Handheld aircraft with adjustable components

• US 10,494,094 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2016
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Bradford Foley
• Original Assignee: Mark Bradford Foley
• Inventors: Foley, Mark Bradford
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Marc
• Application Number:
  US15/372,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20170158328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 244190
• 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: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/75 the body formed by joined shells or by a shell overlaying a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 30/296 Rotors with variable spatial positions relative to the UAV body foldable or collapsible rotors B64U30/293
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/60 by wearable objects, e.g. garments or helmets

Abstract

The present technology is directed to a remotely controlled aircraft that can be transported without the risk of damaging certain components, such as the arms and/or propellers. In one non-limiting example, the remotely controlled aircraft technology described herein provides a housing that allows the arms of the remotely controlled aircraft to extend and/or retract through openings in the housing. When retracted, the arms and propellers are protected within an area of the structure of the housing, and when extended, the arms and propellers are operable to make the remotely controlled aircraft fly.

Claims

1. A handheld aircraft, comprising:

a frame assembly, comprising;

an upper housing having interlock features; and

a lower housing, the frame assembly having one or more openings;

a gear that is positioned within one of the one or more openings of the frame assembly, the gear comprising interlock features on the inner diameter;

at least four arms operatively coupled to the frame assembly and the gear, the at least four arms configured to extend or retract from the one or more openings in the housing when the gear rotates, each of the at least four arms having at least one propeller operatively coupled thereto and configured to enable the housing to perform aeronautical navigation;

a button comprising a shaft which is coaxial to the axis of rotation of the gear, the shaft comprising interlock features on the outer diameter that cooperate with the interlock features on the gear and the upper housing, configured such that;

when the button is in a non-depressed state, the interlock features of the upper housing, gear and the shaft mesh such that the gear and shaft are rotationally locked to the housing, such that rotation of the gear and shaft are prevented and the at least four arms are locked in position, and

when the button is in a depressed state, the interlock features of the shaft and the upper housing do not mesh such that the gear is free to rotate relative to the housing, and rotation of the button will rotate the gear and extend or retract the at least four arms;

a coil spring coaxial with the gear and operatively coupled to the gear such that in torsion, the spring biases the gear to rotate in a direction to extend the arms, the coil spring also operatively coupled to the shaft such that in compression, the spring biases the shaft and button to the non-depressed state; and

a control system operatively coupled to the housing and configured to control the aeronautical navigation of the housing.

2. The handheld aircraft of claim 1, wherein the control system includes electronic circuitry for powering the at least four propellers and for communicating with another device for receiving instructions from the device related to operation of the aircraft.

3. The handheld aircraft of claim 1, wherein each of the at least four arms include two linear sections that are formed at an angle to each other.

4. The handheld aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least four arms are operatively coupled to the control system to provide power to the at least four propellers.

5. The handheld aircraft of claim 4, wherein the control system is configured to provide power to the at least four propellers when the at least four arms are fully extended.

6. The handheld aircraft of claim 1, further comprising at least one audiovisual capture device configured to capture audio and video.

7. A handheld aircraft, comprising:

a frame assembly, comprising;

an upper housing having interlock features; and

a lower housing, the frame assembly having one or more openings;

a gear that is positioned within one of the one or more openings of the frame assembly, the gear comprising interlock features on the inner diameter;

a plurality of arms operatively coupled to the frame assembly and the gear, the plurality of arms configured to extend or retract from the one or more openings in the housing when the gear rotates, each of the plurality of arms having at least one propeller operatively coupled thereto and configured to enable the housing to perform aeronautical navigation;

a button comprising a shaft which is coaxial to the axis of rotation of the gear, the shaft comprising interlock features on the outer diameter that cooperate with the interlock features on the gear and the upper housing, configured such that;

when the button is in a non-depressed state, the interlock features of the upper housing, gear and the shaft mesh such that the gear and shaft are rotationally locked to the housing, such that rotation of the gear and shaft are prevented and the plurality of arms are locked in position, and

when the button is in a depressed state, the interlock features of the shaft and the upper housing do not mesh such that the gear is free to rotate relative to the housing, and rotation of the button will rotate the gear and extend or retract the plurality of arms;

a coil spring coaxial with the gear and operatively coupled to the gear such that in torsion, the spring biases the gear to rotate in a direction to extend the arms, the coil spring also operatively coupled to the shaft such that in compression, the spring biases the shaft and button to the non-depressed state; and

a control system operatively coupled to the housing and configured to control movement of the handheld aircraft.

8. The handheld aircraft of claim 7, wherein the control system further comprising electronic circuitry that is operatively coupled to the frame assembly and the plurality of arms, the electronic circuitry configured to power and control the movement of the handheld aircraft.

9. The aircraft of claim 7, wherein the control system is configured to provide power to each propeller when the plurality of arms are fully extended.

10. The handheld aircraft of claim 7, further comprising at least one audiovisual capture device configured to capture audio and video.

11. A system, comprising:

a handheld aircraft, comprising;

a frame assembly, comprising;

an upper housing having interlock features; and

a lower housing, the frame assembly having one or more openings;

a gear that is positioned within one of the one or more openings of the frame assembly, the gear comprising interlock features on the inner diameter;

a plurality of arms operatively coupled to the frame assembly and the gear, the plurality of arms configured to extend or retract from the one or more openings in the housing when the gear rotates, each of the plurality of arms having at least one propeller operatively coupled thereto and configured to enable the housing to perform aeronautical navigation;

a button comprising a shaft which is coaxial to the axis of rotation of the gear, the shaft comprising interlock features on the outer diameter that cooperate with the interlock features on the gear and the upper housing, configured such that;

when the button is in a non-depressed state, the interlock features of the upper housing, gear and the shaft mesh such that the gear and shaft are rotationally locked to the housing, such that rotation of the gear and shaft are prevented and the plurality of arms are locked in position, and

when the button is in a depressed state, the interlock features of the shaft and the upper housing do not mesh such that the gear is free to rotate relative to the housing, and rotation of the button will rotate the gear and extend or retract the plurality of arms;

a coil spring coaxial with the gear and operatively coupled to the gear such that in torsion, the spring biases the gear to rotate in a direction to extend the arms, the coil spring also operatively coupled to the shaft such that in compression, the spring biases the shaft and button to the non-depressed state; and

a control system operatively coupled to the housing and configured to control movement of the handheld aircraft, and

an electronic device configured to communicate with the handheld aircraft via the control system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is configured to provide signals to the control system of the handheld aircraft for operating the aircraft.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the handheld aircraft is configured to be attached to the electronic device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control system is configured to provide power to each propeller when the plurality of arms are fully extended.