Suspended Load Holder Control for Anti-Swing Drone Work

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work devices for flight vehicles, such as drones, face challenges in stabilizing the flight by detaching objects, leading to incomplete transportation and prolonged work initiation times.

Innovation Solution

A work device with adjustable holders and a control unit that counteracts the swing of suspended objects by adjusting their postures, using mechanisms like winches and IMU sensors to maintain stability during flight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the flight of the drone is unstable, the unfastening unit cuts the wire rope using a cutting blade to unfasten the luggage, then the weight of the drone is reduced and safe flight is maintained, but the object cannot be transported to the destination and work cannot start

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight stabilityVSAvoidwork completion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the holder posture adjustable rather than fixed. The adjustment mechanism allows the holder to change its orientation dynamically in response to flight conditions and object swing, enabling the system to adapt to unstable flight without detaching the object. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining object attachment while accommodating flight instability through dynamic posture adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of holder posture (orientation angle) to counteract object swing. By adjusting the holder's posture parameter in response to detected swing conditions, the system maintains object stability during unstable flight without needing to detach the object, thus preserving both flight safety and work completion capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the unfastening unit cuts the wire rope to detach the object for stabilizing flight, then the drone can maintain safe flight, but it becomes time-consuming to collect the detached object

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight safetyVSAvoidobject collection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable holder mechanism allows dynamic posture changes to maintain object stability during flight, eliminating the need to detach and collect objects. This dynamic adaptation resolves the time loss issue while maintaining flight safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism automatically adjusts holder posture in response to object swing, providing self-service stabilization without requiring manual intervention to detach or collect objects, thus eliminating time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Stability of the object's composition

If the holders are adjusted to counteract object swing, then stable work can be performed during flight, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject stabilityVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment mechanism is segmented into multiple independent holders, each capable of individual posture adjustment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve stable object positioning through coordinated adjustment of multiple simple units rather than one complex mechanism, resolving the complexity issue while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses swing detection feedback to control the adjustment mechanism. By detecting object swing and automatically adjusting holder posture in response, the system achieves stable object composition with a relatively simple control loop, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Stability of the object's composition

If the control unit controls the adjustment mechanism to change holder postures, then the object swing is counteracted and stable work is possible, but the control system becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject stabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit receives feedback from swing detection about object motion and automatically adjusts holder postures accordingly. This closed-loop feedback control achieves stable object composition through automated responses to swing conditions, managing control complexity through systematic feedback processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system automatically adjusts holder postures in response to detected swing without requiring external intervention. This self-service control approach manages complexity by embedding the control logic within the system itself, allowing stable operation through autonomous adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4644241A1Work device and work flight vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4644241A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4644241A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4644241A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a work device and a work flight vehicle capable of performing work stably without detaching an object. A work device (4) from which an object (3) is capable of being suspended includes: a plurality of holders (41) configured to hold the object (3) in such a manner that the object (3) is suspended; an adjustment mechanism (42a) configured to adjust respective postures of the plurality of holders (41); and a control unit (43) configured to control operation of at least the adjustment mechanism (42a), the control unit (43) controlling the adjustment mechanism (42a) to change the respective postures of the holders (41) so as to counteract swinging of the object (3).