Foldable Link Arms for Rotary-Wing Drone Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary-wing drones, such as quadcopters, face challenges in transportation due to their large size, making them difficult to move, even when propellers are disassembled, as the remaining structure remains bulky and hard to handle.
Innovation Solution
The drone's link arms are designed to fold along the body, with different angles of inclination and attachment points, allowing them to be folded in pairs with a pivoting mechanism that includes a locking system, enabling easy transportation while maintaining flight stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the link arms are made rigid and extended to support thruster units, then the drone can maintain flight stability and structural strength, but the drone becomes bulky and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The link arms are designed to be dynamic rather than static, capable of transitioning between extended and folded positions. The arms can be extended during flight to maintain structural strength and folded during transport to reduce size, resolving the contradiction between maintaining strength and reducing size for transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The link arms are segmented into multiple sections that can fold relative to each other. This segmentation allows the arms to be collapsed into a compact configuration for transport while maintaining their full extended length and structural integrity during flight operations.
2Length of moving object
If the link arms are designed to fold along the body, then the drone size is reduced for transport, but the risk of unwanted folding during operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the link arms have different structural properties. The folding joints are located at specific positions where flexibility is needed, while other sections maintain rigid characteristics to ensure flight stability. This localized differentiation allows folding capability without compromising overall structural reliability during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The link arms incorporate dynamic locking mechanisms that transition between locked and unlocked states. During flight, the arms are locked in their extended position to ensure stability, while during transport, they can be unlocked and folded. This dynamic control prevents unwanted folding during operation while enabling size reduction for transport.
3Volume of moving object
If the attachment points are located at different heights, then the folded configuration is more compact, but the complexity of the pivoting mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment points of the link arms are positioned at different heights relative to the drone body, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry enables a more compact folded volume as the arms nestle together more efficiently. The pivoting mechanism is designed to accommodate this asymmetric arrangement, with the increased complexity being offset by the significant reduction in folded volume.
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
This configuration significantly reduces the drone's size for transport, allowing for easier handling and storage while ensuring flight stability and minimizing the risk of unwanted folding during operation.
Implementation Method 1
The folding locking/unlocking means is a push button comprising a blocking pin and a spring
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~4
Figure 5A~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotary-wing drone comprising a drone body (22) and two forward connecting arms (24, 26) and two rear connecting arms (28, 30) extending from the drone body and comprising at their distal ends a propulsion unit (32). The attachment points to the drone body of the two forward connecting arms and the attachment points to the drone body of the two rear connecting arms are located at different heights relative to the horizontal median plane of the drone body. The two forward connecting arms of the drone form a first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal median plane of the drone body, and the two rear connecting arms form a second angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal median plane of the drone body. These connecting arms are capable of folding along the drone body.