Payload delivery system with removable spool

• US 10,266,266 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sopper, Clark, Prager, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US15/161,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20170334561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 5/026 Fluid-resistance brakes

Abstract

An apparatus may include (i) a support structure, (ii) at least one shaft coupled to the support structure via at least one swing arm, wherein the swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the at least one shaft from a resting position, (iii) a spool, wherein in the spool is shaped so as to rest on the at least one shaft when the at least one shaft is in the resting position, and wherein the spool is operable to unwind a tether coupled to a payload, and (iv) at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, wherein rotation of the spool when unwinding the tether also causes rotation of the at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, thereby controlling a descent rate of the payload.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

at least one shaft coupled to the support structure via at least one swing arm, wherein the swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the at least one shaft from a resting position;

a spool, wherein in the spool is shaped so as to rest on the at least one shaft when the at least one shaft is in the resting position, and wherein the spool is operable to unwind a tether coupled to a payload;

at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, wherein rotation of the spool when unwinding the tether also causes rotation of the at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, thereby controlling a descent rate of the payload;

wherein the spool is shaped so as to be inserted from below through an opening in the support structure; and

wherein the at least one swing arm is configured to (i) move the at least one shaft upward while the spool passes through the opening of the support structure and (ii) move the at least one shaft back to the resting position so that the spool rests on the at least one shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the at least one shaft comprises a first shaft and a second shaft and the at least one swing arm comprises a first swing arm and a second swing arm;

wherein the first shaft is coupled to the support structure via the first swing arm, and wherein the first swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the first shaft from the resting position; and

wherein the second shaft is coupled to the support structure via the second swing arm, and wherein the second swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the second shaft from the resting position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one fan comprises a first fan and a second fan, and wherein the first fan is coupled to the first shaft and the second fan is coupled to the second shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the at least one shaft comprises a single shaft and the at least one swing arm comprises a single swing arm; and

wherein the single shaft is coupled to the support structure via the at least one swing arm, and wherein the at least one swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the single shaft from the resting position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one shaft comprises rubber ends coupled to each end of each shaft to support the spool in the resting position of the at least one shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one fan is configured to control the descent rate of the payload in a manner such that the descent rate does not increase linearly with respect to the weight of the payload.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a housing unit that encloses at least the at least one fan to protect the at least one fan from environmental conditions, wherein the at least one fan comprises plastic.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the payload comprises at least one cardboard tab attached to the spool and the tether to secure the payload before descent, and wherein the at least one cardboard tab detaches from the spool upon descent.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

at least one shaft coupled to the support structure via at least one swing arm, wherein the swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the at least one shaft from a resting position;

a spool, wherein the spool is shaped so as to rest on the at least one shaft when the at least one shaft is in the resting position, and wherein the spool is operable to unwind a tether coupled to a payload; and

wherein the at least one swing arm is configured to (i) move the at least one shaft upward while the spool passes through an opening of the support structure and (i) move the at least one shaft back to the resting position so that the spool rests on the at least one shaft.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, wherein rotation of the spool when unwinding the tether also causes rotation of the at least one fan coupled to the at least one shaft, thereby controlling a descent rate of the payload.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a housing unit that encloses at least the at least one fan to protect the at least one fan from environmental conditions, wherein the at least one fan comprises plastic.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising at least one electric motor coupled to the at least one shaft, wherein the electric motor controls a descent rate of the payload coupled to the tether.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

wherein the at least one shaft comprises a first shaft and a second shaft and the at least one swing arm comprises a first swing arm and a second swing arm;

wherein the first shaft is coupled to the support structure via the first swing arm, and wherein the first swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the first shaft from the resting position; and

wherein the second shaft is coupled to the support structure via the second swing arm, and wherein the second swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the second shaft from the resting position.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

wherein the at least one shaft comprises a single shaft and the at least one swing arm comprises a single swing arm; and

wherein the single shaft is coupled to the support structure via the single swing arm, and wherein the single swing arm allows upward movement, and restricts downward movement, of the single shaft from the resting position.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one shaft comprises rubber ends coupled to each end of each shaft to support the spool in the resting position of the at least one shaft.