A charge system having transceiver contact interface that allows high charge current passage in power transfer with contact

Abstract

The present invention relates to transceiver contact interfaces that allow high charge current passage from earth station to aircraft side in order to charge the batteries of aircrafts (manned / unmanned) like VTOL and drone, which has 4 rotors and which can land and leave the ground vertically, with high current without human intervention.

Description

[0001] A CHARGE SYSTEM HAVING TRANSCEIVER CONTACT INTERFACE THAT ALLOWS HIGH CHARGE CURRENT PASSAGE IN POWER TRANSFER WITH CONTACT

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a charge system having transceiver contact interface that allows high charge current passage from earth station to aircraft side in order to charge the batteries of aircrafts (manned / unmanned) like VTOL and drone, which has 4 rotors and which can land and leave the ground vertically, with high current without human intervention.

[0004] KNOWN STATE OF THE ART

[0005] The most important requirement (and at the same time, the biggest disadvantage when said requirement is not met) of contact-based charge systems is that the mechanical contact of two electrodes to each other is an obligation. There are some requirements during mechanical contact in order for the charge current to pass in firm and sufficient amount from the transmitter to the receiver. Among these requirements, there are the requirements such as there should be no foreign particle like dust, mud, etc. which may lead to increase of the resistance at the contact point during transmitter and receiver contact, and the contact force should be high.

[0006] In case the receiver is an unmanned aircraft (UAV), the contact force is delimited with the weight of the UAV, and the receiving pins are not directly placed to the point, where the UAV transfers its weight, due to various reasons, and therefore, there is much less contact force when compared with the contact force which is needed for high charge current. Besides, since the transmitter plates, that exist at the earth station, are mostly placed in a parallel manner to earth plane, foreign particles, which resist against current passage, accumulate on these transmitter plates by time. In order to minimize this, openable-closable doors are added to these earth stations. Despite this, foreign particles accumulate on these plates. When the main issue is high charge current passage, since the power loss increases by the square of the current, a minimum increase in contact resistance leads to high power losses and this decreases energy efficiency and leads to the risk of fusion of the transceiver surfaces to each other. Additionally, voltage reduction occurs on the contact resistance, and less voltage reduction occurs on the receiver terminals than the required voltage reduction. In case the electrical load is a battery, this leads to a reduction in charging quality. In the invention which is the subject of the application with no “US20080246215” that exists in the known state of the art, the terminals which will charge the battery on the unmanned aircraft are provided by means of surface plates of the platform, whereon the unmanned aircraft is placed, which are cut and which are insulated from each other. Insulation of these plates from each other is provided by means of separation formed along the plane where the plates are existing. The amount of this separation functions as an insulation between the plates, and the thickness of each separation apparently increases the short circuit power of the whole system. On the UAV, moreover, there is contact system which has ends that are insulated from each other and where electrical current flow is realized from the plates towards the battery by means of the contact of the related ends to the plates.

[0007] In the invention which is the subject of the application with no “W02009082181” that exists in the known state of the art, the depth dimension is used in the fixed module, and since the plates, which carry different electrical charges, diverge more from each other by means of usage of the third dimension, said plates are insulated from each other in a more effective manner. However, this depth is provided by concave and convex surfaces which follow each other along the wavy surface called as the cradle surface. Concave surfaces and convex surfaces are insulated from each other, however, they are connected to each other inside.

[0008] In the known state of the art, charge systems, designed for use in outer medium, can meet with weather conditions which may lead to breaking of contact. By means of these weather conditions, it is desired to mention primarily the weather temperatures changing between -20 and 50 centigrade degrees, and dense rain, snow and hail together with dust and sand storms. In such weather conditions, foreign materials may accumulate on the planar charge platforms (whose conductor parts are distributed along the surface) and in this case, the risk of unhealthy contact increases. Since such a surface is used in applications US20080246215 and W02009082181 , foreign material can accumulate. In this case, electrical transfer process with contact becomes inefficient or does not take place.

[0009] In order to provide protection from bad weather conditions, in the known state of the art, charge systems have to be placed to small and closed areas like hangar. These hangars have openable-closable doors, and when the doors of these hangars are opened, the particles and water carried by the bad weather conditions can be carried into the hangar. As a result, maintenance is also needed for the inner side of the hangar. Moreover, since the hangar doors are mechanical, they are prone to failure, and in case of failure, the drone will not be able to enter and realize charging process. The hangar can charge only one drone in most cases, and therefore, the total cost is very high. Therefore, an interface is needed which provides pointwise or linear contact of the drone to earth system and which prevents accumulation of dust in these regions of contact by providing the surface of the plates, where the drone contacts, to be recessed-protruded like saw teeth.

[0010] As a result, a new technology is needed in the related technical field because of the above mentioned disadvantages and because of the insufficiency of the present solutions about the subject.

[0011] BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The invention relates to a charge system having transceiver contact interface that allows high charge current passage from earth station to aircraft side in order to charge the batteries of aircrafts, which can land and leave the ground vertically, with high current without human intervention.

[0013] The most important object of the present invention is to prevent retention of dust by providing the surface of plates, where the drone contacts, to be recessed-protruded like saw teeth.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to prevent retention of dust in the regions which are contacted by the aircraft by realizing pointwise or linear contact to the earth system.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide controlling of the attraction forces generated by controlling the voltage applied to the coil terminals of electromagnets. By means of this, for instance, when the charge process in the aircraft application is finished, the separation of the aircraft from the earth system is facilitated.

[0016] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] In Figure 1 , the drawing which shows the recessed-protruded view of the metal strip in different forms is given.

[0018] In Figure 2, the drawing showing the view of the subject matter platform is given.

[0019] In Figure 3, the drawing showing the view of the subject matter platform is given.

[0020] In Figure 4, the drawing which shows the view, where the landing harness foot of the aircraft is positioned to the subject matter electromagnets in a different manner, is given. REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0021] 100. Platform

[0022] 110. Strip

[0023] 111. Recess

[0024] 112. Protrusion

[0025] 120. Electromagnet

[0026] 130. Landing harness foot

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The invention relates to a charge system having transceiver contact interface that allows high charge current passage from earth station to aircraft side in order to charge the batteries of aircrafts, which can land and leave the ground vertically, with high current without human intervention.

[0029] The aircraft lands on plates and provides charging of the battery of the aircraft from here. In order to prevent the dust that accumulates on the plates as a result of positioning of the plates in a parallel manner to the ground, a transceiver contact interface has been developed where the surface of the plates that the aircraft is contacting has a recessed (111) - protruded (112) structure like a saw tooth. Thus, the aircraft will contact the earth system (the plate) pointwise or linearly, and dust cannot accumulate at these regions of contact.

[0030] In the preferred application of the invention; steel sheets with thickness of 1 mm have been cut in guillotine in the form of strips (110) having width of 1 cm, and said strips (110) are bent with the help of a pliers in plate dimensions of 10*10 cm so as to have various patterns.

[0031] The strips (110) can be produced by being cut in different patterns. The strips (110) can be bent in a plate dimension and can form the charge station surface. In order to cancel the bending process of steel strips (110), the plate can be formed by being arranged side by side in the form of linear or convoluted blades without bending the steel strips (110). In order to prevent accumulation of dust on the plates, the surface of the plate which contacts the aircraft comprises metal strip (110) which has recessed (111) protruded (112) structure. There is at least one platform (100) obtained by bending metal strips (110) or by positioning metal strips (110) side by side in a parallel manner to each other and orthogonally on a conductive floor and whereon the electromagnet (120) provided on the aircraft will be positioned. The platform (100) is formed in zigzag, harmonic or spiral shapes by bending the metal strips (110). The platform (100) forms a grill form by positioning the steel strip (110) in a parallel manner to each other and in an orthogonal manner to the ground floor linearly without bending and not including recess (111) protrusion (112).

[0032] There is at least one battery provided on the platform (100) and which provides energizing of the platform (100) and the electromagnet (120) that contacts the platform (100). In the preferred application of the invention, the battery is a lithium polymer battery.

[0033] In Figure 1 , different drawings where steel strips are cut and produced in different patterns are shown. In Figure 2, different visuals where strips are bent and turned into platform form are given. In Figure 3, the view of the platform where strips are positioned orthogonal to the floor and parallel manner to each other is given.

[0034] On the aircraft, an electromagnet (120) is used as the contact interface. Electromagnets are parts which generate high attraction force when compared with the weights thereof. In the preferred application of the invention, an electromagnet (120) has been used which has dimensions of P20 / 15 (cylinder shape which has diameter of 20 mm and height of 15 mm) and which generates an attraction force of maximum 3 kg. Electromagnet is a part which can generate contact force up to 100 times of its own weight when the conditions are suitable. There is no obstacle for deploying electromagnet on the aircraft because of the relatively low weight thereof, and thanks to the attraction (contact) force it generates, it generates contact force which is more than the weight of the aircraft. Besides, the attraction forces which the electromagnets (120) generate can be controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the coil terminals of electromagnets (120). By means of this, for instance, in aircraft application, when the charge process ends, separation of the aircraft from the ground system is facilitated.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, while the electromagnets (120) can be positioned under the aircraft landing harness foot (130), they can also be positioned in a parallel manner next to the landing harness foot (130). An advantage of positioning of the electromagnet under the aircraft landing harness foot is that a portion of the weight of the aircraft is added to the contact force. However, when the drone lands onto a dirty or stony place, the surface of the electromagnet (120) shall be scratched and worn by time. In order to prevent this, the electromagnet (120) can be deployed in a parallel manner to the landing harness foot. The electromagnet (120) and most extreme point of the landing harness foot can be fixed to each other by means of a connector. Electromagnets (120) have body which has steel cores, and enamel coil winding positioned in the body and generating the magnetic field that will magnetize this core. This winding is electrically insulated from the body and is exiting outside the body in the form of two terminal ends. Voltage is applied to these terminal ends, and current passes through them, and magnetic flux is produced by means of this. The applied voltage is independent of polarity, namely, the current flow direction is unimportant. This voltage source can be plates, or it can be lipo that exists on the aircraft. The bodies have + and - polarities because of their contacts to the plates. One of the coil terminal ends of both electromagnets has been connected to the body of the own electromagnet thereof and thus, it has taken the polarity of the electromagnets. The other one of coil terminal ends is connected to the body of another electromagnet. Thus, the required voltage is applied to both electromagnet coils.

Claims

CLAIMS1. The present invention is a charge system having transceiver contact interface that allows high charge current passage from earth station to aircraft side in order to charge the batteries of aircrafts, which can land and leave the ground vertically, with high current without human intervention, characterized by comprising at least one battery which provides energizing of the electromagnet (120) provided on the platform (100) and which provides transmission of the voltage of the platform (100) and the voltage, which exists at the landing harness foot (130) which contacts the platform (100), to the aircraft through the metal strips (110); at least one metal strip (110), whose surface contacting the aircraft landing harness foot (130) has recessed (111) protruded (112) structure for preventing dust accumulation on plates; and at least one platform (100) obtained by bending metal strips (110) or by positioning metal strips (110) in a parallel manner to each other and in an orthogonal manner on a conductive floor side by side and whereon the electromagnet (120), provided on the aircraft landing harness foot (130), shall be positioned.

2. The charge system having transceiver contact interface according to claim 1 , wherein said charge system comprises platform (100) formed in zigzag, harmonic or spiral shapes by bending of the metal strips (110).

3. The charge system having transceiver contact interface according to claim 1 , wherein said charge system comprises platform (100) which forms a grill form by positioning the metal strip (110), which does not comprise recess (111 ) protrusion (112), in a parallel manner to each other and in an orthogonal manner to the ground floor linearly without bending.

4. The charge system having transceiver contact interface according to claim 1 , wherein said charge system comprises battery which is lithium polymer battery.

5. The charge system having transceiver contact interface according to claim 1 , wherein the metal strip (110) is made of steel.

6. The charge system having transceiver contact interface according to claim 1 , wherein said charge system comprises electromagnet (120) whose one coil terminal end is connected to the body of said electromagnet (120) and whose other coil terminal end is connected to the body of another electromagnet.

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