Automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model provides an unmanned aerial vehicle automatic centering device which comprises a parking apron, a centering assembly and a driving assembly, and the surface of the parking apron is provided with a sliding groove in each of the upper, lower, left and right directions with the center as the original point; the centering assembly comprises two symmetrically-arranged first centering rods connected with the sliding grooves in a sliding fit mode and two symmetrically-arranged second centering rods. The driving assembly comprises an X-axis lead screw driving piece and a Y-axis lead screw driving piece which are sequentially arranged below the parking apron, and the X-axis lead screw driving piece and the Y-axis lead screw driving piece are aligned to the sliding groove and form a cross shape. Compared with synchronous belt transmission, the lead screw driving piece is not affected by elastic deformation of materials, the problem of centering deviation caused by loosening or tightening of a belt is solved, the centering precision and stability are remarkably improved, and it is ensured that the unmanned aerial vehicle can smoothly complete operations such as charging, data transmission and instruction receiving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hangar technology, and in particular to an automatic centering device for UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of drone technology, automated drone landing pads, as an important infrastructure for autonomous drone operations, are widely used in logistics, inspection, agriculture, and other fields. One of the core functions of an automated drone landing pad is to precisely guide drones to designated locations on the landing pad through a centering device, enabling automatic charging, data transmission, and task command issuance.

[0003] The centering lever in the centering device is a key component. By moving the drone to its correct position, it directly affects the drone's landing accuracy and the system's working efficiency.

[0004] In existing technologies, centering rods are typically driven by synchronous belt transmission mechanisms. Over long-term use, the synchronous belt material gradually ages and becomes loose, causing a decrease in the transmission efficiency of the centering rod. This results in the centering rod being unable to accurately center the drone to the designated position, leading to problems such as poor charging contact and data transmission interruption. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background section.

[0006] This utility model proposes an automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:

[0007] The helipad has a chute set on its surface in four directions (up, down, left, and right) with the center as the origin.

[0008] The centering component includes two symmetrically arranged first centering rods that are slidably connected to the slide groove, and two symmetrically arranged second centering rods.

[0009] The drive assembly includes an X-axis lead screw drive and a Y-axis lead screw drive sequentially disposed below the helipad. The X-axis lead screw drive and the Y-axis lead screw drive are aligned with the slide groove and form a cross shape. The X-axis lead screw drive is used to drive the two first centering rods to move closer or further apart, and the Y-axis lead screw drive is used to drive the two second centering rods to move closer or further apart.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned UAV automatic centering device, the X-axis lead screw drive includes two mounting plates arranged opposite each other, a linear guide rail fixed between the two mounting plates, and a lead screw rotatably disposed between the two mounting plates. One of the mounting plates is provided with a drive motor for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw. The lead screw has symmetrically arranged forward threaded sections and reverse threaded sections. One first centering rod connects the linear guide rail and the forward threaded section through a sliding structure, and the other first centering rod connects the linear guide rail and the reverse threaded section through a sliding structure.

[0011] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the UAV, the sliding structure includes a slider, a nut seat, and a connecting plate. The slider is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, the nut seat is threadedly connected to the lead screw, the connecting plate connects the slider and the nut seat, and the first centering rod is fixed to the upper end face of the connecting plate.

[0012] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the UAV, a photoelectric plate is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate, and a starting position sensor and an ending position sensor that cooperate with the photoelectric plate are provided on the side wall of the linear guide rail.

[0013] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the UAV, a straight groove is formed on one side of the linear guide rail along its length direction. The starting position sensor and the ending position sensor are respectively mounted on the straight groove through an adjustable structure. The adjustable structure can slide along the straight groove to adjust the mounting positions of the starting position sensor and the ending position sensor.

[0014] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the UAV, the adjustable structure includes a slider, an L-shaped support plate, and a fastening bolt. The slider is slidably connected to the linear groove, and the fastening bolt passes through the L-shaped support plate and is threadedly connected to the slider, so that the L-shaped support plate is pressed and fixed on the side wall of the linear guide rail. The starting position sensor or the ending position sensor is fixedly installed on the L-shaped support plate.

[0015] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the drone, the first centering rod and the second centering rod are arranged on the same plane, wherein the length of the first centering rod is greater than the length of the second centering rod, so that the two do not interfere with each other when moving.

[0016] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the drone, the landing pad is equipped with a landing frame for connecting the drone, and multiple charging contacts are arranged side by side on the inner wall of one of the second centering rods. The landing frame is equipped with a side-pressing charging spring that cooperates with the charging contacts.

[0017] Furthermore, the automatic centering device for the UAV also includes a supporting base plate, which is recessed to form a cavity aligned with the position of the Y-axis lead screw drive member. The X-axis lead screw drive member is fixed to the raised upper surface of the supporting base plate, and the Y-axis lead screw drive member is fixed inside the cavity.

[0018] Furthermore, in the automatic centering device for the unmanned aerial vehicle, the center of the landing pad is provided with dense heat dissipation holes, and the bottom surface of the landing pad is provided with cooling fans corresponding to the heat dissipation holes.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0020] 1. By using X-axis and Y-axis lead screw drives as the driving force for the centering rod, the movement distance and speed of the centering rod can be precisely controlled, ensuring that the UAV can accurately reach the designated position on the landing pad during the centering process. Compared with synchronous belt drive, the lead screw drive is not affected by the elastic deformation of the material, avoiding the centering deviation problem caused by belt slack or tightness, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of centering, and ensuring that the UAV can smoothly complete operations such as charging, data transmission and command reception.

[0021] 2. The cross-shaped arrangement of the X-axis and Y-axis lead screw drives makes the overall structure of the drive assembly compact and easy to install and maintain. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in this utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the helipad in this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the reverse structure of the helipad in this utility model;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the X-axis lead screw drive component in this utility model;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the lead screw in this utility model;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the sliding structure in this utility model;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the Y-axis lead screw drive component in this utility model;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the floor frame in this utility model;

[0031] Explanation of key component symbols:

[0032] 10. Helipad; 11. Slide rail; 21. First centering rod; 22. Second centering rod; 31. X-axis lead screw drive; 32. Y-axis lead screw drive; 311. Mounting plate; 312. Linear guide rail; 313. Lead screw; 3131. Forward thread section; 3132. Reverse thread section; 314. Drive motor; 41. Slider; 42. Nut seat; 43. Connecting plate; 51. Photoelectric plate; 52. Starting position sensor; 53. Ending position sensor; 61. Linear groove; 62. Sliding plate; 63. L-shaped support plate; 64. Fastening bolt; 71. Floor frame; 72. Charging contact; 73. Side-pressure charging spring; 81. Support base plate; 82. Cavity; 91. Heat dissipation hole; 92. Cooling fan; 100. Limiting stop plate.

[0033] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of this utility model are shown in the drawings. However, this utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this utility model will be more thorough and complete.

[0035] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0037] Please see Figures 1 to 8The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of this utility model includes a landing pad 10, a centering component, and a drive component. The surface of the landing pad 10 has a sliding groove 11 arranged along four directions (up, down, left, and right) with the center as the origin. The centering component includes two symmetrically arranged first centering rods 21 and two symmetrically arranged second centering rods 22, which are slidably connected to the sliding grooves 11. The drive component includes an X-axis lead screw drive 31 and a Y-axis lead screw drive 32 sequentially arranged below the landing pad 10. The X-axis lead screw drive 31 and the Y-axis lead screw drive 32 are aligned with the sliding grooves 11, forming a cross shape. The X-axis lead screw drive 31 drives the two first centering rods 21 to move closer or further apart, and the Y-axis lead screw drive 32 drives the two second centering rods 22 to move closer or further apart.

[0038] By using the X-axis and Y-axis lead screw drive components 32 as the driving force for the centering rod, the movement distance and speed of the centering rod can be precisely controlled, ensuring that the UAV can accurately reach the designated position on the landing pad 10 during the centering process. Compared with synchronous belt drive, the lead screw drive component 313 is not affected by the elastic deformation of the material, avoiding the centering deviation problem caused by belt slack or tightness, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of centering, and ensuring that the UAV can smoothly complete operations such as charging, data transmission, and command reception. Secondly, the cross-shaped arrangement of the X-axis lead screw drive component 31 and Y-axis lead screw drive component 32 makes the overall structure of the drive assembly compact and easy to install and maintain.

[0039] It should be noted that the structural features of the X-axis lead screw drive 31 and the Y-axis lead screw drive 32 are the same in this embodiment. Therefore, only the specific features of the X-axis lead screw drive 31 will be described below, while the structural housing of the Y-axis lead screw drive 32 can be referred to the X-axis lead screw drive 31, and will not be described again here.

[0040] For details, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6The X-axis lead screw drive 31 includes two mounting plates 311 arranged opposite to each other, a linear guide rail 312 fixed between the two mounting plates 311, and a lead screw 313 rotatably disposed between the two mounting plates 311. One of the mounting plates 311 is equipped with a drive motor 314 for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 313. The lead screw 313 has a symmetrically arranged forward threaded section 3131 and a reverse threaded section 3132. One first centering rod 21 connects the linear guide rail 312 and the forward threaded section 3131 through a sliding structure, and the other first centering rod 21 connects the linear guide rail 312 and the reverse threaded section 3132 through a sliding structure. It can be understood that the X-axis lead screw drive 31 controls the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw 313 through the drive motor 314. By utilizing the symmetrical design of the forward threaded section 3131 and the reverse threaded section 3132, the two sliding structures are brought closer or farther apart, thereby driving the first centering rod 21 to move closer or farther apart.

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment, the sliding structure includes a slider 41, a nut seat 42, and a connecting plate 43. The slider 41 is slidably connected to the linear guide rail 312, the nut seat 42 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 313, and the connecting plate 43 connects the slider 41 and the nut seat 42. The first centering rod 21 is fixed to the upper end face of the connecting plate 43.

[0042] Furthermore, a photoelectric plate 51 is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate 43, and a starting position sensor 52 and an ending position sensor 53, which cooperate with the photoelectric plate 51, are provided on the side wall of the linear guide rail 312. It can be understood that when the first centering rod 21 is in its initial position or preparing to begin centering, the photoelectric plate 51, in cooperation with the starting position sensor 52, allows the system to accurately determine that the first centering rod 21 is in its starting position. This allows the system to control the X-axis lead screw 313 drive component to start working as needed, causing the first centering rod 21 to move in a predetermined direction and distance, preparing for the drone's centering operation. During the movement of the first centering rod 21, when the photoelectric plate 51 moves to a position cooperating with the ending position sensor 53, the system can determine that the first centering rod 21 has reached the target position. At this time, the system can control the X-axis lead screw 313 drive component to stop working, preventing the first centering rod 21 from moving excessively, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the centering operation, and ensuring that the drone can accurately center on the landing pad 10, thereby smoothly completing subsequent charging, data transmission, and command reception operations.

[0043] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 and Figure 7A linear groove 61 is formed along the length of one side of the linear guide rail 312. The starting position sensor 52 and the ending position sensor 53 are respectively mounted on the linear groove 61 through an adjustable structure. The adjustable structure can slide along the linear groove 61 to adjust the installation position of the starting position sensor 52 and the ending position sensor 53. By designing the installation of the starting position sensor 52 and the ending position sensor 53 to be adjustable, the starting and ending positions of the first centering rod 21 can be precisely set according to the size of the specific UAV and the centering requirements. This allows the automatic UAV centering device to adapt to various UAVs of different specifications, expanding the applicability of the device.

[0044] For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 7 In this embodiment, the adjustable structure includes a slider 62, an L-shaped support plate 63, and a fastening bolt 64. The slider 62 is slidably connected to the linear groove 61, and the fastening bolt 64 passes through the L-shaped support plate 63 and is threadedly connected to the slider 62, so that the L-shaped support plate 63 is pressed and fixed to the side wall of the linear guide rail 312. The starting position sensor 52 or the ending position sensor 53 is fixedly installed on the L-shaped support plate 63. In actual use, when it is necessary to adjust the installation position of the starting position sensor 52 or the ending position sensor 53, first loosen the fastening bolt 64. At this time, the L-shaped support plate 63 is no longer pressed against the side wall of the linear guide rail 312. Then, slide the L-shaped support plate 63 to the designated position and tighten the fastening bolt 64. The operation is simple and convenient.

[0045] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 On the other side of the linear guide rail 312, a limiting stop plate 100 is provided to stop the nut seat 42. This limiting stop plate 100 is used to limit the movement range of the nut seat 42, thereby indirectly limiting the movement range of the first centering rod 21. This helps ensure that the first centering rod 21 performs centering operations within the specified area, avoiding collisions or interference with other components due to excessive movement, and ensuring the safety and accuracy of the UAV centering process.

[0046] It is worth mentioning that the limiting baffle 100 in this embodiment can be installed on the side wall of the linear guide rail 312 in a manner similar to the L-shaped support plate 63 described above, so as to realize the position of the limiting baffle 100 is adjustable.

[0047] See Figure 1The first centering rod 21 and the second centering rod 22 are arranged on the same plane, wherein the length of the first centering rod 21 is greater than the length of the second centering rod 22, so that they will not interfere with each other when moving. In practical applications, when centering a UAV, the long-arm first centering rod 21 first centers the UAV initially, and then the short-arm second centering rod 22 gathers the UAV to the center of the landing pad 10.

[0048] See Figure 1 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The landing pad 10 is equipped with a landing frame 71 for connecting drones. Multiple charging contacts 72 are arranged side-by-side on the inner wall of one of the second centering rods 22. The landing frame 71 has a side-pressing charging spring 73 that mates with the charging contacts 72. Compared to the traditional design using pago pins for charging, the side-pressing charging spring 73 effectively overcomes the problem of poor contact caused by pago pins failing to spring back properly, greatly ensuring smooth drone charging.

[0049] See Figure 2 The device further includes a support base plate 81, which has a recessed cavity 82 aligned with the position of the Y-axis lead screw drive member 32. The X-axis lead screw drive member 31 is fixed to the raised upper surface of the support base plate 81, and the Y-axis lead screw drive member 32 is fixed within the cavity 82. By providing the cavity 82 on the support plate, the overall space occupied by the device is effectively saved, making the structure of the entire UAV automatic centering device more compact and facilitating installation and use in environments with limited space.

[0050] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The landing pad 10 has densely packed heat dissipation holes 91 at its center, and a cooling fan 92 corresponding to the heat dissipation holes 91 is provided on the bottom surface of the landing pad 10. It is understood that the drone's equipment and components may generate heat during charging and data transmission. Therefore, during charging, the cooling fan 92 on the bottom of the drone dissipates heat, ensuring that it operates within a suitable temperature range and preventing overheating from affecting the device's performance and lifespan.

[0051] In summary, the automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the above embodiments of this utility model, by using the X-axis and Y-axis lead screw drive components 32 as the driving force for the centering rod, can precisely control the moving distance and speed of the centering rod, ensuring that the UAV can accurately reach the designated position on the landing pad 10 during the centering process. Compared with synchronous belt drive, the lead screw drive component 313 is not affected by the elastic deformation of the material, avoiding the centering deviation problem caused by belt slack or tightness, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of centering, and ensuring that the UAV can smoothly complete operations such as charging, data transmission, and command reception.

[0052] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0053] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, include: The helipad has a chute set on its surface in four directions (up, down, left, and right) with the center as the origin. The centering component includes two symmetrically arranged first centering rods that are slidably connected to the slide groove, and two symmetrically arranged second centering rods. The drive assembly includes an X-axis lead screw drive and a Y-axis lead screw drive sequentially disposed below the helipad. The X-axis lead screw drive and the Y-axis lead screw drive are aligned with the slide groove and form a cross shape. The X-axis lead screw drive is used to drive the two first centering rods to move closer or further apart, and the Y-axis lead screw drive is used to drive the two second centering rods to move closer or further apart.

2. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The X-axis lead screw drive includes two mounting plates arranged opposite each other, a linear guide rail fixed between the two mounting plates, and a lead screw rotatably disposed between the two mounting plates. One of the mounting plates is equipped with a drive motor for controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the lead screw. The lead screw has a symmetrically arranged forward thread section and a reverse thread section. One first centering rod connects the linear guide rail and the forward thread section through a sliding structure, and the other first centering rod connects the linear guide rail and the reverse thread section through a sliding structure.

3. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sliding structure includes a slider, a nut seat, and a connecting plate. The slider is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, the nut seat is threadedly connected to the lead screw, and the connecting plate connects the slider and the nut seat. The first centering rod is fixed to the upper end face of the connecting plate.

4. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that, A photoelectric plate is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate, and a starting position sensor and an ending position sensor that cooperate with the photoelectric plate are provided on the side wall of the linear guide.

5. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 4, characterized in that, A linear groove is formed on one side of the linear guide along its length. The starting position sensor and the ending position sensor are respectively mounted on the linear groove through an adjustable structure. The adjustable structure can slide along the linear groove to adjust the mounting position of the starting position sensor and the ending position sensor.

6. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that, The adjustable structure includes a slider, an L-shaped support plate, and a fastening bolt. The slider is slidably connected to the linear groove, and the fastening bolt passes through the L-shaped support plate and is threaded to the slider, so that the L-shaped support plate is pressed and fixed on the side wall of the linear guide. The starting position sensor or the ending position sensor is fixedly installed on the L-shaped support plate.

7. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first centering rod and the second centering rod are arranged on the same plane, wherein the length of the first centering rod is greater than the length of the second centering rod, so that the two do not interfere with each other when moving.

8. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The landing pad is equipped with a landing frame for connecting to a drone. Multiple charging contacts are arranged side by side on the inner wall of one of the second centering rods. The landing frame is equipped with a side-pressing charging spring that cooperates with the charging contacts.

9. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a support base plate, which is recessed to form a cavity aligned with the position of the Y-axis lead screw drive member. The X-axis lead screw drive member is fixed to the raised upper surface of the support base plate, and the Y-axis lead screw drive member is fixed inside the cavity.

10. The automatic centering device for unmanned aerial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The helipad has densely packed ventilation holes at its center, and the bottom surface of the helipad is equipped with cooling fans corresponding to the ventilation holes.

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