Direct-Drive Coil Actuator for Low-Power UAV Gimbal Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary electromechanical actuators, such as BLDC motors, consume significant space and require high electrical power for mechanical output, making them impractical for applications with limited space and power constraints, such as small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Innovation Solution
A coil actuator utilizing a current-carrying coil in a magnetic field to provide motion control, offering increased performance-per-weight, reduced electrical power consumption, and direct axis drive with no backlash, and requiring fewer moving parts, which can be arranged off the drive axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If BLDC motors are used for motion control, then mechanical output is achieved, but space consumption and electrical power requirement increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional BLDC motor system with a magnetic field-based actuator system that uses permanent magnets and coil assemblies to generate motion through electromagnetic interaction, eliminating the need for complex motor windings, commutators, and associated control electronics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters by using high-strength permanent magnets (neodymium or samarium-cobalt) to create strong magnetic fields, allowing for reduced current requirements and smaller component sizes while maintaining the same mechanical output power
2Power
If BLDC motors are used for motion control, then mechanical output is achieved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy motor components (stator, rotor, windings, commutator) with a lighter magnetic field actuator system consisting of permanent magnets, coil assemblies, and magnetic circuits, significantly reducing the weight-to-power ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs high-strength permanent magnet materials (neodymium or samarium-cobalt) that provide exceptional magnetic field strength per unit weight, allowing for compact and lightweight actuator designs that maintain high mechanical output power
3Ease of operation
If traditional actuators are used in gimbal mechanisms, then motion control is provided, but the number of moving parts increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary moving parts (commutator, brushes, complex gear trains) from the actuator design, retaining only the essential magnetic field interaction components, thereby reducing mechanical wear and failure points
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field actuator system provides self-centering and self-biasing through the inherent properties of the magnetic field and spring mechanisms, eliminating the need for complex feedback control systems and reducing the number of active components required for stable operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coil actuator provides efficient motion control with reduced size, weight, and power consumption, suitable for applications like gimbal mechanisms in UAVs, enhancing reliability and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
A coil actuator utilizes a current-carrying coil in a magnetic field to provide motion control
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator is introduced that utilizes the forces that result from placing a current carrying coil in a magnetic field to rotate a connected object about at least one axis. In some embodiments, the introduced coil actuator includes a coil of conductor coupled to an arm or other type of structural element that extends radially from an axis of rotation. The introduced coil actuator can be utilized to provide motion control in a variety of different applications such as gimbal mechanisms. In some embodiments, the introduced coil actuator can be implemented in a gimbal mechanism for adjusting an orientation of a device such as a camera relative to a connected platform such as the body of an aerial vehicle.