Drone Anchoring Harpoon with Bistable Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
The adaptation of existing anchoring harpoons for helicopters to rotary-wing drones has been unsuccessful due to issues such as size, weight, and maintenance concerns.
Innovation Solution
A modified anchoring harpoon system featuring a jack with a piston and a hooking harpoon head, utilizing a bistable actuator with a rotary mechanical lock and a consumable CO2 gas source for pressurized fluid supply, allowing for efficient deployment and anchoring with reduced length and improved maintenance, incorporating a telescopic cylinder and a helical spring for secure anchoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing anchoring harpoons for helicopters are adapted to rotary-wing drones, then the anchoring function can be provided, but the size and weight become too large for drone applications
Solution Approach 1:
The harpoon system employs nested telescopic cylinders where the second cylinder is received within the first cylinder. The piston rod extends from the second cylinder, creating a compact nested structure that reduces overall size and weight while maintaining the anchoring function. This nested configuration allows the harpoon to be stored in a compact form on the drone and deployed when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring harpoon is divided into separate functional segments: the first cylinder, the second cylinder, the piston rod, and the harpoon head with retaining fingers. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for weight and function, and enables the overall system to be more compact compared to a monolithic design.
2Reliability
If existing anchoring harpoons for helicopters are adapted to rotary-wing drones, then the anchoring function can be provided, but the harpoon size becomes too large for drone integration
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic cylinder arrangement with the second cylinder nested within the first cylinder significantly reduces the extended length of the harpoon when in its stowed position on the drone. When deployed, the cylinders extend to provide the necessary anchoring length, thus achieving both compact storage and functional deployment.
3Reliability
If traditional harpoon systems are used on drones, then anchoring capability is achieved, but maintenance becomes complex and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bistable actuator automatically maintains the retaining fingers in either the retracted or extended position without requiring continuous external control or complex maintenance. The mechanical self-locking feature of the bistable actuator reduces the need for active maintenance and simplifies the overall system, making it more suitable for drone applications where maintenance access may be limited.
4Weight of moving object
If a compact harpoon system is designed for drones, then size and weight are reduced, but the anchoring reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The nested telescopic cylinder design maintains full anchoring functionality when deployed, as the cylinders extend to provide the necessary length and the harpoon head with retaining fingers engages the anchoring grid. The compact nested form only affects the stowed size, not the deployed performance, thus maintaining reliability while reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system for the retaining fingers has been extracted and simplified through the bistable actuator mechanism, which provides reliable positioning without requiring complex continuous control systems. This extraction of the control function to a simple bistable mechanism maintains reliability while reducing overall system complexity and weight.
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 system enables successful automatic landing and take-off of rotary-wing drones by providing a compact, efficient, and reliable anchoring mechanism that adapts to the specific requirements of drones, overcoming previous integration challenges.
Implementation Method 1
the pressurized fluid source comprises a consumable gas cartridge, the gas is CO2
Implementation Method 2
a helical return and pressing spring is interposed between this end of the cylinder and the harpoon head
Implementation Method 3
the control means comprise means forming a solenoid valve controlled on opening and closing to supply the means in the form of a cylinder
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an anchoring harpoon intended in particular for an aircraft, capable of cooperating with an anchoring grate of a platform, comprising jack means including cylinder means containing mobile piston means provided with a rod that extends beyond the cylinder means, the free end of which includes a harpoon head (7) that is hooked in the grate and comprises retaining fingers (8, 13, 14) that can be moved between a retracted position and an active position by control means (9). The invention is characterised in that the means (9) for controlling the movements of the fingers comprise a control piston (18) which can slide inside the rod of the jack and which is associated with a bistable actuator (19) of the fingers, capable of moving between a retracted position and an active position in which the fingers are deployed with the application of successive pressure pulses in the jack means.