Aerial vehicle with frame assemblies

• US 9,884,681 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Tao, Zhao, Tao, Du, Hao, Wang, Mingxi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREINER, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US15/405,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/00 Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/063 Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions, e.g. foldable tail booms
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/12 sideways
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/32 characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface arrester hooks B64C25/68
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• 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: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• 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 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 : using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 : using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 : specially adapted for aircraft

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for a transformable aerial vehicle are provided. In one aspect, a transformable aerial vehicle includes: a central body and at least two transformable frames assemblies respectively disposed on the central body, each of the at least two transformable frame assemblies having a proximal portion pivotally coupled to the central body and a distal portion; an actuation assembly mounted on the central body and configured to pivot the at least two frame assemblies to a plurality of different vertical angles relative to the central body; and a plurality of propulsion units mounted on the at least two transformable frame assemblies and operable to move the transformable aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a central body;

at least a first frame assembly and a second frame assembly, each of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly is pivotally coupled to the central body at a respective coupling portion; and

a plurality of propulsion units operable to move the aerial vehicle, wherein at least two propulsion units of said plurality are mounted to the first frame assembly and at least two other propulsion unit of said plurality are mounted to the second frame assembly,

wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to transform between a first configuration and a second configuration,

wherein the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are configured to have a first vertical angle at the respective coupling portion in the first configuration and the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are configured to have a second vertical angle at the respective coupling portion in the second configuration, and wherein the first vertical angle and the second vertical angle are different, and

wherein at the first vertical angle, the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are at a folding position, and wherein at the second vertical angle, the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are at an unfolding position.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first frame assembly and a portion of the second frame assembly are coupled to each other at a coupling point.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are configured to transform simultaneously.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an actuation assembly that allows the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly to transform between the first configuration and the second configuration.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to pivot the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly between the first vertical angle and the second vertical angle.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are transformed into the first configuration during a first phase of operation of the aerial vehicle and transformed into the second configuration during a second phase of operation of the aerial vehicle.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly comprises a support member configured to support the aerial vehicle resting on a surface.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of propulsion units comprises a rotor.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle further comprises a receiver configured to receive user commands for controlling one or more of the actuation assembly and the plurality of propulsion units.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the user commands are transmitted from a remote terminal.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle further comprises a payload coupled to the central body.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the payload is a camera.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the first frame assembly and a distal portion of the second frame assembly are positioned below the central body in the first configuration and above the central body in the second configuration.

15. An aerial vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a central body;

a payload coupled to the central body;

at least a first frame assembly and a second frame assembly, each of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly is pivotally coupled to the central body at a respective coupling portion;

an actuation assembly mounted on the central body and configured to transform the first transformable frame assembly and the second transformable frame assembly between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration provide different vertical angles between the first transformable frame assembly and the second transformable frame assembly at the respective coupling portion; and

a plurality of propulsion units operable to move the aerial vehicle, wherein at least two propulsion units of said plurality are mounted to the first frame assembly and at least two other propulsion unit of said plurality are mounted to the second frame assembly

wherein at the vertical angle of the first configuration, the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are at a folding position, and wherein at the vertical angle of the second configuration, the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are at an unfolding position.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle.

17. The aerial vehicle of claim 15, wherein a portion of the first frame assembly and a portion of the second frame assembly are coupled to each other at a coupling point.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 17, wherein the actuation assembly operates to transform the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly simultaneously.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the aerial vehicle further comprises a payload coupled to the central body.

20. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the different angles between the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly are provided with respect to a vertical axis.