Unmanned aerial vehicle and techniques for securing a payload to the UAV in a desired orientation

• US 10,793,272 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shannon, Trevor, Prager, Andre, Li, Zhefei, Liske, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchens, Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US15/389,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20180072418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 414457
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/12 Releasing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/67 the UAVs comprising tethers for lowering the goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle system is provided including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus, a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV, a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus. A method of securing a payload to a UAV is also provided.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;

a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle directly connected to a top of the payload, wherein the handle of the payload is positionable within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus; and

wherein the payload coupling apparatus comprises a housing;

wherein the housing is attached to the second end of the tether;

wherein the slot extends inwardly and downwardly from an outer surface of the housing towards a center of the housing thereby forming a lower lip on the housing beneath the slot;

wherein a first cam and a second cam extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing of the payload coupling apparatus, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus and the handle of the payload coupling apparatus into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV.

2. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload is comprised of flexible plastic.

3. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload is comprised of paper or other natural fiber.

4. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein a top portion of the payload has a linear shape.

5. The unmanned aerial system of claim 4, wherein the fuselage has a recessed restraint slot for receiving the top portion of the payload.

6. The unmanned aerial system of claim 5, wherein the recessed restraint slot is positioned longitudinally in the fuselage.

7. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the housing above the slot extends further outwardly than an outermost end of the lower lip below the slot.

8. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the payload automatically decouples from the slot of the housing when the payload is lowered to the ground.

9. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the housing has a rounded shape.

10. The unmanned aerial system of claim 9, wherein a bottom surface of the housing has a rounded shape.

11. The unmanned aerial system of claim 1, wherein the payload coupling apparatus has no moving parts.

12. An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;

a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle directly connected to a top of the payload, wherein the handle of the payload is positionable within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus; and

wherein the payload coupling apparatus comprises a housing;

wherein the housing is attached to the second end of the tether; and

wherein the slot extends inwardly and downwardly from an outer surface of the housing towards a center of the housing thereby forming a lower lip on the housing beneath the slot;

wherein the handle of the payload includes a pair of holes; and

, wherein a pair of locking pins are positioned within the fuselage and adapted to protrude through the pair of holes in the handle of the payload or in the payload coupling apparatus to secure the handle and payload during forward flight of the UAV.

13. The unmanned aerial system of claim 12, wherein the pair of locking pins have a conical shape.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage;

a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle directly connected to a top of the payload, wherein the handle of the payload is adapted to be secured to the payload coupling apparatus, wherein a first cam and a second cam extend outwardly from an outer surface of the payload coupling apparatus, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus and the handle of the payload coupling apparatus into a desired position-within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV.

15. The unmanned aerial system of claim 14, wherein the first cam extends upwardly to form a first sharp apex and the second cam extends upwardly to form a blunt apex.

16. A method of securing a payload to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including the steps of:

providing a tether having a first end secured to a winch system positioned in the UAV and a second end secured to a payload coupling apparatus;

a payload coupling apparatus receptacle positioned in the fuselage of the UAV;

a payload having a handle, wherein the handle of the payload is positioned within a slot in the payload coupling apparatus;

wherein the payload coupling apparatus includes a first cam and a second cam that extend outwardly from an outer surface of the housing, and wherein the first and second cams are adapted to engage mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle to force rotation of the housing into a desired position within the fuselage of the UAV;

operating the winch system to raise the payload coupling apparatus and payload to the UAV, until the first and second cams are brought into engagement with the mating cams positioned within the payload coupling apparatus; and

further operating the winch system to force rotation of the payload coupling apparatus into a desired position within the payload coupling apparatus receptacle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the payload includes a top portion and the fuselage includes a recessed restraint slot, and further including the step of positioning the top portion of the payload into the recessed restraint slot.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the handle of payload includes a pair of holes and the fuselage includes a pair of locking pins, and further including the step of inserting the locking pins through the pair of holes in the handle to secure the handle and payload to the UAV.