Unmanned aerial vehicle parking apron with active capture structure

Abstract

The utility model discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle parking apron with an active capture structure, which comprises a device main body consisting of a carrying platform assembly, a mechanical arm assembly and a guide rail assembly, the carrying platform assembly comprises a platform for adsorbing and capturing an unmanned aerial vehicle through magnetism and a guide head arranged at the bottom of the platform, a first connecting part and a second connecting part are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the guide head respectively, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are obliquely staggered with the connecting parts on the other side, and the guide rail assembly comprises a first guide rail and a second guide rail which are arranged in parallel; the mechanical arm assembly comprises a first shaft arm assembly and a second shaft arm assembly which are sequentially arranged on the same guide rail in the guide rail assembly, and the first shaft arm assembly and the second shaft arm assembly are arranged on the guide rail on the other side in a mirror image mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to a UAV landing pad with an active capture structure. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the core infrastructure that drones rely on for autonomous return, automatic charging, or specific mission points is a static landing platform (often called a helipad or landing pad). The key characteristic of these platforms is their completely passive and stationary state. During landing, the platform itself has no dynamic response or active guidance capabilities; the burden of precise landing rests entirely on the drone system and its operator / autopilot system. The entire landing phase, especially the final "contact moment," requires extremely precise attitude adjustments and dynamic control. For example, the downwash generated by a multi-rotor drone approaching the ground can easily create an unstable air cushion effect, leading to slight attitude deviations. Manual execution by the operator involves immense mental stress and has a very low tolerance for error. Even with an automatic landing program, minor sensor errors or external interference (such as gusts of wind or ground vibrations) can cause landing failure. Specifically, this manifests as the drone failing to land accurately at the designated anchor point, excessive landing impact, or violent shaking or even overturning due to contact point misalignment (i.e., "unstable landing").

[0003] In view of this, this technical solution proposes a drone landing pad structure with an active capture structure. It has multiple sets of flexible robotic arms, as well as a platform assembly and guide rail assembly, to actively adjust the contact angle between the platform and the drone. It actively attaches to and captures the drone through magnetic attraction (currently mainly magnetic attraction) and other grasping methods, avoiding the impact and vibration of the drone's autonomous landing, as well as the problem of high requirements for landing level. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present invention aims to at least partially solve one of the technical problems in the related technologies. Therefore, the main objective of this invention is to provide a drone landing pad with an active capture structure, which addresses the problems of existing drone active pathfinding and docking methods being unable to dock quickly and accurately, experiencing strong impact and vibration, and requiring a high level of operational skill.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a drone landing pad with an active capture structure, comprising a main body of a device consisting of a platform assembly, a robotic arm assembly, and a guide rail assembly.

[0006] The platform assembly includes a platform for magnetically attracting and capturing a drone, and a guide head disposed at the bottom of the platform. The guide head has a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion symmetrically arranged on both sides, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are obliquely staggered with the connecting portions on the other side.

[0007] The guide rail assembly includes two parallel guide rails, a first guide rail and a second guide rail.

[0008] The robotic arm assembly includes a first arm assembly and a second arm assembly sequentially disposed on the same guide rail in the guide rail assembly, and the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly are mirror images of each other on the guide rail on the other side.

[0009] The first shaft arm assembly includes a first slide block that mates with a guide rail. The first slide block has a first primary rotating shaft parallel to the first connecting portion. The first primary rotating shaft is sequentially connected to a first secondary rotating shaft, a first secondary rotating shaft arm, and a first tertiary rotating shaft via a first primary shaft arm. The first tertiary rotating shaft is connected to the first connecting portion.

[0010] The second shaft arm assembly includes a second slide block that engages with a guide rail. The second slide block has a second primary rotating shaft parallel to the second connecting portion. The second primary rotating shaft is sequentially connected to a second secondary rotating shaft, a second secondary rotating shaft, and a second tertiary rotating shaft via a second primary shaft arm. The second tertiary rotating shaft is connected to the second connecting portion.

[0011] The cooperation of the robotic arm assembly, platform assembly, and guide rail assembly enables dynamic adjustment and matching with the bottom of the drone, and allows for adsorption, capture, and fixation.

[0012] As a further embodiment of this utility model, a connecting block is provided between the guide head and the bottom of the platform, and the connecting block is a magnetic block structure.

[0013] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the guide rail assembly also includes a third guide rail disposed in the lower part of the first guide rail and the second guide rail, and a linkage seat is slidably provided on the third guide rail, the linkage seat interconnecting one of the symmetrical shaft arms located on the two guide rails.

[0014] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the ends of the first guide rail, the second guide rail, and the third guide rail are assembled and fixed by an assembly.

[0015] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the top of the first slide block has a beveled structure, and the inclined surfaces of the slide blocks on both sides face the outer side of the guide rail, and the inclined surfaces of the slide blocks on both sides face the ends of the guide rail.

[0016] As a further improvement of this utility model, the middle part of the slide and the guide head are both in the form of a triangular rib hollow structure.

[0017] As a further improvement of this utility model, the guide head and its connecting parts are all integrally welded metal structures.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] This technical solution utilizes the independent or linked sliding of the first and second arm assemblies on parallel first and second guide rails, combined with the obliquely intersecting first and second connecting parts, to give the platform multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic adjustment capabilities. When the drone approaches, the unidirectional movement of the first and second slides achieves overall horizontal tracking of the platform. The differential drive of the slides, through the linkage transmission from the first primary arm to the first and third primary pivots, and from the second primary arm to the second and third secondary pivots, precisely controls the platform's pitch and roll angles, conforming to the drone's bottom attitude in real time. The linkage seat on the third guide rail forces the symmetrical arms to move synchronously, ensuring stable and non-twisting translation of the platform. The magnetic connecting block between the guide head and the platform actively attracts at the moment of contact, converting the impact force into controllable magnetic fixation. This intelligent operation of "platform active tracking and capture" significantly reduces the control requirements, eliminates the risk of landing vibration, and significantly improves the success rate and safety of docking in complex environments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the technical solutions of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the overall arrangement of the main body and major components of the device in this utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a disassembled structure of the platform assembly and schematic diagrams of the first and second shaft arm assemblies in this utility model.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a side view of the platform, connecting block, and guide head in this utility model.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the guide head components in this utility model.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the guide rails in this utility model.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the components of the first shaft arm assembly in this utility model.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the components of the second shaft arm assembly in this utility model.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of some of the actions of the device of this utility model.

[0029] label name label name 1 main body of the device 1106 First-stage shaft 10 Platform assembly 111 Second arm assembly 100 platform 1110 Second slide 101 Connecting block 1111 Second-stage rotating shaft 102 Guide head 1112 Second-stage shaft 1020 Connection surface 1113 Second and second level rotating shafts 1021 First connecting part 1114 Second and second stage shafts 1022 Second connecting part 1115 Second and third stage rotating shafts 11 robotic arm components 1116 Linkage seat 110 First arm assembly 12 Guide rail assembly 1101 First slide 120 First guide rail 1102 First-stage shaft 121 Second guide rail 1103 First and second stage rotating shafts 123 Third guide rail 1104 First and second stage shafts 124 Assembly parts 1105 First and third stage rotating shafts Detailed Implementation

[0030] as follows:

[0031] Please see the appendix Figure 1-8 ,

[0032] The main structure includes a device body (1) consisting of a platform assembly (10), a robotic arm assembly (11), and a guide rail assembly (12). The platform assembly (10) includes a platform (100) for magnetically attracting and capturing drones, and a guide head (102) disposed at the bottom of the platform (100). A first connecting part (1021) and a second connecting part (1022) are symmetrically provided on both sides of the guide head (102), and the first connecting part (1021) and the second connecting part (1022) are obliquely connected to the connecting parts on the other side. The guide rail assembly (12) is staggered, comprising two parallel first guide rails (120) and a second guide rail (121). The robotic arm assembly (11) comprises a first arm assembly (110) and a second arm assembly (111) sequentially disposed on the same guide rail in the guide rail assembly (12), and the first arm assembly (110) and the second arm assembly (111) are mirror images of each other on the guide rail on the other side. The first arm assembly (110) includes a first slide (1101) that cooperates with the guide rail. The assembly includes a first-stage rotating shaft (1106) parallel to the first connecting part (1021). The first-stage rotating shaft (1106) is connected in sequence to a first-stage rotating shaft (1103), a first-stage rotating shaft arm (1104), and a first-stage rotating shaft (1105) via a first-stage shaft arm (1102). The first-stage rotating shaft (1105) is connected to the first connecting part (1021). The second shaft arm assembly (111) includes a second slide (1110) with a guide rail. The second slide (1110) has a rotating shaft parallel to the first connecting part (1021). The second connecting part (1022) is parallel to the second primary rotating shaft (1111). The second primary rotating shaft (1111) is connected to the second secondary rotating shaft (1113), the second secondary rotating shaft (1114) and the second tertiary rotating shaft (1115) in sequence through the second primary shaft arm (1112). The second tertiary rotating shaft (1115) is connected to the second connecting part (1022). The cooperation of the robotic arm assembly (11), the platform assembly (10) and the guide rail assembly (12) realizes dynamic adjustment and matching with the bottom of the UAV, and performs adsorption, capture and fixation.

[0033] The working principle is as follows:

[0034] This technical solution solves the problem of traditional static helipads relying on the autonomous and precise landing of UAVs by cooperating with the platform assembly (10), the robotic arm assembly (11), and the guide rail assembly (12). In the prior art, when a UAV lands, it needs to adjust its attitude completely autonomously to match the static platform (100), which is very susceptible to airflow interference, resulting in docking deviation, excessive impact, or overturning. This solution achieves active dynamic capture through the following structure: when the UAV approaches, the platform (100) of the platform assembly (10) can be flexibly adjusted in multiple directions on the guide rail by the robotic arm assembly (11). Specifically, the first slide (1101) of the first axis arm assembly (110) and the second slide (1110) of the second axis arm assembly (111) slide laterally along the first guide rail (120) and the second guide rail (121), respectively, and simultaneously drive the first primary rotating shaft (1106) and the second primary rotating shaft (1111) to rotate. The first primary axis arm (1102) and the second primary axis arm (1112) then use the first secondary axis (1103) and the second secondary axis (1113) as fulcrums respectively to adjust pitch. Finally, the first connecting part (1021) and the second connecting part (1022) on the guide head (102) are pulled by the first tertiary axis (1105) and the second tertiary axis (1115) (the two are set diagonally and alternately), so that the platform (100) matches the spatial attitude of the bottom of the UAV in real time.

[0035] During this process, the linkage seat (1116) on the third guide rail (123) forces the symmetrical shaft arm assemblies on both sides (such as the first shaft arm assembly (110) on the left and the first shaft arm assembly (110) on the right) to maintain synchronous displacement, avoiding unilateral lag. The inclined surface of the slide block with a beveled design optimizes the mechanical interference when the shaft arm rotates, while the triangular rib hollow structure reduces the inertial load on the slide block (1101) and the guide head (102). When the platform (100) is dynamically adjusted to be completely parallel to the bottom of the UAV, the platform (100) actively attracts and fixes the UAV through the magnetic connecting block (101), converting the traditional landing impact into a controllable magnetic attraction. This achieves the process of active tracking, flexible fitting, and instantaneous capture, significantly reducing the requirements for the control precision of the UAV, eliminating the risk of landing vibration, and improving the success rate and safety of docking in complex environments. This active tracking landing action can be achieved by manual remote control or by using an automatic algorithm for matching.

[0036] Specifically, for example, when the platform (100) needs to move horizontally to the right to align with the center of the drone,

[0037] Drive all slide blocks (first slide block (1101) and second slide block (1110)) to slide synchronously to the right along their respective guide rails (first guide rail (120) and second guide rail (121)). The first slide block (1101) on the left guide rail (first guide rail (120)) and the second slide block (1110) on the right guide rail (second guide rail (121)) both move to the right. As the slide blocks move, the positions of the first primary rotating shaft (1106) (left) and the second primary rotating shaft (1111) (right) fixed on them also shift to the right. Through the rigid connection of the first primary shaft arm (1102) (left) and the second primary shaft arm (1112) (right), the translational motion is transmitted to the first secondary shaft (1103) (left) and the second secondary shaft (1113) (right), and then through the first secondary shaft arm (1104) (left) and the second secondary shaft arm (1114) (right) to the first tertiary shaft (1105) (left) and the second tertiary shaft (1115) (right). The first tertiary shaft (1105) (left) is connected to the first connecting part (1021) on the left side, and the second tertiary shaft (1115) (right) is connected to the second connecting part (1022) on the right side. The translation of the pivot pulls the entire guide head (102) (and the platform (100) above it) to the right horizontally through the connecting part. The linkage seat (1116) slides on the third guide rail (123) to ensure that the corresponding shaft arm assemblies on the left and right sides (such as the first shaft arm assemblies (110) on both sides) move at the same distance and speed, so as to prevent the platform (100) from twisting during the movement.

[0038] Alternatively, if the platform (100) needs to adjust its pitch angle (rotate around the Y-axis) to make the plane of the platform (100) parallel to the bottom plane of the UAV,

[0039] The slides on the left side of the drive rail (first slide (1101)) and the slides on the right side (second slide (1110)) move at a differential speed (e.g., the left slide moves relatively forward and the right slide moves relatively backward, or vice versa). Suppose that the front of the platform (100) needs to be raised (the rear needs to be lowered), then the first slide (1101) on the left guide rail (first guide rail (120)) moves backward and the second slide (1110) on the right guide rail (second guide rail (121)) also moves backward, but the left side moves a greater distance than the right side (or the right side moves forward). The differential movement of the slides causes a relative change in the position of the first primary shaft (1106) (left) and the first primary shaft (1106) (right). The first primary shaft arm (1102) (left) and the first primary shaft arm (1102) (right) rotate around their respective primary shafts. Since the first connecting part (1021) (left) and the second connecting part (1022) (right) are obliquely staggered, this rotational motion is transmitted. The first primary shaft arm (1102) on the left pulls the first secondary shaft (1103) backward, and the first primary shaft arm (1112) on the right also pushes the second secondary shaft (1113) backward (but with a smaller amplitude) or forward. This causes the attitudes of the first and second stage shafts (1104) (left) and the second stage shaft (1114) (right) to change accordingly. Finally, the positions of the first and third stage shafts (1105) (left) and the second and third stage shafts (1115) (right) are adjusted. Different tension / thrust forces are applied to the front and rear positions of the guide head (102) through the oblique connection, forcing the platform (100) to pitch and rotate around its central Y-axis, raising the leading edge (or lowering the trailing edge) to match the downward tilt attitude of the UAV. The linkage seat (1116) allows sliding on the third guide rail (123) to adapt to the relative position changes of the two shafts caused by differential, but does not force the two sides to be completely synchronized.

[0040] Of course, there are many other situations regarding the actions and the coordination of various components, which will not be elaborated here.

[0041] Reference Appendix Figure 2 , 2 In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, a connecting block (101) is provided between the guide head (102) and the bottom of the platform (100), and the connecting block (101) is a magnetic block structure.

[0042] In this scheme, the magnetic connecting block (101) set between the guide head (102) and the bottom of the platform (100) is used to realize the instantaneous adsorption and fixation of the platform (100) on the drone. As a rigid connecting part, the connecting block (101) ensures the stable connection between the platform (100) and the guide head (102). Its built-in strong magnetic material can generate an instantaneous attraction when the platform (100) is dynamically adjusted by the robotic arm to be completely attached to the bottom of the drone, actively "capturing" the drone, and transforming the rigid impact during traditional landing into a controllable magnetic attraction, so as to achieve flexible fixation without impact or slippage.

[0043] Reference Appendix Figure 5 , 7 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guide rail assembly (12) further includes a third guide rail (123) disposed in the lower part of the first guide rail (120) and the second guide rail (121). A linkage seat (1116) is slidably disposed on the third guide rail (123), and the linkage seat (1116) interconnects one of the symmetrical shaft arms located on the two guide rails.

[0044] In this technical solution, the third guide rail (123) and its linkage seat (1116) are forcibly connected to the symmetrical axis arm assemblies on the left and right guide rails (such as the left first axis arm assembly (110) and the right first axis arm assembly (110)), so that they maintain synchronous movement when moving horizontally. When the slide drives the axis arm assembly to translate, the linkage seat (1116) passively slides on the third guide rail (123). The rigid connection ensures that the displacement of the symmetrical axis arms is completely consistent, thereby avoiding the platform (100) from twisting or shifting during movement or posture adjustment, ensuring the coordination and stability of the overall movement of the platform (100), and allowing the linkage seat (1116) to slide to adapt to different movements when adjustment is needed.

[0045] Reference Appendix Figure 5 In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the ends of the first guide rail (120), the second guide rail (121) and the third guide rail (123) are assembled and fixed by a fitting (124).

[0046] Specifically, the assembly (124) of this solution rigidly connects and fixes the ends of the first guide rail (120), the second guide rail (121), and the third guide rail (123), ensuring that the three guide rails always maintain a precise relative position and parallel relationship, preventing the lateral force generated during the movement of the robotic arm from causing deformation or displacement of the guide rails, providing a stable support for the entire dynamic capture system, and ensuring the accuracy of the platform (100) motion trajectory and the stability of the overall structure.

[0047] Reference Appendix Figure 6In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the top of the first slide (1101) is a beveled structure, and the inclined surfaces of the slides on both sides face the outer side of the guide rail, and the inclined surfaces of the slides on both sides face the end of the guide rail.

[0048] In this design, the oblique cut structure avoids rigid collisions or interference between the arm and the top edge of the slide during the up-and-down swing or horizontal deflection. It matches the direction in which the arm is most likely to rotate, reduces motion restrictions, and ensures smooth and unobstructed movement of the robotic arm.

[0049] Reference Appendix Figure 3 In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the middle part of the slide (1101) and the guide head (102) are both triangular rib hollowed-out structures.

[0050] Specifically, the triangular rib hollow structure of this solution ensures the overall structural strength of the slide (1101) and guide head (102) while significantly reducing its own weight. This not only reduces the inertial load during the movement of the robotic arm, making the platform (100) move more agilely, but also reduces frictional wear on the guide rail. The triangular ribs formed by the hollow design strengthen the rigidity of key stress areas, effectively resisting torsional deformation and ensuring stability and durability during the dynamic capture process.

[0051] Reference Appendix Figure 4 In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the guide head (102) and its connecting parts are all integrally welded metal components.

[0052] In this solution, the integrated welding structure fuses the guide head (102) with each connecting part into a whole, eliminating the risk of loosening that may exist with bolts or rivets, greatly improving the rigidity and strength of the connecting parts. The seamless connection method can accurately maintain the preset oblique staggered angle of each connecting part, ensuring that no deformation or displacement deviation occurs during power transmission, while enhancing the overall structure's resistance to dynamic impact, significantly extending service life and reducing maintenance frequency.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made based on the present utility model's technical concept and the contents of the present utility model's technical solution specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A drone landing pad with an active capture structure, characterized in that, include The main body of the device consists of a platform assembly, a robotic arm assembly, and a guide rail assembly. The platform assembly includes a platform for magnetically attracting and capturing a drone, and a guide head disposed at the bottom of the platform. The guide head has a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion symmetrically arranged on both sides, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are obliquely staggered with the connecting portions on the other side. The guide rail assembly includes two parallel guide rails, a first guide rail and a second guide rail. The robotic arm assembly includes a first arm assembly and a second arm assembly sequentially disposed on the same guide rail in the guide rail assembly, and the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly are mirror images of each other on the guide rail on the other side. The first shaft arm assembly includes a first slide block that mates with a guide rail. The first slide block has a first primary rotating shaft parallel to the first connecting portion. The first primary rotating shaft is sequentially connected to a first secondary rotating shaft, a first secondary rotating shaft arm, and a first tertiary rotating shaft via a first primary shaft arm. The first tertiary rotating shaft is connected to the first connecting portion. The second shaft arm assembly includes a second slide block that engages with a guide rail. The second slide block has a second primary rotating shaft parallel to the second connecting portion. The second primary rotating shaft is sequentially connected to a second secondary rotating shaft, a second secondary rotating shaft, and a second tertiary rotating shaft via a second primary shaft arm. The second tertiary rotating shaft is connected to the second connecting portion. The cooperation of the robotic arm assembly, the platform assembly, and the guide rail assembly enables dynamic adjustment and matching with the bottom of the drone, and allows for adsorption, capture, and fixation.

2. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting block is provided between the guide head and the bottom of the platform, and the connecting block is a magnetic block structure.

3. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide rail assembly also includes a third guide rail disposed at the lower part of the first guide rail and the second guide rail. A linkage seat is slidably provided on the third guide rail, and the linkage seat interconnects one of the symmetrical shaft arms located on the two guide rails.

4. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ends of the first guide rail, the second guide rail, and the third guide rail are assembled and fixed by a fitting.

5. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the first slide block has a beveled structure, and the beveled surfaces of both slide blocks face the outer side of the guide rail. The top of the second slide is also a beveled structure, and the beveled surfaces of both slides face the ends of the guide rail.

6. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The middle part of the slide and guide head both have a triangular rib hollow structure.

7. The UAV landing pad with an active capture structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide head and its connecting parts are all integrally welded metal structures.

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