Multi-degree-of-freedom test stand for unmanned air vehicles

• US 8,353,199 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arrowhead Center, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arrowhead Center, Inc.
• Inventors: Ma, Ou, Ortega, Carlos E., Ruble, Ken, Lu, Qi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/762,981
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 73/650.5, 434/33, 182/2.7, 248/163.1, 108/136, 446/232
• US Class Current: 73/65.05
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/063 Parallelogram arms

Abstract

The invention is a multiple degree-of-freedom test stand for unmanned air vehicles, and is particularly useful for small or micro unmanned air vehicles. The stand is gravity balanced using springs such that no weight of any part of the stand becomes a burden to the tested vehicle when it flies while constrained to the stand. A joint and a plurality of members are used to enable multiple degrees of freedom.

Claims

1. A gravity balanced stand for testing an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) comprising:

an arm comprising at least two members, said members providing at least three degrees of freedom to the UAV;

a joint disposed on said arm, said joint providing at least three degrees of freedom to the UAV; and

at least one spring attached to said arm, wherein said spring achieves gravity balancing.

2. The stand of claim 1 further comprising a stick disposed on an outer end of said arm, wherein said joint is disposed on said stick of said arm.

3. The stand of claim 2 further comprising a platform disposed between said stick and said joint.

4. The stand of claim 2 further comprising a damper disposed on a bottom portion of said stick for reducing impact on the UAV during landing.

5. The stand of claim 2 wherein said stick comprises a substantially vertical stick.

6. The stand of claim 1 wherein said spring comprises a linear spring.

7. The stand of claim 1 further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting an attachment location of said spring.

8. The stand of claim 7 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a sliding apparatus.

9. The stand of claim 1 wherein said members comprise parallelograms.

10. The stand of claim 1 wherein said joint comprises a ball joint.

11. The stand of claim 1 wherein said members provide three translational degrees of freedom to the tested vehicle.

12. The stand of claim 1 wherein said joint provides three rotational degrees of freedom to the vehicle under test.

13. The stand of claim 1 wherein said spring comprises a balancing spring.

14. The stand of claim 1 wherein each of said members comprises four member portions, each portion forming a side of said member.

15. The stand of claim 14 wherein two of said member portions comprise substantially vertical member portions.

16. The stand of claim 15 wherein said spring is disposed between said substantially vertical member portions.

17. The stand of claim 15 wherein one of said substantially vertical member portions is located between and forms an end of both said members.

18. The stand of claim 17 wherein one of said substantially vertical member portions further comprises a connector for connecting to said joint.

19. The stand of claim 14 further comprising ball bearings for connecting said member portions.

20. The stand of claim 1 further comprising a second spring attached to said arm.

21. A method for testing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

providing a stand comprising an arm having at least two members, the arm providing at least three degrees of freedom to the UAV;

disposing a joint on the arm of the stand, the joint providing at least three degrees of freedom to the UAV;

attaching the UAV to the joint;

gravity balancing the stand via at least one spring; and

testing the UAV.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising reducing impact on the UAV during landing by providing a dampener.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising flying the UAV.

24. The method of claim 21 landing the UAV.