Charging device, unmanned aerial vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle airport

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a charging device, a UAV and a UAV airport, the charging device comprising a plurality of charging structures arranged side by side, the charging structures having interface portions, the interface portions of the plurality of charging structures being oriented in the same direction; wherein, in a case where the UAV determines to use the charging device, any one of the interface portions of the plurality of charging structures can be docked with a charging end of the UAV. Through the above technical solution, the UAV can land on any one of the interface portions and the charging end of the UAV can be docked with the interface portion. Since the plurality of charging structures can cooperate with the UAV, the positioning accuracy requirement of the UAV during landing can be reduced, the UAV landing on any one of the interface portions can achieve charging, and thus the positioning cost of the UAV can be reduced and the economic benefit can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and more specifically, to a charging device, a drone, and a drone airport. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, drones mostly use contact charging, which is simple and direct in principle. However, contact charging requires high accuracy in the drone's landing position. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a charging device, a drone, and a drone airport that facilitates drone landing and charging, thereby at least partially solving the aforementioned technical problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, a charging device is provided, comprising a plurality of charging structures arranged side by side, each charging structure having an interface portion, the interface portions of the plurality of charging structures having the same orientation; wherein, when a drone determines to use the charging device, any one of the interface portions of the plurality of charging structures can dock with the charging end of the drone.

[0005] Optionally, the charging structure includes a base, the outer wall of which includes a plurality of sidewalls connected at an angle in sequence along the circumference; two sidewalls located on adjacent sides of the adjacent base are in contact with each other.

[0006] Optionally, the interface section includes a mating interface, a guiding section, and a charging section arranged in sequence. The guiding section has an annular guiding surface, and the charging section has an annular charging interface for connecting to the charging end of the drone.

[0007] Optionally, the top edges of the mutually abutting sidewalls at least partially overlap; the top edges of the plurality of sidewalls form the mating interface.

[0008] Optionally, the charging unit includes a first induction coil disposed within the base and arranged around at least a portion of the charging interface; The first induction coil includes a first flexible substrate and a first conductor coil connected to the first flexible substrate, the first flexible substrate surrounding at least a portion of the charging interface.

[0009] Optionally, the first induction coil is used to adjust the magnetic field strength according to the docking position of the drone relative to the charging device.

[0010] Optionally, the guiding surface is a guiding slope extending from the docking interface to the charging interface, and the guiding slope is inclined to the inside of the interface portion.

[0011] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a drone is provided having a charging end, which is mated with any interface portion of the aforementioned charging device.

[0012] Optionally, the charging terminal includes a second induction coil disposed inside the drone. The second induction coil includes a second flexible substrate disposed around the inner wall of the charging terminal and a second conductor coil connected to the second flexible substrate; and / or, At least a portion of the outer wall surface of the charging terminal conforms to the inner wall surface of the interface portion.

[0013] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) airport is provided, including a support frame and the aforementioned charging device, wherein the charging device is connected to the support frame. The drone airport also includes a solar cell connected to the bracket and a power source electrically connected to the charging device, wherein the solar cell is electrically connected to the power source.

[0014] The above technical solution enables the drone to land on any interface and its charging end to dock with the interface. Since multiple charging structures can work with the drone, the positioning accuracy requirements of the drone during landing can be reduced. The drone can be charged after landing and docking with any interface, thereby reducing the positioning cost of the drone and improving economic efficiency.

[0015] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the charging device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a drone landing on a charging device according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a plurality of charging structures in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a portion of the charging structure has been removed to illustrate the first induction coil. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the UAV provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 10. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Airport; 20. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); 201. Charging Terminal; 202. Nose Section; 203. Avionics Cabin; 204. Thermal Insulation Cabin; 205. Docking Cabin; 206. Wing; 207. Second Induction Coil; 1. Charging structure; 11. Interface section; 111. Connecting interface; 112. Guide section; 1121. Guide surface; 113. Charging section; 1131. Charging interface; 1132. First induction coil; 12. Base; 121. Side wall surface; 2. Support; 3. Solar cell; 4. Power supply. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0019] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "inner" and "outer" refer to the interior and exterior of the outline of the corresponding component; "far" and "near" refer to the distance of the corresponding component relative to another component in terms of spatial position. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this disclosure are for distinguishing one element from another and do not have sequential or importance. When the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements.

[0020] According to the first aspect of this disclosure, reference to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this disclosure provides a charging device, including a plurality of charging structures 1 arranged side by side, each charging structure 1 having an interface portion 11, and the interface portions 11 of the plurality of charging structures 1 having the same orientation; wherein, when the drone 20 determines to use the charging device, any one of the interface portions 11 of the plurality of charging structures 1 can be connected to the charging end 201 of the drone 20.

[0021] Through the above technical solution, the drone 20 can land on any interface 11 and the charging end 201 of the drone 20 can dock with the interface 11. Since multiple charging structures 1 can cooperate with the drone 20, the positioning accuracy requirement of the drone 20 during landing can be reduced, and the drone 20 can be charged after landing and docking with any interface 11, thereby reducing the positioning cost of the drone 20 and improving economic efficiency.

[0022] In this arrangement, multiple charging structures 1 are arranged side by side. For example, multiple charging structures 1 / interface portions 11 are arranged side by side in the same plane. For example, refer to... Figure 1As shown, the plane can be defined by the perpendicular X and Y directions, so that when the drone 20 lands / moves to the charging device in a direction perpendicular to the plane (e.g., Z direction), the positioning accuracy requirements of the drone 20 in the X and Y directions can be reduced. That is, even if the drone has a certain error in the X and Y directions, it can land on one of the multiple charging structures 1 to complete the charging process smoothly.

[0023] In one exemplary application scenario, the drone 20 can be a reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The tail-seat drone 20 shown includes a nose 202, an avionics bay 203, an insulated bay 204, a docking bay 205, and wings 206. The charging terminal 201 may include the docking bay 205. To facilitate landing, the charging device provided in this disclosure has its interface 11 vertically upward-facing. When charging is required, the tail-seat drone 20 can fly above multiple charging structures 1 using, for example, RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technology. It can then shut down its power and fall under gravity to any one of the charging structures 1, allowing the charging terminal 201 to dock with the interface 11. To ensure the integrity of the drone 20 during landing, the distance between the drone 20 and the charging structure 1 when its power is off is no more than 30 cm.

[0024] Understandably, the interface section 11 can also be oriented at an angle to the vertical and facing upwards. In this case, the drone 20 needs to maintain power during landing to ensure docking with the interface section 11. Alternatively, the interface section 11 can be oriented at an angle to the vertical and facing downwards. In this case, the drone 20 needs to maintain power when docking with the interface section 11, and after docking, it needs to be secured to the charging device by a fixing structure. This fixing structure can be, for example, a retractable fixing plate connected to the charging structure 1, to support or abut against the drone 20. This disclosure is not limited to these options.

[0025] It is understood that the aforementioned tail-mounted drone 20 is only one exemplary model of the charging device of this disclosure capable of charging. The drone 20 can also be other types of rotary-wing drones 20 or fixed-wing drones 20, etc. The charging end 201 of the drone 20 can be connected to the interface part 11. This disclosure does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0026] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3As shown, the charging structure 1 may include a base 12, and the outer wall of the base 12 includes a plurality of sidewall surfaces 121 connected at an angle along the circumference. When there are multiple charging structures 1, the two sidewall surfaces 121 on adjacent sides of adjacent bases 12 are fitted together. In this way, the cross-section of the base 12 parallel to the aforementioned plane is polygonal, and the two sidewall surfaces 121 on adjacent sides of two adjacent bases 12 are fitted together to make full use of space, so that multiple bases 12 can be spliced ​​together.

[0027] The arrangement of the aforementioned bases 12 is similar to shaping each base 12 into a honeycomb structure. An example of the cross-section of each base 12 is a regular hexagon, which geometrically offers optimal space utilization efficiency and material savings. It is understood that the cross-section of the base 12 can also be an equilateral triangle, a square, or a regular octagon, etc., and this disclosure does not specifically limit this.

[0028] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the top edges of the mutually abutting sidewalls 121 at least partially overlap, and the top edges of multiple sidewalls 121 form the mating interface 111 of the interface portion 11. This reduces the edge size of the mating interface 111 and increases its cross-sectional size, thereby reducing the possibility of the drone 20 tipping over upon landing on the edge of the interface portion 11, lowering the positioning difficulty of the drone 20 during landing, and ensuring that the charging end 201 of the drone 20 can pass through the mating interface 111 and connect to the interface portion 11 for charging. Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment is shown in which the top edges of the two mating sidewalls 121 of two adjacent bases 12 completely overlap. In other embodiments not shown, the top edges of the two mating sidewalls 121 of two adjacent bases 12 may also partially overlap. For example, the top edges of the two sidewalls 121 may have different circumferential extension lengths. This disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0029] It is understood that the edges of the interfaces 111 of two adjacent interfaces 11 can overlap to form a ridge, so that the two interfaces 111 share the same ridge as the edge. This facilitates the guidance of the UAV 20 to be inserted into the interface 11. This disclosure is not limited to this.

[0030] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3As shown, the interface section 11 may include a mating interface 111, a guide section 112, and a charging section 113 arranged sequentially. The guide section 112 has an annular guide surface 1121, and the charging section 113 has an annular charging interface 1131 for connecting to the charging end 201 of the drone 20. In this exemplary embodiment, the mating interface 111 of the interface section 11 is arranged vertically (Z-direction) upwards, thus the guide section 112 is located above the charging section 113. This allows the drone 20 to land directly on the guide surface 1121 during descent, guiding it to continue its descent and connecting its charging end 201 to the charging interface 1131. Alternatively, in some possible cases, when the drone 20 contacts the edge of the mating interface 111 (e.g., the aforementioned edge or the top edge of the aforementioned sidewall 121), it can smoothly slide into the guide section 112 and be guided to continue its descent via the guide section 112. Preferably, as will be described below, the outer wall surface of the charging end 201 of the drone 20 can conform to the inner wall surface of the interface portion 11, for example, conform to the guide surface 1121 of the guide portion 112, so as to more easily guide the landing of the drone 20.

[0031] For example, the drone 20 can be a reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 The tail-seat type UAV 20 shown includes a nose 202, an avionics bay 203, an insulation bay 204, a docking bay 205, and wings 206. The charging end 201 may include the docking bay 205. The avionics bay 203 is equipped with a navigation system, a telemetry and communication system, and a data link system. The insulation bay 204 is used to effectively keep the battery within the optimal operating temperature range, thereby improving battery performance and endurance, extending battery life, and enhancing the flight safety of the UAV 20.

[0032] When charging is required, the tail-mounted drone 20 can fly above multiple charging structures 1 via, for example, RTK (Real Time Kinematic) technology, and then shut off its power, falling under the influence of gravity. During this process, the docking bay 205 of the drone 20 can pass through the docking interface 111 and continue to fall under the guidance of the guide surface 1121 to connect with the charging interface 1131.

[0033] It is understood that the guide surface 1121 can also be used to support the drone 20. For example, the guide surface 1121 can be used to support the outer surface of the insulated compartment 204 of the tail-mounted drone 20 to support the drone 20, or the guide surface 1121 can be used to support the outer surface of the docking compartment 205 of the tail-mounted drone 20 to support the drone 20, in which case the charging end 201 is located below the support portion. This disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0034] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 As shown, the charging unit 113 includes a first induction coil 1132 disposed within the base 12 and arranged around at least a portion of the charging interface 1131, so that the base 12 can protect the first induction coil 1132. The first induction coil 1132 includes a first flexible substrate and a first conductor coil connected to the first flexible substrate, which surrounds at least a portion of the charging interface 1131. Thus, when an alternating current of a specific frequency and intensity is passed through the first induction coil 1132, an alternating magnetic field can be generated inside the first induction coil 1132. Then, the second induction coil 207 disposed in the drone 20 (described later) receives the magnetic resonance energy and converts it into alternating current, which is then transmitted to the power supply 4 of the drone 20 through a rectification and voltage regulation circuit. The rectification and voltage regulation circuit can be a diode rectification combined with a capacitor, an inductor, and a voltage regulator.

[0035] Connecting the first conductor coil to the first flexible substrate can more effectively concentrate the magnetic flux, generate a stronger magnetic field, and thus improve the induction efficiency; it can better limit the distribution of the magnetic field in the target area and reduce unnecessary magnetic leakage; it can achieve a larger effective induction area on a smaller bottom area, optimizing the space configuration; and it facilitates cooling and heat dissipation.

[0036] The first flexible substrate can be made of a flexible insulating substrate (mainly polyimide or polyester film), which can be freely bent, rolled, and folded. The first conductor coil can be made of low-resistance materials such as copper or gold. The first conductor coil is then formed through processes such as blanking, drilling, electroplating, film lamination / exposure, development / etching / film removal.

[0037] When the drone 20 is charging at the charging device, multiple first conductor coils of the multiple charging structures 1 are all energized with alternating current, so as to simultaneously power the drone 20. In some embodiments, refer to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the first induction coil 1132 is used to adjust the magnetic field strength according to the docking position of the UAV 20 relative to the charging device. In this way, the magnetic field strength of the first induction coil 1132 of the charging structure 1 docked with the charging end 201 of the UAV 20 is increased, and the other first induction coils 1132 are reasonably reduced in magnetic field strength according to the distance from the UAV 20 through the power distribution algorithm, so as to achieve efficient energy transmission and reduce energy loss.

[0038] For example, the intensity of the alternating current flowing in the first induction coil 1132 can be controlled by setting a controller in conjunction with an algorithm, thereby adjusting the magnetic field strength of the first induction coil 1132.

[0039] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the guide surface 1121 can be a guide slope extending from the docking interface 111 to the charging interface 1131, and the guide slope is inclined to the inside of the interface portion 11. The first end of the guide surface 1121 abuts against the charging interface 1131, and the second end of the guide surface 1121 opposite to the first end forms the docking interface 111. Thus, the cross-sectional area of ​​the docking interface 111 is larger than that of the charging interface 1131, allowing the charging end 201 of the drone 20 to pass through the docking interface 111. The annular guide slope then guides the charging end 201 of the drone 20 towards the charging interface 1131, ensuring that the charging end 201 of the drone 20 can connect to the charging portion 113. Furthermore, the guide slope can also support the drone 20 during charging by the charging device.

[0040] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a drone 20 is provided, which has a charging terminal 201 that engages with any one of the interface portions 11 of the aforementioned charging device. Thus, the charging terminal 201 can engage with the interface portion 11 to enable the charging device to charge the drone 20. Exemplarily, the charging terminal 201 of the drone 20 can pass through the interface 111 and move towards the charging interface 1131 under the action of a guiding inclined surface. The charging terminal 201 can then be placed inside the charging interface 1131, that is, inside the first induction coil 1132 to be placed within an alternating magnetic field, thereby enabling the charging unit 113 to charge the charging terminal 201.

[0041] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 As shown, the charging terminal 201 may include a second induction coil 207, which is disposed inside the drone 20 to protect it. The second induction coil 207 may include a second flexible substrate surrounding the inner wall of the charging terminal 201 and a second conductor coil connected to the second flexible substrate. For example, the drone 20 may be the tail-mounted drone 20 described above, and the charging terminal 201 may include a docking bay 205. The second induction coil 207 may be connected to the inner surface of the docking bay 205, thus protecting the second induction coil 207 through the docking bay 205.

[0042] The second induction coil 207 can adapt to the curved layout structure of the drone 20. For example, the second induction coil 207 can fit into the inner curved surface of the docking compartment 205 of the tail-mounted drone 20 to have a larger area advantage. Moreover, the second induction coil 207 is lighter, which can effectively reduce the weight of the drone 20 and improve its endurance.

[0043] In addition, at least a portion of the outer wall surface of the charging end 201 conforms to the inner wall surface of the interface portion 11. For example, at least a portion of the outer wall surface of the charging end 201 may conform to the guide surface 1121 to facilitate the guide surface 1121 in guiding the charging end 201 toward the charging interface 1131. Alternatively, at least a portion of the outer wall surface of the charging end 201 may conform to the inner wall surface of the charging interface 1131 to improve the stability of the drone 20 when it is placed in the charging device.

[0044] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a drone airport 10 is provided, including a support 2 and the aforementioned charging device. The charging device can be connected to the support 2, and a drone 20 can land at the drone airport 10 to pause and charge. The support 2 can be connected to the ground, or it can be connected to a wall, etc. This disclosure does not specifically limit the connection.

[0045] In addition, the drone airport 10 also includes a solar cell 3 connected to the support 2, and a power supply 4 electrically connected to the charging device. The solar cell 3 can thus assist the power supply 4 in supplying energy to the charging device, thereby reducing energy consumption. It is understood that a DC-to-AC converter is provided between the power supply 4 and the charging device; this DC-to-AC converter can be, for example, an inverter, to supply alternating current to the charging device through the power supply 4.

[0046] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0047] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0048] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A charging device, characterized in that, The device includes multiple charging structures arranged side by side, each charging structure having an interface portion, and the interface portions of the multiple charging structures facing the same direction; wherein, when the UAV determines to use the charging device, any one of the interface portions of the multiple charging structures can connect to the charging end of the UAV.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The charging structure includes a base, and the outer wall of the base includes a plurality of sidewalls connected at an angle in sequence along the circumference; two sidewalls located on adjacent sides of the adjacent base are in contact with each other.

3. The charging device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The interface section includes a docking interface, a guide section, and a charging section arranged in sequence. The guide section has an annular guide surface, and the charging section has an annular charging interface for connecting to the charging end of the drone.

4. The charging device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The top edges of the mutually abutting sidewalls at least partially overlap; the top edges of the plurality of sidewalls form the mating interface.

5. The charging device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The charging unit includes a first induction coil disposed within the base and arranged around at least a portion of the charging interface; The first induction coil includes a first flexible substrate and a first conductor coil connected to the first flexible substrate, the first flexible substrate surrounding at least a portion of the charging interface.

6. The charging device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first induction coil is used to adjust the magnetic field strength according to the docking position of the drone relative to the charging device.

7. The charging device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guiding surface is a guiding slope extending from the docking interface to the charging interface, and the guiding slope is inclined to the inside of the interface portion.

8. A drone, characterized in that, It has a charging end, which is mated with any interface of the charging device according to any one of claims 1-7.

9. The UAV according to claim 8, characterized in that, The charging terminal includes a second induction coil disposed inside the drone. The second induction coil includes a second flexible substrate disposed around the inner wall of the charging terminal and a second conductor coil connected to the second flexible substrate; and / or, At least a portion of the outer wall surface of the charging terminal conforms to the inner wall surface of the interface portion.

10. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) airport, characterized in that, The device includes a bracket and a charging device as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the charging device is connected to the bracket; The drone airport also includes a solar cell connected to the bracket and a power source electrically connected to the charging device, wherein the solar cell is electrically connected to the power source.

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