Aircraft launch and recovery apparatus and method

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of aircraft launching and recovering, and particularly relates to an aircraft launching and recovering device and method. The aircraft launching and recovering device comprises a launching frame and a moving assembly. The launching frame comprises a strip-shaped support frame, and an electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity and a pulley accommodating cavity are arranged on the strip-shaped support frame along the length direction. A driving coil I and a driving coil II are sequentially arranged in the electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity. A permanent magnet array is arranged outside the strip-shaped support frame on the outside of a strip-shaped groove II. The moving assembly comprises an armature, a pulley assembly I, a conductor plate and a connecting and separating assembly which are sequentially arranged. The whole launching and recovering process is highly automated, energy utilization is efficient, the braking process is rapid and wear-free, the system is reset quickly, and the device is particularly suitable for scenes requiring high frequency and continuous operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft launch and recovery, and specifically relates to an aircraft launch and recovery device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to multi-rotor drones, fixed-wing drones are playing an increasingly important role in the civilian sector due to their advantages such as higher flight speed, stronger payload capacity, better wind resistance, and longer flight duration. However, fixed-wing drones require longer takeoff and landing spaces. In confined areas, especially in areas with limited space and without reliable landing sites, the efficient launch and recovery of fixed-wing drones has become a key issue that must be addressed.

[0003] Existing aircraft launch and recovery technologies suffer from prominent problems such as system separation, complex structure, and insufficient reliability: traditional launch devices are difficult to achieve efficient short-distance acceleration and are incompatible with recovery systems; while conventional recovery methods rely on manual intervention or complex mechanical mechanisms, resulting in defects such as low capture success rate, large separation impact, uncontrollable braking process, and rapid equipment wear, which cannot meet the urgent needs of modern aircraft for high-frequency, high-reliability, and fully automated launch and recovery operations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aircraft launch and recovery device and method that integrates electromagnetic launch and recovery, and realizes aircraft acceleration and braking through electromagnetic coils, thereby achieving uninterrupted automatic separation and reliable capture and recovery of the aircraft on a single track, with comprehensive advantages of high efficiency, reliability and strong adaptability.

[0005] This invention provides an aircraft launch and recovery device, including a launcher and a moving component; The launcher includes a strip support frame, an electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity and a pulley accommodating cavity arranged along the length direction on the strip support frame, the electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity and the pulley accommodating cavity are interconnected by a strip groove I, and the pulley accommodating cavity is provided with a strip groove II that connects to the outside of the strip support frame; The electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity is provided with driving coil I and driving coil II in sequence. Driving coil I and driving coil II are independently wired. The strip support frame is located outside the strip groove II and is located at the position of driving coil II and / or downstream of driving coil II, and a permanent magnet array is arranged there. The moving component includes an armature, a pulley assembly I, a conductor plate, and a connecting and separating assembly arranged in sequence. The armature cooperates with the drive coil I and the drive coil II. The pulley assembly I is slidably disposed in the pulley receiving cavity. During the launch phase, the aircraft is connected to the connection and separation assembly. Drive coil I drives the armature to accelerate, causing the aircraft to accelerate to takeoff speed and separate from the connection and separation assembly before taking off. Then, the armature enters the drive coil II for deceleration and braking. When the conductor plate enters the permanent magnet array area, the conductor plate and the permanent magnet array undergo eddy current braking. During the recovery phase, the aircraft flies to the connection and separation assembly, where drive coil I and drive coil II decelerate and brake the armature. When the conductor plate enters the permanent magnet array region, the conductor plate and the permanent magnet array undergo eddy current braking.

[0006] Furthermore, the connection separation assembly includes a transverse connector I and a transverse connector II arranged sequentially on the conductor plate along the direction from the drive coil II to the drive coil I, wherein the distance between the transverse connector I and the conductor plate is less than the distance between the transverse connector II and the conductor plate; Hook I and hook II are sequentially arranged on the fuselage of the aircraft from the nose to the tail. The hook I includes an arc-shaped part I, an arc-shaped part II, and a connecting rod I. The arc-shaped part I and the arc-shaped part II are tangentially arranged. The opening of the arc-shaped part I faces the tail direction, and the arc-shaped part II faces the nose direction. One end of the connecting rod I is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part II, and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft. The hook II includes an arc-shaped part III and a connecting rod II. The arc-shaped part III faces the tail direction. One end of the connecting rod II is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part III, and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft.

[0007] Furthermore, the lateral connector I is a rigid rod, and the lateral connector II is a rope.

[0008] Furthermore, the connecting rod I and connecting rod II are rotatably mounted on the fuselage of the aircraft, and the fuselage of the aircraft is provided with grooves for accommodating the hook I and hook II.

[0009] Furthermore, a protective pad is provided downstream of the conductor plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the two sides of the transverse connector I and transverse connector II are fixed to the conductor plate by connecting rods.

[0011] Furthermore, the conductor plate is provided with a pulley assembly II that slides and engages with the strip support frame on the outside of the strip groove II.

[0012] Furthermore, the strip support frame is divided into several segments, which are hinged to each other and foldable.

[0013] Furthermore, the drive coil I and drive coil II comprise three parallel coils, and the armature comprises two parallel metal plates, one of which is inserted into the gap between two of the coils, and the other is inserted into the gap between the other two coils.

[0014] The present invention also provides a method for launching and recovering an aircraft, using the above-mentioned aircraft launch and recovery device, comprising the following steps: During the launch phase, the moving component is located upstream of drive coil I. Drive coil I is energized in the forward direction, and drive coil II is energized in the reverse direction. The arc-shaped part I of the aircraft is mounted on the transverse connecting piece I, and the arc-shaped part III is mounted on the transverse connecting piece II. Drive coil I drives the armature to accelerate, causing the aircraft to accelerate to takeoff speed. At this time, the armature enters drive coil II to decelerate and brake. The speed of the aircraft is faster than the speed of the moving components. Arc-shaped part I disengages forward from transverse connector I, arc-shaped part III disengages forward from transverse connector II, and arc-shaped part III flies under transverse connector I. Subsequently, when the moving component reverses the armature of the drive coil II and when the moving component enters the permanent magnet array region, the conductor plate and the permanent magnet array undergo eddy current braking. During the recovery phase, the moving component is located upstream of drive coil I. Both drive coil I and drive coil II are energized in opposite directions. After the aircraft flies to the position of the connection and separation component, the arc-shaped part II of the aircraft is hung on the transverse connecting piece II. The aircraft moves the moving component toward the permanent magnet array, and drive coil I and drive coil II brake the moving component; Furthermore, the conductor plate obstructs the nose of the aircraft.

[0015] The aircraft launch and recovery device provided by this invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The entire launch and recovery process is highly automated, with efficient energy utilization and rapid, wear-free braking, resulting in fast system reset. It is particularly suitable for scenarios requiring high-frequency, continuous operation, such as drone logistics and scientific experiments.

[0016] 2. Because the current of the electromagnetic coil can be precisely controlled, the acceleration and deceleration process is completely controllable, which can adapt to various aircraft with different weights and different takeoff / landing speed requirements, and has strong versatility.

[0017] 3. The electromagnetic-eddy current composite braking system, consisting of a drive coil and a permanent magnet array, provides redundant braking protection, eliminates the inherent failure risk of mechanical braking, and ensures that the system remains safe and reliable under high-speed and high-load conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the first angle structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second angle structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is the left view of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a partial front view of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle; Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aircraft launch phase in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aircraft recovery phase in this invention; Figure 9 This is a structural schematic diagram of the aircraft's flight state in this invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the folded structure of the strip support frame in this invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic field of the driving coil in this invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the driving coil structure in this invention; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the driving circuit in this invention; Figure 14 This is a circuit diagram illustrating the process of using this invention.

[0019] In the diagram, 1-launcher; 11-strip support frame; 111-electromagnetic coil housing cavity; 112-pulley housing cavity; 113-strip groove I; 114-strip groove II; 12-drive coil I; 13-drive coil II; 14-permanent magnet array; 15-support structure; 2-moving component; 21-armature; 22-pulley assembly I; 23-conductor plate; 24-connection and separation assembly; 241-lateral connector I; 242-lateral connector II; 243-protective pad; 25-pulley assembly II; 3-aircraft; 31-hook I; 311-arc section I; 312-arc section II; 313-connecting rod I; 32-hook II; 321-arc section III; 322-connecting rod II. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a physical connection, or a wireless communication connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0025] like Figures 1-14 As shown, the present invention provides an aircraft launch and recovery device, including a launcher 1 and a moving component 2; The launcher 1 includes a strip support frame 11. An electromagnetic coil receiving cavity 111 and a pulley receiving cavity 112 are arranged along the length direction on the strip support frame 11. The electromagnetic coil receiving cavity 111 and the pulley receiving cavity 112 are interconnected by a strip groove I 113. A strip groove II 114 is provided on the pulley receiving cavity 112 to connect to the outside of the strip support frame 11.

[0026] The design of this launcher 1 highly integrates the electromagnetic drive, mechanical guidance, and braking system into a compact structure. The slotted design provides the necessary movement space and connection points for the moving component 2, while ensuring the airtightness of the internal structure, effectively preventing dust and foreign objects, and improving the system's reliability and environmental adaptability.

[0027] The electromagnetic coil accommodating cavity 111 is provided with a drive coil I 12 and a drive coil II 13 in sequence. The drive coil I 12 and the drive coil II 13 are independently wired. The strip support frame 11 is located outside the strip groove II 114 and is located at the position of the drive coil II 13 and / or downstream of the drive coil II 13, and a permanent magnet array 14 is arranged therein.

[0028] Preferably, the permanent magnet array adopts a Halbach array. The advantage of this array is that it can generate a strong magnetic field on one side of the array, while having almost no magnetic field on the other side. This structure greatly improves the output efficiency of the magnetic field and reduces waste. Compared with traditional permanent magnet arrangements, the Halbach array can effectively concentrate the magnetic field, resulting in higher magnetic field utilization. (Illustrative reference) Figure 11 .

[0029] The segmented independent control of drive coil I 12 and drive coil II 13 achieves a combination of acceleration and braking. Drive coil I 12 focuses on launch acceleration, while drive coil II 13 can participate in both acceleration and recovery braking, realizing resource reuse. In particular, the coordinated layout of drive coil II 13 and permanent magnet array 14 constitutes a dual braking system of "electromagnetic braking" and "eddy current braking," providing extremely reliable and mechanically wear-free braking protection for high-speed moving components.

[0030] The moving component 2 includes an armature 21, a pulley assembly I 22, a conductor plate 23 and a connecting and separating component 24 arranged in sequence. The armature 21 cooperates with the drive coil I 12 and the drive coil II 13. The pulley assembly I 22 is slidably disposed in the pulley receiving cavity 112.

[0031] The modular design of the mobile component 2 integrates different functional units into one. The armature 21 serves as the core of the electromagnetic drive, the pulley assembly I 22 provides mechanical guidance and support, and the conductor plate 23 serves as both an eddy current brake and a base for connecting the separation component 24. Connecting the separation component 24 ensures reliable docking and release with the aircraft 3.

[0032] During the launch phase, the aircraft 3 is connected to the connection separation assembly 24. The drive coil I 12 drives the armature 21 to accelerate, so that the aircraft 3 accelerates to the takeoff speed and separates from the connection separation assembly 24 before taking off. Then the armature 21 enters the drive coil II 13 for deceleration and braking. When the conductor plate 23 enters the area of ​​the permanent magnet array 14, the conductor plate 23 and the permanent magnet array 14 undergo eddy current braking.

[0033] The launch process achieves highly efficient energy utilization. After the drive coil I 12 accelerates at full speed, the kinetic energy of the moving component 2 itself is safely and rapidly dissipated through the regenerative braking of the drive coil II 13 and the eddy current braking of the permanent magnet array 14. This "electromagnetic-eddy current" composite braking process not only has fast braking speed and small impact, but also avoids the wear, heat attenuation and fire risks caused by traditional friction braking, ensuring that the device can quickly prepare for the next launch, improving the launch frequency and safety.

[0034] During the recovery phase, the aircraft 3 flies to the connection and separation assembly 24, and the drive coil I 12 and drive coil II 13 decelerate and brake the armature 21. When the conductor plate 23 enters the area of ​​the permanent magnet array 14, the conductor plate 23 and the permanent magnet array 14 are subjected to eddy current braking.

[0035] The recovery process achieves capture of the aircraft. Drive coil I 12 and drive coil II 13 first provide controllable, reverse electromagnetic braking force for initial, precisely adjustable deceleration. Once the speed decreases to a certain level, eddy current braking intervenes, providing powerful and smooth final braking. This staged braking strategy, which achieves initial electromagnetic braking and final eddy current braking, greatly reduces the impact on the aircraft structure, enabling smooth, accurate, and reliable recovery, and is particularly suitable for the recovery of precision or unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0036] The aircraft launch and recovery device provided by this invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The entire launch and recovery process is highly automated, with efficient energy utilization and rapid, wear-free braking, resulting in fast system reset. It is particularly suitable for scenarios requiring high-frequency, continuous operation, such as drone logistics and scientific experiments.

[0037] 2. Because the current of the electromagnetic coil can be precisely controlled, the acceleration and deceleration process is completely controllable, which can adapt to various aircraft with different weights and different takeoff / landing speed requirements, and has strong versatility.

[0038] 3. The electromagnetic-eddy current composite braking system composed of the drive coil and the permanent magnet array 14 provides redundant braking protection, eliminates the inherent failure risk of mechanical braking, and makes the system safe and reliable under high-speed and high-load conditions.

[0039] In one embodiment, the connection separation assembly 24 includes a transverse connector I 241 and a transverse connector II 242 sequentially disposed on the conductor plate 23 along the direction from the drive coil II 13 to the drive coil I 12, wherein the distance between the transverse connector I 241 and the conductor plate 23 is less than the distance between the transverse connector II 242 and the conductor plate 23. Lateral connectors I 241 and II 242 are designed at different heights, creating a spatial connection structure that is staggered front to back and top to bottom. This design first plays a crucial guiding and capture role during recovery, ensuring that the spacecraft 3 can be reliably hooked in different attitudes. Secondly, during launch, this structure provides the spacecraft with at least two stress points at different heights, resulting in a more even load distribution, a more stable connection, and avoiding torsion or stress concentration problems that may occur with single-point stress.

[0040] Hook I 31 and hook II 32 are sequentially arranged on the fuselage of the aircraft 3 from the nose to the tail. The hook I 31 includes an arc-shaped part I 311, an arc-shaped part II 312, and a connecting rod I 313. The arc-shaped part I 311 and the arc-shaped part II 312 are tangentially arranged. The opening of the arc-shaped part I 311 faces the tail direction, and the arc-shaped part II 312 faces the nose direction. One end of the connecting rod I 313 is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part II 312, and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft 3. The hook Ⅱ32 includes an arc-shaped part Ⅲ321 and a connecting rod Ⅱ322. The arc-shaped part Ⅲ321 faces the tail direction. One end of the connecting rod Ⅱ322 is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part Ⅲ321, and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft 3.

[0041] The thrust unit during launch consists of arc-shaped sections I311 and III321 facing the tail. During launch, these sections tightly "lock" together with the lateral connecting members I241 and II242, efficiently and directly transferring the enormous thrust generated by the electromagnetic drive to the aircraft 3. This unified orientation ensures that the thrust is transmitted in a straight line, minimizing energy loss. Furthermore, during launch, arc-shaped sections I311 and III321 simultaneously act on the lateral connecting members I241 and II242, providing the aircraft 3 with two reliable thrust fulcrums at the front and rear. These two thrust fulcrums, combined with the arc-shaped inner surface of the hook, naturally form a "self-stabilizing" structure. When subjected to strong thrust, the contact between the arc surface and the connecting members automatically adjusts to the optimal stress state, effectively suppressing the pitch sway of the aircraft and ensuring extremely stable attitude of the aircraft 3 on the acceleration trajectory.

[0042] During the launch phase, when the aircraft 3 separates from the moving component 2, due to the design of the transverse connecting member II 242 being higher than the transverse connecting member I 241, as the moving component 2 brakes and the aircraft 3 accelerates, the arc-shaped part III 321 will slide under the transverse connecting member I 241. Even if the arc-shaped part III 321 comes into contact with the transverse connecting member I 241 due to the aircraft's takeoff attitude, the tangential arrangement of the arc-shaped part III 321 and the connecting rod II 322 forms an avoidance path, allowing the rearward-facing arc-shaped part III 321 to smoothly slide forward from the transverse connecting member I 241, completely eliminating the risk of separation failure.

[0043] The recovery and capture unit is independently handled by the arc-shaped part II 312 facing the nose. Its opening direction matches the relative motion direction of the aircraft 3 during recovery, making it a highly efficient capture hook. At this point, the aircraft 3 only needs to position the arc-shaped part II 312 to engage with either the lateral connector I 241 or the lateral connector II 242 to complete the capture. This ensures reliable and efficient docking during the recovery phase. Furthermore, due to the design of the lateral connector II 242 being higher than the lateral connector I 241, the arc-shaped part II 312 will be preferentially captured by the lateral connector II 242, guaranteeing capture efficiency. If the connection between the arc-shaped part II 312 and the lateral connector II 242 fails due to the attitude of the aircraft 3, the lateral connector I 241 can be used as a backup capture rod, improving the stability of the recovery docking.

[0044] In addition, the design of hooks I31 and II32 both adopts arc-shaped parts and tangential connections, which allows contact in any direction to be smoothly guided and transitioned, greatly reducing the risk of impact and jamming.

[0045] In one embodiment, the lateral connector I 241 is a rigid rod, and the lateral connector II 242 is a rope. In this embodiment, during takeoff, the rigid engagement of the lateral connector I 241 and the hook I 31 enables the moving component 2 to efficiently propel the aircraft 3 to take off, while the flexible engagement of the lateral connector II 242 and the hook II 32 helps maintain the attitude of the aircraft 3 during takeoff, preventing pitch angle deflection. During recovery, the lateral connector II 242 is a flexible rope, and the hook I 31 is highly likely to be captured by the lateral connector II 242. At this time, the lateral impact energy of the aircraft 3 can be absorbed and buffered more effectively during recovery, significantly reducing the instantaneous load on the hook I 31 and the structure of the aircraft 3.

[0046] In one embodiment, the connecting rods I 313 and II 322 are rotatably mounted on the fuselage of the aircraft 3, and the fuselage of the aircraft 3 is provided with grooves for accommodating the hooks I 31 and II 32. In this embodiment, when the hooks I 31 and II 32 are not in use (i.e., when the aircraft 3 is in free flight), they can be rotated and retracted into the fuselage grooves. This allows the aircraft shell to regain its complete and smooth aerodynamic shape. In addition, during recovery, the angle of the connecting rod I 313 can be independently adjusted to allow it to be arranged at a large angle, thereby simplifying the difficulty of the arc-shaped part II 312 being captured by the lateral connecting member I 241 or lateral connecting member II 242 during the recovery phase.

[0047] In one embodiment, a protective pad 243 is provided downstream of the conductor plate 23.

[0048] During high-speed recovery, the aircraft 3 may experience lateral velocity or yaw angle, causing its nose to collide with the conductor plate 23. The rigid conductor plate 23 may not be able to effectively absorb such impact, resulting in structural damage to the aircraft 3. In this embodiment, by adding a protective pad 243 downstream of the conductor plate 23, the soft protective pad 243 can absorb energy through its own deformation in the event of such a collision, effectively preventing damage to the aircraft 3.

[0049] In this embodiment, the conductor plate 23 is not only used to form an eddy current braking mechanism with the permanent magnet array 14, but also serves as a base part for connecting the separation component 24. It can also be used to prevent the aircraft 3 from being damaged by impact, as well as the launcher 1 and the moving component 2, thus achieving an extremely high reuse rate.

[0050] In one embodiment, the two sides of the transverse connector I 241 and transverse connector II 242 are fixed to the conductor plate 23 by connecting rods. In this embodiment, the connecting rods and transverse connectors form a portal frame structure, which enhances the structural strength and stability of the connection point and avoids deformation or damage that may be caused by single-point stress or cantilever structure.

[0051] In one embodiment, the conductor plate 23 is provided with a pulley assembly II 25 that slides and engages with the strip support frame 11 outside the strip groove II 114. In this embodiment, by providing the pulley assembly II 25 on the conductor plate 23 that slides and engages with the outside of the strip support frame 11, it forms a dual guiding mechanism with the internal pulley assembly I 22, which greatly enhances the rigidity and stability of the moving component 2 during high-speed operation and braking. This effectively prevents the conductor plate 23 from twisting, vibrating, or scraping against the permanent magnet array 14 caused by electromagnetic thrust and braking force (especially when the nose of the aircraft 3 collides with the protective pad 243 during the recovery phase), ensuring the working clearance and efficiency of the eddy current braking and improving the reliability of the entire system.

[0052] In one embodiment, the strip support frame 11 is divided into several segments, which are hinged to each other and foldable. In this embodiment, by designing the strip support frame 11 as a multi-segment hinged foldable structure, the entire launch and recovery device can be quickly folded and compressed in space when not in use, which greatly improves the convenience of storage and transportation, and is particularly suitable for mobile deployment and rapid deployment in space-constrained environments such as ship decks and field sites.

[0053] In one embodiment, the drive coil I 12 and drive coil II 13 are arranged in a linear array of several coil groups, each coil group including three coils arranged in parallel. The armature 21 includes two parallel metal plates, one of which is inserted into the gap between two coils, and the other is inserted into the gap between two other coils.

[0054] Preferably, several groups of coils are supported and fixed within the strip support frame 11 by a support structure 15. Figure 12 The first, second, and third coils form one group, the fourth, fifth, and sixth coils form another group, and so on. Each group of coils is connected in series.

[0055] like Figure 13As shown in the diagram, the system's workflow is divided into a charging phase and a discharging drive phase, following the electromagnetic launch logic of "energy storage first, energy release later." The system consists of a power supply (a high-voltage DC charging power supply to charge the capacitor), a capacitor (which stores the energy during launch and releases it instantaneously), a switch, a thyristor (a controllable semiconductor switch), a freewheeling diode (providing a reverse discharge path for the capacitor to ensure the safety of circuit components), an equivalent circuit resistor (a current-limiting element that protects the circuit), and an equivalent armature. The two dashed boxes represent the equivalent circuit diagram of the armature. During the charging phase, the switch is closed, the DC power supply is connected to the circuit, and charging of the high-voltage pulse capacitor begins. During this phase, the discharge thyristor is in the off state (no pulse trigger signal received), and the discharge circuit is isolated from the charging circuit to prevent premature energy release. Charging is complete when the voltage across the capacitor reaches a preset value, the switch is opened, and the capacitor remains in an energy-storing state, awaiting a discharge command. During the discharge phase, when launch is required, a pulse signal triggers the thyristor, causing it to quickly conduct and activating the discharge circuit. The capacitor releases a high-voltage pulse current to the three drive coils through the conducting thyristor, creating a strong transient magnetic field in the coils. The magnetic field of the coils interacts with the eddy currents in the armature (bimetallic plate): according to the principle of electromagnetic induction, eddy currents are induced on the surface of the armature, and these eddy currents generate an orthogonal electromagnetic force with the coil's magnetic field, driving the armature to accelerate. If the capacitor shows a reverse discharge tendency, the freewheeling diode conducts, providing a reverse current path and protecting the thyristor and drive coils from overvoltage surges. Under the action of the electromagnetic force, the armature moves axially, accelerating the drone and completing the energy conversion from electrical energy to magnetic energy to mechanical energy.

[0056] refer to Figure 14 After the high-voltage DC charging power supply finishes charging the discharge capacitor, the first capacitor discharges the first set of drive coils (i.e., the first, second, and third coils), generating a pulsed magnetic field that drives the armature 21 forward. After acceleration, when the armature 21 reaches the trigger position of the second set of coils, the laser sensor connected to the synchronization control chip senses that the armature 21 has reached its position. The synchronization control chip then sends a signal to the second capacitor to discharge the second set of coils (i.e., the fourth, fifth, and sixth coils), generating a pulsed magnetic field that drives the armature 21 to complete the second acceleration process. The subsequent stages of the emission process are similar.

[0057] The present invention also provides a method for launching and recovering an aircraft, using the above-mentioned aircraft launch and recovery device, comprising the following steps: During the launch phase, the moving component 2 is located upstream of the drive coil I 12. The drive coil I 12 is energized in the forward direction, and the drive coil II 13 is energized in the reverse direction. The arc-shaped part I 311 of the aircraft 3 is mounted on the transverse connecting piece I 241, and the arc-shaped part III 321 is mounted on the transverse connecting piece II 242. Drive coil I 12 drives armature 21 to accelerate, causing aircraft 3 to accelerate to takeoff speed. At this time, armature 21 enters drive coil II 13 to decelerate and brake. The speed of aircraft 3 is faster than the speed of moving component 2. Arc-shaped part I 311 disengages forward from transverse connector I 241, arc-shaped part III 321 disengages forward from transverse connector II 242, and arc-shaped part III 321 flies under transverse connector I 241. Subsequently, when the moving component 2 reverses the braking armature 21 of the driving coil Ⅱ13 and when the moving component 2 enters the region of the permanent magnet array 14, the conductor plate 23 and the permanent magnet array 14 undergo eddy current braking. During the recovery phase, the moving component 2 is located upstream of the drive coil I 12. Both the drive coil I 12 and the drive coil II 13 are energized in opposite directions. After the aircraft 3 flies to the position of the connection and separation component 24, the arc-shaped part II 312 of the aircraft 3 is hung on the transverse connector II 242. The aircraft 3 drives the moving component 2 to move towards the permanent magnet array 14, and the driving coil I 12 and driving coil II 13 brake the moving component 2; Furthermore, conductor plate 23 blocks the nose of aircraft 3.

[0058] The aircraft launch and recovery method provided by this invention achieves efficient and reliable operation throughout the entire process—electromagnetic acceleration, automatic separation, and compound braking during launch, and pre-set braking, fault-tolerant capture, and multiple deceleration during recovery—through the timing control of the drive coil and the linkage of the moving component 2. This method fully utilizes the electromagnetic drive and eddy current braking capabilities of the device, combined with the specific geometric design of the hook and connector, to achieve uninterrupted, smooth, and automatic separation of the aircraft 3 and the moving component 2 during launch, and stable, safe soft capture and energy dissipation of the aircraft during recovery, significantly improving the overall system's operational efficiency, safety, and automation level.

[0059] The above description is merely an embodiment and does not constitute any limitation on the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations, modifications, or alterations to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention, should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aircraft launch and recovery device, characterized in that, Includes a launcher (1) and a moving component (2); The launcher (1) includes a strip support frame (11), an electromagnetic coil receiving cavity (111) and a pulley receiving cavity (112) arranged along the length direction on the strip support frame (11), the electromagnetic coil receiving cavity (111) and the pulley receiving cavity (112) are interconnected by a strip groove I (113), and a strip groove II (114) connected to the outside of the strip support frame (11) is provided on the pulley receiving cavity (112). The electromagnetic coil receiving cavity (111) is provided with a drive coil I (12) and a drive coil II (13) in sequence. The drive coil I (12) and the drive coil II (13) are independently wired. The strip support frame (11) is located outside the strip groove II (114) and is located at the position of the drive coil II (13) and / or downstream of the drive coil II (13) and is provided with a permanent magnet array (14). The moving component (2) includes an armature (21), a pulley assembly I (22), a conductor plate (23) and a connecting and separating component (24) arranged in sequence. The armature (21) cooperates with the drive coil I (12) and the drive coil II (13). The pulley assembly I (22) is slidably disposed in the pulley receiving cavity (112).

2. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connection separation assembly (24) includes a transverse connector I (241) and a transverse connector II (242) arranged sequentially on the conductor plate (23) along the direction from the drive coil II (13) to the drive coil I (12). The distance between the transverse connector I (241) and the conductor plate (23) is less than the distance between the transverse connector II (242) and the conductor plate (23). The aircraft (3) has hook I (31) and hook II (32) arranged sequentially along the direction from the nose to the tail on its fuselage. The hook I (31) includes an arc-shaped part I (311), an arc-shaped part II (312), and a connecting rod I (313). The arc-shaped part I (311) and the arc-shaped part II (312) are tangentially arranged. The opening of the arc-shaped part I (311) faces the tail direction, and the arc-shaped part II (312) faces the nose direction. One end of the connecting rod I (313) is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part II (312), and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft (3). The hook II (32) includes an arc-shaped part III (321) and a connecting rod II (322). The arc-shaped part III (321) faces the tail direction. One end of the connecting rod II (322) is tangentially connected to the arc-shaped part III (321), and the other end is connected to the fuselage of the aircraft (3).

3. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The transverse connector I (241) is a rigid rod, and the transverse connector II (242) is a rope.

4. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting rod I (313) and connecting rod II (322) are rotatably mounted on the fuselage of the aircraft (3), and the fuselage of the aircraft (3) is provided with a groove for accommodating the hook I (31) and hook II (32).

5. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A protective pad (243) is provided downstream of the conductor plate (23).

6. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The two sides of the transverse connector I (241) and transverse connector II (242) are fixed to the conductor plate (23) by connecting rods.

7. The aircraft launch and recovery device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The conductor plate (23) is provided with a pulley assembly II (25) that slides and engages with the strip support frame (11) on the outside of the strip groove II (114).

8. The aircraft launch and recovery apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The strip support frame (11) is divided into several segments, which are hinged to each other and can be folded.

9. The aircraft launch and recovery apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The drive coil I (12) and drive coil II (13) include three parallel coils. The armature (21) includes two parallel metal plates, one of which is inserted into the gap between two of the coils and the other is inserted into the gap between two other coils.

10. A method for launching and recovering an aircraft, characterized in that, Using the aircraft launch and recovery apparatus as described in any one of claims 2-7, the method includes the following steps: During the launch phase, the moving component (2) is located upstream of the drive coil I (12), the drive coil I (12) is energized in the forward direction, the drive coil II (13) is energized in the reverse direction, the arc-shaped part I (311) of the aircraft (3) is mounted on the transverse connector I (241), and the arc-shaped part III (321) is mounted on the transverse connector II (242); Drive coil I (12) drives armature (21) to accelerate, causing aircraft (3) to accelerate to takeoff speed. At this time, armature (21) enters drive coil II (13) to decelerate and brake. The speed of aircraft (3) is faster than the moving speed of moving component (2). Arc part I (311) moves forward away from transverse connector I (241), arc part III (321) moves forward away from transverse connector II (242), and arc part III (321) flies under transverse connector I (241). Subsequently, when the moving component (2) reverses the braking armature (21) of the drive coil II (13), and when the moving component (2) enters the area of ​​the permanent magnet array (14) on the conductor plate (23), the conductor plate (23) and the permanent magnet array (14) undergo eddy current braking; During the recovery phase, the moving component (2) is located upstream of the drive coil I (12). Both drive coil I (12) and drive coil II (13) are energized in opposite directions. After the aircraft (3) flies to the position of the connection and separation component (24), the arc-shaped part II (312) of the aircraft (3) is hung on the transverse connector II (242). The aircraft (3) drives the moving component (2) to move toward the permanent magnet array (14), and the driving coil I (12) and driving coil II (13) brake the moving component (2); Furthermore, the conductor plate (23) blocks the nose of the aircraft (3).

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