A drone tripod deployment and retraction device

Abstract

This utility model discloses a drone landing gear retraction and deployment device, including a drone body and a landing gear assembly. By setting up the landing gear assembly, four pneumatic telescopic rods are linked to a central pneumatic telescopic rod, and the use of pneumatic telescopic rods instead of traditional electric push rods eliminates the need for motors and gear sets, significantly reducing weight and volume. At the same time, the linkage design of the movable shaft and the support plate reduces redundant parts, resulting in a compact overall structure that is easy to integrate into the bottom of the drone. Through the coordinated control of the air pump assembly and the reversing valve, the pneumatic telescopic rods can be rapidly inflated and deflated, increasing the landing gear retraction and deployment efficiency. Moreover, the pneumatic system has no mechanical wear and has a long service life. When the drone lands, the piston rod is compressed by the ground reaction force, forming a flexible buffer that effectively absorbs impact energy and protects the fuselage and landing gear structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically to a UAV tripod deployment and retraction device. Background Technology

[0002] Existing drone tripods mostly employ electric push rods, spring-mechanical structures, or fixed supports. While electric push rod solutions are adjustable, they suffer from high energy consumption, complex components, and heavy weight, affecting the drone's endurance and maneuverability. Spring-mechanical structures, although lightweight, are uncontrollable in their retraction and extension, and are prone to reliability degradation due to spring fatigue. Fixed supports cannot be retracted or extended, increasing flight drag and lacking cushioning capabilities. During landing, the impact force is directly transmitted to the fuselage, easily causing structural damage. Furthermore, traditional tripod designs often rely on multi-stage linkages or gear transmissions, further increasing complexity and failure rates. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a lightweight, high-efficiency drone tripod retraction and extension device with cushioning capabilities to improve flight stability and ease of operation. Utility Model Content

[0003] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a drone tripod retraction and extension device, which solves the aforementioned problems.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model is implemented through the following technical solution: a drone tripod retraction device, comprising a drone body and a tripod assembly, wherein the tripod assembly is installed at the bottom of the drone body;

[0007] The tripod assembly includes a shell, a pneumatic telescopic rod one, a support plate, a fixed rotating shaft, a fixed plate, a pneumatic telescopic rod two, a movable shaft, and an air pump assembly. The pneumatic telescopic rod one consists of four rods, which are respectively located on the left and right sides of the bottom of the shell. A pneumatic telescopic rod two is located in the inner center of the shell. Movable shafts are connected to the left and right ends of the pneumatic telescopic rod two. A support plate is fixed to the inner end of the pneumatic telescopic rod one. The middle of the support plate rotates along the fixed rotating shaft. Both the front and rear ends of the fixed rotating shaft are fixedly connected to the fixed plate, which is fixed to the bottom of the shell. The top of the support plate extends into the shell and is rotatably connected to the movable shaft. An air pump assembly is fixedly installed along the inner edge of the shell. The air pump assembly controls the extension and retraction of the pneumatic telescopic rod one and pneumatic telescopic rod two. The top of the shell is fixedly connected to the main body of the drone.

[0008] Preferably, the pneumatic telescopic rod includes a cylinder, a piston plate, and a piston rod. The piston plate is disposed inside the cylinder and slides along the inner wall of the cylinder. The piston rod extends into the inner wall of the cylinder and is fixedly connected to the piston plate.

[0009] Preferably, the pneumatic telescopic rod one and the pneumatic telescopic rod two have the same structure. The outer end of the piston rod of the pneumatic telescopic rod one is fixed with a support plate, and the inner end of the cylinder of the pneumatic telescopic rod one is fixedly connected to the support plate.

[0010] Preferably, there are two movable shafts, and one movable shaft connects two support plates. Support blocks are fixed at both ends of the movable shaft, and the length and width of the support blocks are greater than the outer diameter of the movable shaft.

[0011] Preferably, a connecting collar is fitted on the outer middle part of the movable shaft, the inner wall of the connecting collar is rotatably connected to the movable shaft, and limit rings are provided on both the front and rear sides of the connecting collar. The limit rings are fixedly connected to the movable shaft, and the piston rod and cylinder of the pneumatic telescopic rod II are fixedly connected to the two connecting collars respectively.

[0012] Preferably, the air pump assembly includes an air pump, a reversing valve, a connecting pipe, a connecting tube, an air filter, and a filter plate. The output end and the extraction end of the air pump are both connected to two ports on one side of the reversing valve through conduits, and the two ports on the other side of the reversing valve are respectively connected to the connecting pipe and the connecting tube. The other end of the connecting tube is connected to the air filter. The air filter has a filter plate installed inside and is embedded in the edge of the housing. The connecting pipe is connected to the cylinder of pneumatic telescopic rod one and pneumatic telescopic rod two.

[0013] Preferably, the connecting pipe is connected to the cylinder of pneumatic telescopic rod one and pneumatic telescopic rod two using a flexible hose.

[0014] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0015] This utility model provides a drone landing gear retraction and deployment device. It offers the following advantages: By incorporating a landing gear assembly, which is linked to a central pneumatic telescopic rod via four pneumatic telescopic rods, and replacing traditional electric push rods with pneumatic telescopic rods, the device eliminates the need for motors and gear sets, significantly reducing weight and size. Furthermore, the linkage design between the movable shaft and the support plate reduces redundant components, resulting in a compact overall structure that is easy to integrate into the bottom of the drone. Through the coordinated control of the air pump assembly and the reversing valve, rapid inflation and deflation of the pneumatic telescopic rods are achieved, increasing landing gear retraction and deployment efficiency. The pneumatic system experiences no mechanical wear, resulting in a long service life. During drone landing, the piston rod compresses the air inside the cylinder under the ground reaction force, forming a flexible buffer that effectively absorbs impact energy, protecting the fuselage and landing gear structure. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the retracted state of the tripod assembly of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the extended state structure of the tripod assembly of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the structure of the tripod assembly of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a top view of the internal structure of the outer shell in this utility model;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic telescopic rod structure in this utility model;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the pneumatic telescopic rod in this utility model;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a top view of the internal structure of the pneumatic telescopic rod II in this utility model;

[0024] Figure 9 This is a top view of the air pump assembly structure in this utility model.

[0025] In the diagram: UAV main body-1, tripod assembly-2, outer shell-21, pneumatic telescopic rod one-22, support plate-23, fixed pivot-24, fixed plate-25, pneumatic telescopic rod two-26, movable shaft-27, air pump assembly-28, cylinder-221, piston plate-222, piston rod-223, support plate-2201, connecting collar-271, air pump-281, reversing valve-282, connecting pipe-283, connecting pipe-284, air filter-285, filter plate-286. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0027] Please see Figure 1-5 This utility model provides a technical solution for a drone tripod retraction device: a drone tripod retraction device includes a drone body 1 and a tripod assembly 2, the tripod assembly 2 being installed at the bottom of the drone body 1;

[0028] The tripod assembly 2 includes a housing 21, a first pneumatic telescopic rod 22, a support plate 23, a fixed pivot 24, a fixed plate 25, a second pneumatic telescopic rod 26, a movable shaft 27, and an air pump assembly 28. Four first pneumatic telescopic rods 22 are provided, located on the left and right sides of the bottom of the housing 21. The second pneumatic telescopic rod 26 is located in the center of the housing 21. The left and right ends of the second pneumatic telescopic rod 26 are connected to the movable shaft 27. The support plate 23 is fixed to the inner end of the first pneumatic telescopic rod 22. The middle part of the support plate 23 rotates along the fixed rotating shaft 24. Both the front and rear ends of the fixed rotating shaft 24 are fixedly connected to the fixed plate 25, and the fixed plate 25 is fixed to the bottom of the outer shell 21. The top end of the support plate 23 extends into the outer shell 21, and the top end of the support plate 23 is rotatably connected to the movable shaft 27. An air pump assembly 28 is fixedly installed on the inner edge of the outer shell 21. The air pump assembly 28 is used to control the extension and retraction of the first pneumatic telescopic rod 22 and the second pneumatic telescopic rod 26. The top end of the outer shell 21 is fixedly connected to the main body 1 of the drone.

[0029] Two movable shafts 27 are provided, and one movable shaft 27 connects to two support plates 23. Support blocks are fixed at both ends of the movable shaft 27, and the length and width of the support blocks are greater than the outer diameter of the movable shaft 27. When the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 extends, it pushes the two movable shafts 27 together, and the movable shaft 27 drives the support plate 23 on the same side to rotate along the fixed rotating shaft 24, causing the support plate 23 to drive the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 towards... When the bottom of the outer shell 21 rotates and the pneumatic telescopic rod 27 extends to its maximum extent, the support blocks at the front and rear ends of the two movable shafts 27 contact the left and right side walls inside the outer shell 21, respectively. At this time, the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 rotates to a vertical position, limiting the angle of the extended pneumatic telescopic rod 22. When the pneumatic telescopic rod 27 retracts to its shortest state, the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 rotates to fit against the bottom of the outer shell 21, ensuring the stability of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22.

[0030] Please see Figure 6-8 The pneumatic telescopic rod 22 includes a cylinder 221, a piston plate 222 and a piston rod 223. The piston plate 222 is provided inside the cylinder 221 and slides along the inner wall of the cylinder 221. The piston rod 223 extends into the inner wall of the cylinder 221 and is fixedly connected to the piston plate 222.

[0031] The pneumatic telescopic rod 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 have the same structure. The outer end of the piston rod 223 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 is fixed with a support plate 2201, and the inner end of the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 is fixedly connected to the support plate 23.

[0032] A connecting collar 271 is fitted on the outer middle of the movable shaft 27. The inner wall of the connecting collar 271 is rotatably connected to the movable shaft 27. Limiting rings are provided on both the front and rear sides of the connecting collar 271. The limiting rings are fixedly connected to the movable shaft 27. The piston rod 223 and cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 are fixedly connected to the two connecting collars 271 respectively. The movement of the connecting collar 271 is restricted by the limiting rings. The connecting collar 271 allows the piston rod 223 and cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 to rotate at the connection with the movable shaft 27.

[0033] An air pressure sensor can be installed inside the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 to monitor the internal air pressure, preventing excessive air pressure from reducing its cushioning effect and insufficient air pressure from affecting its support effect.

[0034] Please see Figure 9 The air pump assembly 28 includes an air pump 281, a reversing valve 282, a connecting pipe 283, a connecting pipe 284, an air filter 285, and a filter plate 286. The output end and the extraction end of the air pump 281 are connected to two ports on one side of the reversing valve 282 through conduits, and the two ports on the other side of the reversing valve 282 are connected to the connecting pipe 283 and the connecting pipe 284 respectively. The other end of the connecting pipe 284 is connected to the air filter 285. The air filter 285 has a filter plate 286 installed inside, and the air filter 285 is embedded in the edge of the housing 21. The connecting pipe 283 is connected to the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26.

[0035] The connection between the connecting pipe 283 and the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 is made of a flexible hose, so that when the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 extend or rotate, they move with their cylinder 221 through the flexible hose.

[0036] The Air Pump 281 uses a miniature diaphragm air pump (such as the KNF NF1.5 series or Thomas 2600 series), which is small in size, light in weight, and low in noise, making it suitable for drones to carry.

[0037] The reversing valve 282 is a two-position five-way solenoid valve, which can be used to switch the connection between the output port and extraction port of the air pump 281 and the connecting pipe 283 and the connecting pipe 284.

[0038] The air pump 281 and the reversing valve 282 can be electrically connected through the control component and power supply component of the UAV body 1. The air pump 281 and the reversing valve 282 are powered and controlled by the control component and power supply component of the UAV body 1, that is, the extension and retraction of the UAV landing gear are controlled.

[0039] In use, the outer shell 21 is fixed in the center to the bottom of the drone body 1. When the tripod assembly 2 is needed, firstly, the reversing valve 282 is controlled to connect the output port of the air pump 281 to the connecting pipe 283. Then, the air pump 281 operates, and the extraction port of the air pump 281 draws in external air through the connecting pipe 284 and the air filter 285. The external air is filtered through the filter plate 286 in the air filter 285. The air is input through the connecting pipe 283 to one side of the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26, and pushes the piston plate 222 to move. The piston plate 222 drives the piston rod 223 to move, so that the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 extend. When the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 extends, it pushes the two The movable shafts 27 extend between each other, and the movable shafts 27 drive the support plate 23 on the same side to rotate along the fixed rotating shaft 24, so that the support plate 23 drives the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 to rotate towards the bottom of the outer shell 21. When the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 are extended to the maximum extent, the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 rotates to a vertical state, and the four pneumatic telescopic rods 22 form the drone footrest. The bottom of the four pneumatic telescopic rods 22 contacts the ground through the support plate 2201. Since the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 supports the piston plate 222 through air, when the drone falls to the ground, the support plate 2201 squeezes the air inside the cylinder 221 through the piston rod 223 and the piston plate 222, so that the pneumatic telescopic rod 22 has a certain cushioning effect.

[0040] When the tripod assembly 2 is not in use, the air pump 281 is connected to the connecting pipe 283 by controlling the reversing valve 282. The air pump 281 draws air from the cylinder 221 of the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 through the connecting pipe 283, causing the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 and the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 to retract. The retraction of the pneumatic telescopic rod 26 causes the two movable shafts 27 to retract. The movable shafts 27 drive the support plate 23 to rotate along the fixed rotating shaft 24, and the support plate 23 drives the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 to rotate to a horizontal state. At the same time, the pneumatic telescopic rod 1 22 retracts to its shortest state, completing the retraction of the tripod assembly 2.

[0041] The control method of this utility model is to control the device by manually starting and stopping the switch. The wiring diagram of the power element and the supply of power are common knowledge in the field. Since this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, the control method and wiring layout will not be explained in detail.

[0042] The control method of this utility model is automatic control through a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art. The power supply is also common knowledge in the field. Since this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail.

[0043] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A drone tripod retraction and extension device, characterized in that: It includes a drone body (1) and a tripod assembly (2), and the tripod assembly (2) is installed at the bottom of the drone body (1); The tripod assembly (2) includes a housing (21), a first pneumatic telescopic rod (22), a support plate (23), a fixed rotating shaft (24), a fixed plate (25), a second pneumatic telescopic rod (26), a movable shaft (27) and an air pump assembly (28). There are four first pneumatic telescopic rods (22), which are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the bottom of the housing (21). A second pneumatic telescopic rod (26) is arranged in the middle of the housing (21). The left and right ends of the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26) are respectively connected with a movable shaft (27). The inner end of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) is fixed with a support plate (23). The middle of the support plate (23) rotates along the fixed rotating shaft (24). The front and rear ends of the fixed rotating shaft (24) are fixedly connected with the fixed plate (25), and the fixed plate (25) is fixed to the bottom of the housing (21). The top end of the support plate (23) extends into the housing (21), and the top end of the support plate (23) is rotatably connected with the movable shaft (27). An air pump assembly (28) is fixedly installed at the inner edge of the housing (21). The air pump assembly (28) is used to control the telescopic movement of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) and the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26). The top end of the housing (21) is fixedly connected with the drone body (1).

2. The drone tripod retraction device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) includes a cylinder body (221), a piston plate (222) and a piston rod (223). A piston plate (222) is arranged inside the cylinder body (221), and the piston plate (222) slides along the inner wall of the cylinder body (221). The piston rod (223) extends into the inner wall of the cylinder body (221) and is fixedly connected with the piston plate (222).

3. The drone tripod retraction device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) and the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26) have the same structure. A support plate (2201) is fixed to the outer end of the piston rod (223) of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22), and the inner end of the cylinder body (221) of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) is fixedly connected with the support plate (23).

4. The retractable device for the drone tripod according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two movable shafts (27), and one movable shaft (27) connects two support plates (23). Support blocks are fixed to the front and rear ends of the movable shaft (27), and the length and width of the support blocks are both larger than the outer diameter of the movable shaft (27).

5. The retractable device for the drone tripod according to claim 1, wherein: A connecting collar (271) is sleeved on the middle of the outer side of the movable shaft (27). The inner wall of the connecting collar (271) is rotatably connected with the movable shaft (27). Limit rings are arranged on both the front and rear sides of the connecting collar (271), and the limit rings are fixedly connected with the movable shaft (27). The piston rod (223) and the cylinder body (221) of the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26) are respectively fixedly connected with the two connecting collars (271).

6. The drone tripod retraction device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air pump assembly (28) includes an air pump (281), a reversing valve (282), a connecting pipeline (283), a connecting pipe (284), an air filter (285) and a filter plate (286). The output end and the extraction end of the air pump (281) are both connected to two ports on one side of the reversing valve (282) through ducts. The two ports on the other side of the reversing valve (282) are respectively connected to the connecting pipeline (283) and the connecting pipe (284). The other end of the connecting pipe (284) is connected to the air filter (285). A filter plate (286) is installed inside the air filter (285), and the air filter (285) is fixedly installed at the edge of the outer shell (21). The connecting pipeline (283) is connected to the cylinders (221) of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) and the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26).

7. The drone tripod retraction device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The connection between the connecting pipeline (283) and the cylinders (221) of the first pneumatic telescopic rod (22) and the second pneumatic telescopic rod (26) is made by a flexible hose.

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