QUADCOPTER WITH A PRINTABLE PAYLOAD EXTENSION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150298799A1
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raj Abhyanker
• Original Assignee: Anthony Patron, Blaise Bertrand, Vinh Pho, Youenn Colin
• Inventors: BERTRAND, Blaise, COLIN, Youenn, PATRON, Anthony, PHO, Vinh
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/20 Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms
• 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 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A method and system of printable payload extensions of a quadcopter are disclosed. In one aspect, a quadcopter includes an airframe and a central portion of the airframe having at least one of an upper extender mechanism and a lower extender mechanism. The central portion includes a connection means that enables users of the quadcopter to design payload extensions that mechanically couple with the quadcopter using a three-dimensional (3D) printing device in conformance with the connection means as long as the payload extensions have a weight less than a maximum payload capacity of the quadcopter. The connection means to couple any of a set of payload extensions including a hook assembly, an interlocking building block platform assembly, a DSLR camera assembly, a HD camera assembly, and a container assembly through the central portion of the airframe.

Claims

1. A quadcopter, comprising:

an airframe;

a central portion of the airframe having at least one of an upper extender mechanism and a lower extender mechanism,

wherein the central portion includes a connection means that enables users of the quadcopter to design payload extensions that mechanically couple with the quadcopter using a three-dimensional (3D) printing device in conformance with the connection means as long as the payload extensions have a weight less than a maximum payload capacity of the quadcopter, and

wherein the connection means to couple any of a set of payload extensions including a hook assembly, an interlocking building block platform assembly, a DSLR camera assembly, a HD camera assembly, and a container assembly through the central portion of the airframe.

2. The quadcopter of claim 1:

a first pair of rotors comprising of a first rotor and a second rotor physically enclosed in the airframe;

an undercarriage mechanically coupled on a lower side of the airframe; and

a second pair of rotors comprising of a third rotor and a fourth rotor mechanically coupled to the undercarriage.

3. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the second pair of rotors fold outward with a pivot of the undercarriage in a manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors, such that the first rotor is substantially perpendicular the third rotor and the second rotor is substantially perpendicular the fourth rotor when in an extended mode,

wherein the second pair of rotors to fold underneath the first pair of rotors such that the first pair of rotors and the second pair of rotors are substantially parallel to each other in a folded mode of the undercarriage of the quadcopter,

wherein the first pair of rotors are substantially above the second pair of rotors in the folded mode, such that the first rotor is substantially above the third rotor and the second rotor is substantially above the fourth rotor when in the folded mode, and

wherein the second pair of rotors fold outward with the pivot of the undercarriage in the manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors, such that the first rotor is substantially perpendicular the fourth rotor and the second rotor is substantially perpendicular the third rotor when in the extended mode.

4. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors through a quarter turn of a central axis of the quadcopter coupling the airframe to the undercarriage, wherein the quarter turn to pivot the second set of rotors to the extended mode, and

wherein the quadcopter to enter a flyable condition when in the extended mode.

5. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the quadcopter to automatically enable an electronic circuitry of the quadcopter when in the flyable condition, and

wherein the airframe of the quadcopter to include an upper extender mechanism and a lower extender mechanism in a central portion of the airframe.

6. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the undercarriage wraps around the lower extender mechanism in a manner such that the lower extender mechanism is enclosed by the undercarriage.

7. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the maximum payload capacity is between one and twenty pounds.

8. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the central portion to encompass a cavity in which a securing means to provide for convenient insertion and ejection of a battery powering the quadcopter when a cover of the upper extender mechanism is removed.

9. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein the cavity to include a processor and a memory and a communication circuitry comprising at least one of a radio frequency circuitry, a wifi circuitry, and a cellular communication circuitry.

10. The quadcopter of claim 1:

wherein a pair of fan-out payload extensions span out from opposing faces of the undercarriage to provide tensile strength during a landing of the quadcopter,

wherein the airframe of the quadcopter to include a built-in camera in an encasing of at least one of the first rotor and the second rotor of the quadcopter, and

wherein the airframe to include a return home button to autonomously direct the quadcopter to a predetermined location.

11. A method of a quadcopter, comprising:

enabling users of the quadcopter to design payload extensions that mechanically couple with an airframe of the quadcopter using a three-dimensional (3D) printing device in conformance with a connection means as long as the payload extensions have a weight less than a maximum payload capacity of the quadcopter;

coupling any of a set of payload extensions through a central portion of an airframe using the connection means; and

including in a cavity of the airframe a processor and a memory and a communication circuitry comprising at least one of a radio frequency circuitry, a wifi circuitry, and a cellular communication circuitry,

wherein the central portion of the airframe having at least one of an upper extender mechanism and a lower extender mechanism.

12. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

folding a second pair of rotors outward with the pivot of an undercarriage in a manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to a first pair of rotors, such that a first rotor is substantially perpendicular a third rotor and a second rotor is substantially perpendicular a fourth rotor when in an extended mode.

13. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

physically enclosing the first pair of rotors comprising of the first rotor and the second rotor in the airframe;

mechanically coupling the undercarriage on a lower side of the airframe;

mechanically coupling the second pair of rotors comprising of the third rotor and the fourth rotor to the undercarriage; and

folding the second pair of rotors underneath the first pair of rotors such that the first pair of rotors and the second pair of rotors are substantially parallel to each other in a folded mode of the undercarriage of the quadcopter,

wherein the first pair of rotors are substantially above the second pair of rotors in the folded mode, such that the first rotor is substantially above the third rotor and the second rotor is substantially above the fourth rotor when in the folded mode, and

wherein the second pair of rotors fold outward with the pivot of the undercarriage in the manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors, such that the first rotor is substantially perpendicular the fourth rotor and the second rotor is substantially perpendicular the third rotor when in the extended mode.

14. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

extending the second pair of rotors substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors through a quarter turn of a central axis of the quadcopter coupling the airframe to the undercarriage, wherein the quarter turn to pivot the second set of rotors to the extended mode; and

entering a flyable condition when in the extended mode.

15. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

automatically enabling an electronic circuitry of the quadcopter when in the flyable condition.

16. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

wrapping the undercarriage around the lower extender mechanism in a manner such that the lower extender mechanism is enclosed by the undercarriage.

17. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11:

wherein the maximum payload capacity is between one and twenty pounds.

18. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

encompassing the cavity in the central portion in which a securing means to provide for convenient insertion and ejection of a battery powering the quadcopter when a cover of the upper extender mechanism is removed.

19. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11:

wherein the set of payload extensions include at least one of a hook assembly, an interlocking building block platform assembly, a DSLR camera assembly, a HD camera assembly, and a container assembly.

20. The method of the quadcopter of claim 11 further comprising:

spanning a pair of fan-out payload extensions out from opposing faces of the undercarriage to provide tensile strength during a landing of the quadcopter;

including in the airframe a built-in camera in an encasing of at least one of the first rotor and the second rotor of the quadcopter; and

including a return home button to autonomously direct the quadcopter to a predetermined location.

21. A quadcopter, comprising:

an airframe;

a central portion of the airframe having at least one of an upper extender mechanism and a lower extender mechanism,

wherein the central portion includes a connection means that enables users of the quadcopter to design payload extensions that mechanically couple with the quadcopter using a three-dimensional (3D) printing device in conformance with the connection means as long as the payload extensions have a weight of at least one of a weight less than a maximum payload capacity of the quadcopter and a weight equal to the maximum payload capacity of the quadcopter, and

wherein a second pair of rotors to fold underneath a first pair of rotors such that the first pair of rotors and the second pair of rotors are substantially parallel to each other in a folded mode of the quadcopter.

22. The quadcopter of claim 21:

wherein the first pair of rotors further comprises of a first rotor and a second rotor physically enclosed in the airframe,

wherein the undercarriage is mechanically coupled on a lower side of the airframe, and

wherein the second pair of rotors further comprises of a third rotor and a fourth rotor mechanically coupled to the undercarriage.

23. The quadcopter of claim 22:

wherein the first pair of rotors are substantially above the second pair of rotors in the folded mode, such that the first rotor is substantially above the third rotor and the second rotor is substantially above the fourth rotor when in the folded mode,

wherein the second pair of rotors fold outward with the pivot of the undercarriage in the manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors, such that the first rotor is substantially perpendicular the fourth rotor and the second rotor is substantially perpendicular the third rotor when in the extended mode,

wherein the second pair of rotors fold outward with the pivot of the undercarriage in the manner such that the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors, such that the first rotor is substantially perpendicular the third rotor and the second rotor is substantially perpendicular the fourth rotor when in an extended mode, and

wherein the connection means to couple any of a set of payload extensions including a hook assembly, an interlocking building block platform assembly, a DSLR camera assembly, a HD camera assembly, and a container assembly through the central portion of the airframe.

24. The quadcopter of claim 23:

wherein the second pair of rotors extend substantially perpendicularly to the first pair of rotors through a quarter turn of a central axis of the quadcopter coupling the airframe to the undercarriage, wherein the quarter turn to pivot the second set of rotors to the extended mode, and

wherein the quadcopter to enter a flyable condition when in the extended mode.

25. The quadcopter of claim 24:

wherein the quadcopter to automatically enable an electronic circuitry of the quadcopter when in the flyable condition.

26. The quadcopter of claim 25:

wherein the undercarriage wraps around the lower extender mechanism in a manner such that the lower extender mechanism is enclosed by the undercarriage.

27. The quadcopter of claim 26:

wherein the maximum payload capacity is between one and twenty pounds.

28. The quadcopter of claim 27:

wherein the central portion to encompass a cavity in which a securing means to provide for convenient insertion and ejection of a battery powering the quadcopter when a cover of the upper extender mechanism is removed.

29. The quadcopter of claim 28:

wherein the cavity to include a processor and a memory and a communication circuitry comprising at least one of a radio frequency circuitry, a wifi circuitry, and a cellular communication circuitry.

30. The quadcopter of claim 29:

wherein a pair of fan-out payload extensions span out from opposing faces of the undercarriage to provide tensile strength during a landing of the quadcopter,

wherein the airframe of the quadcopter to include a built-in camera in an encasing of at least one of the first rotor and the second rotor of the quadcopter, and

wherein the airframe to include a return home button to autonomously direct the quadcopter to a predetermined location.