Flying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a flying device that can ensure safety even when a rotor stops during flight.　A flying device 10 comprises: a sub-rotor 13, which is a rotor; a motor 14 which rotates the sub-rotor 13; a drive shaft 15; and a rotation control unit 16 which controls rotation of the motor 14. The sub-rotor 13 is configured to generate an aerodynamic effect by rotating. The motor 14 has a first motor 141 and a second motor 142 which is disposed in a stacked manner with respect to the first motor 141. The drive shaft 15 is configured to drivably connect the first motor 141, the second motor 142, and the rotor to each other. The rotation control unit 16 has a first rotation control unit 161 which controls rotation of the first motor 141 and a second rotation control unit 162.

Description

flight equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a flying device, and more particularly to a flying device having rotors arranged in a stacked configuration.

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known unmanned flying devices capable of flying in the air. Such flying devices are capable of flying in the air by using the thrust of a rotor that rotates around a vertical axis.

[0003] Possible fields of application for such flying devices include, for example, transportation, surveying, and photography. When a flying device is used in such fields, surveying equipment and photography equipment are attached to the flying device. By applying the flying device to such fields, it is possible to fly the flying device in areas where humans cannot enter, and transport, photograph, and survey such areas. Inventions related to such flying devices are described, for example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

[0004] In a typical flying device, the rotor rotates using power supplied from a storage battery installed in the flying device. However, because the amount of energy supplied by the storage battery is not always sufficient, flying devices equipped with engines have also emerged to achieve continuous flight over long periods of time. In such flying devices, the driving force of the engine rotates a generator, and the rotor is driven by the power generated by the generator. A flying device with such a configuration is also called a series-type drone because the engine and generator are connected in series along the path through which energy is supplied from the power source to the rotor. By using such a flying device to perform photography and surveying, it is possible to photograph and survey a wide area. An example of a flying device equipped with an engine is described in Patent Document 3.

[0005] In consideration of these technical circumstances, the flying device described in Patent Document 4 was developed. The flying device described in Patent Document 4 is a so-called hybrid drone, and has a main rotor rotated by an engine and a sub-rotor rotated by a motor. The main rotor generates thrust to keep the flying device afloat in the air by rotating. The sub-rotor controls the position and attitude of the flying device in the air by rotating.

[0006] JP 2012-51545 A JP 2014-240242 A JP 2011-251678 A JP 2021-020674 A

[0007] However, the inventions described in the above-mentioned patent documents leave room for improvement in terms of safety during flight of the flying device.

[0008] The above-mentioned flying device can generate thrust to float the flying device by rotating the rotor around a vertically extending rotation axis, and can also control the position and attitude of the flying device in the air.

[0009] However, during flight, some rotors may fail and stop, which may impair the stability of the flight device during flight and may make it difficult to continue flying the flight device.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flying device that can ensure safety even if the rotor stops during flight.

[0011] The flying device of the present invention comprises a rotor, a motor that rotates the rotor, a drive shaft, and a rotation control unit that controls the rotation of the motor, wherein the rotor is configured to generate an aerodynamic effect when rotated, the motor having a first motor and a second motor stacked on top of the first motor, the drive shaft is configured to drivingly connect the first motor, the second motor, and the rotor to each other, and the rotation control unit having a first rotation control unit that controls the rotation of the first motor and a second rotation control unit that controls the rotation of the second motor.

[0012] The flying device of the present invention is further characterized in that it comprises a main body, and the rotor, the first motor, the second motor and the drive shaft are disposed at four corners of the main body, respectively.

[0013] The flying device of the present invention further comprises a main body, an engine, a main rotor, and a sub-rotor which is the rotor, wherein the engine rotates the main rotor, the main rotor is configured to generate thrust that causes the main body to float, and the sub-rotor is configured to adjust the position and attitude of the main body in the air.

[0014] In addition, the flight device of the present invention is characterized in that the number of the main rotors is smaller than the number of the motors.

[0015] In the flight device of the present invention, the rotor diameter of the main rotor is larger than the rotor diameter of the motor.

[0016] In the flight device of the present invention, the center of rotation of the main rotor is located inside the center of rotation of the motor.

[0017] and the drive shaft comprises an upper stage drive shaft and a lower stage drive shaft, the upper stage drive shaft being configured to drivingly connect the upper stage first motor, the upper stage second motor, and the upper stage sub-rotor to one another, and the lower stage drive shaft being configured to drivingly connect the lower stage first motor, the lower stage second motor, and the lower stage sub-rotor to one another.

[0018] The flight device of the present invention includes a rotor, a motor for rotating the rotor, a drive shaft, and a rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the motor. The rotor is configured to generate an aerodynamic effect when rotated. The motor includes a first motor and a second motor stacked on the first motor. The drive shaft is configured to drively connect the first motor, the second motor, and the rotor to each other. The rotation control unit includes a first rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the first motor and a second rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the second motor. According to the flight device of the present invention, the first rotation control unit controls the rotation of the first motor, and the second rotation control unit controls the rotation of the second motor, thereby ensuring redundancy in the control system. Therefore, even if either the first motor or the second motor fails during flight, the flight device can continue flying using the other of the first motor and the second motor.

[0019] The flight device of the present invention further includes a main body, and the rotor, the first motor, the second motor, and the drive shaft are disposed at four corners of the main body. With the flight device of the present invention, the rotation of the rotor generates a stable aerodynamic effect.

[0020] The flight device of the present invention further comprises a main body, an engine, a main rotor, and a sub-rotor, the engine rotating the main rotor configured to generate thrust that lifts the main body, and the sub-rotor configured to adjust the position and attitude of the main body in the air. The flight device of the present invention is characterized in that the rotor is a sub-rotor, ensuring redundancy of the sub-rotor, which is the attitude control means of the main body.

[0021] In addition, the flight device of the present invention is characterized in that the number of main rotors is smaller than the number of sub-rotors. With this flight device, the number of main rotors is relatively small, which allows the mechanism for transmitting engine driving force to the main rotors to be compact, simplifying the configuration of the flight device and reducing its weight.

[0022] In addition, in the flight device of the present invention, the rotor diameter of the main rotor is larger than that of the sub-rotor. According to the flight device of the present invention, the rotor diameter of the main rotor is relatively large, so that the large main rotor can be rotated by the driving force of the engine, and a large lift can be stably generated.

[0023] In addition, in the flight device of the present invention, the center of rotation of the main rotor is located inside the center of rotation of the sub-rotor. By locating the center of rotation of the main rotor inside, the mechanism that transmits the engine driving force to the main rotor can be made compact, which simplifies the configuration of the flight device and reduces its weight.

[0024] and the drive shaft comprises an upper stage drive shaft and a lower stage drive shaft, the upper stage drive shaft being configured to drivingly connect the upper stage first motor, the upper stage second motor, and the upper stage sub-rotor to one another, and the lower stage drive shaft being configured to drivingly connect the lower stage first motor, the lower stage second motor, and the lower stage sub-rotor to one another. According to the flight device of the present invention, the rotor is composed of an upper rotor and a lower rotor, and redundancy is ensured in the control systems of the upper rotor and the lower rotor, thereby further improving safety during flight.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view showing a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an engine mounted on a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an engine mounted on a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a rotor, motor, etc. of a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a rotor, motor, etc. of a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a rotor, motor, etc. of a flying device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] A flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front-rear direction refers to the left and right when viewing the flying device 10 from the front. In the following description, identical components will generally be given the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0027] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the flight device 10. Fig. 2 is a top view of the flight device 10. Fig. 3 is a side view of the flight device 10.

[0028] The flight device 10 mainly comprises a sub-rotor 13 that rotates around a vertical axis, a motor 14 that rotates the rotor, a drive shaft 15, and a rotation control unit 16 that controls the rotation of the motor 14. The rotation control unit 16 is shown in FIG. 8 and other figures.

[0029] The flight device 10 is a device also known as a drone. The flight device 10 may be, for example, an electric drone, a series hybrid drone, or a parallel hybrid drone. An electric drone is a drone that rotates a rotor using a motor 14 (described below) powered by a battery. A series hybrid drone is a drone that uses an engine 30 (described below) to drive a generator 51 (described below), which generates power to rotate the motor 14, which in turn rotates the rotor, and the rotor rotation generates lift to keep the aircraft afloat. A parallel hybrid drone is a drone that uses the engine 30 to mechanically rotate a main rotor 12 (described below), which generates lift to keep the aircraft afloat. The flight device 10 of this embodiment is a parallel hybrid drone, but an electric drone or a series hybrid drone may also be used as the flight device 10.

[0030] The main body 11 is a body that supports each component of the flight device 10 and is made of synthetic resin, metal, or a composite of these. Here, the main body 11 is made up of multiple frame-like members molded into a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. Inside the main body 11, the engine 30, various electrical components, etc., which will be described later, are arranged.

[0031] A main arm 17 and a sub-arm 18 extend from the main body 11 toward the periphery.

[0032] The main arm 17 is an arm to which the main rotor 12, which will be described later, is attached. The main arm 17 has a first main arm 17A extending leftward from the main body 11 and a second main arm 17B extending rightward from the main body 11. The first main rotor 12A is rotatably attached to the left end of the first main arm 17A. The second main rotor 12B is rotatably attached to the right end of the second main arm 17B.

[0033] The sub-arm 18 is an arm to which the sub-rotor 13, which will be described later, is attached. The sub-arm 18 has sub-arms 18A to 18D. The sub-arm 18A is an arm that extends from the main body 11 toward the front left. The sub-arm 18B is an arm that extends from the main body 11 toward the front right. The sub-arm 18C is an arm that extends from the main body 11 toward the rear left. The sub-arm 18D is an arm that extends from the main body 11 toward the rear right.

[0034] 1 and 2, the main rotor 12 is configured to generate a thrust that levitates the main body 11. The main rotor 12 has a first main rotor 12A and a second main rotor 12B.

[0035] The first main rotor 12A is disposed on the left side of the main body 11. The first main rotor 12A is drivingly connected to the crankshaft of the engine 30 by a first transmission shaft 20A.

[0036] The second main rotor 12B is disposed on the right side of the main body 11. The second main rotor 12B is drivingly connected to the engine 30 by a second transmission shaft 20B.

[0037] The first main rotor 12A and the second main rotor 12B rotate in opposite directions at the same rotational speed, and each of the first main rotor 12A and the second main rotor 12B has four flying wings arranged at equal angular intervals.

[0038] The engine 30 generates power to rotate the first main rotor 12A and the second main rotor 12B. The engine 30 is built into the main body 11. As will be described later, the engine 30 is a so-called opposed engine, and therefore vibrations generated by the engine 30 are small, allowing the flight device 10 to fly stably. The configuration of the engine 30 will be described later with reference to Figure 4, etc.

[0039] 1 and 2, the sub-rotor 13 is configured to generate an aerodynamic effect when it rotates. In this embodiment, the sub-rotor 13 is configured to adjust the position and attitude of the flight device 10 in the air. Specifically, the sub-rotor 13 has a first sub-rotor 13A to a fourth sub-rotor 13D. Each of the first sub-rotor 13A to the fourth sub-rotor 13D is composed of two rotors arranged opposite each other. Furthermore, each of the first sub-rotor 13A to the fourth sub-rotor 13D has rotors arranged in a stacked configuration. The configuration of such a stacked configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 6, etc.

[0040] The first sub-rotor 13A is located on the front left side of the main body 11, connected to the main body 11 via a sub-arm 18A, and rotated by a motor 14A. The second sub-rotor 13B is located on the front right side of the main body 11, connected to the main body 11 via a sub-arm 18B, and rotated by a motor 14B. The third sub-rotor 13C is located on the rear left side of the main body 11, connected to the main body 11 via a sub-arm 18C, and rotated by a motor 14C. The fourth sub-rotor 13D is located on the rear right side of the main body 11, connected to the main body 11 via a sub-arm 18D, and rotated by a motor 14D.

[0041] 1 and 2, the motor 14 is configured to rotate the sub-rotor 13. The motor 14 includes motors 14A to 14D. Motor 14A is attached to the outer end of sub-arm 18A and configured to rotate the first sub-rotor 13A. Motor 14B is attached to the outer end of sub-arm 18B and configured to rotate the second sub-rotor 13B. Motor 14C is attached to the outer end of sub-arm 18C and configured to rotate the third sub-rotor 13C. Motor 14D is attached to the outer end of sub-arm 18D and configured to rotate the fourth sub-rotor 13D. The specific configuration of motors 14A and the like will be described later with reference to FIG. 6 and the like.

[0042] Here, the number of main rotors 12 is smaller than the number of motors 14. Specifically, the main rotors 12 have a first main rotor 12A and a second main rotor 12B. Meanwhile, the flight device 10 has a first sub-rotor 13A, a second sub-rotor 13B, a third sub-rotor 13C, and a fourth sub-rotor 13D. In other words, the number of main rotors 12 is two and the number of sub-rotors 13 is four. With this configuration, the number of transmission shafts 20 that transmit power from the engine 30 to the main rotors 12 can be reduced, thereby making the drive system more compact and lightweight.

[0043] 2, the rotor diameter of the main rotor 12 is larger than the rotor diameter of the sub-rotor 13. Specifically, the rotor diameter L11 of the second main rotor 12B is larger than the rotor diameter L10 of the third sub-rotor 13C. In this way, a large lift force can be generated by the rotation of the main rotor 12, allowing the flight device 10 to stably float in the air.

[0044] Furthermore, the center of rotation of the main rotor 12 is located more inward than the center of rotation of the motor 14. That is, the center of rotation of the first main rotor 12A is located more inward than the center of rotation of the fourth sub-rotor 13D, or in other words, it is closer to the center of the main body 11 indicated by the black circle. Specifically, the distance L13 between the center of rotation of the first main rotor 12A and the center of the main body 11 is shorter than the distance L14 between the center of rotation of the third sub-rotor 13C and the center of the main body 11. With this configuration, the transmission shaft 20 that transmits power from the engine 30 to the main rotor 12 can be shortened, thereby making the drive system more compact and lightweight.

[0045] 1 to 3, power conversion unit 52 is an electrical device including a converter circuit that converts AC power generated by generator 51 (described later) into DC power. Power conversion unit 52 includes a first generator 511 and a second generator 512. Referring to Fig. 2, first power conversion unit 521 is disposed on the front right side of engine 30, and second power conversion unit 522 is disposed on the rear left side of engine 30.

[0046] 1 and 2, the rotation control unit 16 is an electronic device that controls the rotation of the sub-rotor 13. As will be described later, the rotation control unit 16 includes an inverter circuit that converts DC power into AC power of a predetermined frequency.

[0047] The rotation control unit 16 has rotation control units 16A to 16D. The rotation control unit 16A is installed in the middle of the sub-arm 18A. The rotation control unit 16B is installed in the middle of the sub-arm 18B. The rotation control unit 16C is installed in the middle of the sub-arm 18C. The rotation control unit 16D is installed in the middle of the sub-arm 18D.

[0048] 3, a support portion 19 is connected to the lower portion of the main body portion 11. The support portion 19 is a portion that supports the main body portion 11 by contacting the ground when the flight device 10 is in a landing state. The support portion 19 is sometimes called a skid.

[0049] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the engine 30 mounted on the flight device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0050] The engine 30 is a device that functions as a driving source for the flight device 10. The engine 30 mechanically rotates the main rotor 12 and generates electricity to rotate the sub-rotor 13. The engine 30 has an engine block 31, within which various components are arranged. The engine block 31 is made of cast aluminum or the like and is formed by fastening together multiple block sections (not shown). A first generator 511 and a second generator 512 are attached to the engine 30. The first generator 511 and the second generator 512 generate electricity by being rotated by a crankshaft built into the engine 30. The first generator 511 is installed at the front of the right side of the engine block 31. The second generator 512 is installed at the rear of the left side of the engine block 31.

[0051] The transmission shaft 20 is a generally rod-shaped member that transmits the rotational driving force from the engine 30 to the main rotor 12. The transmission shaft 20 includes a first transmission shaft 20A and a second transmission shaft 20B. The first transmission shaft 20A and the second transmission shaft 20B extend from the engine block 31 to the outside, continuing from the crankshaft (not shown). The first transmission shaft 20A extends from the front of the left side surface of the engine block 31 toward the left rear. The second transmission shaft 20B extends from the rear of the right side surface of the engine block 31 toward the right front.

[0052] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the engine 30 mounted on the flight device 10. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

[0053] The engine 30 has a first engine section 33 and a second engine section 34. The first engine section 33 and the second engine section 34 form one opposing engine section. The engine 30 may have a plurality of opposing engine sections arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

[0054] The cylinder chamber 32 is a space having a substantially cylindrical shape. The cylinder chamber 32 is surrounded by a first cylinder wall 35 and a second cylinder wall 36. The first cylinder wall 35 and the second cylinder wall 36 are walls formed inside the engine block 31. Inside the cylinder chamber 32, a first piston 331 and a second piston 341 are arranged opposite each other and are arranged to reciprocate.

[0055] The first engine section 33 has a first piston 331, a first connecting rod 332, and a first crankshaft 333. The first connecting rod 332 rotatably connects the first piston 331 and the first crankshaft 333 together.

[0056] The second engine section 34 is disposed opposite the first engine section 33. The second engine section 34 has a second piston 341, a second connecting rod 342, and a second crankshaft 343. The second connecting rod 342 rotatably connects the second piston 341 and the second crankshaft 343.

[0057] The extension space 39 is a space that extends upward and to the side from the middle of the cylinder chamber 32 in the front-rear direction.

[0058] The combustion chamber 40 is a space sandwiched between the pistons inside the cylinder chamber 32. The combustion chamber 40 is a space sandwiched between the first piston 331 and the second piston 341 inside the cylinder chamber 32, where an air-fuel mixture is burned.

[0059] The cylinder chamber 32 and the extension space 39 are spaces surrounded by walls formed inside the engine block 31 .

[0060] Specifically, the cylinder chamber 32 is a space surrounded by a first cylinder wall portion 35 and a second cylinder wall portion 36 each having a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0061] The extension space 39 is a space surrounded by the first extension wall portion 37 and the second extension wall portion 38. The first extension wall portion 37 is a generally tongue-shaped portion that extends upward from the upper end of the first cylinder wall portion 35 at the rear end of the first cylinder wall portion 35. The second extension wall portion 38 is a generally tongue-shaped portion that extends upward from the upper end of the second cylinder wall portion 36 at the front end of the second cylinder wall portion 36.

[0062] The first engine section 33 and the second engine section 34 configured as described above operate by repeating an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke, and an exhaust stroke as follows.

[0063] During the intake stroke, the first piston 331 and the second piston 341 move from the center toward the outside inside the cylinder chamber 32, thereby drawing the air-fuel mixture, which is a mixture of fuel and air, into the cylinder chamber 32. Therefore, the air-fuel mixture can be drawn into the cylinder chamber 32.

[0064] During the compression stroke, the inertia of the rotating first crankshaft 333 and second crankshaft 343 pushes the first piston 331 and second piston 341 toward the center, compressing the air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder chamber 32.

[0065] During the combustion stroke, a spark plug (not shown here) ignites in the extension space 39, causing the mixture to burn inside the extension space 39 and the combustion chamber 40, thereby pushing the first piston 331 and the second piston 341 to their outer ends, which are at bottom dead center.

[0066] During the exhaust stroke, the inertia of the rotating first crankshaft 333 and second crankshaft 343 pushes the first piston 331 and second piston 341 inward, and the burned gas present inside the cylinder chamber 32 is expelled to the outside.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the first sub-rotor 13A, the motor 14A, and the like of the flight device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0068] The first sub-rotor 13A has an upper stage sub-rotor 131 and a lower stage sub-rotor 132 located below the upper stage sub-rotor 131. The upper stage sub-rotor 131 is disposed on the upper surface of the outer end of the sub-arm 18A. The lower stage sub-rotor 132 is disposed on the lower surface of the outer end of the sub-arm 18A. When the flight device 10 is flying, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 rotate in opposite directions.

[0069] The motor 14A includes a first motor 141 and a second motor 142 that is stacked on the first motor 141. The first motor 141 is a motor that is located immediately adjacent to the first sub-rotor 13A. The second motor 142 is a motor that is stacked on the first motor 141.

[0070] The first motor 141 includes an upper-stage first motor 1411 and a lower-stage first motor 1412. The upper-stage first motor 1411 is a motor disposed directly below the upper-stage sub-rotor 131. The lower-stage first motor 1412 is a motor disposed directly above the lower-stage sub-rotor 132.

[0071] The second motor 142 includes an upper-side second motor 1421 and a lower-side second motor 1422. The upper-side second motor 1421 is a motor stacked directly below the above-mentioned upper-side first motor 1411. The lower-side second motor 1422 is a motor stacked directly above the above-mentioned lower-side first motor 1412.

[0072] The motors 14B, 14C, and 14D shown in FIG. 1 and the like have the same configuration as the motor 14A shown in FIG.

[0073] 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the first sub-rotor 13A and the motor 14A of the flight device 10. Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken along the line BB in Fig. 6 .

[0074] The first sub-rotor 13A has an upper stage sub-rotor 131 and a lower stage sub-rotor 132 that are stacked. By doing so, even if either the upper stage sub-rotor 131 or the lower stage sub-rotor 132 stops during flight of the flight device 10, the other of the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 continues to rotate. This ensures redundancy of the first sub-rotor 13A. In this embodiment, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 is rotated by the stacked upper stage first motor 1411 and upper stage second motor 1421. Furthermore, the lower stage sub-rotor 132 is rotated by the stacked lower stage second motor 1422 and lower stage first motor 1412. This further ensures redundancy of the first sub-rotor 13A during flight of the flight device 10.

[0075] Specifically, an upper-stage-side first motor 1411 and an upper-stage-side second motor 1421 are arranged in a stacked position on the upper surface of the end of the sub-arm 18A. The upper-stage-side first motor 1411 and the lower-stage-side second motor 1422 each have a stator arranged radially outward and a rotor arranged radially inward. The upper-stage-side drive shaft 151 is connected to the rotors of the upper-stage-side first motor 1411 and the upper-stage-side second motor 1421 so as not to rotate relative to them. Furthermore, the upper end of the upper-stage-side drive shaft 151 is connected to the center of the upper-stage-side sub-rotor 131 so as not to rotate relative to them. As a result, the upper-stage-side drive shaft 151 is configured to drivingly connect the upper-stage-side first motor 1411, the upper-stage-side second motor 1421, and the upper-stage-side sub-rotor 131 to one another. Therefore, the upper stage side first motor 1411 and the upper stage side second motor 1421 rotate the upper stage side sub-rotor 131 .

[0076] A lower-stage-side first motor 1412 and a lower-stage-side second motor 1422 are arranged in a stacked position on the underside of the end of the sub-arm 18A. The lower-stage-side first motor 1412 and the lower-stage-side second motor 1422 each have a stator arranged radially outward and a rotor arranged radially inward. The lower-stage-side drive shaft 152 is connected to the rotors of the lower-stage-side first motor 1412 and the lower-stage-side second motor 1422 so as not to rotate relative to them. Furthermore, the lower end of the lower-stage-side drive shaft 152 is connected to the center of the lower-stage-side sub-rotor 132 so as not to rotate relative to them. As a result, the lower-stage-side drive shaft 152 is configured to drivingly connect the lower-stage-side first motor 1412, the lower-stage-side second motor 1422, and the lower-stage-side sub-rotor 132 to one another. Therefore, the lower stage sub-rotor 132 is rotated by the lower stage first motor 1412 and the lower stage second motor 1422 .

[0077] The drive structure, which rotates the first sub-rotor 13A and is made up of the first motor 141, the second motor 142, and the drive shaft 15, is provided at the four corners of the flight device 10. That is, the drive structure is provided corresponding to the second sub-rotor 13B, the third sub-rotor 13C, and the fourth sub-rotor 13D.

[0078] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of the flight device. Here, with regard to the portion of the current flow below the battery 53, only the portion that drives the first sub-rotor 13A is shown. In Figure 8, this portion is surrounded by a dashed line. The circuit configuration of the portions that drive the second sub-rotor 13B, third sub-rotor 13C, and fourth sub-rotor 13D is the same as the circuit configuration of the portion that drives the first sub-rotor 13A, i.e., the portion surrounded by a dashed line.

[0079] 8, engine 30 drives generator 51 based on instructions from calculation control unit 50, which is, for example, a CPU, and generator 51 generates AC power. The power generated by generator 51 is supplied to power conversion unit 52, battery 53, rotation control unit 16, and motor 14A in this order.

[0080] The generator 51 includes a first generator 511 and a second generator 512 , and is driven to rotate by the engine 30 .

[0081] The power conversion unit 52 includes a first power conversion unit 521 and a second power conversion unit 522. The first power conversion unit 521 and the second power conversion unit 522 are devices each including a converter circuit that converts AC power into DC power. The first power conversion unit 521 and the second power conversion unit 522 are also referred to as motor controllers.

[0082] The rotation control unit 16 includes a rotation control unit 16A. The rotation control unit 16A includes a first rotation control unit 161 and a second rotation control unit 162. Specifically, from the top, the rotation control unit 16A includes an upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611, an upper-stage second rotation control unit 1621, a lower-stage second rotation control unit 1622, and a lower-stage first rotation control unit 1612. The upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611, the upper-stage second rotation control unit 1621, the lower-stage second rotation control unit 1622, and the lower-stage first rotation control unit 1612 are each devices including an inverter circuit. The upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611 to the lower-stage first rotation control unit 1612 are also referred to as ESCs (Electronic Speed ​​Controllers).

[0083] The motor 14A includes, from the top side, an upper-stage first motor 1411, an upper-stage second motor 1421, a lower-stage second motor 1422, and a lower-stage first motor 1412. As described above, the upper-stage first motor 1411 and the upper-stage second motor 1421 are drivingly connected to the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 via the upper-stage drive shaft 151. Furthermore, the lower-stage second motor 1422 and the lower-stage first motor 1412 are drivingly connected to the lower-stage sub-rotor 132 via the lower-stage drive shaft 152.

[0084] The following describes the current path in the flight device 10. First, based on instructions from the calculation control unit 50, the first generator 511 and the second generator 512 that make up the generator 51 are driven by the engine 30 to generate AC power.

[0085] The AC power generated by the first generator 511 is converted into DC power by a first power conversion unit 521 including a converter circuit. The AC power generated by the second generator 512 is converted into DC power by a second power conversion unit 522 including a converter circuit.

[0086] A portion of the DC power converted by the first power conversion unit 521 and the second power conversion unit 522 is stored in the battery 53. The power stored in the battery 53 is used as a power source for the calculation control unit 50, sensors, etc. The power stored in the battery 53 may also be used as power for rotating the motor 14A.

[0087] The DC power converted by first power conversion unit 521 and second power conversion unit 522 is supplied to upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611, upper-stage second rotation control unit 1621, lower-stage second rotation control unit 1622, and lower-stage first rotation control unit 1612. Upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611, upper-stage second rotation control unit 1621, lower-stage second rotation control unit 1622, and lower-stage first rotation control unit 1612 each converts the input DC power into AC power of a predetermined frequency.

[0088] Here, the frequency of the AC power generated from the upper stage first rotation control unit 1611, the upper stage second rotation control unit 1621, the lower stage second rotation control unit 1622 and the lower stage first rotation control unit 1612 is suitable for setting the position and attitude of the flying device 10 to a predetermined value, and for example, the frequency of each AC power is the same.

[0089] The upper-stage first rotation control unit 1611 supplies AC power of a predetermined frequency to the upper-stage first motor 1411, causing the upper-stage first motor 1411 to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed.

[0090] The upper-stage second motor 1421 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed when AC power of a predetermined frequency is supplied from the upper-stage second rotation control unit 1621 to the upper-stage second motor 1421 .

[0091] The lower-side second motor 1422 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed when AC power of a predetermined frequency is supplied from the lower-side second rotation control unit 1622 to the lower-side second motor 1422 .

[0092] The lower-side first motor 1412 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed when AC power of a predetermined frequency is supplied from the lower-side first rotation control unit 1612 to the lower-side first motor 1412 .

[0093] 7, the rotor of the upper-stage first motor 1411, the rotor of the upper-stage second motor 1421, and the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 are drivingly connected by the upper-stage drive shaft 151. Therefore, the upper-stage first motor 1411 and the upper-stage second motor 1421 rotate the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 at a predetermined rotational speed.

[0094] Similarly, the rotor of the lower-stage second motor 1422, the rotor of the lower-stage first motor 1412, and the lower-stage sub-rotor 132 are drivingly connected by the lower-stage drive shaft 152. Therefore, the lower-stage second motor 1422 and the lower-stage first motor 1412 rotate the lower-stage sub-rotor 132 at a predetermined rotational speed, for example, the same rotational speed as the upper-stage sub-rotor 131.

[0095] 9 is a flowchart showing the flight operation of the flight device 10. Here, a case where the upper stage first motor 1411 that rotates the upper stage sub-rotor 131 fails while the flight device 10 is flying will be described.

[0096] In step S10, the flight device 10 performs normal flight operations based on instructions from the calculation control unit 50. Referring to FIG. 1 , during normal flight operations, the first main rotor 12A and the second main rotor 12B, which are drivingly connected to the engine 30, rotate to generate upward thrust, which causes the flight device 10 to float in the air. Additionally, the first sub-rotor 13A is rotated by a motor 14A, the second sub-rotor 13B is rotated by a motor 14B, the third sub-rotor 13C is rotated by a motor 14C, and the fourth sub-rotor 13D is rotated by a motor 14D. The rotation of the first sub-rotor 13A through the fourth sub-rotor 13D at a predetermined rotational speed appropriately controls the position and attitude of the flight device 10 in the air.

[0097] During normal flight of the flight device 10, the output of the motor 14 can be kept low. Referring to Figure 8, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 is drivingly connected to two motors, namely, the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421. Therefore, the output of the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421 can be operated at 70% or less, 60% or less, or 50% or less of their maximum output. This reduces heat generation and wear when rotating the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421, improving safety during flight.

[0098] In step S11, the upper stage first motor 1411 stops while the flight device 10 is flying. Various malfunctions are conceivable as causes for the upper stage first motor 1411 to stop. For example, possible causes of malfunction include a malfunction of the upper stage first rotation control unit 1611 that supplies power to the upper stage first motor 1411, a malfunction of the upper stage first motor 1411 itself, or a broken harness that supplies power to the upper stage first motor 1411.

[0099] In step S12, based on instructions from the calculation control unit 50, only the upper-stage second motor 1421 rotates the upper-stage sub-rotor 131. Specifically, referring to Fig. 7 , the rotor of the upper-stage first motor 1411, the rotor of the upper-stage second motor 1421, and the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 are drivingly connected by the upper-stage drive shaft 151. Therefore, even if the upper-stage first motor 1411 stops due to a failure, the upper-stage second motor 1421 continues to rotate, so that the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 can continue to rotate via the upper-stage drive shaft 151.

[0100] In this case, to keep the upper stage sub-rotor 131 rotating at a predetermined rotational speed, the output of the upper stage second motor 1421 can be made greater than that during normal flight when the upper stage first motor 1411 is not malfunctioning. For example, if the output of the upper stage second motor 1421 during normal flight is 50%, the output of the upper stage second motor 1421 can be made 100% when the upper stage first motor 1411 malfunctions. This allows the flight of the flight device 10 to continue stably. Here, as long as there is no interference with the flight of the flight device 10, the rotational speed of the upper stage second motor 1421 may be the same as that during normal flight even if the upper stage first motor 1411 stops.

[0101] On the other hand, even when the upper stage first motor 1411 stops, the lower stage first motor 1412 and the lower stage second motor 1422 continue to rotate the lower stage sub-rotor 132. When the upper stage first motor 1411 stops, the outputs of the lower stage first motor 1412 and the lower stage second motor 1422 may be the same as in normal flight conditions, or may be greater than in normal flight conditions.

[0102] In step S13, the flight of the flight device 10 continues based on instructions from the calculation control unit 50. As described above, redundancy is ensured for the rotational operation of the upper stage sub-rotor 131 by connecting the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421 to the upper stage drive shaft 151. Therefore, even if the upper stage first motor 1411 fails, the upper stage second motor 1421 continues to rotate the upper stage sub-rotor 131, allowing the flight device 10 to continue normal flight.

[0103] On the other hand, to further ensure the safety of the flying device 10, after the upper stage first motor 1411 fails, the upper stage second motor 1421 may continue to rotate the upper stage sub-rotor 131 while the flying device 10 performs an emergency landing operation.

[0104] The above is a description of the operation of the flight device 10 when the upper stage first motor 1411 fails.

[0105] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drive system that rotates the sub-rotor 13 in a flight device 10 according to another embodiment. The configuration of the drive system shown here is basically the same as that shown in Figure 7. In the drive system configuration shown here, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 are driven by a single common drive shaft 153.

[0106] Specifically, an upper-stage first motor 1411 and an upper-stage second motor 1421 are disposed on the upper surface side of the sub-arm 18A, and a lower-stage second motor 1422 and a lower-stage first motor 1412 are disposed on the lower surface side of the sub-arm 18A.

[0107] The common drive shaft 153 extends in the vertical direction, penetrating the sub-arm 18A. The upper end of the common drive shaft 153 is connected to the rotation center of the upper-stage sub-rotor 131 so as to be non-rotatable relative to the center of rotation of the lower-stage sub-rotor 132, and the lower end of the common drive shaft 153 is connected to the rotation center of the lower-stage sub-rotor 132 so as to be non-rotatable relative to the center of rotation of the upper-stage first motor 1411, the upper-stage second motor 1421, the lower-stage second motor 1422, and the lower-stage first motor 1412.

[0108] Even if the upper stage first motor 1411, etc., arranged on the upper side of the sub-arm 18A fails during flight of the flying device 10, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 can continue to rotate by the lower stage second motor 1422, etc., arranged on the lower side of the sub-arm 18A.

[0109] Specifically, during normal flight of the flight device 10, if one or both of the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421 stops due to a malfunction or the like, one or both of the lower stage second motor 1422 and the lower stage first motor 1412 continue to rotate. This allows the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 to continue rotating via the common drive shaft 153, allowing the flight device 10 to continue normal flight or emergency landing.

[0110] Conversely, even if the lower-side second motor 1422 or the like arranged on the lower side of the sub-arm 18A fails, the upper-side first motor 1411 or the like arranged on the upper side of the sub-arm 18A can continue to rotate the upper-side sub-rotor 131 and the lower-side sub-rotor 132.

[0111] Specifically, during normal flight of the flight device 10, if one or both of the lower stage second motor 1422 and the lower stage first motor 1412 stop due to a malfunction or the like, one or both of the upper stage first motor 1411 and the upper stage second motor 1421 will rotate. This allows the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 to continue rotating via the common drive shaft 153, allowing the flight device 10 to continue normal flight or emergency landing.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, if the upper stage first motor 1411 fails while the flight device 10 is flying, the upper stage sub-rotor 131 is rotated by the upper stage second motor 1421. Conversely, if the upper stage second motor 1421 fails while the flight device 10 is flying, only the upper stage first motor 1411 rotates the upper stage sub-rotor 131, allowing the flight device 10 to continue flying.

[0113] Also, in the above-described embodiment, referring to Figure 7, if either the lower-side first motor 1412 or the lower-side second motor 1422 in the second motor 142 fails, the other of the lower-side first motor 1412 or the lower-side second motor 1422 can rotate the lower-side sub-rotor 132, thereby ensuring redundancy during flight of the flying device 10.

[0114] Furthermore, the above matters also apply to the other sub-rotors 13 shown in FIG. 1, that is, the second sub-rotor 13B, the third sub-rotor 13C, and the fourth sub-rotor 13D.

[0115] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be modified within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0116] For example, referring to FIG. 6 , the upper stage sub-rotor 131 and the lower stage sub-rotor 132 are employed as the first sub-rotor 13A, but the first sub-rotor 13A may also be configured using only the upper stage sub-rotor 131 or the lower stage sub-rotor 132.

[0117] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sub-rotor 13 is used as the object for which redundancy is improved, but the main rotor 12 may also be used as the object for which redundancy is improved.

[0118] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Flight device 11 Main body 12 Main rotor 12A First main rotor 12B Second main rotor 13 Sub rotor 13A First sub rotor 13B Second sub rotor 13C Third sub rotor 13D Fourth sub rotor 131 Upper stage sub rotor 132 Lower stage sub rotor 14 Motor 14A Motor 14B Motor 14C Motor 14D Motor 141 First motor 1411 Upper stage first motor 1412 Lower stage first motor 142 Second motor 1421 Upper stage second motor 1422 Lower stage second motor 15 Drive shaft 151 Upper stage drive shaft 152 Lower stage drive shaft 153 Common drive shaft 16 Rotation control unit 16A Rotation control unit 16B Rotation control unit 16C Rotation control unit 16D Rotation control unit 161 First rotation control unit 1611 Upper-stage first rotation control unit 1612 Lower-stage first rotation control unit 162 Second rotation control unit 1621 Upper-stage second rotation control unit 1622 Lower-stage second rotation control unit 17 Main arm 17A First main arm 17B Second main arm 18 Sub arm 18A Sub arm 18B Sub arm 18C Sub arm 18D Sub arm 19 Support unit 20 Transmission shaft 20A First transmission shaft 20B Second transmission shaft 30 Engine 31 Engine block 32 Cylinder chamber 33 First engine unit 331 First piston 332 First connecting rod 333 First crankshaft 34 Second engine unit 341 Second piston 342 Second connecting rod 343 Second crankshaft 35 First cylinder wall portion 36 Second cylinder wall portion 37 First extension wall portion 38 Second extension wall portion 39 Extension space 40 Combustion chamber 50 Calculation control unit 51 Generator 511 First generator 512 Second generator 52 Power conversion unit 521 First power conversion unit 522 Second power conversion unit 53 Battery

Claims

1. A flying device comprising a rotor, a motor for rotating the rotor, a drive shaft, and a rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the motor, wherein the rotor is configured to generate an aerodynamic effect when rotated, the motors having a first motor and a second motor stacked on top of the first motor, the drive shaft configured to drivingly connect the first motor, the second motor, and the rotor to each other, and the rotation control unit having a first rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the first motor and a second rotation control unit for controlling the rotation of the second motor.

2. The flight device according to claim 1, further comprising a main body, wherein the rotor, the first motor, the second motor and the drive shaft are respectively arranged at the four corners of the main body.

3. The flight device described in claim 1 further comprises a main body, an engine, a main rotor, and a sub-rotor, the rotor being a main rotor, the engine rotating the main rotor, the main rotor configured to generate thrust to lift the main body, and the sub-rotor configured to adjust the position and attitude of the main body in the air.

4. The flight device according to claim 3, wherein the number of said main rotors is less than the number of said sub-rotors.

5. The flight device according to claim 3, wherein the rotor diameter of the main rotor is larger than the rotor diameter of the sub-rotor.

6. The flight device according to claim 3, wherein the center of rotation of the main rotor is located inside the center of rotation of the sub-rotor.

7. The flight device described in claim 3, wherein the sub-rotor comprises an upper stage sub-rotor and a lower stage sub-rotor arranged below the sub-rotor, the first motor comprises an upper stage first motor that rotates the upper stage sub-rotor and a lower stage first motor that rotates the lower stage sub-rotor, the second motor comprises an upper stage second motor that rotates the upper stage sub-rotor and a lower stage second motor that rotates the lower stage sub-rotor, the drive shaft comprises an upper stage drive shaft and a lower stage drive shaft, the upper stage drive shaft is configured to drivingly connect the upper stage first motor, the upper stage second motor and the upper stage sub-rotor to each other, and the lower stage drive shaft is configured to drivingly connect the lower stage first motor, the lower stage second motor and the lower stage sub-rotor to each other.

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