Launcher and launch system and method

Abstract

A launcher, comprising a carriage that is moveable along a track, the carriage being coupled to a drive that is configured to propel the carriage in a first direction and to decelerate the carriage relative to the track.

Description

LAUNCHER AND LAUNCH SYSTEM AND METHODTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a launcher for a payload, more specifically to a launcher that includes a carriage that is propelled along a track by a drive. The invention also relates to a system that includes a launcher and to a method of launching a payload.BACKGROUND

[0002] Of the many ways available to transport a payload, aerial transportation is often the most efficient. Up until recently, a drawback of aerial transportation of payloads was the cost and need for associated infrastructure (i.e. runways and the like) for launching aircraft.

[0003] Against this backdrop, autonomous aircraft such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming increasingly prominent, and offer an alternative, comparatively cost effective, means of aerial transportation.

[0004] With this in mind, the use of UAVs for the delivery of payloads is becoming increasingly commonplace. For example, the use of UAVs for the delivery of household packages was once a fanciful dream of futurists but is now an established reality that is being actively used or at least considered by many businesses. Such UAVs may also be used for other purposes such as mapping, aerial surveillance, and the like.

[0005] In order to efficiently operate UAVs at a high volume in remote and / or urban environments, it is important that the equipment that is used to launch the aircraft is compact, easy to use, and reliable.

[0006] Within this context, there is a need for an improved system and method for launching payloads, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice. The present invention was conceived with these shortcomings in mind.SUMMARY

[0007] In a first aspect, the invention provides a launcher, comprising a carriage that is moveable along a track, the carriage being coupled to a drive that is configured to propel the carriage in a first direction and to decelerate the carriage relative to the track. In this manner, it is understood that the drive is used to both (i) propel the carriage in the first direction and to (ii) decelerate the carriage relative to the track.

[0008] The drive may be configured to arrest motion of the carriage along the track. The drive may be configured to drive the carriage in a second direction to return the carriage to a load position along the track.

[0009] In some embodiments, the launcher may further comprise a power unit configured to electrically power the drive.

[0010] In a second aspect, the invention provides a launcher, including a carriage which is coupled to a drive configured to propel the carriage in a first direction along a track and a power unit which is configured to deliver power to the drive in a series of energy bursts.

[0011] The power unit of the first or second aspects may comprise an energy storage module that includes a low voltage energy store and a high voltage energy buffer. The low voltage energy store may be in the form of a portable battery. The power unit may further comprise a booster that is arranged to take low voltage energy from the low voltage energy store and convert the energy to high voltage energy for storage in the high voltage energy buffer. The high voltage energy store may comprise a bank of capacitors. The high voltage energy buffer may be configured to provide power to the drive in a series of short duration high power energy bursts.

[0012] In some embodiments, the power unit may be configured to regenerate energy arising from movement of the carriage. Energy generated by the motor during deceleration of the power unit may be stored in the high voltage energy buffer during runs of the carriage.

[0013] The launcher may be a portable launcher configured to be transported and operated from a cargo space of a vehicle.

[0014] In some embodiments, the drive may be a belt drive that extends along the track. The belt drive may comprise a belt that is driven by a rotational motor. The motor may be a servo motor.

[0015] The belt may be continuous either side of the carriage. The belt may have two ends and the respective ends of the belt are fixed to the carriage so as to form a substantially continuous belt. The belt may be a carbon fibre reinforced flexible belt. The belt may be a toothed belt.

[0016] In some embodiments, the belt drive may comprise first and second pulleys that are disposed towards opposing ends of the track and are engaged with the belt. The first and second pulleys may be idler pulleys and the belt drive further comprises a drive pulley disposed between the pair of pulleys that is operably connected to the motor and engaged with the belt. The beltmay be a single sided belt, with a toothed side of the belt engaging with the drive pulley and a smooth side of the belt engaging with the idler pulleys. The belt drive may further comprise a tensioner that is disposed between the first and second pulleys.

[0017] The belt drive may be a light weight or low inertia belt drive. The belt may be formed from a light weight material. Pulleys of the belt drive may be formed from a light weight material.

[0018] In some embodiments, the launcher may further comprise a cradle that is coupled to or forms part of the carriage, with the cradle being configured to carry a payload. Deceleration of the carriage may cause the payload to separate from the cradle. The payload may separate from the cradle at a target position along the track.

[0019] The target position and / or a speed of the carriage at the target position may be settable parameters. The target position and / or speed of the carriage at the target position may be set based on a mass and / or required launch speed of the payload.

[0020] In some embodiments, feedback from the drive and / or the carriage may be used to automatically tune the target position and / or speed of the carriage at the target position. The feedback may include feedback provided by an encoder that monitors a position of the drive.

[0021] In a third aspect, the invention provides a launcher, comprising a carriage that is moveable along a track and coupled to a drive that is configured to propel the carriage in a first direction, wherein the drive is a belt drive comprising a belt that extends along the track and is driven by a rotational motor, the belt drive also being configured to decelerate the carriage relative to the track.

[0022] In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a system comprising a launcher and a bank of payload items that includes a first item and a second item having a mass that is different from the first item, wherein the launcher includes a carriage that is configured to carry a respective payload item along a track, and wherein, during use of the system, the carriage is propelled along the track at a first speed to launch the first item and is propelled at a second speed along the track in a subsequent run to launch the second item.

[0023] The system may further include a controller that is configured to adjust settable parameters of the launcher based on characteristics of the payload item. The first and second speeds may be set automatically based on a mass and / or required launch speed of the first and second payload items.

[0024] In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a self-contained system for launching a payload, the system having a power unit that includes an energy storage module which is configured to deliver electrical power to a motor in a series of energy bursts to launch the payload with reduced noise levels. Suitably, the power unit is a portable power unit. Preferably, the electrical power delivered by the energy storage module is in the form of electro-mechanical power.

[0025] In a sixth aspect, the invention provides a method of launching a payload, including the steps of: converting low voltage energy from an energy store to high voltage energy; storing the high voltage energy in an energy buffer; delivering a series of energy bursts from the energy buffer to power a motor; and using the motor to propel the payload along a track. The low voltage energy store may be in the form of a portable battery.

[0026] In a seventh aspect, the invention provides a power unit having a housing within which an energy storage module is accommodated, with the energy storage module including a low voltage energy store, a high voltage energy buffer and a booster that is arranged to take energy from the low voltage energy store and convert the energy to high voltage energy for storage in the high voltage energy buffer, wherein the energy storage module is configured to deliver electrical power in a series of energy bursts. Suitably, the power unit is a portable power unit. Preferably, the electrical power delivered by the energy storage module is in the form of electromechanical power. The low voltage energy store may be in the form of a portable battery.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a perspective of a launcher in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the encircled region A of Figure 1 ;Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a belt drive of the launcher;Figure 4 is a perspective view of a carriage of the launcher;Figure 5 is a side view of the launcher;Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the belt drive of the launcher;Figure 7 is an end view of the launcher showing internal components of a power unit thereof;Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the power unit;Figure 9 is a schematic representation of the power unit;Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an example use of the launcher as part of a launch system in-situ; andFigure 1 1 is a schematic representation of a method of launching a payload in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the following detailed description, reference is made to accompanying drawings which form a part of the detailed description. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein and illustrated in the drawings may be arranged, substituted, combined, separated and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated in this disclosure.

[0029] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0030] In general terms, a launcher 10 as shown in the Figures comprises a carriage 12 that is configured to slide or otherwise move along a track 14. The carriage 12 is configured to support a payload and is coupled to a drive 16. The drive 16 is configured to propel the carriage 12 along the track 14 in a first direction. In use, deceleration of the carriage 12 causes the payload to detach or otherwise separate from the carriage 12 and continue airborne movement in the first direction.

[0031] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to Figures 1 to 10. It is understood that while the embodiment will be described with reference to use a launcher for UAVs and the like, this is but one particular application for which the launcher 10 and components thereof has particular application.

[0032] Best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the track 14 of the launcher 10 extends substantially linearly between opposing first and second ends 18, 20 thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the track 14 is provided in the form of a pair of parallel rails 22. The rails 22 provide a smooth bearing-like surface with which the carriage 12 is engaged. For example, the rails 22 may be formed from a polished aluminum or other metallic material.

[0033] The track 14 is supported by a frame 24. The frame 24 is formed from a suitable material having an appropriate rigidity and is configured to support the track 14 in an inclined orientation. In particular, as shown, the track 14 is inclined at an inclination angle a of about 20 degrees to the horizontal, with the second end 20 being higher than the first end 18. It is understood that, in other embodiments, the track 14 may be inclined at different angles, such as, for example, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, 35 degrees, 40 degrees, 45 degrees and so on. The inclination angle a may be chosen, for example, to suit particular launch requirements of a payload to be used with the launcher 10, such as a UAV.

[0034] In the illustrated embodiments, the drive 16 takes the form of a belt drive. It is understood, however, that in other embodiments, the drive 16 may take other forms, such as, by way of non-limiting example, a drum spooled cable drive or a chain drive. A belt 26 extends along the track 14 between the parallel rails 22. The belt 26 forms part of the belt drive 16. Best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the belt 26 is driven by motor 28. The motor 28 is a rotational motor having a low rotational inertia. More specifically, the motor 28 is an electromagnetic AC motor, and, in this embodiment, a servo motor. The motor 28 is a fixed motor in the sense that it is mounted to the frame 24. It is understood that the use of belt drive 16 to propel the carriage 12, and, more specifically, a rotational motor 28 to drive the belt 26 provides several advantages when compared to other drive types. For example, a linear motor is not thought to be practical for an aerial vehicle launcher, because the required magnetics and rails would add mass, cost and complexity to the apparatus. In particular, trials by the applicant have demonstrated that the use of a linear motor, when mounted to a moving carriage (as opposed to the use of a belt drive 16 that includes a rotational motor 28 that is fixed in position) necessitates a significant number of magnets and requires high precision linear rails to guide the carriage and withstand the forces involved, and transfer current from the energised tracks into the moving armature of the motor via brushes. Such high precision rails would significantly add to the required precision and tolerancing in the manufacturing process and detract from the operability of the launcher in the field.

[0035] The motor 28 is configured to drive the belt 26 in two directions. For example, during a launch run, the motor 28 drives the belt 26 in the first direction, such that the carriage 12, coupled thereto, travels along the track 14 towards the second end 20. The motor 28 is also configured to drive the belt 26 in an opposite, second direction. For example, following a launch run, the motor 28 may drive the belt 26 in the second direction such that the carriage 12 is returned towards the first end 18 of the track 14. This is distinct from existing "catapult" type cable based launchers that require a separate drive means (for example an additional motor to)) to return the catapult to a start or load position. It is understood that, in this manner, the launcher 10 may beused to launch several payloads sequentially one after the other without a need for an operator to manually reset the carriage 12 or take actions for that purpose.

[0036] The motor 28 is also configured to decelerate the carriage 12 relative to the track 14. What is meant by this is that once the carriage 12 passes through a target position of the track 14 during a launch run, a rotation speed of the motor 28 is reduced to thereby brake movement of the carriage 12 in the first direction without requiring the use of a separate shock absorber or arrester, such as hydraulic or electric (i.e. eddy current) braking system. The rotation speed of the motor 28 is, over an almost instantaneous period of time, reduced to zero so as to arrest motion of the carriage 12 in its entirety. Put simply, the slowing and stopping / arresting actions of the carriage are carried out by the drive 16 itself, by way of reducing (and eventually stopping) rotation of the motor 28. Such arrangement is particularly advantageous, as when combined with the ability of the motor 28 to drive the belt 26 in the second direction, it allows for the carriage 12 to be propelled along the track 14 in a first run, arrested, and returned to a start or loading position ready for a second run without the need for user intervention. Also, it is understood that the lack of use of a contact based "stopper" such as a shock absorber significantly reduces the shock forces that are applied to the carriage 12 and frame 24 during the arresting of the carriage 12, thereby allowing said components to be manufactured to a lighter weight specification than would otherwise be possible. While shock absorbers 30 are provided at the second end 20 of the track 14, it is understood that the shock absorbers 30 are provided for emergency purposes only in the event of failure of the belt 26. In addition, the controlled arresting of the carriage 12 allows for energy to be recovered via the motor 28.

[0037] As shown, the belt 26 is a carbon fibre reinforced belt 26. Trials by the applicant have demonstrated such material to be particularly suitable for launching applications, having low stretch and a sufficient mechanical resistance to sustain the not insignificant acceleration and deceleration forces that the belt 26 is subject to. It is understood, however, that other low mass materials (in addition to carbon fibre) may also be used. The mechanical resistance of the belt 26 is important in order to allow the launcher 10 to be used to successively launch several payloads over a period of time, without requiring changing or replacement of the belt 26 due to, for example, stretching and / or failure. It is understood, however, that, the belt 26 may take other forms, for example, a steel or steel-reinforced tape. It is thought that the combination of a strong, light weight belt, together with the use of low inertia rotating components (including both the motor 28 itself as well as rotating components of the carriage 12 itself) provides a particularly efficient means of propelling and arresting the carriage 12.

[0038] Turning now to Figure 4. The carriage 12 is provided in the form of a skate that has an X-shaped body 32 and a plurality of low friction wheels 34 that are attached to respective armsof the body 32. The carriage 12 is preferably formed from a lightweight material. For example, as shown, the carriage is formed from an aluminum material. It is understood, however, that other lightweight materials such as carbon fibre based composites may also be used.

[0039] As shown, the carriage 12 includes a first set of wheels 36 that engage with an upper surface of the respective rails 22 and a second set of wheels 38 that engage with a side surface of the rails 22. Preferably, a third set of wheels (not shown) is also provided and arranged so as to engage with an undersurface of the respective rails 22. As shown, the wheels 36, 38 are chosen so as to have a low rotational inertia. Trials by the applicant have demonstrated such arrangement to provide a particularly smooth and secure ride of the carriage 12 along the track 14. While the carriage 12 shown herein is a skate that is configured to slide along the track 14, it is understood that other arrangements are also contemplated. Such arrangements include, for example, a "maglev" type arrangement in which the carriage 12 levitates above the track 14 via an electromagnet arrangement as opposed to being in direct (for example rolling) contact therewith.

[0040] The belt 26 extends continuously either side of the carriage 12. What is meant by this is that when fixed to the carriage 12, the belt 26 thereby forms a substantially continuous belt. It is understood, however, that the belt 26 need not be formed as a continuous belt. Indeed, in the illustrated embodiment, the belt 26 has two ends with the respective ends being fixed to an underside of the carriage 12, towards a midpoint of the body 32. Trials by the applicant have demonstrated that such arrangement may be preferable, for example, due to the rapid acceleration and deceleration forces involved during launching of a payload, with the fixing of the respective ends of the belt 26 to the carriage 12 providing a particularly robust means of coupling the carriage 12 to the belt 26.

[0041] The carriage 12 also includes a mount or mounting arrangement 40. The mount 40 is configured to receive and / or otherwise attach a cradle 42 (not shown) to the carriage. The cradle 42 is adapted to carry the payload. In particular, it is contemplated that a plurality of different cradles 42 may be selectably couplable to the carriage 12 via the mount 40, with each said cradle being suited for carrying a particular type of payload item. The mount 40 is preferably coupled to the carriage 12 via a "quick-lock" arrangement that allows for fast and secure engagement and disengagement of the cradle 42 to the carriage 12. In this manner, the launcher 10 may be used to launch different types of payload item. Whilst described herein is a separate, detachable component, it is also understood that in other embodiments, the cradle 42 may be integrally formed with or substantially fixed to the carriage 12.

[0042] Moving now to Figures 5 and 6. The belt 26 is engaged with the motor 28 via a pulley arrangement 44. The pulley arrangement 44 forms part of the drive 16. The pulley arrangement44 includes a drive pulley 46 that is operably engaged with the motor 28. The drive pulley 46 is provided attached to the motor shaft. An intermediate pair of pulleys 48, 50 that are disposed towards the respective ends 18, 20 of the track 14.

[0043] As is best shown in Figure 6, the belt 26 is a flexible belt, allowing the belt 26 to double back on itself and extend along a serpentine path defined by a pulley arrangement 44. In particular, the belt 26 is a single sided belt having a toothed side 52 and a smooth side 54. The toothed side 52 of the belt is engaged with the drive pulley 46 whereas the smooth side 54 passes over pulleys 48, 50, said pulleys being smooth idler or guide pulleys. In this manner, it is understood that the belt 26 is driven on the inside only, in particular by drive pulley 46. Trials by the applicant have demonstrated such arrangement to minimise wear on the belt 26 (as the toothed side 52 is only directly engaged with a single pulley). Other arrangements are also contemplated, for example, whereby the belt may be a double sided belt and the pulleys 48, 50 instead provided as additional toothed pulleys that directly engage therewith. It is understood that the use of a continuous toothed belt 26 provides the ability to impart the required drive force without having to wrap the belt around winding and unwinding drums, thereby obviating the complexities involved in separately controlling such drums.

[0044] The pulley arrangement 44 further comprises a third idler or guide pulley 56, with the drive pulley 46 being arranged intermediate to the second and third pulleys 50, 56 along the belt path. Notably, the third pulley 56 is situated between the drive pulley 46 and the second end 20 of the track 14. Put differently, both second and third pulleys 50, 56 are spaced away from the drive pulley 46 on a common side thereof. This arrangement maximizes the contact area of the belt 26 with the drive pulley 46. As shown, the contact area is 180 degrees or more.

[0045] A tensioner 58 is also provided as part of the pulley arrangement 44. The tensioner 58 enables the belt 26 to be tensioned when first fitted to the pulley arrangement 44 by vertically adjusting a position of the tensioner 58 relative to the frame 24. Trials by the applicant have shown that repeated tensioning is substantially obviated due to the high resistance to stretch provided by the carbon fibre reinforced belt 26.

[0046] The respective pulleys 46, 48, 50, 56, 58 of the pulley arrangement 44 are formed from a lightweight material, such as aluminum. Together with the use of a carbon fibre belt 26, the use of a lightweight pulley arrangement 44 provides a low inertia drive 16 that reduces the moving load that must be propelled (and arrested) by the motor 28.

[0047] The motor 28 is electrically powered by a power unit 60. The power unit 60 will now be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. It is understood that, while described herein as partof launcher 10, the power unit 60 may be used to drive a motor 28 in other applications where rapid acceleration and / or deceleration of a motor is required or at least desirable. Furthermore, it is understood that the power unit 60 may have application in non-mechanical applications such as, by way of non-limiting example, supplying power to a laser.

[0048] As shown, the power unit 60 has a housing 62 that is situated at the second end 20 of the track 14 and is supported by the frame 24. An energy storage module 64 is provided within the housing 62. The energy storage module 64 includes a low voltage energy store 66 and a high voltage energy buffer 68.

[0049] As shown, the low voltage energy store 66 is provided in the form of a battery or bank of batteries. In particular, the low voltage energy store 66 may be in the form of a portable battery. For example, the energy store 66 is preferably provided in the form of a Lithium iron phosphate or LFP battery however it understood that batteries of other chemistry may also be used. The energy store may store voltage at a relatively low current and voltage, for example 24 Volts. The energy store 66 is a rechargeable energy store 66. In particular, the energy store 66 is arranged to be charged by an external charging source. The energy store 66 is configured to recharge the energy buffer 68 and is sized to enable a number of energy releases from the energy buffer 68 before needing re-charging from the external power source. For example, the energy store 66 may have sufficient capacity to recharge the energy buffer 68 about fifty times.

[0050] The high voltage energy buffer 68, as shown, is a high energy DC bus that provides means for storing energy at high voltage, for example, at 800 Volts. The energy buffer 68 is configured to discharge stored energy over a relatively short period of time, preferably less than one second. As shown, the energy buffer 68 includes a bank of capacitors 70. In particular, the capacitors 70 are high voltage capacitors. This is to be contrasted with more conventional supercapacitors which are used for low voltage applications and are not practical for applications requiring both high voltage and high power. The provision of capacitors 70 within the energy buffer 68 allows for the high voltage energy to be delivered in a series of short, intense, bursts. In particular, the energy buffer 68 is configured to provide power to an inverter 72 associated with a motor in a series of short duration, high power, energy bursts. It is understood that the power unit 60 may be scaled according to peak power requirements simply by increasing the size of the capacitor bank 70 and / or by scaling the inverter 72. Also, it is contemplated that energy arising from or associated with movement of the carriage 12 - including from both the initial ejection or acceleration stage and subsequent slowing stage - may be recovered and returned to the energy buffer 68 to at least partially recharge the capacitor bus. For example, the energy buffer 68 may be charged with energy that is regenerated or otherwise captured by the motor 28 during deceleration of the carriage 12.

[0051] A booster 74 is arranged between the energy store 66 and the energy buffer 68. The booster is configured to take low voltage energy from the energy store 66 and convert the energy to high voltage energy for storage in the energy buffer 68. As shown, the booster 74 is provided in the form of a DC-DC step-up converter. In particular, following an energy release from the energy buffer 68, the booster 74 is used to convert energy from the energy store 66 to high voltage energy which is then used to recharge the energy buffer 68 over a relatively longer period than that of the energy release. The reduced storage capacity of the energy store 66 allow the power unit 60 to have a compact packaging within the housing 62, increasing a portability of the power unit 60. In this way, the power unit 60 - and launcher 10 - may be considered to be self-contained in the sense that it is operable from a remote area and does not require connection to an external power supply or the like.

[0052] By way of example, the energy buffer 68 may deliver a peak power of about 200 kW to the motor 28 via drive invertor 72 over a period of no more than 0.3 seconds. The energy demand for such a high voltage and high power output would generally require a significant volume of batteries, however the combination of the capacitor bank 70 together with the high voltage boost delivered by the booster 74 makes this possible from a relatively small capacity energy store 66. Trials by the applicant have demonstrated such bursts of peak power to be sufficient to propel a 30 kg payload along the track 14 to a launch speed of about 30 m / s within a distance of four meters or less. Such rapid acceleration (and deceleration) of the carriage 12 is desirable in order to reduce a required length of the track 14 for the carriage 12 to reach the speeds required for launching UAVs.

[0053] The launcher 10 as described herein may be provided as part of a system 100 that includes the launcher 10 and at least one payload item 176. An example embodiment of system 100 is shown in Figure 10.

[0054] The payload item 176, in this example, is a UAV. The UAV may be a first type of UAV having a first mass. Preferably, the system includes a bank (not shown) of payload items that includes the first payload item 176 and a second payload item, with the second payload item being of a different type and / or mass than the first payload item. During use of the system 100, the first payload item is propelled along the track 14 of the launcher 10 at a first speed to launch the first item and the second payload item is then propelled along the track 14 at a second speed in a subsequent run to launch the second item. In this manner, the launcher 10 may be used to launch different payloads from the bank without the need for significant user intervention. It is contemplated that, in some embodiments, the bank of payload items may include a plurality of first payload items and a plurality of second payload items. Put differently, the bank may includemore than one payload item of the same weight and / or type. It is therefore understood that the launcher 10 is capable of launching more than one like payload item in sequence.

[0055] It is understood that by using the rotational motor 28 to drive the belt 26 and by electrically powering said motor by the high density power unit 60, the carriage 12 is propelled substantially silently along the track 14, such that operation thereof is substantially devoid of noise and heat signature. This may be useful, for example, when operated in areas with noise restrictions and the like and / or where it is desirable to limit detection of a location of the launcher 10 and / or detection of a launch of a payload 176.

[0056] In particular, it is understood that during use of the system 100 and / or launcher 10, movement of the carriage 12 along the track 14 results in separation of the payload (i.e. payload item 176) from the cradle 42, with the payload being launched airborne. The point of separation of the payload from the cradle 42 may coincide with commencement of deceleration of the carriage 12 from a terminal or launch velocity. Such separation occurs at a target or separation position along the track 14. Separation of the payload from the cradle 42 may, in some embodiments, also include an automatic deactivation of a locking or coupling device associated with the cradle 42.

[0057] The target position along the track 14 and / or terminal speed of the carriage 12 at the target position are settable parameters that are controlled by a controller 84 of the launcher 10. What is meant by this is that based on characteristics of the payload item 176 such as a mass and / or required launch speed of the payload 176, the controller 84 may adjust, for example, power delivery to the motor 28 so as to provide a necessary acceleration of the carriage 12 to reach a desired terminal speed and / or adjust the target position along the track where the motor 28 begins to decelerate the carriage 12.

[0058] In this way, the launcher 10 and / or launch system 100 may be used to launch payloads of different mass, with, for example, heavier payloads requiring a higher target distance (i.e. to be propelled further along the track) in order to be accelerated to the terminal launch speed. The process of setting the parameters may, for example, involve a user inputting a numerical value that is directly associated with the target position or terminal speed or, more preferably, may be carried out via a user interface in which a user selects a payload type and / or mass into the interface with the launcher 10 than setting the parameters based on the user input. It is understood that user may input the parameters into the controller 84 remotely - that is, the controller 84 may be a remotely operable controller, allowing the launcher 10 and / or launch system 100 to be remotely operated, for example via the internet or other wireless protocol.

[0059] The controller 84 may also adjusted or tune the parameters automatically via feedback. For example, the controller 84 may use feedback from the drive 16 and or carriage 12 to tune the target position and / or launch speed. By way of non-limiting example, the carriage 12 may be fitted with load cells to detect a mass of a payload loaded thereon and adjust the set parameters based on a change in weight of the payload. Alternatively or additionally, the drive 16 may be equipped with an encoder that monitors a position and / or speed of the motor 28, with information from the encoder being used to determine or otherwise adjust the set parameters based on an earlier launch of a payload 176 of similar mass and / or payload type. The use of an encoder to monitor the angular position of the rotational motor provides all necessary positional information, to determine the position of the carriage 12 along the track 14 and provides a simple yet reliable means of position detection, obviating the need for separate sensors to determine the position of the carriage, therefore reducing the number of working parts of the launcher 10 and launch system 100, improving reliability.

[0060] As shown, the launcher 10 has a footprint that is comparatively compact in comparison to existing systems used to launch equivalent or at least similar payloads. The reduced footprint of the launcher 10 is made possible, at least in part, by the rapid acceleration that is enabled by the power unit 60. In particular, the launcher 10 (and thus launch system 100) is capable of being transported in and operated from a cargo space of a vehicle (not shown), for example, within a cargo bay of a van, truck, trailer or other transportation means including maritime vessels. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the launcher 10 (and thus launch system 100) may be transported in and operated from an enclosure (not shown) such as a standard shipping container. It is therefore understood that the launcher 10 has a particularly compact footprint that results in a portability that is particularly advantageous for urban operations whereby space is generally limited and / or where transportability to different launch locations within relatively short periods of time are required. Further, it is understood that the portability of the launch system 100 mean that the system 100 may be considered to be a self-contained system, in the sense that it may be operated in remote areas that are devoid of power supplies and the like. Rather, by relying on energy stored in the energy storage module 64 of the power unit 60, the system 100 does not require an external power source such as a generator which may be noisy, and thus may be operated from a remote area in a substantially silent or at least generally quiet manner having reduced noise levels than more conventional payload launch systems.

[0061] A method 200 of launching a payload using a launcher as described herein will now be described with reference to Figure 11 .

[0062] In a low voltage storing step 210, low voltage energy is stored in an energy store. During this step, for example, an external source may be used to supply energy to charge low voltage energy store 66.

[0063] In a converting step 220, low voltage energy from the low voltage energy store is converted to high voltage energy. During this step, for example, booster 74 may be used to convert 24 V energy from the energy store 66 to 800 V energy.

[0064] In a high voltage storing step 230, the high voltage energy is stored in an energy buffer 68. During this step, for example, high voltage energy from the booster 74 may be transferred to capacitors 70 of the energy buffer 68.

[0065] In a delivering step 240, a series of energy bursts are delivered from the energy buffer 68 to power a motor 28. During this step, for example, short duration, high power bursts of energy are discharged from the capacitors 70 and delivered to the motor 28 via invertor 72.

[0066] In a propulsion step 250, the motor 28 is used to propel the payload 176 along a track 14. During this step, for example, the motor 28, via belt 26, is used to propel the carriage 12 along the track 14 to a speed sufficient to launch the payload 176 airborne.

[0067] Summarily, it is understood that the launcher 10 and launch system 100 described herein provide several improvements over existing payload launch systems. For example, by providing a belt driven carriage that is electrically powered by a high density power unit, the launcher is capable of almost silent operation that is difficult to detect. Also, by using the belt drive to both propel and decelerate the carriage, the launcher may be constructed with a lightweight design and energy associated with the stopping of the carriage may be regenerated and stored within the power unit. The use of low mass components (for example the belt and motor) and low inertia components (for example the motor, track, idlers, wheels and carriage) allows the launcher 10 to be energy efficient. Further, by allowing for a target position and / or terminal speed of the carriage to be set by a user, the launcher may be used to launch payloads of different type and / or mass without requiring substantial user intervention. In addition, by using capacitors as part of a high voltage energy buffer, the power unit is able to discharge short, high power, bursts of energy sufficient to power the carriage in a significantly reduced footprint than would otherwise be required if powered by batteries alone. Such factors combine to provide a launcher that is comparatively compact and portable, making it particularly well suited for use within urban environments.

[0068] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment oradmission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification relates.

[0069] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word ‘comprise’, and variations such as ‘comprises’ and ‘comprising’, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.LEGEND

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A launcher, comprising a carriage that is moveable along a track, the carriage being coupled to a drive that is configured to propel the carriage in a first direction and to decelerate the carriage relative to the track.

2. The launcher of claim 1 , wherein the drive is configured to arrest motion of the carriage along the track.

3. The launcher of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the drive is configured to drive the carriage in a second direction to return the carriage to a load position along the track.

4. The launcher of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a power unit configured to electrically power the drive.

5. A launcher, including a carriage which is coupled to a drive configured to propel the carriage in a first direction along a track and a power unit which is configured to deliver power to the drive in a series of energy bursts.

6. The launcher of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the power unit comprises an energy storage module that includes a low voltage energy store and a high voltage energy buffer.

7. The launcher of claim 6, wherein the power unit further comprises a booster that is arranged to take low voltage energy from the low voltage energy store and convert the energy to high voltage energy for storage in the high voltage energy buffer.

8. The launcher of claim 7, wherein the high voltage energy store comprises a bank of capacitors.

9. The launcher of any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the high voltage energy buffer is configured to provide power to the drive in a series of short duration high power energy bursts.

10. The launcher of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the power unit is configured to regenerate energy arising from movement of the carriage.1 1 . The launcher of claim 10, wherein energy generated by the motor during deceleration of the power unit is stored in the low voltage energy store during runs of the carriage.

12. The launcher of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the launcher is a portable launcher configured to be transported and operated from a cargo space of a vehicle.

13. The launcher of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive is a belt drive that extends along the track.

14. The launcher of claim 13, wherein the belt drive comprises a belt that is driven by a rotational motor.

15. A launcher, comprising a carriage that is moveable along a track and coupled to a drive that is configured to propel the carriage in a first direction, wherein the drive is a belt drive comprising a belt that extends along the track and is driven a rotational motor, the belt drive also being configured to decelerate the carriage relative to the track.

16. The launcher of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the motor is a servo motor.

17. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the belt is continuous either side of the carriage.

18. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the belt has two ends and the respective ends of the belt are fixed to the carriage so as to form a substantially continuous belt.

19. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the belt is a carbon fibre reinforced flexible belt.

20. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the belt is a toothed belt.

21. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein the belt drive comprises first and second pulleys that are disposed towards opposing ends of the track and are engaged with the belt.

22. The launcher of claim 21 , wherein the first and second pulleys are idler pulleys and the belt drive further comprises a drive pulley disposed between the pair of pulleys that is operably connected to the motor and engaged with the belt.

23. The launcher of claim 22, wherein the belt is a single sided belt, with a toothed side of the belt engaging with the drive pulley and a smooth side of the belt engaging with the idler pulleys.

24. The launcher of claim 22, wherein the belt is a double sided belt having teeth on both sides for engaging with the drive and idler pulleys.

25. The launcher of any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the belt drive further comprises a tensioner that is disposed between the first and second pulleys.

26. The launcher of any one of claims 14 to 25, wherein the belt drive is a light weight or low inertia belt drive.

27. The launcher of claim 25 or claim 26, wherein pulleys and / or the belt of the belt drive are formed from a light weight material.

28. The launcher of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a cradle that is coupled to or forms part of the carriage, with the cradle being configured to carry a payload.

29. The launcher of claim 28, wherein deceleration of the carriage causes the payload to separate from the cradle.

30. The launcher of claim 29, wherein the payload separates from the cradle at a target position along the track.31 . The launcher of claim 30, wherein the target position and / or a speed of the carriage at the target position are settable parameters.

32. The launcher of claim 31 , wherein the target position and / or speed of the carriage at the target position are set based on a mass and / or required launch speed of the payload.

33. The launcher of claim 32, wherein feedback from the drive and / or the carriage is used to automatically tune the target position and / or speed of the carriage at the target position.

34. The launcher of claim 33, wherein the feedback includes feedback provided by an encoder that monitors a position of the drive.

35. A system comprising a launcher and a bank of payload items that includes a first item and a second item having a mass that is different from the first item, wherein the launcher includes a carriage that is configured to carry a respective payload item along a track, and wherein, during use of the system, the carriage is propelled along the track at a first speed to launch the first item and is propelled at a second speed along the track in a subsequent run to launch the second item.

36. The system of claim 35, further including a controller that is configured to adjust settable parameters of the launcher based on characteristics of the payload item.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the controller is a remotely operable controller, allowing the launcher to be remotely operated.

38. A self-contained system for launching a payload, the system having a power unit that includes an energy storage module which is configured to deliver electro-mechanical power to a motor in a series of energy bursts to launch the payload with reduced noise levels.

39. A method of launching a payload, including the steps of: converting low voltage energy from an energy store to high voltage energy; storing the high voltage energy in an energy buffer; delivering a series of energy bursts from the energy buffer to power a motor; and using the motor to propel the payload along a track.

40. A power unit having a housing within which an energy storage module is accommodated, with the energy storage module including a low voltage energy store, a high voltage energy buffer and a booster that is arranged to take energy from the low voltage energy store and convert the energy to high voltage energy for storage in the high voltage energy buffer, wherein the energy storage module is configured to deliver electro-mechanical power in a series of energy bursts.

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