Charging mat for unmanned aircraft

• US 10,418,830 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parodi, Carlos Guillermo, Schweitzer, Benjamin Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US15/711,883
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for captive aircraft B64F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 3/008 using an ionisation chamber filled with a gas, liquid or solid, e.g. frozen liquid, dielectric G01T3/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/281 detecting special nuclear material [SNM], e.g. Uranium-235, Uranium-233 or Plutonium-239
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/60 Systems for communication between relatively movable stations, e.g. for communication with lift H04B3/54 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems for landing and facilitating power flow or data transfer between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a charging mat using a boom are described. The system includes a mat with a conductive mesh on the top and a conductive surface on the other bottom of the mat. The conductive mesh and bottom conductive surface are separated (electrically isolated) by an isolation core. The outer portion of the boom contacts part of the conductive mesh of the mat to create an electrical pathway. An inner portion of the boom penetrates through the top layer conductive mesh, through the isolating core, and contacts the bottom conductive surface of the mat to create another electrical pathway.

Claims

1. A system for charging a battery of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the system comprising:

a charging mat, including;

a top conductor having pliable interconnected conductors arranged as a mesh, portions of the mesh between the pliable interconnected conductors forming a plurality of apertures, individual apertures of the plurality of apertures configured to engage a first conductor of a boom that is engaged with the mesh;

a bottom conductor oriented substantially parallel to the top conductor and offset from the top conductor forming a gap, the bottom conductor configured to engage a second conductor of the boom that is inserted through the mesh; and

a core disposed in the gap between the top conductor and the bottom conductor, the core electrically isolating the top conductor and the bottom conductor, the core being penetrable by the second conductor of the boom that is inserted through the mesh; and

the boom including;

the first conductor disposed on a portion of an exterior of an elongated body, the elongated body having a core, the first conductor coupled to a battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the first conductor is configured to engage at least one of the pliable interconnected conductors forming at least one of the plurality of apertures of the top conductor of the charging mat when the first conductor is engaged with the mesh;

the second conductor disposed in a portion of the core of the elongated body, the second conductor coupled to the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the second conductor engages the bottom conductor of the charging mat when the second conductor is inserted through the mesh; and

an isolating layer disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator applying a force to the boom to cause the second conductor of the boom to engage the bottom conductor of the charging mat.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the core of the charging mat further includes a plurality of apertures aligned with the plurality of apertures of the mesh.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator to cause the second conductor to move relative to the first conductor prior to charging the battery using the charging mat.

5. A boom of an unmanned aerial vehicle for coupling to a charging mat, the boom comprising:

an elongated body that includes a core;

a first conductor disposed on at least a portion of an exterior of the elongated body, the first conductor configured to engage interconnected conductors of a mesh of the charging mat;

the second conductor disposed in a portion of the core of the elongated body, the second conductor configured to engage a bottom conductor of the charging mat and refrain from engaging the mesh;

an isolating layer disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor; and

an adaptor configured to couple the first conductor and the second conductor to a battery.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the boom further includes an actuator for applying a force to facilitate coupling between the second conductor and the bottom conductor of the charging mat.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator or a linkage actuator.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein an end of the second conductor of the boom is shaped as at least one of conical or spherical.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the elongated body is cylindrical.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising

a third conductor disposed in the core of the boom, at least a portion of the third conductor surrounding the second conductor;

the third conductor configured to couple to the charging mat, wherein the charging mat includes pliable interconnected conductors arranged in a second mesh, the second mesh disposed between the mesh and the bottom conductor of the charging mat, wherein portions of the second mesh between interconnected conductors forming a second plurality of apertures, individual apertures of the second plurality of apertures configured to engage the third conductor of the boom.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the third conductor is configured to facilitate a data channel.

12. The system of claim 5, further comprising an actuator to cause the second conductor to move relative to the first conductor.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the first conductor is an annular lead located at one end of the elongated body.

14. The system of claim 5, further comprising the battery.

15. A charging mat for use with an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle including a boom coupled to a battery, the charging mat comprising:

a top conductor having interconnected conductors arranged in a mesh, portions of the mesh between interconnected conductors forming a plurality of apertures, individual apertures of the plurality of apertures configured to engage a first conductor of the boom;

a bottom conductor oriented substantially parallel to the top conductor and offset from the top conductor forming a gap, the bottom conductor configured to engage a second conductor of the boom;

a core disposed in the gap between the top conductor and the bottom conductor, the core electrically isolating the top conductor and the bottom conductor, the core configured to accept the second conductor of the boom; and

an adaptor configured to couple the top conductor and the bottom conductor to a power source.

16. The charging mat of claim 15 wherein the core further comprises a plurality of apertures aligned with the plurality of apertures of the mesh.

17. The charging mat of claim 15, wherein the interconnected conductors include at least one of a structure or material that is pliable.

18. The charging mat of claim 15, further comprising interconnected conductors arranged in a second mesh, portions of the second mesh between the interconnected conductors forming a second plurality of apertures, individual apertures of the second plurality of apertures configured to engage a third conductor of the boom.

19. The charging mat of claim 18, wherein and individual aperture of the plurality of apertures is substantially a same size as an individual aperture of the second plurality of apertures.

20. The charging mat of claim 18, wherein individual apertures of the plurality of apertures are larger than individual apertures of the second plurality of apertures.