Drone structure

• US 10,081,432 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universita' Degli Studi Di Firenze (Repubblica Italiana)
• Original Assignee: Universita' Degli Studi Di Firenze (Repubblica Italiana)
• Inventors: Rossi, Guglielmo, Moretti, Sandro, Casagli, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): Woldemaryam, Assres H
• Application Number:
  US14/917,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/40 Arrangements for mounting power plants in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/291 Detachable rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/00 Propulsion; Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A structure of drone (100) comprises a frame (110) comprising an engagement portion (110′), said engagement portion (110′) being a strip having a predetermined geometry. The structure of drone (100) also comprises a plurality of propulsion elements (120). Each propulsion element (120) is arranged, in use, to be engaged in a removable way to the engagement portion (110′) at a any point of the strip, in such a way to easily change the number and the arrangement of the propulsion elements (120) present on the engagement portion (110′).

Claims

1. A structure of a drone comprising:

a frame comprising an engagement portion, said engagement portion being in a form of a strip having a predetermined geometry; and

a plurality of propulsion elements arranged on said engagement portion;

wherein each one of the plurality of propulsion elements is removably engaged with said engagement portion at any position on said engagement portion to facilitate changing a number and an arrangement of said plurality of propulsion elements on said engagement portion wherein said frame comprises an actuator arranged to automatically cause said propulsion elements to slide on said engagement portion during a flight mission.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of propulsion elements is slidingly mounted on said engagement portion in order to be arranged from a starting engagement position to a final engagement position, different from said starting engagement position, through a sliding along said engagement portion, while remaining engaged to said frame.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined geometry is selected from the group consisting of:

an annular geometry with a circular plan;

a geometry with a square plan;

a geometry with a triangular plan;

a geometry with an hexagonal plan; and

a C-shaped geometry.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said engagement portion has a plurality of engagement positions, and wherein each one of said plurality of said propulsion elements is engaged to said engagement portion at any one of said plurality of engagement positions, in order to obtain a predetermined propulsion configuration among a plurality of possible obtainable propulsion configurations.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said frame further comprises a secondary engagement portion having a shape of a strip with a predetermined geometry.

6. The structure according to claim 1, further comprising a load unit connected to said frame, said load unit being arranged to support a predetermined load.

7. The structure according to claim 1, further comprising an inertial sensor is also provided for carrying out a detection of the distribution of the masses of said structure of drone and/or of a possible additional load, said at least one inertial sensor being arranged to transmit said detection to a control unit, said control unit arranged to determine in a differential way the power and/or the engagement position of each propulsion element, in order to obtain a predetermined propulsion configuration.

8. The structure according to claim 4, wherein an LED indicator is arranged at each engagement position.

9. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of propulsion elements is engaged to said engagement portion with an engagement element selected from the group consisting of:

a mechanical vice;

a snap closure;

a magnet;

an electromagnet;

an adhesive element;

an interlocking wheel-rail; and

a combination thereof.

10. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a carriage, or a rotating actuator, arranged to cause the sliding of said propulsion elements on said engagement portion in an automatic way or with remote controls.

11. A structure drone comprising:

a frame comprising an engagement portion, said engagement portion being in a form of a strip having a predetermined geometry and being equipped with a plurality of engagement positions;

a plurality of propulsion elements arranged on said engagement portion;

wherein each one of said plurality of propulsion elements is adapted to be engaged to said engagement portion at any of said engagement positions, in order to obtain a predetermined propulsion configuration among a plurality of possible obtainable propulsion configurations; and

wherein said frame comprises an actuator arranged to automatically cause said propulsion elements to slide on said engagement portion during a flight mission.

12. A structure of a drone comprising:

a frame comprising an engagement portion, said engagement portion being in a form of a strip having a predetermined geometry; and

a plurality of propulsion elements arranged on said engagement portion;

wherein each one of the plurality of propulsion elements is removably engaged with said engagement portion at any position on said engagement portion to facilitate changing a number and an arrangement of said plurality of propulsion elements on said engagement portion; and

an LED indicator arranged at each one of said plurality of engagement positions,

wherein said frame comprises an actuator arranged to automatically cause said propulsion elements to slide on said engagement portion during a flight mission.