Foldable unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

A foldable unmanned aerial vehicle (10), comprising: a main unmanned aerial vehicle body (100), the main unmanned aerial vehicle body (100) comprising two side parts opposite to each other; a rotor assembly (200) for providing flight power, the rotor assembly (200) comprising a first rotor (210) and a second rotor (220) respectively located at the two side parts; and at least one mechanical rotating structure (300), the rotor assembly (200) being rotatably connected to the main unmanned aerial vehicle body (100) by means of the at least one mechanical rotating structure (300), and the at least one mechanical rotating structure (300) being configured to switch the rotor assembly (200) between an unfolded state and a folded state. In the unfolded state, the first rotor (210) and the second rotor (220) are separated from each other. In the folded state, the first rotor (210) and the second rotor (220) are close to each other.

Description

Foldable unmanned aerial vehicle CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] The present disclosure claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 2024110957906 entitled "Foldable unmanned aerial vehicle" filed on August 9, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of aerial vehicles, and in particular, to a foldable unmanned aerial vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0003] An unmanned aerial vehicle (e.g., a drone) is an unmanned aircraft that is controlled by a radio remote control device and a self-provided program control device. Unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used in various fields (e.g., aerial photography, agriculture, plant protection, surveying and mapping, etc.) due to their advantages of small size, low cost, easy use, and low requirements on the use environment. In order to facilitate carrying, transportation and storage, more and more unmanned aerial vehicles adopt folding technology. How to realize a simple and stable folding unmanned aerial vehicle is a key problem of the folding unmanned aerial vehicle. SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a foldable unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a body main body comprising two side portions opposite to each other; a rotor assembly for providing flight power, the rotor assembly comprising a first rotor and a second rotor respectively located at the two side portions; and at least one mechanical rotating structure, wherein the rotor assembly is rotatably connected to the body main body through the at least one mechanical rotating structure, wherein the at least one mechanical rotating structure is configured to switch the rotor assembly between an unfolded state in which the first rotor and the second rotor are separated from each other, and a folded state in which the first rotor and the second rotor are close to each other.

[0005] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the present disclosure rotatably connects a first rotor and a second rotor respectively located at two side portions of a body main body to the body main body by using at least one mechanical rotating structure, so that the first rotor and the second rotor can be switched between an unfolded state (both separated from each other) and a folded state (both close to each other) relative to the body main body. In this way, on the one hand, the flight and carrying of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be realized more simply, and on the other hand, compared with a magnetic attraction type connecting structure, the mechanical rotating structure can make the rotation of the rotor assembly, i.e., the switching between the unfolded state and the folded state, more reliable and stable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained from the drawings shown without creative labor. The drawings are as follows:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an unmanned aerial vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein a rotor assembly is in an unfolded state;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1, wherein the rotor assembly is in a folded state;

[0010] FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing a mechanical rotating structure of the unmanned aerial vehicle in FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing some components in the mechanical rotating structure in FIG. 7;

[0015] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing other components in the mechanical rotating structure in FIG. 7;

[0016] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing other components in the mechanical rotating structure in FIG. 7, wherein a cam and an elastic member are combined together;

[0017] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the elastic member in FIG. 7;

[0018] FIG. 12 is a front view showing the elastic member in FIG. 11;

[0019] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the cam in FIG. 7; and

[0020] FIG. 14 is a front view showing the cam in FIG. 13.

[0021] List of reference signs:

[0022] 10 unmanned aerial vehicle; 100 main body; 200 rotor assembly; 300 mechanical rotating structure; 210 first rotor; 220 second rotor; 111 display screen; 112 control button; 113 camera; 114 battery; 115 gimbal; 120 main body shell; 121 upper surface of main body shell; 122 lower surface of main body shell; 1221 first heat dissipation hole; 1222 second heat dissipation hole; 1223 third heat dissipation hole; 1224 groove; 310 rotating shaft assembly; 311 first rotating shaft; 312 second rotating shaft; 400 magnetic rotating structure; 211 propeller of first rotor; 221 propeller of second rotor; 212 protection frame of first rotor; 222 protection frame of second rotor; 3111 connecting part of first rotating shaft; 3121 connecting part of second rotating shaft; 320 cam assembly; 330 elastic assembly; 331 first elastic member; 332 second elastic member; 321 first cam; 322 second cam; 3311 first hollow part of first elastic member; 3321 first hollow part of second elastic member; 313 protruding part; 3312 contact surface of first elastic member; 3313 first section of first elastic member; 3314 second section of first elastic member; 3315 third section of first elastic member; 3316, 3317 second hollow part of first elastic member; 341 first cover plate; 342 second cover plate; 3112 first protruding part; 3122 second protruding part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0024] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, motion condition, etc. between components in a certain posture (as shown in the drawings), and if the certain posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0025] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection", "fixation", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be internal connection of two elements or interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this document, "communication" refers to fluid communication, i.e., a fluid (including a liquid and / or a gas) can flow from one component to another. Further, communication between two components can refer to direct communication between the two components, e.g., two holes are at least partially aligned, or communication through an intermediary medium.

[0027] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, technical effects, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about" or "approximately." Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations. It is intended that the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and claims be construed based on the intended property sought to be obtained by the applicants and the effects to be achieved by the disclosure as set forth in the specification and claims, and thus, are to be construed in light of the supported application and prior art.

[0028] In this disclosure, the terminology used in the description of the various described examples is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise defined, the number of elements recited in the description of the examples should be construed as being optional. Furthermore, the use of the term "and / or" in this disclosure is to be construed as encompassing any one of the listed items as well as all possible combinations of the listed items.

[0029] In order to facilitate carrying, transporting and storing, more and more unmanned aerial vehicles adopt folding technology. In the related art, the foldable rotors of the unmanned aerial vehicle are usually connected to the main body of the unmanned aerial vehicle by a magnetic attraction type connection structure. The magnetic attraction type connection structure not only increases the weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle (because it uses a metal material with magnetism), but also makes the folding of the rotors not easy to control and not stable enough.

[0030] In view of this, the present disclosure rotatably connects a first rotor and a second rotor respectively located at two side portions of a main body of an unmanned aerial vehicle to the main body of the unmanned aerial vehicle by using at least one mechanical rotating structure, so that the first rotor and the second rotor can be switched between an unfolded state (separated from each other) and a folded state (close to each other) relative to the main body of the unmanned aerial vehicle. In this way, on the one hand, the flight and carrying of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be more conveniently achieved, and on the other hand, compared with the magnetic attraction type connection structure, the mechanical rotating structure can make the rotation of the rotor assembly, i.e., the conversion between the unfolded state and the folded state, more reliable and stable.

[0031] The foldable unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1-14.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an unmanned aerial vehicle 10 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein a rotor assembly 200 is in an unfolded state; FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 in FIG. 1, wherein the rotor assembly 200 is in a folded state; FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 in FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 in FIG. 1.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 can include a body main body 100, a rotor assembly 200 for providing flight power, and at least one mechanical rotating structure 300.

[0034] The body main body 100 includes two side portions opposite to each other. The rotor assembly 200 includes a first rotor 210 and a second rotor 220 respectively located at the two side portions. The rotor assembly 200 is rotatably connected with the body main body 100 through the at least one mechanical rotating structure 300. The at least one mechanical rotating structure 300 is configured to switch the rotor assembly 200 between an unfolded state (as shown in FIG. 1) and a folded state (as shown in FIG. 2), in the unfolded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are separated from each other, and in the folded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are close to each other.

[0035] In this document, the "unfolded state" refers to a state in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 is in flight, in which the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 are away from each other, for example, spread on both sides of the body main body 100. In some examples, in the unfolded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 can be aligned with the body main body 100. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1, in the unfolded state, the free end of the first rotor 210 and the free end of the second rotor 220 are located above the body main body 100, that is, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 extend obliquely upward toward the body main body 100, which is conducive to reducing the flight resistance and improving the efficiency of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 in flight. In addition, the "folded state" refers to a state in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 is stored or carried, in which the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 are close to each other, for example, the two can at least partially overlap together. In some examples, as shown in FIG. 3, in the folded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are completely overlapped together below the body main body 100, thereby facilitating the carrying of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. In addition, in the folded state, the completely overlapped first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 can be arranged vertically with the body main body 100, or can be arranged obliquely with the body main body 100.

[0036] Since the rotor assembly 200 is rotatably connected to the body main body 100 through the at least one mechanical rotating structure 300, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 can be close to each other by rotating downward toward the body main body 100, thereby achieving a folded state. In the case of the first rotor and the second rotor being overlapped in the folded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are rotated downward toward the body main body 100 until they are overlapped together. The first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 (in particular, the free ends of the two) can be away from each other by rotating upward away from the body main body 100, thereby achieving an unfolded state. In the case of the first rotor and the second rotor being inclined to the body main body in the unfolded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are rotated upward until they are located obliquely above the body main body 100.

[0037] The above embodiment can more simply achieve the flight and carrying of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10, and on the other hand, compared with the magnetic attraction type connection structure, the mechanical rotating structure 300 can make the rotation of the rotor assembly 200 more reliable and stable.

[0038] In some embodiments, the body main body 100 includes a display screen 111, control buttons 112, and a camera 113 mounted on a gimbal 115, etc. (in particular, provided on the upper surface 121 of the main body shell). Through the control buttons 112, the flight mode of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 can be selected, and the flight trajectory can be set, thereby realizing the flight without remote control. The display screen 111 can display the flight mode and the flight trajectory, etc. for selection and setting. The camera 113 on the gimbal 115 can realize the video shooting function of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. In some examples, the gimbal 115 can be configured with mechanical stabilization and electronic anti-shake technology to improve the effect of stable imaging of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. Alternatively or additionally, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 can have an external remote controller, a mobile phone, etc. to control the flight mode of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10, set the flight trajectory, etc.

[0039] In some embodiments, the body main body 100 can also include a battery 114 for powering the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery 114 can be provided together with the display screen 111 and the control buttons 112 on the upper surface 121 of the body main body 100. The battery 114 can be provided to be detachable, thereby facilitating replacement.

[0040] In some embodiments, the fuselage body 100 further comprises a body shell 120 for mounting the at least one mechanical rotating structure 300. In the unfolded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are limited by the body shell 120 (as shown in FIG. 6) so that the free ends of the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are kept above the fuselage body 100. In the folded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are overlapped with each other below the fuselage body 100 (as shown in FIG. 3). That is, in the folded state, the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 are limited in the position of downward rotation by the overlap of the two. The above implementation can limit the position of the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 in the unfolded state and the folded state without the need to provide additional limiting structures on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 or the mechanical rotating structure 300 thereof. In some other embodiments, additional limiting structures can be provided on the fuselage body 100 to limit the position of the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 in the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0041] In some embodiments, the lower surface 122 of the body shell 120 is provided with a first heat dissipation hole 1221, and the position of the first heat dissipation hole corresponds to the position of the fan inside the fuselage body, so that the fan can suck external airflow through the first heat dissipation hole. The lower surface of the body shell 120 can also be provided with a second heat dissipation hole 1222, which can be provided near the two side portions of the fuselage body to increase the effect of heat convection dissipation. In addition, the two side portions of the body shell 120, i.e., the two side portions of the fuselage body, can also be provided with a third heat dissipation hole 1223, thereby further increasing the effect of heat convection dissipation.

[0042] In some embodiments, the surface of the main body shell 120 between the two sides (e.g., on the lower surface 122 of the fuselage main body 100) is provided with at least one groove 1224 extending between the two sides, each of the at least one mechanical rotation structure 300 is installed in a corresponding one of the at least one groove 1224, and the free ends of the first rotation shaft 311 and the second rotation shaft 312 (to be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 7) of the mechanical rotation structure 300 respectively extend from the two sides. In some examples, the extension direction of the groove 1224 can be perpendicular to the two sides of the fuselage main body 100, or alternatively, can be obliquely arranged with respect to the two sides of the fuselage main body 100. In FIG. 5, one groove 1224 is provided on the rear of the main body shell 120 for installing one mechanical rotation structure 300, and another groove is provided on the front of the main body shell 120 for installing one magnetic rotation structure 400. It should be understood herein that although only one mechanical rotation structure 300 is provided on the rear of the fuselage main body 100 in the figure, the magnetic rotation structure 400 on the front can be replaced by a mechanical rotation structure 300, or a mechanical rotation structure 300 can also be installed on the front of the fuselage main body 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, each of the at least one mechanical rotation structure 300 includes a rotation shaft assembly 310 connected with the rotor assembly 200 and configured to rotate the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 about the two sides of the fuselage main body, respectively. That is, the rotation shaft assembly 310 can be arranged to rotate the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 about the extension direction of the side where each rotor is located, thereby facilitating the rotation of the rotor assembly from the folded state (e.g., the state in which the rotor assembly 200 overlaps below the fuselage main body 100) to the unfolded state (e.g., the state in which the rotor assembly 200 is unfolded on both sides), or from the unfolded state to the folded state.

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the rotating shaft assembly 310 includes a first rotating shaft 311 for connecting with the first rotor 210, and a second rotating shaft 312 for connecting with the second rotor 220, wherein the end of the first rotating shaft 311 away from the first rotor 210 and the end of the second rotating shaft 312 away from the second rotor 220 are rotatably engaged together. By engaging the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312 together (e.g., through a gear), when one rotor is rotated, the other rotor can be driven to rotate by the engaged rotating shafts, thereby achieving synchronous movement of the two rotors. Alternatively, the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312 can also not be engaged together, but have a gap therebetween, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Alternatively, at least one of the mechanical rotating structures can also have different structures, for example, one of the mechanical rotating structures includes a rotating shaft assembly, and the other mechanical rotating structure does not include a rotating shaft assembly, but includes a guide rail structure, etc.

[0045] In some embodiments, motors can additionally be provided on the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312, so that the rotor assembly 200 can be automatically switched between the unfolded state and the folded state controllably.

[0046] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, each of the first rotor 210 and the second rotor 220 includes a propeller (i.e., the propeller 211 of the first rotor, the propeller 221 of the second rotor) and a protective frame (the protective frame 212 of the first rotor, the protective frame 222 of the second rotor) surrounding the propeller to achieve protection of the propeller. The free end of the first rotating shaft 311 is provided with a connecting portion 3111 connected with the protective frame 212 of the first rotor 210, and the free end of the second rotating shaft 312 is provided with a connecting portion 3112 connected with the protective frame of the second rotor 220. By connecting the protective frames of the rotor assembly 200 with the rotating shafts of the mechanical rotating structure 300, the user's rotating operation of the rotor assembly 200 can be facilitated. Specifically, the user exerts a force on the protective frames of the rotor assembly 200, which is directly transmitted to the rotating shaft assembly 310 through the protective frames, thereby facilitating subsequent rotating operation of the rotor assembly 200. In addition, in the case where the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 are provided on the rotating shafts, the acting force between the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 can also be directly transmitted from the rotating shaft assembly 310 to the protective frames, thereby providing a special hand feeling for the user when unfolding and folding the rotor assembly 200.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, each of the at least one mechanical rotating structure 300 further comprises a cam assembly 320 fixed on the rotating shaft assembly 310 and an elastic assembly 330 in movable contact with the cam assembly 320. The elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 are configured such that, when the cam assembly 320 rotates with the rotating shaft assembly 310, the elastic assembly 330 applies a varying elastic force to the cam assembly 320, and the cam assembly 320 converts the elastic force into a torque on the rotating shaft assembly 310. That is, the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 are arranged on the rotating shaft assembly 310, the elastic assembly 330 applies a varying elastic force to the cam assembly 320 when the cam assembly 320 and the rotating shaft assembly 310 move, and the cam assembly 320 converts the varying elastic force into a varying torque to act on the rotating shaft assembly 310 and further act on the rotor assembly 200 thereon, thereby helping the user to switch the state of the rotor assembly 200, for example, the torque provides a reverse resistance to the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly to prevent the rotor assembly 200 from rotating by mistake, or the torque provides a positive assistance to the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly (which can provide an effect similar to suction) to make it easier to rotate the rotor assembly 200, etc. Among them, the reverse resistance provided to the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly can realize the locking function for the storage and deployment of the UAV. In the folded state of the UAV, the reverse resistance can ensure the integrity of the first rotor and the second rotor when they are folded (i.e., closed), so that they will not automatically deploy, and in the deployed state (deployed flight) of the UAV, the reverse resistance can make the rotating shaft assembly zero virtual position, thereby reducing vibration and maintaining the stability of the flight state of the UAV. Alternatively, the at least one mechanical rotating structure can also have different structures, for example, one of the mechanical rotating structures comprises a cam assembly and an elastic assembly, and the other mechanical rotating structure does not comprise a cam assembly and an elastic assembly.

[0048] In some embodiments, the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 are configured such that the elastic force and the torque satisfy the following conditions: in a case where the rotation angle of the rotation shaft assembly 310 is within a first preset angle range, the elastic force increases with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque is maintained within a first preset torque range; in a case where the rotation angle is within a second preset angle range, the elastic force remains unchanged with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque first decreases to zero and then reversely increases; and in a case where the rotation angle is within a third preset angle range, the elastic force decreases with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque is maintained within a second preset torque range. The first preset angle range, the second preset angle range and the third preset angle range can be the rotation angle range of the rotation shaft assembly 310 from the folded state to the unfolded state, or the rotation angle range from the unfolded state to the folded state. That is, no matter from the unfolded state to the folded state or from the folded state to the unfolded state, in the initial stage (the first preset angle range) of the rotation of the rotation shaft assembly 310, the elastic force increases with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque is maintained within the first preset torque range; in the middle stage (the second preset angle range) of the rotation of the rotation shaft assembly 310, the elastic force remains unchanged with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque first decreases to zero and then reversely increases; and in the last stage (the third preset angle range) of the rotation of the rotation shaft assembly 310, the elastic force decreases with the increase of the rotation angle, and the torque is maintained within the second preset torque range. The directions of the first preset torque range and the second preset torque range can be opposite, and the absolute values of the first preset torque range and the second preset torque range are both greater than the absolute value of the torque generated in the second preset angle range. In this way, a special hand feeling can be provided for the user when unfolding and folding the rotor assembly 200, for example, in the initial stage of unfolding / folding the rotor assembly 200, that is, the torque of the first preset torque range provided by the cam assembly described above resists the rotation of the rotation shaft assembly 310 and the rotor assembly 200, thereby avoiding the misrotation of the rotor assembly 200 (the user feels the resistance of the rotor assembly 200), while in the middle stage, the torque provided by the cam assembly first decreases and then reversely increases, the torque generated by the cam changes from resistance to assistance, so that the rotation of the rotor assembly 200 is relatively smooth, and then in the last stage, the torque of the second preset torque range provided by the cam assists the rotation of the rotation shaft assembly 310 and the rotor assembly 200, thereby promoting the rotor assembly 200 to enter the folded state / unfolded state (the user feels the suction of the rotor assembly 200). In order to enable the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 to provide the elastic force and the torque satisfying the above conditions, the elastic assembly 330 and the cam assembly 320 can have one or more of the following features.

[0049] In some embodiments, the elastic assembly 330 includes at least one elastic member, and the cam assembly 320 includes at least one cam, each of the at least one elastic member is provided with a first hollow portion, and each of the at least one cam is located in the first hollow portion of a corresponding one of the at least one elastic member to apply an elastic force to the cam assembly 320 when the cam assembly 320 rotates with the rotating shaft assembly 310. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7-9, the elastic assembly 330 includes a first elastic member 331 and a second elastic member 332, and the cam assembly 320 includes a first cam 321 and a second cam 322. The first cam 321 is located in a first hollow portion 3311 of the first elastic member 331, and the first cam 321 is fixed on the first rotating shaft 311. The second cam 322 is located in a first hollow portion 3321 of the second elastic member 332, and the second cam 322 is fixed on the second rotating shaft 312. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a protruding portion 313 can be provided on each of the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312, and the first cam and the second cam can be respectively sleeved on the protruding portions of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft to be fixed together with the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312. Alternatively, only one cam and one elastic member can be provided on one of the first rotating shaft 311 or the second rotating shaft 312. The above-mentioned embodiments can realize that the elastic member is deformed to apply a varying elastic force to the cam when the cam rotates with the rotating shaft assembly 310. The elastic member and the cam arranged in this way can be designed to be relatively flat and compact, thereby saving space, and the elastic force generated by the elastic member is relatively uniform and smooth without a large peak value. Alternatively, the at least one elastic member can also have different structures, for example, one of the elastic members includes a first hollow portion, and the other elastic member is provided as a spring or the like.

[0050] In some embodiments, each of the at least one cam includes a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a dimension of the cam in the first direction is greater than a dimension of the cam in the second direction, and two ends of the cam in the first direction are in contact with a corresponding one of the at least one elastic member. For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the first cam 321 has a dimension L in the first direction that is greater than a dimension W in the second direction. The second cam has the same features as the first cam, and will not be described in detail here. In this way, when the two ends of the cam in the first direction are in contact with the elastic member, the two ends of the cam in the second direction can be prevented from also being in contact with the elastic member to interfere with the mutual cooperation between the cam and the elastic member. Alternatively, the at least one cam can also have different structures, for example, one of the cams has the above-mentioned features, and the other cam has a dimension in the first direction that is equal to a dimension in the second direction.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first hollowed part of each elastic member comprises two contact surfaces in contact (e.g. tangential contact) with two end portions of the corresponding cam, wherein each of the two contact surfaces comprises a first segment, a second segment and a third segment connected in sequence and having an arc shape. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10-12, the first hollowed part 3311 of the first elastic member 331 comprises two contact surfaces 3312 in contact with two end portions of the first cam 321. Each of the two contact surfaces 3312 comprises a first segment 3313, a second segment 3314 and a third segment 3315 having an arc shape. The second elastic member has the same features as the first elastic member, which will not be described in detail here. This can make the cam move between the three segments of the contact surface, so that the elastic force provided by the elastic assembly 330 and the torque provided by the cam assembly 320 change differently in the initial stage, the middle stage and the last stage of the rotation of the aforementioned rotating shaft assembly 310. The elastic member and the cam thus arranged can be designed to be relatively flat and compact, thereby saving space, and the elastic force generated by the elastic member is relatively uniform and smooth, without large peaks. Alternatively, at least one elastic member can also have a different structure, for example, one of the elastic members has the above features, and the first hollowed part of the other elastic member has only one contact surface, etc.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first segment, the second segment and the third segment of each contact surface of each elastic member are symmetrical relative to the central axis of the contact surface, so that the change of the elastic force provided by the elastic assembly 330 from the folded state to the unfolded state and from the unfolded state to the folded state is consistent, so as to achieve the change of the torque applied by the cam assembly 320 to the rotating shaft assembly 310 from the folded state to the unfolded state and from the unfolded state to the folded state is consistent. That is, the user feels a consistent hand feeling when rotating the rotor assembly 200 from the folded state to the unfolded state and from the unfolded state to the folded state. Alternatively, at least one elastic member can also have a different structure, for example, one of the elastic members has the above features, and the contact surface of the first hollowed part of the other elastic member has only one segment or two segments, etc.

[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, the second segment has a circular arc shape, and the second segments of the two contact surfaces each have a common center and the same radius, and the center of the corresponding cam coincides with the center. The above implementation can achieve that the cam enters into contact with the second segment of the contact surface without deformation of the elastic member or change of the elastic force provided by the elastic member.

[0054] In one or more embodiments described above, the rotation angle of the rotating shaft assembly 310 is assumed to be in the range of 0° to 95°. When the rotation angle of the rotating shaft assembly 310 changes from 0° to 15° (first preset angle range), the end of the cam is in contact with the first section of the contact surface, the deformation of the elastic member increases, the elastic force provided by the elastic member increases, but the elastic force arm (the horizontal distance from the cam to the center of rotation, i.e., the horizontal distance from the cam to the center of the circle) decreases, so the torque generated by the cam is relatively large and basically unchanged, and the direction of the torque is opposite to the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly 310, thereby generating resistance to the rotation of the rotor assembly 200. When the rotation angle of the rotating shaft assembly 310 changes from 15° to 80° (second preset angle range), the end of the cam enters the second section (e.g., the arc section) of the contact surface, at this time, the elastic member is not deformed, so the elastic force provided by the elastic member remains unchanged, but the elastic force arm first decreases and then increases, so the torque generated by the cam first decreases to 0 and then reverses to increase, the torque at this time is maintained in a relatively small range, and the direction of the torque changes from resisting the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly 310 to promoting the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly 310. When the rotation angle of the rotating shaft assembly 310 changes from 80° to 95°, the cam enters the third section of the contact surface, the deformation of the elastic member decreases, the elastic force provided by the elastic member decreases, and the elastic force arm increases, so the torque generated by the cam is relatively large and basically unchanged, and the direction of the torque promotes the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly 310, thereby promoting the automatic positioning of the rotor assembly 200. The above change process can be symmetrical at the rotation angle of 47.5°, that is, when the rotation angle is 47.5°, the midpoint of the cam is in contact with the contact surface, and the torque generated by the cam decreases to 0. It should be understood that the rotation angle of the rotating shaft assembly 310 and the first preset angle range, the second preset angle range, and the third preset angle range can be set as needed and are not limited to the above ranges.

[0055] In some embodiments, a plurality of second hollow portions are further provided between each of the two contact surfaces of each elastic member and the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member. By providing the second hollow portions, the deformation of the elastic member when subjected to the extrusion of the cam can be increased, thereby increasing the elastic force provided by the elastic member. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of second hollow portions, such as the second hollow portions 3316 extending in the transverse direction and the second hollow portions 3317 extending around the outer peripheral surface of the first elastic member from the first hollow portion 3311, are provided between the contact surface 3312 of the first elastic member 331 and the outer peripheral surface of the first elastic member. The second elastic member has the same features as the first elastic member, and will not be described in detail here. Alternatively, at least one elastic member can have a different structure, for example, one elastic member has the above features, and the other elastic member is not provided with second hollow portions.

[0056] In some embodiments, the elastic component 330 is made of a non-metallic and elastic material, for example, made of plastic. The elastic force generated by the elastic component with the above characteristics is relatively smooth and the peak is not high, so the requirement for the material is relatively low, and the use of plastic can meet the requirements.

[0057] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, each of the at least one mechanical rotating structure 300 further comprises a first cover plate 341 and a second cover plate 342 for fixing on the body main body 100. The rotating shaft assembly 310, the cam assembly 320 and the elastic component 330 are arranged between the first cover plate 341 and the second cover plate 342, the rotating shaft assembly 310 is rotatably connected with the first cover plate 341, and the elastic component 330 is fixed on the second cover plate 342. By arranging the first cover plate 341 and the second cover plate 342, not only the rotating shaft assembly 310, the cam assembly 320 and the elastic component 330 in them, but also the body main body 100 can be fixed. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312 can be movably sleeved on the two circular protrusions of the first cover plate 341. The first elastic component and the second elastic component can be fixed on the second cover plate 342 by bolts or the like. The first and second cover plates can also be fixed on the body main body 100 by bolts or the like.

[0058] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rotating shaft assembly 310 is provided with at least one protrusion, and the inside of the body main body 100 is provided with at least one sensor, wherein each of the at least one protrusion is in contact with a corresponding one of the at least one sensor in the case that the rotor assembly 200 is in the unfolded state. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312 can be respectively provided with a first protrusion 3112 and a second protrusion 3122, which can be in contact with the sensor on the body main body 100 in the case that the rotor assembly 200 is in the unfolded state, thereby triggering the unfolding identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. It should be understood herein that only one protrusion can be arranged on one of the first rotating shaft 311 and the second rotating shaft 312, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0059] The above merely describes the embodiments or examples of the present disclosure, and does not limit the patent scope of the present disclosure, and any equivalent structural transformation made by using the content of the present disclosure and the drawings, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields is included in the patent protection scope of the present disclosure. Various elements in the embodiments or examples can be omitted or replaced by equivalent elements thereof. In addition, each step can be performed in an order different from that described in the present disclosure. Further, various elements in the embodiments or examples can be combined in various ways. It is important that many of the elements described herein can be replaced by equivalent elements that appear after the present disclosure as technology evolves.

Claims

1. A foldable unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a fuselage body comprising two sides opposite to each other; a rotor assembly for providing flight power, the rotor assembly comprising a first rotor and a second rotor respectively located at the two sides; and at least one mechanical rotating structure, wherein the rotor assembly is rotatably connected with the fuselage body through the at least one mechanical rotating structure, wherein the at least one mechanical rotating structure is configured to switch the rotor assembly between an unfolded state and a folded state, in the unfolded state, the first rotor and the second rotor are separated from each other, and in the folded state, the first rotor and the second rotor are close to each other, and wherein each of the at least one mechanical rotating structure comprises: a rotating shaft assembly connected with the rotor assembly and configured to rotate the first rotor and the second rotor around the two sides respectively; a cam assembly fixed on the rotating shaft assembly; and an elastic assembly in movable contact with the cam assembly, wherein the elastic assembly and the cam assembly are configured such that, in the case that the cam assembly rotates with the rotating shaft assembly, the elastic assembly applies a varying elastic force to the cam assembly, and the cam assembly converts the elastic force into a torque on the rotating shaft assembly.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein, The elastic assembly and the cam assembly are configured such that the elastic force and the torque satisfy the following: in the case that the rotating angle of the rotating shaft assembly is within a first preset angle range, the elastic force increases with the increase of the rotating angle, and the torque is maintained within a first preset torque range, in the case that the rotating angle is within a second preset angle range, the elastic force remains unchanged with the increase of the rotating angle, and the torque first decreases to zero and then reversely increases, and in the case that the rotating angle is within a third preset angle range, the elastic force decreases with the increase of the rotating angle, and the torque is maintained within a second preset torque range.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein, The elastic assembly comprises at least one elastic piece, and the cam assembly comprises at least one cam, each of the at least one elastic piece is provided with a first hollow part, each of the at least one cam is located in the first hollow part of a corresponding one of the at least one elastic piece, so as to apply an elastic force to the cam assembly in the case that the cam assembly rotates with the rotating shaft assembly.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein, Each of the at least one cam comprises a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the size of the cam in the first direction is greater than the size of the cam in the second direction, and the two ends of the cam in the first direction are in contact with a corresponding one of the at least one elastic piece.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein, The first hollow part of each elastic member comprises two contact surfaces in contact with two end parts of the corresponding cam, wherein each of the two contact surfaces comprises a first section, a second section and a third section connected in sequence and having an arc shape.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein, The second section has a circular arc shape, and the second sections of the two contact surfaces each have a common center and the same radius, and the center of the corresponding cam coincides with the center.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein, The first section, the second section and the third section of each contact surface are symmetrical relative to the central axis of the contact surface.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein, Each of the two contact surfaces of each elastic member is further provided with a plurality of second hollow parts between the contact surface and the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member.

9. The unmanned vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The elastic assembly is made of a non-metallic and elastic material.

10. The unmanned vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, Each of the at least one mechanical rotating structure further comprises a first cover plate and a second cover plate for fixing on the fuselage body, wherein the rotating shaft assembly, the cam assembly and the elastic assembly are arranged between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the rotating shaft assembly is rotatably connected with the first cover plate, and the elastic assembly is fixed on the second cover plate.

11. The unmanned vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The rotating shaft assembly comprises: a first rotating shaft for connecting with the first rotor; and a second rotating shaft for connecting with the second rotor, wherein the end part of the first rotating shaft away from the first rotor and the end part of the second rotating shaft away from the second rotor are rotatably engaged together.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein, Each of the first rotor and the second rotor comprises a propeller and a protective frame surrounding the propeller, and the free end of the first rotating shaft is provided with a connecting part connected with the protective frame of the first rotor, and the free end of the second rotating shaft is provided with a connecting part connected with the protective frame of the second rotor.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein, The fuselage body comprises a main body shell accommodating the at least one mechanical rotating structure, and the surface of the main body shell between the two side parts is provided with at least one groove extending between the two side parts, each of the at least one mechanical rotating structure is installed in a corresponding one of the at least one groove, and the free ends of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft of the mechanical rotating structure respectively protrude from the two side parts.

14. The unmanned vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, At least one protrusion is arranged on the rotating shaft assembly, and at least one sensor is arranged inside the fuselage body, wherein in the case that the rotor assembly is in the unfolded state, each of the at least one protrusion is in contact with a corresponding one of the at least one sensor.

15. The unmanned vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The fuselage body further comprises a main body shell for installing the at least one mechanical rotating structure, wherein in the unfolded state, the first rotor and the second rotor are limited by the main body shell to keep the free end of the first rotor and the free end of the second rotor above the fuselage body, and in the folded state, the first rotor and the second rotor are overlapped together under the fuselage body.

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