Dome, drone and automated access cabinet
By designing a detachable fairing that deforms during drone loading and unloading, the problem of high aerodynamic drag when drones carry large cargo is solved, cruise efficiency and speed are improved, and the structure of automated equipment is simplified.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN ZHUOPAI AUTOMATION TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-12
Smart Images
Figure CN122186385A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a fairing, a drone, and an automated storage and retrieval system. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, the use of drones for cargo delivery is becoming increasingly common. However, when drones use external cargo mounting, although they have more flexibility in choosing the size of the cargo they can carry, the cargo is usually packaged in a conventional shape for easy storage and transportation. This significantly increases aerodynamic drag on drones carrying large cargo when flying forward, which is detrimental to the drone's cruise efficiency and maximum speed. Summary of the Invention
[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a fairing to address the problem of significantly increased aerodynamic drag when drones are carrying cargo, especially large cargo.
[0004] In addition, a drone and an automated storage and retrieval system are also provided.
[0005] A fairing is used for drone cargo delivery. It is characterized in that it can be detachably fixed to the cargo. When the cargo with the fairing fixed is mounted on the drone, the fairing is located on the side of the cargo closer to the nose or tail of the drone, or at least two fairings are located on the side of the cargo closer to the nose and the side closer to the tail of the drone, respectively, so as to improve the streamline of the cargo relative to the incoming flow in front of the drone, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag encountered by the drone when flying forward with the cargo.
[0006] The fairing can deform between a first shape and a second shape; when cargo with the fairing fixed is mounted on a drone, the fairing is in the first shape; when cargo with the fairing fixed is unloaded by the drone, the fairing can transform into the second shape to reduce the size of the fairing.
[0007] In one embodiment, the fairing includes a support frame, a fairing body disposed on a support base, and a movable component movably connected to the support frame; during the process of loading or being carried by the drone with cargo that has the fairing fixed on it, the movable component is used to move relative to the support frame under the force of the drone, so as to deform the fairing body and thus automatically transform the fairing from a second shape to a first shape.
[0008] In one embodiment, the edge of the fairing is fixed to the support frame. When the fairing is in the second shape, the fairing is planar or near-planar in shape so as to be able to adhere to or approach the surface of the cargo. The movable part is rotatably connected to the support frame. The two opposite ends of the movable part are a first end close to the rotation axis and a second end away from the rotation axis, respectively. During the process of loading or being carried by the drone with the cargo fixed to the fairing, the first end of the movable part can move under the force of the drone, and at the same time drive the movable part to rotate relative to the support frame. Then the second end of the movable part can move away from the cargo, and can also pull or push the non-edge area of the fairing away from the cargo, thereby transforming the fairing into a cone shape or near-cone shape protruding from the surface of the cargo.
[0009] The cover can be elastically extended, and the movable parts can move relative to the support frame to drive the cover to elastically extend, thereby transforming the fairing from the second shape to the first shape. When the cargo that fixes the fairing is unloaded by the drone, the cover can rely on its own elastic restoring force to restore to a flat or near-flat shape, and at the same time, it can also drive the movable parts to rotate in the opposite direction so that the second end of the movable parts is attached to or close to the cargo.
[0010] In one embodiment, the fairing includes a support frame, a fairing body disposed on a support base, and a movable component movably connected to the support frame; during the process of loading or being carried by the drone with cargo fixed to the fairing, the movable component is used to move relative to the support frame to deform the fairing body and thus transform the fairing from a second shape to a first shape.
[0011] In one embodiment, when the fairing is installed near the nose of the drone, the protruding end of the fairing faces the nose, and the side of the fairing opposite the drone fuselage is close to or abuts the bottom surface of the drone fuselage. Similarly, when the fairing is installed near the tail of the drone, the protruding end of the fairing faces the tail, and the side of the fairing opposite the drone fuselage is close to or abuts the bottom surface of the drone fuselage.
[0012] The fairing can extend elastically, and the movable parts can move relative to the support frame, causing the fairing to extend elastically and thus transform the fairing from a second shape to a first shape. When the cargo fixed to the fairing is unloaded by the drone, the fairing can automatically transform back into the second shape due to the elastic restoring force of the fairing; and / or
[0013] The fairing is provided with creases or hinges, and the movable parts can move relative to the support frame to unfold the fairing from a folded state, thereby transforming the fairing from a second shape to a first shape. When the cargo holding the fairing is unloaded by the drone, at least a portion of the fairing can be folded together via creases or hinges, thereby restoring the fairing to its second shape; and / or
[0014] When the fairing is in the first shape, the movable parts are used to support the fairing body to keep the fairing in the first shape.
[0015] In one embodiment, the support frame is provided with a locking structure, and the cargo is provided with a corresponding first mating structure. The locking structure is used to engage with the first mating structure to lock the fairing onto the cargo.
[0016] The support frame is also provided with a second mating structure, in which multiple fairings can be stacked and two adjacent fairings can be fixed to each other by a locking structure of one and a second mating structure of the other;
[0017] The cargo includes cargo boxes and the items stored inside the cargo boxes. The cargo boxes have a detachable body and lid. When the fairing is fixed to the cargo box, the support frame is equipped with a locking structure near the lid and near the body. The cargo box body and lid are also equipped with a first mating structure. The support frame can be fixed to the cargo box body and lid respectively through the locking structure to reinforce the connection between the cargo box body and lid.
[0018] A drone for mounting and securing cargo with the aforementioned fairing;
[0019] The drone is equipped with an action component; during the process of loading or attaching cargo with a fixed fairing to the drone, the action component is used to exert a force on the movable part of the fairing, so that the movable part can move relative to the support frame under the force and drive the fairing to deform, thereby transforming the fairing from a second shape to a first shape.
[0020] In one embodiment, the actuating member is disposed on the bottom surface of the UAV fuselage; the actuating member protrudes from the bottom surface of the fuselage to prevent the movable part of the fairing from continuing to move in the direction close to the UAV fuselage during the loading or mounting of cargo with the fixed fairing onto the UAV, thereby generating a resisting force on the movable part of the fairing, allowing the movable part to move relative to the support frame under the resisting force and causing the fairing to deform, thereby transforming the fairing from a second shape to a first shape; and / or
[0021] The bottom surface of the drone fuselage is also provided with a limiting groove; when the drone is carrying cargo that is fixed in the first shape with the fairing, at least part of the moving parts of the fairing can be locked into the limiting groove to prevent the moving parts from swaying along the lateral side of the drone, and at the same time make the side of the fairing opposite to the drone fuselage fit more tightly with the bottom surface of the drone fuselage.
[0022] An automated storage and retrieval cabinet is used in conjunction with a drone to achieve automated storage and retrieval of goods. The cabinet is characterized in that it includes several storage positions for storing goods, a storage and retrieval mechanism for transporting goods, and a transport channel for the storage and retrieval mechanism to move up and down and connected to the storage positions. At least some of the storage positions or the inner side of the transport channel are provided with a storage structure for fixing the fairings to temporarily store the fairings that have been separated from the goods.
[0023] The storage and retrieval mechanism is used to move the combination of cargo and fairing closer to the storage structure so that the fairing and the storage structure are fitted together and fixed; the storage and retrieval mechanism is also used to move cargo away from or closer to the fairing fixed to the storage structure so as to separate or combine the cargo and the fairing respectively.
[0024] In one embodiment, the access mechanism is capable of moving the fairing-cargo assembly to a location close to the drone, enabling the drone to mount the assembly; and / or
[0025] After the drone unloads the fairing and cargo assembly onto the storage mechanism, the storage mechanism can move the assembly closer to the storage structure. The storage structure, in cooperation with the storage mechanism, separates the fairing from the cargo. The fairing is then secured to the storage structure, facilitating subsequent assembly with other cargo; and / or
[0026] A storage structure can simultaneously fix multiple fairings in the second shape, and the storage structure only needs to directly fix one fairing to simultaneously fix the other fairings that are stacked and fixed with the fairing.
[0027] Details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description
[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0029] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a fairing fixed to cargo and the cargo being carried by a drone, provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shown is a three-dimensional representation of a drone carrying cargo with a fixed fairing, taken from another angle.
[0031] Figure 3This is a perspective view of a fairing fixed to cargo according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the fairing is in a first shape;
[0032] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a fairing fixed to cargo according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the fairing is in a second shape;
[0033] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of a fairing provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the fairing is in a first shape;
[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fairing in the first shape from another angle;
[0035] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a fairing provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the fairing is in a second shape;
[0036] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a drone without cargo provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] Figure 9 An exploded view of the automated storage and retrieval cabinet provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] Figure 10 A perspective view of two fairings placed side by side, provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;
[0040] Figure 12 for Figure 10 The two fairings shown are a three-dimensional schematic diagram from another angle, in which the fairing body and moving parts are omitted;
[0041] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Enlarged diagram of point B in the middle. Detailed Implementation
[0042] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.
[0043] It should be noted that: when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly or indirectly attached to that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly or indirectly connected to that other component. When a component is referred to as being "electrically connected" to another component, it can be a conductive electrical connection, a radio connection, or any other connection method capable of transmitting electrical signals. Terms such as "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are for descriptive convenience only. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this patent. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of those features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0044] The fairing provided by the present invention will now be described; please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1 to 7 The fairing 1 is used for drone cargo delivery and can be detachably fixed to the cargo 2. When the cargo 2 with the fairing 1 fixed is mounted on the drone 3, the fairing 1 is located on the side of the cargo 2 closer to the nose or tail of the drone 3, or at least two fairings 1 are located on the side of the cargo 2 closer to the nose and the side closer to the tail of the drone 3, respectively, to improve the streamline of the cargo 2 relative to the incoming airflow in front of the drone 3, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag experienced by the drone 3 when flying forward with the cargo 2. The fairing 1 can be fixed to the cargo 2 by automated equipment before the drone 3 mounts the cargo 2, and can be detached from the cargo 2 by automated equipment after the drone 3 unloads the cargo 2, thus facilitating the subsequent storage and transportation of the cargo 2. It also allows the same fairing 1 to be repeatedly fixed to multiple cargoes 2 for reuse. In addition, the fairing 1 can be loaded and unloaded onto the drone 3 along with the cargo 2 after being fixed to it, which helps to simplify the structure of the supporting automated equipment.
[0045] Furthermore, such as Figures 3 to 7As shown, the fairing 1 can deform between a first shape and a second shape. When the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 is mounted on the drone 3, the fairing 1 is in the first shape. When the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 is unloaded by the drone 3, the fairing 1 can transform into the second shape to reduce its size, thereby improving the passability of the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 and reducing the space occupied by the fairing 1 when stored. Optionally, during the process of loading or mounting the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 onto the drone 3, the fairing 1 can automatically transform into the first shape under the force of the drone 3. For example, the fairing 1 can automatically transform into the first shape under the pushing force of the drone 3. The fairing 1 does not need to be equipped with a separate drive, which helps to simplify the structure of the fairing 1. In addition, the fairing 1 can also be provided with a self-recovering component, such as an elastic element or a magnetic element. When the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 is unloaded by the drone 3, the fairing 1 can automatically return to the second shape through the self-recovering component.
[0046] Specifically, the fairing 1 includes a support frame 10, a cover 11 disposed on a support base, and a movable member 12 movably connected to the support frame 10. During the loading or mounting of cargo 2, which holds the fairing 1 in place, onto the drone 3, the movable member 12 moves relative to the support frame 10 to deform the cover 11, thereby automatically transforming the fairing 1 from a second shape to a first shape. Optionally, the movable member 12 is moved relative to the support frame 10 by the force of the drone 3 to deform the cover 11, thereby transforming the fairing 1 from a second shape to a first shape. Additionally, when the fairing 1 is in the first shape, the movable member 12 can also support the cover 11 to maintain the fairing 1 in the first shape. In another embodiment, the fairing 1 can also be equipped with a separate actuator to enable autonomous driving of the movable part 12 relative to the support frame 10. The actuator can be electrically connected to the drone 3 and operate when the drone 3 is carrying the cargo 2 that fixes the fairing 1. Alternatively, the movable part 12 can also be made of shape memory alloy, which deforms after being electrically connected to the drone 3 and energized and its temperature is changed, thereby causing the fairing 11 to deform.
[0047] It should be noted that the fairing 1 can also adopt other structures, which are not limited here. For example, the fairing 1 includes an airbag and an air pump and air valve assembly for inflating and deflating the airbag. The air pump inflates the fairing 1 to change to a first shape, and the air valve deflates the fairing 1 to change to a second shape. Alternatively, the fairing 1 includes a support frame and multiple movable plates disposed on the support base. When the fairing 1 is in the second shape, the multiple movable plates can be stacked on top of each other so that the fairing 1 is in a flat or near-flat shape. During the process of loading the cargo 2 that fixes the fairing 1 onto the drone 3 or being carried by the drone 3, at least one movable plate is used to move relative to the support frame under the force of the drone 3, thereby driving the multiple movable plates to unfold and splice with each other after unfolding, so as to transform the fairing 1 from the second shape to the first shape. Elastic elements or magnetic elements can be provided between the multiple movable plates and the support frame so that the multiple movable plates can automatically return to the stacked state, that is, the fairing can automatically return to the second shape when it is not subjected to the force of the drone 3.
[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the edge of the cover 11 is fixed to the support frame 10. When the fairing 1 is in the second shape, the cover 11 is planar or nearly planar in shape so that it can adhere to or approach the surface of the cargo 2, thereby facilitating the passage of the cargo 2 with the fairing 1 through narrow spaces and making it easier to store the cover 11. At this time, the support frame 10 and the movable member 12 can also adhere to or approach the plane where the cover 11 is located, so that the fairing 1 is flat or nearly flat in shape. The movable member 12 is rotatably connected to the support frame 10 and can be rod-shaped or flat in shape. The two opposite ends of the movable member 12 are a first end 121 near the rotation axis and a second end 122 away from the rotation axis. The width of the first end 121 and the second end 122 can be the same, or the width of the first end 121 can be larger than that of the second end 122, making the movable member similar to a triangle or a cone. When the fairing 1 is fixed to the cargo 2, the rotation axis of the movable part 12 is located at or near the top of the cargo 2. If the fairing 1 is in the second shape, both the first end 121 and the second end 122 of the movable part 12 are attached to or near the cargo 2. The first end 121 of the movable part 12 is located at or near the top of the cargo 2 so that it can contact the fuselage of the drone 3 when the drone 3 is carrying the cargo 2. During the process of the cargo 2, with the fairing 1 fixed, being loaded onto or carried by the drone 3 from bottom to top, the first end 121 of the movable part 12 can move under the force of the drone 3, simultaneously causing the movable part 12 to rotate relative to the support frame 10. Consequently, the second end 122 of the movable part 12, opposite the first end 121, can move away from the cargo 2, simultaneously pulling or pushing the non-edge area of the fairing 11 away from the cargo 2, thereby transforming the fairing 11 into a cone shape or approximately cone shape protruding from the surface of the cargo 2, such as a polyhedral shape or a cone shape with an open bottom. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the cross-sectional area of the fairing 1 can gradually increase along the direction closer to the cargo 2. When the fairing 1 is installed on the side of the cargo 2 near the nose of the drone 3, the protruding end of the fairing 1 body 11 can face the nose side, and the side of the fairing 11 opposite to the drone 3 body is close to or attached to the bottom surface of the drone 3 body. When the fairing 1 is installed on the side of the cargo 2 near the tail of the drone 3, the protruding end of the fairing 1 body 11 can face the tail side of the drone 3, and the side of the fairing 11 opposite to the drone 3 body is close to or attached to the bottom surface of the drone 3 body. In both cases, the streamline of the cargo 2 relative to the incoming flow can be improved, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag encountered by the drone 3 when carrying the cargo 2.
[0049] Optionally, the support frame 10 is a ring frame to reduce its own weight, and the edge of the cover 11 is arranged around the ring frame. When the fairing 1 is fixed to the cargo 2, the cover 11 of the fairing 1 can just cover one or more sides of the cargo 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the cargo 2 is cubic in shape, and the covers 11 of the two fairings 1 can respectively cover the side of the cargo 2 near the nose of the drone 3 and the side near the tail of the drone 3.
[0050] In one embodiment, the cover 11 is elastically extendable; for example, the cover 11 is an elastically extendable film. The movable member 12 can move relative to the support frame 10, causing the cover 11 to elastically extend and thus transform the fairing 1 from a second shape to a first shape. When the cargo 2 that fixes the fairing 1 is unloaded by the drone 3, the cover 11 can return to a planar or near-planar shape by its own elastic restoring force. At the same time, it can also drive the movable member 12 to rotate in the opposite direction so that the second end 122 of the movable member 12 is attached to or close to the cargo 2. That is, the fairing can automatically transform into the second shape by relying on the elastic restoring force of the cover 11.
[0051] In another embodiment, the cover 11 is provided with creases or hinge axes (not shown), and the movable member 12 can move relative to the support frame 10 to unfold the cover 11 from a folded state, thereby transforming the fairing 1 from a second shape to a first shape. When the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1 is unloaded by the drone 3, at least a portion of the cover 11 can be folded together via creases or hinge axes, thereby restoring the fairing 1 to the second shape. It should be noted that a self-recovering component (not shown) can also be provided between the movable member 12 and the support frame 10, so that when the movable member 12 is not subjected to the force of the drone 3, it can rotate in the opposite direction by the self-recovering force of the self-recovering component until the second end 122 of the movable member 12 is attached to or close to the cargo 2, while simultaneously restoring the fairing 1 to the second shape. The self-recovering component can be a spring, a snap ring, a magnet, etc.
[0052] Furthermore, the support frame 10 is provided with a locking structure 101, and the cargo 2 is correspondingly provided with a first mating structure. The locking structure 101 is used to engage with the first mating structure to lock the fairing 1 onto the cargo 2. Specifically, the locking structure 101 and the first mating structure can be a combination of a snap and a slot, or a combination of magnetic components, or other structures can be used to achieve connection and fixation, which is not limited here. In addition, the cargo 2 is also provided with a mounting mating structure 20 for being mounted by the drone 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting mating structure 20 is a first groove and a second groove provided on the top surface of the cargo 2, and both the openings of the first groove and the second groove are provided with sealing plates on opposite sides to cooperate with the drone 3 for clamping and fixing. It should be noted that the cargo 2 can be a single item, or it can include a cargo box and items stored in the cargo box. Correspondingly, the first mating structure and the mounting mating structure 20 are both provided on the cargo box. Optionally, after the fairing 1 is fixed to the cargo box, the support frame 10 is provided with locking structures 101 on both the part near the lid and the part near the body. When the cargo box adopts a structure in which the body and lid are separable, the body and lid of the cargo box can also be provided with first mating structures respectively. In this way, the support frame 10 is fixed to the body and lid of the cargo box respectively through the locking structures 101, and can also be used to reinforce the connection between the body and lid of the cargo box, so that the structure of the cargo box is more stable when the UAV hangs the cargo box through the lid. The mounting mating structure 20 can be provided on the lid of the cargo box.
[0053] Please refer to the following: Figure 8 The present invention will now describe the drone 3 provided, which is used to carry cargo 2 with at least one fixed fairing 1. The drone 3 is equipped with an actuating member 30. During the process of loading or being carried by the drone 3 with the cargo 2 on the fixed fairing 1, the actuating member 30 applies a force to the fairing 1 so that the fairing 1 can automatically transform into a first shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuating member 30 prevents the movable part 12 of the fairing 1 from continuing to move in the direction close to the fuselage of the drone 3, thereby generating a resisting force on the movable part 12 of the fairing 1. Under this resisting force, the movable part 12 can move relative to the support frame 10 and cause the fairing body 11 to deform, thereby transforming the fairing 1 from a second shape to a first shape. Therefore, neither the drone 3 nor the fairing 1 needs to be equipped with an additional drive to drive the movement of the moving part 12. By using the drone 3 or the relevant mechanism of the automated equipment for automatically loading the cargo 2, such as the cargo mounting mechanism 31 of the drone 3, the automatic loading of the cargo 2 and the automatic transformation of the fairing 1 from the second shape to the first shape can be realized at the same time, which helps to simplify the structure of the drone 3 and the fairing 1.
[0054] Specifically, the actuating member 30 can be located on the bottom surface of the drone 3 fuselage. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuating member 30 protrudes from the bottom surface of the fuselage. Correspondingly, during the process of loading or being carried by the drone 3 with the cargo 2 fixed to the fairing 1, the cargo 2 is first lifted by the automated equipment or the drone 3 and approaches the drone 3 from bottom to top. At this time, the first end 121 of the movable member 12 near the rotation axis is located directly below the actuating member 30 of the drone 3, and the area of the first end 121 of the movable member 12 that contacts the actuating member 30 is horizontally offset from the rotation axis of the movable member 12. After the first end 121 contacts the action member 30 of the drone 3, the cargo 2 continues to be lifted upward. At the same time, the pushing force of the action member 30 on the movable member 12 generates a rotational torque relative to the rotation axis of the movable member 12 to drive the movable member 12 to rotate relative to the support frame 10 and cause the cover 11 to deform. The movable member 12 rotates until the second end 122 is close to or attached to the bottom surface of the drone 3, thereby transforming the fairing 1 into the first shape. At the same time, the side of the fairing 11 opposite to the drone 3 can be close to or attached to the bottom surface of the drone 3.
[0055] It should be noted that, in another embodiment, the actuating element 30 of the drone 3 can also be configured with other structures. For example, the actuating element 30 may have a trigger part (not shown) and an actuating part (not shown) linked to the trigger part. During the process of loading or being mounted on the drone 3 by the cargo 2 of the fixed fairing 1, the trigger part is used to retract to the bottom surface of the drone 3 body under the pressure of the cargo 2, while simultaneously driving the actuating part to extend or move out of the bottom surface of the drone 3 body. The actuating part pushes or pulls the movable part 12 of the fairing 1, driving the movable part 12 to move relative to the support frame 10 and causing the fairing 11 to deform. It is easily understood that the actuating element 30 may also be provided with a separate driver or a structure linked to the cargo mounting mechanism 31 of the drone 3 to drive the actuating part to automatically extend or move from the bottom surface of the drone 3 body. In this case, the actuating element 30 does not need to be provided with a trigger part.
[0056] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the drone 3 is also provided with a limiting groove 32. When the drone 3 is carrying the cargo 2 of the fairing 1 which is fixed in the first shape, at least a part of the movable part 12 of the fairing 1 can be inserted into the limiting groove 32 to prevent the movable part 12 from shaking laterally along the drone 3, and at the same time make the side of the fairing 11 opposite to the drone 3 fit more tightly with the bottom surface of the drone 3.
[0057] Please refer to the following: Figures 9 to 13The automated storage and retrieval cabinet 4 provided by the present invention will now be described. This automated storage and retrieval cabinet 4 is used in conjunction with a drone 3 to achieve automated storage and retrieval of goods 2. The automated storage and retrieval cabinet 4 receives and stores goods 2 stored by ground personnel or ground equipment, and then loads the goods 2 onto the drone 3; and the automated storage and retrieval cabinet 4 unloads and stores goods 2 transported by the drone 3, and then passes them to ground personnel or ground equipment for collection. Specifically, the automated storage and retrieval cabinet 4 includes several storage positions 40 for storing goods 2, a storage and retrieval mechanism 41 for transporting goods 2, and a transport channel for the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 to move up and down and communicates with the storage positions 40. The storage and retrieval mechanism 41 is also used to combine and separate goods 2 from the fairing 1. At least some of the inner surfaces of the storage positions 40 or the inner surfaces of the transport channel are provided with storage structures for fixing the fairing 1, so as to temporarily store the fairing 1 separated from the goods 2. The storage and retrieval mechanism 41 can move the combination of cargo 2 and fairing 1 closer to the storage structure so that fairing 1 is fixed to the storage structure; the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 is also used to move cargo 2 away from or closer to fairing 1 fixed to the storage structure so as to separate or combine cargo 2 and fairing 1 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, a storage structure is provided on the wall opposite to the transport channel of storage position 40, and fairing 1 in the second shape can be in an upright state when fixed to the storage structure.
[0058] Furthermore, multiple fairings 1 can be stacked and fixed in pairs. Specifically, the support frame 10 is also provided with a second mating structure 102. Multiple fairings 1 can be stacked, and two adjacent fairings 1 can be fixed to each other by a locking structure 101 of one and a second mating structure 102 of the other. The second mating structure 102 and the locking structure 101 are respectively provided on opposite sides of the support frame 10. Thus, a storage structure can simultaneously fix multiple fairings 1 in the second shape. Moreover, the storage structure only needs to directly fix one fairing 1 to simultaneously fix the other fairings 1 stacked and fixed with that fairing 1, which helps to reduce the number of storage structures in the automatic storage cabinet 4 and save storage space for the fairings 1.
[0059] Specifically, in one embodiment, the locking structure 101 of the fairing 1 is a groove provided on the side of the support frame 10 facing the cargo 2. The groove includes a first segment 1011 arranged along a first direction, a second segment 1012 arranged along a second direction, and an intersection segment 1013 communicating with both the first segment 1011 and the second segment 1012. The first direction intersects the second direction. When the fairing 1 is fixed to the storage structure, the first direction can be horizontal or approximately horizontal and parallel or substantially parallel to the wall surface where the storage structure is located. The second direction can be vertical or approximately vertical. The first mating structure of the cargo 2 and the second mating structure 102 of the fairing 1 are protrusions that can at least partially extend into the groove. The first mating structure and the second mating structure 102 can at least partially extend into the intersection segment 1013 of the groove and can slide to the first segment 1011 and the second segment 1012 respectively. The opening of the first segment 1011 is smaller than the bottom size, and the opening of the second segment 1012 is also smaller than the bottom size. Correspondingly, the head size of the protruding structure can be larger than the bottom size, so that after the first mating structure slides to the first segment 1011, the head of the protruding structure can engage with the first segment 1011, thereby fixing the fairing 1 to the cargo 2 through the engagement of the locking structure 101 and the first mating structure. And, after the second mating structure 102 slides to the second segment 1012, the head of the protruding structure can engage with the second segment 1012, thereby fixing two adjacent fairings 1 to each other through the engagement of the locking structure 101 of one and the second mating structure 102 of the other. It should be noted that the slot of the junction section 1013 is larger than the slots of the first section 1011 and the second section 1012 so that the head of the protruding structure can freely extend into and out of the junction section 1013. The storage structure can also be set to be the same as the locking structure 101 of the fairing 1, so as to fix the fairing 1 to be stored by interlocking with the second mating structure 102.
[0060] The steps for combining cargo 2 with fairing 1 are roughly as follows: the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves cargo 2 close to fairing 1 on the storage structure until the first mating structure of cargo 2 extends at least partially into the junction section 1013 of fairing 1. Then, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves cargo 2 along the first direction, causing the first mating structure of cargo 2 to slide to the first section 1011, so that fairing 1 is fixed to cargo 2 by the mutual engagement of locking structure 101 and the first mating structure. Next, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves cargo 2 along the second direction, while simultaneously moving fairing 1 fixed to cargo 2 along the second direction, so that the second mating structure 102 of fairing 1 can slide from the second section 1012 of the storage structure to the junction section 1013. Finally, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves cargo 2 away from the storage structure, so that fairing 1 fixed to cargo 2 can be detached from the storage structure.
[0061] The steps for separating cargo 2 from fairing 1 are roughly as follows: the storage mechanism 41 moves cargo 2, which is fixed to the first fairing 1, closer to the storage structure of the storage position 40 or closer to the second fairing 1 stored in the storage structure, until the second mating structure 102 of the first fairing 1 at least partially extends into the intersection section 1013 of the storage structure or the intersection section 1013 of the locking structure 101 of the second fairing 1. Then, the storage mechanism 41 moves cargo 2 along the second direction, causing the second mating structure 102 of the first fairing 1 to slide to the second section 1012 of the storage structure or the locking structure 101 of the second fairing 1. The second segment 1012 allows the first fairing 1 to be fixed to the storage structure by the mutual engagement of the second mating structure 102 and the storage structure, or to be fixed to the second fairing 1 by the mutual engagement of the second mating structure 102 and the locking structure 101 of the second fairing 1. Then, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves the cargo 2 in the first direction, causing the first mating structure of the cargo 2 to slide from the first segment 1011 of the first fairing 1 to the confluence segment 1013. Finally, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves the cargo 2 in a direction away from the first fairing 1, thereby separating the cargo 2 from the first fairing 1. It should be noted that the thickness of the fairing 1's body 11 can be relatively small, so that it can be located between the second mating structure 102 of the first fairing 1 and the second segment 1012 of the storage structure without affecting their relative sliding and mutual engagement, or, it can be located between the second mating structure 102 of the first fairing 1 and the second segment 1012 of the locking structure 101 of the second fairing 1 without affecting their relative sliding and mutual engagement.
[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 13As shown, the support frame 10 of the fairing 1 is also provided with a movable locking block 103. The first end of the movable locking block 103 can extend out of the side where the second mating structure 102 is located and is positioned close to the second mating structure 102. When the two fairings 1 are stacked and fixed together, the first end of the movable locking block 103 of one of them can extend into the first section 1011 of the locking structure 101 of the other to prevent the two fairings 1 from moving relative to each other in the second direction, thereby preventing the two fairings 1 from being released from their mutual fixation. Similarly, when a fairing 1 is directly fixed to the storage structure, the first end of the movable locking block 103 of the fairing 1 can extend into the first section 1011 of the storage structure to prevent the fairing 1 from moving relative to the storage structure in the second direction, thereby preventing the fairing 1 from being released from its mutual fixation with the storage structure. Additionally, the second end of the movable block 103, which is opposite to the first end, is located in the second section 1012 of the locking structure 101 of the same fairing 1. When the first mating structure of the cargo 2 slides to the first section 1011 of the locking structure 101 of the fairing 1, the second end of the movable block 103 of the fairing 1 can be pushed by the first mating structure of the cargo 2 and move, so that the first end of the movable block 103 can retract into the support frame 10. Therefore, in the step of combining cargo 2 with fairing 1, if multiple fairings 1 are stored on the storage structure, after the outermost fairing 1 is fixed to cargo 2 by the locking structure 101 and the first mating structure of cargo 2, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 can move cargo 2 in the second direction and drive the outermost fairing 1 to move in the second direction, so that the second mating structure 102 of the fairing 1 can slide from the second section 1012 of the locking structure 101 of the adjacent fairing 1 to the intersection section 1013. At the same time, except for the fairing 1 fixed to cargo 2, the other fairings 1 remain fixed to the storage structure due to the obstruction of the movable latch 103. In one embodiment, the movable latch 103 is rotatably connected to the support frame 10, so that the first end and the second end of the movable latch 103 can be simultaneously retracted into the support frame 10 by the rotation of the movable latch 103 relative to the support frame 10. Additionally, a self-recovering component (not shown) can be provided between the movable block 103 and the support frame 10 to enable the movable block 103 to automatically return to the state of the first end extending when the second end is not pushed by the first mating structure of the cargo 2.
[0063] It should be noted that the storage structure is not limited to the structure described above. For example, the storage structure can also be configured as a clamping structure containing a driver for controlled automatic clamping and / or release of the fairing 1. In addition, the locking structure 101 and the second mating structure 102 can also be a combination of magnetic elements, which is not limited here.
[0064] Furthermore, after cargo 2 is combined with fairing 1, the storage and retrieval mechanism 41 can transport the combination of cargo 2 and fairing 1 to the location of drone 3, allowing drone 3 to mount the combination. After drone 3 unloads the combination onto storage and retrieval mechanism 41, storage and retrieval mechanism 41 moves the combination closer to the storage structure. Storage and retrieval mechanism 41, in cooperation with the storage structure, separates fairing 1 from cargo 2. Fairing 1 can then be fixed to the storage structure for subsequent combination with other cargo 2. Storage and retrieval mechanism 41 can then move cargo 2, separated from fairing 1, to the corresponding storage location 40 for storage.
[0065] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A fairing for use in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo delivery, characterized in that, It can be detachably fixed to the cargo. When the cargo with the fairing fixed is mounted on the drone, the fairing is located on the side of the cargo near the nose or tail of the drone, or at least two fairings are located on the side of the cargo near the nose and the side near the tail of the drone, respectively, to improve the streamline of the cargo relative to the incoming flow in front of the drone, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag encountered by the drone when flying forward with the cargo. The fairing is deformable between a first shape and a second shape; when the cargo for which the fairing is fixed is mounted on a drone, the fairing is in the first shape; Once the cargo securing the fairing is unloaded by the drone, the fairing can be transformed into the second shape to reduce its size.
2. The fairing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fairing includes a support frame, a cover body disposed on the support base, and a movable component movably connected to the support frame. During the process of loading or being carried by the drone with cargo that fixes the fairing, the movable component is used to move relative to the support frame under the force of the drone, so as to deform the cover body and automatically transform the fairing from the second shape to the first shape.
3. The fairing as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The edge of the cover is fixed to the support frame. When the fairing is in the second shape, the cover is planar or nearly planar so that it can adhere to or approach the surface of the cargo. The movable part is rotatably connected to the support frame. The two opposite ends of the movable part are a first end close to the rotation axis and a second end away from the rotation axis, respectively. During the process of loading or being carried by the drone while the cargo with the fairing fixed is being loaded, the first end of the movable part can move under the force of the drone, and at the same time drive the movable part to rotate relative to the support frame. Then, the second end of the movable part can move away from the cargo, and can also pull or push the non-edge area of the cover away from the cargo, thereby transforming the cover into a cone shape or nearly cone shape protruding from the surface of the cargo. The cover can be elastically extended, and the movable part can move relative to the support frame to drive the cover to elastically extend, thereby transforming the fairing from the second shape to the first shape. When the cargo that fixes the fairing is unloaded by the drone, the cover can rely on its own elastic restoring force to restore to a planar or near-planar shape, and at the same time, it can also drive the movable part to rotate in the opposite direction so that the second end of the movable part is attached to or close to the cargo.
4. The fairing as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fairing includes a support frame, a cover body disposed on the support base, and a movable component movably connected to the support frame. During the process of loading or being carried by the drone with cargo that fixes the fairing, the movable component is used to move relative to the support frame to drive the cover body to deform and thus transform the fairing from the second shape to the first shape.
5. The fairing as described in claim 4, characterized in that, When the fairing is positioned near the nose of the drone, the protruding end of the fairing faces the nose, and the side of the fairing opposite the drone fuselage is close to or abuts the bottom surface of the drone fuselage. Similarly, when the fairing is positioned near the tail of the drone, the protruding end of the fairing faces the tail, and the side of the fairing opposite the drone fuselage is close to or abuts the bottom surface of the drone fuselage. The cover is elastically extendable, and the movable component can move relative to the support frame to cause the cover to elastically extend, thereby transforming the fairing from the second shape to the first shape. When the cargo securing the fairing is unloaded by the drone, the fairing can automatically transform back into the second shape due to the elastic restoring force of the cover; and / or The cover is provided with creases or hinges. The movable part can move relative to the support frame to drive the cover to unfold from the folded state and thus transform the fairing from the second shape to the first shape. When the cargo that fixes the fairing is unloaded by the drone, at least a part of the cover can be folded together through creases or hinges, thereby restoring the fairing to the second shape. and / or When the fairing is in the first shape, the movable element is used to support the fairing body to keep the fairing in the first shape.
6. The fairing as described in any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The support frame is provided with a locking structure, and the cargo is provided with a first mating structure. The locking structure is used to lock the fairing to the cargo so that the fairing can be fixed to the cargo. The support frame is also provided with a second mating structure, wherein multiple fairings can be stacked and two adjacent fairings can be fixed to each other by the locking structure of one and the second mating structure of the other; The cargo includes cargo boxes and the items stored inside the cargo boxes. The cargo boxes have a detachable body and lid. When the fairing is fixed to the cargo box, the support frame is provided with locking structures on both the part near the lid and the part near the body. The cargo box body and lid are also provided with first mating structures. The support frame can be fixed to the cargo box body and lid respectively through the locking structures to reinforce the connection between the cargo box body and lid.
7. A drone, characterized in that, Goods for mounting and securing the fairing as described in any one of claims 2-6; The drone is equipped with an action member; during the process of loading or being carried by the drone with cargo that is fixed to the fairing, the action member is used to exert a force on the movable part of the fairing, so that the movable part can move relative to the support frame under the force and drive the fairing to deform, thereby transforming the fairing from the second shape to the first shape.
8. The drone as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The actuating member is disposed on the bottom surface of the UAV fuselage; the actuating member protrudes from the bottom surface of the fuselage to prevent the movable part of the fairing from continuing to move in the direction close to the UAV fuselage during the loading or mounting of cargo that secures the fairing onto the UAV, thereby generating a resisting force on the movable part of the fairing, allowing the movable part to move relative to the support frame under the resisting force and causing the fairing body to deform, thus transforming the fairing from the second shape to the first shape; and / or The bottom surface of the drone fuselage is also provided with a limiting groove; when the drone is carrying cargo that is fixed in the first shape of the fairing, at least a portion of the movable part of the fairing can be inserted into the limiting groove to prevent the movable part from shaking along the lateral direction of the drone, and at the same time make the side of the fairing opposite to the drone fuselage fit more tightly with the bottom surface of the drone fuselage.
9. An automated storage and retrieval cabinet, used in conjunction with a drone to achieve automated storage and retrieval of goods, characterized in that: The automated storage and retrieval cabinet includes several storage positions for storing goods, a storage and retrieval mechanism for transporting goods, and a transport channel for the storage and retrieval mechanism to move up and down and communicate with the storage positions; at least some of the inner sides of the storage positions or the inner sides of the transport channel are provided with a storage structure for fixing the fairing as described in any one of claims 1-6, so as to temporarily store the fairing after it is separated from the goods. The access mechanism is used to move the combination of goods and the fairing closer to the storage structure so that the fairing is fixed to the storage structure; the access mechanism is also used to move the goods away from or closer to the fairing fixed to the storage structure so as to separate or combine the goods and the fairing respectively.
10. The automated storage and retrieval cabinet as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The access mechanism can move the fairing and cargo assembly to a position close to the drone, allowing the drone to mount the assembly; and / or After the drone unloads the fairing and cargo assembly onto the storage mechanism, the storage mechanism can move the assembly closer to the storage structure. The storage structure, in cooperation with the storage mechanism, separates the fairing from the cargo. The fairing is then fixed to the storage structure for subsequent assembly with other cargo; and / or One of the storage structures can simultaneously fix multiple fairings in the second shape, and the storage structure only needs to directly fix one of the fairings to simultaneously fix the other fairings that are stacked and fixed with the fairing.