Replaceable power modules on aerial vehicles

• US 10,029,803 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larsen, Glen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US15/181,225
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/00 Refuelling during flight filling or emptying fuel tanks B64D37/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 3/02 with means for supplying electricity to aircraft during flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting 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 50/39 Battery swapping

Abstract

An aerial vehicle may receive electrical power from power modules that may be installed into or removed from the aerial vehicle during flight operations. Such power modules may be inserted into a chamber from below the aerial vehicle and may come into contact with one or more terminals or leads for powering propulsion motors or other electrical loads. Such power modules may also be removed from above the aerial vehicle, thereby uncoupling the power modules from the electrical loads. Power modules may be installed into or removed from a chamber using tension members that are guided into the chamber from lateral slots extending between a perimeter of the aerial vehicle and the chamber. The tension members may be used to not only engage and remove a power module within the chamber but also to install a power module into the chamber.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a determining that a first power module releasably installed in an open chamber of a first aerial vehicle requires replacement,

wherein the first power module comprises a first housing having a first cross section of a first shape, a first central opening, and a first lateral slot extending laterally between a perimeter of the first cross section and the first central opening,

wherein the open chamber has a second cross section of a second shape,

wherein the first aerial vehicle comprises a frame having a second lateral slot extending between a perimeter of the frame and the open chamber,

wherein the first lateral slot is aligned with the second lateral slot, and

wherein the second shape corresponds to the first shape;

determining a location of a transfer station having a tension member suspended therefrom, an engagement device mounted to the tension member and a second power module having the first cross section of the first shape releasably suspended from the tension member, wherein the engagement device is mounted to the tension member above the second power module;

causing the first aerial vehicle to travel to the location;

causing the first aerial vehicle to align the tension member with the first lateral slot with the second lateral slot;

causing the first aerial vehicle to insert at least a portion of the tension member above the engagement device into the first central opening via the first lateral slot and the second lateral slot;

raising the tension member with respect to the aerial vehicle, wherein raising the tension member comprises;

causing the engagement device to engage with the first power module;

removing, by the engagement device, the first power module from the open chamber; and

releasably installing the second power module into the open chamber;

releasing the second power module from the tension member; and

causing the first aerial vehicle to separate from at least the portion of the tension member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first aerial vehicle comprises at least one propulsion motor aligned to receive power from an electrical circuit,

wherein the first power module is electrically coupled to the electrical circuit when the first power module is releasably installed in the open chamber,

wherein removing the first power module from the open chamber comprises:

electrically uncoupling the first power module from the electrical circuit, and

wherein releasably installing the second power module into the open chamber comprises;

electrically coupling the second power module to the electrical circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer station is provided in association with a second aerial vehicle, and

wherein the tension member is suspended below the second aerial vehicle.

4. A method comprising:

initiating a first flight operation of a first aerial vehicle, wherein the first aerial vehicle comprises a first propulsion motor coupled to a frame and a first power module releasably installed into a chamber disposed within the frame, and wherein the first flight operation of the first aerial vehicle is initiated under power of the first power module;

removing the first power module from the chamber of the aerial vehicle via a first opening in an upper surface of the frame during the first flight operation;

releasably installing a second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle via a second opening in a lower surface of the frame during the first flight operation; and

continuing the first flight operation under power of the second power module.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first aerial vehicle comprises a first lateral slot extending laterally between an external perimeter of a frame of the first aerial vehicle and the chamber and vertically between the upper surface of the frame and the lower surface of the frame,

wherein the first power module comprises an internal opening and a second lateral slot extending laterally between an external perimeter of the first power module and the internal opening, and

wherein removing the first power module from the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises:

guiding, during the first flight operation, a tension member having an engagement device mounted thereto into the internal opening of the first power module via the first lateral slot and the second lateral slot;

engaging, during the first flight operation, the first power module with the engagement device; and

initiating, during the first flight operation, relative vertical motion between the tension member and the first aerial vehicle,

wherein the first power module is removed from the chamber as a result of the relative vertical motion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the tension member further comprises the second power module releasably connected to the tension member below the engagement device, and

wherein the second power module is releasably installed into the chamber as a result of the relative vertical motion.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein initiating, during the first flight operation, the relative vertical motion between the tension member and the first aerial vehicle comprises at least one of:

raising the tension member with respect to the aerial vehicle;

or

changing an altitude of the aerial vehicle with respect to the tension member.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the tension member is one of a rope, a chain, a cable, a string or a tape suspended from a transfer station.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transfer station is airborne.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the first flight operation is initiated with the first power module electrically coupled to at least the first propulsion motor,

wherein removing the first power module from the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises:

electrically decoupling the first power module from at least the first propulsion motor, and

wherein releasably installing the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises;

electrically coupling the second power module to at least the first propulsion motor.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the chamber of the aerial vehicle comprises an open upper end, an open lower end and a first perimeter defining a first cross section,

wherein the second power module comprises a second perimeter defining a second cross section,

wherein the first cross section corresponds to the second cross section, and

wherein releasably installing the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises:

inserting the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle via the open lower end during the first flight operation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises at least one angled retainer below the open lower end, and

wherein inserting the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle via the open lower end during the first flight operation comprises:

opening the at least one angled retainer upon contact with an upper surface of the second power module,

wherein the at least one angled retainer closes after the second power module is inserted into the chamber of the aerial vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first perimeter of the chamber comprises at least a first face having a first positive terminal electrically coupled to at least the first propulsion motor and a first negative terminal electrically coupled to at least the first propulsion motor,

wherein the second perimeter of the second power module comprises a second positive terminal electrically coupled to at least one cathode and a second negative terminal electrically coupled to at least one anode, and

wherein inserting the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle via the open lower end during the first flight operation comprises:

causing the first positive terminal to contact the second positive terminal; and

causing the first negative terminal to contact the second negative terminal.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first cross section and the second cross section are at least one of substantially square, substantially circular, substantially triangular, substantially hexagonal or substantially octagonal.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the first power module and the second power a module comprises one of a battery, a fuel cell or a solar cell.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein the chamber is positioned along at least one centerline of the first aerial vehicle.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein the chamber comprises a first irregular cross section provided in a first orientation on the aerial vehicle, and

wherein each of the first power module and the second power module comprises a second irregular cross section corresponding to the first irregular cross section.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the first power module comprises a first latch,

wherein the second power module comprises a second latch,

wherein at least one internal surface of the chamber comprises an opening for accommodating the first latch or the second latch,

wherein removing the first power module from the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises:

disengaging the first latch from the opening of the chamber, and

wherein releasably installing the second power module into the chamber of the aerial vehicle during the first flight operation comprises;

engaging the second latch with the opening of the chamber.

19. A method for powering an aerial vehicle comprising:

inserting a first power module into a chamber disposed within a frame of the aerial vehicle via an opening provided in a lower surface of the frame,

wherein the first power module has a first height and a first cross section,

wherein the first power module comprises a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal on at least one external surface of the first power module,

wherein each of the first positive terminal and the first negative terminal extends along the first height of the at least one external surface of the first power module,

wherein the chamber has the first height and a second cross section,

wherein the chamber comprises a second positive terminal of an electrical circuit and a second negative terminal of the electrical circuit on at least one internal surface of the chamber, and

wherein the second cross section corresponds to the first cross section, and

wherein inserting the first power module into the chamber causes the first positive terminal to electrically couple with the second positive terminal and the first negative terminal to electrically couple with the second negative terminal;

initiating a flight operation of the aerial vehicle under power of the first power module;

a inserting a portion of a second power module into the chamber disposed within the frame of the aerial vehicle via the opening provided in the lower surface of the frame during the flight operation of the aerial vehicle,

wherein the second power module has the first height and the first cross section,

wherein the second power module comprises a third positive terminal and a third negative terminal on at least one external surface of the second power module,

wherein each of the third positive terminal and the third negative terminal extends along the first height of the at least one external surface of the third power module, and

wherein inserting the portion of the second power module into the chamber causes the third positive terminal to electrically couple with the second positive terminal and the third negative terminal to electrically couple with the second negative terminal; and

removing the first power module from the chamber via an opening provided in an upper surface of the frame during the flight operation of the aerial vehicle,

wherein removing the first power module from the chamber causes the first positive terminal to electrically uncouple from the second positive terminal and the first negative terminal to electrically uncouple from the second negative terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first cross section has a first shape of one of a first circle, a first oval, a first triangle, a first hexagon or a first octagon, and

wherein the second cross section has a second shape of one of a second circle, a second oval, a second triangle, a second hexagon or a second octagon.