Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Techniques for Securing a Payload to the UAV in a Desired Orientation

• US 20180072418A1
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shannon, Trevor, Prager, Andre, Li, Zhefei, Liske, Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 10,793,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle system is provided including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus, a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV, a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus. A method of securing a payload to a UAV is also provided.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;

a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus.

2. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload is comprised of flexible plastic.

3. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload includes a pair of holes.

4. The unmanned aerial system of claim 3, wherein a pair of locking pins are positioned within the fuselage and adapted to protrude through the pair of holes in the handle of the payload or in the payload coupling apparatus to secure the handle and payload during forward flight of the UAV.

5. The unmanned aerial system of claim 4, wherein the pair of locking pins have a conical shape.

6. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload is comprised of paper or other natural fiber.

7. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein a top portion of the payload has a linear shape.

8. The unmanned aerial system of claim 7, wherein the fuselage has a recessed restraint slot for receiving the top portion of the payload.

9. The unmanned aerial system of claim 8, wherein the recessed restraint slot is positioned longitudinally in the fuselage.

10. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the payload coupling apparatus comprises a housing;

wherein the housing is attached to the first end of a tether; and

wherein the slot extends downwardly from an outer surface of the housing towards a center of the housing thereby forming a lower lip on the housing beneath the slot.

11. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10, wherein an outer surface of the housing above the slot extends further outwardly than an outermost end of the lower lip below the slot.

12. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10, wherein a first cam and a second cam extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the fuselage of a UAV to orient the housing in a desired positioned within the fuselage of the UAV.

13. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload automatically decouples from the slot of the housing when the payload is lowered to the ground.

14. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10, wherein a top surface of the housing has a rounded shape.

15. The unmanned aerial system of claim 14, wherein a bottom surface of the housing has a rounded shape.

16. The unmanned aerial system of claim 12, wherein the first cam extends upwardly to form a first sharp apex and the second cam extends upwardly to form a blunt apex.

17. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10, wherein an outer surface of the housing has a tether slot for positioning a tether therein, and a portion of the housing is weighted such that when the handle of the payload is decoupled from the slot, the top of housing rotates downwardly.

18. The unmanned aerial system of claim 17, wherein the slot of the housing is prevented from reengaging the handle of the payload when the housing is retrieved to a UAV.

19. The unmanned aerial system of claim 10, wherein the housing has no moving parts.

20. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the payload coupling apparatus comprises a housing;

wherein the housing is attached to the first end of a tether at a bottom of the housing;

wherein the housing include a slot vertically extending between a first inner surface of the housing and a pair of vertical, upwardly extending fingers on the housing;

wherein the slot is adapted to receive the handle of the payload;

an opening formed between the pair of vertical fingers; and

a tether slot positioned on the first inner surface of the housing.

21. The unmanned aerial system of claim 20, wherein a top portion of the housing is weighted such that when the handle of the payload is decoupled from the slot of the housing, the top portion of the housing rotates 180 degrees such that the fingers point downwardly.

22. The unmanned aerial system of claim 20, wherein the tether is positioned within the tether slot on the first inner surface of the housing.

23. The unmanned aerial system of claim 22, wherein when the handle of the payload is decoupled from the slot of the housing, the tether is disengaged from the tether slot and extends through the opening between the fingers during rotation of the housing and the bottom of the housing is suspended from the tether.

24. A method of securing a payload to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including the steps of:

providing a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus;

wherein the payload coupling apparatus includes a first cam and a second cam that extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle to orient the housing in a desired positioned within the fuselage of the UAV;

operating the winch system to raise the payload coupling apparatus and payload to the UAV, until the first and second cams are brought into engagement with the mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus; and

further operating the winch system to rotate the payload coupling apparatus into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the payload includes a top portion and the fuselage includes a recessed restraint slot, and further including the step of positioning the top portion of the payload into the recessed restraint slot.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the handle of payload includes a pair of holes and the fuselage includes a pair of locking pins, and further including the step of inserting the locking pins through the pair of holes in the handle to secure the handle and payload to the UAV.