Unmanned aerial vehicle protective frame configuration

• US 9,889,930 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Welsh, Ricky Dean, Kimchi, Gur
• Primary Examiner(s): Woldemaryam, Assres H
• Application Number:
  US14/557,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20160229530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• 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 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes a frame that provides both structural support for the UAV and protection for foreign objects that may come into contact with the UAV. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV may also include one or more pushing motor and propeller assemblies that are oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor(s) may be engaged and the pushing propeller(s) will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) frame, comprising;

a hub;

a first motor arm extending from the hub in a first direction;

a second motor arm extending from the hub in a second direction;

a third motor arm extending from the hub in a third direction;

a fourth motor arm extending from the hub in a fourth direction;

a first motor mount coupled to the first motor arm;

a second motor mount coupled to the second motor arm;

a third motor mount coupled to the third motor arm;

a fourth motor mount coupled to the fourth motor arm;

a first plurality of support arms extending from the first motor mount;

a second plurality of support arms extending from the second motor mount;

a third plurality of support arms extending from the third motor mount;

a fourth plurality of support arms extending from the fourth motor mount;

a perimeter protective barrier coupled to the first plurality of support arms, the second plurality of support arms, the third plurality of support arms and the fourth plurality of support arms; and

wherein the hub, the first motor arm, the second motor arm, the third motor arm, the fourth motor arm, the first motor mount, the second motor mount, the third motor mount, the fourth motor mount, the first plurality of support arms, the second plurality of support arms, the third plurality of support arms, the fourth plurality of support arms and the perimeter protective barrier are formed as a monolithic uni-body.

2. The UAV frame of claim 1, further comprising a first pushing motor coupled to the monolithic uni-body and configured to provide horizontal propulsion to the UAV.

3. The UAV frame of claim 1, wherein the first motor arm includes an inner core.

4. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a monolithic uni-body frame including;

a hub positioned near a center of the UAV;

a plurality of motor arms, each motor arm having a first end and a second end, each first end coupled to the hub;

a plurality of motor mounts, each motor mount coupled to the second end of one of the plurality of motor arms;

a plurality of support arms, each support arm having a third end and a fourth end, each third end coupled to a motor mount of the plurality of motor mounts; and

a protective perimeter barrier;

a plurality of motors coupled to the plurality of motor mounts of the monolithic uni-body frame; and

a plurality of propellers, each propeller coupled to a motor of the plurality of motors, wherein at least a portion of a perimeter around at least one of the propellers is encompassed by the protective perimeter barrier of the monolithic uni-body frame.

5. The UAV of claim 4, wherein the UAV includes at least eight motors, each motor coupled to a respective motor mount of the plurality of motor mounts of the monolithic uni-body frame.

6. The UAV of claim 4, wherein the monolithic uni-body frame further comprises:

a channel coupled to a first motor arm of the plurality of motor arms and configured to receive a wire.

7. The UAV of claim 6, wherein the channel is formed as part of the first motor arm.

8. The UAV of claim 4, wherein the fourth ends of at least a portion of the plurality of support arms are coupled to the protective perimeter barrier.

9. The UAV of claim 4, wherein a first motor of the plurality of motors is positioned to provide horizontal thrust to the UAV.

10. An unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

), comprising;

a frame including a first frame component and a second frame component, the first frame component being a monolithic unit and the second frame component being a single monolithic unit, the frame including;

a hub positioned near a center of the UAV;

a plurality of motor arms, each motor arm having a first end and a second end, each first end coupled to the hub;

a plurality of motor mounts, each motor mount coupled to the second end of one of the plurality of motor arms;

a plurality of support arms, each support arm having a third end and a fourth end, each third end coupled to a motor mount of the plurality of motor mounts; and

a protective perimeter barrier;

a first plurality of motors coupled to the first frame component;

a first plurality of propellers, each of the first plurality of propellers coupled to a motor of the first plurality of motors;

a second plurality of motors coupled to the second frame component;

a second plurality of propellers, each of the second plurality of propellers coupled to a motor of the second plurality of motors; and

wherein the first frame component is coupled to the second frame component such that the first plurality of propellers and the second plurality of propellers are positioned within a perimeter of the frame.

11. The UAV of claim 10, further comprising:

a permeable material extending around at least a portion of the frame, the permeable material comprising at least one of screen, mesh, or wire.

12. The UAV of claim 10, further comprising:

a first pushing motor coupled to the frame and configured to provide horizontal propulsion to the UAV.

13. The UAV of claim 12, further comprising:

a first pushing propeller coupled to the first pushing motor.

14. The UAV of claim 10, further comprising:

a wing coupled to the frame, wherein the wing is configured to provide lift as the UAV is flown in a direction including a horizontal component.

15. The UAV of claim 10, wherein the first frame component provides structural support to the UAV.

16. The UAV of claim 10, wherein the protective perimeter barrier inhibits access from a side of the UAV to the first plurality of propellers and the second plurality of propellers.

17. The UAV of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one of an antenna, a camera, a time of flight sensor, a distance determining element, a gimbal, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver/transmitter, a radar, an illumination element, or a speaker coupled to the protective perimeter barrier of the frame.

18. The UAV of claim 10, wherein the first frame component and the second frame component are individually formed and coupled together.

19. The UAV of claim 10, wherein the first frame component and the second frame component are two matching halves that, upon coupling together, form the frame.