Unmanned vehicle and base station

• US 10,315,528 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owen Crawford Jr
• Original Assignee: Owen Crawford Jr
• Inventors: Crawford, Jr., Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/435,258
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• 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 10/14 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 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An unmanned vehicle and base station are disclosed that provide an efficient, automated, and quick system for loading onto and un-loading from the unmanned vehicle modular attachments or cartridges. The UAV can also include numerous components, modules, functionalities, and built-in features, including an emergency operation mode, payload delivery mode, and dispensing mode, among other advantages.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle and base station, comprising:

an unmanned vehicle configured to be controlled remotely;

a first compartment within the unmanned vehicle for carrying payload, wherein the payload is comprised of one or more cartridges;

a base station having a top rotating tray, wherein the top rotating is disposed above a bottom rotating tray, and wherein the top rotating tray is configured to support the unmanned vehicle thereon;

wherein the bottom rotating tray stores the cartridges and is configured to align with a securement member; and

the securement member coupled to a vertical shaft secured to the base station and adjacent to the top rotating tray and bottom rotating tray, wherein the securement member is configured to raise or lower relative to the shaft to retrieve the cartridges from either the bottom rotating tray of the base station or the first compartment of the unmanned vehicle.

2. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, further comprising wherein the securement member is comprised of graspers or jaws.

3. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, further comprising a motorized member coupled to the securement member and vertical shaft.

4. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom rotating tray are configured to rotate in a circular orientation.

5. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the motorized member lowers or raises the securement member along the vertical shaft.

6. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the lower tray comprises a plurality of second compartments, wherein each of the second compartments is configured to house the cartridges.

7. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a battery drop chute configured to receive used batteries from the unmanned vehicle.

8. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the cartridges can be comprised of:

cameras, batteries, supplies, sensors, chemicals, or lighting.

9. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a charging dock.

10. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises a power regeneration component.

11. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 10, wherein the power regeneration component is comprised of a first motor and a second generator motor independent of each other.

12. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 11, wherein the first motor is configured to receive power from a battery, and the second generator motor is configured to receive rotational power from the first motor via a mechanical engagement.

13. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 12, wherein the first motor comprises a first shaft and the second generator motor comprises a second shaft, and wherein the first shaft engages the second shaft.

14. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 13, wherein the second shaft comprises a plurality of gears for capturing the rotational mechanical energy and converting it to electrical energy.

15. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 14, wherein the electrical energy is directed back to the battery, an auxiliary battery, the first motor, or other electrical components of the unmanned vehicle.

16. An unmanned vehicle and base station, comprising:

an unmanned vehicle configured to be controlled remotely or at least partially autonomously;

a first compartment within the unmanned vehicle;

a base station comprising a top tray and a lower rotatable tray, wherein the lower rotating tray stores one or more modular cartridges; and

a retrieving and loading mechanism coupled to a vertical shaft such that the retrieving and loading mechanism moves along the vertical shaft, and wherein the retrieving and loading mechanism is configured to retrieve the cartridges from the lower rotatable tray of the base station and load them into the first compartment of the unmanned vehicle.

17. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 16, wherein the top tray is rotatable and supports the unmanned vehicle thereon.

18. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 16, wherein the nodular cartridges can be comprised of:

cameras, batteries, supplies, sensors, chemicals, or lighting.

19. The unmanned vehicle and base station of claim 16, wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises an electric motor and a regenerative motor, wherein the electric motor and regenerative motor are independent of each other such that a first shaft of the electric motor is configured to couple to or decouple from a second shaft of the regenerative motor.