Drone-type lifesaving equipment dropping device

• US 10,377,455 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soomvi Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Soomvi Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, In Seon
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/324,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20170210451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/01 Air-sea rescue devices, i.e. equipment carried by, and capable of being dropped from, an aircraft inflatable vessels B63B7/00; inflatable buoys B63B22/22
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/08 Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like non-sinkable swimsuits, drawers or trunks A41D7/001 ; equipment for swimming A63B, e.g. swimming aids other than life-buoys or life-belts A63B31/00, teaching frames for swimming, swimming boards A63B69/14
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/22 Devices for holding or launching life-buoys, inflatable life-rafts, or other floatable life-saving equipment equipment for handling life-boats or the like B63B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/10 Stowage arrangements for the devices in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/57 for bringing emergency supplies to persons or animals in danger, e.g. ropes or life vests
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports

Abstract

A drone-type lifesaving equipment dropping device including: an unmanned aerial vehicle (2) having a propeller (4) and a rotor (3) configured to rotate the propeller; a holding member (10) which is installed to the unmanned aerial vehicle (2) and configured to be operated by wireless control; and a lifesaving equipment which is detachably engaged to the holding member (10) and is dropped from the holding member (10) after the lifesaving equipment is disengaged from the holding member.

Claims

1. A drone-type lifesaving equipment dropping device comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle having a propeller and a rotor configured to rotate the propeller;

a holding member which is installed to the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to be operated by wireless control; and

a lifesaving equipment which is detachably engaged to the holding member and is dropped from the holding member after the lifesaving equipment is disengaged from the holding member,

wherein the holding member includes at least one horizontal frame, a plurality of support arms arranged on the horizontal frame so that the support arms are expanded or retracted in diametric direction,

a motor disposed at a center of the horizontal frame, and

a link member configured to connect the motor and each proximal end of the support arms and transfer rotating movement of the motor to expanding or retracting movement of the support arms, and

the holding member supports the lifebuoy in the first state by expanding the support arms so that the support arms are inserted into slots formed on an inner peripheral surface of the lifebuoy, are brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the lifebuoy, or expand to a bottom of the lifebuoy, while the support arms are retracted in the second state, so that the lifebuoy is separated from the holding member.

2. The drone-type lifesaving equipment dropping device according to claim 1, wherein the lifesaving equipment is a lifebuoy, the holding member is switched between a first state in which the holding member holds or supports the lifebuoy and a second state in which the holding member releases the lifebuoy or is retracted from a position to support the lifebuoy, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is provided with a camera which is operated by remote control and wirelessly sends a video.

3. The drone-type lifesaving equipment dropping device according to claim 2, wherein the holding member includes at least one horizontal frame, a plurality of support arms arranged on the horizontal frame so that the support arms are expanded or retracted in a diametric direction, a motor disposed at a center of the horizontal frame, and a link member configured to connect the motor and each proximal end of the support arms and transfer rotating movement of the motor to expanding or retracing movement of the support arms, and the holding member supports the lifebuoy in the first state by expanding the support arms so that the support arms are inserted into slots formed on an inner peripheral surface of the lifebuoy, are brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the lifebuoy, or expand to a bottom of the lifebuoy, while the support arms are retracted in the second state, so that the lifebuoy is separated from the holding member.