Multifunctional UAV Leg Assembly for Collision Avoidance and Charging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bridge inspection methods using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack anti-collision frames, leading to potential destruction of UAVs upon impact with bridges or piers, and do not effectively perform bridge fixed-point vibration sensing, data acquisition, uploading, and analysis, making inspections inefficient and risky.
Innovation Solution
A UAV system equipped with a multifunctional leg assembly featuring laser rangefinders for obstacle detection, an electric undercarriage with foldable leg frames for landing and anti-collision, and a power charging system that includes a charging station for efficient energy replenishment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual inspection methods are used to detect bridge bottoms, then inspection can be performed, but the process is inefficient, costly, and dangerous for personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs UAVs equipped with autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, and automated inspection capabilities. The system performs self-service inspection by autonomously flying to bridge locations, capturing images and vibration data, and transmitting information back to ground stations, eliminating the need for manual inspection and thereby improving efficiency while ensuring personnel safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with an automated UAV system that uses optical sensors, vibration sensors, and wireless transmission. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated aerial vehicles and electronic sensing systems resolves the contradiction by achieving high-efficiency inspection without exposing personnel to safety risks
2Reliability
If conventional obstacle detection methods are used during UAV flight, then basic navigation is possible, but the UAV lacks anti-collision protection and will be destroyed upon impact with bridges or piers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the leg assembly to serve multiple functions: it acts as a landing gear during takeoff and landing operations, and transforms into an anti-collision frame during flight operations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by providing collision protection without requiring a completely separate protective structure, thereby managing device complexity while improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamically transformable leg assembly that can change its configuration between landing gear mode and anti-collision frame mode. This dynamic adaptability allows the same structure to serve different protective and operational functions, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional bridge inspection methods are used, then basic visual inspection is possible, but they cannot perform fixed-point vibration sensing, data acquisition, uploading, and analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent equips the UAV with a multi-functional sensing system that performs both visual inspection and fixed-point vibration sensing simultaneously. The system also integrates data acquisition, wireless transmission, and ground station analysis capabilities, allowing a single platform to execute diverse inspection tasks that traditional methods cannot perform, thereby improving adaptability while managing device complexity through integrated design
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 system enhances UAV safety by preventing collisions and enables efficient bridge inspection with obstacle avoidance, vibration sensing, and data analysis, improving operational efficiency and reducing personnel risks.
Implementation Method 1
The laser rangefinder is used to sense the obstacles near the UAV to generate obstacle sensing signals
Implementation Method 2
The electric driving mechanism is used to drive the first leg frame and the second leg frame to alternatively fold and unfold with respect to each other
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle having multifunctional leg assembly and charging system, including unmanned aerial vehicle and charging station. The UAV includes obstacle avoidance sensors, flight control module, first signal processing module, electric undercarriage and power charge/storage module. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The obstacle avoidance sensors sense obstacles near the UAV to generate obstacle sensing signals. The first signal processing module interprets and processes the obstacle sensing signals to determine whether there is an obstacle near the UAV, and when the judgment result is yes, an avoidance instruction is transmitted to the flight control module, so that the flight control module drives the UAV to avoid the obstacle. The electric undercarriage includes first leg frame, second leg frame and electric driving mechanism. The electric driving mechanism drives the first leg frame and the second leg frame to fold and unfold alternately. The power charge/storage module includes first positive electrode and first negative electrode. The charging station includes power charge/supply module. The power charge/supply module includes second positive electrode and second negative electrode. When the UAV parks on a platform of the charging station, and the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode are in contact with the second positive electrode and the second negative electrode, then the power charge/supply module charges electricity to the power charge/storage module.