Aerial vehicle and method of operation

• US 10,358,214 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Zero Zero Technology Co.Ltd (Shenzhen Zero Zero Infinite Technology Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Zero Zero Technology Co.Ltd (Shenzhen Zero Zero Infinite Technology Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Tong, Wang, Mengqiu, Wang, Zhaozhe, Zhang, Xuyang, Zhang, Guanqun, Gong, Shuang, Zhang, Yalin, Wang, Jinglong, Liu, Lixin
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US16/024,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20180319496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/23 with each propulsion means having an individual motor
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/10 for releasing or capturing UAVs by hand
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/50 the UAVs being disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/60 by wearable objects, e.g. garments or helmets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a rotary wing and a protection housing enclosing the rotary wing. An aerial vehicle, preferably including: a first rotary wing module including a first rotary wing and a second rotary wing module including a second rotary wing, wherein the first rotary wing module and the second rotary wing module are preferably operable between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. A method of aerial vehicle operation.

Claims

1. A rotorcraft comprising:

a first housing comprising a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposing the first top surface;

a first rotor, rotationally coupled to the first housing about a first rotor axis, wherein the first rotor is enclosed by the first housing and arranged along the first rotor axis between the first top surface and the first bottom surface, wherein the first rotor comprises a first rotor blade;

a second housing separate from the first housing, the second housing rotationally coupled to the first housing about a folding axis, the second housing comprising a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposing the second top surface;

a second rotor, rotationally coupled to the second housing about a second rotor axis, wherein the second rotor is enclosed by the second housing and arranged along the second rotor axis between the second top surface and the second bottom surface, wherein the second rotor comprises a second rotor blade;

a third rotor comprising a third rotor blade, the third rotor enclosed by the first housing, the third rotor substantially non-coaxial with the first rotor; and

a fourth rotor comprising a fourth rotor blade, the fourth rotor enclosed by the second housing, the fourth rotor substantially non-coaxial with the second rotor.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the first top surface comprises a first mesh structure defining a first plurality of apertures and the first bottom surface comprises a second mesh structure defining a second plurality of apertures.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 2, wherein each aperture of the first and second pluralities defines a respective width less than 12 mm.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 2, wherein each aperture of the first and second pluralities defines a respective circumscribed circle having a respective diameter between 6 mm and 8 mm.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the first top surface and the first bottom surface each define a hollow rate between 80% and 90%.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a first motor rotationally coupling the first rotor to the first top surface about the first rotor axis, wherein the first motor defines a first motor rotation axis substantially coaxial with the first rotor axis.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein the folding axis is substantially perpendicular to the first rotor axis.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1, further comprising a body rotationally coupling the first housing to the second housing about the folding axis, wherein:

the body is rotationally coupled to the first housing about the folding axis; and

the body is rotationally coupled to the second housing about a second folding axis substantially parallel the first folding axis.

21. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein:

the third rotor is arranged along a first direction from the first rotor axis, wherein the first direction is substantially parallel the folding axis; and

the fourth rotor is arranged along a second direction from the second rotor axis, wherein the second direction is substantially parallel the folding axis.

22. The rotorcraft of claim 1, wherein:

the first rotor defines a rotor diameter; and

a distance between the first rotor and the second rotor is less than the rotor diameter.

9. A rotorcraft comprising:

a first housing;

a first rotor rotationally coupled to the first housing about a first rotor axis, wherein the first rotor is enclosed by the first housing, wherein the first rotor comprises a first rotor blade;

a second housing separate from the first housing, the second housing rotationally coupled to the first housing about a folding axis;

a second rotor rotationally coupled to the second housing about a second rotor axis, wherein the second rotor is enclosed by the second housing, wherein the second rotor comprises a second rotor blade;

a third rotor comprising a third rotor blade, the third rotor enclosed by the first housing, the third rotor substantially non-coaxial with the first rotor; and

a fourth rotor comprising a fourth rotor blade, the fourth rotor enclosed by the second housing, the fourth rotor substantially non-coaxial with the second rotor;

wherein the rotorcraft is operable to transition between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 9, further comprising a body rotationally coupling the first housing to the second housing about the folding axis, wherein:

the body is rotationally coupled to the first housing about the folding axis;

the body is rotationally coupled to the second housing about a second folding axis substantially parallel the first folding axis; and

in the unfolded configuration, the first housing opposes the second housing across the body.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 9, wherein:

in the folded configuration, the first rotor axis is substantially coaxial with the second rotor axis; and

in the unfolded configuration, the first rotor axis opposes the second rotor axis across the folding axis.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 9, wherein:

in the unfolded configuration;

the rotorcraft defines a first reference plane, the first reference plane parallel the first rotor axis, the first reference plane comprising the folding axis; and

the first rotor axis opposes the second rotor axis across the first reference plane; and

in the folded configuration;

the rotorcraft defines a second reference plane, the second reference plane parallel the first rotor axis, the second reference plane comprising the folding axis;

the second reference plane divides space into a first region and a second region opposing the first region across the second reference plane;

the first rotor axis and the second rotor axis are arranged within the first region; and

the first rotor axis and the second rotor axis are substantially parallel.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 9, further comprising a first motor rotationally coupling the first rotor to the first housing, wherein the first motor defines a first motor rotation axis substantially coaxial with the first rotor axis.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 13, wherein:

the first housing comprises a top surface and a bottom surface opposing the top surface;

the first rotor is arranged along the first rotor axis between the top surface and the bottom surface;

the first motor is arranged along the first rotor axis between the first rotor and the top surface; and

the first motor rotationally couples the first rotor to the first housing at the top surface.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 9, wherein the first housing comprises a first mesh structure defining a first plurality of apertures and the second housing comprises a second mesh structure defining a second plurality of apertures.

16. The rotorcraft of claim 15, wherein the first housing and the second housing each define a hollow rate between 80% and 90%.

17. A rotorcraft comprising:

a first housing defining a first plurality of openings;

a first rotor enclosed by and rotationally coupled to the first housing;

a second housing defining a second plurality of openings; and

a second rotor enclosed by and rotationally coupled to the second housing;

wherein each opening of the first and second pluralities has a width less than 12 mm.

18. The rotorcraft of claim 17, wherein each opening of the first and second pluralities defines a respective circumscribed circle having a respective diameter between 6 mm and 8 mm.

19. The rotorcraft of claim 17, wherein the first housing and the second housing each define a hollow rate greater than 80%.

20. The rotorcraft of claim 17, wherein the first housing comprises a longitudinal side, wherein the first housing is rotationally coupled to the second housing along the longitudinal side.