JP2021133910A - Drone protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drone protection device which enables reduction of hazardability caused by propellers of a drone when the drone falls.SOLUTION: A drone protection device is mounted on a drone 1, which rotates propellers 6 disposed so as to enclose a periphery of a drone body 2 to fly, and is actuated when the drone falls to reduce a falling speed of the drone and protect a protection object 50 at a place where the drone falls. The protection device 20A includes a parachute 30A and an extrusion device 25. The parachute is formed having: a canopy 31A which covers each propeller 6 to its side from above the drone body 2 while deploying; and coupling strings 45A which connect the outer peripheral edge 32a side of the canopy with the drone body side. The extrusion device receives air resistance from a storage portion 21 of the canopy disposed at the upper part side of the drone body to extrude the canopy when the drone falls.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to a drone protection device mounted on a drone, which is activated when the drone falls, reduces the falling speed of the drone, and protects the protected object of the drone's fall destination.

Conventionally, some protective devices for drones are configured to include a parachute that expands so as to cover the upper part of the drone when activated (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This parachute was configured to include an umbrella body that expands like an umbrella, and a plurality of connecting strings that connect the outer peripheral edge side of the umbrella body and the drone body on the center side of the drone. The parachute was fired from the storage portion at the top of the drone body by the operation of the cylinder portion containing the pyroactuator, and was configured to receive the air at the time of falling and deploy it.

WO2018 / 190319A1

However, in the conventional protective device, although the parachute umbrella body is deployed on the upper side of the drone body to reduce the falling speed, multiple propellers arranged so as to surround the drone body and rotating during flight are exposed. It was difficult to prevent the propeller from coming into contact with the protected object at the fall destination, and there was room for improvement in reducing the damage caused by the propeller.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drone protective device capable of reducing the harmfulness of a drone propeller when dropped.

The drone protective device according to the present invention is mounted on a drone that flies by rotating a plurality of propellers arranged so as to surround the periphery of the drone body, and is operated when the drone falls to reduce the drone's falling speed. It is a protection device for drones that protects the protection target of the drop destination of the drone by reducing the amount of
A parachute composed of an umbrella body that covers from above the drone body to the side of each propeller at the time of deployment, and a plurality of connecting strings that connect the outer peripheral edge side of the umbrella body and the drone body side. When,
When the drone falls, a pushing means for pushing out the umbrella body so as to be able to receive air resistance from a storage portion of the umbrella body arranged on the upper side of the drone body.
It is characterized in that it is configured with.

In the drone protective device according to the present invention, when the drone is activated, the pushing means is activated, and the umbrella body housed in the upper part of the drone body is pushed out and receives the air when dropped to deploy. Then, the falling speed of the drone is reduced by the parachute with the umbrella body deployed, and the outer peripheral edge side of the umbrella body to which the connecting string extending from the drone body side is connected is arranged so as to surround the circumference of the drone body. It covers the sides of each propeller, in other words, the entire circumference in the circumferential direction connecting each propeller. Therefore, even if the protected object at the drop destination tries to interfere with the propeller, the umbrella body can suppress the interference and reduce the harmfulness of the propeller to the protected object.

Therefore, in the drone protective device according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the harmfulness of the drone's propeller when it is dropped.

Then, in the drone protection device according to the present invention, the umbrella body is
The outer sheet placed on the outer peripheral side when unfolded,
An inner sheet provided with a space capable of storing air on the inner peripheral side of the outer sheet, and an inner sheet.
As well as being configured with
It is desirable that the central portion of the inner sheet is provided with an inflow port for allowing air to flow in between the outer sheet and the inner sheet when the drone falls.

In such a configuration, when the drone falls and the parachute umbrella body unfolds, if the inner sheet unfolds, the air received at the time of the fall collects on the central inflow port side, and the outer sheet and inner sheet from the inflow port. Air collects in the storage space of and, and a parachute can be formed with an air chamber provided between the inner sheet and the outer sheet, and the parachute falls in that state. Therefore, even if the protected object tries to interfere with the propeller, the air chamber is interposed and the air chamber interferes with the propeller, and the air chamber acts like a cushion, further increasing the harmfulness of the propeller to the protected object. Can be reduced.

In this case, it is desirable that the inflow port is configured by disposing a check valve that allows the inflow of air and regulates the outflow of air.

In such a configuration, if air flows into the air chamber between the outer seat and the inner seat from the inflow port provided with the check valve, the outflow of the inflow air from the air chamber is suppressed. Therefore, the pressure in the air chamber can be maintained high, the cushioning action of the air chamber can be further enhanced, and the harmfulness of the propeller to the protected object can be further reduced.

Further, in this case, the parachute
With the umbrella body
A plurality of outer cords as the connecting cords extending from the lower portion of the drone body arranged at a lower position of the propeller and connected to the outer peripheral edge side of the inner seat.
A plurality of inner cords extending from the upper side of the drone body and connected to the peripheral edge of the inflow port in the inner sheet.
It is desirable that it is configured with.

In such a configuration, the inner sheet is held at the periphery of the inflow port by a plurality of inner strings extending from the upper side of the drone body, so that the opening shape of the inflow port is stable and the inner sheet and the outer side are quickly set. The air chamber between the seats can be filled with air. Further, the outer peripheral edge side of the inner sheet is pulled and held downward from the propeller by the outer cords as a plurality of connecting cords extending from the lower portion below the propeller in the drone body, so that the outside of the umbrella body is held. The portion of the air chamber at the periphery can stably cover the side of each propeller and act as a cushion to protect the protected object from the propeller.

It is a schematic plan view which shows the drone which carries the protection device for a drone of one Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic front view which shows the drone which carries the protection device for a drone of an embodiment. It is a figure explaining the storage part of the parachute in the protection device for a drone of embodiment. It is a figure explaining the state at the time of operation of the protection device for a drone of embodiment. It is a figure explaining the state in the process of operation in the protection device for a drone of an embodiment. It is the schematic plan view explaining the check valve in the umbrella body of an embodiment. It is a figure explaining the operation state of the check valve in the umbrella body of an embodiment, and is the schematic cross-sectional view of the part VII-VII of FIG. It is a schematic front view which shows the state at the time of completion of the operation of the protection device for a drone of an embodiment. It is a schematic front view which shows the drone equipped with the protection device for the drone of the modification of embodiment. It is a schematic front view of the drone which shows the state at the time of completion of the operation of the protection device for a drone shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drone protective device 20 of the embodiment is mounted on the drone (multicopter) 1 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 8.

The drone 1 includes a plurality of propellers 6 (six in the embodiment) that rotate during flight, and a drone main body 2. The drone main body 2 includes a main body 3 arranged in the central portion of the drone 1, a plurality of arms 4 (six corresponding to the propeller 6 in the embodiment) protruding radially from the main body 3, and the main body 3. It is configured to include a leg portion 10 projecting downward from the lower surface.

A propeller 6 is arranged on the upper surface side of the tip of each arm 4. Each propeller 6 is rotationally driven by a drive device 7 including a motor. The drive device 7 is driven by being supplied with power from a battery (not shown) in the main body 3.

The leg portion 10 is composed of six support legs 11 arranged so as to expand each other downward from the vicinity of the center of the lower surface of the main body portion 3. Each support leg 11 is arranged directly under each arm 4, and when the outer string 46, which will be described later, is extended, the outer string 46 is extended substantially in the center between the arms 4 without interfering with the propeller 6. The guides 12 having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape are arranged toward the support rod portion 23, respectively.

A known receiving device, transmitting device, flight control device, map storage device, camera, battery, and the like (not shown) are arranged in the main body 3. In the drone 1, the receiving device receives a radio signal by remote control of the operator on the ground side and causes the flight control device to input the radio signal, and the flight control device controls the drive of the drive device 7 based on the signal to determine a predetermined value. The flight will be carried out. In addition, the flight control device can be programmed so that it can fly on a predetermined flight route including altitude, and further, it can be programmed to start and end the shooting of the camera at a predetermined point. Then, the captured data is configured so that it can be immediately transmitted by the transmitting device to a predetermined receiving device on the ground side or recorded on a built-in recording medium.

The protective device 20 includes a parachute 30 and an extrusion device 25. The parachute 30 includes an umbrella body 31 that covers from above the drone body 2 to the side of each propeller 6, specifically, a drive device 7 for rotating and driving the propeller 6 below the propeller 6 and a vicinity below the arm 4. , A plurality of connecting strings 45 for connecting the outer peripheral edge 33a side of the umbrella body 31 and the drone body 2 side.

As shown in FIGS. It constitutes a pushing means for pushing out the umbrella body 31, and in the case of the embodiment, it is a solenoid actuator 26 that pushes up the plunger 27. When the solenoid actuator 26 operates, the umbrella body 31 folded and stored in the case 21 by a substantially disk-shaped pusher 28 that pushes up the plunger 27 and is coupled to the upper end of the plunger 27 is used as a storage portion. The umbrella body 31 extruded from the case 21 and extruded receives the air AT when the drone 1 falls and deploys (see FIG. 5). The case 21 is provided with Kannon door type doors 22 and 22 that are pushed open by the umbrella body 31 pushed up by the pusher 28.

The solenoid actuator 26 of the extrusion device 25 is operated when the drone 1 is dropped, and when it is operated by an operator on the ground side or when a flight control device (not shown) cannot control the drive device 7 or the like. In particular, it may be activated when the height is equal to or higher than a predetermined height from the ground (higher than the height at which the parachute 30 can be deployed).

Then, in the case of the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8, the umbrella body 31 stores the air AT on the outer peripheral side arranged on the outer peripheral side at the time of deployment and on the inner peripheral side of the outer sheet 32. It is configured to include an inner sheet 33 that is provided with a possible space SP. Further, at the central portion of the inner sheet 33, an inflow port 35 for allowing the air AT to flow in is arranged between the outer sheet 32 and the inner sheet 33 when the drone 1 is dropped. The outer sheet 32 and the inner sheet 33 are formed of a sheet material such as a cloth having flexibility and low air permeability, and are formed by connecting the outer peripheral edges 32a and 33a to each other by suturing or the like. When the umbrella body 31 is deployed, the inflow port 35 is arranged above the case 21 and is arranged at a position higher than the outer peripheral edges 32a and 33a of the outer sheet 32 and the inner sheet 33.

Further, in the case of the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the inflow port 35 allows the inflow of the air AT to the space SP (air chamber 43) side and regulates the outflow of the air AT. A check valve 37 is arranged. The check valve 37 has a tapered tubular partition wall 38 in which the lower edge 38b is connected to the peripheral edge 33c of the inflow port 35 of the inner sheet 33 and the upper edge 38a is connected to the vicinity 32b near the center of the outer sheet 32, and the partition wall 38. It is configured to include a plurality of (8) communication ports 39 provided in the partition wall 38 and a flexible valve seat 41 coupled to the outer peripheral surface 38d side of the partition wall 38 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). ). The valve seat 41 is coupled to the partition wall 38 between the communication ports 39 by a coupling portion 41b along the width direction. In this check valve 37, when the deployed umbrella body 31 is dropped, if the air AT flows from the outer peripheral edge 33a to the center 33b side on the lower surface 33d side of the inner sheet 33 and reaches the inner peripheral surface 38c side of the partition wall 38. The air AT is stored in the space SP between the vicinity of the inflow port 35 of the inner sheet 33 and the outer sheet 32 from the vicinity of the inflow port 35 to the outer peripheral edge 33a through the communication port 39 of the partition wall 38 to form the air chamber 43. Then, when the air AT is about to flow out of the air chamber 43 from the communication port 39, the closing portion 41a covering the communication port 39 in the valve seat 41 is pressed against the communication port peripheral edge 38e on the outer peripheral surface 38d side of the partition wall 38. As a result, the communication port 39 is closed, and the decrease in the internal pressure of the air chamber 43 is suppressed.

Further, as a string material for connecting the umbrella body 31 and the drone body 2, the string material extends from the lower portion of the drone body 2 arranged at the lower position of the propeller 6, that is, the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23, and is inside. The outer cord 46 as a plurality of (six) connecting cords 45 connected to the outer peripheral edge 33a side of the seat 33, and the peripheral edge of the inflow port 35 in the inner seat 33 extending from the upper side of the main body 3 in the drone main body 2. It is configured to include a plurality of (six) inner strings 47 connected to 33c. The outer string 46 and the inner string 47 are formed of a flexible string material such as cloth.

Each outer string 46 as a connecting string 45 is arranged by connecting the upper end 46a to the outer peripheral edge 33a of the inner sheet 33 developed in an umbrella shape and connecting the lower end 46b to the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23. At the same time, in the deployed state of the inner sheet 33, the arrangement directions from the lower end 46b to the upper end 46a are set so as to be arranged at the center between the adjacent arms 4 and 4, respectively.

Each inner string 47 is arranged by connecting the upper end 47a to the inner peripheral edge 33c of the inflow port 35 in the inner sheet 33 developed in an umbrella shape, and connecting the lower end 47b to the inside of the case 21, and the inner sheet 33. In the unfolded state, the arrangement direction from the lower end 47b to the upper end 47a is set so as to be arranged at the center between the adjacent arms 4 and 4, respectively, like the outer string 46.

The support rod portion 23 projects downward from the lower surface of the main body portion 3 and connects the lower end 46b of each outer string 46 to the lower end 23b. Then, in the state where each outer string 46 is housed in the case 21 in which the umbrella body 31 is folded, the portion of the intermediate portion 46c extending from the upper end 46a connected to the outer peripheral edge 33a of the inner sheet 33 to the lower end 46b side is formed. It protrudes from between the doors 22 to the outside of the case 21, and is arranged around the support rod portion 23 from the upper end 23a to the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23 along the side surface of the main body portion 3. A cover 24 that can be broken when the outer string 46 is extended is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the support rod portion 23, and the portion of the outer string 46 that is arranged from the upper end 23a to the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23 is provided. It is covered with a cover 24 and arranged.

If the solenoid actuator 26 of the extrusion device 25 is activated by the instruction of the operator on the ground side or the independent judgment of the flight control device while the drone 1 equipped with the protection device 20 of the embodiment is in flight, the tip of the plunger 27 The pusher 28 is pushed up, and the umbrella body 31 stored in the case 21 is pushed out of the case 21 while pushing the door 22 open, receives the air AT at the time of falling, and is outside the connecting string 45. The outer peripheral edge 33a and the inner peripheral edge 33c of the inner sheet 33 are pulled and deployed by the string 46 and the inner string 47. Then, the falling speed of the drone 1 is reduced by the parachute 30 in which the umbrella body 31 is deployed, and further, the outer peripheral edge 33a side of the connected umbrella body 31 of the connecting string 45 extending from the drone body 2 side is the drone body 2 It covers up to the side of each propeller 6 arranged so as to surround the periphery, in other words, the entire circumference in the circumferential direction connecting each propeller 6 (see FIG. 8). Therefore, even if the person 50 as the protection target of the fall destination tries to interfere with the propeller 6, the umbrella body 31 can suppress the interference, and the harmfulness of the propeller 6 to the protection target 50 can be reduced.

Therefore, in the drone protection device 20 of the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the harmfulness of the drone 1 by the propeller 6 when it is dropped.

Then, in the drone protection device 20 of the embodiment, the umbrella body 31 is provided with an outer sheet 32 arranged on the outer peripheral side at the time of deployment and a space SP capable of storing the air AT on the inner peripheral side of the outer sheet 32. The inner sheet 33 is provided with the inner sheet 33. Further, the central portion 33b of the inner sheet 33 is configured by disposing an inflow port 35 that allows air AT to flow in between the outer sheet 32 and the inner sheet 33 when the drone 1 is dropped.

Therefore, in the embodiment, when the drone 1 falls and the umbrella body 31 of the parachute 30 expands, if the inner sheet 33 expands, the air AT received at the time of the fall gathers on the inflow port 35 side of the center 33b and flows. An air AT is accumulated in the storage space SP between the outer sheet 32 and the inner sheet 33 from the inlet 35, and a parachute 30 in a state where an air chamber 43 is provided between the inner sheet 33 and the outer sheet 32 can be formed, and in that state, a parachute 30 can be formed. It will fall. Therefore, even if the protection target 50 tries to interfere with the propeller 6, the air chamber 43 is interposed and interferes with the propeller 6, and the air chamber 43 acts like a cushion to cause the propeller 6 to interfere with the protection target 50. Harmfulness can be further reduced.

Further, in the embodiment, the inflow port 35 is configured by disposing a check valve 37 that allows the inflow of the air AT and regulates the outflow of the air AT.

Therefore, in the embodiment, if the air AT flows into the air chamber 43 between the outer seat 32 and the inner seat 33 from the inflow port 35 provided with the check valve 37, the air chamber 43 of the inflowing air AT Since the outflow from the air chamber 43 is suppressed, the pressure of the air chamber 43 can be maintained high, the cushioning action of the air chamber 43 can be further enhanced, and the harmfulness of the propeller 6 to the protected object 50 is further reduced. be able to.

Further, in this case, in the embodiment, the parachute 30 extends from the umbrella body 31 and the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23 of the lower portion arranged at the lower position of the propeller 6 in the drone body 2 to the outside of the inner sheet 33. An outer string 46 as a plurality of connecting strings 45 connected to the peripheral edge 33a side, and a plurality of inner strings 47 extending from the upper side of the drone body 2 and connected to the peripheral edge 33c of the inflow port 35 in the inner sheet 33. It is configured with.

Therefore, in the embodiment, the inner sheet 33 holds the peripheral edge of the inflow port 35 by a plurality of inner strings 47 extending from the upper side of the drone body 2, so that the opening shape of the inflow port 35 is stable and quickly. , The air chamber 43 between the inner sheet 33 and the outer sheet 32 can be filled with the air AT. Further, the outer peripheral edge 33a side of the inner sheet 33 is pulled and held downward from the propeller 6 by a plurality of outer strings 46 extending from the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23 below the propeller 6 in the drone body 2. Therefore, the portion (outer peripheral edge portion) 43a of the air chamber 43 in the outer peripheral edge 33a of the umbrella body 31 can stably cover the side of each propeller 6, and acts as a cushion to protect the object 50. Can be protected from propellers.

In the embodiment, the parachute 30 provided with the umbrella body 31 capable of forming the air chamber 43 and the connecting string 45 is illustrated, but the air chamber 43 is provided as in the drone protection device 20A shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. A parachute 30A including a sheet-shaped umbrella body 31A that is not provided, and a plurality of connecting strings 45A that connect the outer peripheral edge 32a of the umbrella body 31A and the lower end 23b of the support rod portion 23 is used. You may.

The umbrella body 31A has the same configuration as the outer sheet 32 of the umbrella body 31 of the embodiment, and the connecting string 45A has the same configuration as the six outer strings 46 connected to the inner sheet 33 of the embodiment. It is said.

Even in such a drone protection device 20A, the solenoid actuator 26 of the extrusion device 25 operates to push up the pusher 28, and the umbrella body 31A housed in the case 21 pushes the door 22 open while pushing the case 21. It is pushed out, receives the air AT at the time of falling, and is pulled by the connecting string 45A to deploy the outer peripheral edge 32a. Then, the falling speed of the drone 1 is reduced by the parachute 30A in which the umbrella body 31A is deployed, and further, the outer peripheral edge 32a side of the connected umbrella body 31A of the connecting string 45A extending from the drone body 2 side is the drone body 2 It covers up to the side of each propeller 6 arranged so as to surround the periphery of the propeller 6, in other words, the entire circumference in the circumferential direction connecting each propeller 6. Therefore, even if the person 50 as the protection target of the fall destination tries to interfere with the propeller 6, the umbrella body 31A can suppress the interference and reduce the harmfulness of the propeller 6 to the protection target 50.

In the embodiment, the solenoid actuator 26 is exemplified as the pushing device 25 as the pushing means for pushing the umbrella bodies 31, 31A from the case 21 as the storage part, but the stored umbrella bodies 31, 31A receive air resistance. As long as it can be pushed out from the case 21 as a storage portion, a motor, a spring mechanism, or the like having a simple structure may be used as the pushing means in addition to the solenoid actuator 26.

1 ... Drone, 2 ... Drone body, 6 ... Propeller, 20, 20A ... Protective device, 25 ... (Extruding means) Extruding device, 30, 30A ... Parachute, 31, 31A ... Umbrella body, 32 ... Outer sheet, 32a ... Outside Peripheral, 32b ... center, 33 ... inner sheet, 33a ... outer peripheral edge, 33b ... center, 33b ... inner peripheral edge, 35 ... inlet, 37 ... check valve, 38 ... partition wall, 39 ... communication port, 41 ... valve sheet, 43 ... Air chamber, 45, 45A ... Connecting string, 46 ... Outer string, 47 ... Inner string, 50 ... (Protected object) People, AT ... Air, SP ... Space.

Claims (4)

It is mounted on a drone that flies by rotating a plurality of propellers arranged so as to surround the drone body, and is operated when the drone falls to reduce the falling speed of the drone and to reduce the falling speed of the drone. It is a protective device for drones that protects the protection target of
A parachute composed of an umbrella body that covers from above the drone body to the side of each propeller at the time of deployment, and a plurality of connecting strings that connect the outer peripheral edge side of the umbrella body and the drone body side. When,
When the drone falls, a pushing means for pushing out the umbrella body so as to be able to receive air resistance from a storage portion of the umbrella body arranged on the upper side of the drone body.
A protective device for drones characterized by being configured with. The umbrella body
The outer sheet placed on the outer peripheral side when unfolded,
An inner sheet provided with a space capable of storing air on the inner peripheral side of the outer sheet, and an inner sheet.
As well as being configured with
The first aspect of the present invention, wherein an inflow port for allowing air to flow in is arranged between the outer sheet and the inner sheet when the drone is dropped at the central portion of the inner sheet. Protective device for drones. The protective device for a drone according to claim 2, wherein the inflow port is configured by disposing a check valve that allows the inflow of air and regulates the outflow of air. The parachute
With the umbrella body
A plurality of outer cords as the connecting cords extending from the lower portion of the drone body arranged at a lower position of the propeller and connected to the outer peripheral edge side of the inner seat.
A plurality of inner cords extending from the upper side of the drone body and connected to the peripheral edge of the inflow port in the inner sheet.
The drone protection device according to claim 3, wherein the device is configured to include the above.

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