Folding arm assembly of drone and drone comprising same

Abstract

A folding arm assembly of a drone according to the present invention comprises: an arm mount coupled to a drone body; a folding arm which is rotatably coupled to the arm mount and is folded or unfolded with respect to the arm mount; and a folding means which fixes or releases a rotation coupling portion between the arm mount and the folding arm, and thus, has an advantage of rapidly folding or unfolding the folding arm.

Description

Folding arm assembly of a drone and a drone including the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding arm assembly for a drone and a drone including the same, and more particularly, to a folding arm assembly for a drone capable of folding or unfolding while the folding arm is connected to the drone body, and a drone including the same.

[0002] Meanwhile, this application was supported by the following national research and development project.

[0003] [National Research and Development Project Supporting This Invention]

[0004] [Project ID] 1415188845

[0005] [Assignment Number] PKK22012

[0006] Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

[0007] [Name of Project Management (Specialist) Agency] Korea Industrial Complex Corporation

[0008] [Research Project Name] Industrial Complex Competitiveness Enhancement Project

[0009] [Research Project Name] Development of Domestically Produced Core Components and Stations for Multipurpose Information Gathering Industrial Drones

[0010] [Contribution rate] 1 / 1

[0011] [Name of the project performing organization] Namyang Nexmo Co., Ltd.

[0012] [Research Period] October 1, 2022 - December 31, 2023

[0013]

[0014] In general, drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that are used in various fields such as video shooting, environmental monitoring, disaster relief, road surveillance, communication relay, remote sensing, security, military, pesticide spraying, leisure, and sports.

[0015] A drone that flies using the rotational power of a propeller (wing or blade) has a plurality of arms installed along the perimeter of the drone body, and a propeller installed at each end of the plurality of arms.

[0016] Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2473944 (December 6, 2022) (hereinafter referred to as “prior art”) discloses a “drone with improved airframe safety.”

[0017] The above-mentioned conventional technology has a boom that functions as the arm and a wing that functions as the propeller, and the drone can be used by connecting the boom with the wing installed to the main body through an arm lock nut, and after using the drone, the arm lock nut can be loosened to separate the boom from the main body.

[0018] However, the above-mentioned conventional technology has the problem that, because the boom is connected to or separated from the main body through the arm lock nut, the work time for connecting or separating the boom to or from the main body is long, and the thickness of the connecting portion must be formed thick in order to form screw threads in the connecting portion of the arm lock nut, making it difficult to reduce the weight.

[0019]

[0020] The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a folding arm assembly of a drone and a drone including the same, which can quickly fold or unfold an arm on which a propeller is installed and can be lightweight through a simple unfolding locking structure of the arm.

[0021] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0022]

[0023] To achieve the above object, a folding arm assembly for a drone according to the present invention comprises an arm mount, a folding arm, and a folding means. The arm mount is coupled to the drone body. The folding arm is rotatably coupled to the arm mount and folds or unfolds relative to the arm mount. The folding means secures or unlocks the rotational joints of the arm mount and the folding arm.

[0024] The above folding means may be composed of a cover and a stopper. The cover may be formed in a cylindrical shape. The cover may be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on either the arm mount or the folding arm. The cover may cover the rotary joint when the folding arm is unfolded, thereby fixing the folding arm to the arm mount in an unfolded state. The stopper may be inserted into a forward and backward hole formed in either one of the above, and may guide the forward and backward movement of the cover by moving along the forward and backward hole when the cover rotates.

[0025] The above-mentioned rotary joint may be composed of a first joint and a second joint. The first joint may be formed to protrude from one end of the shaft of the arm mount. The second joint may be formed to protrude from one end of the folding arm and may be rotatably coupled to the first joint. The cover may be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on either the shaft or the folding arm.

[0026] The stopper may be composed of a catch bar, an extension bar, and a moving bar. The extension bar may extend rearward from the catch bar in a manner perpendicular to the catch bar. The moving bar may be arranged perpendicular to the catch bar and the extension bar. The moving bar may be rotatably coupled to the extension bar in a forward-backward and reversible manner. The moving bar may be inserted into the forward-backward hole. When the moving bar is advanced in the forward-backward hole, an outer circumference of the catch bar may be radially inserted into a catch groove formed in the first coupling portion. When the moving bar is retracted in the forward-backward hole, an outer circumference of the catch bar may be radially removed from the catch groove.

[0027] The folding arm may be provided with a bulkhead. The bulkhead may be positioned between the hook bar and the moving bar. The extension bar may pass through the bulkhead.

[0028] A coil spring may be arranged between the above-mentioned hook bar and the bulkhead. The extension bar may pass through the coil spring.

[0029] The second coupling portion may be formed as a pair of second coupling portions spaced apart from each other in the radial direction. The first coupling portion may be formed as a single first coupling portion inserted between the pair of second coupling portions. The pair of first fastening members may rotatably couple the pair of second coupling portions to the single first coupling portion, respectively.

[0030] A pair of second fastening members can connect each end of the moving bar to the cover.

[0031] A first stopper protrusion may be formed on the outer surface of the folding arm, located behind the forward / reverse hole. An O-ring may be installed on the outer surface of the folding arm, which contacts the rear surface of the first stopper protrusion. A second stopper protrusion may be formed on the inner surface of the cover, the front surface of which contacts the O-ring when the cover moves forward.

[0032] The above folding arm may have a propeller drive motor installed at an end far from the drone body.

[0033] The central portion of the above forward-backward movement hole may be formed to be long in the forward and backward directions. The right portion of the above forward-backward movement hole may be extended long to the right from the front end of the above central portion. The left portion of the above forward-backward movement hole may be extended long to the left from the rear end of the above central portion.

[0034] A female connecting member may be installed at one end of the above folding arm. The second connecting member may be formed on the female connecting member.

[0035] To achieve the above object, a drone according to the present invention comprises a drone body, a folding arm, and a folding means. An arm mount is coupled to the drone body. The folding arm is rotatably coupled to the arm mount and folds or unfolds relative to the arm mount. The folding means fixes or unlocks the rotational joints of the arm mount and the folding arm.

[0036] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

[0037]

[0038] The folding arm assembly of the drone according to the present invention and the drone including the same can unlock the folding arm with a simple operation of rotating the cylindrical cover in the circumferential direction and sliding it in the axial direction, and then fold the folding arm with respect to the arm mount installed on the drone body, so that the folding arm can be quickly folded or unfolded, and the simple unfolding locking structure of the folding arm allows weight reduction.

[0039] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0040]

[0041] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a drone to which a folding arm assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a drawing showing a state in which the folding arm is unfolded.

[0043] Figure 3 is a drawing showing the cover of Figure 2 except for the cover, showing the folding arm in a folded state.

[0044] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Fig. 6 is a cut-away perspective view showing a longitudinal cross-section of a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047]

[0048] <Explanation of symbols>

[0049] 100: Drone body 200: Arm mount

[0050] 210: First joint 215: Hook groove

[0051] 250: Axle 300: Folding arm

[0052] 310: Second joint 320: Forward and backward holes

[0053] 330: Bulkhead 340: First stopper projection

[0054] 400: Propeller drive motor 500: Cover

[0055] 540: Second stopper protrusion 600: Stopper

[0056] 610: Hook bar 620: Extension bar

[0057] 630: Moving bar 650: Coil spring

[0058] 700: First fastening member 800: Second fastening member

[0059] 900: O-ring

[0060]

[0061] Hereinafter, a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention and a drone including the same will be described with reference to drawings.

[0062] Although the present invention may have various modifications and various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail.

[0063] However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific embodiment, and it should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives included within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are included. Similar reference numerals have been used to refer to similar components throughout the description of each drawing.

[0064] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or coupled to that other component, but that there may be other components intervening. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components intervening.

[0065] The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprise" or "have" indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0066] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail. Hereinafter, identical components in the drawings will be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions of identical components will be omitted.

[0067] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a drone to which a folding arm assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 1, a drone (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a drone body (100) and a folding arm (300).

[0069] A leg (110) supporting the drone body (100) may be installed on the lower side of the drone body (100). The leg (110) may be extended downwardly. The leg (110) may be formed as a pair of legs (110) that are arranged at an angle so that the distance between them increases as they go downward. The pair of legs (110) may be spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions.

[0070] A pair of legs (110) are respectively connected to the left and right sides of the drone body (100) and can support the drone body (100) by lifting it upward from the ground. That is, among the pair of legs (100), one of the legs (100) can have its upper end connected to the left side of the drone body (100) and be arranged to protrude downward from the drone body (100), and the other can have its upper end connected to the right side of the drone body (100) and be arranged to protrude downward from the drone body (100).

[0071] A leg support (115) that extends long and horizontally in the front-back direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the leg (110) may be installed at the lower portion of each pair of legs (110).

[0072] An antenna (120) for wireless communication with a drone control controller may be installed on the upper side of the drone body (100). The antenna (120) may extend upward. The antenna (120) may be formed as a pair of antennas (120) that are spaced apart from each other in the same direction as the separation direction of a pair of legs (110). The pair of antennas (120) may be spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0073] A pair of antennas (120) may be respectively coupled to the left and right sides of the upper side of the drone body (100) and may be arranged to protrude upward from the drone body (100). That is, among the pair of antennas (120), one may be coupled at its lower end to the left side of the upper side of the drone body (100) and may be arranged to protrude upward from the drone body (100), and the other may be coupled at its lower end to the right side of the upper side of the drone body (100) and may be arranged to protrude upward from the drone body (100).

[0074] A camera (130) for photographing the surroundings may be installed on the drone body (100). The camera (130) may be installed on the front surface of the drone body (100).

[0075] A monitor (140) that outputs images captured by a camera (130) may be installed on the drone body (100). The monitor (140) may be installed on the drone body (100) via a bracket. The monitor (140) may be positioned spaced apart from the front of the drone body (100) and downward.

[0076] The folding arm (300) may be installed to protrude horizontally on the circumferential surface of the drone body (100). The folding arm (300) may be formed of a plurality of folding arms (300) that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the drone body (100) on the circumferential surface of the drone body (100).

[0077] In this embodiment, the folding arm (300) is exemplified as being formed with four folding arms (300), but the number of folding arms (300) may be changed in various ways depending on the shape and size of the drone body (100), and may be formed with at least one folding arm (300). Each of the four folding arms (300) may be installed to protrude in a diagonal direction between the front-back direction and the left-right direction of the drone body (100).

[0078] A propeller (not shown) for flying a drone (1) may be installed at the end farther from the drone body (100) on the folding arm (300). That is, a propeller drive motor (400) may be installed at the end farther from the drone body (100) on the folding arm (300), and the propeller may be coupled to the rotational axis of the propeller drive motor (400). The propeller may fly the drone (1) by rotating by the driving force of the propeller drive motor (400).

[0079] Meanwhile, the folding arm assembly of the drone (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention can quickly fold the folding arm (300) when the drone (1) is not in use, thereby storing the drone (1), and can quickly unfold the folding arm (300) when the drone (1) is in use. The structure that allows the folding arm (300) to be quickly folded or unfolded will be described below.

[0080] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the folding arm is unfolded, and FIG. 3 is a drawing showing FIG. 2 excluding the cover, showing a state in which the folding arm is folded. Here, the folding arm (300) shown in FIG. 1 is omitted, and only the arm connecting member (350) coupled to one end of the folding arm (300) is shown. Therefore, the arm connecting member (350) may mean the folding arm (300).

[0081] Hereinafter, the unfolded state of the folding arm (300) may mean a state in which the folding arm (300) is aligned axially in a straight line with the shaft portion (250) of the arm mount (200). In addition, the folded state of the folding arm (300) may mean a state in which the folding arm (300) is not aligned axially in a straight line with the shaft portion (250) of the arm mount (200). Here, the shaft portion (250) and the folding arm (300) may have a circular cross-section.

[0082] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the folding arm (300) can be folded or unfolded and connected to the drone body (100) via the arm mount (200). That is, the arm mount (200) can be connected to the drone body (100), and one end of the folding arm (300) can be rotatably connected to the shaft (250) formed on the arm mount (200).

[0083] The folding arm (300) is rotatably coupled to the arm mount (200) and can be folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount (200). The folding means (500, 600) can fix or release the rotational joints (210, 310) of the arm mount (200) and the folding arm (300).

[0084] The folding means (500, 600) may include a cylindrical cover (500) and a stopper (600). The cover (500) may be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on either the arm mount (200) or the folding arm (300).

[0085] The cover (500) can wrap around the rotating joint (210, 310) when the folding arm (300) is in an unfolded state, thereby fixing the folding arm (300) to the arm mount (200) in an unfolded state. The rotating joint (210, 310) can include a first joint (210) and a second joint (310).

[0086] When one end of the folding arm (300) rotates relative to the shaft (250) of the arm mount (200), the folding arm (300) can be folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount (200).

[0087] That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when the folding arm (300) is unfolded relative to the arm mount (200), one end of the folding arm (300) can be rotated relative to the shaft (250) of the arm mount (200), so that the folding arm (300) can be folded relative to the arm mount (200), as shown in FIG. 3.

[0088] In addition, as referenced in FIG. 3, when the folding arm (300) is folded relative to the arm mount (200), one end of the folding arm (300) can be rotated relative to the shaft (250) of the arm mount (200) so that the folding arm (300) can be unfolded relative to the arm mount (200) as referenced in FIG. 2.

[0089] Here, one end of the folding arm (300) may mean the end of the folding arm (300) that is closer to the arm mount (200).

[0090] Hereinafter, one end of the folding arm (300) may mean the end of the folding arm (300) that is closer to the arm mount (200) among the two ends of the folding arm (300), and the other end of the folding arm (300) may mean the end of the folding arm (300) that is farther from the arm mount (200).

[0091] A female connecting member (350) may be installed at one end of the folding arm (300). The female connecting member (350) may be formed in a cylindrical shape into which one end of the folding arm (300) is inserted and installed. The female connecting member (350) may be a substantial part that is rotatably connected to the shaft portion (250) of the arm mount (200).

[0092] However, the arm connecting member (350) may not be installed at one end of the folding arm (300), and in this case, a structure identical to the arm connecting member (350) may be formed at one end of the folding arm (300) and may be a substantial part that is rotatably connected to the shaft portion (250) of the arm mount (200).

[0093] A motor installation member (450) may be installed at the other end of the folding arm (300). The motor installation member (450) may be formed in a roughly square cylinder shape into which the other end of the folding arm (300) is inserted and installed. A propeller driving motor (400) may be installed at the motor installation member (450).

[0094] A cylindrical cover (500) may be installed on the folding arm (300) to be able to move forward and backward. However, the cover (500) may also be installed on the shaft (250) to be able to move forward and backward. That is, the cover (500) may be installed on either the shaft (250) or the folding arm (300) to be able to move forward and backward.

[0095] The cover (500) may be axially slidable through at least one of the shaft portion (250) and the folding arm (300). When the folding arm (300) is in an unfolded state as shown in FIG. 2, the cover (500) may be moved forward to cover a portion of the shaft portion (250) and a portion of the folding arm (300), thereby fixing the folding arm (300) to the arm mount (200) in an unfolded state.

[0096] In addition, the cover (500) can be moved rearward by the user in an unfolded state as shown in FIG. 2 to unlock the folding arm (300) so that it can be rotatably locked with respect to the shaft (250), and in this unlocked state, the user can fold the folding arm (300) as shown in FIG. 3.

[0097] Hereinafter, a specific structure that allows the folding arm (300) to be folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount (200) will be described. Here, since an arm connecting member (350) may or may not be installed at one end of the folding arm (300), in the following description, it will be described that the arm connecting member (350) is installed at one end of the folding arm (300), and the arm connecting member (350) may mean the folding arm (300).

[0098] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cut-away perspective view showing a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a folding arm assembly of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, an axis portion (250) may be formed protrudingly at one end of the arm mount (200), and a first coupling portion (210) may be formed protrudingly at one end of the axis portion (250). The other end of the arm mount (200) may be coupled to the drone body (100). A plurality of coupling holes may be formed at the other end of the arm mount (200) for coupling to the drone body (100) through a coupling member such as a bolt.

[0100] A second connecting portion (310) may be formed protrudingly at one end of the female connecting member (350). One end of the folding arm (300) may be inserted into the other end of the female connecting member (350). A plurality of connecting holes (315) may be formed on the outer surface of the other end of the female connecting member (350) to be connected to one end of the folding arm (300) through a plurality of connecting members such as bolts.

[0101] The second coupling portion (310) is formed by a pair of second coupling portions (310) spaced apart from each other in the radial direction, and the first coupling portion (210) is formed by a single first coupling portion (210) inserted between the pair of second coupling portions (310).

[0102] The second coupling portion (310) can be rotatably coupled to the first coupling portion (210). A pair of second coupling portions (310) can be rotatably coupled to a single first coupling portion (210) via a pair of first fastening members (700), respectively. That is, a pair of first fastening members (700) can rotatably couple a pair of second coupling portions (310) to a single first coupling portion (210), respectively.

[0103] On both sides of the first coupling portion (210), first coupling holes (212) may be formed into which the ends of a pair of first fastening members (700) are respectively inserted and fixed, and in the pair of second coupling portions (310), second coupling holes (312) may be formed through which a pair of first fastening members (700) are respectively inserted and rotatably coupled to the pair of first fastening members (700).

[0104] The second coupling portion (310) is rotatably coupled to the first coupling portion (210) via a pair of first fastening members (700), so that the second coupling portion (310) can be rotatably coupled to the first coupling portion (210). The pair of first fastening members (700) can be fixed by having their ends inserted into the first coupling holes (212) after passing through the second coupling holes (312) from the outside of the second coupling holes (312).

[0105] The folding arm (300) can be folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount (200) when the second coupling portion (310) rotates relative to the first coupling portion (210).

[0106] The cover (500) may be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on the female connecting member (350). However, the cover (500) may also be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on the shaft portion (250). That is, the cover (500) may be installed to be axially movable forward and backward on either the shaft portion (250) or the female connecting member (350).

[0107] The cover (500) can wrap the first coupling portion (210) and the second coupling portion (310) when the folding arm (300) is in an unfolded state, thereby fixing the folding arm (300) to the arm mount (200) in an unfolded state.

[0108] A forward / backward moving hole (320) may be formed in the female connecting member (350). However, the forward / backward moving hole (320) may also be formed in the shaft portion (250). That is, the forward / backward moving hole (320) may be formed in the shaft portion (250) and the female connecting member (350) where the cover (500) is installed. The forward / backward moving holes (320) may be formed on opposite sides of the outer circumference of the female connecting member (350).

[0109] A stopper (600) can be inserted into the forward / reverse hole (320). The stopper (600) can be combined with the cover (500). The stopper (600) can guide the forward / reverse movement of the cover (500) by moving along the forward / reverse hole (320) when the cover (500) rotates.

[0110] The forward / backward hole (320) may be formed so that the central portion is long from front to back, the right portion may be extended long from the front end of the central portion to the right, and the left portion may be extended long from the rear end of the central portion to the left.

[0111] The stopper (600) may include a catch bar (610), an extension bar (620), and a moving bar (630).

[0112] The hook bar (610) and the extension bar (620) may be formed integrally. The hook bar (610) and the extension bar (620) may be arranged orthogonally so that the overall shape may be formed in a T shape. That is, the hook bar (610) may be formed long from side to side, and the extension bar (620) may be formed long from front to back so as to extend rearward from the hook bar (610) orthogonally to the hook bar (610).

[0113] The moving bar (630) may be arranged orthogonally to the hook bar (610) and the extension bar (620). That is, the moving bar (630) may be formed to be elongated vertically. The moving bar (630) may be rotatably and forwardly and backwardly coupled to the extension bar (620). A through hole through which the extension bar (620) passes may be formed at the longitudinal center of the moving bar (630).

[0114] When the extension bar (620) penetrates the through hole formed in the longitudinal center of the moving bar (630), the moving bar (630) can rotate in the circumferential direction of the extension bar (620) with respect to the extension bar (620) and can move forward and backward in the longitudinal direction of the extension bar (620). A protrusion can be formed on the outer surface of the end of the extension bar (620) to prevent the moving bar (630) from coming off.

[0115] The moving bar (630) may be a substantial part inserted into the forward / backward hole (320) of the stopper (600). That is, both ends of the moving bar (630) may be inserted into the forward / backward hole (320) and moved along the forward / backward hole (320) when the cover (500) rotates.

[0116] In order to secure the folding arm (300) in an unfolded state by covering the first coupling portion (210) and the second coupling portion (310) with the cover (500), the user can rotate the cover (500) to the right so that both ends of the moving bar (630) rotate from the front end of the central portion of the forward / backward hole (320) to the right end of the forward / backward hole (320).

[0117] In this state, in order to prevent the cover (500) from covering the first coupling portion (210) and the second coupling portion (310), the user can rotate the cover (500) to the left to position the moving bar (630) at the front end of the central portion of the forward / backward hole (320), and then move the cover (500) backward to move the moving bar (630) to the rear end of the central portion of the forward / backward hole (320).

[0118] In this state, the user can rotate the cover (500) to the left to move the moving bar (630) to the left side of the forward / reverse hole (320), and in this process, the outer surface of the catch bar (610) can come out rearward from the catch groove (215) described later.

[0119] In this state, the user can fold the folding arm (300) by rotating it so that it is not in a straight line with respect to the shaft (250).

[0120] A catch groove (215) may be formed in the first coupling portion (210). The catch groove (215) may be formed to be long in the left and right directions. When the moving bar (630) is advanced in the forward / reverse hole (320), the outer circumference of the catch bar (610) may be radially inserted into the catch groove (215). The outer circumference of the catch bar (610) may be radially inserted into the catch groove (215), so that when the cover (500) is in a state of wrapping the first coupling portion (210) and the second coupling portion (310), deformation or damage of the cover (500) can be prevented by an external force applied to the cover (500) through the folding arm (300).

[0121] When the moving bar (630) is moved backwards from the forward / reverse hole (320), the outer surface of the catch bar (610) can radially come out of the catch groove (215). In this state, the user can fold the folding arm (300) by rotating it so that it is not in a straight line with respect to the shaft (250).

[0122] A partition wall (330) may be formed inside the female connecting member (350). The partition wall (330) may partition the internal space of the female connecting member (350) into front and rear sections. The partition wall (330) may be placed between the hanging bar (610) and the moving bar (630).

[0123] The hanging bar (610) may be positioned forwardly away from the bulkhead (330), and the moving bar (630) may be positioned rearward of the bulkhead (330). The extension bar (620) may penetrate the bulkhead (330) forwardly and backwardly. A through hole may be formed in the bulkhead (330) through which the extension bar (620) passes forwardly and backwardly.

[0124] A coil spring (650) may be placed between the catch bar (610) and the bulkhead (330). The extension bar (620) may pass through the coil spring (650) forward and backward. When the folding arm (300) is in a straight line with the shaft (250), the catch bar (610) may be moved forward by the elastic force of the coil spring (650) so that the outer circumference may be inserted into the catch groove (215).

[0125] Both ends of the moving bar (630) can be connected to the cover (500) via a pair of second fastening members (800). That is, the pair of second fastening members (800) can each connect both ends of the moving bar (630) to the cover (500).

[0126] A third coupling hole (510) may be formed on the outer surface of the cover (500) through which a pair of second fastening members (800) pass, respectively, and a fourth coupling hole (not indicated in the drawing) may be formed on both ends of the moving bar (630) into which the ends of the pair of second fastening members (800) are respectively inserted and fixed. The pair of second fastening members (800) may pass through the third coupling hole (510) from the outer side of the third coupling hole (510) and then their ends may be respectively inserted and fixed into the fourth coupling hole.

[0127] A first stopper protrusion (340) may be formed on the outer surface of the female connecting member (350). The first stopper protrusion (340) may be formed behind the forward / backward hole (320). The first stopper protrusion (340) may be formed continuously in the circumferential direction of the female connecting member (350) to form a ring shape.

[0128] An O-ring (900) may be installed on the outer surface of the female connecting member (350). The O-ring (900) may be in contact with the rear surface of the first stopper protrusion (340). When the cover (500) moves forward, the first stopper protrusion (340) may function as a stopper to prevent the O-ring (900) from moving forward.

[0129] A second stopper protrusion (540) may be formed on the inner surface of the cover (500). The second stopper protrusion (540) may be formed on the inner surface of the rear portion of the cover (500). The outer surface of the rear end of the cover (500) may be formed to have an outer diameter that gradually decreases toward the rear, and the second stopper protrusion (540) may be formed on the inner surface of the front portion of the portion where the outer diameter gradually decreases.

[0130] The second stopper protrusion (540) may be formed continuously in the circumferential direction of the cover (500) and may be formed in a ring shape. When the cover (500) moves forward, the front surface of the second stopper protrusion (540) may contact the O-ring (900) to function as a stopper that prevents the cover (500) from moving forward.

[0131] The O-ring (900) can prevent contact noise by preventing the second stopper projection (540) from contacting the first stopper projection (340) when the cover (500) moves forward.

[0132] The folding and unfolding operations of the folding arm assembly of the drone according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are described as follows.

[0133] First, as shown in Fig. 2, the operation of folding the folding arm (300) in an unfolded state as shown in Fig. 3 will be described as follows.

[0134] As shown in Fig. 2, when the folding arm (300) is unfolded, the cover (500) is moved forward, and both ends of the moving bar (630) of the stopper (600) are inserted into the right side of the forward / backward hole (320) of the arm connecting member (350), and the outer circumferential surface of the catch bar (610) is inserted into the catch groove (215) formed in the first connecting portion (210) of the arm mount (200). This state is a state in which the folding arm (300) is locked in the unfolded state so that the second connecting portion (310) of the folding arm (300) does not rotate with respect to the first connecting portion (210) of the arm mount (200).

[0135] In this locked state of the folding arm (300), when the user wishes to fold the folding arm (300) as shown in FIG. 3, the cover (500) is rotated to the left to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the front of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320), and then the cover (500) is moved rearward to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the rear of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320). When the cover (500) is moved rearward to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the rear of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320), the catch bar (610) moves rearward along the moving bar (630) and comes out of the catch groove (215).

[0136] Afterwards, the user can rotate the cover (500) to the left to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the left side of the forward / reverse hole (320) to fix the cover (500), and then fold the folding arm (300).

[0137] Secondly, as shown in FIG. 3, the operation of unfolding the folding arm (300) as shown in FIG. 2 while the folding arm (300) is folded is described as follows.

[0138] As shown in FIG. 3, when the user wishes to unfold the folding arm (300) as shown in FIG. 2 while the folding arm (300) is folded, the user aligns the folding arm (300) so that it is axially straight with the shaft portion (250) of the arm mount (200).

[0139] In this way, when the user aligns the folding arm (300) in a straight line with the shaft (250) in the axial direction, the cover (500) is rotated to the right to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the rear end of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320), and then the cover (500) is moved forward to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the front end of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320). When the cover (500) is moved forward to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the front end of the central portion of the forward-backward hole (320), the catch bar (610) is moved forward by the elastic force of the coil spring (650) and inserted into the catch groove (215).

[0140] Afterwards, the user rotates the cover (500) to the right to move both ends of the moving bar (630) to the right side of the forward / reverse hole (320) to fix the cover (500) and lock the folding arm (300) in the unfolded state.

[0141]

[0142] As described above, the folding arm assembly of the drone (1) according to the embodiment of the present invention and the drone (1) including the same can unlock the folding arm (300) by a simple operation of rotating the cylindrical cover (500) in the circumferential direction and sliding it in the axial direction, and then fold the folding arm (300) with respect to the arm mount (200) installed on the drone body (100), so that the folding arm (300) can be quickly folded or unfolded, and weight reduction is possible through the simple unfolding locking structure of the folding arm (300).

[0143]

[0144] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical concept or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims that follow rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

[0145]

[0146] The present invention provides a folding arm assembly for a drone, which can quickly fold or unfold an arm on which a propeller is installed, and which can be lightweight through a simple unfolding locking structure of the arm, and a drone including the same.

Claims

1. Arm mount that is attached to the drone body; A folding arm rotatably coupled to the arm mount and folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount; A folding arm assembly of a drone, comprising a folding means for fixing or releasing the rotational joint of the arm mount and the folding arm.

2. In claim 1, The above folding means, A cylindrical cover that is installed to be axially movable forward and backward on one of the arm mount and the folding arm, and that wraps around the rotating joint when the folding arm is in an unfolded state to fix the folding arm to the arm mount in an unfolded state; A folding arm assembly of a drone, comprising a stopper inserted into a forward / backward hole formed in any one of the above, and guiding the forward / backward movement of the cover by moving along the forward / backward hole when the cover rotates.

3. In claim 2, The above rotating joint is, A first connecting portion protrudingly formed on one end of the shaft of the above-mentioned arm mount, A second connecting portion is formed protrudingly on one end of the folding arm and is rotatably connected to the first connecting portion, The above cover is a folding arm assembly of a drone that is installed to be able to move forward and backward in the axial direction on either the shaft or the folding arm.

4. In claim 3, The above stopper, Hanging bar, An extension bar extending rearward from the above-mentioned hanging bar perpendicular to the above-mentioned hanging bar, A moving bar is disposed perpendicular to the above-mentioned hook bar and the above-mentioned extension bar, is rotatably coupled to the above-mentioned extension bar and is inserted into the above-mentioned forward-backward hole, When the above moving bar is advanced in the forward / reverse hole, the outer surface of the catch bar is inserted radially into the catch groove formed in the first connecting portion, A folding arm assembly of a drone in which the outer surface of the engaging bar radially comes out of the engaging groove when the moving bar is moved backwards in the forward / reverse hole.

5. In claim 4, A folding arm assembly of a drone, wherein a bulkhead is formed between the hanging bar and the moving bar and through which the extension bar penetrates.

6. In claim 5, A folding arm assembly of a drone further comprising a coil spring disposed between the above-described hook bar and the bulkhead, the coil spring having the extension bar passing through it.

7. In claim 4, The above second connecting portion is formed by a pair of second connecting portions spaced apart from each other in the radial direction, The first coupling portion is formed as a single first coupling portion inserted between the pair of second coupling portions, A folding arm assembly of a drone further comprising a pair of first fastening members each rotatably connecting the pair of second coupling members to the single first coupling member.

8. In claim 4, A folding arm assembly of a drone further comprising a pair of second fastening members each connecting both ends of the moving bar to the cover.

9. In claim 2, On the outer surface of the above folding arm, a first stopper projection is formed behind the forward / reverse hole, and an O-ring that comes into contact with the rear surface of the first stopper projection is installed. A folding arm assembly of a drone having a second stopper protrusion formed on the inner surface of the cover so that the front surface contacts the O-ring when the cover moves forward.

10. In claim 1, A folding arm assembly of a drone in which a propeller driving motor is installed at the end farthest from the drone body.

11. In claim 2, The above forward and backward hole is a folding arm assembly of a drone in which the central portion is formed long from front to back, the right portion is extended long to the right from the front end of the central portion, and the left portion is extended long to the left from the rear end of the central portion.

12. In claim 3, A folding arm assembly of a drone further comprising an arm connecting member installed at one end of the folding arm and having the second connecting portion formed thereon.

13. Drone body with arm mount attached; A folding arm rotatably coupled to the arm mount and folded or unfolded relative to the arm mount; A drone comprising a folding means for fixing or releasing the rotational joint of the arm mount and the folding arm.

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