JP6969716B2 - Engine starter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an engine starting device for starting an engine utilized by a generator for an aircraft such as a multi-rotor helicopter.

UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) such as unmanned exploration helicopters have been studied for military use in the United States and other countries.

In recent years, lithium-ion battery technology has been rapidly developed, and UAVs equipped with batteries such as LiPo (Lithium Polymer) batteries have been put into practical use for agricultural use such as pesticide spraying work (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-76676

By the way, the present inventor believes that it is desirable that an air vehicle such as a UAV is put into practical use more widely for various purposes.

More specifically, the present inventor considers that it is desirable that an air vehicle such as a multi-rotor helicopter, which is also called a drone, is used for, for example, long-distance product delivery work.

However, the hybrid system for UAV, where the generator is combined with the battery, is suitable for long-distance product delivery work, etc., but has a built-in starter motor to start the engine used by the generator. Often requires an engine shaft mounted portable engine starter.

The present inventor has noticed that in such an engine shaft-mounted portable engine starter, the weight of the device tends to be large, and some skill for safe use is required.

In consideration of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides an engine starting device that can eliminate the need for an engine shaft-mounted portable engine starter having a built-in starter motor for starting an engine used by a generator. The purpose is to provide.

The first aspect of the present invention is an engine starting device for an air vehicle provided with a generator that generates electricity by using an engine.
It is equipped with an engine start power supply switch that turns on / off the power supply to the generator when the engine is started.
When the power supply is turned on by the engine start power supply switch, the power generation rotor of the generator rotates with respect to the power generation stator of the generator, so that the engine crankshaft of the engine is rotated. It is an engine starting device.

The second aspect of the present invention is the first engine starting device of the present invention, characterized in that the battery for supplying the power to the generator is built-in or mounted on the flying object.

A third aspect of the present invention is provided with a flight motor electric circuit for electrically connecting the flight motor of the flying object to the generator.
The first engine starting device of the present invention is characterized in that an engine starting power supply connector capable of electrically connecting the engine starting power supply switch to the generator is provided in the flight motor electric circuit.

In the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the engine start power supply switch is electrically connected to the generator by the engine start power supply connector, the engine start power supply switch is electrically connected to the generator. , The flight motor is electrically disconnected from the generator,
When the engine start power supply switch is not electrically connected to the generator by the engine start power supply connector, the engine start power supply switch is electrically disconnected from the generator and the flight motor is the generator. The third engine starting device of the present invention, which is electrically connected to the engine.

In the fifth aspect of the present invention, a part of the flight motor electric circuit is pulled out to the outside of the airframe of the flight body.
The engine starting power supply connector is a third engine starting device of the present invention, characterized in that it is provided at an end of the drawn flight motor electric circuit.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an engine starting device capable of eliminating the need for an engine shaft-mounted portable engine starter having a built-in starter motor for starting an engine used by a generator.

Schematic perspective view of the multirotor helicopter system of the embodiment of the present invention. Partial block diagram of the vicinity of the engine starting device of the multirotor helicopter system according to the embodiment of the present invention. An explanatory diagram for turning on / off the electrical connection between the flight motor and the generator of the multi-rotor helicopter system according to the embodiment of the present invention (No. 1). An explanatory diagram of turning on and off the electrical connection between the flight motor and the generator of the multi-rotor helicopter system according to the embodiment of the present invention (No. 2). Schematic perspective of a multirotor helicopter system of a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. Partial block diagram of the vicinity of the engine starting device of the multi-rotor helicopter system of the modified example of the embodiment in the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The multirotor helicopter 200 is an example of an air vehicle in the present invention.

The generator 210 is an example of a generator in the present invention. The power generation rotor 211 is an example of a power generation rotor in the present invention. The power generation stator 212 is an example of the power generation stator in the present invention. The engine 213 is an example of the engine in the present invention, and the engine crankshaft 213s is an example of the engine crankshaft in the present invention. The flight motor electric circuit 250 is an example of the flight motor electric circuit in the present invention. The engine start power supply connector 260 is an example of the engine start power supply connector in the present invention.

The engine starting device 300 is an example of the engine starting device in the present invention.

The battery 310 is an example of a battery in the present invention. The engine start power supply switch 320 is an example of the engine start power supply switch in the present invention.

First, the configuration and operation of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a portion of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the embodiment of the present invention in the vicinity of the engine starting device 300. It is a block diagram.

While explaining the operation of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the present embodiment, the method of starting the multi-rotor helicopter engine according to the present invention will also be described.

Many industrial UAVs employ battery-powered UAV systems that utilize lithium-ion batteries. The maximum non-landing flight time of a multi-rotor UAV for pesticide spraying is approximately 2 hours with a 3 kg payload such as a camera unit and approximately 20 minutes with a 10 kg payload. Battery technology is expected to achieve a maximum non-landing flight time of 10 hours with a payload of 10 kilograms, but due to restrictions on weight volume energy density, a maximum non-landing flight time exceeding 2 hours can be achieved by a battery-powered UAV system. It is difficult to achieve.

On the other hand, since the octane number of gasoline is high, there is a possibility that a large amount of energy can be extracted by using a drive device of an internal combustion engine represented by a gasoline engine, but the weight of the device tends to be large.

The present inventor believes that it is desirable to put into practical use an ultra-compact and lightweight hybrid system for UAVs.

The helicopter battery 220 is charged using the generator 210 to power the flight motor 240 that drives the propeller 241. The number of propellers 241 is 4, but it may be 1 or 5 or more in consideration of safety.

The helicopter battery controller 230 is a controller that controls the operation of the helicopter battery 220.

As a component of an engine 213 such as a gasoline engine having two engine cylinders 213c, the engine cylinder 213c is driven by the engine power taken out via a spark plug, an air cleaner, and a power transmission belt mechanism and is cooled by the cooling air W. Two engine air-cooling fan devices 213f and the like for cooling are efficiently arranged, and ultra-compactness and weight reduction are realized. The belt tension of such a power transmission belt mechanism can be adjusted in consideration of the load balance at the time of power generation, and the load on the side of the engine air-cooled fan device 213f is balanced with the load on the side of the power generation rotor 211, and the load on the engine 213 is increased. A small load equilibrium state is achieved.

The engine starting device 300 is a device for a multi-rotor helicopter 200 having a generator 210 that generates electricity using the engine 213.

In the present embodiment, as will be described later, the engine shaft-mounted portable engine starter having a built-in starter motor, which tends to increase the weight of the device and requires some skill for safe use, is a portable engine starter. Not needed.

Next, the configuration and operation of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the present embodiment will be described more specifically with reference to FIG. 2.

The engine start power supply switch 320 is a switch that turns on / off the power supply to the generator 210 when the engine 213 is started.

When the power supply is turned on by the engine start power supply switch 320, the power generation rotor 211 of the generator 210 rotates with respect to the power generation stator 212 of the generator 210, so that the engine crankshaft 213s of the engine 213 is rotated.

The battery 310 supplies power to the power generation rotor 211 when the engine 213 is started, but may supply power to the power generation stator 212.

The electronic speed controller 330 uses a battery to change the motor rotation speed of the power generation rotor 211, which is used not as an original generator component but as a starter motor component, by turning the battery voltage on and off by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. It is a controller that controls the operation of 310.

Since the power generation rotor 211 and the power generation stator 212 are used not as the original generator components but as the starter motor components for rotating the engine crankshaft 213s when the engine 213 is started, the dedicated starter motor is used. It is completely unnecessary, and the device weight of the engine starting device 300 does not increase. Needless to say, a helicopter-mounted engine starter such as a recoil starter for starting the engine 213, which tends to hinder weight reduction, is also unnecessary.

The engine start power supply switch 320 is a button-type push-on switch that uses a return spring member or the like, in which power supply is turned on only in a relatively short period of time when the button is pressed down by the user. After the engine 213 is started, the power supply is promptly turned off by the engine start power supply switch 320, so that the normal power generation operation by the engine 213 is smoothly started.

Since the user operation of the engine start power supply switch 320 is extremely easy even for beginners who are unfamiliar with machine operation, accidents such as getting caught in the starter motor built into the portable engine starter mounted on the engine shaft occur almost completely. Not only is it impossible, but no skill is required for safe use.

In the present embodiment, the battery 310 that supplies power to the generator 210 is built-in.

In the form of the modification, the battery 310 that supplies power to the generator 210 may be mounted on the multi-rotor helicopter 200.

More specifically, it is as follows.

The portable main body housing 340 of the engine starting device 300 houses not only the engine starting power supply switch 320 and the electronic speed controller 330 but also the battery 310, but the battery 310 may not be stored. The engine starting device 300 itself may be mounted on the multi-rotor helicopter 200.

Of course, the helicopter battery 220 may supply power to the generator 210 instead of the battery 310.

A flight motor electrical circuit 250 is provided that electrically connects the flight motor 240 of the multi-rotor helicopter 200 to the generator 210. The flight motor electric circuit 250 is provided with an engine start power supply connector 260 capable of electrically connecting the engine start power supply switch 320 to the generator 210.

It is desirable that the engine start power supply connector 260 be attached to the multi-rotor helicopter 200 in advance before using the engine start device 300 because tools and the like may be required for attachment.

When the engine start power supply switch 320 is electrically connected to the generator 210 by the engine start power supply connector 260, the engine start power supply switch 320 is electrically connected to the generator 210 and the flight motor 240 is a generator. It is electrically disconnected from 210. When the engine start power supply switch 320 is not electrically connected to the generator 210 by the engine start power supply connector 260, the engine start power supply switch 320 is electrically disconnected from the generator 210 and the flight motor 240 is the generator 210. Is electrically connected to.

More specifically, it is as follows.

The connection switch 252 that switches the electrical connection state S between the flight motor 240 and the generator 210 is mechanically turned off by pushing the connection switch contact stick member 253 as shown in FIG. As shown in 4, it is mechanically turned on by the return of the connection switch return spring member (not shown).

Here, FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory views (No. 1 and 2) of turning on / off the electrical connection between the flight motor 240 and the generator 210 of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

When the user is approaching the fuselage of the multirotor helicopter 200, such electrical connections may be turned on and off automatically, semi-automatically or manually to prevent unintended and dangerous start of rotation of the flight motor 240. Needless to say, the good thing is.

When the engine 213 is started and power is turned on by the engine start power switch 320, the helicopter battery controller 230 performs automatic control to turn off the electrical connection between the helicopter battery 220 and the generator 210. May be good. This is because the operation of the engine 213, which is different from the normal power generation operation in which the helicopter battery 220 is charged, may cause an electrically undesired phenomenon for the helicopter battery 220. It goes without saying that the electrical connection between such a helicopter battery 220 and the generator 210 may be turned off by semi-automatic control or manual control.

After the engine 213 is started, the helicopter battery controller 230 may provide automatic control to turn on the electrical connection between the helicopter battery 220 and the generator 210. This is because the normal power generation operation by the engine 213, in which the helicopter battery 220 is charged, is not wasted. It goes without saying that the electrical connection between such a helicopter battery 220 and the generator 210 may be turned on semi-automatically or manually.

A part of the flight motor electric circuit 250 is pulled out from the fuselage of the multirotor helicopter 200. The engine start power supply connector 260 is provided at the end of the drawn flight motor electric circuit 250.

More specifically, it is as follows.

The engine starting power supply connector 260 is attached to the tip of the cable 251 of the flight motor electric circuit 250, which is easily detachable from the insertion port provided on the outer surface of the engine starting device 300.

If the portable main body housing 340 is removed from the cable 251 by the start of flight, the cable 251 is lightweight and the engine starting device 300 does not bear the weight of the flight motor 240.

And since the cable 251 is a long member, the user does not have to approach the body of the multi-rotor helicopter 200 to remove the portable main body housing 340, and there is almost no danger associated with the unintended rotation start of the flight motor 240. No.

Not only the engine start power supply connector 260, but also the cable 251 of the flight motor electric circuit 250 and the like may be sold as an accessory component of the engine start device 300, or may be sold separately.

The root portion of the cable 251 of the flight motor electric circuit 250 may be easily detachable from the outlet provided on the outer surface of the multirotor helicopter 200, such an outlet to the outside of the multirotor helicopter 200. It may be attached to an exposed area, it may be attached to a place covered by a removable helicopter body bonnet, or it may be covered with an openable / closable waterproof cover or a removable waterproof cap. May be good.

Of course, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the engine starting power supply connector 260 is provided on the outer surface of the multi-rotor helicopter 200 so that the tip of the cable of the engine starting device 300 can be easily attached and detached. It may be attached to the inserted insertion port.

Here, FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the modification of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an engine of the multi-rotor helicopter system 100 of the modification of the embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial block diagram in the vicinity of the starting device 300.

The program of the invention related to the present invention executes the operation of all or a part of the above-mentioned multi-rotor helicopter engine starting method of the present invention related to the above-mentioned step (or process, operation, operation, etc.) on the computer. It is a program that works in cooperation with a computer.

In addition, the recording medium of the invention related to the present invention is all or part of all or part of the steps (or process, operation, action, etc.) of the multi-rotor helicopter engine starting method of the invention related to the present invention described above. It is a recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute the operation of is recorded, and is a computer-readable recording medium in which the read program is used in cooperation with the computer.

In addition, the above-mentioned "partial step (or process, operation, action, etc.)" means one or several steps among those plurality of steps.

Further, the above-mentioned "operation of a step (or process, operation, action, etc.)" means an operation of all or a part of the above-mentioned step.

Further, one usage form of the program of the invention related to the present invention is a form in which the program is transmitted in a transmission medium such as the Internet, light, radio waves, sound waves, etc., read by a computer, and operates in cooperation with the computer. May be.

Further, the recording medium includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and the like.

Further, the computer is not limited to pure hardware such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but may include firmware, an OS (Operating System), and further peripheral devices.

As described above, the configuration of the present invention may be realized by software or hardware.

The engine starter in the present invention can eliminate the need for an engine shaft mounted portable engine starter with a built-in starter motor to start the engine utilized by the generator, and can be used for flying objects such as multi-rotor helicopters. It is useful for the purpose of using it as an engine starting device for starting an engine used by a generator.

100 Multi-rotor helicopter system 200 Multi-rotor helicopter 210 Generator 211 Power generation rotor 212 Power generation stator 213 Engine 213s Engine crank shaft 213c Engine cylinder 213f Engine air-cooled fan device 220 Helicopter battery 230 Helicopter battery controller 240 Flight motor 241 Propeller 250 Flight motor Electric circuit 251 Cable 252 Connection switch 253 Connection switch Contact stick member 260 Engine start power supply connector 300 Engine starter 310 Battery 320 Engine start power supply switch 330 Electronic speed controller 340 Portable body chassis W Cooling air S Connection status

Claims (1)

An engine starter for an air vehicle equipped with a generator that uses an engine to generate electricity.
It is equipped with an engine start power supply switch that turns on / off the power supply to the generator when the engine is started.
When the power supply is turned on by the engine start power supply switch, the power generation rotor of the generator rotates with respect to the power generation stator of the generator, so that the engine crankshaft of the engine is rotated.
The battery that supplies power to the generator is built-in.
An engine start power supply connector that performs an electric circuit switching operation is provided at the tip of a cable pulled out to the outside of the airframe so that it can be attached to and detached from the insertion port on the battery side.
A first flight motor electric circuit that electrically connects the flight motor of the flying object to the engine start power supply connector, and a second flight motor electric circuit that electrically connects the generator to the engine start power supply connector. , The cable is configured by
By the electric circuit switching operation accompanying the attachment of the engine start power supply connector to the insertion port, the battery is electrically connected to the generator via the second flight motor electric circuit, and the flight is performed. The motor is electrically disconnected from the generator
The battery is electrically disconnected from the generator by the electric circuit switching operation accompanying the removal of the engine start power supply connector from the insertion port, and the flight motor is the first flight motor electric circuit and the above. A second flight motor An engine starting device that is electrically connected to the generator via an electric circuit.

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