Drone assemblies for providing shade

• US 10,293,936 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keith Conn, Matthew Conn
• Original Assignee: Keith Conn, Matthew Conn
• Inventors: Conn, Keith, Conn, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US15/811,273
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/02 Flying units formed by separate aircraft towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• 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 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/10 for generating power to be supplied to a remote station, e.g. UAVs with solar panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/24 for use as flying displays, e.g. advertising or billboards
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/10 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

The disclosure herein includes a drone assembly, including: a drone; a screen; and a strut that may have a first portion and a second portion, and a strut having a first portion coupled to the drone and a second portion coupled to the screen.

Claims

1. A drone assembly for providing shade, comprising:

a drone;

a screen that has a flat upper surface and is rectangular-shaped; and

four struts, each strut having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the strut is coupled to the drone and the second portion of the strut is coupled to the screen, and either the first portion is removable from the drone or the second portion is removable from the screen, or both.

2. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen is positioned above the drone.

3. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen is positioned below the drone.

4. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen has a surface area from 4 to 40 square feet.

5. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the drone includes a drone body having a light transmittance value of 70 or more and a screen having a light transmittance value of 50 or less.

6. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen includes an electronic light-emitting display.

7. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen has an upper surface that is partially or fully covered with one or more solar cells.

8. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen includes a plurality of magnetic connectors for connection to another screen.

9. The drone assembly of claim 1, wherein the screen includes four apertures, and the second portion of one of the four struts extends fully or partially through each of the apertures.

10. A drone assembly for providing shade over a target, comprising:

a drone having a lower surface and an upper surface;

a screen that is flat and rectangular-shaped, and has a lower surface, an upper surface, and four apertures;

four struts, each strut comprising;

a first portion removably coupled to the drone;

a second portion extending through one of the four apertures of the screen; and

a third portion abutted against the lower surface of the screen and against the upper surface of the drone;

a first threaded assembly coupled to the first portion of each of the four struts and disposed against the lower surface of the drone; and

a second threaded assembly coupled to the second portion of each of the four struts and disposed against the upper surface of the screen.

11. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein the second threaded assembly includes a nut having a threaded inner surface for meshing with outer threads of one of the four struts.

12. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein the second threaded assembly includes a bolt having a threaded outer surface for meshing with inner threads of one of the four struts.

13. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein one or more of the four struts further includes an aperture disposed therethrough for receiving one or more electrical wires.

14. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein the first threaded assembly comprises a washer that is disposed against and in physical contact with the lower surface of the drone and a nut having a threaded inner surface that is disposed against and in physical contact with the washer.

15. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein the second threaded assembly comprises a washer that is disposed against and in physical contact with the upper surface of the screen and a nut having a threaded inner surface that is disposed against and in physical contact with the washer.

16. The drone assembly of claim 10, wherein the first threaded assembly has a washer that is disposed against and in physical contact with the screen.