CHARGING SYSTEM FOR BATTERY-POWERED UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

• US 20150183326A1
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Quadracci, Leonard J., Ryberg, Caitlin
• Granted Patent: US 9,238,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• 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

A rack system is provided that includes a plurality of trays configured to hold a respective plurality of battery-powered UAVs, and a frame configured to support the plurality of trays in a vertical arrangement. Each tray of the plurality of trays includes a platform, bumper and first plurality of electrical contacts. The platform may be configured to carry a UAV of the plurality of battery-powered UAVs. The bumper may be sized and positioned on the platform to guide the UAV to a resting position on the platform. And the first plurality of electrical contacts may be connected to a battery-charging apparatus, and configured to physically and electrically contact a respective second plurality of electrical contacts connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the UAV at the resting position on the platform. A related battery-charging apparatus including a charge switching system for charging battery-powered UAVs is also provided.

Claims

1. A rack system comprising:

a plurality of trays configured to hold a respective plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles; and

a frame configured to support the plurality of trays in a vertical arrangement, wherein each tray of the plurality of trays comprises;

a platform configured to carry an unmanned aerial vehicle of the plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles;

a bumper sized and positioned on the platform to guide the unmanned aerial vehicle to a resting position on the platform; and

a first plurality of electrical contacts connected to a battery-charging apparatus, and configured to physically and electrically contact a respective second plurality of electrical contacts connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the unmanned aerial vehicle at the resting position on the platform.

2. The rack system of claim 1, wherein electrical contacts of the first plurality of electrical contacts are spring-loaded contacts configured to physically and electrically contact electrical contacts of the respective second plurality of electrical contacts that are flush with an underside surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The rack system of claim 1, wherein the platform has a semipermeable construction to allow passage of at least water therethrough.

4. The rack system of claim 1 further comprising the battery-charging apparatus, and a barrier that is at least one of waterproof or fireproof located between the plurality of trays and battery-charging apparatus.

5. The rack system of claim 1 further comprising the battery-charging apparatus, wherein the battery-charging apparatus comprises:

one or more battery chargers electrically connected to one or more power supplies; and

a charge switching system electrically connected to the one or more battery chargers and first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of the plurality of trays,

wherein the charge switching system is configured to switchably, electrically connect or disconnect the one or more battery chargers and first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of the plurality of trays, each of the one or more battery chargers in any given instance being electrically connectable to the first plurality of electrical contacts of one or more but fewer than all of the plurality of trays.

6. The rack system of claim 1, wherein each tray of the plurality of trays is horizontally movable with respect to the vertical arrangement, and

wherein the frame includes a plurality of latches each of which is configurable between a locked position to secure a tray of the plurality of trays in the vertical arrangement, an unlocked position to allow horizontal movement of the tray.

7. The rack system of claim 1, wherein each tray of the plurality of trays is horizontally movable with respect to the vertical arrangement, and wherein the rack system further comprises:

a clip affixed and vertically movable with respect to the frame, and into which a tray of the plurality of trays is securable in an instance in which the tray is moved horizontally out from the vertical arrangement, the tray secured to the clip thereby being horizontally secured and vertically movable with respect to the vertical arrangement.

8. The rack system of claim 7 further comprising:

a reel affixed to the frame and having a cable woundable thereabout, the cable having opposing ends one of which is affixed to the reel and the other of which is affixed to the tray of the plurality of trays secured to the clip, the cable controlling vertical movement of the tray secured to the clip.

9. The rack system of claim 1 further comprising the battery-charging apparatus electrically connectable to a generator of a vehicle configured to transport the rack system,

wherein the frame is connectable to a lift of the vehicle, the lift being configured to selectively raise the rack system for transport, and lower the rack system for accessing the plurality of trays and unmanned aerial vehicles held thereby.

10. A battery-charging apparatus comprising:

one or more battery chargers electrically connected to one or more power supplies; and

a charge switching system electrically connected to the one or more battery chargers and a first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of a plurality of trays of a rack system including the plurality of trays supported in a vertical arrangement and configured to hold a respective plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles, each tray of the plurality of trays including;

a platform carrying an unmanned aerial vehicle of the plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles; and

a bumper sized and positioned on the platform to guide the unmanned aerial vehicle to a resting position on the platform; and

the first plurality of electrical contacts configured to physically and electrically contact a respective second plurality of electrical contacts electrically connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the unmanned aerial vehicle at the resting position on the platform,

wherein the charge switching system is configured to switchably, electrically connect or disconnect the one or more battery chargers and first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of the plurality of trays, each of the one or more battery chargers in any given instance being electrically connectable to the first plurality of electrical contacts of one or more but fewer than all of the plurality of trays.

11. The battery-charging apparatus of claim 10 further comprising the one or more power supplies that are electrically connectable to a generator of a vehicle configured to transport the rack system.

12. The battery-charging apparatus of claim 10, wherein the charge switching system being configured to switchably, electrically connect or disconnect the one or more battery chargers includes being configured to switchably, electrically connect or disconnect the one or more battery chargers to one or more sets of electrical contacts of the first plurality of electrical contacts of one or more trays through which the one or more battery chargers are connectable to one or more batteries of one or more unmanned aerial vehicles.

13. The battery-charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein the charge switching system is configured to switchably, electrically connect or disconnect the one or more battery chargers to the one or more sets of electrical contacts according to an index in which the sets of electrical contacts, plurality of trays, batteries or unmanned aerial vehicles of the rack system are listed in an order.

14. A method comprising:

removing a particular unmanned aerial vehicle of a plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles from a rack system at a location, the rack system including a plurality of trays supported in a vertical arrangement and holding respective ones of the plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles, each tray of the plurality of trays including;

a platform carrying an unmanned aerial vehicle of the plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles;

a bumper sized and positioned on the platform to guide the unmanned aerial vehicle to a resting position on the platform; and

a first plurality of electrical contacts connected to a battery-charging apparatus;

launching the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to perform a mission at or in a vicinity of the location; and

thereafter,

returning the particular unmanned aerial vehicle to a tray of the plurality of trays of the rack system, including the particular unmanned aerial vehicle being guided by the bumper to the resting position on the platform of the tray, and the first plurality of electrical contacts of the tray physically and electrically contacting a respective second plurality of electrical contacts connected to a respective plurality of batteries on the particular unmanned aerial vehicle at the resting position on the platform.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein electrical contacts of the first plurality of electrical contacts are spring-loaded contacts that physically and electrically contact electrical contacts of the respective second plurality of electrical contacts that are flush with an underside surface of the particular unmanned aerial vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

causing the battery-charging apparatus to charge at least some of the plurality of battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicles and including the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the battery-charging apparatus includes;

one or more battery chargers electrically connected to one or more power supplies; and

a charge switching system electrically connected to the one or more battery chargers and first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of the plurality of trays,

wherein the charge switching system switchably, electrically connects or disconnects the one or more battery chargers and first plurality of electrical contacts of each tray of the plurality of trays, each of the one or more battery chargers in any given instance being electrically connectable to the first plurality of electrical contacts of one or more but fewer than all of the plurality of trays.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each tray of the plurality of trays is horizontally movable with respect to the vertical arrangement, and the frame includes a plurality of latches for respective ones of the plurality of trays, and

wherein removing the particular unmanned aerial vehicle from the rack system includes removing the particular unmanned aerial vehicle from a tray of the plurality of trays, which includes moving a latch of the plurality of latches from a locked position securing the tray in the vertical arrangement, to an unlocked position allowing horizontal movement of the tray.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein each tray of the plurality of trays is horizontally movable with respect to the vertical arrangement, wherein the rack system further includes a clip vertically movable with respect to the vertical arrangement, and

wherein removing the particular unmanned aerial vehicle from the rack system includes removing the particular unmanned aerial vehicle from a tray of the plurality of trays, which includes horizontally moving the tray out from the vertical arrangement and securing the tray to the clip, the tray secured to the clip thereby being horizontally secured and vertically movable with respect to the vertical arrangement.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the battery-charging apparatus is electrically connected to a generator of a vehicle configured to transport the rack system, and the frame is connected to a lift of the vehicle, and

wherein the method further comprises causing the lift to raise the rack system for transport before removing or after returning the particular unmanned aerial vehicle, or lower the rack system for accessing the plurality of trays and unmanned aerial vehicles held thereby before removing the particular unmanned aerial vehicle.