VEHICLE WITH AERIAL AND GROUND MOBILITY

• US 20160257400A1
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zenon Dragan
• Original Assignee: Draganfly Innovations Inc. (Frontier Energy Corp.)
• Inventors: OLM, Orville, WOOD, Greg, DRAGAN, Zenon
• Granted Patent: US 9,598,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/00 Spoked wheels; Spokes thereof non-metallic B60B5/00 ; spoked wheels comprising rail-engaging elements B60B17/001; making wheel spokes B21F39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/80 Other vehicles not covered by groups B60Y2200/10 - B60Y2200/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/36 Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/005 about a horizontal transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• 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 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility has a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body. A rotor is rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm rotates the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm. An open spoked wheel is rotatably connected about the rotor axis independent of the rotor The diameter of the wheel is greater than that of the rotor, and a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor. A wheel drive rotates the wheel. Vehicles can have various numbers and orientations of the rotor and wheel assembly to provide aerial and ground mobility.

Claims

1. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:

a rotor arm adapted to be movably attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body such that the rotor arm extends laterally from the vehicle body and can move up and down with respect to the vehicle body;

a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotor arm, and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;

an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;

a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the arm is adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body about a substantially horizontal arm axis.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotor drive comprises a rotor motor mounted on the rotor arm and connected to the rotor and comprising a rotor control operative to vary a rotational speed of the rotor motor.

4. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:

a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body;

a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;

an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;

a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor; and

wherein the wheel comprises an annular rim connected by spokes to a hub rotatably mounted to the arm about the rotor axis, and an annular tread member connected to the rim below the rim and concentric with the rim such that the bottom edge of the wheel is provided by the tread member.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the rotor rotates in a plane below the rim and above the tread member.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the rim defines gear teeth and wherein the wheel drive comprises a wheel motor mounted on the rotor arm and operative to engage the gear teeth to rotate the wheel.

7. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising:

a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body;

a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm;

an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor;

a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor; and

wherein the wheel comprises an annular fixed rim connected by spokes to a hub fixed to the arm at the rotor axis, and an annular tread member rotatable on an outer surface of the fixed rim, and wherein the bottom edge of the wheel is provided by the tread member.