Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02852326 2014-05-27
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REMOTE-CONTROLLABLE FLYING PLATFORM
Description
The invention relates to a remote-controllable disk-shaped flying platform
that
includes a platform housing, the platform housing having multiple motorized,
horizontally
oriented rotors.
Remote-controllable aircraft or flying platforms are known as toys, for
example,
wherein the aircraft as disk-shaped airborne platforms have multiple
horizontally arranged
rotors which are used on the one hand for ascent, and on the other hand for
propulsion of the
aircraft.
However, aircraft are also known which are designed as flying platforms used
for
industrial or military purposes. Such flying platforms, in particular for
industrial purposes,
have a diameter between one-half meter and one meter and greater. Such remote-
controllable flying platforms, also referred to as aerial robots, when fitted
with a camera on
the bottom side are used for collecting information concerning the activities
of groups of
people, for examining structures such as houses or bridges, or for inspecting
industrial
facilities, in particular chemical plants. Such aircraft in the form of flying
platforms have,
among other elements, accelerators and gyroscopes for controlling such flying
platforms.
The rotors generate vibrations which by their nature are transmitted to the
housing of the
flying platform. Such vibrations may lead to disturbances in the accelerators
and gyroscopes,
resulting in inaccurate position recognition of the flying platform, which in
turn adversely
affects the flight characteristics.
It has been noted above that such flying platforms are also used for taking
aerial
photographs or videos. In particular with regard to video recordings,
vibrations of the camera
are likewise disadvantageous, since blurred images may be unusable.
Accordingly, it is desirable is to provide a remote-controllable flying
platform of the
type stated at the outset, in which during operation of the platform the
vibrations generated
by the rotors have no influence on the flight characteristics of the flying
platform, and also
have essentially no influence on the payload, for example a camera.
In one aspect, each rotor of the remote-controllable flying platform is
connected via a
support arm to a support structure that accommodates the support arms of the
rotors, the
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support structure being centrally situated in a platform housing. Also
included is at least one
transport housing that is vibrationally decoupled from the motorized rotors
accommodated by
the support structure. The transport housing accommodates devices, for example
flight
position recognition equipment such as accelerators and gyroscopes. This
transport housing
may alternatively or additionally be used for accommodating a payload, in
particular a
camera, for example, so that, due to the vibrational decoupling, such a camera
may take
recordings with little or no vibration during the flight operation.
According to one aspect of the invention, the support structure contains a
vibration-
damping material. It is thus clear that the vibrations that are transmitted
from the motorized
rotor to the support structure via the support arm are absorbed by the support
structure, so
that the transport housing is free or practically free of vibrations. For this
purpose, the
support structure may be made of a rigid foam, i.e., a vibration-absorbing
material. Using
such a rigid foam for manufacturing the support structure has the advantage
that the support
structure is extremely stiff, but due to the properties of the foam is able to
absorb all or
essentially all vibrations that are introduced by the support arms. It has
proven to be
particularly advantageous for the connection between the support structure and
the
respective support arm to be established using a vibration-damping material.
For example,
an elastomer such as silicone may be used as the vibration-damping material,
resulting in a
reduction in the portion of vibrations that are actually transmitted to the
support structure.
This may also be achieved by the support arm accommodating the motor of the
particular
rotor essentially in a vibrationally decoupled manner. On its end the support
arm has a
support arm head which has an essentially cylindrical design. In order to
minimize the
transmission of vibrations of the rotor to the support arm via the motor, the
motor of the rotor
is accommodated in the support arm head by means of a vibration-damping
elastomer
bearing, for example.
According to another aspect of the invention, the support structure is
connected to the
platform housing essentially in a vibrationally decoupled manner. The platform
housing itself
has sensors for distance recognition, for example, on the end-face side. The
function of such
sensors may also be impaired by vibrations. It has been pointed out above that
the support
structure itself is able to absorb a significant portion of the vibrations due
to the use of a foam
material, for example. Additional absorption of vibrations is achieved by
connecting the
platform housing to the support structure in a vibration-damping manner using
elastomeric
elements, for example.
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According to another aspect of the invention, the support structure itself has
a crown-
like design, the support arms for accommodating the rotors being equidistantly
distributed
along the periphery of the crown-like support structure. That is, the support
arms are not
directly connected to one another, but instead are indirectly connected via
the support
structure. The generation of resonances is thus prevented here due to the
decoupling of the
vibrations of the support arms.
According to another aspect of the invention, the transport housing has a bowl-
or
pot-like design for accommodation by the support structure. As stated above,
this bowl- or
pot-like transport housing, which for weight savings may also have a
skeletonized design, for
example, may contain on the one hand the electrical and electronic devices,
for example
flight position recognition equipment such as accelerators and gyroscopes, and
on the other
hand the load, such as a camera. A further advantage of using a transport
housing in the
form of a bowl or pot is that the rigidity of the support structure itself is
thus increased. As a
result, the platform housing essentially does not have to have inherent
stability, so that the
platform housing may have a lightweight design.
The bowl- or pot-like transport housing is advantageously situated on the
bottom side
of the flying platform, which has advantages with regard to the center of
gravity of the flying
platform as such. Located on the top side of the support structure is a flat
cover, which
together with a base forms a housing chamber. The base may be an integral part
of the
platform housing, in particular the top shell of the platform housing having a
two-shell design.
This housing chamber is used, for example, for accommodating the battery. In
addition, to a
certain extent the cover also provides reinforcement of the support structure,
similar to the
transport housing which is oppositely situated on the bottom side of the
support structure. At
least three legs by means of which the flying platform rests on the ground are
situated on the
support structure or also on the transport housing.
The platform housing itself has a disk-shaped design, and is provided with
recesses
for the rotors, corresponding to the number of rotors. The platform housing
also has a closed
contour on the end-face side. The advantage of a platform housing that is
closed on the end-
face side is that the rotors are thus protected. That is, if such a platform
strikes objects during
flight, this does not automatically cause damage to the rotors. In addition,
the risk of injury to
persons from the high-speed rotors in the event of contact with such a flying
platform is
reduced. Sensors for determining the distance of the flying platform from
other objects are
distributed over the periphery on the end face of the closed contour of the
platform.
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The recesses for the rotors are situated in the edge region of the platform
housing.
The contour of the platform housing, which is closed on the end-face side,
follows the
configuration of the recesses for the rotors in the platform housing in an
undulating manner.
In conjunction with the recesses for the individual rotors, this results in a
skeletonized
platform housing which thus has a weight-saving design.
The platform housing, as stated, may be composed of a top shell and a bottom
shell,
which in combination form a stable structure due to the fact that the top
shell and bottom
shell form a housing.
The invention is explained in greater detail by way of example with reference
to the
drawings.
Figure 1 shows the remote-controllable flying platform in a view
from the top;
Figure 2 shows a side view according to Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows the support structure, including the support arms
arranged in a
star-shaped pattern, in a view from the top when the support structure is
installed;
Figure 4 shows a section according to the line IV-IV from Figure 1; and
Figure 5 shows a section according to the line V-V from Figure 4.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a remote-controllable disk-
shaped flying
platform (1) comprising: a platform housing (7), the platform housing (7)
having multiple
motorized, horizontally oriented rotors (5), each rotor (5) being connected
via a support arm
(11) to a support structure (20) that accommodates the support arms (11) of
the rotors (5),
the support structure (20) being centrally situated in the platform housing
(7), and at least
one transport housing (30) that is vibrationally decoupled from the motorized
rotors being
accommodated by the support structure.
In one aspect, the support structure (20) contains a vibration-damping
material.
In one aspect, the transport housing (30) has a bowl- or pot-like design for
accommodation by the support structures (20).
In one aspect, the bowl- or pot-like transport housing (30) has a skeletonized
design.
In one aspect, the bowl- or pot-like transport housing (30) accommodates
electrical or
electronic devices for operation of the flying platform (1).
In one aspect, the bowl- or pot-like transport housing (30) has means (31) for
mounting a payload.
In one aspect, the bowl- or pot-like transport housing (30) is situated on a
bottom side
of the flying platform (1).
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In one aspect, the support structure (20) has a housing chamber (38) on a top
side.
In one aspect, the support structure (20) is made essentially of a rigid foam
material.
In one aspect, the connection between the support structure (20) and the
particular
support arm (11) contains a vibration-damping material (26).
In one aspect, the motor (6) of the rotor (5) is accommodated by the support
arm (11)
essentially in a vibrationally decoupled manner.
In one aspect, the support structure (20) is accommodated by the platform
housing
(7) essentially in a vibrationally decoupled manner.
In one aspect, the support structure (20) has a crown-like design, the support
arms
(11) for accommodating the rotors (5) being equidistantly distributed along
the periphery of
the crown-like support structure (20).
In one aspect, the platform housing (7) has a disk-shaped design, and the
platform
housing has recesses (2) for the rotors (5),corresponding to the number of
rotors (5).
In one aspect, the platform housing (7) forms a closed contour on an end-face
side.
In one aspect, the contour, which is closed on the end-face side, has distance
sensors (45) on the end-face side.
The flying platform, denoted overall by reference numeral 1, has a total of
six circular
recesses 2 for the rotors, denoted by reference numeral 5. Each rotor includes
a motor 6
which is accommodated by the support arm head 10 of the support arm 11 in a
vibration-
damping manner, for example by means of elastomeric elements. The support arm
head 10
has a base 12 on which an elastomer pad 10a for accommodating the motor 6 is
situated.
Each support arm 11 is held by the support structure, denoted overall by
reference numeral
20. The support structure 20 is illustrated as a crown- or ring-shaped
structure, the support
arm structure 20 having shell-shaped recesses 13 and flange-shaped projections
21 in the
area of the transition to the support arms 11 for enlarging the contact
surface for the support
arms. The support arms 11 are accommodated by the support structure 20 in the
area of the
projections 21.
The configuration of the support arms 11 on the support structure 20 is shown
in
detail in Figures 3 through 5. Figure 3 shows that the support structure 20
has a shell-shaped
recess 25 for accommodating the support arms 11 in the area of the flange-
shaped
projections 21. Situated between the top side of the shell-shaped recess and
the support arm
11 is an elastomer material 26, for example in the form of a pad, which may be
adhesively
bonded on the one hand to the shell-shaped recess in the support structure 20,
and on the
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other hand to the support arm. However, it is also conceivable to use a
silicone adhesive to
bond the support arm 11 directly in the shell-shaped recess 25 in the support
structure 20.
The use of such an elastomer pad, or also adhesive bonding using a silicone
adhesive, for
example, reduces the transmission of vibrations from the support arm in the
support
structure. For securely fastening the support arm 11 in the shell-shaped
recess 25 in the
support structure, a tab 28 may be provided on the top side which rests
against the top side
of the support arm above the elastomer pad 26 and which is situated on the
support
structure. The support structure 20 may likewise be arranged on the platform
housing using
elastomer pads 8.
The bowl- or pot-like transport housing 30 is situated on the support
structure 20.
Gyroscopes or accelerators (not illustrated), for example, which are necessary
for controlling
the flying platform during flight operation are supported in the transport
housing 30. In
addition, the transport housing has means in the form of threaded bushings 31,
for example,
for mounting a camera (not illustrated). Located on the top side of the flying
platform is a
cover 35 which in conjunction with a base, which may be provided by means of
an
indentation in the platform housing, forms a housing chamber 38 which is used,
for example,
for accommodating a battery 36. The individual electric motors 6 for the
rotors 5 are supplied
with power via the battery 36. However, it is also conceivable to situate the
battery directly at
the cover 35.
As described above, the flying platform 1 also includes a platform housing 7.
The
platform housing includes a top shell and a bottom shell 7a, 7b, respectively,
which are
joined together, in particular adhesively bonded. In this manner the platform
housing
acquires inherent stability which is further reinforced by the support
structure. The platform
housing 7 is connected, for example, adhesively bonded, to the support
structure. It is
apparent that the disk-shaped platform housing 7 is closed all around on the
end-face side
(arrow 50). In conjunction with the recesses 2 for the rotors 5 and the end-
face curvature of
the platform housing around the recesses 2, this results in a skeletonized
design of the
platform housing. That is, for reasons of weight savings, only enough material
remains at the
platform housing between the individual recesses as is necessary on the one
hand for the
stability of the platform housing in connection with the support structure 20,
and on the other
hand for the formation of the closed contour on the end-face side. Such a
closed contour has
several advantages: for one, the rotors are protected if objects are
inadvertently struck during
the flight operation, and in addition humans are protected from the rotors in
the event of
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accidental contact with the aircraft during operation. This is particularly
true in light of the
high rotational speed of the rotors.
In this regard it is pointed out that the stability is provided not only by
the support
structure 20, but also by the bowl- or pot-like transport housing 30 situated
on the support
structure, since this bowl- or pot-like transport housing 30 provides for an
increase in the
torsional rigidity of the crown- or ring-shaped support structure 20. The
cover 35, which is
situated on the top side of the support structure 20, functions in a similar
manner.
Three legs 32 by means of which the flying platform 30 rests on the ground are
situated on the transport housing 30.
Sensors 45 which are used for determining the lateral distance of the flying
platform
from objects during the flight operation are situated at the end-face side of
the platform
housing.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by particular embodiments set
forth
herein, but should be construed in a manner consistent with the specification
as a whole.
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List of reference numerals:
1 Flight platform
2 Circular recesses
5 Rotors
6 Electric motor
7 Platform housing
7a Top shell of the platform housing
7b Bottom shell of the platform housing
8 Elastomer pads between the support structure and the platform housing
10 Support arm head
10a Elastomer pads in the support arm head
11 Support arm
12 Base in the support arm head
20 Support structure
21 Flange-shaped projections
Shell-shaped recess
26 Elastomer material
28 Tab
20 30 Transport housing
31 Threaded bushings
32 Leg
Cover
36 Battery
25 38 Housing chamber
Sensors
Arrow
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