Aerial delivery device

Abstract

The application discloses an aerial delivery device to solve the technical problems of low stability, insufficient locking force and excessive driving force in the prior art. The device comprises a shell, a fixed claw, a rotating claw, a locking strip, an unlocking strip and an unlocking driving element. The fixed claw is fixed to the lower part of the shell, the middle part of the rotating claw is rotatably connected to the shell, one end of the rotating claw is a hook-shaped part, and the other end is a straight line part. When the rotating claw rotates, the hook-shaped part and the fixed claw form an open or closed state. The locking strip is located above the rotating claw and is rotatably connected to the shell in the middle part. The lower part of the locking strip is provided with a first groove for clamping the end of the straight line part of the rotating claw. The unlocking strip is located on one side of the rotating claw and is rotatably connected to the shell in the middle part. The upper part of the unlocking strip is provided with a second groove for clamping the end of the locking strip. The unlocking driving element comprises a rotatable cam, and the cam and the lower side of the unlocking strip are in abutment. The device has the beneficial technical effects of strong stability, large bearing capacity and small driving resistance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of delivery device technology, and more specifically to an aerial delivery device. Background Technology

[0002] In many operational scenarios, payloads need to be dropped from the air, such as drones dropping fire extinguishing bombs, airdropping supplies, and emergency cargo disposal. As the payload capacity of drones increases, the weight of the cargo carried by drones also increases, requiring the delivery device to release the cargo under full load. This places great challenges on the design of the delivery device's self-locking mechanism, unlocking method, drive mechanism, and force transmission path.

[0003] Traditional delivery systems, such as servo-driven push-pull pin structures, rely solely on the torque of the servo motor to laterally pull the pin and release cargo. Typically, the load capacity is limited to 50 kg. Due to the limited force transmission path, significant friction occurs, causing the servo motor to be unable to overcome this friction and resulting in release failure. The applicant's prior patent (publication number CN223133920U) discloses a power-off self-locking electric airdrop device that uses a servo motor to drive a top tooth. This top tooth constrains the left and right grippers from moving towards the center, thus preventing the lower gripper from releasing cargo. This method is highly dependent on the precision of the servo motor and installation skills. When the servo motor top tooth is installed at a certain deflection angle, the force of the left and right grippers moving towards the center will drive the servo motor to twist, reducing stability. Other existing technologies rely on the powerful thrust of a push rod motor to unlock the entire delivery system. This method results in slow operation and a delay in cargo release. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an aerial delivery device to solve the technical problems of low stability, insufficient locking force, and excessive driving force required in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: Design an aerial delivery device, including a housing, a fixed claw, a rotating claw, a locking bar, an unlocking bar, and an unlocking drive component. The fixed claw is fixed to the lower part of the housing, and the middle part of the rotating claw is rotatably connected to the housing. One end of the rotating claw is a hook-shaped part, and the other end is a straight part. When the rotating claw rotates, its hook-shaped part forms an open or closed state with the fixed claw. The locking bar is located above the rotating claw and its middle part is rotatably connected to the housing. The lower part of the locking bar is provided with a first groove for engaging with the straight end of the rotating claw. The unlocking bar is located on one side of the rotating claw and its middle part is rotatably connected to the housing. The upper part of the unlocking bar is provided with a second groove for engaging with the end of the locking bar. The unlocking drive includes a rotatable cam located on the outer side of the lower part of the locking bar. The cam abuts against the lower side of the unlocking bar.

[0006] Furthermore, the unlocking drive also includes a servo motor that drives the cam to rotate, thereby adjusting the deflection angle of the unlocking bar. Utilizing a servo motor-driven power system, combined with the locking and unlocking structures, compensates for accuracy and installation process issues. Using a servo motor for the second stage of unlocking perfectly solves the transmission efficiency problem, enabling the release of heavy objects even with a small servo motor driving force.

[0007] Furthermore, a first reset member is connected to the lower part of the unlocking bar to provide a force toward the cam direction to the lower part of the unlocking bar.

[0008] Furthermore, a second reset member is connected to the side of the locking bar away from the unlocking bar, which provides a downward force to the side of the locking bar away from the unlocking bar.

[0009] Furthermore, the straight section of the rotating claw is vertical in the locked state, and the axis of rotation of the locking bar is located directly above the vertical straight section.

[0010] Furthermore, the top side of the straight section of the rotating claw is provided with an arc-shaped groove, and the edge of the first groove of the locking bar is set as an arc-shaped edge that matches the arc-shaped groove.

[0011] Furthermore, the top of the locking bar end is configured as a lower flat portion, and the position where the second groove of the unlocking bar engages with the end of the locking bar is configured as an upper flat portion.

[0012] Furthermore, the contact point where the end of the locking bar and the second groove of the unlocking bar engage is located directly above the pivot of the unlocking bar or away from the side of the locking bar.

[0013] Furthermore, one end of the locking bar extends outward from the housing, and a corresponding groove is provided on one side of the housing to accommodate the locking bar.

[0014] Furthermore, the upper part of the housing is fixedly connected with a hanging lug, which is used to connect and fix the entire device to the rack of the delivery vehicle. The fixed claw and the housing are integrally formed, and the lower part of the housing is provided with an avoidance opening corresponding to the position of the rotating claw, so that the rotating claw can rotate to complete the opening and closing action.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. The locking strip and unlocking strip of the present invention are fastened together, and the tighter the fastening is, the heavier the load, so that the goods will not be accidentally released due to insufficient locking force.

[0016] 2. The ingenious structure of the unlocking device of this invention utilizes a servo motor's cam drive to forcibly disengage the unlocking device from the locking device's engagement point, thereby unlocking and releasing the cargo. This method saves space while simultaneously reducing the driving force required by the servo motor by increasing the lever arm length at the servo motor's drive end.

[0017] 3. When locking, the present invention can return the claw to its own slot and engage with the unlocking bar. At the same time, driven by the second reset component above, the unlocking bar and the locking bar are always pressed together to prevent loosening caused by vibration. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the aerial delivery device of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating claw structure of the aerial delivery device of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the interaction of the rotating claw, locking bar, and unlocking bar in the aerial delivery device of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the external shape of the aerial delivery device of the present invention.

[0022] In the figure, the components are: housing 1, fixing claw 11, hooking lug 12, rotating claw 2, first rotating shaft 21, hook-shaped part 22, straight part 23, arc groove 233, locking bar 3, second rotating shaft 31, first groove 32, arc edge 322, second reset part 33, lower plane part 34, wrench 35, unlocking bar 4, third rotating shaft 41, second groove 42, first reset part 43, upper plane part 44, cam 5, and servo motor 51. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. However, the following examples are only used to illustrate the present invention in detail and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0024] Example 1: An aerial delivery device, see [link to example]. Figures 1 to 3 The device includes a housing 1, a fixed claw 11, a rotating claw 2, a locking bar 3, an unlocking bar 4, and an unlocking drive component. The housing 1 is cylindrical or cuboid in shape and hollow inside. The fixed claw 11 is fixed to the lower part of the housing 1 and is an integral structure with the housing 1. The middle part of the rotating claw 2 is rotatably connected to the housing 1, and the rotating shaft is a first rotating shaft 21 fixed to the housing 1. One end of the rotating claw 2 is a hook-shaped part 22, and the other end is a straight part 23. When the rotating claw 2 rotates, its hook-shaped part 22 and the fixed claw 11 form an open or closed state. An clearance opening is provided at the lower part of the housing 1 corresponding to the position of the rotating claw 2, allowing the rotating claw 2 to rotate to complete the opening and closing action.

[0025] The locking bar 3 is located above the rotating claw 2 and is elongated. Its middle section is rotatably connected to the housing 1, and the rotating shaft is the second rotating shaft 31. The lower part of the locking bar 3 is provided with a first groove 32 for engaging with the end of the straight section 23 of the rotating claw 2. The unlocking bar 4 is located to the right of the rotating claw 2 and its middle section is rotatably connected to the housing 1. The rotating shaft is the third rotating shaft 41, and the upper part of the unlocking bar 4 is provided with a second groove 42 for engaging with the end of the locking bar 3. The unlocking drive component includes a rotatable cam 5 located on the lower outer side of the locking bar 3. The cam 5 abuts against the lower side of the unlocking bar 4. The cam 5 is driven by a servo motor 51, which rotates the cam 5 to adjust the deflection angle of the unlocking bar 4. The use of a servo motor-driven power form, combined with the locking and unlocking mechanisms, compensates for accuracy and installation process issues. Using a servo motor for the second stage of unlocking perfectly solves the transmission efficiency problem, allowing the release of heavy objects even with a small servo motor driving force. In the locked state, the distance from the position where the unlocking bar 4 contacts the cam 5 to the third rotating shaft 41 is greater than the distance from the third rotating shaft to the position where the locking bar 3 and the unlocking bar 4 contact, further reducing the demand on the servo motor's driving force.

[0026] The lower part of the unlocking bar 4 is connected to a first reset member 43, which is a spring and provides a force towards the cam direction for the unlocking bar 4. The locking bar 3 is located above and to the left of the second rotating shaft 31 and is connected to a second reset member 33, which is a torsion spring and provides a downward force to the left side of the locking bar 3. In some other embodiments, the first reset member 43 can be replaced with a torsion spring located above and to the left of the unlocking bar 4, and the second reset button 33 can be replaced with a tension spring located below and to the left of the locking bar 3. This provides a downward force to the left side of the locking bar 3 and a downward force to the right of the unlocking bar 4.

[0027] In this embodiment, the straight section 23 of the rotating claw 2 is vertical in the locked state, and the pivot 31 of the locking bar 3 is located directly above the vertical straight section 23. An arc-shaped groove 233 is provided on the top side of the straight section 23 of the rotating claw 2, and the edge of the first groove 32 of the locking bar 3 is an arc-shaped edge 322 that matches the arc-shaped groove 233. The top of the end of the locking bar 3 is a lower flat surface 34, and the position where the second groove 42 of the unlocking bar 4 engages with the end of the locking bar 3 is an upper flat surface 44. The position where the right end of the locking bar 3 abuts against the unlocking bar 4 is directly above or to the right of the third pivot 41.

[0028] On the outside of housing 1, see Figure 4The locking bar 3 extends outward from the left end of the housing 1. A corresponding vertical groove opening is provided on the left side of the housing 1 to accommodate the up-and-down rotation of the locking bar 3. A wrench 35 is provided on the left end of the locking bar 3 for easy operation. A mounting lug 12 is fixedly connected to the upper part of the housing 1. The mounting lug 12 is used to connect and fix the entire aerial delivery device to the mounting frame of the delivery vehicle. The delivery vehicle can be a drone, or other aerial vehicles, lifting devices, etc.

[0029] The operation of the aforementioned aerial delivery device is as follows: When a heavy object is loaded into the claw, gravity forces the rotating claw 2 to rotate clockwise. At this time, the first groove 32 of the locking bar 3 constrains the clockwise rotation of the rotating claw 2. Simultaneously, the locking bar 3 is pushed by the force transmitted from the rotating claw 2, forming a tendency to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the second groove 42 above the unlocking bar 4 constrains the locking bar 3 to rotate counterclockwise. At the same time, the second groove 42 above the unlocking bar 4 is "pulled up" upward by the force of the locking bar 3. During this process, because the third pivot 41 of the unlocking bar 4 is located "inside" to the left of the point of action of the locking bar 3, the more the locking bar 3 lifts the unlocking bar 4, the more the unlocking bar 4 tends to lock counterclockwise, resulting in a state of increasing tension. When unlocking is required, the servo motor 51 drives the cam 5 to rotate, the unlocking bar 4 is lifted and rotates clockwise, the second groove 42 above the unlocking bar 4 exits from the front of the locking bar 3, and the rotating claw 2 can rotate clockwise to release the cargo. After the cargo is released, the servo motor 51 will return to its original position. At this time, the unlocking bar 4 will be in a counterclockwise tilted state due to the drive of the V-shaped torsion spring above. Manually pull the left end of the locking bar 3 upward so that the front end of the locking bar 3 engages with the second groove 42 of the unlocking bar 4. At this time, the first groove 32 of the locking bar 3 will take advantage of this and put the "round head" of the rotating claw 2 into the groove, twisting the rotating claw 2 in a counterclockwise direction. When the unlocking bar 4 and the locking bar 3 are engaged, the rotating claw 2 will also return to a vertical state, completing the locking.

[0030] This invention features a rotating claw, locking bar, and unlocking bar that engage sequentially. In the locked state, the bar tightens further under load, preventing accidental release of goods. Driven by a servo motor 51, when the protruding end of cam 5 swings, the unlocking bar 4 is pulled counter-clockwise by a spring, maintaining a locking tendency between the unlocking bar 4 and the locking bar 3. Only when the servo motor 51 drives cam 5 to rotate, and the protruding end of cam 5 lifts the lower part of the unlocking bar 4, can the unlocking bar 4 be forcibly disengaged from the front end of the locking bar 3, thus releasing the goods. This power transmission method saves space while reducing the driving force required by the servo motor by increasing the lever arm length of the servo motor drive end. After locking, the second reset component 33, i.e., the V-shaped torsion spring, keeps the unlocking bar 4 and the locking bar 3 in a pressed state, preventing loosening due to vibration, greatly improving stability.

[0031] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, various specific parameters in the above embodiments can be changed to form multiple specific embodiments, all of which are common variations of the present invention, and will not be described in detail here.

Claims

1. An aerial delivery device, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a fixed claw, a rotating claw, a locking bar, an unlocking bar, and an unlocking drive. The fixed claw is fixed to the lower part of the housing, and the middle part of the rotating claw is rotatably connected to the housing. One end of the rotating claw is a hook-shaped part, and the other end is a straight part. When the rotating claw rotates, its hook-shaped part and the fixed claw form an open or closed state. The locking bar is located above the rotating claw and its middle part is rotatably connected to the housing. The lower part of the locking bar is provided with a first groove for engaging with the straight end of the rotating claw. The unlocking bar is located on one side of the rotating claw and its middle part is rotatably connected to the housing. The upper part of the unlocking bar is provided with a second groove for engaging with the end of the locking bar. The unlocking drive includes a rotatable cam located on the lower outer side of the locking bar. The cam abuts against the lower side of the unlocking bar.

2. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unlocking drive also includes a servo motor that drives the cam to rotate, and the servo motor drives the cam to rotate to adjust the deflection angle of the unlocking bar.

3. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower part of the unlocking bar is connected to a first reset member, which is used to provide a force toward the cam direction to the lower part of the unlocking bar.

4. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking bar is connected to a second reset member on the side away from the unlocking bar, which provides a downward force to the side of the locking bar away from the unlocking bar.

5. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The straight section of the rotating claw is vertical in the locked state, and the axis of rotation of the locking bar is located directly above the vertical straight section.

6. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top side of the straight section of the rotating claw is provided with an arc-shaped groove, and the edge of the first groove of the locking bar is set as an arc-shaped edge that matches the arc-shaped groove.

7. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the locking bar end is set as a lower flat portion, and the position where the second groove of the unlocking bar engages with the end of the locking bar is set as an upper flat portion.

8. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contact point where the end of the locking bar and the second groove of the unlocking bar engage is located directly above the pivot of the unlocking bar or away from the side of the locking bar.

9. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the locking bar extends outward from the housing, and a corresponding groove is provided on one side of the housing to accommodate the up-and-down rotation of the locking bar.

10. The aerial delivery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper part of the housing is fixedly connected with a hanging lug, which is used to connect and fix the entire device to the rack of the delivery vehicle. The fixed claw and the housing are integrally formed. The lower part of the housing has an avoidance opening corresponding to the position of the rotating claw, so that the rotating claw can rotate to complete the opening and closing action.

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