Protective apparatus for drone

Abstract

To provide a technique for achieving a light-weight protective apparatus for a drone.SOLUTION: A protective apparatus for a drone to be mounted on a drone, includes: an airbag body having an air inflow port that opens downward, the airbag body expanding below the drone with air that flows from the air inflow port into the airbag body while the drone is falling; and a case that accommodates an unexpanded airbag, which is the airbag body when not expanded. The case has a case upper part arranged above the unexpanded airbag, and a case lower part which is arranged below the unexpanded airbag and which has an opening in communication with the air inflow port. The protective device further comprises a moving mechanism that is operated to expand the unexpanded airbag with air and moves the case lower part downward relatively to the case upper part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a protection device for a drone. [Background technology]

[0002] A drone protection device is known that is mounted on a drone and protects an object when the drone falls. Regarding the drone protection device, Patent Document 1 discloses a drone equipped with an airbag and an inflator that supplies inflation gas to the airbag to inflate the airbag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-79911 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to reduce the weight of drones, it is desirable to reduce the weight of drone protective equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] (1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a drone protection device to be mounted on a drone, the drone protection device comprising: an airbag body having an air inlet opening downward, the airbag body being deployed below the drone by air flowing into the airbag body from the air inlet while the drone is falling; and a case for housing a pre-deployment airbag, which is the airbag body before deployment, the case having a case upper part disposed above the pre-deployment airbag and a case lower part disposed below the pre-deployment airbag and having an opening communicating with the air inlet, and further comprising a movement mechanism that is actuated to deploy the pre-deployment airbag by the air and moves the case lower part downward relative to the case upper part. According to this form of drone protection device, the lower part of the case is moved downward relative to the upper part of the case by the movement mechanism, thereby securing space for the airbag body to inflate, and the airbag body is deployed by air that flows into the airbag body through the opening in the lower part of the case and the air inlet of the airbag body as the drone falls. Therefore, an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag can be omitted, and the drone protection device can be made lighter. (2) In the above embodiment, the moving mechanism may be configured as an actuator capable of extending in a vertical direction, disposed between the upper case and the lower case, and extending in the vertical direction to move the lower case downward relative to the upper case. According to the drone protection device of this embodiment, the moving mechanism can be configured as a simple actuator. (3) In the above embodiment, the moving mechanism may have a main body and a movable part configured to be able to move relative to the main body to protrude from the main body in a protruding direction along the vertical direction, and may further have a first restricting part that restricts the movable part from retracting in a direction opposite to the protruding direction when the moving mechanism extends in the vertical direction by advancing the movable part in the protruding direction from the main body and when the moving mechanism extends to a predetermined reference length in the vertical direction. According to the drone protection device of this embodiment, the first restricting part can maintain a state in which a space for the airbag body to inflate is secured, so that the airbag body can be more efficiently inflated and deployed when the drone falls. (4) In the above embodiment, the moving mechanism may have a second restricting portion that restricts the moving portion from moving forward in the protruding direction when the moving mechanism extends to the reference length in the vertical direction. According to the drone protection device of this embodiment, the first restricting portion and the second restricting portion can restrict a change in the relative position between the upper case and the lower case in the vertical direction while a space for the airbag body to inflate is secured. Therefore, the airbag body can be inflated and deployed more stably. (5) In the above embodiment, the upper case portion may be a concave portion opening downward, the lower case portion may be a concave portion opening upward, and have a side portion having at least one hole formed therein for deploying the airbag body outside the case, and the reference length may be a length in which each of the holes is located below a lower end of the upper case portion and an upper end of the side portion is located above a lower end of the upper case portion. According to the drone protection device of this embodiment, when the movement mechanism is activated, the airbag body can be deployed outside the case through each hole while effectively inflating the airbag body inside the case. (6) In the above embodiment, the number of the holes may be the same as the number of rotors provided on the drone, and each of the holes may be formed at a position corresponding to each rotor so that the airbag body is positioned below each rotor when the airbag is fully deployed. With this embodiment of the drone protection device, the protection target can be effectively protected from each rotor provided on the drone when the drone falls. (7) In the above embodiment, the drone protection device may further include a cover member configured to cover the opening and release the cover of the opening when the movement mechanism is activated. With this embodiment, when the airbag body is not deployed, it is possible to prevent foreign objects from entering the case or the airbag body through the opening. (8) In the above embodiment, the cover member may be configured to be pulled into the airbag body through the opening as the lower case part moves downward relative to the upper case part by the moving mechanism, thereby uncovering the opening. According to the drone protection device of this embodiment, it is possible to cover the opening when the airbag body is not deployed and to uncover the opening when the airbag body is deployed, with a simple configuration. (9) In the above aspect, the device includes an opening / closing mechanism configured to be able to switch between a state in which the opening is covered by the cover member and a state in which the opening is uncovered by opening and closing the cover member, and a control unit, and the control unit may operate the movement mechanism and control the opening / closing mechanism to uncover the opening when at least one of a case in which the drone predicts that it will fall and a case in which the drone detects that it has fallen. According to the drone protection device of this aspect, the control unit controls the opening / closing mechanism to switch between a state in which the opening is covered by the cover member and a state in which the opening is uncovered. In addition to the form of the drone protection device described above, the present disclosure can be realized in various forms, such as a drone or a control method for a drone protection device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drone in a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing a schematic configuration of the drone in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating a drone protection device in a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating the drone protection device in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the moving mechanism in a non-actuated state. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the moving mechanism in an actuated state. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a case and an airbag main body. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a drone protection device in a second embodiment. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a schematic configuration of a cover member in a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a first diagram illustrating the operation of the cover member accompanying the movement of the lower part of the case. [Figure 11] 13 is a second diagram illustrating the operation of the cover member accompanying the movement of the lower part of the case. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a first diagram illustrating a drone protection device in a third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a second diagram illustrating the drone protection device in the third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a first diagram illustrating a drone protection device in a fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a second diagram illustrating the drone protection device in the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A. First embodiment: FIG. 1 is a first diagram showing a schematic configuration of a drone 20 equipped with a drone protection device 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing a schematic configuration of the drone 20. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, arrows are shown along the X, Y, and Z directions that are mutually orthogonal. The X, Y, and Z directions are directions along the X, Y, and Z axes, which are three spatial axes that are mutually orthogonal, and each of them includes both a direction on one side along the X, Y, and Z axes and an opposite direction. The X and Y axes are each a coordinate axis along a horizontal plane. The Z axis is a coordinate axis along a vertical line, and the direction indicated by the arrow representing the Z axis is upward. The X, Y, and Z directions in FIG. 1 and the X, Y, and Z directions in other figures represent the same direction. Hereinafter, the vertical direction is also referred to as the up-down direction. The +Z direction is also referred to as the "up" direction, and the -Z direction is also referred to as the "down" direction. FIG. 1 corresponds to a top view of the drone protection device 100. FIG. 2 corresponds to a view of the drone protection device 100 viewed in the -Y direction.

[0009] 1 and 2, the drone 20 includes a drone main body 40, legs 50, a plurality of arms 70 each having a rotor 60 at its tip, and a control unit 200. In this embodiment, the drone 20 includes six arms 70 and a total of six rotors 60, one on each arm 70. The drone 20 flies by utilizing lift generated by rotating the rotors 60.

[0010] The drone main body 40 in this embodiment has a hexagonal plate-shaped main body upper part 41 and a cylindrical body part 42 protruding downward from the center lower part of the main body upper part 41. As shown in FIG. 2, the body part 42 in this embodiment houses a control unit 200. The control unit 200 is composed of a computer including one or more processors 210, a storage device 220 consisting of a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device, an input / output interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from the outside, and an internal bus. The processor 210, the storage device 220, and the input / output interface are connected via the internal bus so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. The storage device 220 stores, for example, various programs and map data. In addition to the control unit 200, the drone main body 40 is provided with, for example, a communication device for wireless communication with the outside, a battery for supplying power to each part of the drone 20, a camera for photographing the surroundings of the drone 20, and a group of sensors for detecting the flight state of the drone 20 and the surrounding environment of the drone 20. This sensor group includes various sensors that can be used to detect or predict the fall of the drone 20, such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an altitude sensor.

[0011] The processor 210 of the control unit 200 executes various programs stored in the storage device 220 to realize various functions such as a flight function for flying the drone 20 and a function for activating the drone protection device 100. The flight function may be, for example, a function for flying the drone 20 according to remote control from an operator on the ground, or a function for flying the drone 20 according to a predetermined flight route. The flight route may include information specifying the altitude of the drone 20.

[0012] Each arm 70 is arranged so as to protrude radially outward from the side surface of the main body upper part 41. Specifically, each arm 70 is arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the body part 42 so that the angle between adjacent arms 70 is about 60°. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor 60 is fixed to the tip part of each arm 70, that is, the upper surface side of the outer end part, via a drive unit 65. The drive unit 65 is composed of, for example, a motor and a reducer, and rotates the rotor 60 by transmitting a rotational driving force to the rotor 60. The drive unit 65 is driven under the control of the control unit 200 by power supplied from a battery provided in the drone main body part 40. Note that, in other embodiments, the number of arms 70 and rotors 60 is not limited to six and may be any number, for example, three, four, six, or eight.

[0013] The legs 50 are arranged so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the outer periphery of the upper main body 41. Specifically, the legs 50 in this embodiment are composed of a pair of leg frames 51 arranged to sandwich the drone main body 40 in the X direction. The leg frames 51 have a horizontal frame 52 extending along the Y direction, and a vertical frame 53 extending so as to protrude obliquely downward from the lower surface of the outer periphery of the upper main body 41 toward the center of the horizontal frame 52. The drone 20 can land stably by using the lower surfaces of the horizontal frames 52 as a contact surface when landing.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a first diagram for explaining the drone protection device 100. FIG. 4 is a second diagram for explaining the drone protection device 100. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a cross section of the drone protection device 100 is shown in schematic form. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the drone protection device 100 includes an airbag body 110, a case 130 for storing the folded airbag body 110, and a moving mechanism 150. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the moving mechanism 150 is indicated by a broken line. Hereinafter, the folded airbag body 110 is also referred to as a pre-deployment airbag.

[0015] The drone protection device 100 is used to protect a protected object when the drone 20 falls. Specifically, the drone protection device 100 protects the protected object by inflating and deploying the airbag body 110 when the drone 20 falls. The protected object is, for example, an object or a person located at the landing point of the drone 20. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the drone protection device 100 in a normal state in which the airbag body 110 is not deployed. FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the drone protection device 100 in a fully deployed state in which the deployment of the airbag body 110 is completed.

[0016] The airbag body 110 is formed by sewing a woven fabric formed by weaving polyamide threads, polyester threads, or the like. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the airbag body 110 is formed with an air inlet 111 that opens downward. The airbag body 110 is configured to be inflated and deployed below the drone 20 by air flowing into the airbag body 110 from the air inlet 111 while the drone 20 is falling. Hereinafter, the air flowing into the airbag body 110 from the air inlet 111 is also referred to as "inflow air". The airbag body 110 is folded and stored in the case 130 with the air inlet 111 facing downward. In this embodiment, at least a part of the upper part of the airbag body 110 is fixed to the ceiling surface CL of the case 130 via a fastener such as a screw or a bolt or an adhesive, and at least a part of the lower part is fixed to the bottom surface BT of the case 130 via a fastener or an adhesive. In other embodiments, the upper portion of the airbag body 110 does not have to be fixed to the ceiling surface CL.

[0017] In the above-mentioned FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the shape of the airbag body 110 deployed outside the case 130 in the fully deployed state is shown by a two-dot chain line. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the airbag body 110 is inflated and deployed so as to extend radially from a position below the drone body 40 and the leg 50, passing under each arm 70 and each rotor 60, and extending to the outside of each rotor 60. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper end of each tip part Tp of the airbag body 110 in the fully deployed state is disposed at a position higher than the upper end of the rotor 60. Note that, in other embodiments, the shape of the airbag body 110 in the fully deployed state is not limited to the above, as long as it covers at least a part of the drone 20 from the underside of the drone 20.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the case 130 has a case upper part 131 arranged on the upper side of the folded airbag body 110, and a case lower part 135 arranged on the lower side of the folded airbag body 110. The case upper part 131 constitutes the above-mentioned ceiling surface CL, and the case lower part 135 constitutes the above-mentioned bottom surface BT. The case lower part 135 has an opening 136 communicating with the air inlet 111. Specifically, the opening 136 is formed in the center of the bottom surface BT in the X direction and the Y direction. In this embodiment, the case 130 is fixed to the leg part 50 by fixing the case upper part 131 to the vertical frame 53 via a fastener or an adhesive. In other embodiments, the case 130 may be fixed to, for example, the horizontal frame 52 or the drone body part 40.

[0019] In this embodiment, the case upper part 131 is concave and opens downward, and the case lower part 135 is concave and opens upward. Specifically, the case upper part 131 is cylindrical and opens downward, and the case lower part 135 is cylindrical and opens upward. In this embodiment, at least one hole part 138 for deploying the airbag body 110 outside the case 130 is formed in the side part 137 of the case lower part 135. In this embodiment, in the normal state, the case upper part 131 covers the entire case lower part 135 from above so that the hole part 138 is covered from the outside by the side part 132 of the case upper part 131. As a result, the case 130 in this embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole. Note that in other embodiments, the case 130 does not have to be substantially cylindrical as long as it can accommodate the airbag body before deployment, and may be any shape.

[0020] The moving mechanism 150 is operated to deploy the pre-deployment airbag by the inflowing air, and moves the case lower part 135 downward relative to the case upper part 131. In a non-operated state in which the moving mechanism 150 is not operated, there is insufficient space for the airbag body 110 to expand in the case 130, so the airbag body 110 cannot be effectively inflated by the inflowing air, and the airbag body 110 is not deployed. On the other hand, in an operating state in which the moving mechanism 150 is operated, a space for the airbag body 110 to expand in the case 130 is secured, so that the airbag body 110 can be effectively inflated by the inflowing air. Note that FIG. 3 can also be said to show a state in which the moving mechanism 150 is in an inoperated state. Also, FIG. 4 can also be said to show a state in which the moving mechanism 150 is in an operating state.

[0021] The movement mechanism 150 in this embodiment is configured as an actuator capable of extending in the Z direction, and is disposed between the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135. The movement mechanism 150 extends in the Z direction, thereby moving the case lower part 135 downward relative to the case upper part 131. The movement mechanism 150 in this embodiment is axially shaped extending along the Z direction as a whole, and is fixed to the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135 so as to connect the ceiling surface CL of the case upper part 131 and the bottom surface BT of the case lower part 135.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the moving mechanism 150 in a non-operated state. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the moving mechanism 150 in an operated state. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the moving mechanism 150 has a cylinder 151 as a main body, a piston 152 as a movable part, a cap 157, a lock ring 158, and a gas supply part 159. As described later, the piston 152 as a movable part is configured to be able to protrude in a protruding direction from the cylinder 151 as a main body by moving relative to the cylinder 151 as a main body. The moving mechanism 150 extends in the Z direction by advancing the piston 152 as a movable part from the cylinder 151 as a main body in the protruding direction. In this specification, "advancing the movable part in the protruding direction" means that the movable part is further protruded in the protruding direction relative to the main body. The protruding direction is a direction along the Z direction. Specifically, the protruding direction in this embodiment is downward.

[0023] The cylinder 151 is substantially cylindrical and elongated in the Z direction, and is disposed so that its axial direction is along the Z direction. The cylinder has a front end portion in which a recess Cv1 is formed, a rear end portion in which a gas supply unit 159 is disposed, and a middle portion CC between the front end portion and the rear end portion. The inner diameter of the recess Cv1 is larger than the inner diameter of the middle portion CC. The inner diameter of the middle portion CC is larger than the outer diameter of a middle portion PC of a piston 152 described later. The cap 157 has a substantially annular shape, and is fitted and fixed in the recess Cv1 of the cylinder 151. The cap 157 has a first portion P1 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the middle portion PC of the piston 152, a second portion P2 having an inner diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the middle portion CC of the cylinder 151, and a third portion P3 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the middle portion CC. The third portion P3 is disposed above the second portion P2, and the second portion P2 is disposed above the first portion P1.

[0024] The piston 152 is axially long in the Z direction and has a tip end PT, a rear end PB, and an intermediate portion PC between the tip end PT and the rear end PB. The outer diameters of the tip end PT and the rear end PB are larger than the outer diameter of the intermediate portion PC. In addition, a recess Cv2 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the surrounding portions is formed in the rear end PB. The piston 152 is disposed in the cylinder 151 so that its axial direction is along the Z direction and the intermediate portion PC passes through the cap 157. As shown in FIG. 5, in the non-operated state, the tip end PT of the piston 152 protrudes downward from the lower end of the cylinder 151. In the non-operated state, the piston 152 is restricted from moving downward relative to the cylinder 151 by the lock ring 158. In this embodiment, the restriction of the movement of the piston 152 restricts the downward movement of the case lower portion 135 relative to the case upper portion 131 in the non-operated state. In other embodiments, for example, upper case 131 or lower case 135 may be provided with a fitting claw, an engagement portion, or the like, and the downward movement of lower case 135 relative to upper case 131 in the non-operated state may be restricted by a fitting claw, an engagement portion, or the like in addition to or instead of lock ring 158. Note that the magnitude of the force with which lock ring 158, the fitting claw, the engagement portion, or the like restricts the movement of piston 152 or lower case 135 in the non-operated state may be such that the restriction on the movement of piston 152 or lower case 135 is released by gas supplied from gas supply unit 159, which will be described later.

[0025] The gas supply unit 159 is fixed to the upper end of the cylinder 151. The gas supply unit 159 is electrically connected to the control unit 200 via a wiring unit (not shown). The gas supply unit 159 supplies gas for moving the piston 152 into the cylinder 151 in response to a supply command from the control unit 200. In this embodiment, the control unit 200 transmits a supply command to the gas supply unit 159 at least in one of the cases where the drone 20 is predicted to fall and where the drone 20 is detected to be falling. The control unit 200 predicts and detects the fall of the drone 20 by detecting an impact applied to the drone 20 and a flight state of the drone 20 using the sensor values ​​of various sensors such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an altitude sensor mounted on the drone 20. In addition to the above, the control unit 200 may be configured to transmit a supply command when, for example, a predetermined operation is performed by the operator.

[0026] Gas supply unit 159 is configured, for example, as a micro gas generator, and generates gas by igniting explosives contained within gas supply unit 159 in response to a supply command, and supplies the generated gas into cylinder 151. In another embodiment, gas supply unit 159 may be configured, for example, to supply gas into cylinder 151 by releasing gas filled within gas supply unit 159 in response to a supply command.

[0027] The lock ring 158 is configured as a C-shaped ring made of spring steel. In a non-operated state, the lock ring 158 is fitted between a recess Cv2 formed at the rear end of the piston 152 and the inner wall of the cylinder 151 in a contracted state in which a force is applied to reduce the radius of curvature of the lock ring 158. Therefore, in the non-operated state, a repulsive force is generated in the lock ring 158 to return the lock ring 158 to the non-contracted state. This repulsive force is used to restrict the movement of the piston 152 by the lock ring 158, and is also used by the lock ring 158 to function as a first restricting portion, which will be described later.

[0028] As shown by the white arrow in FIG. 6, the rear end of the piston 152 is pressed by the gas generated from the gas supply unit 159, and the restriction of the downward movement of the piston 152 by the lock ring 158 is released, and the piston 152 advances downward relative to the cylinder 151. As a result, the length of the part of the piston 152 that protrudes from the cylinder 151 increases, and the moving mechanism 150 extends in the Z direction. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the extension of the moving mechanism 150 causes the case lower part 135 to move downward relative to the fixed case upper part 131. That is, in this embodiment, the moving mechanism 150 as an actuator is operated by transmitting a supply command to the gas supply unit 159. Therefore, it can be said that the moving mechanism 150 in this embodiment is operated by the control unit 200 at least in either case of when the drone 20 is predicted to fall or when it is detected that the drone 20 is falling.

[0029] Moreover, the moving mechanism 150 in this embodiment has a first restricting portion and a second restricting portion. When the moving mechanism 150 extends to a predetermined reference length LS in the vertical direction, the first restricting portion restricts the movable portion from retracting in the direction opposite to the protruding direction. When the moving mechanism 150 extends to the reference length LS in the vertical direction, the second restricting portion restricts the movable portion from further advancing in the protruding direction. That is, in this embodiment, the moving mechanism 150 is configured to restrict itself from extending and contracting in the vertical direction when it extends to the reference length LS. In this embodiment, the lock ring 158 functions as the first restricting portion, and the first portion P1 of the cap 157 functions as the second restricting portion. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the rear end portion PB reaches the second portion P2 and the third portion P3 of the cap 157 due to the movement of the piston 152, and the contraction of the lock ring 158 that has contracted between the recess Cv2 and the inner wall of the cylinder 151 is released by the repulsive force. As a result, when the downward advancement of the piston 152 is completed, the upward retreat of the piston 152 is restricted by the lock ring 158 serving as a first restricting portion. In this state, the downward advancement of the piston 152 is restricted by the first part P1 serving as a second restricting portion.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the reference length LS in this embodiment is the length at which each hole portion 138 is located below the lower end of the case upper portion 131 and the upper end of the side portion 137 is located above the lower end of the case upper portion 131.

[0031] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the case 130 and the airbag body 110 in this embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the case 130 as viewed from directly below. In FIG. 7, the shape of the airbag body 110 deployed outside the case 130 is shown by a two-dot chain line, as in FIG. 1. In addition, in FIG. 7, the moving mechanism 150, the arm 70, and the rotor 60 are shown by a broken line. As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the number of each hole 138 is the same as the number of the arms 70 and the rotor 60. Specifically, six holes 138 are formed in the side portion 137 corresponding to the six arms 70 and the six rotors 60. In addition, each hole 138 is formed at a position corresponding to each rotor 60 so that the airbag body 110 that has completed deployment is located below each rotor 60. Specifically, each hole 138 is formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the body portion 42 so that the angle between adjacent holes 138 is approximately 60°, and at a position that overlaps with the arm 70 when viewed in the Z direction.

[0032] According to the drone protection device 100 in the present embodiment described above, the case lower portion 135 is moved downward relative to the case upper portion 131 by driving the movement mechanism 150, so that a space for the airbag body 110 to inflate is secured. Then, in a state in which the space is secured in this manner, the airbag body 110 is deployed by air flowing into the airbag body 110 through the opening 136 and the air inlet 111 as the drone 20 falls. Therefore, an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag body 110 can be omitted. Such an inflator tends to be larger and heavier than the movement mechanism 150 in order to supply sufficient inflation gas for the airbag body 110 to be deployed. Therefore, by omitting such an inflator, the drone protection device 100 can be made lighter in weight.

[0033] In this embodiment, since the upper part of the airbag body 110 is fixed to the ceiling surface CL, the airbag body 110 is more likely to be expanded in the vertical direction within the case 130 by the operation of the movement mechanism 150 compared to a case in which the upper part of the airbag body 110 is not fixed to the ceiling surface CL. Therefore, the airbag body 110 can be more effectively deployed by the inflowing air.

[0034] In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 150 is configured as an actuator that extends in the vertical direction between the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135, thereby moving the case lower part 135 downward relative to the case upper part 131. Therefore, the moving mechanism 150 can be configured as a simple actuator.

[0035] In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 150 has a first restricting portion that restricts the movable portion from retracting in the protruding direction relative to the main body when the moving mechanism 150 is extended to the reference length LS. Therefore, the first restricting portion can maintain a state in which a space for the airbag body 110 to inflate is secured, so that the airbag body 110 can be inflated and deployed more efficiently when the drone 20 falls.

[0036] In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 150 has a second restricting portion that restricts the movable portion from moving further forward in the protruding direction relative to the main body when the moving mechanism 150 extends to the reference length LS. In this way, the first restricting portion and the second restricting portion can restrict changes in the relative positions of the case upper portion 131 and the case lower portion 135 in the up-down direction while a space for the airbag body 110 to inflate is secured. Therefore, the airbag body 110 can be inflated and deployed more stably.

[0037] In this embodiment, the reference length LS is a length at which each hole 138 formed in the side surface portion 137 of the case lower portion 135 is located below the lower end of the case upper portion 131, and the upper end of the side surface portion 137 is located above the lower end of the case upper portion 131. In this way, in the activated state, the upper end of the side surface portion 137 is located above the lower end of the case upper portion 131, so that the airbag body 110 can be prevented from being unintentionally exposed between the case upper portion 131 and the case lower portion 135, and the airbag body 110 can be deployed so that the airbag body 110 is guided to each hole portion 138. Therefore, in the activated state, the airbag body 110 can be effectively inflated inside the case 130, while the airbag body 110 can be deployed outside the case 130 through each hole portion 138. In addition, the shape of the airbag body 110 at the time of completion of deployment can be more stabilized.

[0038] In this embodiment, the number of holes 138 is the same as the number of rotors 60, and each hole 138 is formed at a position corresponding to each rotor 60 so that the airbag body 110 that has completed deployment is located below each rotor 60. Therefore, when the drone 20 falls, the protection target can be effectively protected from each rotor 60.

[0039] B. Second embodiment: Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the drone protection device 100b in the second embodiment. Fig. 8 shows the drone protection device 100b in a fully deployed state. Unlike the first embodiment, the drone protection device 100b in this embodiment includes a cover member 170 that covers the opening 136. Parts of the configuration of the drone protection device 100b and the drone 20 in the second embodiment that are not particularly described are similar to those in the first embodiment.

[0040] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the cover member 170 in this embodiment. FIG. 9 shows the vicinity of the cover member 170 as viewed from below. In FIG. 9, the opening 136 formed in the case lower part 135 is indicated by a broken line. The cover member 170 in this embodiment is configured as a film made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the cover member 170 is fixed to the case lower part 135 via a plurality of fasteners 180 so as to cover the opening 136 from the lower side. The fasteners 180 are, for example, bolts and nuts. Note that the fasteners 180 in this embodiment also function as fasteners for fixing the lower part of the airbag body 110 to the bottom surface BT of the case 130. Therefore, compared to the case where fasteners for fixing each part are provided separately, the number of fasteners can be reduced, and an increase in the weight of the drone protection device 100b and the drone 20 can be suppressed. 9, the center of the cover member 170 in the X direction and the Y direction is fixed to the upper part of the airbag body 110 via a connecting member Cn. In this embodiment, the connecting member Cn is made of thread, and is fixed to the upper part of the airbag body 110 and the cover member 170 by being sewn to the upper part of the airbag body 110 and the cover member 170. The length Lc of the connecting member Cn is approximately the same as the distance in the Z direction between the upper part of the airbag body in the non-activated state and the fixing position of the cover member 170. In other embodiments, the connecting member Cn may be made of, for example, a wire or an axial member.

[0041] Cover member 170 is configured to release the coverage of opening 136 by cover member 170 as movement mechanism 150 operates, specifically as case lower part 135 moves downward relative to case upper part 131. Hereinafter, the state in which opening 136 is covered by cover member 170 will also be referred to as a covered state, and the state in which coverage of opening 136 by cover member 170 is released will also be referred to as a released state.

[0042] Fig. 10 is a first diagram for explaining the operation of the cover member 170 accompanying the movement of the case lower part 135. Fig. 11 is a second diagram for explaining the operation of the cover member 170 accompanying the movement of the case lower part 135. Fig. 10 shows the drone protection device 100b in a state in which the case lower part 135 is in the middle of being moved downward by the movement mechanism 150. Fig. 11 shows the drone protection device 100b in a state in which the downward movement of the case lower part 135 by the movement mechanism 150 has been completed, specifically, in a fully deployed state.

[0043] In the state of FIG. 10, the distance in the Z direction between the upper part of the airbag body and the fixing position of the cover member 170 is longer than the distance Lc. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the cover member 170 is pulled upward by the connecting member Cn at its center and is deflected while being drawn into the airbag body 110. The further the case lower part 135 moves downward, the greater the degree of deflection of the cover member 170 becomes, and the cover member 170 is drawn further into the airbag body 110. When the degree of deflection of the cover member 170 reaches a predetermined level or more, the cover member 170 breaks as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows the main part 170A of the broken cover member 170 that has been drawn into the airbag body 110 and the remaining part 170B that remains fixed to the case lower part 135. 9 also shows by a two-dot chain line an example of a breaking position BP at which the cover member 170 breaks due to the movement of the case lower part 135. The material, shape and dimensions of the cover member 170 and the material, shape and dimensions of the connection members Cn may be selected, for example, based on the results of an experiment or a simulation so that the cover member 170 breaks due to the movement of the case lower part 135 without breaking the connection members Cn.

[0044] The drone protection device 100b in the second embodiment described above includes the cover member 170 configured to release the cover of the opening 136 in response to the operation of the movement mechanism 150. Therefore, when the airbag body 110 is not deployed, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the case 130 or the airbag body 110 through the opening 136.

[0045] In this embodiment, the cover member 170 is configured to be pulled into the airbag body 110 via the opening 136 as the case lower part 135 moves downward relative to the case upper part 131, thereby uncovering the opening 136. Therefore, it is possible to cover the opening 136 when the airbag body 110 is not deployed, and to uncover the opening 136 when the airbag body 110 is deployed, with a simple configuration.

[0046] C. Third embodiment: Fig. 12 is a first diagram illustrating the drone protection device 100c in the third embodiment. Fig. 13 is a second diagram illustrating the drone protection device 100c. Unlike the second embodiment, the drone protection device 100c in this embodiment includes an opening / closing mechanism 181 that opens and closes the cover member 170b. Parts of the configuration of the drone protection device 100c and the drone 20 in the third embodiment that are not particularly described are similar to those in the second embodiment.

[0047] The opening / closing mechanism 181 is configured to be able to switch between a covered state and a released state by opening and closing the cover member 170b under the control of the control unit 200. The opening / closing mechanism 181 in this embodiment switches between a covered state and a released state by sliding the cover member 170b along the X direction to open and close the cover member 170b. The opening / closing mechanism 181 is configured, for example, as a rack-and-pinion mechanism including a drive motor, and slides the cover member 170b along the X direction as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 under the control of the control unit 200. Note that in other embodiments, the opening / closing mechanism 181 may not be configured as a rack-and-pinion mechanism, and may be configured, for example, as a ball screw mechanism that operates under the control of the control unit 200. Also, the cover member 170b may not be configured to switch between a covered state and a released state by sliding, and may be configured, for example, to open and close the opening 136 by rotating. In this case, the opening / closing mechanism 181 may be configured to be able to rotate the cover member 170b under the control of the control unit 200 by means of a motor, gears, or the like.

[0048] In this embodiment, when the control unit 200 predicts that the drone 20 will fall and / or detects that the drone 20 has fallen, the control unit 200 operates the moving mechanism 150 and controls the opening / closing mechanism 181 to remove the cover of the opening 136 by the cover member 170b. Specifically, when the control unit 200 predicts that the drone 20 will fall and / or detects that the drone 20 has fallen, the control unit 200 transmits a supply command to the gas supply unit 159 of the moving mechanism 150 and controls the opening / closing mechanism 181 to remove the cover of the opening 136.

[0049] According to the drone protection device 100c in the third embodiment described above, when at least one of a case where the control unit 200 predicts that the drone 20 will fall and a case where it detects that the drone 20 is falling, the control unit 200 operates the movement mechanism 150 and controls the opening / closing mechanism 181 to release the cover of the opening 136. Therefore, by controlling the opening / closing mechanism 181 by the control unit 200, it is possible to switch between a covered state and a released state.

[0050] D. Fourth embodiment: FIG. 14 is a first diagram for explaining the drone protection device 100d in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 15 is a second diagram for explaining the drone protection device 100d. FIG. 14 shows the drone protection device 100d in a normal state. FIG. 15 shows the drone protection device 100d in a fully deployed state. In FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the airbag body 110 is omitted to facilitate understanding of the technology. Unlike the first embodiment, the moving mechanism 150b in this embodiment is composed of a spring that can expand and contract in the Z direction, not an actuator. Parts of the configuration of the drone protection device 100d and the drone 20 in the fourth embodiment that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0051] The drone protection device 100d includes a lock pin 190 for fixing the case lower part 135 to the case upper part 131 in a normal state. As shown in Fig. 14, the lock pin 190 is disposed so as to penetrate the side part 132 of the case upper part 131 in the X direction and so as to position a tip part 191 of the lock pin 190 in a recess 139 formed in an upper end part of the side part 137 of the case lower part 135.

[0052] The rear end of the lock pin 190 is provided with an unlocking mechanism 192 for pulling the lock pin 190 out of the case lower part 135. The unlocking mechanism 192 has a motor 193 and a weight 194. The weight 194 is configured to be rotatable around an axis AX along the Y axis by the rotational driving force of the motor 193. The motor 193 rotates the weight 194 around the axis AX so as to move away from the case 130 under the control of the control unit 200. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, a force in a direction moving away from the case 130 is applied to the lock pin 190, and the lock pin 190 is pulled out of the case lower part 135. In this embodiment, a spring 199 for biasing the lock pin 190 in a direction moving away from the case lower part 135 is provided at the tip part 191 of the lock pin 190. In this embodiment, the control unit 200 is preferably configured to activate the unlocking mechanism 192 at least in one of the cases where it predicts that the drone 20 will fall and where it detects that the drone 20 is falling.

[0053] The drone protection device 100d may include a fall prevention mechanism for preventing the lock pin 190 from falling when it is pulled out from the case lower part 135. This fall prevention mechanism may be, for example, a thread or wire that connects the lock pin 190 and the case 130, or a tray that receives the lock pin 190 pulled out from the case lower part 135 so that it does not fall.

[0054] In a normal state, the moving mechanism 150b as a spring is disposed between the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135, and applies a biasing force to the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135 to separate the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135 in the Z direction. In this state, as shown in FIG. 15, the lock pin 190 is pulled out of the case lower part 135, whereby the fixation of the case lower part 135 to the case upper part 131 is released, and the biasing force of the moving mechanism 150b moves the case lower part 135 downward relative to the case upper part 131. Therefore, it can be said that the moving mechanism 150b in this embodiment is configured to be operated by the operation of the lock release mechanism 192 under the control of the control unit 200.

[0055] The drone protection device 100d in the fourth embodiment described above also ensures a space for the airbag body 110 to inflate by the movement mechanism 150b, and the airbag body 110 is deployed by the inflowing air when the drone 20 falls. Therefore, an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag body 110 can be omitted, and the drone protection device 100d can be made lighter.

[0056] E. Other embodiments: (E1) In each of the above embodiments, the moving mechanisms 150, 150b move the lower case 135 relative to the fixed upper case 131. In contrast, the moving mechanisms 150, 150b may be configured, for example, to move the upper case 131 upward relative to the fixed lower case 135. Even with this configuration, the moving mechanisms 150, 150b can move the lower case 135 downward relative to the upper case 131.

[0057] (E2) In each of the above embodiments, for example, one member included in the movement mechanism 150 may function as both the first and second restriction parts. Also, in each of the above embodiments, the movement mechanism 150 may have only one of the first restriction part and the second restriction part, or may not have both.

[0058] (E3) In the above first to third embodiments, the moving mechanism 150 is configured as an actuator that extends in the vertical direction by advancing the movable part with gas supplied from the gas supply unit 159, but it does not have to be configured in this way. For example, the moving mechanism 150 may be configured as a solenoid that extends in the vertical direction by advancing the movable part with electromagnetic force. Also, the moving mechanism 150 does not have to be configured as an actuator that extends in the vertical direction, and may be configured as an actuator that moves the case lower part 135 downward relative to the case upper part 131 by a ball screw mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism, for example.

[0059] (E4) In each of the above embodiments, the number of holes 138 may not be the same as the number of rotors 60. Even if the number of holes 138 is greater than the number of rotors 60, for example, by providing some of the holes 138 at positions corresponding to the rotors 60, the airbag body 110 that has completed deployment can be positioned below each rotor 60. Even if the number of holes 138 is less than the number of rotors 60, for example, by providing some or all of the holes 138 at positions overlapping with the arms 70 when viewed in the Z direction, the airbag body 110 that has completed deployment can be positioned below each rotor 60. Also, each hole 138 does not have to be formed at a position corresponding to each rotor 60. Specifically, in this case, the airbag body 110 that has completed deployment does not have to be positioned below some or all of the rotors 60. In addition, the airbag body 110 does not have to be configured to be deployed to the outside of the case 130 from the hole 138 formed in the case lower part 135. For example, the airbag body 110 may be configured to be deployed to the outside of the case 130 from between the case upper part 131 and the case lower part 135 configured in a flat plate shape without the side part 137.

[0060] (E5) In the second and third embodiments described above, the cover members 170, 170b may be configured to cover the opening 136 from above.

[0061] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features in the embodiments corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention column can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve some or all of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve some or all of the above-mentioned effects. Furthermore, if the technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 20... drone, 40... main body, 41... upper body, 42... fuselage, 50... legs, 51... leg frame, 52... horizontal frame, 53... vertical frame, 60... rotor, 65... drive mechanism, 70... arm, 100, 100b, 100c, 100d... drone protection device, 110... airbag body, 111... air inlet, 130... case, 131... upper case, 132... side, 135... lower case, 136... opening, 137... side, 138... hole, 1 39...recess, 150, 150b...moving mechanism, 151...cylinder, 152...piston, 157...cap, 158...lock ring, 159...gas supply section, 170, 170b...cover member, 170A...main part, 170B...remaining part, 180...fixing device, 181...opening / closing mechanism, 190...lock pin, 191...tip, 192...unlocking mechanism, 193...motor, 194...weight, 199...spring, 200...control section, 210...processor, 220...storage device

Claims

1. A drone protection device to be mounted on a drone, An airbag body having an air inlet opening downward, the airbag body being deployed below the drone by air flowing into the airbag body from the air inlet while the drone is falling; and a case for storing a pre-deployment airbag, which is the airbag body before deployment, The case is an upper case portion disposed above the pre-deployment airbag; a case lower portion disposed below the pre-deployment airbag and having an opening communicating with the air inlet, The protection device for a drone further includes a movement mechanism that is actuated to deploy the pre-deployment airbag with the air and that moves the lower part of the case downward relative to the upper part of the case.

2. The drone protection device according to claim 1, The moving mechanism is configured as an actuator capable of extending in the vertical direction, is positioned between the upper and lower cases, and moves the lower case downward relative to the upper case by extending in the vertical direction, in a drone protection device.

3. The drone protection device according to claim 2, The moving mechanism includes: A main body portion, a movable portion configured to be able to move relative to the main body portion and protrude from the main body portion in a protruding direction along the up-down direction, The movable portion is moved forward in the protruding direction from the main body portion to extend in the up-down direction, The drone protection device further has a first regulating part that regulates the movable part from retracting in a direction opposite to the protruding direction when the moving mechanism is extended to a predetermined reference length in the vertical direction.

4. The drone protection device according to claim 3, A protection device for a drone, wherein the moving mechanism has a second regulating part that regulates the movable part from advancing in the protruding direction when the moving mechanism is extended to the reference length in the vertical direction.

5. The drone protection device according to claim 4, The upper portion of the case is concave and opens downward, the case lower portion has a concave shape that opens upward and has a side portion having at least one hole formed therein for deploying the airbag main body outside the case, A drone protection device, wherein the reference length is the length at which each of the holes is located below the lower end of the upper part of the case and the upper end of the side portion is located above the lower end of the upper part of the case.

6. The drone protection device according to claim 5, The number of the holes is the same as the number of the rotors provided on the drone, A protection device for a drone, wherein each of the holes is formed at a position corresponding to each of the rotors so that the airbag body after deployment is positioned below each of the rotors.

7. A drone protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A protective device for a drone comprising a cover member that covers the opening and is configured to uncover the opening upon operation of the moving mechanism.

8. The drone protection device according to claim 7, The cover member is configured to be pulled into the airbag body through the opening as the lower part of the case moves downward relative to the upper part of the case by the moving mechanism, thereby releasing the coverage of the opening.

9. The drone protection device according to claim 8, an opening / closing mechanism configured to switch between a state in which the opening is covered by the cover member and a state in which the opening is uncovered by the cover member by opening and closing the cover member; A control unit, The control unit of the drone protection device activates the moving mechanism and controls the opening / closing mechanism to remove the cover from the opening when at least one of the following cases is detected: when it predicts that the drone will fall; and when it detects that the drone is falling.

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