Floating Motor Mount for UAV Vibration Attenuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with large and powerful motors produce significant noise, making them less desirable for use in residential areas due to the vibrations and noise amplification, which can stress mechanical and electrical components.

Innovation Solution

A motor mount assembly with a floating mount and isolation portions, such as elastomeric layers and a tube, is used to attenuate vibrations from the propeller motor, reducing noise and stress on the UAV's components by selecting materials with natural harmonic frequencies that do not match the motor's vibration frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If large and powerful motors are utilized to enable UAVs to carry large amounts of weight, then the lifting capacity is improved, but the noise and vibration produced during operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelifting capacityVSAvoidnoise and vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a floating mount assembly as an intermediary between the motor and the UAV body. This assembly includes isolation portions made of vibration-absorbing materials that mediate the connection, allowing the motor to generate necessary thrust while preventing direct transmission of vibrations and noise to the UAV body and surrounding environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful vibrations and noise generated by the motor into a beneficial isolation effect. By using floating mounts with vibration-absorbing materials, the system allows controlled vibration within the mount structure while preventing transmission to the UAV body, effectively transforming the harmful effect into a localized phenomenon that protects the overall system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Device complexity

If motors are directly mounted to the UAV body, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the stress on mechanical and electrical components increases due to vibration transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting structureVSAvoidcomponent stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The floating mount assembly serves as a mediator between the motor and UAV body, introducing vibration-absorbing isolation portions that reduce stress transmission. While this adds some structural complexity, it significantly improves reliability by protecting mechanical and electrical components from excessive vibration stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by pre-installing floating mounts with vibration-absorbing materials at the motor mounting locations. These mounts are designed to cushion and absorb vibrations before they can reach and damage the UAV body and its components, providing protective buffering in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If vibration isolation measures are implemented, then the noise transmission is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise transmissionVSAvoidmount assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the motor mounting system into distinct functional components: the motor mounting portion, the floating mount assembly, and the isolation portions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system manageability and reducing the perceived complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution effectively reduces noise and vibration transmission to the UAV's body, making the vehicle more suitable for use in noise-sensitive environments and minimizing stress on its components.

Implementation Method 1

The floating mount acts to attenuate vibrations from the propeller motor during operation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration attenuation: Damping

Implementation Method 2

isolation portions (e.g., made of elastomers or other materials) which help attenuate the vibrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastomeric material damping: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3353054B1Floating motor mount for unmanned aerial vehicles
Publication Date: 2022.01.05 AMAZON TECH INC
  • EP3353054B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3353054B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3353054B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A motor mount assembly (320) is provided for coupling a propeller motor (310) to a body of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The motor mount assembly includes a floating portion (330) and acts to attenuate frequencies of vibration from the propeller motor during operation, which modifies the corresponding noise that is produced and reduces stresses on the various components. The floating portion is surrounded on all sides by isolation portions (340, 350, 360) (e.g., made of elastomers or other materials) that are held within a casing that attaches to the body of the UAV. In one implementation, the motor mount assembly is modular such that one or more of the isolation portions may be replaced with different isolation portions (e.g., having different attenuation properties), depending on the direction and nature of the vibrations from the propeller motor that are to be attenuated for a particular application.