Foldable UAV Arms With Spherical Hinge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotor UAVs are not easily compacted for carrying due to their inflexible folding structures, which do not comprehensively reduce their size in length, width, or height, making them cumbersome and prone to damage during transport.
Innovation Solution
A foldable UAV design utilizing a spherical hinge portion that allows smooth folding and unfolding of arms relative to the vehicle body, incorporating a limiting structure to prevent unnecessary rotation and ensure secure clamping, resulting in a more compact and user-friendly form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional folding structures are used to reduce UAV size, then the UAV becomes more compact, but the folding structure is not compact enough and the size is not comprehensively reduced in all dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV structure is divided into multiple segments including vehicle body, arms, and rotor assemblies that can be independently folded and positioned. The arms are segmented into first and second arms that can be folded along different axes, enabling comprehensive size reduction in multiple dimensions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor assembly is nested within the arm structure, with the rotor capable of being folded along with the arm. This nested configuration allows the rotor to be compactly stored within the arm's folding structure, maximizing space utilization and achieving more compact overall dimensions.
2Device complexity
If simple bending of rotor arms is used for folding, then the structure is simpler, but the size of the UAV is not comprehensively reduced in length, width or height
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism employs dynamic spherical hinge portions that allow multi-directional rotation and adaptive positioning. These hinges enable the arms to be folded along different axes and locked at various angles, providing dynamic adaptability to achieve comprehensive size reduction in all three dimensions rather than simple single-axis bending.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism extends beyond single-dimensional bending by incorporating multi-axis rotation capabilities. The spherical hinges enable folding operations in multiple spatial dimensions, allowing the UAV to achieve compact configuration by reducing size simultaneously in length, width, and height through three-dimensional folding movements.
3Ease of operation
If spherical hinge portion is used for arm connection, then the arm can be folded and unfolded smoothly, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure employs spherical hinge portions with curved surfaces that enable smooth multi-directional rotation. The spherical geometry allows the arms to be folded and unfolded smoothly in multiple directions without mechanical interference, providing ease of operation while maintaining a relatively simple spherical form factor rather than complex multi-component mechanisms.
4Reliability
If limiting structure is added to prevent arm rotation, then the arm is securely clamped, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The limiting structure employs self-locking spherical hinges that automatically lock the arm at predetermined folding positions without requiring additional actuators or complex control mechanisms. The hinge design includes inherent mechanical stops and engagement features that passively secure the arm in place, achieving reliable positioning stability through self-service mechanisms rather than active control systems.
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 spherical hinge mechanism enables smooth folding and unfolding of UAV arms, reducing the overall size for easier carrying and minimizing the risk of damage during transport, while maintaining operational convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the arm is hinged to the vehicle body by using a spherical hinge portion and is folded or unfolded relative to the vehicle body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of air vehicle technologies and provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including a vehicle body and arms connected to the vehicle body. The arm is hinged to the vehicle body by using a spherical hinge portion and may be folded or unfolded relative to the vehicle body. Through the forgoing manner, the arm is connected to the vehicle body of the UAV by using the spherical hinge. The arm can be folded and unfolded smoothly without interference, which conforms to known operation habits of users, so that after the entire UAV is folded, the structure becomes more compact and easier to carry. In addition, it can be effectively avoided that the UAV is damaged due to impact in the carrying process.