JP7195616B2 - Flying object with a long main body - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an aircraft having an elongated main body.

In recent years, various services using rotary wing aircraft (hereinafter collectively referred to as "rotary wing aircraft") such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are used for various purposes have been provided. ing. Since such rotary wing aircraft can be equipped with various working units such as cameras, sensors, sprayers, and speakers, the range of industrial applications is further expanding.

When a rotorcraft is provided with a working section, in many models, the working section is fixed to the upper or lower portion of the rotorcraft. However, in that case, the balance of the rotorcraft is lost due to the mounting of the working section, which is a free mass, and the flight efficiency deteriorates or the flight becomes unstable.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 provides a mechanism that enables stable continuation of flight with little difference between each rotor even in a rotorcraft having heavy objects vertically below the rotorcraft (for example, Patent Document 1 reference).

WO2016/185572 publication

In Patent Document 1, a rotary wing aircraft equipped with a heavy object such as a camera is mounted with an arm supporting the rotary wing and the heavy object at the center of the lift generated in the airframe by the rotation of the multiple rotary wings. It is constructed so as to be positioned at the connecting portion with the mounting portion. As a result, it is possible to continue stable flight with little difference between the rotor blades.

However, when the working unit provided on the flying object in Patent Document 1 is used, the working unit is affected by various factors such as wind and sound generated from the flying object. In addition, it is necessary for the flying object body to approach an object to be worked on (for example, an animal or plant to be investigated, a person to be monitored, a building to be worked on, etc.).

Depending on the work target, the flying object must approach a distance suitable for the work, which prevents the work from proceeding smoothly. For example, in the case of surveillance and investigation, the appearance and sound of the flying object affect the target, and the work itself cannot be carried out. In addition, if the work area is narrow, there is a possibility that the flying object cannot enter, or there is a risk of contact with the approach.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a working unit is provided at a position away from the flying object, and the working unit is located away from the working object while the main body of the flying object maintains a distance from the working object or a position where safe flight is possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flying object capable of approaching an appropriate distance to the object.

According to the present invention, a flying portion including at least a plurality of rotor blades and a motor for driving the rotor blades, a main body portion elongated in the vertical direction, and the flying portion and the main body portion being displaceable relative to each other. and a connecting portion, wherein the total length of the main body in the vertical direction is at least twice the maximum diameter of the flying portion in the horizontal direction.

According to the present invention, the flying object body maintains a distance from the work target or maintains a position where safe flight is possible, while the working part can be brought close to the work target at an appropriate distance. can provide the body.

1 is a side view of a rotorcraft according to the invention; FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of use of the rotorcraft of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view of another rotorcraft according to the invention; Figure 4 shows an example of use of the rotorcraft of Figure 3; 2 is a functional block diagram of the rotorcraft of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another rotorcraft according to the invention; FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation of the rotorcraft of FIG. 6; FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another rotorcraft according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another rotorcraft according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another rotorcraft according to the invention; FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another rotorcraft according to the invention;

The contents of the embodiments of the present invention are listed and explained. An aircraft having an elongated main body according to an embodiment of the present invention has the following configuration.
[Item 1]
a flight portion including at least a plurality of rotor blades and a motor for driving the rotor blades; a body portion extending vertically in a long length; a connection portion connecting the flight portion and the body portion so as to be displaceable; wherein the total length of the body portion in the vertical direction is at least twice the maximum diameter of the flight portion in the horizontal direction.
[Item 2]
The aircraft according to item 1, wherein the body portion has an upper portion above the connecting portion and a lower portion below the connecting portion, and the length of the upper portion is An air vehicle that is more than three times the length of its lower portion.
[Item 3]
3. The aircraft of item 2, wherein the lower portion has a structure for balancing at least the upper portion.
[Item 4]
4. The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the connecting portion is provided at the center of gravity or approximately the center of gravity of the main body.
[Item 5]
5. The aircraft according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein a working part can be attached to the tip of the upper part.
[Item 6]
The aircraft according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the lower portion comprises legs.
[Item 7]
The aircraft according to item 1, wherein the body portion has an upper portion above the connection portion and a lower portion below the connection portion, and the length of the lower portion is An air vehicle that is more than three times the length of its upper portion.
[Item 8]
8. The aircraft of item 7, wherein the upper portion has a structure for balancing at least the lower portion.
[Item 9]
9. The flying object according to any one of items 7 to 8, wherein the connecting portion is provided at the center of gravity or approximately the center of gravity of the main body.
[Item 10]
10. The aircraft according to any one of items 7 to 9, wherein a working part can be attached to the tip of the lower part.
[Item 11]
7. The flying object according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the flying section is configured to be vertically movable along the body section.
Airplane.

<Details of the embodiment according to the present invention>
Hereinafter, a flying object provided with an elongated main body portion according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Details of the first embodiment according to the present invention>
As shown in FIG. 1, a rotorcraft 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flight section 11 having at least a plurality of rotor blades 12 and a motor 13 for driving the rotor blades 12; It comprises an extending main body portion 20 and a connecting portion 30 connecting the flying portion 11 and the main body portion 20 to each other so as to be displaceable.

Since the flying section 11 and the main body section 20 are mutually displaceable , the state of the working section 24 mounted on the main body section 20 and the first mounting section 21 and the second mounting section 22 is the same regardless of the posture of the flying section. It can remain suspended vertically downward from the rotorcraft 10 by the action of gravity. In this case, since the posture is maintained by the action of gravity, the connection section does not require a drive mechanism or the like, and a simple configuration is possible. In addition, it is possible to use a drive mechanism or the like to tilt at any angle.

The total length of the body portion 20 in the vertical direction is more than twice the maximum diameter of the flight portion 11 in the horizontal direction. By making the main body part taller, the first mounting part 21 and the second mounting part 22 can be separated from the flying part 11 .

The body portion 20 has an upper portion 26 above the connecting portion 30 and a lower portion 27 below the connecting portion 30. The length of the upper portion 26 is at least three times the length of the lower portion 27. be. The convenience of the working part 24 is improved by specializing it upward in the vertical direction to make it longer. Use of the working unit 24 will be described later.

The lower portion 27 can also have structure, such as a counterweight, to counterbalance the upper portion 26 . If the lower portion 27 and the upper portion 26 are balanced, the force required by the driving mechanism when operating the main body portion 20 at an arbitrary angle using a driving mechanism or the like is the force between the lower portion 27 and the upper portion. 26 less than when tilting the body 20 unbalanced.

Also, the same effect can be obtained by providing the connection portion 30 at the center of gravity of the main body portion 20 or at approximately the center of gravity. When the connection portion 30 is provided so as to come to the center of gravity or approximately the position of the center of gravity of the entire flight object, the number of rotations of the plurality of motors 13 provided in the flying portion 11 is made uniform, and the flight efficiency is improved. is positioned at or near the center of buoyancy of the aircraft, the inclination of the flight section 11 with respect to the connection section 30 can be increased, so that the working section can be shifted in the horizontal direction.

A working part 24 is attached to the tip of the upper part 26 so that work can be performed. Examples of the work performed by the work unit and the work performed by the work unit include photography, monitoring, investigation, and recording using information acquisition equipment capable of acquiring external information, such as cameras, sensors, and microphones, liquid spraying using sprayers, spraying devices, and water discharge devices. spraying, painting, fire extinguishing, watering animals and plants, working with speakers, odor generators, and light emitting devices, working and maintenance with tools and robot arms, moving objects, etc., but not limited to these.

For example, when an information acquisition device is attached and used, it can be used like a periscope by increasing the length of the upper portion 26 .

As shown in FIG. 2, when a person to be monitored exists at a high place in a building, only the working part 24 is positioned at a necessary height, and the flying part 11 and the lower part 27 are positioned so as not to be visually observed by the person to be monitored. By remaining in the position, it improves visibility, prevents detection by flight noise, and improves safety by keeping the flight altitude low.

In addition, it also improves the visibility of surveillance targets located at higher altitudes than the flight position, such as trees, bridges, and cliffs, and prevents them from being detected by flight noise. In addition, it is possible to improve safety by keeping the flight altitude low. Also, by inserting only the working part 24 into a narrow space where the flight part 11 cannot enter, information can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotorcraft 10 may be moored to the ground or equipment, such as by cables. For example, when a composite cable is used for mooring and connected to a ground power supply device, etc., long-time operation with power supply and data transmission/reception by wire are performed, and the activity range of the rotorcraft 10 is limited, and the planned activity range is limited. It is possible to maintain the safety against outside people, objects, and the like. Also, the weight of the cable can provide a self-leveling effect to the body portion 20 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion 27 can also be provided with legs 23 that can be used for landing or the like, if desired. By providing legs, it is possible to land and take off easily, and it is possible to work on the ground even while not flying.

<Details of Second Embodiment According to the Present Invention>
In the details of the second embodiment according to the present invention, constituent elements that overlap with those of the first embodiment operate in the same manner, and therefore will not be described again.

The body portion 20 has an upper portion 26 above the connecting portion 30 and a lower portion 27 below the connecting portion 30. The length of the lower portion 27 is at least three times the length of the upper portion 26. be. The convenience of the working part 24 is improved by specializing it upward in the vertical direction to make it longer.

Upper portion 26 may also have structure, such as a counterweight, to counterbalance lower portion 27 . If the upper portion 26 and the lower portion 27 are balanced, the force required by the driving mechanism when operating the main body portion 20 at an arbitrary angle using a driving mechanism or the like is the force between the lower portion 27 and the upper portion. 26 less than when tilting the body 20 unbalanced.

Also, the same effect can be obtained by providing the connection portion 30 at the center of gravity of the main body portion 20 or at approximately the center of gravity. When the connection portion 30 is provided so as to come to the center of gravity or approximately the position of the center of gravity of the entire flight object, the number of rotations of the plurality of motors 13 provided in the flying portion 11 is made uniform, and the flight efficiency is improved. is positioned at or near the center of buoyancy of the aircraft, the inclination of the flight section 11 with respect to the connection section 30 can be increased, so that the working section can be shifted in the horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the working part 24 can be attached to the tip of the lower part 27 . As for the working unit 24, it is the same as the example of the working unit.

For example, when an information acquisition device is attached and used, it can be used like a reverse periscope by making the length of the lower portion 27 longer.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when a person to be monitored exists in the lower floors of a building, only the working unit 24 is positioned at a required height, and the flying unit 11 and upper part 26 are positioned so that they cannot be visually observed by the person to be monitored. By staying in place, it is possible to improve visibility and prevent discovery by flight noise.

In addition, it also improves the visibility of surveillance targets located in places lower than the flight position, such as trees, bridges, and under cliffs, and prevents them from being detected by flight noise. In addition, it is possible to improve safety by keeping the flight altitude low. Also, by inserting only the working part 24 into a narrow space where the flight part 11 cannot enter, information can be obtained.

The subject is, for example, a criminal at the time of terrorism or a criminal act, a person to be rescued at the time of an incident, an accident, or a disaster, or a person or a living being to be investigated.

<Details of the third embodiment according to the present invention>
The flight section 11 may be configured to be vertically movable along the body section 20, and move to the center of gravity or approximately the center of gravity of the body section 20 to make it easier to tilt the body section 20 or to land on the takeoff/landing position. At this time, it is possible to perform an operation such as moving to the lowest part of the main body part 20 so that the flying part 11 can touch the ground.

The rotorcraft described above has the functional blocks shown in FIG. Note that the functional blocks in FIG. 5 are a minimum reference configuration. A flight controller is a so-called processing unit. A processing unit may have one or more processors, such as a programmable processor (eg, central processing unit (CPU)). The processing unit has a memory (not shown) and can access the memory. The memory stores logic, code, and/or program instructions executable by the processing unit to perform one or more steps. The memory may include, for example, removable media or external storage devices such as SD cards and random access memory (RAM). Data acquired from cameras and sensors may be communicated directly to and stored in memory. For example, still image/moving image data captured by a camera or the like is recorded in a built-in memory or an external memory.

The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the state of the rotorcraft. For example, the control module may adjust the spatial orientation, velocity, and/or acceleration of a rotorcraft having six degrees of freedom (translational motions _x , _y , and _z , and rotational motions θx, θy, and θz). control the propulsion mechanism (motor, etc.) of the rotorcraft. The control module can control one or more of the states of the mount, sensors.

The processing unit can communicate with a transceiver configured to send and/or receive data from one or more external devices (eg, terminals, displays, or other remote controls). The transceiver may use any suitable means of communication such as wired or wireless communication. For example, the transceiver utilizes one or more of local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), infrared, wireless, WiFi, point-to-point (P2P) networks, telecommunications networks, cloud communications, etc. be able to. The transceiver is capable of transmitting and/or receiving one or more of data acquired by sensors, processing results generated by the processing unit, predetermined control data, user commands from a terminal or remote controller, and the like. .

Sensors according to this embodiment may include inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyro sensors), GPS sensors, proximity sensors (eg lidar), or vision/image sensors (eg cameras).

<Modification 1>
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the rotorcraft 10 may include an upper portion 26 that is pivotable and bendable about a joint 30 . As a result, it is possible to perform inspections from above and from the side (horizontal direction) using a single rotorcraft.

<Modification 2>
As shown in FIG. 8, the rotorcraft 10 may include an upper portion 26 extending from the connection 30 in a T-shape. The upper portion 26 extends in two horizontal directions (eg, in both directions of 180 degrees as shown) from a midpoint and has a working portion 24 mounted at each extremity. As a result, side (horizontal) inspection and the like can be performed with a single rotorcraft. Further, by providing a camera having a wide angle or a viewing angle of 180 degrees or more as the working units 24 at both ends, it becomes possible to inspect a wide range.

<Modification 3>
As shown in FIG. 9, the rotary wing aircraft 10 may be connected to the connecting portion 30 and may have a portion extending in at least four directions, and the working portion 24 is mounted at the tip of each portion.

<Modification 4>
As shown in FIG. 10, the rotorcraft 10 may have a portion connected to the connecting portion 30 and having a Z shape. Working portions 24 are mounted on both ends of the portion (that is, the tip of the portion extending in the opposite direction in the horizontal direction).

<Modification 5>
As shown in FIG. 11 , the rotorcraft 10 may have a horizontally extending portion on the leg 23 . Working units 24 are mounted on both ends of the part.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The rotorcraft of the present invention can be expected to be used as a rotorcraft for surveillance and investigation work, and as an industrial rotorcraft in warehouses, factories, and outdoors. In addition, the rotorcraft of the present invention can be used in the aircraft-related industry such as multicopter drones, etc. Further, the present invention can be suitably used as a rotorcraft for investigation equipped with a camera or the like. In addition, it can be used in various industries such as security, agriculture, research, disasters, and infrastructure inspection.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit and interpret the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and that equivalents thereof are included in the present invention.

10 Rotorcraft 11 Flying Unit 12 Rotor 13 Motor 20 Main Unit 21 First Mounting Unit 22 Second Mounting Unit 23 Leg 24 Working Unit 25 Counterweight 26 Upper Part 27 Lower Part 30 Connection Part 40 Cable 41 Ground Power Supply

Claims (4)

a flight section including at least a plurality of rotor blades and a motor for driving the rotor blades;
a body portion having a working portion;
a connecting portion that connects the flying portion and the main body so that the flying portion and the main body can be displaced independently of each other so that the posture of the main body is maintained regardless of the posture of the flying portion;
with
The main body portion has a portion having a point-symmetrical shape with respect to the connection portion ,
the portion includes at least two bending portions;
Airplane. The aircraft according to claim 1,
The point-symmetrical shaped portion is a Z-shaped portion,
Airplane. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The working part is provided on each tip side of the part,
Airplane. The aircraft according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The connecting portion is provided at or near the center of gravity of the main body, or at or near the center of buoyancy of the aircraft,
Airplane.

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