Multirotor drone with variable center of lift

• US 10,093,416 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Khalid Hamad Mutleb Alnafisah
• Original Assignee: Khalid Hamad Mutleb Alnafisah
• Inventors: Alnafisah, Khalid Hamad Mutleb
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, JESSICA BOWEN
• Application Number:
  US14/718,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20160376014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently maneuvering a multirotor drone having a control system, an electrical power source, a plurality of rotor assemblies each having a rotor boom, a rotor mast, at least one rotor blade, a rotor assembly adjustment apparatus, a plurality of electric motors, wherein each electric motor is connected to a rotor boom positioned in a substantially horizontal direction and drives a rotor mast positioned in a substantially vertical direction and connected to at least one rotor blade, with the position of said rotor boom automatically adjustable in a substantially horizontal direction by the adjustment apparatus and the control system.

Claims

1. A multirotor drone comprising:

a control system;

a mounting plate;

a power unit detachably connected to the mounting plate;

a servo motor connected to the mounting plate, the servo motor being configured to communicate, in response to a change in at least one of fuel level, payload, equipment failure and environmental conditions, with the control system to adjust a location of the center of mass of the multirotor drone by rotating the mounting plate;

a plurality of rotor assemblies each comprising a rotor boom, a rotor mast, and at least one rotor blade;

a rotor assembly adjustment apparatus; and

a plurality of electric motors powered by the power unit and controlled by the control system;

wherein

each electric motor is connected to a corresponding rotor boom of one of the plurality of rotor assemblies, each electric motor is disposed in a substantially vertical direction relative to each rotor boom and drives a corresponding rotor mast of one of the plurality of rotor assemblies, the rotor mast being disposed in the substantially vertical direction relative to the rotor boom and being connected to at least one rotor blade of the corresponding one of the plurality of rotor assemblies,

wherein a position of said rotor boom is automatically adjustable in a substantially horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction by the rotor assembly adjustment apparatus and the control system in conjunction with the adjustment of the location of the center of mass of the multirotor drone by rotating the mounting plate,

wherein the mounting plate includes a plurality of mounting holes, where at least one mounting hole is offset from a center of the mounting plate; and

wherein the mounting plate is mounted to a main frame of the drone via the offset mounting hole whereby the mounting plate rotates about the offset mounting hole, and

the power unit is detachably attached to the mounting plate via one of the mounting holes.

2. The multirotor drone according to claim 1, further comprising:

an air tank having an air compressor, and

a plurality of air lines;

a plurality of air supply systems each configured to adjust respective positions of respective rotor booms, and including;

a control valve connected to a respective airline; and

an acting cylinder connected to the control valve and comprising a piston and a return spring;

wherein

the air compressor fills the air tank with pressurized air, and the control valve directs pressurized air into the acting cylinder to push the rotor boom against the return spring.

3. The multirotor drone according to claim 2 wherein:

each control valve simultaneously directs pressurized air into and out of at least one single acting cylinder connected to an opposing pair of adjustable rotor booms that move proportionally to each other.

4. The multirotor drone according to claim 2 wherein:

each control valve simultaneously directs pressurized air into and out of at least one single acting cylinder connected to at least two adjacent adjustable rotor booms that move proportionally to each other.

5. The multirotor drone according to claim 2 wherein:

each control valve simultaneously directs pressurized air into and out of at least one single acting cylinder connected to two opposing pairs of adjustable rotor booms that move proportionally to each other.

6. The multirotor drone according to claim 5 wherein:

said opposing pairs of adjustable rotor booms are disposed in a substantially orthogonal direction relative to one another.

7. The multirotor drone according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor;

wherein

the control system communicates with the position sensor, which is connected to the mounting plate, and detects the relative position of the mounting plate, and

the servo motor adjusts the location of the center of mass of the multirotor drone by rotation of the mounting plate based on the communication.

8. The multirotor drone according to claim 1, wherein:

said mounting plate rotates about a vertical axis of the offset mounting hole.

9. The multirotor drone according to claim 1, wherein:

said mounting plate moves in a path along one horizontal axis of the mounting plate.

10. The multirotor drone according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting holes includes a mounting hole at the center of the mounting plate.