Foldable propeller and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

A foldable propeller and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The foldable propeller (10) comprises a blade adapter (1), blades (2), and first washers (3); the blade adapter is used for being connected to a driving member (20); the blades are rotatably connected to the blade adapter; the first washers each comprise an elastic portion (31) and an additional portion (32) which are connected to each other; and one end surface of the elastic portion abuts against the blade adapter and the other end surface of the elastic portion abuts against the corresponding blade. The elastic modulus of the additional portion is greater than that of the elastic portion. The foldable propeller has the advantages of being smooth in folding, convenient to maintain and long in service life.

Description

Folding propeller and drone Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of drones, and in particular to a foldable propeller and a drone. Background Art

[0002] Drones have a large application market and can perform high-altitude operations such as transportation, reconnaissance or signal transmission.

[0003] Typically, a drone includes a folding propeller, which includes a propeller clamp, a blade, and a washer. Under the action of a preload, one side of the washer abuts against the propeller clamp, and the other side of the washer abuts against the blade, so that the friction torque of the contact surface between the washer and the blade is maintained within an appropriate range, and the friction torque of the contact surface between the washer and the propeller clamp is maintained within an appropriate range.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a folding propeller and a drone, wherein the folding propeller of the present disclosure has the advantages of smooth folding, easy maintenance, and long service life.

[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a folding paddle, comprising a paddle clamp, a paddle blade, and a first washer. The paddle clamp is configured to connect to a driving member, and the paddle blade is rotatably connected to the paddle clamp. The first washer comprises a connected elastic portion and an additional portion. One end surface of the elastic portion abuts the paddle clamp, and the other end surface of the elastic portion abuts the paddle blade. The elastic modulus of the additional portion is greater than the elastic modulus of the elastic portion.

[0007] In some embodiments, the elastic portion is annular, and at least a portion of the additional portion is located within the elastic portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the additional portion is in the shape of a ring, an arc, a spiral, a solid structure, a wire structure, a mesh structure, or any combination thereof.

[0009] In some embodiments, the material of the additional portion includes metal or plastic.

[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus K of the first gasket satisfies 0.9 MPa≤K≤3 MPa.

[0011] In some embodiments, the paddle includes a blade portion and a second washer connected to each other, the second washer is rotatably connected to the paddle clamp, and the second washer abuts against the first washer.

[0012] In some embodiments, the blade portion is provided with a first through hole, and at least a portion of the second washer is provided in the first through hole; the second washer and the blade portion are detachably connected or integrally formed.

[0013] In some embodiments, along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the second gasket, the projection of the second gasket is an I-shape or a T-shape; or, the structure of the second gasket is a hollow cylinder.

[0014] In some embodiments, the folding paddle also includes an elastic member, and the paddle clamp also includes a reinforcing rib. The paddle clamp is provided with a recessed portion, and the bottom wall of the recessed portion bulges to form a first raised portion. The elastic member is installed on the first raised portion, and the elastic member can abut against the paddle blade. The reinforcing rib is connected to the first raised portion, and the reinforcing rib is connected to the inner wall of the recessed portion.

[0015] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a drone comprising a body, a drive member, and the aforementioned folding propeller. The drive member is mounted on the body, a propeller clamp of the folding propeller is connected to the drive member, and the drive member can drive the folding propeller to rotate.

[0016] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a driving member and a folding paddle provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the dotted line is a structural section line.

[0018] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a folding paddle provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the dotted line is a structural cross-section line.

[0019] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the folding paddle in FIG2 , wherein the dotted line is the structural section line.

[0020] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of the first gasket in a specific embodiment, wherein the dotted line is the perspective structural line of the elastic portion, and the dot-dash line is the perspective structural line of the third through hole.

[0021] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which the additional portion is a corrugated washer.

[0022] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the additional portion is a saddle-shaped washer.

[0023] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the additional portion is a disc washer.

[0024] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the additional portion is a flat washer.

[0025] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the additional portion is a notched washer.

[0026] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of an upper paddle clamp in a specific embodiment.

[0027] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of the lower propeller clamp in a specific embodiment.

[0028] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the lower propeller clamp and the first washer.

[0029] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the blade, wherein the dotted line is the structural cross-section line.

[0030] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the blade, the lower blade clamp, the first washer and the elastic member, wherein the dotted line is the structural section line.

[0031] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the lower paddle clamp, the first washer, the second washer and the elastic member.

[0032] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present disclosure, the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] It should be clear that the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0035] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The singular forms "a," "an," "the," and "the" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0036] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein is merely a description of the relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0037] It should be noted that the directional words such as "upper", "lower", "left", and "right" described in the embodiments of the present disclosure are described based on the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, in the context, it should be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected "upper" or "lower" of another element, it can not only be directly connected "upper" or "lower" of the other element, but also be indirectly connected "upper" or "lower" of the other element through an intermediate element.

[0038] Typically, a drone includes a folding propeller, which includes a propeller clamp, a blade, and a washer. Under the action of a preload, one side of the washer abuts the propeller clamp, and the other side of the washer abuts the blade, keeping the friction torque at the contact surface between the washer and the blade within an appropriate range, and keeping the friction torque at the contact surface between the washer and the propeller clamp within an appropriate range.

[0039] Typically, the gasket of a folding paddle will gradually age during use, causing the material properties of the gasket to change significantly, and causing the friction torque of the contact surface between the gasket and the blade and / or the friction torque of the contact surface between the gasket and the blade clamp to be outside the appropriate range, resulting in the blade folding not being smooth and even causing large wear, which in turn leads to a shorter service life of the folding paddle.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, the first aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a folding propeller that can be installed on the driving member 20 of the drone. As shown in Figure 2, the folding propeller 10 of the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a propeller clamp 1, a blade 2 and a first gasket 3. The propeller clamp 1 is connected to the driving member 20 of the drone, and the blade 2 is rotatably connected to the propeller clamp 1. The first gasket 3 includes a connected elastic portion 31 and an additional portion 32. One end face of the elastic portion 31 abuts against the propeller clamp 1, and the other end face of the elastic portion 31 abuts against the blade 2. The elastic modulus of the additional portion 32 is greater than the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31.

[0041] In this embodiment, the paddle clip 1 of the foldable paddle 10 can be mounted on the driver 20 of the drone. The driver 20 drives the foldable paddle 10 to rotate, generating lift on the blade 2 of the foldable paddle 10, thereby enabling flight. When the drone needs to be stored, the user can rotate the blade 2 relative to the paddle clip 1 to a preset position, folding the blade 2. This reduces the storage space required for the drone and facilitates storage. When the drone needs to be flown, the user activates the driver 20 to rotate the foldable paddle 10. The blade 2 rotates relative to the paddle clip 1 under centrifugal force and unfolds. As shown in Figure 2, one end surface of the elastic portion 31 of the first washer 3 abuts the paddle clip 1, while the other end surface of the elastic portion 31 of the first washer 3 abuts the blade 2. The application of a preload force creates a positive pressure between the contact surface of the elastic portion 31 and the paddle clip 1, a positive pressure between the contact surface of the elastic portion 31 and the blade 2, and deformation of the elastic portion 31 along the axial direction of the first washer 3. When the blade 2 rotates relative to the blade clamp 1, friction is generated on the contact surface between the elastic portion 31 and the blade clamp 1, and friction is generated on the contact surface between the elastic portion 31 and the blade 2. The friction is calculated as shown in formula (1): f = μF N =μK△ s (1)

[0042] Wherein, f represents the friction force between the blade clamp 1 and the elastic portion 31 or the friction force between the blade 2 and the elastic portion 31; μ represents the friction coefficient between the blade clamp 1 and the elastic portion 31 or the friction coefficient between the blade 2 and the elastic portion 31; F N represents the positive pressure between the blade clamp 1 and the elastic part 31 or the positive pressure between the blade 2 and the elastic part 31; K represents the elastic modulus of the first gasket 3, △ s Represents the axial deformation of the first washer 3 under the action of preload.

[0043] By adjusting the preload force, the friction force can be adjusted within an appropriate range, while maintaining the material properties of elastic portion 31. The advantage of maintaining the friction force within an appropriate range is that, when blade 2 is folded, at least one of blade 2, elastic portion 31, and blade clamp 1 experiences minimal wear. During flight, as blade clamp 1 rotates at varying speeds, blade 2 rotates relative to blade clamp 1 due to inertia. The appropriate friction force minimizes rotation of blade 2 relative to blade clamp 1, minimizing wear on at least one of blade 2, elastic portion 31, and blade clamp 1.

[0044] In practical applications, under the same material conditions, the value of the friction coefficient μ is almost unchanged, and the axial deformation △ caused by the same preload force is s The value of is also almost unchanged. Therefore, the friction force f mainly depends on the elastic modulus K. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in addition to the elastic part 31, the first washer 3 also includes an additional part 32 connected to the elastic part 31, and the elastic modulus of the additional part 32 is greater than the elastic modulus of the elastic part 31, that is, the stiffness of the additional part 32 is greater than the stiffness of the elastic part 31. Therefore, the additional part 32 is more stable than the elastic part 31 in terms of at least one of the size, structure or shape. When the additional part 32 is connected to the elastic part 31, the stability of the elastic part 31 in terms of at least one of the size, structure or shape can be improved, so that the elastic modulus of the elastic part 31 is relatively stable.

[0045] Compared with the folding paddle that only uses elastic material as a gasket, the first gasket 3 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is a composite gasket. Even under conditions such as outdoor light, high and low temperature impact and oxidation, the elastic modulus of the elastic part 31 that abuts against the paddle clip 1 and the blade 2 is relatively stable, that is, it is not easy to change significantly, so that the friction force can be stably controlled within an appropriate range, so that the degree of wear of at least one of the blade 2, the elastic part 31 and the paddle clip 1 is less, which can effectively reduce the user's maintenance frequency of the folding paddle 10 and increase the service life of the folding paddle 10 in the embodiment of the present disclosure, thereby providing a higher user experience.

[0046] Compared with the folding paddle that only uses a material with greater rigidity as a gasket (such as nylon material), the first gasket 3 in the embodiment of the present disclosure uses an elastic part 31 with better friction characteristics (the friction coefficient is within an appropriate range) to abut against the paddle clamp 1 and the blade 2, and the friction force can be easily adjusted by the user to an appropriate range.

[0047] In summary, the first washer 3 in the disclosed embodiment has both good friction characteristics and a stable elastic modulus, making it easy for the user to adjust the friction force to an appropriate range and ensuring that the adjusted friction force is stably maintained within the appropriate range. Therefore, the folding paddle 10 in the disclosed embodiment has the advantages of smooth folding, easy maintenance, and a long service life.

[0048] Depending on the materials of the blade clamp 1 and blade 2, the maintenance frequency and service life that the user desires, or the intensity of use and maintenance, the appropriate ranges of friction between the blade clamp 1 and the elastic portion 31 and between the blade 2 and the elastic portion 31 also vary. Accordingly, the required range of elastic modulus of the first washer 3 also varies. The disclosed embodiment does not limit the specific elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31 or the specific elastic modulus of the additional portion 32, but does limit the elastic modulus of the additional portion 32 to be greater than the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31. The specific difference between the elastic modulus of the additional portion 32 and the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31 can be set based on the materials of the blade clamp 1 and blade 2, the user's expectations for maintenance frequency and service life, and the estimated intensity of use. The remainder of this article will focus on the overall elastic modulus of the first washer 3.

[0049] For example, the elastic modulus K of the first gasket 3 in the embodiment of the present disclosure may be in the range of 0.9 MPa to 3 MPa. Specifically, the elastic modulus K may be 0.9 MPa, 1 MPa, 1.1 MPa, 1.2 MPa, 1.3 MPa, 1.4 MPa, 1.5 MPa, 1.6 MPa, 1.7 MPa, 1.8 MPa, 1.9 MPa, 2.0 MPa, 2.1 MPa, 2.2 MPa, 2.3 MPa, 2.4 MPa, 2.5 MPa, 2.6 MPa, 2.7 MPa, 2.9 MPa, or 3.0 MPa.

[0050] In this embodiment, under the conditions of the same friction coefficient and axial deformation, when the elastic modulus K of the first washer 3 is less than 0.9 MPa, according to formula (1) in the above content, the friction force that can be generated is too small. When the elastic modulus K of the first washer 3 is greater than 3 MPa, the stiffness of the first washer 3 is too large, and it is difficult to generate a large deformation under the action of the preload force. According to formula (1) in the above content, the friction force that can be generated is too small. When the friction force is too small and the rotation speed of the blade clamp 1 changes, the rotation amount of the blade 2 relative to the blade clamp 1 is too large, and the wear amount of at least one of the blade 2, the elastic part 31, and the blade clamp 1 is large. Therefore, it is better for the elastic modulus K of the first washer 3 to be in the range of 0.9 MPa to 3 MPa, which makes it easier for users to adjust the friction force to an appropriate range.

[0051] In some embodiments, the material of the additional portion 32 is metal or plastic. Accordingly, the material of the elastic portion 31 can be rubber (natural rubber or synthetic rubber). The elastic modulus of the additional portion 32 is larger than that of the elastic portion 31, resulting in both better friction characteristics and a stable elastic modulus, thereby achieving the technical effects described above. This will not be repeated here.

[0052] The following content of this article mainly introduces the additional part 32 by taking metal materials as an example, such as stainless steel, carbon steel, 20 alloy steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, Hastelloy, etc.

[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the elastic portion 31 is annular. As shown in FIG. 4 , at least a portion of the additional portion 32 is located within the elastic portion 31 .

[0054] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 3-4, the annular elastic portion 31 is used to form the main structure of the first gasket 3, and the entire additional portion 32 is located inside the annular elastic portion 31, so that the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31 is relatively less likely to change significantly, so that the friction force can be stably controlled within an appropriate range.

[0055] In some embodiments (not shown in the figures), the annular elastic portion 31 is used to form the main structure of the first gasket 3, a portion of the additional portion 32 is located inside the annular elastic portion 31, and another portion of the additional portion 32 is located outside the elastic portion 31, which can also make the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31 relatively stable.

[0056] In some embodiments (not shown in the figures), the additional portion 32 may also be provided on the end surface or the curved side wall of the annular elastic portion 31 , which may also make the elastic modulus of the elastic portion 31 relatively stable.

[0057] The following content of this article mainly describes the structure of the first gasket 3 by taking the example that the entire additional portion 32 is located inside the annular elastic portion 31 .

[0058] In some embodiments, the additional portion 32 is any one of an annular shape (as shown in Figures 5-9), an arc shape (not shown in the figures), a spiral shape (not shown in the figures), a solid structure (as shown in Figures 5-9), a wire structure (not shown in the figures), a mesh structure (not shown in the figures), or any combination thereof.

[0059] When the additional portion 32 is annular or spiral, the additional portion 32 may be buried inside the elastic portion 31 and surround the axis of the annular elastic portion 31 .

[0060] When the additional portion 32 is arc-shaped, a plurality of additional portions 32 may be embedded in the elastic portion 31 and arranged in a circular array around the axis of the elastic portion 31 .

[0061] When the additional portion 32 is a solid structure, the process for manufacturing the additional portion 32 is simplified and the additional portion 32 is easy to manufacture.

[0062] When the additional part 32 is a wire structure, the additional part 32 can be flexibly set into various structures and then buried in the elastic part 31, so that the first gasket 3 can be flexibly set with different elastic moduli to meet different usage requirements of users.

[0063] When the additional portion 32 is a mesh structure, after the additional portion 32 is embedded in the elastic portion 31 , there is greater adhesion between the additional portion 32 and the surface of the elastic portion 31 , which can improve the crack resistance of the elastic portion 31 .

[0064] When the additional portion 32 is a combination of an annular and solid structure, the additional portion 32 may be a corrugated washer as shown in FIG5 , a saddle washer as shown in FIG6 , a dish washer as shown in FIG7 , a flat washer as shown in FIG8 , or a notched washer as shown in FIG9 . The additional portion 32 may also be a combination of an annular and mesh structure (not shown), such as metal rubber (cold-stamped metal wire into a homogeneous elastic porous material). The following description of the structure of the additional portion 32 primarily uses the corrugated washer shown in FIG5 as an example.

[0065] Among them, the manufacturing process of the first gasket 3 can be an injection molding process, in which the formed additional part 32 is placed in a mold for injection molding, and the raw material of the elastic part 31 is injection molded in the mold so that the additional part 32 is buried in the elastic part 31, thereby forming the first gasket 3.

[0066] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG3 , the paddle clamp 1 includes an upper paddle clamp 1a and / or a lower paddle clamp 1b. As shown in FIG10 , the upper paddle clamp 1a includes a second mating shaft 12, and the second mating shaft 12 is provided with a first connecting hole 121. As shown in FIG11 , the lower paddle clamp 1b includes a first mating shaft 11, and the first mating shaft 11 is provided with a sixth through-hole 111. The folding paddle 10 also includes a first screw 5 as shown in FIG3 . The first screw 5 can be passed through the sixth through-hole 111 and then threadedly connected to the first connecting hole 121, thereby fixing the upper paddle clamp 1a and the lower paddle clamp 1b. Before connecting the upper paddle clamp 1a to the lower paddle clamp 1b, the paddle blade 2 is rotationally connected to the upper paddle clamp 1a. Specifically, the paddle blade 2 is provided with a second through-hole 221 (shown in FIG13 ), so that the second mating shaft 12 of the upper paddle clamp 1a (shown in FIG10 ) passes through the second through-hole 221 to form a rotational connection relationship. Before connecting the upper paddle clamp 1a to the lower paddle clamp 1b, the first washer 3 is also rotationally connected to the lower paddle clamp 1b. Specifically, the annular elastic portion 31 is provided with a third through-hole 311 (shown in FIG. 4 ), and the first mating shaft 11 (shown in FIG. 11 ) can be positioned within the third through-hole 311 to form a rotational connection relationship as shown in FIG. The user can adjust the spacing between the upper paddle clamp 1a and the lower paddle clamp 1b by turning the first screw 5 to adjust the positive pressure between the paddle clamp 1 and the first washer 3 and the positive pressure between the propeller blade 2 and the first washer 3, thereby controlling the friction between the contact surfaces of the paddle clamp 1 and the first washer 3 and between the propeller blade 2 and the first washer 3 within an appropriate range.

[0067] As shown in FIG10 , the upper blade clamp 1a includes a second countersunk hole 1e that can accommodate at least a portion of the blade 2. The curved sidewall of the second countersunk hole 1e can abut against the curved sidewall of a columnar structure in the blade 2 (e.g., the first end 222 or the second end 224 of the second washer 22 of the blade 2 shown in FIG13 ). The lower blade clamp 1b includes a first countersunk hole 1d that can accommodate at least a portion of the first washer 3. The curved sidewall of the first countersunk hole 1d can abut against the curved sidewall of the first washer 3.

[0068] In addition, referring to Figure 14 , the above description focuses on placing a first washer 3 between blade 2 and lower oar clamp 1b. In other embodiments (not shown), first washer 3 may also be placed between blade 2 and upper oar clamp 1a. In other embodiments (not shown), first washer 3 may also be placed between blade 2 and lower oar clamp 1b, and between blade 2 and upper oar clamp 1a. The following description primarily uses the example of placing first washer 3 between blade 2 and lower oar clamp 1b.

[0069] Furthermore, the folding paddle 10 of the disclosed embodiment does not limit the number of blades 2, the number of first washers 3, and the number of related structures. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG14 , the folding paddle 10 includes three blades 2 and three corresponding first washers 3. The following content of this article mainly uses the structure of this embodiment as an example to introduce.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in FIG11 , the lower paddle clamp 1b is provided with a fourth through-hole 1g. A second screw (not shown) is passed through the fourth through-hole 1g and fixedly connected to the rotating portion of the driver 20, thereby enabling the driver 20 to drive the folding paddle 10 to rotate. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG10 , the upper paddle clamp 1a is provided with a fifth through-hole 1h. The fifth through-hole 1h is coaxial with the fourth through-hole 1g. When the folding paddle 10 is fully assembled, the second screw is passed through the fifth through-hole 1h, and then passed through the fourth through-hole 1g and fixedly connected to the rotating portion of the driver 20. This arrangement facilitates assembly or disassembly of the driver 20 and the folding paddle 10 without disassembling the folding paddle 10.

[0071] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 13-14, the blade 2 includes a connected blade portion 21 and a second washer 22, and the second washer 22 is rotatably connected to the paddle clamp 1. In detail, the second washer 22 is rotatably connected to the second mating shaft 12 (shown in Figure 11) of the upper paddle clamp 1a, and the second washer 22 abuts against the first washer 3.

[0072] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, when the speed of the propeller clamp 1 increases or decreases, the blade portion 21 rotates relative to the propeller clamp 1 under the action of inertia, and the second washer 22 between the blade portion 21 and the propeller clamp 1 (the second mating shaft 12 of the upper propeller clamp 1a) can play an anti-slip role, reducing the amount of rotation of the blade portion 21 relative to the propeller clamp 1, so that the blade portion 21 synchronizes with the speed of the propeller clamp 1 after a small rotation. This makes the dynamic balance state of the blade portion 21 more stable during flight, and the lift generated is more stable, thereby improving the flight stability of the drone. The materials of the blade portion 21 and the second washer 22 can be different. The blade portion 21 can be selected from a material with high structural strength and good toughness, while the second washer 22 can be selected from a material with good wear resistance and anti-slip properties.

[0073] Among them, when the second washer 22 has a certain elasticity, the second washer 22 can play a buffering role between the propeller clamp 1 and the blade part 21, reducing the impact of the vibration generated by the propeller clamp 1 during flight on the root of the blade part 21, thereby increasing the service life of the blade part 21.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 13 , the blade portion 21 is provided with a first through hole 211 . As shown in FIG. 14 , at least a portion of the second gasket 22 is disposed in the first through hole 211 . The second gasket 22 is detachably connected to the blade portion 21 .

[0075] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 and 14 , because the second washer 22 is rotatably connected to the paddle clamp 1 (the second washer 22 is rotatably connected to the second mating shaft 12 of the upper paddle clamp 1a) and abuts the first washer 3, the second washer 22 wears more than the blade portion 21 under the same usage cycle. Because the second washer 22 is detachably connected to the blade portion 21, the user can replace the second washer 22 without replacing the blade portion 21, that is, without having to replace the entire propeller 2, thus reducing maintenance effort. Furthermore, different types of second washers 22 can be replaced based on the age of the blade portion 21 to optimize the performance of the propeller 2.

[0076] In some embodiments, the blade portion 21 is provided with a first through hole 211, at least a portion of the second washer 22 is provided in the first through hole 211, the second washer 22 is integrally formed with the blade portion 21, and the connection structure between the blade portion 21 and the second washer 22 is more stable, so that the blade 2 is stable during flight.

[0077] The one-piece molding manufacturing process includes placing the second gasket 22 in a mold for molding the blade portion 21 , and injection molding the raw material of the blade portion 21 in the mold, thereby achieving one-piece molding.

[0078] The following content of this article mainly describes the blade 2 by taking the connection relationship between the second washer 22 and the blade portion 21 as a detachable connection as an example.

[0079] In other embodiments (not shown), the entire second gasket 22 may be located within the first through hole 211. The following description will mainly take the example of a portion of the second gasket 22 being located within the first through hole 211 and another portion of the second gasket 22 being located outside the first through hole 211.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 13 and 15, the projection shape of the second washer 22 along the axis perpendicular to the second washer 22 is an I-shape. The second washer 22 includes a first end 222, a sleeve 223, and a second end 224. The first end 222 and the second end 224 are structured as an annular sheet. The first end 222 is connected to the second end 224 through the sleeve 223 to form an I-shaped structure. The first end 222 can abut against the upper paddle clamp 1a, and the second end 224 can abut against the first washer 3. The sleeve 223 is inserted into the first through hole 211 of the blade portion 21, and the blade portion 21 can be clamped by the first end 222 and the second end 224. Under the above arrangement, the root of the blade portion 21 with a complex structure is not responsible for the sliding contact work, and the second washer 22, which is easy to replace, takes on the sliding contact work.

[0081] In terms of shape, size, and material properties, the first end 222 may be the same as or different from the second end 224 .

[0082] In other embodiments (not shown), the first end 222 may abut against the first washer 3, and the second end 224 may abut against the upper oar clamp 1a.

[0083] In other embodiments (not shown), the projection shape of the second washer 22 is T-shaped along the axis perpendicular to the second washer 22. Alternatively, in other embodiments (not shown), the second washer 22 is a hollow cylinder.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the material of the second gasket 22 can be an elastic rubber material. The second gasket 22 has the same function as the first gasket 3. When the rotation of the paddle clamp 1 changes, the rotation amount of the blade 2 is reduced, thereby reducing the degree of wear of at least one of the paddle 2 and the paddle clamp 1, so as to increase the service life of the folding paddle 10.

[0085] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , the folding paddle 10 further includes an elastic member 4 . As shown in FIG11 , the paddle clip 1 further includes a reinforcing rib 14 . The paddle clip 1 is provided with a recessed portion 1c (the lower paddle clip 1b is provided with a recessed portion 1c ), and the bottom wall of the recessed portion 1c is raised to form a first raised portion 13 . As shown in FIG14 and FIG15 , the elastic member 4 is mounted on the first raised portion 13 , allowing the elastic member 4 to abut against the paddle 2 . As shown in FIG11 , the reinforcing rib 14 is connected to the first raised portion 13 and to the inner wall of the recessed portion 1c .

[0086] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG11 , the blade clamp 1 is provided with a recessed portion 1c (the lower blade clamp 1b is also provided with a recessed portion 1c). This configuration provides a lightweight design that reduces the load on the drive element 20, thereby improving the drone's endurance. The first raised portion 13 of the blade clamp 1 (the first raised portion 13 of the lower blade clamp 1b) shown in FIG11 can be used to mount an elastic member 4, as shown in FIG14-15 . When the propeller blade 2 rotates to its limit position, the elastic member 4 abuts against the propeller blade 2, thereby limiting the rotational range of the propeller blade 2 relative to the blade clamp 1 and reducing the possibility of collision between one blade 2 and another. When the speed of the propeller clamp 1 varies significantly, the rotational range of the propeller blade 2 relative to the blade clamp 1 may be excessive due to inertia, resulting in a large momentum. The elastic member 4 acts as a buffer for the propeller blade 2, reducing the possibility of damage to the propeller blade 2 due to collision. The first protrusion 13 protrudes relative to the bottom wall of the recessed portion 1c. This arrangement fully utilizes the space within the blade clamp 1, making the blade clamp 1 more compact. Specifically, the blade clamp 1 has a smaller moment of inertia, allowing the driver 20 to quickly rotate or stop the blade clamp 1. The first protrusion 13 is connected to the inner wall of the recessed portion 1c via a reinforcing rib 14, which improves the structural strength of the first protrusion 13 and reduces the possibility of the first protrusion 13 being broken by the impact of the blade 2.

[0087] The rotation limit position of each blade 2 corresponds to an elastic member 4 installed on the first protrusion 13 , and the same blade 2 can abut against two elastic members 4 .

[0088] In addition, as shown in FIG. 11 , the first protrusion 13 is provided with a fourth countersunk hole 131 , which can also reduce the weight of the folding paddle 10 .

[0089] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG10 , the upper paddle clamp 1a is provided with a third countersunk hole 1f, which is used to accommodate at least a portion of the elastic member 4. The lower paddle clamp 1b includes a third protrusion 16 protruding from the inner wall of the recessed portion 1c. The third protrusion 16 includes a retaining hole 161 extending through the lower paddle clamp 1b. The end of the retaining hole 161 facing away from the upper paddle clamp 1a is configured to engage with the protrusion of the rotating portion of the driving member 20. The upper paddle clamp 1a includes a second protrusion 15, which engages with the end of the retaining hole 161 facing the upper paddle clamp 1a. The second protrusion 15 is provided with a fifth countersunk hole 151. The fifth countersunk hole 151 and the retaining hole 161 also reduce the weight of the folding paddle 10. The third protrusion 16 is also connected to the first protrusion 13 and the inner wall of the recessed portion 1c via a reinforcing rib 14 to enhance the structural strength of the third protrusion 16.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the driving member may be a motor, and the rotating shaft of the motor may be directly connected to the propeller clamp 1 , or the rotating shaft of the motor may be indirectly connected to the propeller clamp 1 via other transmission members.

[0091] A second aspect of the disclosed embodiments provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising an airframe (not shown), a driver 20, and the aforementioned folding propeller 10. The driver 20 is mounted on the airframe, and a propeller clip 1 of the folding propeller 10 is connected to the driver 20. The driver 20 can drive the folding propeller 10 to rotate. The UAV of the disclosed embodiments has the technical effects described above and will not be further elaborated herein.

[0092] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present disclosure shall be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A folding paddle, characterized in that: include: paddle clips; A paddle blade, rotatably connected to the paddle clamp; A first gasket, comprising an elastic portion and an additional portion connected to each other, wherein one end surface of the elastic portion abuts against the paddle clamp, and the other end surface of the elastic portion abuts against the paddle; Wherein, the elastic modulus of the additional portion is greater than the elastic modulus of the elastic portion.

2. The folding paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic portion is annular, and at least a portion of the additional portion is located inside the elastic portion.

3. The folding paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The additional portion is in the shape of a ring, an arc, a spiral, a solid structure, a wire structure, a mesh structure, or any combination thereof.

4. The folding paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the additional part includes metal or plastic.

5. The folding paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic modulus K of the first gasket satisfies 0.9 MPa≤K≤3 MPa.

6. The folding paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The blade comprises a blade portion and a second washer connected to each other, the second washer is rotatably connected to the blade clamp, and the second washer abuts against the first washer.

7. The folding paddle according to claim 6, characterized in that: The blade portion is provided with a first through hole, and at least a portion of the second gasket is provided in the first through hole; The second gasket is detachably connected to the blade portion or is integrally formed with the blade portion.

8. The folding paddle according to claim 6, characterized in that: Along the direction perpendicular to the axis of the second gasket, the projection of the second gasket is an I-shape or a T-shape; Alternatively, the second gasket has a structure of a hollow cylinder.

9. The folding paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The oar clamp comprises an upper oar clamp and a lower oar clamp; The upper paddle clamp comprises a second mating shaft, and the second mating shaft is provided with a first connecting hole; The lower paddle clamp comprises a first mating shaft, and the first mating shaft is provided with a sixth through hole; The upper paddle clamp is fixedly connected to the lower paddle clamp by passing a screw through the sixth through hole and then threadedly connected to the first connecting hole.

10. The folding paddle according to claim 9, characterized in that: The lower oar clamp further includes a first countersunk hole, the first countersunk hole accommodating at least a portion of the first washer, and a curved side wall of the first countersunk hole abuts against a curved side wall of the first washer.

11. The folding paddle according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper blade clamp further includes a second countersunk hole, which accommodates at least a portion of the blade, and a curved side wall of the second countersunk hole abuts against a curved side wall of a columnar structure in the blade.

12. The folding paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The folding paddle also includes an elastic member, The oar clamp also includes a reinforcing rib, and the oar clamp is provided with a recessed portion, the bottom wall of the recessed portion protrudes to form a first protruding portion, the elastic member is installed on the first protruding portion, the elastic member can abut against the blade, the reinforcing rib is connected to the first protruding portion, and the reinforcing rib is connected to the inner wall of the recessed portion.

13. The folding paddle according to claim 12, characterized in that: The upper paddle clamp of the paddle clamp is provided with a third countersunk hole, and the third countersunk hole is used to accommodate at least a part of the elastic member; The first raised portion includes a fourth countersunk hole; The lower oar clamp of the oar clamp includes a third protrusion protruding from the inner wall of the recessed portion, and the third protrusion includes a limiting hole penetrating the lower oar clamp. The upper oar clamp includes a second protrusion, and the second protrusion is fixedly matched with an end of the limiting hole facing the upper oar clamp.

14. The folding paddle according to claim 13, characterized in that: The third protrusion is connected to the first protrusion and to the inner wall of the recess through the reinforcing rib.

15. A drone, characterized in that: include: Body; A driving member, mounted on the machine body; The folding paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the paddle clamp of the folding paddle is connected to the driving member, and the driving member can drive the folding paddle to rotate.

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