Vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle

• US 9,725,170 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Original Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Inventors: Garnier, Arnaud, Daler, Ludovic, Briod, Adrien
• Primary Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/851,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 244 1711, 244 6, 244 7 R, 244 7 B, 244 7 A, 244 121- 125, 244 1723, 244 1725
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 17/00 Aircraft stabilisation not otherwise provided for
• 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 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms

Abstract

A VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aerial flying vehicle comprising an inner frame, a gimbal system and an outer frame, the inner frame comprising a propulsion system and a control system. The propulsion system being able to generate a lift force. The VTOL may also include a decoupling mechanism having either a linear or non-linear beam coupled to a ring. The beam may optionally include sliders at ends thereof that provide an additional rotation freedom to the inner frame.

Claims

1. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle, comprising:

an outer frame; and

,

a decoupling mechanism; and

an inner frame connected to the outer frame by the decoupling mechanism, the inner frame comprising a propulsion system configured to generate a lift force;

the decoupling mechanism comprising a beam coupled to the inner frame and forming a first rotation axis, and the beam being coupled to a second rotation axis substantially orthogonally disposed with respect to the first rotation axis.

2. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the inner frame has a center of mass substantially in line with each rotation axis.

3. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis is substantially vertical.

4. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the beam is non-linear.

5. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the propulsion system comprises four propellers, at least portions of two of the propellers overlapping.

6. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the propulsion system comprises four propellers, at least portions of two of the propellers overlapping.

7. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the beam is comprised of two parallel portions, one of the parallel portions being in axial alignment with a center of mass of the VTOL aerial vehicle.

8. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a ring coupled to the beam and the ring coupled to the outer frame in a third rotation axis, the second and third rotation axes being substantially orthogonal.

9. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the beam includes sliders;

and a ring coupled to the sliders, the ring rotating in a second rotation axis about the beam, the ring further sliding through the sliders in a third rotation axis, the second and third rotation axes being orthogonal.

10. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle, comprising:

an outer protective cage;

an inner frame comprising propulsion means for generating a lift force;

control means for controlling orientation of the inner frame; and

a decoupling means for providing at least two (2) rotation degrees of freedom of the inner frame with respect to the outer protective cage.

11. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the decoupling means comprises a beam with sliding surfaces coupled to a ring.

12. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the decoupling means comprises a beam with sliding surfaces coupled to a ring, the beam having a rotation joint centrally located along the beam, the decoupling means providing four (4) rotation degrees of freedom.

13. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the decoupling means comprises a beam coupled to a ring with rotation joints on extreme ends where the beam interconnects with the ring, the beam having a rotation joint centrally located along the beam, the decoupling means providing three (3) rotation degrees of freedom.

14. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the decoupling means comprises a beam, the beam comprising two substantially parallel portions.

15. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the propulsion means comprises four propellers, at least portions of two of the four propellers overlapping.

16. A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle, comprising:

an outer frame;

an inner ring coupled to the outer frame;

a beam rotationally coupled to the inner ring;

a propulsion system configured to generate a lift force;

the propulsion system coupled to the beam by a decoupling means providing at least two rotation degrees of freedom of the propulsion system with respect to the inner ring.

17. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the propulsion system comprises propellers that partially overlap when in motion.

18. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the beam further comprises sliders coupled to the inner ring to rotationally couple the beam to the inner ring.

19. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the plurality of outer rings have no degrees of freedom of rotation with respect to the inner ring.

20. The VTOL aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the inner ring has at least one degree of freedom of rotation with at least one of the plurality of outer rings.