Hybrid aerial and terrestrial vehicle

• US 9,061,558 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Kalantari, Arash, Spenko, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US14/043,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/36 Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/028 Micro-sized aircraft
• 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 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A vehicle capable of both aerial and terrestrial locomotion. The terrestrial and aerial vehicle includes a flying device and a rolling cage connected to the flying device by at least one revolute joint. The rolling cage at least partially surrounds the flying device and is free-rolling and not separately powered.

Claims

1. A terrestrial and aerial vehicle, comprising a flying device and a non-actuated rolling cage connected to the flying device by at least one revolute joint, the rolling cage comprising two opposing hubs and a plurality of rails each connected at a first end to one of the two opposing hubs and at a second end to an other of the two opposing hubs, wherein the rolling cage rolls against a terrestrial surface and rolls about the flying device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rolling cage extends around at least a portion of the flying device.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the revolute joint comprises a shaft and a bearing.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the flying device comprises four rotor arms each including an actuated rotor, wherein the shaft extends outward from the flying device between two of the four rotor arms.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rolling cage surrounds or encloses at least a portion of the flying device.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flying device comprises a rotor disposed within the rolling cage.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the rotor propels both aerial and terrestrial surface locomotion.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flying device comprises a rotor powered by an actuator motor, and wherein the rolling cage is a non-powered rolling cage.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to receive a wireless control signal.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rotors enclosed by the rolling cage.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a surveillance camera mounted on the flying device.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rolling cage includes a first circular cross rail at a first hub of the two opposing hubs and a second circular cross rail at the second hub of the two opposing hubs, and each of the plurality of rails extends between and connects the first circular cross rail and the second circular cross rail.

13. A terrestrial and aerial vehicle, comprising:

a flying device with a first side and a second side opposite the first side and including a plurality of rotors; and

a non-actuated rolling cage connected to the flying device by a first revolute joint and a second resolute joint, and at least partially enclosing or surrounding the flying device, the rolling cage including;

a first hub connected to the first side of the flying device by the first resolute joint, a second hub connected to the second side of the flying device by the second resolute joint, and a plurality of rails each connected at a first end to the first hub and at a second end to the second hub, wherein the plurality of rotors is disposed within the rolling cage and the rolling cage rolls freely about the flying device.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second revolute joints comprises a shaft end connected to a bearing.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the rotor propels both aerial and terrestrial surface locomotion, wherein the rolling cage rolls about the flying device upon movement of the flying device and contact with a terrestrial surface.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the rolling cage rotates about a shaft connected to the flying device, the shaft extends perpendicular to an axis of each of the at least one rotor, and the shaft is connected to the flying device or the rolling cage by a bearing.

17. A terrestrial and aerial vehicle, comprising:

a rotorcraft including four actuated rotors;

a non-actuated rolling cage connected to and enclosing the rotorcraft, wherein the rolling cage rolls about the rotorcraft upon movement of the rotorcraft and contact with a terrestrial surface, the rolling cage including;

two opposing hubs each connected to the rotorcraft by a shaft and a revolute joint, and a plurality of rails each connected at a first end to one of the two opposing hubs and at a second end to an other of the two opposing hubs, wherein each of the plurality of rails includes at least a portion that is parallel to the shaft.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein each of the two opposing hubs comprises a bearing connecting the shaft to the rolling cage.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising four rotor arms each including one of the four actuated rotors, wherein the shaft extends outward from the rotorcraft between two of the four rotor aims.

20. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the rolling cage includes a first circular cross rail at a first hub of the two opposing hubs and a second circular cross rail at the second hub of the two opposing hubs, and the portion parallel to the shaft of each of the plurality of rails extends between and connects the first circular cross rail and the second circular cross rail.