Fuel system, mounting structure and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a fuel system which comprises a main fuel tank, an auxiliary fuel tank, an outer shell, a fuel gauge, a fuel pump and a pressure release valve, the main fuel tank is installed on an unmanned aerial vehicle, the auxiliary fuel tank is of a soft shell structure, the fuel volume of the auxiliary fuel tank is smaller than that of the main fuel tank, the auxiliary fuel tank is communicated with the main fuel tank, and the outer shell is sleeved on the auxiliary fuel tank and connected with the unmanned aerial vehicle. The fuel gauge is connected to the main fuel tank, the fuel pump is communicated with the auxiliary fuel tank and the engine, and the pressure relief valve is connected with an engine oil return pipe. The auxiliary fuel tank is small in size and is of a soft material structure, fuel is supplied to the auxiliary fuel tank, the auxiliary fuel tank is filled with the fuel, fuel is supplied due to the fact that differential pressure exists between the main fuel tank and the auxiliary fuel tank and the auxiliary fuel tank deforms, the influence of acceleration and deceleration and the flight attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle is avoided, the fuel supply state is stable, and the fuel supply amount is accurate; when the fuel in the main fuel tank is used up, the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank can be used as standby fuel to provide extra endurance for the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the endurance mileage of the unmanned aerial vehicle is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a fuel system and its installation structure. Background Technology

[0002] A patent titled "Integrated Fuel Tank for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Wing" has been published in the Chinese Patent Database. The publication (announcement) number is CN106218905A, and the publication (announcement) date is December 14, 2016. This integrated fuel tank for an unmanned aerial vehicle wing includes a fuel tank shell installed in the wing of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The fuel tank shell has an oil inlet and an oil supply outlet. A grille is installed inside the fuel tank shell, and an oil flow hole is formed between the bottom of the grille and the fuel tank shell.

[0003] Its drawbacks are that the single fuel tank structure is often large in size and is mostly irregular in shape. As the drone's attitude and speed change, the stability of the fuel supply may be affected, and when the fuel is exhausted, the drone may immediately lose power. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a fuel system to address the problems of poor fuel supply stability and loss of power when the fuel in a single fuel tank is depleted in a drone. This application also provides an installation structure for the fuel system and a drone.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a fuel system, comprising:

[0006] Main fuel tank, installed on the drone;

[0007] The auxiliary fuel tank has a soft-shell structure, and its fuel capacity is smaller than that of the main fuel tank. The auxiliary fuel tank is connected to the main fuel tank through a pipeline.

[0008] The outer shell is fitted onto the auxiliary fuel tank. The outer shell is a rigid shell structure and is connected to the drone.

[0009] A fuel gauge is connected to the main fuel tank, and the fuel gauge is used to detect the fuel level in the main fuel tank;

[0010] The fuel pump is connected to the auxiliary fuel tank via a pipe and also to the engine via a pipe.

[0011] The pressure relief valve is connected to the engine's oil return line via a pipe.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the above embodiments are as follows: the auxiliary fuel tank is small in size and is made of soft material. Fuel is supplied from the auxiliary fuel tank. When the auxiliary fuel tank is full, the auxiliary fuel tank deforms to supply fuel due to the pressure difference between the main and auxiliary fuel tanks. It is not affected by the acceleration, deceleration and flight attitude of the UAV, and the fuel supply is stable and accurate. At the same time, the UAV detects the fuel level in the main fuel tank. When the fuel in the main fuel tank is exhausted, the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank can be used as backup fuel to provide additional endurance for the UAV, thereby increasing the UAV's range.

[0013] Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of this application can be further improved as follows:

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, it further includes a fuel filter that connects the engine to the fuel pump. The beneficial effect of this step is that the fuel filter removes impurities, thereby improving fuel quality.

[0015] A second aspect of this application provides an installation structure for the fuel system, comprising: plate one, plate two, plate three, plate four, and plate five. Plate one is disposed at the tail of the UAV. Plate two, plate three, and plate four are sequentially disposed at the front end of plate one. Plate five connects plate one, plate two, plate three, and plate four. A mounting position one is formed between plate one and plate two, and a mounting position two is formed between plate two and plate four. An auxiliary fuel tank is disposed at mounting position one and connected to plate one. A main fuel tank is disposed at mounting position two. Plate two and plate four are positioned at both ends of the main fuel tank. Plate three is fitted around the outer periphery of the main fuel tank.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the above embodiments are as follows: the installation structure formed by plates one, two, three, four and five is reasonably arranged, so that the auxiliary fuel tank that directly supplies fuel is directly adjacent to the engine at the rear of the fuselage, and the installation structure formed by plates two, three and four makes the positioning of the main fuel tank more stable.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, it further includes a reinforcing block, which is connected to one of the plates on each side. The reinforcing block is also used to connect to the wing of the UAV. The beneficial effects of this step are: the reinforcing block greatly improves the overall structural strength, can simultaneously position the main fuel tank and the wing, avoids adding connecting structures to the wing in other parts, and optimizes the overall structure of the UAV.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application: the fourth plate includes a vertical side and a horizontal side, the horizontal side is located above the vertical side and connected to the adjacent third plate, and the horizontal side also serves as an avionics system mounting plate. The beneficial effect of this step is that the fourth plate forms a good limiting structure at one end of the main fuel tank and simultaneously serves as an avionics system mounting structure, thereby strengthening the structure and improving the compactness of the UAV component mounting structure.

[0019] A third aspect of this application provides a drone that includes the fuel system, or includes the mounting structure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the fuel system;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the fuel system;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the fuel system installation structure.

[0024] The components include: 1. Main fuel tank; 2. Auxiliary fuel tank; 3. Outer shell; 4. Fuel gauge; 5. Fuel pump; 6. Pressure relief valve; 7. Fuel filter; 8. Plate 1; 9. Plate 2; 10. Plate 3; 11. Plate 4; 12. Plate 5; and 13. Reinforcing block. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms used should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. If electrical or electronic equipment is involved, it can also refer to an electrical connection or a communication signal connection, etc. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of different terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances, and the scope of the specific meaning should be limited to achieving the function of this application.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the directional terms or positional relationships described are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or based on the orientation or positional relationships in actual use, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the contents of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] A fuel system includes: a main fuel tank 1, an auxiliary fuel tank 2, a casing 3, a fuel level gauge 4, a fuel pump 5, and a pressure relief valve 6. The main fuel tank 1 is installed on a drone. The auxiliary fuel tank 2 has a flexible shell structure and its fuel volume is smaller than that of the main fuel tank 1. The auxiliary fuel tank 2 is connected to the main fuel tank 1 via a pipe. The casing 3 is fitted onto the auxiliary fuel tank 2 and has a rigid shell structure. The casing 3 is connected to the drone. The fuel level gauge 4 is connected to the main fuel tank 1 and is used to detect the fuel level in the main fuel tank 1. The fuel pump 5 is connected to the auxiliary fuel tank 2 via a pipe and also to the engine via a pipe. The pressure relief valve 6 is connected to the engine's fuel return line via a pipe.

[0029] The main oil tank 1 is made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) with a capacity of 150L. It is equipped with several anti-surge plates inside, and the bottom of the anti-surge plates has openings to form a connected structure. The auxiliary oil tank 2 is made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) with a capacity of 5L. The outer shell 3 is made of carbon plate, and ear plates are configured on both sides of the carbon plate. The ear plates are fixedly connected to the body by bolts.

[0030] The main oil tank 1 is equipped with a flow meter at the top center. The main oil tank 1 has an oil filling port and an exhaust port on the upper side of the rear end (the rear end of the fuselage and the front end of the fuselage) and an oil drain port on the lower side. The auxiliary oil tank 2 is equipped with an oil drain port.

[0031] The fuel system also includes a fuel filter 7, which connects the engine to the fuel pump 5. The fuel filter 7 filters impurities to improve fuel quality.

[0032] When the fuel system is operating, fuel is added to the main fuel tank 1 through the filler neck. When the engine starts, fuel is drawn from the main fuel tank 1 into the auxiliary fuel tank 2 and then into the fuel pump 5. The outlet of the fuel pump 5 is connected to the fuel filter 7, and then the fuel enters the engine fuel rail after passing through the fuel filter 7. Excess fuel returns to the main fuel tank 1 through the fuel rail outlet and the pressure relief valve 6. During this process, because the main fuel tank 1 is much larger than the auxiliary fuel tank 2 and has an exhaust port, the main fuel tank 1 will not deform. The auxiliary fuel tank 2 deforms slightly but can still create negative pressure, drawing fuel from the main fuel tank 1 into the auxiliary fuel tank 2. Because the auxiliary fuel tank 2 is very small, it facilitates precise fuel supply. Furthermore, a full auxiliary fuel tank 2 is not affected by changes in the drone's flight attitude and speed, ensuring a stable fuel supply to the engine. At the same time, the fuel level gauge 4 only detects the fuel level in the main fuel tank 1. Therefore, when the fuel in the main fuel tank 1 is depleted, the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tank 2 can be used as backup fuel to provide additional range for the drone, thereby increasing the drone's range.

[0033] Example 2

[0034] An installation structure for a fuel system disclosed in Embodiment 1 includes: a first plate 8, a second plate 9, a third plate 10, a fourth plate 11, and a fifth plate 12. The first plate 8 is disposed at the tail of the UAV. The second plate 9, the third plate 10, and the fourth plate 11 are sequentially disposed at the front end of the first plate 8. The fifth plate 12 connects the first plate 8, the second plate 9, the third plate 10, and the fourth plate 11. An installation position 1 is formed between the first plate 8 and the second plate 9, and an installation position 2 is formed between the second plate 9 and the fourth plate 11. The auxiliary fuel tank 2 is disposed at the first installation position and is connected to the first plate 8. The main fuel tank 1 is disposed at the second installation position. The second plate 9 and the fourth plate 11 limit the movement at both ends of the main fuel tank 1. The third plate 10 is fitted around the outer periphery of the main fuel tank 1.

[0035] Among them, Plate 5 12 has multiple plates that extend laterally and connect Plate 1 8, Plate 2 9, Plate 3 10 and Plate 4 11 in series. Plate 5 12 is located on both sides of the upper and lower parts of the fuselage. The engine is installed on the rear side of Plate 1 8. Four connecting rods arranged laterally are connected to the front side of Plate 1 8. The ends of the connecting rods are connected to the carbon plates by bolts.

[0036] The installation structure also includes a reinforcing block 13, which is connected to a plate 10 on both sides. The reinforcing block 13 is also used to connect to the wing of the UAV. The reinforcing block 13 greatly improves the overall structural strength and can simultaneously position the main fuel tank 1 and the wing, avoiding the need to add connecting structures to the wing in other parts and optimizing the overall structure of the UAV.

[0037] The fourth plate 11 includes a vertical side and a horizontal side. The horizontal side is located above the vertical side and is connected to the adjacent third plate 10. The horizontal side also serves as an avionics system mounting plate. The fourth plate 11 forms a good limiting structure at one end of the main fuel tank 1 and also serves as an avionics system mounting structure. On the one hand, it strengthens the structural strength, and on the other hand, it improves the compactness and integration of the UAV component mounting structure.

[0038] The reasonable arrangement of the installation structure formed by plate 8, plate 9, plate 10, plate 11, and plate 12 ensures that the auxiliary fuel tank 2, which directly supplies fuel, is adjacent to the engine at the rear of the fuselage. At the same time, the installation structure formed by plate 9, plate 10, and plate 11 makes the positioning of the main fuel tank 1 more stable.

[0039] Example 3

[0040] An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes the fuel system disclosed in Embodiment 1, or the mounting structure disclosed in Embodiment 2.

[0041] The above are merely embodiments of this utility model. Commonly known structures and characteristics are not described in detail here. Those skilled in the art are aware of all common technical knowledge in the field prior to the application date or priority date, are aware of all existing technologies in that field, and have the ability to apply conventional experimental methods prior to that date. Those skilled in the art can, based on the guidance provided in this application, improve and implement this solution in combination with their own capabilities. Some typical known structures or methods should not be obstacles for those skilled in the art to implement this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the structure of this utility model. These should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model, and will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of this utility model or the practicality of the patent.

Claims

1. A fuel system, characterized in that, include: Main fuel tank, installed on the drone; The auxiliary fuel tank has a soft-shell structure, and its fuel capacity is smaller than that of the main fuel tank. The auxiliary fuel tank is connected to the main fuel tank through a pipeline. The outer shell is fitted onto the auxiliary fuel tank. The outer shell is a rigid shell structure and is connected to the drone. A fuel gauge is connected to the main fuel tank, and the fuel gauge is used to detect the fuel level in the main fuel tank; The fuel pump is connected to the auxiliary fuel tank via a pipe and also to the engine via a pipe; The pressure relief valve is connected to the engine's oil return line via a pipe.

2. The fuel system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A fuel filter that connects the engine to the fuel pump.

3. An installation structure for a fuel system as described in any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, include: Plate 1, Plate 2, Plate 3, Plate 4, and Plate 5 are provided. Plate 1 is located at the tail of the UAV. Plate 2, Plate 3, and Plate 4 are sequentially located at the front end of Plate 1. Plate 5 connects Plate 1, Plate 2, Plate 3, and Plate 4. Mounting position 1 is formed between Plate 1 and Plate 2. Mounting position 2 is formed between Plate 2 and Plate 4. The auxiliary fuel tank is located at mounting position 1 and connected to Plate 1. The main fuel tank is located at mounting position 2. Plate 2 and Plate 4 are positioned at both ends of the main fuel tank. Plate 3 is fitted around the outer periphery of the main fuel tank.

4. The installation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: The reinforcing block is connected to one of the plates on each side, and the reinforcing block is also used to connect to the wings of the UAV.

5. The installation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fourth plate includes a vertical side and a horizontal side. The horizontal side is located above the vertical side and is connected to the adjacent third plate. The horizontal side also serves as an avionics system mounting plate.

6. A drone, characterized in that, It includes the fuel system according to any one of claims 1-2, or the mounting structure according to any one of claims 3-5.

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