MODULARIZED ARMOR STRUCTURE WITH UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE LOADED AND ARMORED VEHICLE USING THE SAME

• US 20150276353A1
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: UENO, Yoshihiko, FURUYA, Shojiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,952,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/022 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• 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 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/04 Armour construction in general F41H5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

An armored vehicle includes: a basic armored vehicle having a predetermined basic external armor; a modularized armor structure exchangeably attached to the basic external armor; and an unmanned aerial vehicle loaded on the modularized armor structure. The modularized armor structure includes: an unmanned aerial vehicle loading section configured to load the unmanned aerial vehicle; an armoring material structure formed of armoring material; and an attaching section used to exchangeably attach the modularized armor structure to the basic armored vehicle.

Claims

1. A modularized armor structure comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle loading section configured to load an unmanned aerial vehicle;

an armoring material structure formed of armoring material; and

an attaching section used to exchangeably attach said modularized armor structure to a predetermined basic external armor of an armored vehicle.

2. The modularized armor structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first connector electrically connected with said armored vehicle; and

a second connector electrically connected with said unmanned aerial vehicle,

wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a power source, and

wherein electric power is supplied from said armored vehicle to said power source of said unmanned aerial vehicle through said first and second connectors.

3. The modularized armor structure according to claim 2, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a radio communication section, and

wherein said modularized armor structure further comprises a radio communication section configured to carry out a radio communication with said radio communication section of said unmanned aerial vehicle to allow exchange of a control signal and data between said armored vehicle and said unmanned aerial vehicle.

4. The modularized armor structure according to claim 2, further comprising:

a winding unit configured to wind a cable connected with said first and second connectors to allow exchange of a control signal and data between said armored vehicle and said unmanned aerial vehicle,

wherein said second connector is separated from said modularized armor structure in a flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle in a connection state with said unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The modularized armor structure according to claim 2, further comprising:

a locking/unlocking mechanism disposed in said unmanned aerial vehicle loading section to lock said unmanned aerial vehicle in response to a lock command supplied from said armored vehicle and to unlock said unmanned aerial vehicle in response to a unlock command supplied from said armored vehicle.

6. The modularized armor structure according to claim 5, wherein said locking/unlocking mechanism is of an electromagnetic type.

7. The modularized armor structure according to claim 5, wherein said locking/unlocking mechanism is of a mechanical type.

8. The modularized armor structure according to claim 1, wherein said armoring material structure formed of armoring material having a performance withstanding an attack using ammunitions which includes a bullet, a cannonball, a guided missile, an armor piercing ammunition, armor-piercing composite rigid, or an armor-piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot.

9. An armored vehicle comprising:

a basic armored vehicle having a predetermined basic external armor;

a modularized armor structure exchangeably attached to the basic external armor; and

an unmanned aerial vehicle loaded on said modularized armor structure,

wherein said modularized armor structure comprises;

an unmanned aerial vehicle loading section configured to load said unmanned aerial vehicle;

an armoring material structure formed of armoring material; and

an attaching section used to exchangeably attach said modularized armor structure to said basic armored vehicle.

10. The armored vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said modularized armor structure further comprises:

a first connector electrically connected with said armored vehicle; and

a second connector electrically connected with said unmanned aerial vehicle,

wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a power source, and

wherein electric power is supplied from said armored vehicle to said power source of said unmanned aerial vehicle through said first and second connectors.

11. The armored vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a radio communication section, and

wherein said modularized armor structure further comprises a radio communication section configured to carry out a radio communication with said radio communication section of said unmanned aerial vehicle to allow exchange of a control signal and data between said armored vehicle and said unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The armored vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said modularized armor structure further comprises:

a winding unit configured to wind a cable connected with said first and second connectors to allow exchange of a control signal and data between said armored vehicle and said unmanned aerial vehicle, and

wherein said second connector is separated from said modularized armor structure in a flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle in a connection state with said unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The armored vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said modularized armor structure further comprises:

a locking/unlocking mechanism disposed in said unmanned aerial vehicle loading section to lock said unmanned aerial vehicle in response to a lock command supplied from said armored vehicle and to unlock said unmanned aerial vehicle in response to a unlock command supplied from said armored vehicle.

14. The armored vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said locking/unlocking mechanism is of an electromagnetic type.

15. The armored vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said locking/unlocking mechanism is of a mechanical type.

16. The armored vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said armoring material structure formed of armoring material having a performance withstanding an attack using ammunitions which includes a bullet, a cannonball, a guided missile, an armor piercing ammunition, armor-piercing composite rigid, or an armor-piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot.