Holding plate

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding plate (1) for a drone (2) for mounting on the lower face (1.4) of a housing (2.2) of a drone (2) and for securing loads (3) to be transported, wherein the holding plate (1) has four coupling elements (1a), which can be form-fittingly connected to form-fitting elements (2a) of the drone (2), and all of the coupling elements (1a) can be manually connected to the housing (2.2) via the respective form-fitting element (2a) and can be released manually.

Description

[0001] Applicant: ODM GmbH - 1 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0002] Mounting plate

[0003] The invention relates to a mounting plate for a drone for mounting a housing to an underside of a drone and for attaching loads to be transported, wherein the mounting plate has four coupling elements which can be positively connected to positive locking elements of the drone.

[0004] The invention also relates to a drone with a rectangular housing with a vertically alignable central axis and outer walls running around the central axis.

[0005] The invention also relates to the use of a drone as described below for transporting a load positioned below the drone.

[0006] The invention also relates to a system consisting of a mounting plate, as described below, and a drone, as described below.

[0007] A clamping system for an object to be transported by a drone and a transport element are already known from DE 10 2017 116 092 A1.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of designing and arranging a transport element in such a way that expanded use of drones becomes possible.

[0009] The problem is solved according to the invention by the fact that all coupling elements can be manually connected to and disconnected from the housing via the respective positive locking element. This ensures that the mounting plate can be easily and arbitrarily attached to a drone housing when a load is to be transported from below.

[0010] The problem is also solved according to the invention by providing a manually releasable holding element on an underside of the drone via positive locking elements. Applicant: ODM GmbH -2 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0011] The mounting plate is attached to the front of the housing according to one of the preceding claims. This attachment allows for easy manual mounting of the mounting plate. Furthermore, a gap between the mounting plate and the housing can be maintained, thus simplifying the assembly process. This gap allows for the placement of elastic contact elements between the housing and the mounting plate. This has a beneficial effect on the locking process between the positive locking element and the coupling element, particularly when using a mushroom head as the positive locking element and a retaining eyelet as the coupling element. It can also be advantageous to provide four edge struts, four corners, and a central segment with a bottom surface bounded by the edge struts, with the coupling elements arranged in the area of ​​the edge struts and / or in the area of ​​the corners. This facilitates access to the coupling elements, especially when the drone is on the ground.

[0012] It can also be advantageous to provide a locking element that mechanically interacts with the respective coupling element, preventing the coupling element from being unlocked. This secures the retaining plate against accidental release. Furthermore, it can be advantageous to provide a closure element for securing an object, such as a transport container. This allows the retaining grid to also be used to secure a transport container.

[0013] It can also be advantageous to provide a pretensioning device against whose pretensioning force the coupling element, the locking piece, and the locking part can be manually moved, whereby the coupling element, the locking piece, and the locking part can each be moved into an unlocked position by this movement. The pretensioning device ensures that the coupling element, the locking piece, and the locking part are positioned in their respective locked positions. This ensures secure fastening of the mounting plate and the counterweight being transported. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 3 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0014] Advantageously, the underside may be provided with at least one receptacle for attaching an object to be transported or a load to be picked up and unloaded. The receptacle may be specifically designed to attach a particular load, such as a camera or other signal transmitters or receivers. It may be significant for the present invention if the receptacle is positioned centrally. This allows the load to engage the mounting plate centrally and be aligned as desired on a drone by appropriately positioning the mounting plate.

[0015] In connection with the design and arrangement according to the invention, it can be advantageous to provide at least one recess that ensures access to an underside of the drone or to a transport compartment. This allows components of the load or object, or supplies for the object, to be placed at least partially in the transport compartment.

[0016] It can also be advantageous if at least one edge strut has a recess for operating the locking mechanism. This allows the locking mechanism to be conveniently operated from the side, even when the drone is on the floor.

[0017] Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the central segment is formed from several struts that create a grid structure, wherein 1 to 8, in particular 3, longitudinal struts and 1 to 8, in particular 4, transverse struts are provided, each aligned parallel to an edge strut over at least part of its length. This results in a low weight for the central segment. Moreover, the resulting gaps between the struts significantly increase the possibilities for accessing the transport space. The retaining plate is therefore designed as a retaining grid.

[0018] Regarding the drone, it may be advantageous to provide a vertically extending, centrally located transport space with its central axis, the transport space being defined by the rectangular housing in a vertical direction. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 4 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0019] The opening is limited to the sides, with the retaining plate positioned in front of an opening in the transport space. The retaining plate limits the downward-opening transport space, which also allows for more extensive use of the transport space.

[0020] Furthermore, it can be advantageous to have an electrical connection socket on the drone that can be connected to a load's connector. This allows the load or object to be supplied with power and electrical signals, while simplifying connection and disconnection.

[0021] It can be advantageous if the housing has a maximum width_H and the mounting plate a maximum width_P, where width_H is smaller than width_P, so that the mounting plate is recessed from the respective outer wall. This prevents a protrusion on which the drone could get stuck.

[0022] Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the coupling element is designed as a retaining pin and the positive locking element as a retaining eyelet, wherein the retaining pin has at least one undercut and the retaining eyelet has at least one spring-loaded pawl by which the retaining pin can be locked in the inserted position. It can also be advantageous if elastic contact elements are provided between the housing and the retaining plate, by which a preload force can be generated between the coupling element and the positive locking element. This ensures easy assembly of the retaining plate. When the housing is placed on the retaining plate and the retaining pin and retaining eyelet are axially guided and engaged, the contact elements are slightly deformed or preloaded and, after the locking process has been completed, exert an axial preload force between the retaining pin and the pawl(s).This allows for relatively large manufacturing tolerances around the locking position, while still ensuring the locking position of all retaining pins. Furthermore, the preload prevents resonance noises or other noises caused by relative movement between the retaining pin and the retaining eyelet. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 5 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026.

[0023] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in the claims and the description and illustrated in the figures. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a drone without propellers;

[0024] Figure 1a shows a schematic diagram of a drone without propellers, viewed from below;

[0025] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a mounting plate;

[0026] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the coupling element, positive locking element and locking piece;

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a drone with a load;

[0028] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of an alternative mounting plate;

[0029] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the coupling element and the locking part;

[0030] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the mushroom head and retaining eyelet.

[0031] The schematic diagram of a drone 2, or its basic body, shown in Figure 1, comprises a rectangular housing 2.2 with four outer walls 2.3, and a vertically extending central transport compartment 2.1, which share a common vertically oriented central axis 2.4. The transport compartment 2.1 is bounded by the rectangular housing 2.2 in a direction transverse to the central axis 2.4, i.e., laterally, with a mounting plate 1 attached to an underside 2.5 of the drone 2.

[0032] The housing 2.2 has a maximum width_H on each side of the housing that is approximately 10% larger than the maximum width_P of the mounting plate 1. Therefore, the mounting plate 1 is set back slightly from the respective outer wall 2.3.

[0033] In the embodiment according to Figure 1a, the base body with the retaining plate 1, designed as a retaining grid, is shown in perspective from below. The retaining grid 1 is attached to an underside 2.5, with an opening 2.6 of the Trans-Anantrager: ODM GmbH -6 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: 20 February 2026

[0034] The port area 2.1 is covered. The retaining grid 1 has centrally arranged receptacles 1.6 for attaching an object or load (not shown). A connection socket 2.7 is also provided in the area of ​​the underside 2.5.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the retaining grid 1 is depicted alone. At each corner 1.2, a coupling element 1a is provided for positive locking with a positive locking element 2a of the drone 2 (not shown). At the center of the retaining grid 1, on its underside, is a receptacle 1.6 for a load 3 to be transported. The retaining grid 1 consists of four outer edge struts 1.1, which form a square shape and define a central segment 1.3. The central segment 1.3 consists of three longitudinal struts 1.3a and two transverse struts 1.3b, each evenly distributed across its width. Both the coupling elements 1a and the receptacle 1.6 are preferably positively locked to the retaining grid 1 and the respective longitudinal and transverse struts 1.3a and 1.3b, respectively.

[0036] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 3, a schematic diagram of the coupling elements 1a, the locking pieces 1b that engage with them, and the positive locking elements 2a is depicted. Each coupling element 1a consists of a cylindrical locking bolt, which is axially guided on the edge strut 1.1 and also has a locking piece 1b. The locking piece 1b is designed as a locking bolt and secured against being pulled out by a preloading element 1.5. The coupling element 1a can be positively inserted into the corresponding positive locking element 2a of the drone 2 and secured in this position against being pulled out by the locking piece 1b. The positive locking element 2a is designed as a retaining plate with a corresponding control opening and is attached to a bottom wall 2.8 on a lower surface 2.5 of the drone 2. The edge struts 1.1 extend circumferentially (not shown here), with, as shown in Figure 2, a positive locking element in the area of ​​each corner 1.2. A corresponding coupling element 1a and corresponding positive locking elements 2a are provided. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 7 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026.

[0037] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the complete drone 2 has four propellers 2.9, each positioned at a corner of the cuboid housing 2.2. A load 3, or an object to be transported, is located below the drone 2 and is secured or suspended by the support grid 1 and the receptacle 1.6. The object 3 is also electrically or electronically connected to the connector 2.7 of the drone 2 via a connector 3.1. The cargo space 2.1 of the drone 2 is empty but can be used to transport additional loads or objects.

[0038] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the retaining grid 1 does not have a central receptacle. Instead, it has a locking element 1c directly in the area of ​​the respective coupling element 1a. This locking element 1c serves to secure a different type of load, such as a transport container.

[0039] For this purpose, the transport container according to Figure 6 has an abutment 3a which can be positively engaged with the locking element 1c. The locking element 1c is designed as a locking bolt and is mounted in a guide bushing 1.8. The locking position is secured by a corresponding spring preload. The retaining grid 1 is locked to the positive-locking element 2a via the coupling elements 1a, which are also designed as locking bolts. The latter fastening pair for the retaining grid 1 is located inside the retaining grid 1 and is less easily accessible than the fastening pair of the locking element 1c and the abutment 3a. Thus, the latter can be actuated first, and confusion is prevented.

[0040] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the positive locking element 1a, or retaining pin, is designed as a mushroom head, and the coupling element 2a as a retaining eyelet into which the mushroom head 1a is inserted when the retaining plate 1 is placed on the housing 2.2. The retaining pin has a circumferential undercut 1a1, and the retaining eyelet 2a has two corresponding locking pawls 2a1 that engage axially with the undercut 1a1, or the mushroom head 1a, when the retaining pin 1a is inserted sufficiently far into the retaining eyelet 2a. Thus, the retaining pin is secured against being pulled out. Applicant: 0DM GmbH -8 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0041] Elastic retaining elements 2a2 between the retaining grid 1 and the housing 2.2, as exemplified in Figure 1a, are slightly deformed when the housing 2.2 is placed on the retaining plate 1 and when the retaining pin 1a and retaining eyelet 2a engage. After the locking process has been completed, when the retaining pin 1a is axially locked, they ensure an axial preload force between the retaining pin 1a and the retaining eyelet 2a. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 9 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0042] Reference symbol list

[0043] 1 mounting plate, mounting grid

[0044] 1a Coupling element

[0045] 1a1 Undercut

[0046] 1b Locking piece

[0047] 1c Locking part

[0048] 1.1 Edge brace

[0049] 1.2 Corner

[0050] 1.3 Central segment

[0051] 1.3a Longitudinal strut

[0052] 1.3b Cross brace

[0053] 1.4 Underside

[0054] 1.5 Pre-tensioning devices

[0055] 1.6 Recording

[0056] 1.7 Exclusion

[0057] 1.8 Guide bushing

[0058] 1.9 Abutments

[0059] 10 Mushroom Head

[0060] 2 drones

[0061] 2a Positive locking element

[0062] 2a1 Locking pawl

[0063] 2a2 elastic investment assets

[0064] 2.1 Transport space

[0065] 2.2 Housing

[0066] 2.3 Exterior wall

[0067] 2.4 Center axis

[0068] 2.5 Underside

[0069] 2.6 Opening

[0070] 2.7 Connection socket

[0071] 2.8 Floor wall

[0072] 2.9 Propeller Applicant: ODM GmbH - 10 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026

[0073] 3. Load, object, transport container

[0074] 3a Abutment

[0075] 3.1 Connector plug

[0076] Nomenclature:

[0077] Width_H

[0078] Width_P

Claims

Applicant: ODM GmbH - 11 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026 Patent claims 1. Mounting plate (1 ) for a drone (2) for mounting on a bottom (1 .4) of a housing (2.2) of a drone (2) and for attaching loads (3) to be transported, wherein the mounting plate (1 ) has four coupling elements (1 a) which can be positively connected to positive locking elements (2a) of the drone (2), characterized by this , that all coupling elements (1a) can be manually connected and manually disconnected via the respective positive locking element (2a) with the housing (2.2).

2. Retaining plate (1) according to claim 1 , characterized by this , that four edge struts (1.1), four corners (1.2) and a central segment (1.3) bounded by the edge struts (1.1) over the circumference with a bottom surface (1.4) are provided, wherein the coupling elements (1a) are arranged in the area of ​​the edge struts (1.1) and / or in the area of ​​the corners (1.2).

3. Retaining plate (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this , that a locking piece (1 b) is provided in each case, which mechanically interacts with the respective coupling element (1 a), wherein the locking piece (1 b) can prevent an unlocking movement of the coupling element (1 a).

4. Retaining plate (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this , that a locking element (1 c) is provided in each case, which serves to fasten an object, such as a transport container (3). Applicant: ODM GmbH - 12 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026 5. Retaining plate (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that pretensioning means (1.5) are provided against whose pretensioning force the coupling element (1a), the locking piece (1b) and the locking part (1c) can be manually displaced, wherein by displacing the coupling element (1a), the locking piece (1b) and the locking part (1c) can each be brought into an unlocking position.

6. Retaining plate (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one receptacle (1 .6) for attaching an object (3) to be transported is provided on the underside (1 .4).

7. Retaining plate (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one recess (1.7) is provided which provides access to an underside (2.5) of the drone (2) or to a transport space (2.1).

8. Retaining plate (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that at least one edge strut (1.1 ) has a recess (1.7) for actuating the locking piece (1 b).

9. Retaining plate (1) according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized by this , that the central segment (1.3) is formed from several struts (1.3a, 1.3b) that form a lattice structure, wherein 1 to 8, in particular 3, longitudinal struts (1.3a) and 1 to 8, in particular 4, transverse struts (1.3b) are provided, each of which is aligned parallel to an edge strut (1.1) over at least part of its length. Applicant: ODM GmbH - 13 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026 10. Drone (2) with a rectangular housing (2.2) with a vertically alignable central axis (2.4) and outer walls (2.3) surrounding the central axis (2.4), characterized in that a manually releasable retaining plate (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims is attached to an underside (2.5) of the drone (2) via positive locking elements (2a).

11. Drone (2) according to claim 10, characterized by this , that a vertically extending central transport space (2.1 ) with the central axis (2.4) is provided, wherein the transport space (2.1 ) is limited laterally in the vertical direction by the rectangular housing (2.2), wherein the retaining plate (1 ) is placed in front of an opening (2.6) of the transport space (2.1 ).

12. Drone (2) according to claim 10 or 11 , characterized by this , that an electrical socket (2.7) is provided which can be connected to a plug (3.1) of a load (3).

13. Drone (2) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by this , that the housing (2.2) has a maximum width_H and the mounting plate (1) has a maximum width_P, where the width_H is smaller than the width_P, so that the mounting plate (1) is recessed from the respective outer wall (2.3). Applicant: ODM GmbH - 14 - 2025-284P-WO Official Ref.: February 20, 2026 14. Drone (2) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized by this , that the coupling element (1 a) is designed as a retaining pin and the positive locking element (2a) as a retaining eyelet, wherein the retaining pin has at least one undercut (1a1 ) and the retaining eyelet has at least one spring-loaded locking pawl (2a1 ) by which the retaining pin (1a) can be locked in the inserted state.

15. Drone (7) according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized by this , that the elastic support means (2a2) are provided between the housing (2.2) and the retaining plate (1) by which a preload force can be generated between the coupling element (1a) and the positive locking element (2a).

16. Use of a drone (2) according to any of the preceding claims 10 to 13 for transporting a load (3) positioned below the drone (2).

17. System comprising a mounting plate (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9 and a drone (2) according to one of claims 10 to 13.

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