Foldable Arm Drone

Abstract

This invention provides a foldable-arm drone, comprising a fuselage, multiple arms, and an arm-folding component for folding the arms relative to the fuselage. The fuselage includes a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame connected by mortise and tenon joints. The arms are evenly distributed at the corners of the fuselage. The arm-folding component includes a fixed component fixed to the fuselage and a movable component fixed to the arms. The movable component and the fixed component are movably connected via a rotation axis, and the movable component can rotate around the rotation axis until it is aligned with the fixed component to unfold the arms, and rotate until the angle between the movable component and the fixed component is less than 180 degrees to fold the arms relative to the fuselage. This foldable-arm drone utilizes two layers of polygonal frames connected by mortise and tenon joints, eliminating the need for other connecting components, reducing the drone's weight, and improving assembly efficiency. Furthermore, the arms can be folded upwards or downwards, reducing the size of the arms during storage, facilitating the storage and transportation of the drone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more specifically, to a UAV with foldable arms. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, drone technology has developed rapidly worldwide and has been widely used in many fields such as aerial surveying and mapping, agricultural plant protection, logistics and distribution, security inspection, emergency rescue, and infrastructure construction. As application scenarios continue to expand and deepen, the market has placed more stringent demands on drone performance, prompting drones to continue evolving towards greater efficiency, intelligence, and reliability.

[0003] As industry demands continue to upgrade, heavy-duty drones, with their ability to carry large equipment and transport heavy materials, are playing an increasingly important role in industrial applications.

[0004] In the construction sector, the planning and construction of large-scale infrastructure projects such as bridges, railways, tunnels, buildings, and facilities require drones equipped with heavy equipment such as lidar and high-precision mapping cameras for terrain modeling, construction progress monitoring, and structural inspection. In construction sites with rugged terrain and inconvenient transportation, drones can be used for transportation and inspection, and can also carry building materials. The application of drones can solve the problems of low efficiency and specific requirements of traditional transportation methods in terms of construction environment and transportation. They can also replace helicopters in addressing the high costs and landing space requirements of these tasks. For example, in the construction of cross-sea bridges, high-payload drones can carry inspection equipment weighing several kilograms to conduct close-range inspections of key structural parts of the bridge, promptly identifying potential hazards. In the field of emergency rescue, when natural disasters occur, such drones can deliver emergency supplies such as food, medicine, and life jackets to remote disaster areas or inaccessible regions, with a single payload reaching several kilograms or even higher, providing strong support for rescue efforts. In the logistics and transportation sector, some companies are exploring the use of high-payload drones to achieve cross-regional, long-distance cargo transportation to solve the delivery problems of traditional logistics in remote or inaccessible areas.

[0005] To meet heavy payload requirements, drone fuselages are often made of high-strength aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, and other metal materials. These aluminum or titanium alloys are assembled and reinforced with metal connectors, ensuring a certain load-bearing capacity. However, the numerous additional support structures and reinforcement components not only increase the weight of the fuselage but also increase structural complexity, reducing assembly efficiency and maintenance convenience, and raising overall costs. Furthermore, the complex structure leads to an unbalanced center of gravity distribution, making the drone prone to swaying and vibration during flight, affecting flight stability and controllability. For example, some heavy-duty drones used for logistics transportation have excessively reinforced fuselage frames to carry heavier loads, resulting in an unexpectedly high weight. This requires more power to maintain balance during flight and frequently leads to malfunctions such as loose parts and wear.

[0006] To further expand the application boundaries of heavy-payload UAVs and improve their operational efficiency in construction, rescue, logistics, and other fields, it is urgent to overcome existing technological bottlenecks. Solving problems such as high airframe costs, low assembly efficiency, and poor flight stability can significantly improve the assembly efficiency and reliability of heavy-payload UAVs, reduce production costs, and enable them to better adapt to complex environments and diverse mission requirements. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a lightweight, high-strength foldable-arm drone to reduce the drone's storage size and facilitate its storage and transportation.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: This utility model provides a foldable-arm drone, including a fuselage, multiple arms, and an arm folding component for folding the arms relative to the fuselage. The fuselage includes a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame, which are connected vertically by mortise and tenon joints to form a polygonal fuselage. The arms are evenly distributed at each corner of the polygonal fuselage. The arm folding component includes a fixed component and a movable component. The fixed component is fixed to the polygonal fuselage, and the movable component is fixed to the arms. The movable component and the fixed component are movably connected by a rotation axis, and the movable component can rotate around the rotation axis to be in the same straight line as the fixed component to unfold the arms. The movable component can rotate to an angle of less than 180 degrees with the fixed component to fold the arms relative to the fuselage.

[0009] In one embodiment, the fixing member includes an integrally formed first sleeve and a first hinge seat. The first sleeve is fitted around the outer periphery of a pre-set mounting portion at the corner end of the machine body. The first hinge seat has a hinge groove along its end face away from the first sleeve in a direction away from the first sleeve. The side wall of the hinge groove has a through hole through which a rotating shaft can pass. The movable member includes an integrally formed second sleeve and a second hinge seat. The second sleeve is fitted around the outer periphery of the machine arm. The second hinge seat extends along its end face away from the second sleeve to form a hinge joint. The hinge joint is movably placed in the hinge groove and fitted onto the rotating shaft.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first hinge seat has hinge slots on both sides along the vertical direction, and the second hinge seat has hinge joints corresponding to the hinge slots.

[0011] In one embodiment, positioning grooves are provided on both the left and right sides of the first hinge seat, and positioning fins are provided on the second hinge seat at positions corresponding to the positioning grooves, wherein the positioning fins are rotatably embedded in the positioning grooves.

[0012] In one embodiment, the positioning groove is provided with a first guide slope on both the upper and lower sides, and the positioning fin is provided with a second guide slope that cooperates with the first guide slope.

[0013] In one embodiment, both the first hinge seat and the second hinge seat are axisymmetric structures.

[0014] In one embodiment, at least two hinge slots are provided along the left-right direction of the first hinge seat, and the second hinge seat is provided with hinge joints matching the number of hinge slots, and the hinge joints are embedded in the hinge slots one by one.

[0015] In one embodiment, both the first sleeve and the second sleeve are provided with multiple sets of arm fixing holes, and each set of arm fixing holes includes at least two arm fixing holes arranged along the axial direction of the sleeve.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first polygonal frame includes multiple first connecting rods, and the second polygon includes multiple second connecting rods. The first and second connecting rods are provided with mortise and tenon joints that fit together. The first and second connecting rods are connected to each other to form the polygonal body.

[0017] In one embodiment, both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod include a rod body, wherein a tenon groove is cut from one side to the other side along the vertical direction of the rod body, and the portion from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body forms a tenon; after the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod in the vertical direction of the machine body are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this utility model are as follows: The foldable arm drone of this utility model adopts two layers of polygonal frame for mortise and tenon connection, eliminating the need for other connecting parts, reducing the weight of the drone and improving assembly efficiency; in addition, the arm can be folded up or down to reduce the size of the arm when stored, making it convenient for the storage and transportation of the drone. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable-arm drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the arm in an unfolded state; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a foldable drone with one of its arms in a folded state. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a folding arm component provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fastener provided in one embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a movable component provided in one embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the polygonal fuselage provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 For this Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the polygonal fuselage without the second connecting rod; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first connecting rod provided in one embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second connecting rod provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be understood that the steps described in the method embodiments of this utility model may be performed in different orders and / or in parallel. Furthermore, the method embodiments may include additional steps and / or omit the steps shown. The scope of this utility model is not limited in this respect.

[0023] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "connection" can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection via intermediate components (elements). The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description.

[0024] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this utility model are only used to distinguish between devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit these devices, modules or units to necessarily be different devices, modules or units, nor are they used to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units.

[0025] Please combine Figures 1 to 9 This utility model provides a drone with foldable arms. The drone has the characteristics of high structural strength and light weight. In addition, the arms can be folded downwards or upwards for easy storage and transportation.

[0026] The foldable-arm drone includes a polygonal fuselage 100 and multiple arms 200, with each arm 200 correspondingly positioned at one of the corners of the polygonal fuselage 100.

[0027] The polygonal fuselage 100 is constructed by mortise and tenon joints connecting a first polygonal frame 110 and a second polygonal frame 120 with staggered corners. Taking a hexacopter drone as an example, both polygonal frames are equilateral triangular frames. Through the structurally stable equilateral triangular frames, and the interconnection of the two triangular frames, the fuselage achieves high stability. It should be understood that the equilateral triangular frame is generally equilateral and has a centrally symmetrical structure.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first polygonal frame 110 includes multiple first connecting rods 10, and the second polygon 120 includes multiple second connecting rods 20. The first and second connecting rods are provided with mortise and tenon joints that fit together. The first and second connecting rods are connected to each other to form the polygonal body.

[0029] The tenon and mortise mentioned above are opposite assembly surfaces. The first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are connected by mortise and tenon joints in which the tenon of one connecting rod is embedded in the mortise of the other connecting rod.

[0030] Optionally, the first connecting rod 10 is provided with a mortise 11, and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with a tenon 22 corresponding to the mortise 11; conversely, the first connecting rod 10 is provided with a tenon 12, and the second connecting rod 20 is provided with a mortise 21; or both the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are provided with tenons and mortises, which can achieve the mortise and tenon connection between the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20.

[0031] In one embodiment, both the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 include a rod body. The rod body is cut with the tenon groove from one side to the other in the vertical direction. The remaining part of the rod body after cutting the tenon groove in the vertical direction of the body 100, that is, the part of the rod body from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body, forms a tenon. In this embodiment, the sum of the depth of the tenon groove and the height of the tenon is equal to the height of the rod body in the vertical direction of the body 100.

[0032] In one embodiment, after the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod 10 in the vertical direction of the body 100 are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod 20.

[0033] Optionally, the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 have the same rod structure, both of which are formed by processing square rods or square tubes. The dimensions of the square rods (or square tubes) along the vertical direction of the machine body 100 are the same, so that the outer surface of the tenon and mortise of the two connecting rods after they are engaged and assembled is a continuous surface, ensuring the flatness of the connecting rod surface.

[0034] In one embodiment, the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are welded together at a mortise and tenon joint. Thus, through the mortise and tenon connection between the connecting rods, combined with welding, the frame has sufficient structural strength, eliminating the need for connecting accessories and reducing the weight of the frame.

[0035] In one embodiment, the adjacent ends of every two first connecting rods 10 and the adjacent ends of every two second connecting rods 20 are connected by mounting blocks 30. The mounting blocks 30 have mounting holes into which arm mounting sleeves 40 are inserted. The centerline of the arm mounting sleeve 40 coincides with the angle bisector of the angle defined by the corresponding two connecting rods. The arm is inserted into the arm mounting sleeve 40. By using mounting blocks 30 at the corners of the fuselage 100 to connect the adjacent ends of two connecting rods and mounting the arm onto the mounting blocks 30, the structural stability of the UAV is improved.

[0036] In one embodiment, the ends of the first connecting rod 10 and the second connecting rod 20 are each cut to form a first connecting bevel, which abuts against and is welded to the end face of the mounting block 30.

[0037] In one embodiment, the first connecting rod 10 has a support hole 13 for placing the end of the arm mounting sleeve 40 on the second polygonal frame, and the second connecting rod 20 has a support hole 23 for the arm mounting sleeve 40 at the corner of the first polygonal frame to pass through. The arm mounting sleeve 40 passes through the mounting hole of the mounting block 30 and is inserted into the corresponding support hole. The arm mounting sleeve 40 can be fastened to each hole by a tight fit, or by a clearance fit and welding.

[0038] As can be seen from the above, the inner side of the fuselage is a hollow area, which makes the fuselage lighter. In one embodiment, the fuselage 100 also includes a flight control mounting bracket for mounting the flight control system. The flight control mounting bracket is located at the center of the hollow area and is welded to the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120.

[0039] In one embodiment, the flight control mounting bracket includes a pair of parallel support rods 50 and a reinforcing rod 60 spanning between the two support rods 50. The two ends of the support rods 50 are connected to two sides of the polygonal frame. The support rods are connected to the inner side of the polygonal frame, thereby guiding the vibration of the flight control system caused by the rotor rotation to the fuselage frame, thereby reducing or even eliminating the resonance of the flight control system and improving stability.

[0040] A cable protection tube 41 is also connected between the support rod 50 and the first connecting rod 10 or the second connecting rod 20. The center line of the cable protection tube 41 is collinear with the center line of the corresponding arm. The cable protection tube 41 can not only store the cable, but also guide the resonance generated by the rotor to the support rod to a certain extent, and then guide it to the fuselage frame, thereby reducing the resonance generated by the rotor.

[0041] The support rod 50 is connected to the intersection of the first polygonal frame 110 and the second polygonal frame 120. Its end is provided with an end face and a second connecting slope that is inclined to the end face. The end face is connected to one of the polygonal frames, and the second connecting slope is connected to the other polygonal frame.

[0042] Optionally, all the rods of the fuselage and flight control mounting frame are made of aluminum alloy, and the arm mounting sleeve 40, cable protection tube 41 and the arm are all formed by processing round tubes, preferably carbon fiber tubes. While meeting the strength requirements, the weight of the frame is further reduced, thereby improving the endurance of the UAV.

[0043] The folding arm component 300 includes a fixed component 310 and a movable component 320. The fixed component 310 is fixed to a pre-set mounting portion at the corner of the fuselage. The movable component 320 is fixed to the arm 200. The movable component 320 and the fixed component 310 are movably connected via a rotation axis, and the movable component 320 can rotate around the rotation axis in the vertical direction until it is in a straight line with the fixed component 310 to unfold the arm. It can also rotate until the angle between the movable component 320 and the fixed component 310 is less than 180 degrees to fold the arm relative to the fuselage. It should be noted that the vertical direction mentioned here refers to the vertical direction after the folding arm component is installed on the fuselage, that is, the vertical direction of the UAV.

[0044] In one embodiment, the fixing member 310 includes an integrally formed first sleeve 311 and a first hinge seat 312. The first sleeve 311 has a first sleeve hole 313 passing through both ends for fitting around the outer periphery of the first straight arm 210. The first hinge seat 312 has a hinge groove 3121 formed along the end face away from the first sleeve 311 in the direction of the first sleeve 311. The side wall of the hinge groove 3121 has a through hole for passing through the rotating shaft. The movable member 320 includes an integrally formed second sleeve 321 and a second hinge seat 322. The second sleeve 321 has a second sleeve hole 323 passing through both ends for fitting around the outer periphery of the second straight arm 220. The second hinge seat 322 extends along the end face away from the second sleeve 321 to form a hinge joint 3221. The hinge joint 3221 is movably placed in the hinge groove 3121 and fitted onto the rotating shaft.

[0045] Preferably, the rotating shaft is a screw and nut assembly, with the screw passing through the hinge joint from the side wall of the hinge groove and then locked with a nut on the side wall of the other side of the hinge groove, thereby allowing the first hinge seat 312 and the second hinge seat 322 to be separated. It is understood that the rotating shaft can also be made of rivets, riveting the first hinge seat and the second connecting seat together.

[0046] In one embodiment, the first hinge seat 312 has hinge grooves 3121 on both sides along the vertical direction, and the second hinge seat 322 has hinge joints 3221 corresponding to the hinge grooves 3121. Thus, the first hinge seat 312 and the second hinge seat 322 can be hinged through the upper hinge joint 3221 and hinge groove 3121, or through the lower hinge joint 3221 and hinge groove 3121, so that the arm folding component 300 has versatility and can meet the different usage needs of the arm folding downward and upward.

[0047] In one embodiment, positioning grooves 3122 are provided on both the left and right sides of the first hinge seat 312, and positioning fins 3222 are provided at the positions corresponding to the positioning grooves 3122 of the second hinge seat 322. The positioning fins 3222 are rotatably embedded in the positioning grooves 3122. Through the cooperation between the positioning fins 3222 and the positioning grooves 3122, positioning can be achieved when the two hinges are connected, and the contact area between the two hinge seats can be increased, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection structure when the arm is in a straight state.

[0048] In one embodiment, the positioning groove 3122 is provided with a first guide slope on both the upper and lower sides, and the positioning fin 3222 is provided with a second guide slope that cooperates with the first guide slope.

[0049] In one embodiment, both the first hinge seat 312 and the second hinge seat 322 are axisymmetric structures.

[0050] In one embodiment, at least two hinge slots 3121 are provided along the left and right direction of the first hinge seat 312, and the second hinge seat 322 is provided with hinge joints 3221 matching the number of hinge slots 3121. The hinge joints 3221 are embedded in the hinge slots 3121 one by one.

[0051] In one embodiment, the first sleeve 311 is provided with an arm fixing hole 3111, and the second sleeve 321 is also provided with an arm fixing hole 3211. By setting the arm fixing hole, screws are passed through to achieve the fastening of the arm to the corresponding sleeve, preventing the arm from rotating relative to the sleeve, thereby ensuring the flight safety of the UAV.

[0052] In one embodiment, the arm fixing holes are evenly distributed in multiple sets along the circumference of the sleeve, and each set of arm fixing holes includes at least two arm fixing holes arranged along the axial direction of the sleeve.

[0053] In other embodiments, the arm and the sleeve can be fastened together by keying or adhesive bonding to prevent the arm from rotating relative to the sleeve.

[0054] In this invention, by using two layers of polygonal frames stacked one on top of the other, the drone can be modularly assembled, which facilitates the design and assembly of the frame structure. Each layer of polygonal frame is made of carbon fiber tubing and sheet metal, which reduces the weight of the drone while meeting the structural strength requirements. In addition, the arms can be folded up or down to reduce the size of the arms when stored, making it convenient for the storage and transportation of the drone.

[0055] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of this utility model is not limited to the specific combination of the above-described technical features, but also includes other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above-described features with (but not limited to) technical features of the utility model in this utility model that have similar functions.

[0056] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A foldable-arm drone, comprising a fuselage, multiple arms, and an arm folding component for folding the arms relative to the fuselage, characterized in that, The fuselage includes a first polygonal frame and a second polygonal frame, which are connected in the vertical direction by mortise and tenon joints to form a polygonal fuselage. The arms are evenly distributed at each corner of the polygonal fuselage; The folding arm component includes a fixed component and a movable component. The fixed component is fixed to the polygonal body, and the movable component is fixed to the arm. The movable component and the fixed component are movably connected by a rotating shaft, and the movable component can rotate around the rotating shaft to be in the same straight line as the fixed component so that the arm can unfold. It can also rotate to an angle of less than 180 degrees with the fixed component so that the arm can fold relative to the body.

2. The machine arm foldable UAV of claim 1, wherein, The fastener includes an integrally formed first sleeve and a first hinge seat. The first sleeve is sleeved on the outer periphery of a pre-set mounting part at the corner of the machine body. The first hinge seat has a hinge groove along the end face away from the first sleeve in the direction of the first sleeve. The side wall of the hinge groove has a through hole through which a rotating shaft can pass. The movable component includes an integrally formed second sleeve and a second hinge seat. The second sleeve is sleeved on the outer periphery of the arm, and the second hinge seat extends along its end face in a direction away from the second sleeve to form a hinge joint. The hinge joint is movably placed in the hinge groove and sleeved on the rotating shaft.

3. The machine arm foldable UAV according to claim 2, wherein, The first hinge seat has hinge slots on both sides along the vertical direction, and the second hinge seat has hinge joints corresponding to the hinge slots.

4. The machine arm foldable UAV according to claim 3, wherein, The first hinge seat has positioning grooves on both the left and right sides, and the second hinge seat has positioning fins at the positions corresponding to the positioning grooves. The positioning fins are rotatably embedded in the positioning grooves.

5. The wing-foldable UAV of claim 4, wherein, The positioning groove is provided with a first guide slope on both the upper and lower sides, and the positioning fin is provided with a second guide slope that cooperates with the first guide slope.

6. The wing-foldable UAV of claim 4, wherein, Both the first hinge seat and the second hinge seat are axisymmetric structures.

7. The wing-foldable UAV of claim 3, wherein, At least two hinge slots are provided along the left-right direction of the first hinge seat, and the second hinge seat is provided with hinge joints that match the number of hinge slots. The hinge joints are embedded into the hinge slots one by one.

8. The wing-foldable UAV of claim 2, wherein, Both the first sleeve and the second sleeve are provided with multiple sets of arm fixing holes, and each set of arm fixing holes includes at least two arm fixing holes arranged along the axial direction of the sleeve.

9. The robotic arm folding drone of claim 1, wherein, The first polygonal frame includes multiple first connecting rods, and the second polygon includes multiple second connecting rods. The first and second connecting rods are provided with mortise and tenon joints that fit together. The first and second connecting rods are connected to each other to form the polygonal body.

10. The folding drone of claim 9, wherein, Both the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod include a rod body, and the rod body is cut with a tenon groove from one side to the other side in the vertical direction, and the part from the bottom of the tenon groove to the other end face of the rod body forms a tenon. After the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are assembled, the two sides of the first connecting rod in the vertical direction of the machine body are flush with the corresponding sides of the second connecting rod.

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