Pull-Cord Wing Turning Mechanism for Lightweight Flapping Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aerial robots face challenges with weight, turning radius, and bionic characteristic due to traditional tail-based turning mechanisms, which result in poor control and increased weight.
Innovation Solution
A pull cord type turning mechanism mounted on the main carbon rod of the fuselage, utilizing a motor, cord reel, potentiometer, and control module to differentially deform the wings for turning, allowing for precise control of the turning radius through closed-loop feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a tail-based turning mechanism is used, then turning function is achieved, but weight increases and bionic characteristic is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the artificial tail component from the system and extracts the turning function to the wings themselves. The turning mechanism is integrated into the wing structure through pull cords that adjust wing area, eliminating the need for a separate tail component and thereby reducing weight while maintaining turning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wings serve dual functions: generating lift during flight and enabling turning by adjusting their effective area. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a dedicated tail component, reducing overall system weight while maintaining both flight and turning capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If a tail-based turning mechanism is used, then turning is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turning function is merged with the wing structure itself. The pull cords are integrated into the wing, and the motor is mounted on the fuselage to drive the cord reel that controls the pull cords. This integration eliminates the need for a separate tail assembly, reducing structural complexity while maintaining turning capability.
3Ease of operation
If tail-based aerodynamic tuning is used for turning, then turning is achieved, but turning radius becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic wing area adjustment during flight to achieve turning. The pull cords dynamically change the effective area of one wing relative to the other, creating immediate aerodynamic imbalance for turning. This dynamic control enables sharp turning with a small radius of 0.8 meters, compared to the large radius achieved by passive tail-based aerodynamic tuning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the effective area parameter of the wings during flight to achieve turning. By adjusting the wing area through pull cord deployment rather than relying on tail aerodynamics, the system achieves much tighter turning radius. The motor-driven cord reel system enables precise parameter control for optimal turning performance.
4Power
If synchronous wing flapping is used, then lift generation is efficient, but turning control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains synchronous wing flapping for efficient lift generation while introducing asymmetry in wing area through the pull cord mechanism. During turning, one wing's effective area is reduced relative to the other, creating aerodynamic imbalance for turning while both wings continue to flap synchronously. This asymmetric area control within synchronous flapping enables effective turning without sacrificing lift efficiency.
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 mechanism achieves a lightweight, high-bionic-effectiveness, and flexible turning solution with a minimum turning radius of 0.8 meters, enhancing control precision and reducing weight, while maintaining the bionic characteristics of the robot.
Implementation Method 1
the motor drives the cord reel to rotate, the rotation of the cord reel pulls two pull cords, the two pull cords pull the wings on the left and right sides to deform
Implementation Method 2
the cord reel drives the cord reel gear to rotate synchronously, the cord reel gear drives the potentiometer gear to rotate, and the potentiometer gear drives the rotary shaft of the potentiometer to rotate synchronously, so that a potential value output by the potentiometer changes
Implementation Method 3
two wings flap synchronously to generate lift and thrust
Data Source
AI summary
A pull cord type turning mechanism for a butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aerial robot includes a motor, a cord reel, a cord reel gear, a potentiometer gear, a potentiometer, a control module, and a power supply. The control module is connected to the motor and the potentiometer. A rotary shaft of the motor is connected to the cord reel, the cord reel is coaxially connected to the cord reel gear, the cord reel gear is meshed with the potentiometer gear, and the potentiometer gear is connected to a rotary shaft of the potentiometer. The cord reel gear is provided with two cord grooves and two pull cords. One ends of the two pull cords are fixed in the two cord grooves, respectively, and the other ends thereof are fixed at the tips of front wings of two sides of the butterfly-inspired flapping-wing aerial robot, respectively.