes two adjusting springs 532 and two guide posts 535. The two adjusting springs 532 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the adjustment plate 534, and the two guide posts 535 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the adjustment plate 534. By providing two sets of adjusting springs 532 and guide posts 535, the drive motor 510 can be effectively supported by the adjusting springs 532 and guide posts 535 on both sides, thereby improving the stability during adjustment.

[0058] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjusting mechanism 530 further includes a vertically arranged linear bearing 536, which is disposed on the fixed plate 531, and the guide post 535 is slidably engaged with the linear bearing 536. By providing the linear bearing 536, the guide post 535 and the fixed plate 531 can be configured to slide together, and the linear bearing 536 can guide the movement of the guide post 535, improving the stability during adjustment and preventing the axis of the guide post 535 from deviating.

[0059] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the telescopic adjustment assembly 533 includes a threaded adjustment member 5331 (such as a bolt, screw, etc.) arranged vertically, which is threadedly connected to the fixed plate 531. During adjustment, the threaded adjustment member 5331 can be moved vertically by simply rotating it in the set direction, thereby applying pressure to the adjustment plate 534. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient.

[0060] Specifically, a threaded hole matching the threaded adjusting component 5331 can be provided at a corresponding position on the fixing plate 531. During installation, the threaded adjusting component 5331 can be directly fitted into the threaded hole. Alternatively, a nut (e.g., welded) matching the threaded adjusting component 5331 can be provided at a corresponding position on the fixing plate 531, and the threaded adjusting component 5331 and the fixing plate 531 can be configured as a threaded connection through the nut.

[0061] Preferably, in this embodiment, the fixing plate 531 is provided with an adjusting nut 5332, and the threaded adjusting member 5331 is threadedly connected to the adjusting nut 5332. By providing the adjusting nut 5332, it is easy to obtain and install, and there is no need to drill a screw hole on the fixing plate 531.

[0062] It should be noted that the threaded adjusting element 5331 can be manually rotated or driven by a motor. When driven by a motor, the pressure applied by the adjusting spring 532 can be controlled by precisely rotating the output shaft of the motor at a set angle.

[0063] See Figure 5 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide support 30 further includes a support ring 330 and multiple fixing rods. The support ring 330 is disposed on the top of the storage basket 10, and the multiple fixing rods are disposed circumferentially between the support ring 330 and the guide ring 310. The diameter of the guide ring 310 is smaller than the diameter of the support ring 330, so that an inwardly inclined guide slope is formed on the side of the guide support 30 by the multiple fixing rods. By configuring the guide support 30 as a support ring 330, a guide ring 310, and multiple fixing rods, the support ring 330 can fix the entire device to the top of the storage basket 10, the multiple fixing rods can connect the guide wire ring to the support ring 330 and support and fix the guide ring 310 at a set height from the top of the storage basket 10, and the multiple fixing rods can form an inwardly inclined guide slope on the side of the guide support 30. This guide slope can match the landing gear of the tethered drone, guide it when the tethered drone lands, and provide stable support after guidance is completed.

[0064] The unwinding process of the tethered UAV unwinding device provided by the present invention will be described in detail below. See below. Figures 1 to 8 .

[0065] The cable is wound up to the side of the vertical unwinding bracket 110 in a bottom-to-top and inside-to-out manner. During unwinding, the vertical unwinding bracket 110 remains fixed, and the cable passes through the cable cavity of the guide member 40. When the tethered UAV takes off, it uses its own power to pull the cable gradually detach from the vertical unwinding bracket 110. The unwinding reel 20 rotates at its rotational connection point with the vertical unwinding bracket 110, driving the guide member 40 to rotate synchronously, causing the cable wound on the vertical unwinding bracket 110 to automatically fall off. A guide ring 310 is provided on the outer side of the upper end of the guide member 40. The guide ring 310 can limit the cable during unwinding to prevent damage during cable unwinding. With significant shaking, the first rolling element 320 on the guide ring 310 can convert the sliding friction between the cable and the guide ring 310 into rolling friction, reducing the frictional resistance experienced by the cable during unwinding. As a result, when the tethered drone takes off, it is only subject to the weight of the cable itself and a small amount of frictional resistance (including the frictional resistance when the unwinding reel 20 and the vertical unwinding bracket 110 rotate, as well as the frictional resistance between the cable and the guide element 40 and the guide ring 310), without having to drive the unwinding reel 20 to rotate as a whole, which greatly improves the stability of the drone when it takes off.

[0066] When the unwinding reel 20 and / or the cable itself are of large mass, or when the rotational friction between the unwinding reel 20 and the vertical unwinding support 110 is large, the unwinding reel 20 can be driven to rotate along the unwinding direction of the cable by the drive assembly 50 during the unwinding process, which can assist in unwinding the cable, further reduce the traction effect of the cable on the tethered UAV, and improve the stability of the tethered UAV during flight.

[0067] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device, characterized in that, include: A storage basket, the storage basket including a vertical unrolling bracket; An unwinding reel is coaxially arranged with the vertical unwinding support and is rotatably mounted on the top of the vertical unwinding support. A guide support seat is coaxially arranged with the unwinding reel. The guide support seat includes a guide ring located above the unwinding reel, and the guide ring is provided with a plurality of first rolling elements. A guide member has a cable cavity formed therein for the cable to pass through. The guide member is connected to the unwinding reel and can rotate synchronously with the unwinding reel. The lower end of the cable cavity is located above the side of the vertical unwinding bracket, and the upper end of the cable cavity is located inside the guide ring.

2. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cable cavity is inclined toward the center of the unwinding reel.

3. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inclination angle of the cable cavity is 10° to 45°.

4. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the vertical unwinding support gradually decreases from bottom to top.

5. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The taper of the side of the vertical unwinding support is 5° to 15°.

6. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper and lower ports of the guide are each provided with a second rolling element, which is used to convert the sliding friction between the cable and the guide into rolling friction.

7. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, It also includes a drive component, which is disposed in the storage basket, and the output end of the drive component is connected to the unwinding reel to drive the unwinding reel to rotate.

8. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a drive motor, a friction wheel, and an adjustment mechanism; The adjustment mechanism includes a fixed plate, an adjusting spring, and a telescopic adjustment assembly. The fixed plate is connected to the side of the storage basket. The first end of the adjusting spring is connected to the drive motor. The drive end of the telescopic adjustment assembly can move vertically to compress the adjusting spring. The friction wheel is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the friction surface of the friction wheel abuts against the unwinding reel.

9. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The adjustment mechanism also includes an adjustment plate and a guide column; The second end of the adjusting spring is connected to the inner surface of the adjusting plate, and the driving end of the telescopic adjusting assembly is located on the side where the outer surface of the adjusting plate is located. The guide post and the fixed plate slide vertically together. The adjusting plate is connected to the guide post. The adjusting spring is sleeved on the guide post. The side wall of the guide post is provided with an abutment plate. The first end of the adjusting spring abuts against the abutment plate. The guide post is connected to the drive motor.

10. The tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unwinding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The guide support also includes a support ring and multiple fixing rods. The support ring is located at the top of the storage basket, and the multiple fixing rods are arranged circumferentially between the support ring and the guide ring. The diameter of the guide ring is smaller than the diameter of the support ring, so that the multiple fixing rods form an inwardly inclined guide slope on the side of the guide support.

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