Vehicle capable of in-air and on-ground mobility

• US 8,794,564 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neurosciences Research Foundation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neurosciences Research Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Hutson, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US13/565,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20140034776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 244/17.17, 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/17.11, 244/23.A, 244/23.B, 244/23.C, 244/12.2, 244/12.3, 244/50, 180/7.4, 180/7.1, 180/10, 180/119, 280206-208, 446 36- 45
• US Class Current: 244/17.17
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/00 Other convertible vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media vehicles having alternatively-usable runners and wheels B62B13/18; cycles convertible into other types of land vehicles B62K13/00; aircraft B64; flying-boats or seaplanes B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/10 arranged coaxially
• 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: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• 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 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 : Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 : using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 : In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/35 : by wireless transmission, e.g. by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 : for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/123 : the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 : with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 : for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 : for balancing rotational movement of the head

Abstract

In specific embodiments, a vehicle propellable through fluids or along surfaces, comprises a main work section and a plurality of propulsion units for propelling the main work section. The main work section supports one or more payloads. The propulsion units each include a rotor system and a ring-shaped wheel at least partially arranged about the rotor system and rotatable about the rotor system. The ring-shaped wheel is arranged at a banked angle relative to the rotor system.

Claims

1. A vehicle propellable through fluids or along surfaces, comprising:

a main work section for supporting one or more payloads;

a plurality of propulsion units for propelling the main work section, each of the propulsion units including

a rotor system,

a ring-shaped wheel at least partially arranged about the rotor system and rotatable about the rotor system; and

wherein the ring-shaped wheel is arranged at a banked angle relative to the rotor system; and

wherein when the vehicle is level and moving horizontally along a plane, for each of the propulsion units the banked angle is such that the ring-shaped wheel extends outside of the rotor system so that the ring-shaped wheel contacts, before the rotor system contacts, any surface perpendicular to or parallel to the plane.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a ring-shaped hub at least partially arranged about the rotor system;

wherein the ring-shaped wheel is rotatable about the ring-shaped hub; and

a wheel motor connected with the ring-shaped hub for rotating the ring-shaped wheel.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of propulsion units comprise four propulsion units approximately symmetrical arranged about the vehicle, and wherein each of the plurality of propulsion units is connected with the main work section by an arm frame.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the main work section includes

a payload support hub,

a payload support structure rotatable about the payload support hub, and

a core at least partially nested within the payload support hub, and

wherein the one or more payloads is mountable on the payload support structure.

5. A vehicle propellable through fluids or along surfaces, comprising:

a main work section for supporting one or more payloads;

a plurality of propulsion units for propelling the main work section, each of the propulsion units including

an arm frame extending from the main work section,

a rotor system connected with the arm frame, the rotor system including at least one rotor blade,

a ring-shaped hub connected with the arm frame and at least partially arranged about the at least one rotor blade, the ring-shaped hub having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the at least one rotor blade, and

a ring-shaped wheel rotatable about the ring-shaped hub, wherein the ring-shaped wheel is arranged at a banked angle relative to the at least one rotor blade.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the main work section includes

a payload support hub,

a payload support structure rotatable about the payload support hub, and

a core at least partially nested within the payload support hub, and

wherein the one or more payloads is mountable on the payload support structure.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the payload support structure allows multi-axis rotation of a mounted payload.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the one or more payloads includes one or more sensor payloads and/or one or more effector payloads.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensor payloads includes a camera mounted to the payload support structure independent of a boom;

wherein the camera including a laser range finder and a rotation sensor.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a hook connected with the payload support structure;

wherein the hook is adapted to catch a structure and support the vehicle on the structure.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a battery;

wherein the hook is adapted to charge the battery when the structure on which the vehicle is supported is a power line or other source of electrical current.

12. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the payload support structure is rotatable 360°

about the payload support hub in at least one axis;

wherein the core includes at least one microprocessor; and

wherein the at least one microprocessor is adapted to substantially maintain an orientation of the payload support structure relative to a horizon line as the vehicle is propelled.

13. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a wheel motor connected with the ring-shaped hub for rotating the ring-shaped wheel,

wherein when the vehicle is level and moving horizontally along a plane, for each of the propulsion units the banked angle is such that the ring-shaped wheel extends outside of the rotor system so that the ring-shaped wheel contacts, before the rotor system contacts, any surface perpendicular to or parallel to the plane.

14. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the plurality of propulsion units comprise:

four propulsion units substantially symmetrically arranged; and

wherein the rotor system of each of the propulsion units includes at least two rotor blades;

wherein a pitch of the rotor blades is collectively controllable.

15. A vehicle propellable through fluids or along surfaces, comprising:

a main work section including a payload support hub, a payload support structure rotatable about the payload support hub, and a core at least partially nested within the payload support hub;

wherein one or more payloads is mountable on the payload support structure;

a plurality of propulsion units for propelling the main work section, each of the propulsion units including

a rotor system,

a ring-shaped wheel at least partially arranged about the rotor system and rotatable about the rotor system; and

wherein the ring-shaped wheel is arranged at a banked angle relative to the rotor system.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein when the vehicle is level and moving horizontally along a plane, for each of the propulsion units the banked angle is such that the ring-shaped wheel extends outside of the rotor system so that the ring-shaped wheel contacts, before the rotor system contacts, any surface perpendicular to or parallel to the plane.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a ring-shaped hub at least partially arranged about the rotor system;

wherein the ring-shaped wheel is rotatable about the ring-shaped hub; and

a wheel motor connected with the ring-shaped hub for rotating the ring-shaped wheel.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the payload support structure is rotatable 360°

about the payload support hub in at least one axis;

wherein the core includes at least one microprocessor; and

wherein the at least one microprocessor is adapted to substantially maintain an orientation of the payload support structure relative to a horizon line as the vehicle is propelled.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the plurality of propulsion units comprise:

four propulsion units substantially symmetrically arranged; and

wherein the rotor system of each of the propulsion units includes at least two rotor blades; and

wherein a pitch of the rotor blades is collectively controllable.

20. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the one or more payloads includes one or more sensor payloads and/or one or more effector payloads.