Intelligent folding and unfolding platform for eVTOL with small air bag

Through the design of the intelligent retracting and release platform, the problems of high construction costs and complex operation of small airship facilities have been solved, and the rapid and safe take-off and landing and automated management of airships have been achieved, and the application scenarios have been expanded.

CN223253281UActive Publication Date: 2025-08-22OKTOP (BEIJING) SPECIAL AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING CO LTD
View PDF 1 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202422636128.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-30
Publication Date
2025-08-22
Estimated Expiration
2034-10-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing small airships have high construction costs, large land area, complex operations and safety hazards, and cannot meet the needs of fast and safe take-off and landing.

Method used

An intelligent retracting and retracting platform is designed, using a semi-concave lens-shaped hollow design part and a power take-off and landing wind tunnel vent, combined with high-precision radar and laser sensors, to realize automated distribution, recycling and anchorage management, equipped with adaptive shock-absorbing floors and multi-function locks, and integrated intelligent control system.

Benefits of technology

It realizes fast and safe airship take-off and landing in limited space, reduces the dependence of manual operation, improves safety and efficiency, reduces equipment damage and power consumption, and expands the application range.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN223253281U_ABST
    Figure CN223253281U_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The utility model provides an intelligent deploying and retracting platform for an eVTOL with a small air bag, which comprises a hollow design part (1) for accommodating a bag body of the eVTOL and a hollow groove part (21) for accommodating a passenger cabin of the eVTOL, the bottom of the hollow design part (1) is provided with a plurality of power-assisted take-off and landing ventilation openings (2), and the power-assisted take-off and landing ventilation openings (2) are communicated with a high-power air blower (4) through a power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel pipeline (3); the hollow groove part (21) is located under the hollow design part (1) and is communicated with the hollow design part (1); at least one lock is arranged on the inner wall of the hollow groove part (21) and used for being locked with a corresponding lock on a passenger cabin of the eVTOL falling into the hollow groove part (21). The intelligent folding and unfolding platform is further provided with a passenger exchange area, a passenger cabin getting-on and getting-off channel and a safety evacuation channel (11).
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of aircraft, and in particular to an intelligent retractable platform suitable for eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing, eVTOL for short) with a small helium airbag. Background Art

[0002] The eVOTL boasts advantages such as high economy, comfort, environmental friendliness, and intelligence, and holds great potential in urban air mobility. On the one hand, it can take off and land in a relatively small space, eliminating the need for long runways like traditional aircraft, making it suitable for use in city centers or other areas with limited space. On the other hand, electric propulsion is relatively environmentally friendly and quiet. The applicant has designed a new eVOTL with a small airbag, which offers excellent power, long hovering time, low power consumption, and high safety.

[0003] As a new type of aircraft, blimps offer broad application prospects in areas such as sightseeing, environmental monitoring, and emergency rescue. They are lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft. LTA aircraft utilize small molecule gases (such as helium) to generate lift. Traditional blimps are mostly streamlined and spindle-shaped. Regarding mooring blimps, prior art CA256536A discloses a mooring station for blimps. The station features a central mast with internal rigid support and no external guy wires, a mast landing line, a coupling device adapted to swing about the mast axis, and vertical restraining guides that cooperate with the mast device and are adapted to swing partially or fully around the exterior of the tower. Prior art CN101610947A also discloses a lens-shaped blimp, but it lacks specific information regarding its mooring, launch, and recovery. For long-term anchoring, such blimps are typically stored in a hangar. Deployment requires transport from the hangar to a launch site, and recovery also requires a dedicated landing site. The planning and construction period of a boathouse is long, it occupies a large amount of land and space, and it also consumes a lot of money. The construction and maintenance costs are very high. At the same time, anchoring, launching, and recovery operations require a professional team (at least a dozen people) to complete. Not only is the labor cost very high, but manual operation itself increases many operational risks.

[0004] In addition, the existing small airship take-off and landing facilities often cannot meet the needs of small airships for fast and safe take-off and landing. The traditional airship launch and recovery process has prominent problems such as low efficiency and major safety hazards. Utility Model Content

[0005] The utility model aims to provide a new intelligent retraction and deployment platform suitable for eVTOL with small airbags, which can meet the rapid and safe take-off and landing requirements of eVTOL with small airbags, and can realize efficient, safe and automated deployment, recovery and anchoring management of eVTOL with such airbags.

[0006] This embodiment provides an intelligent retractable platform for an eVTOL with a small airbag, comprising: a hollow design portion 1 for accommodating the airbag of the eVTOL and a hollow slot portion 21 for accommodating the cabin of the eVTOL, wherein:

[0007] A power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel vent 2 is provided at the bottom of the hollow design portion 1, and the power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel vent 2 is connected to a blower 4 through a power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel pipe 3;

[0008] The hollow groove portion 21 is located directly below the hollow design portion 1 , and the hollow groove portion 21 is connected to the hollow design portion 1 ;

[0009] At least one lock is provided on the inner wall of the hollow groove 21 for locking with a corresponding lock on the cabin of the eVTOL that falls into the hollow groove 21 .

[0010] Preferably, the shape and curvature of the table top of the bottom of the hollow design portion 1 in contact with the capsule match the shape and curvature of the capsule.

[0011] Preferably, the depth of the hollow design portion 1 is greater than the height of the eVTOL capsule.

[0012] Preferably, a retractable ceiling 10 is provided on the top of the hollow design portion 1 .

[0013] Preferably, the auxiliary take-off and landing vent 2 is a large circular through hole, or

[0014] The assisted take-off and landing vents 2 are a plurality of arc-shaped through holes.

[0015] Preferably, the lock is an electromagnetic lock or a spring lock.

[0016] Preferably, a liftable adaptive shock-absorbing floor 7 is provided directly below the hollow groove 21 .

[0017] Preferably, a helium charging and discharging port 8 and a battery maintenance port 9 are further provided at the bottom of the hollow groove 21 .

[0018] Preferably, the intelligent retractable platform is also provided with high-precision radar and laser sensors.

[0019] Preferably, the intelligent retractable platform is further provided with an intelligent host control system for sending corresponding control instructions to the eVTOL based on the relevant data of the eVTOL acquired by the high-precision radar and the laser sensor.

[0020] The utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) Unlike existing dedicated boathouses, the intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with small airbags of the present invention can adapt to different environments and site conditions, including limited spaces in cities, rooftops of buildings, infrastructure-free sites in remote areas, and even trailer compartments. This makes the application range of eVTOL with small airbags wider and can meet more diverse needs;

[0022] (2) The semi-concave lens-shaped cylindrical design is particularly suitable for eVTOL with a lens-shaped capsule. Compared with traditional boat hangars, anchoring, launching, and recovery only take a few minutes;

[0023] (3) The locking device used by the utility model when anchoring an eVTOL with a small airbag has a simple structure and is safe and reliable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 This is a side view of an intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with a small airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view of an intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with a small airbag according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a top view of an intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with a small airbag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure numerals: 1-semi-concave lens-shaped hollow design part; 21-hollow groove; 2-powered take-off and landing vent; 3-powered take-off and landing ventilation duct; 4-blower; 5-first physical lock; 6-second physical lock; 7-liftable and adaptive shock-absorbing floor; 8-helium charging and discharging port; 9-battery maintenance port; 10-openable and closable ceiling; 11-safety transportation channel; 12-annular sliding door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless there is a conflict, the embodiments and features therein in this application may be combined with each other in any manner. The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative and non-restrictive.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a side view of an intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with a small airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a top view of an intelligent retractable platform for eVTOL with a small airbag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, this embodiment of an intelligent retractable platform for an eVTOL with a small airbag includes a hollow portion 1 and a hollow slot 21. The hollow portion 1 is used to accommodate the eVTOL airbag. A power-assisted takeoff and landing vent 2 is provided at the bottom of the hollow portion 1. The power-assisted takeoff and landing vent 2 is connected to a high-power fan or blower 4 through a power-assisted takeoff and landing ventilation duct 3. The hollow slot 21 is used to accommodate the eVTOL passenger cabin. The hollow slot 21 is located directly below the hollow portion 1 and is connected to the hollow portion 1. When the small airship's cabin is lowered, it can pass through the hollow portion 1 and fall into the hollow slot 21. At least one lock is provided on the inner wall of the hollow slot 21 for locking with a lock provided on the passenger cabin that falls into the hollow slot 11.

[0031] The hollow design part 1 on the top of the intelligent retractable platform of this embodiment is in the shape of a semi-concave lens (such as a large bowl), which matches the curvature of the lens-shaped (such as a small bowl) eVTOL capsule. The depth of the hollow design part 1 is greater than the height of the capsule of the small airship, which can effectively prevent the capsule from being disturbed by wind and provide stable docking support.

[0032] This embodiment of the intelligent retractable platform utilizes the principles of a hovercraft and wind tunnel. A power-assisted takeoff and landing vent 2 is located at the bottom of the hollow design portion 1, which contacts the eVTOL capsule. This vent is connected to an external high-power fan / blower 4 via a power-assisted takeoff and landing ventilation duct 3. The number of blowers 4 can be configured as needed and is not limited to the one shown in the accompanying figure. Similar to the power-assisted release, during recovery, an intelligent control system adjusts the auxiliary lift during recovery to achieve hovering and lifting control.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the assisted take-off and landing vent 2 of this embodiment is a large circular through hole, and a grid is set on the large circular through hole to prevent things from falling.

[0034] In another embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, the assisted take-off and landing vents 2 can be a plurality of arc-shaped through holes, for example, four, with a grid arranged on the arc-shaped through holes, and each assisted take-off and landing vent 2 is connected to a blower 4.

[0035] The impact load during the landing process of a traditional airship recovery can easily cause damage to onboard equipment. In order to reduce the impact of the eVOTL landing impact load, in this embodiment, a liftable adaptive shock-absorbing floor (7) is provided directly below the hollow groove portion 21.

[0036] In this embodiment, multiple high-power blowers 4 can be used, for example, four 390mm ducted electric power-assisted fans, each capable of delivering a maximum suction or thrust of 75 kg. During takeoff, the reserved annular air outlet within the concave lens-shaped contact surface provides upward force. When the electromagnetic lock is engaged, the eVOTL, equipped with a small airbag, can rapidly lift the cabin off the landing platform with the assistance of the blowers, minimizing the significant battery drain during takeoff and extending flight time.

[0037] The newly certified domestic eVOTL, a certain company (Yibo) Hang, has a battery of just over 30 kWh, consuming approximately 10 kWh for takeoff and another 10 kWh for landing, allowing it to remain airborne for only 20-30 minutes. However, the eVTOL, equipped with a small helium airbag and powered by the intelligent transceiver platform of this embodiment, is lighter during takeoff and landing, significantly reducing the significant battery drain during takeoff and extending its flight time.

[0038] When necessary, the high-power blower 4 can provide reverse suction force to firmly adsorb the lens-shaped capsule and complete its mooring.

[0039] Optionally, a charging and discharging port 8 and a battery maintenance port 9 are provided at the bottom of the hollow platform trough 21. This embodiment of the intelligent retractable platform includes a built-in maintenance area and is equipped with an automatic helium charging and discharging device. The helium charging and discharging port 8 inflates and deflates the eVTOL's airbag, automatically adjusting the helium supply as needed to ensure stable buoyancy. The battery maintenance port 9 allows for regular inspection, charging, and maintenance of the airship's batteries, extending their lifespan.

[0040] Optionally, the locks in this embodiment include a first physical lock 5 and a second physical lock 6 , and the first physical lock 5 and the second physical lock 6 can lock different parts of the blimp's capsule and cabin.

[0041] A plurality of locks may be provided on the inner wall of the hollow slot 21 of the intelligent transceiver platform of this embodiment, and are not limited to those shown in the embodiment.

[0042] The lock in this embodiment can be an electromagnetic lock or a spring lock. Because the small airbag only provides buoyancy equivalent to lifting a 200-500 kg object, the weight of the entire eVTOL when carrying people is far greater than the buoyancy, unlike traditional airships, which are lighter than air. Because it is heavier than air, the eVTOL with a small airbag in this embodiment, controlled by vector lift propellers and sensors, can slowly descend into the reserved hole in the center of the take-off and landing platform. Upon landing, it is locked by the electromagnetic lock or spring lock, and after stabilization, the personnel can exit the cabin.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the top of the hollow design portion 1 may be provided with an openable roof 10 to form a boathouse.

[0044] The intelligent retractable platform of this embodiment also features a safe evacuation passage 11 connected to a circular slide-type sliding door 12. The intelligent retractable platform also includes a passenger exchange area and access to the passenger cabin, providing convenient passenger service. The slide-type sliding door design for access by personnel (passengers, maintenance personnel, etc.) effectively utilizes platform space.

[0045] The intelligent retractable platform of this embodiment is designed as a lightweight module and can be moved by a trailer.

[0046] Optionally, the intelligent retraction and deployment platform of this embodiment also includes high-precision radar and laser sensors (not shown), which can automatically sense the status of the eVOTL with small airbags, and realize autonomous (or remote control) navigation, precise docking and rapid take-off and landing of the eVOTL with small airbags, which greatly reduces dependence on manual operation and improves safety and efficiency.

[0047] In addition, the intelligent retractable platform host of this embodiment also integrates an intelligent control system, which is used to send corresponding control commands to the eVOTL based on data related to the eVOTL equipped with a small airbag acquired by the high-precision radar and laser sensor. This intelligent control system also features integrated weather and environmental monitoring, fault warning, remote monitoring, and automatic scheduling, enabling intelligent platform management. The platform's built-in AI algorithm monitors the eVOTL's status in real time, automatically adjusting the platform's position and mooring mechanism for precise docking and locking. Remote (manual / automatic) control and status monitoring of the eVOTL are achieved through remote communication between the measurement and control system and the eVOTL's onboard computer.

[0048] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention. Of course, the present invention may have many other embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art may make various corresponding changes and modifications based on the present invention, but these corresponding changes and modifications should all fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent retractable platform for an eVTOL vehicle with a small airbag, comprising: A hollow design portion (1) for accommodating the capsule of the eVTOL and a hollow slot portion (21) for accommodating the cabin of the eVTOL, wherein: A power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel vent (2) is provided at the bottom of the hollow design portion (1), and the power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel vent (2) is connected to a blower (4) via a power-assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel duct (3); The hollow groove portion (21) is located directly below the hollow design portion (1), and the hollow groove portion (21) is connected to the hollow design portion (1); At least one lock is provided on the inner wall of the hollow groove (21) for locking with a corresponding lock on the cabin of the eVTOL that falls into the hollow groove (21); The intelligent retractable platform is also provided with a passenger exchange area, a passage for getting on and off the passenger cabin, and a safe evacuation passage (11).

2. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shape and curvature of the table top of the bottom of the hollow design portion (1) in contact with the capsule match the shape and curvature of the capsule.

3. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, wherein: The depth of the hollow design portion (1) is greater than the height of the eVTOL capsule.

4. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 3, characterized in that: The top of the hollow design portion (1) is provided with an openable and closable ceiling (10).

5. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vent (2) of the power take-off and landing wind tunnel is a large circular through hole, or The vents (2) of the assisted take-off and landing wind tunnel are a plurality of arc-shaped through holes.

6. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lock is an electromagnetic lock or a spring lock.

7. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, wherein: A liftable adaptive shock-absorbing floor (7) is provided directly below the hollow groove (21).

8. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 1, wherein: A helium charging and discharging port (8) and a battery maintenance port (9) are also provided at the bottom of the hollow groove (21).

9. The intelligent retractable platform according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The intelligent retractable platform is also provided with high-precision radar and laser sensors.

10. The intelligent retractable platform according to claim 9, characterized in that: The intelligent retractable platform is also provided with an intelligent host control system for sending corresponding control instructions to the eVTOL based on the relevant data of the eVTOL obtained by the high-precision radar and the laser sensor.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Lenticular airship

    CN101610947A