Winch lifting hook for aircraft

Abstract

To address the need for efficient loading and unloading in recent years, as the use of drones for transporting goods has increased and cases in which drones are equipped with winches for lifting and lowering shipping boxes have increased.SOLUTION: This transport device is characterized in that a lifting hook has a substantially elliptical shape when viewed from three directions, and has a shape and structure that allow the lifting hook to be easily detached from a lifting fitting during unloading and easily stored in a lifting hook storage opening of a drone during loading.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cargo transport device that is equipped with a winch for lifting and lowering cargo on a multicopter or fixed-wing aircraft (hereinafter referred to as a drone) that flies by attaching three or more propellers facing upward or downward, or that has added multicopter functions. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional drones have been fitted with winches that allow them to fly with a load hanging from them, then reel the load in and unload it at a designated location. [Prior art documents]

[0003] [Patent documents] [Patent documents] US11,794,901 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, the use of drones to transport goods has increased, and drones are increasingly being equipped with winches to lower cargo without landing. This has the advantage of making it easier for control radio signals to reach the drone by maintaining its altitude, enabling long-distance deliveries and deliveries on uneven ground. However, flying a drone while it is suspended from a winch causes the cargo to sway from side to side, which causes the drone's center of gravity to constantly change, making flight unstable and preventing high-speed flight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is an object transport device using an aircraft, comprising a winch attached to the bottom of the aircraft, a control unit built into the winch, a lifting hook for hooking an object to be transported with a lifting device attached, and a storage case for storing the lifting hook provided in the winch case, wherein the top, front, and both side surfaces of the lifting hook have an approximately elliptical shape, and the opening of the storage section entrance for the lifting hook in the storage case is approximately larger than the approximately elliptical shape of the top surface of the lifting hook, so that the lifting hook with the object hooked can be easily stored in the storage case through the opening of the storage section entrance. In the invention of claim 2, grooves are provided on both sides of the hanging hook that are alternately downward at a certain angle and have their starting points straddling the long axis of the approximately elliptical shape. This encourages the hanging hook to rotate when the long axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the hanging hook and the short axis of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage port are particularly perpendicular when the hanging hook is being stored, and by reducing the frictional force at that time, the hanging hook can be stored smoothly into the storage case through the approximately elliptical opening. In the invention of claim 3, the approximate ellipse shape of the storage entrance is divided into four equal parts by the straight and short axes of the approximately elliptical opening, and each quarter of the approximate ellipse shape has a different ratio of the short axis to the long axis, so that the hanging hook can rotate and be stored more easily. When the hanging hook enters the storage entrance opening at a right angle, it comes into contact with a slight step that occurs at the contact point with the shape where the ratio of the short axis to the long axis has been changed, which promotes rotation and makes it easier to enter the storage entrance opening, while also maintaining the approximate elliptical shape of the storage entrance opening without significant distortion. In the invention of claim 4, the opening at the entrance to the storage section of the storage case for the hanging hook has a mountain-shaped protrusion centered on the short axis of its approximately elliptical shape, so that when the hanging hook enters the opening at a right angle, the arc around the opening is inclined in the direction of the long axis, which encourages the hanging hook to rotate. In the invention of claim 5, the sling is composed of a pair of plate-like members, each of which has an opening for a sling hook, and which is formed in an L-shape at the end of the plate on the side where it is attached to the transport box and at a predetermined distance from the end, thereby ensuring the posture of the transport box during transport. In the invention of claim 6, if the lifting hook gets stuck at the opening of the entrance to the storage compartment, the control unit controls the winch to loosen and lift again repeatedly, guiding the lifting hook into the opening of the entrance to the storage compartment. By doing this, the position of the lifting hook changes slightly when the winch is loosened, making it easier to enter the opening of the entrance to the storage compartment. Similarly, in claim 7, grooves are provided alternately on the left and right sides with their starting points straddling the short axis of the opening at the entrance to the approximately elliptical storage section of the storage case provided in the winch, and the grooves are angled from the short axis side to the long axis side toward the inside of the winch case storage case, thereby encouraging the rotation of the hanging hook and reducing the frictional force at that time, making it easier for the hanging hook to enter the opening at the entrance to the storage section. In the invention of claim 8, the attachment position of the wire of the hanging hook is slightly off-center from the center. Due to this eccentricity, the hanging hook comes into contact with the opening of the storage compartment entrance, and when further pulling force is applied, the hanging hook tilts, changing the position of the contact point with the opening of the storage compartment entrance and promoting rotation, making it easier to fit into the approximately elliptical opening of the storage compartment entrance. In the invention of claim 9, convex portions centered on the approximate major axis of the approximately elliptical shape on both sides of the hanging hook are provided on the left and right sides of the center of the top of the hanging hook. The convex portions may be provided around the entire circumference, or only around the upper half circumference. These convex portions reduce the frictional force of the hanging hook when the major axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the hanging hook and the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage port are particularly perpendicular when the hanging hook is stored, allowing it to be stored smoothly into the storage case through the approximately elliptical opening. In the invention of claim 10, a pair of position regulating members for the lifting hook are provided at the edge of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage compartment entrance of the winch case, straddling the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening, and are point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the approximately elliptical opening. The lifting hook position regulating members have a slightly curved surface that is higher on one side and lower on the other side. The inclined surface of the convex portion and the opposite side from the apex are also inclined. When the major axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the lifting hook and the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage entrance are particularly perpendicular when the lifting hook is stored, the lifting hook rides up onto the inclined surface of the position regulating member, encouraging the lifting hook to rotate, thereby allowing it to be smoothly stored in the storage case through the approximately elliptical opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As described above, in the transport object transport device using an aircraft according to the present invention, the hanging hook that hooks the transport object is stored in a stable state in the storage case through the opening at the entrance to the storage section, and the posture of the transport object is stabilized during transport, stabilizing the center of gravity of the multicopter and allowing it to fly at high speeds. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Hanging hook top view [Figure 2] Lifting hook Front view [Figure 3] Hanging hook Side view [Figure 4] Lifting hook Diagram of eccentrically installed lifting wire [Figure 5] Hanging bracket front view [Figure 6] Hanging hardware side view [Figure 7] Winch case hanging hook storage section opening plate plan view (viewed from C direction) [Figure 8] Plan view of an example where the winch case hanging hook storage opening plate protrudes in a mountain shape at part AA (view from direction C) [Figure 9] BB cross section of an example where the winch case hanging hook storage opening plate is protruding in a mountain shape at AA section [Figure 10] Plan view of the winch case hanging hook storage opening plate (viewed from direction C) (when the ratio of the 1 / 4 ellipse is changed) [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of the winch case's hanging hook storage case opening (AA cross section) [Figure 12] Side view of the grooved lifting hook [Figure 13] Plan view of the grooved storage opening of the winch case hanging hook storage plate (viewed from C direction) [Figure 14] Top view of a hanging hook with a protrusion [Figure 15] Front view of the hanging hook with a protrusion [Figure 16] Side view of the hanging hook with a protrusion [Figure 17] Winch case hanging hook storage section opening plate plan view (viewed from C direction) [Figure 18] Winch case hanging hook storage opening BB arrow view [Figure 19] Example of attaching a winch to a drone (the lifting hook is stored in the winch case) [Figure 20] Example of attaching a winch to a drone (hanging the lifting hook) [Figure 21] The transport box is on the ground and the lifting hook is released. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1 to 16 show examples of an object transporting device using an aircraft according to the present invention. Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrams showing the shape of the hanging hook. The hanging hook has an approximately elliptical shape or a shape that is an extension of the central horizontal line of an ellipse when viewed from any direction. The shape of the lifting hook 1 attached to the end of the winch wire is approximately elliptical when viewed from above, the front, and both sides. The lower part of this lifting hook 1 is recessed and shaped like a hook, so that it can be hooked onto a lifting bracket 4 made of a pair of plate-like members attached to a transport box (such as a cardboard box) to be used as cargo, and used to lift the box. The lower part of the hanging hook is recessed so that it does not interfere with the hanging hook storage case when the hook 1 is stored. The wire attachment part of the hanging hook in Figure 4 is offset from the center to encourage rotation when storing. When it comes off the hanging bracket, it tilts so that it does not get caught on the hanging bracket when it is wound up.

[0009] Figures 5 and 6 show the shape of the hanging hardware attached to the cardboard box (transport box). The hanging hardware is made of a pair of plate-like members (e.g., aluminum), with an opening at one end of each plate-like member for hooking with a hanging hook, and the tip of the other end and a certain length from the tip are bent twice into an L-shape and attached by penetrating the top lid of the cardboard box (transport box).The L-shaped bent part at the tip penetrates the top lid of the cardboard box (transport box) to prevent it from coming off. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show shapes of the winch case hanging hook storage plate. This shape diagram shows the winch lifting hook storage plate when viewed from below (in the direction C) as shown in FIG. The winch case lifting hook storage plate shown in Figure 7 has an opening of the same shape as the lifting hook, but slightly larger than the approximate ellipse when viewed from above, and the periphery of the opening is rounded or tapered. When the lifting hook comes into contact with the rounded or tapered part, it rotates the lifting hook in the direction that matches the major axis diameter of the opening, which has the same shape as the major axis diameter of the approximate ellipse when viewed from above. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of an example in which the opening of the winch case hanging hook storage plate is protruded in a mountain shape at the AA portion. Figure 9 shows a longitudinal cross section of part BB of an example in which the opening of the winch case lifting hook storage plate is protruded in a mountain shape at part AA. The curve around the opening is inclined in the direction of the long axis, which serves to encourage the long axis of the lifting hook to rotate in the direction of the long axis of the opening. Figure 10 shows an opening that is approximately elliptical in shape, but is divided into four equal parts by its center line, and each of these quarter ellipses has a different ratio of the minor axis to the major axis. When the major axis of the approximately elliptical shape seen from above the hanging hook enters from a direction perpendicular to the straight axis of the opening, it comes into contact with the step that occurs at the point of contact where the ratio of the minor axis to the major axis is changed, encouraging rotation. FIG. 11 shows a cross section taken along the line AA in FIGS. In Figure 12, grooves 10 are carved into the side of the long side of the lifting hook at a certain angle, starting from the long axis of an approximately ellipse and pointing downward alternately on the left and right. The grooves reduce friction with the opening of the winch case lifting hook storage plate, and at that angle encourage rotation in the direction that matches the long axis diameter. Figure 13 shows an approximately elliptical opening in a winch case hanging hook storage plate. The periphery of the opening is rounded or tapered, and an example is shown in which grooves 10 are carved alternately on the left and right, starting across the short axis of the approximately elliptical opening, and running toward the inside of the winch storage case at a certain angle from the short axis side to the long axis side. The grooves reduce friction with the opening of the winch case hanging hook storage plate, and at that angle encourage rotation in the direction that matches the long axis diameter. Figure 19 shows the state when the winch is attached to the drone and the transport box is lifted up to its upper limit. By storing the lifting hook to its upper limit inside the lifting hook storage case, the direction of the transport box is determined. It can also be semi-fixed by a spring attached to the winch case.

[0010] FIG. 20 shows the state in which the transport box is being hung, and FIG. 21 shows the state after the transport box has been hung and touched down on the ground. After the transport box touches the ground, the lifting hook is further lowered, causing the top of the lifting fixture to come into contact with the inclined part in the center of the lifting hook, slide down along the inclined part and automatically detach. After detachment, the lifting hook tilts due to the eccentricity of the lifting wire attachment part, so that it does not get caught on the lifting fixture again when lifted. As shown in Figure 20, when a transport box (such as a cardboard box) is lifted, the lifting hook 1 is structured to be stored in the lifting hook storage case section 22 at the bottom of the multicopter as shown in Figure 19, but as shown in Figures 7 and 8, at the entrance to the storage section of the winch case lifting hook storage plate 6 there is an opening for the winch case lifting hook storage opening 7, which is slightly larger and has the same approximate elliptical shape as the lifting hook 1 when viewed from above. When the lifting hook is stored in this opening, the direction of the load can be determined by the difference in the shape of the major axis diameter and minor axis diameter of the lifting hook's approximate elliptical shape. When the lifting hook 1 is suspended by a wire and attempts to enter through the center of the winch case lifting hook storage opening 7, which is opened in the winch case lifting hook storage plate 6 on the underside of the winch case 14, the long axis of the approximately elliptical shape at the top of the lifting hook 1 comes into contact with the curved portion around the opening of the winch case lifting hook storage opening 7. If the lifting hook 1 is not located on the long axis of the opening of the winch case lifting hook storage opening 7, it will not enter the opening, so it will rotate toward the side closer to the long axis and attempt to enter the opening. If the lifting hook 1 is pulled up in this state, the approximately elliptical shape of the lifting hook 1 will be stored in the approximately elliptical opening. What prevents the rotation at this time is the frictional force at the contact point, and if the frictional force is strong, it will get caught at the entrance of the opening. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, grooves 10 are carved on the side of the long axis of the approximately elliptical shaped hanging hook 1, starting from the long axis line of the approximately elliptical shape and pointing downward at a certain angle alternately on the left and right. This has the function of promoting rotation so that the lifting hook 1 can easily enter the opening and also the function of reducing the frictional force at that time, since when the long axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the lifting hook 1 and the short axis of the opening of the winch case lifting hook storage port 7 become perpendicular to each other, the lifting hook 1 will not be able to enter the opening. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the approximately elliptical opening of the winch case lifting hook storage opening 7 is divided into four equal parts by its center line to make it easier for the lifting hook 1 to rotate and be stored, and each of the quarter approximately elliptical shapes has a shape with a different ratio of the minor axis to the major axis. When the lifting hook 1 enters the opening at a right angle, it comes into contact with a slight step that occurs at the contact point with the shape with the changed ratio of the minor axis to the major axis, which promotes rotation and makes it easier to enter the opening, and also helps maintain the approximately elliptical shape of the opening without any major distortion. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the winch case hanging hook storage entrance 7 of the winch case hanging hook storage plate 6 of the storage case 22 has a mountain-shaped protrusion centered on the center line in the long axis direction, and when the hanging hook 1 enters the opening of the winch case hanging hook storage entrance 7 with the minor axis diameter of the hole and the major axis diameter of the hanging hook at right angles, the arc around the opening is inclined in the long axis direction, which encourages the hanging hook 1 to rotate in the long axis direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the hanging hardware (4, 5) is made of a pair of plate-like members, one end of which has a hanging hardware opening (4b, 5b) for hooking the hanging hook 1. Tabs extend to the left and right of the ring, and the lower sides of the tabs penetrate the top plate of the shipping box (e.g., cardboard box) at the other end of the hanging hardware opening (4b, 5b). After penetrating the top plate of the shipping box (e.g., cardboard box), the other end is bent horizontally to the left and right in an L-shape at a certain distance from the other end. This portion is secured with tape to support the weight of the shipping box (e.g., cardboard box). The tip of the other end is bent again in an L-shape and, facing upward, penetrates the lid of the shipping box (e.g., cardboard box) as a safety measure to prevent it from slipping out. The hanging hardware 4 and 5 can also be made into a single unit by changing the material, such as plastic. If the hoisting hook 1 gets stuck at the entrance to the opening, in this embodiment, the control unit built into the winch will operate by loosening the hoisting wire once and then lifting it again, repeatedly operating to guide the hoisting hook 1 into the opening. By doing this, the position of the hoisting hook 1 will change slightly when the hoisting wire is loosened, making it easier to enter the opening. Similarly, this embodiment is characterized in that, as shown in Figure 13, when the winch case hanging hook storage plate is attached alternately to the left and right with its starting point straddling the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening of the winch case hanging hook storage inlet 7 of the winch case hanging hook storage plate 6, grooves 10 are carved in the rounded portion around the opening at a certain angle from the minor axis side to the major axis side toward the inside of the winch storage case. The effect is that when the hanging hook 1 is stored, if the major axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the hanging hook 1 and the minor axis of the opening of the winch case hanging hook storage inlet 7 are particularly perpendicular, the hanging hook 1 will not be able to enter the opening, so this groove has the role of encouraging rotation so that it can easily enter the opening and the role of reducing friction at that time. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the position of the hoisting wire attachment portion 11 of the hoisting hook 1 is slightly off-center. When the hoisting hook 1 is hoisted off-center, the major axis of the hoisting hook 1 first contacts the rounded portion around the opening when it is inserted into the opening of the winch case hoisting hook storage entrance 7. When the hoisting hook 1 is pulled up after contacting the rounded portion, it becomes stuck and does not move. If the load continues to be applied, the hoisting hook 1 is forced to tilt. This tilt changes the position of the contact point, encouraging rotation and making it easier to insert into the approximately elliptical opening. Furthermore, when the transport box (e.g., cardboard box) is grounded during hanging, and the hoisting wire of the hoisting hook 1 loosens, the weight of the hoisting hook 1 causes the slanted portion 1a at the center of the hoisting hook 1 to abut against the upper portion (4a, 5a) of the hoisting fittings, causing it to slide off the openings (4b, 5b) of the hoisting fittings (4, 5). This automatically tilts the hoisting hook 1, preventing it from getting caught on the hoisting fittings (4, 5) again. In the second embodiment, In Figures 14, 15, and 16, convex portions centered on the approximately major axis of the approximately elliptical shape on both sides of the lifting hook are provided from the upper center to the left and right near the central axis. When the lifting hook enters the storage opening, the convex portions contact the periphery of the opening first, reducing friction and facilitating rotation. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, a pair of position-regulating members for the lifting hook are provided at the edge of the approximately elliptical opening at the entrance to the storage section of the winch case, straddling the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening, and are point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the approximately elliptical opening. One side of the lifting hook position-regulating member is higher and inclined toward the other side, with the inclined surface slightly curved. The inclined surface of the convex portion and the opposite side centered on the peak are also inclined. When the hanging hook is stored, the long axis of the approximately elliptical shape of the hanging hook and the short axis of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage port are particularly perpendicular to each other, and the hanging hook rides up onto the inclined surface of the position regulating member, urging the hanging hook to rotate, thereby allowing it to be smoothly stored in the storage case through the approximately elliptical opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0011] 1 Hanging hook 1a Lifting hook inclined part 2 Hook part of the hanging hook 4 Hanging bracket 1 (right) 5 Hanging bracket 2 (left) 4a, 5a Top of the hanging bracket 4b, 5b Hanging hardware opening 6 Winch case hanging hook storage opening plate 7 Winch case hanging hook storage opening 8 Hanging wire 9. Transport boxes (cardboard boxes, etc.) 10 grooves 11 Hanging wire attachment part 12 winch 14 Winch case 16 Drone body 17 Motor 18 propellers 19 Box holding spring 20 Drone Legs 21 Slit for storing the winch case hanging hook 22 Hanging hook storage case 23 Lifting hook protrusion 24. Winch case lifting hook storage opening position regulation member protrusion 25 Inclined surface of position control member for winch case hanging hook storage opening 26 The slope on the opposite side of the curved slope of the winch case hanging hook storage opening

Claims

1. An object transport device using an aircraft, comprising a winch attached to the bottom of the aircraft, a control unit built into the winch, a lifting hook for hooking an object to be transported with a lifting device attached, and a storage case for storing the lifting hook attached to the winch, wherein the top, front, and both side surfaces of the lifting hook are approximately elliptical in shape, and the opening of the storage case at the entrance to the storage section for the lifting hook is approximately larger than the approximately elliptical shape of the top surface in order to store the lifting hook in an approximately vertical position.

2. 2. The transport device for transporting goods by flying object according to claim 1, wherein grooves are provided on both sides of the hanging hook, each groove having a starting point straddling the major axis of the approximately elliptical shape and pointing downward at a constant angle, alternately on the left and right.

3. 2. The transport device for transporting objects by an aircraft as described in claim 1, having a lifting hook storage opening, characterized in that the approximately elliptical opening at the entrance to the storage section of the winch storage case is divided into four equal parts by the straight axis and the short axis, and each of the 1 / 4 approximately elliptical shapes has a shape with a different ratio of the short axis to the long axis.

4. 2. The transport device for transporting objects using an aircraft as described in claim 1, wherein the opening of the storage section entrance of the hanging hook of the storage case has a shape that protrudes in a mountain shape with the minor axis of the approximately elliptical shape as the center.

5. The device for transporting objects by flying object as described in claim 1, characterized in that the hoisting device is composed of a pair of plate-like members, each of which has an opening for hooking with the hoisting hook, and which is formed in an L-shape at the tip of the side that is attached to the transport box and at a position a predetermined length from the tip.

6. 2. The object transport device using a flying object according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the rotation of the winch.

7. 2. The transport device for transporting goods by flying object according to claim 1, characterized in that grooves 10 are carved alternately on the left and right sides of the opening of the storage section entrance of the approximately elliptical shape of the approximately elliptical shape of the lifting hook, starting across the minor axis of the opening, and at a certain angle from the minor axis side to the major axis side toward the inside of the winch case storage case.

8. 2. The transport device for transporting goods by flying object according to claim 1, wherein the attachment position of the hoisting hook and the wire is substantially eccentric from the center of the hoisting hook.

9. 2. The transport device for transporting goods by flying object according to claim 1, wherein convex portions having an approximately elliptical shape and centered on the major axis are provided on both sides of the lifting hook on the left and right sides from the center of the upper part of the lifting hook.

10. 2. The transport device for transporting objects using an aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that the pair of position control members for the hanging hooks are provided at the edge of the approximately elliptical opening of the storage section entrance of the winch storage case, straddling the minor axis of the approximately elliptical opening, and are point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the approximately elliptical opening.

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