WO2020174648A1 - Pod and drone system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a pod that is for transporting goods and that is suitable for drone transport. A pod 10 comprises: a pod housing 12 that is narrow and long and that has formed therein a main goods-chamber 18 and a sub goods-chamber 20 which are for holding goods; and a support mechanism 16 that, when the pod is grounded after being separated from a drone 1 which has landed, supports the pod housing 12 so that the longitudinal axis of the pod housing is inclined with respect to the surface of the ground.

Description

Pod and drone system

The present invention relates to a pod and a drone system equipped with this pod.

In recent years, drones, which are unmanned aerial vehicles, have begun to be used in various industries, and the use of drones as transportation means for cargo is also being considered in the delivery business for delivering cargo. As such a drone, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an aircraft that suspends and conveys cargo by an arm.

JP, 2008-203226, A

The aircraft described in Patent Document 1 can carry only one cargo and is not suitable for mass transportation. It is also conceivable to provide a cargo room in the body of the drone and load multiple cargoes in the cargo room, but in such a case the drone cannot be used during cargo handling work, and the drone The operating rate will decrease. Therefore, in order to carry multiple cargoes while maintaining the operating rate of the drone, it is conceivable that a cargo room is formed inside the pod and a removable pod is used for the drone. The pod has never existed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is to provide a pod for carrying a cargo suitable for carrying by a carrying device such as a drone, and a drone system including the pod.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pod for storing and transporting cargo, which is an elongated or flat pod housing having a cargo compartment for storing the cargo formed therein, and a pod for grounding. And a support mechanism that supports the pod housing so that the axis of the pod housing is inclined with respect to the ground when installed.
Preferably, the pod is removable from the carrier.

According to the above configuration, when the drone is used as a transport device for the pod, for example, when the pod is removed from the transport device and installed on the ground, the axis of the pod is tilted with respect to the ground by the support mechanism. Supported by the state. Therefore, compared to the case where the axis line of the pod housing is placed horizontally with respect to the ground, the user (including the delivery person and the worker) can carry out cargo loading and unloading work without bending over. ..

Preferably the carrier is a drone.
According to such a configuration, since the cargo is loaded with the axis of the pod housing inclined with respect to the ground, when the drone with the pod attached flies, the axis of the pod is substantially vertical or substantially Even if the flight state is directed in a substantially horizontal direction, which is orthogonal to the vertical direction, the direction of the cargo loaded in the pod housing does not change significantly from the time of loading, and damage to the cargo can be prevented.

Preferably, the drone flies horizontally such that the head of the drone is located forward in the flight direction and the tail is located rearward in the flight direction, and the tail of the drone is located vertically downward. It is a tailsitter drone that takes off and land vertically.

According to the above configuration, by storing the cargo in a state where the axis of the pod housing is inclined with respect to the ground, even if the axis of the pod is oriented horizontally during horizontal flight of the drone, the axis of the pod is vertically aligned during takeoff and landing. Even when facing the direction, the change in the direction of the cargo loaded in the pod can be suppressed to less than 90 degrees from the time of loading, and the cargo can be prevented from being damaged.

Preferably, the pod housing has a streamlined shape extending in the axial direction.
According to the above configuration, for example, when the drone is used as a transport device for a pod, the air resistance of the pod housing during flight of the drone is reduced, and long-distance transport is possible.

Preferably, the pod housing has a head and a tail portion, and the pod is attached to the body of the drone so that the axis extends vertically and the tail portion of the pod housing is located downward when the drone is landed. It is installed.
According to the above configuration, the traveling direction of the drone during takeoff and landing coincides with the axis line, the air resistance of the pod housing is reduced, and long-distance transportation is possible. In addition, when the pod is removed from the drone, the pod housing is supported by the support mechanism with its axis inclined with respect to the landing surface.Therefore, the attitude of the pod when it is attached to the aircraft and when it is removed Difference is very small. Therefore, it is possible to easily attach and remove the pod to and from the drone.

Preferably, the support mechanism has a group of vehicles that come into contact with the ground when the pod is installed on the ground.
According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, for example, when the drone is used as a transporting means for the pod, the user can easily transport the pod to the ground even when the drone is detached from the transporting means.

Preferably, the pod housing has a head and a tail, and the wheel group includes a first wheel mounted on the tail of the pod housing.
For example, when a drone is used as a transporting means for a pod, if the pod with the axis of the pod housing extending in the vertical direction is removed from the transporting means, the tail of the pod housing may collide with the ground and be damaged. On the other hand, according to the above configuration, the first wheel first comes into contact with the ground when the carrier is detached from the transport means, so that the tail portion of the pod housing can be prevented from being damaged. Further, by pushing the tail portion of the pod housing horizontally with respect to the ground while the first wheel is grounded, the pod housing can be easily and safely removed from the drone while tilting.

Preferably, the first wheel is configured to be retractable in the pod housing.
According to the above configuration, when the drone is used as a transporting means for the pod, for example, the first wheel can be stored in the pod housing during flight, so that air resistance during flight can be reduced. In addition, the risk of parts falling during flight can be reduced.

Preferably, the pod housing includes a main leg closer to the head than the first wheel, and the wheel group includes a second wheel supported by the main leg at a position separated from the pod housing.
According to the above configuration, when the drone is used as a transport device for the pod, for example, it is possible to support the pod housing with the head side positioned upward with the pod removed from the drone. Also, when detached from the drone, the main leg supports the head side of the pod housing in a tilted state so that it is located above, so that the drone can be attached to the fuselage and removed. Pod posture difference is small. Therefore, it is possible to easily attach/detach the pod to/from the drone.

Preferably, the main leg and the second wheel are configured to be retractable in the pod housing.
According to the above configuration, when the drone is used as a transporting means for the pod, for example, the second wheel can be stored in the pod housing during flight, so that air resistance during flight can be reduced. In addition, the risk of parts falling during flight can be reduced.

Preferably, a handle for pushing and pulling by the user on the ground is further provided on the head side of the pod housing, and the handle can be attached to and detached from the pod housing or can be stored in the pod housing. is there.
According to the above configuration, by pushing and pulling the handle while the wheel group is grounded, the pod can be used as a carrier truck and can be transported on the ground.

A drone system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a drone and the above-mentioned pod that is attachable to and detachable from the drone.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cargo transport pod suitable for transport by a transport device such as a drone, and a drone system including the pod.

FIG. 3 is a side view in a take-off and landing posture showing an example of a drone used for transporting a pod in the pod transport system of the first embodiment, and a top view in a horizontal cruise posture. In the pod transport system of the first embodiment, an example of a drone used for transporting pods is shown, and is a side view in a takeoff and landing posture, and is a side view in a horizontal cruise posture. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the connection part of the drone body and pod in the drone system of 1st Embodiment, and shows the cross section parallel to a connection member. It is a fragmentary sectional view which expands and shows the connection part of the drone body and pod in the drone system of 1st Embodiment, and shows the cross section parallel to a horizontal wing. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the pod according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which a support mechanism is stored. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the pod according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the support mechanism is expanded and grounded. It is an elevation view showing the pod according to the first embodiment, and is an elevation view seen from the head side. It is an elevation view showing the pod according to the first embodiment, and is an elevation view seen from the tail side. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view in a longitudinal direction showing an enlarged tail portion of the pod according to the first embodiment. It is a figure (the 1) for demonstrating the method to remove from a drone. It is a figure (the 2) for explaining the method of removing from a drone. It is a figure (the 3) for explaining how to remove from a drone. It is a figure (the 4) for explaining how to remove from a drone. It is a figure (the 5) for explaining how to remove from a drone. It is a figure (the 6) for explaining a method of removing from a drone. It is a figure which expands and shows the tail part of the pod housing|casing in the pod by 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure for explaining a method of changing a follower wheel cover of a pod from a stowed state to a deployment state by a 2nd embodiment. It is a figure which expands and shows the tail part of the pod housing|casing in the pod by 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which expands and shows the tail part of the pod housing|casing in the state where the pod by 3rd Embodiment landed. 6 shows a teardrop-shaped profile of a pod according to another embodiment. 7 shows an airfoil profile of a pod according to another embodiment. 6 shows a vertically symmetrical airfoil profile of a pod according to another embodiment.

The pod and drone system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. The drone system of this embodiment includes a pod and a drone as a carrier device. It should be noted that not only a drone but also a movable device such as a manned airplane, a four-wheeled vehicle, a two-wheeled vehicle, or a railway is assumed as the transportation device.

1 and 2 show an example of a drone used for carrying a pod in the pod carrying system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view in a takeoff and landing attitude, and is a top view in a horizontal cruise attitude. When FIG. 1 is a front view of the drone 1 during takeoff and landing, the vertical direction or the vertical direction is indicated by the X axis, and the lateral direction or the horizontal direction is indicated by the Y axis. When FIG. 1 is viewed as a top view of the drone 1 in a horizontal cruising posture, the longitudinal direction is indicated by the X axis and the lateral direction is indicated by the Y axis. FIG. 2 is a side view in a takeoff/landing attitude, and is a side view in a horizontal cruise attitude. When FIG. 2 is a side view in the takeoff and landing attitude, the vertical direction or the vertical direction is indicated by the X axis. When FIG. 2 is a side view of the drone 1 in the horizontal cruising posture, the front-rear direction or the horizontal direction is indicated by the X axis, and the vertical direction or the vertical direction is indicated by the Z axis. In the drone 1 of the present embodiment, the upper side in the X-axis direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is called the head or the head side, or the front, and the lower side is the tail, the tail side, or the rear.

Drone 1 is a so-called tailsitter drone. That is, the drone 1 performs takeoff and landing in the X-axis direction (that is, the vertical direction or the vertical direction) so that the tail contacts the landing surface. Further, the drone 1 horizontally cruises in a posture in which the XY plane is horizontal and the Z-axis direction is vertical, with the head positioned horizontally in the front and the tail positioned horizontally in the rear.

The drone 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is provided so as to extend in the XY plane of FIG. 1, and is a pair of horizontals arranged in parallel so as to be separated by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) in FIG. A pair of blades 2 are provided to extend in the XZ plane of FIG. 2 and are arranged in parallel so as to be separated by a predetermined distance in the lateral direction (Y-axis direction) of FIG. The connecting member 4 of FIG. Further, the drone 1 includes four propulsion devices 6 attached to both lateral ends of the pair of horizontal wings 2 (Y-axis direction in FIG. 1). The pair of horizontal wings 2 have a streamline shape or a wing shape that generates lift during horizontal flight, and the front (front side in the X-axis direction or front) tip has a curved shape, and the rear (X-axis direction). The end on the tail side or the rear) is sharper than the tip. The pair of connecting members 4 are attached so as to connect the horizontal wings 2 at positions equidistant from each other at the center of the pair of horizontal wings 2. The pair of connecting members 4 has, for example, a streamline shape or a wing shape extending in the cruise direction. When attached to the drone 1, the pod 10 in the first embodiment is fixed between the pair of connecting members 4 and is located between the pair of horizontal wings 2.

The propulsion device 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a propulsion device body 6A, a propeller 6D provided at a front end portion (a head side or a front end in the X-axis direction) of the propulsion device body 6A, and a propulsion device, respectively. A pair of horizontal tail fins 6B provided so as to extend in the lateral direction (Y-axis direction) from the rear end of the main body 6A (the tail end side in the X-axis direction or the rear end) to the rear end of the propulsion device main body 6A. Vertical tail 6C provided so as to extend in the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) from the section. The propeller 6D is attached to the propulsion device main body 6A so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in the Y-axis direction. Further, the horizontal stabilizers 6B are independently attached to the propulsion device main body 6A so that their angles can be changed with respect to the XY plane (horizontal plane during horizontal cruise). The vertical stabilizer 6C is configured so that the angle can be changed with respect to the XZ plane (vertical plane in the front-back direction during horizontal cruise). Each propulsion device 6 includes a control device 6E, and the angle and rotation speed of the propeller 6D of each propulsion device 6, the angle of the horizontal stabilizer 6B, and the angle of the vertical stabilizer 6C are controlled by the control device 6E.

The drone 1 shown in FIG. 1 lands with the propeller 6D of the propulsion device 6 positioned above and the rear end of the propulsion device 6 including the horizontal stabilizer 6B and the vertical stabilizer 6C grounded on the ground. At takeoff, the propeller 6D is rotated with the propeller 6D facing upward to take off. Then, by changing the angle of the propeller 6D in the sky and adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer 6B, a transition is made to horizontal cruise in which the X-axis direction in FIG. 2 is horizontal. In the horizontal cruising state, the head of the drone 1 is located in the front in the horizontal direction, and the tail is located in the rear in the horizontal direction. Then, by rotating the propeller 6D and propelling the machine body, the horizontal wing 2 receives lift. Also, by changing the angle of the rotation axis of the propeller 6D and adjusting the angle of the horizontal tail 6B from the horizontal cruising state, the head is located vertically above and the tail is located vertically below. Transition to. Then, by adjusting the number of revolutions of the propeller 6D, the propeller 6D gradually descends, and the rear end of the propulsion device 6 touches the ground to land.

3 and 4 are partial cross-sectional views showing, in an enlarged manner, the connecting portion between the drone body and the pod in the drone system of the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows a cross section (XZ plane) parallel to the connecting member. 4 shows a cross section (XY plane) parallel to the horizontal wing. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pod 10 is provided as a detachable mechanism 14 for detachably fixing the drone 1 on the pair of guide rails 8 and the side portions of the pod 10 (pod housing 12). The sliders 14A and 14B and the fixing pin 15 for fixing the pod 10 (pod housing 12) to the guide rail 8 are provided. The guide rail 8 is made of a long material having a hollow rectangular cross section with a notch 8A extending in the longitudinal direction on one surface. The pair of guide rails 8 extend in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) in the middle portion (the middle portion in the Z direction) of the horizontal blade 2 of the connecting member 4, and the surface on which the notch 8A of the guide rail 8 is formed is formed. It is attached so as to face each other. The pair of sliders 14A and 14B are arranged in the middle of the side walls 22 of the pod housing 12 in the Z-axis direction so as to be aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis L (FIG. 5). Each of the sliders 14A and 14B has a cylindrical shaft portion that is vertically connected to the side wall 22, and a head portion that is provided at the tip of the shaft portion and has a diameter larger than that of the shaft portion.

When attaching the pod 10 to the drone 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sliders 14</b>A and 14</b>B on each side wall 22 of the attachment/detachment mechanism 14 are arranged in the guide rail 8. Then, the fixing pin 15 penetrates the connecting member 4 from the outside of the connecting member 4, and the tip is inserted into the pod housing 12. As a result, the pod 10 is fixed to the drone 1. The fixing pin is provided inside the pod casing 12, and is inserted into the guide rail 8 from the inside to the outside of the pod casing 12 to fix the pod 10 to the guide rail 8 and the connecting member 4. It may be configured to be fixed to. In this case, the fixing pin may be of a claw type, provided on the pod housing 12, and fixed by hooking the guide rail 8 like a hook by rotation. The fixing pin may be provided on the guide rail 8 in a claw shape, or may be configured to be hooked and fixed like a hook by rotation.

By being fixed in this way, when the drone 1 rises or descends during takeoff and landing, it rises with the drone 1 with the head of the pod 10 facing upward. Then, when the drone 1 shifts to the horizontal cruise, the pod 10 rotates together with the drone 1 so that the longitudinal axis L becomes substantially horizontal. Then, when the drone 1 cruises horizontally, the pod 10 also moves with the drone 1 with the longitudinal axis L being substantially horizontal.

In this embodiment, the guide rail 8 is detachably attached to the drone. As described above, when the guide rail 8 is removable from the drone 1, the guide rail 8 can also be included as a part of the attachment/detachment mechanism 14 provided in the pod 10. According to such a pod, the guide rail 8 can be attached to a drone of a different model as needed, and can be attached to a device other than the drone as a pod transport device. In addition to the mechanism using the guide rail, slider and fixing pin described above, the attachment/detachment mechanism may be an electric or manual mechanism having a configuration using gears, hydraulic pressure, screws (screw shafts) and/or spring assists. It can also be a mechanism. That is, the structure of the attachment/detachment mechanism may be any configuration that can detachably fix the pod 10 to the drone 1. However, when the drone 1 is a tailsitter type, it is preferable to have a function of guiding the pod in the vertical direction with respect to the drone in the landing state.

Next, the pod of the first embodiment will be described.
5 and 6 are longitudinal sectional views showing the pod according to the first embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the support mechanism is stored, and FIG. 6 shows a state in which the support mechanism is expanded and grounded. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pod 10 is provided in the pod housing 12, the support mechanism 16 that supports the pod housing 12 when the pod 10 is removed from the body of the drone and lands, and the pod housing 12. And a mechanism 14 for attaching and detaching the drone 1. Similar to the drone 1 shown in FIG. 1, in the pod 10 as well, the portion located above the X-axis direction in FIG. 1, that is, above the longitudinal axis L in FIG. 5, is called the head of the pod 10, and is the X-axis direction. A portion located below, that is, below the longitudinal axis L is referred to as a tail portion of the pod 10. In the grounded state shown in FIG. 6, the pod 10 stands on its own with the longitudinal axis L being at an angle α of about 30° to 60°, preferably about 45°. In the pod 10 shown in FIG. 6, the upper part in the figure with the longitudinal axis L as the boundary is called the back part of the pod 10, and the lower part in the figure is called the abdomen of the pod 10. The support mechanism 16 has a main leg 34, a main wheel 36, and a slave wheel 48. In the grounded state of the pod 10 shown in FIG. 6, the direction in which the main wheel 36 is located with respect to the slave wheel 48 is called the main wheel direction, and the direction in which the slave wheel 48 is located with respect to the main wheel 36 is called the slave wheel direction. 7 and 8 are elevational views showing the pod 10 according to the first embodiment, FIG. 7 is an elevational view when facing the main wheel direction, and FIG. 8 is facing the secondary wheel direction. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pod housing 12 of the pod 10 has a main cargo compartment 18 for storing cargo and a sub cargo compartment 20 formed therein, and faces the head as a whole as a whole. It has an elongated shape along a longitudinal axis L that extends. The pod housing 12 may have a flat shape as a whole, and in this case, the axis connecting the head and the tail. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the pod housing 12 as viewed from the side is streamlined. Specifically, the pod housing 12 has a curved head portion, and is tapered from the center toward the tail portion along the longitudinal axis. The cross-sectional shape of the pod 12 may be a teardrop type whose outline is shown in FIG. 20A, a wing type whose outline is shown in FIG. 20B, or a vertically symmetrical wing type whose outline is shown in FIG. 20C. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the pod housing 12 is provided so as to connect a pair of side walls 22 located on both sides of the pod 10 in the lateral direction (Y-axis direction) and edges of the pair of side walls 22 on the back side. Has a back wall 24, an abdominal wall 26 provided so as to connect the abdominal side edges of the pair of side walls 22, and inner walls 28A, 28B, 28C defining the main cargo compartment 18 and the sub cargo compartment 20. .. For reinforcement, a rib 30 extending from the tail portion side of the auxiliary cargo compartment 20 to the tail portion of the pod housing 12 may be provided. The rib 30 is provided to reinforce the pod 10 and is not an essential member.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a concave storage portion 32 corresponding to the main leg 34 and the main wheel 36 is formed on the abdomen on the head side of the pod housing 12, and as will be described later, this storage portion 32 is formed. A main leg 34 and a main wheel 36 are stored in the storage section 32. The pod casing 12 has a main leg cover 38, and the main leg cover 38 forms a continuous surface with the abdominal wall 26 of the pod casing 12 in a state where the main legs 34 and the main wheels 36 are stored in the storage section 32. It is like this.

The main cargo compartment 18 and the sub cargo compartment 20 are separated by a partition plate 40. Portions on the front back of the pod housing 12 that correspond to the main cargo compartment 18 and the sub cargo compartment 20 are open, and a cargo compartment door 42 is attached to this opening. The cargo room door 42 has a tail-side edge rotatably connected to the pod housing 12, and has a front end portion provided with a knob 42A for opening and closing. The cargo compartment door 42 is in a stored state in which the opening of the pod housing 12 is closed, and in a deployed state in which the cargo room door 42 is rotated about 90 degrees to the tail side and is substantially vertical to the surface of the pod housing 12. Can rotate between. When the cargo compartment door 42 is deployed, the upper surface of the cargo compartment door 42 can be used as a temporary cargo storage area. In order to use the cargo compartment door 42 as a temporary cargo storage area, when the pod 10 is landed (the longitudinal axis L is inclined), the plane portion of the cargo compartment door 42 is horizontal with respect to the vertical direction (Fig. 6) (shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 6).

The partition plate 40 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction along the longitudinal axis L direction. Based on the weight of the cargo loaded in the main cargo room 18 and the sub cargo room 20, the position of the partition plate 40 can be moved so that the weight of the cargo becomes a predetermined position in the front-rear direction. As such a configuration, a configuration is used in which fixing members for a plurality of partition plates 40 are provided in the front and rear directions in the main cargo room 18 and the sub cargo room 20, and the fixing members for fixing the partition plates 40 are changed. You can In the present embodiment, the partition plate 40 is manually moved, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a weight scale is provided in the main cargo room 18 and the sub cargo room 20 to automatically adjust the position of the partition board 40. You may. By changing the position of the partition plate 40, the position of the cargo can be adjusted, and the position of the center of gravity can be adjusted.

5 to 8, a pair of sub wheels (first wheels) 48 attached to the tail of the pod housing 12 and a pair of main wheels (second wheel) attached to the ends of the main legs 34 (second wheel). Wheels 36 of a wheel group included in the support mechanism 16 that supports the pod housing 12.

The main leg 34 is attached to the pod housing 12 so that it can be stored in the front abdomen of the pod housing 12. As shown in FIG. 5, the main leg 34 is a pair of main legs that are laterally (horizontally) spaced from each other so that the base end portion is located on the tail side when stored in the storage portion 32. A main body 34A and a shaft 34B provided at the tip of the main leg main body 34A provided with the main wheel 36 so as to extend in the lateral direction (horizontal direction). Each main leg main body 34A has a base end connected to the abdomen of the pod housing 12 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction by a corresponding hinge 34D. As shown in FIG. 6, the main leg 34 is rotatable and deployable on the tail side of the pod housing 12. With the main leg 34 deployed, the pod 10 is supported by the main leg 34 such that the longitudinal axis L and the ground form an angle of α degrees. The shaft 34B is fixed to the tip of the main leg body 34A, and a pair of main wheels 36 are rotatably provided on the shaft 34B with respect to both ends thereof. A stopper 34C is provided at the center of the tip end portion of the main leg main body 34A, and by depressing the stopper 34C, the pair of main wheels 36 can be fixed so as not to rotate. The storage section 32 formed in the pod housing 12 is formed in a shape corresponding to the main leg 34 and the main wheel 36, and when the main leg 34 is rotated toward the pod housing 12, the storage section 32 is formed. The main leg 34 and the main wheel 36 can be accommodated in. A handle 50 is formed inside the storage section 32. The handle 50 may be pushed or pulled as it is, or an extension carried by the user may be attached. By pushing and pulling the handle 50 or the extension, the pod 10 can be moved back and forth, left and right, and swung. Although the handle 50 is fixed to the pod housing 12 in the present embodiment, it may be detachably attached to the pod housing 12. A main landing gear cover 38 is attached to the outer surface of the main landing gear 34 when stored in the pod housing 12. When the main landing gear 34 and the main wheel 36 are housed in the storage section 32, the main landing gear cover 38 is attached. It forms a surface continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the body 12.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the main leg 34 is retracted toward the front (head) and the main wheel 36 is located in front of the pod 10, so that the center of gravity balance can be maintained forward during flight. Further, since the main landing gear 34 and the main wheels 36 can all be stored in the pod housing 12 by the main landing gear cover 38, air resistance and separation during flight can be reduced.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view in the longitudinal axis L direction showing the tail portion of the pod 10 according to the first embodiment in an enlarged manner. The follower wheel 48 is attached to the tail portion of the pod housing 12. When the ribs 30 are provided inside the pod housing 12 as in the present embodiment, they may be attached to both sides of the tail end of the ribs 30. In the figure, the ground in which the pod 10 is grounded so that the longitudinal axis L is vertical is denoted by G1, and the ground in which the pod housing 12 is supported by the support mechanism such that the longitudinal axis L is inclined is shown. This is indicated by G2.

Each of the follower wheels 48 is a so-called caster-type wheel that can swing to the left and right, and is attached to the rib 30 so as to be able to rotate and rotate in a horizontal plane when the pod 10 is landed. The pod housing 12 includes a follower wheel cover 52 rotatably attached to the tail portion on the back side. The follower wheel cover 52 is rotatable in the front-rear direction between a retracted state in which the follower wheel 48 is rotated to cover the follower wheel 48 and a deployed state in which the follower wheel 48 is exposed by rotating to the back side (head side). is there. The follower wheel cover 52 is hollow inside and is rotatably connected to the rear end of the back wall 24 of the pod housing 12 by a hinge member 52A. The rear end of the side wall 22 on the abdomen side is cut out ahead of the rear end of the back side, and the rear end of the abdominal wall 26 ends ahead of the rear end of the back wall 24. .. Further, the abdomen side of the follower wheel cover 52 extends to the head side rather than the back side. As a result, when the subordinate wheel cover 52 is rotated, a sufficient clearance with the subordinate wheel 48 can be secured and contact can be prevented. When the pod 10 is removed from the drone 1 as described later, when the pod housing 12 is tilted to the ground from a state where the longitudinal axis L extends in the vertical direction to a tilted state, the driven wheel cover 52 and the pod housing 12 are provided. Can be prevented from contacting the ground. The driven wheel cover 52 constitutes a surface continuous with the outer surface of the pod housing 12 in a state where the driven wheel 48 is covered. An impact-resistant bumper 54 made of an elastic material such as rubber may be attached to a portion on the back portion side (a portion on the abdomen portion side in the stored state) of the driven wheel cover 52 in the expanded state. As described above, in the present embodiment, the rear end of the side wall 22 on the abdomen side is cut out forward of the back portion side, and the abdomen side of the slave wheel cover 52 extends to the head portion side rather than the back portion side. Therefore, the slave wheel 48 can be stored by the slave wheel cover 52.

Further, in FIG. 9, the pod 10 includes a lock mechanism 56 for fixing the swing of the driven wheel 48. The lock mechanism 56 includes a lock button 56A provided on the tail portion on the back side of the pod housing 12, a push force transmission mechanism 56B connected to the lock button 56A, and a slide member 56C coupled to the push force transmission mechanism 56B. A caster lock 56D attached to the tail end of the slide member 56C, a fixing member 56F fixed inside the pod housing 12, and a spring member 56E interposed between the fixing member 56F and the slide member 56C. , Is provided. The slide member 56C is provided so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction (vertical direction in FIG. 9) along the surface of the pod housing 12 on the abdomen side. The spring member 56E is interposed between the slide member 56C and the fixed member 56F in the stretched state, whereby the slide member 56C is urged toward the head side. The pushing force transmission mechanism 56B can move the slide member 56C to the tail side by operating the lock button 56A.

In the lock mechanism 56, the slide member 56C is normally biased toward the head side by the spring material 56E. Therefore, the caster lock 56D moves toward the head side and is separated from the follower wheel 48, and the follower wheel 48 can freely swing and rotate. On the other hand, when the lock button 56A is pressed, the slide member 56C is moved to the tail side via the pressing force transmission mechanism 56B. As a result, the caster lock 56D abuts on the driven wheel 48, and the swing of the driven wheel 48 can be locked.

Next, a method of removing the pod 10 from the drone 1 will be described. 10 to 15 are views for explaining a method of removing the pod of the first embodiment from the drone.
First, as shown in FIG. 10, when the drone 1 lands at a predetermined takeoff/landing field, the user pulls out the fixing pin 15 from the pod housing 12. As a result, the fixing of the pod 10 is released, the sliders 14A and 14B are guided into the guide rails 8, and the pod housing 12 can move in the vertical direction.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the slave wheel cover 52 is rotated to the back side to expose the slave wheel 48. When the pod 10 is moved downward in such a state, the lower slider 14B is disengaged from the guide rail 8 and the driven wheel 48 contacts the ground G, as shown in FIG. Then, when the driven wheel 48 contacts the ground G, the user pushes the tail of the pod 10 from the abdomen side toward the back side. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13, the pod 10 starts to rotate such that the abdomen is located below and the longitudinal axis L is inclined from the vertical direction.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the main leg 34 is rotated and fixed to a deployed state in which it is substantially orthogonal to the abdomen. Then, as the pod housing 12 is further inclined, the upper slider 14A is disengaged from the guide rail 8 and the main wheel 36 is grounded. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 15, the main wheel 36 and the slave wheel 48 of the support mechanism 16 are grounded, and the pod 10 can be landed. In this way, the main wheels 36 are held at a position separated from the pod housing 12 by expanding the main legs 34, and the pod housing 12 is tilted with respect to the ground by the support mechanism 16 with respect to the longitudinal axis L. Supported by. With the pod housing 12 supported in such a manner that the longitudinal axis L is inclined with respect to the landing surface, the cargo compartment door 42 is opened and the main cargo compartment 18 and the sub cargo compartment 18 are opened as shown in FIG. The cargo is taken out of the cargo room 20 and a new cargo is loaded. At this time, as described above, the upper surface of the cargo room door 42 can be used as a temporary cargo storage area. When there is a small amount of cargo, the partition plate 40 may be moved forward in the direction of the longitudinal axis L so that the cargo to be loaded in the main cargo compartment 18 is loaded such that the center of gravity of the cargo is located in front of the main cargo compartment 18. it can. By moving the partition plate 40 in such a manner, it is possible to prevent movement of the cargo during flight, and to position the center of gravity of the pod 10 at the front, so that stable flight can be realized. The pod 10 may be attached to the drone 1 by performing the reverse process of the removal.

Also, after landing the pod 10 in this manner, the user attaches an extension to the handle 50 as necessary. Since the main wheel 36 and the sub wheels 48 (wheel group) are grounded in the landing state of the pod 10, the user can use the pod 10 as a hand truck for ground transportation by pushing and pulling the handle. Further, when it is desired to fix the swing of the driven wheel 48 of the pod 10 at the time of ground transportation, the lock mechanism 56 is operated by pushing the lock button 56A shown in FIG. 8 to swing the driven wheel 48. Can be fixed. Further, by depressing the stopper 34C shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pair of main wheels 36 can be fixed so as not to rotate and the pod 10 can be stopped.

Furthermore, if the guide rail 8 in the attachment/detachment mechanism 14 of the pod 10 is provided in a carrier device such as a manned airplane, a four-wheeled vehicle, a two-wheeled vehicle, or a railway, the pod 10 can be fixed to these carrier devices. .. As a result, after landing of the drone 1, it is possible to refill the carrying device.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
So far, there are drone pods and drone systems that include such pods, which have a structure that takes into consideration the efficiency and effects of user work, cargo damage prevention, long-distance transfer, and attachment/detachment work. I didn't. Further, there has been no pod having such a structure that such a drone pod can be carried by a carrying device for a pod other than the drone.

In the present embodiment, when the pod 10 is removed from the drone 1 and installed on the ground, the pod housing 12 is supported by the support mechanism 16 with the longitudinal axis L inclined with respect to the ground. Compared to the case where the longitudinal axis L of the body 12 is placed horizontally with respect to the ground, the cargo can be loaded and unloaded without the user bending down. Further, since the cargo is loaded with the longitudinal axis L of the pod 10 inclined to the ground by α degrees, when the drone 1 with the pod 10 attached thereto flies, the longitudinal axis L of the pod 10 is vertically and horizontally aligned. No matter which direction the pod 10 is fixed or transported, the cargo can be prevented from being damaged without greatly exceeding the horizontal angle α of the cargo or 90°-α degrees, whichever is larger.

Further, in this embodiment, the pod 10 stores the cargo in a state where the longitudinal axis L is inclined with respect to the landing surface, so that even if the drone 1 to which the pod 10 is attached is a tailsitter type drone, a horizontal flight is performed. Both at the time of landing and at takeoff and landing, the direction of the cargo does not change significantly more than 90 degrees from the time of loading, and damage to the cargo can be prevented.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the pod 10 has a streamlined shape extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, the air resistance of the pod 10 during flight of the drone 1 is small, and long-distance transportation is possible. Although the present embodiment has a streamlined shape, the present invention is not limited to this, and a teardrop type, a wing type, and a vertically symmetrical wing type also have similar effects.

Further, the pod 10 in the present embodiment is attached to the body of the drone 1 such that the longitudinal axis L extends in the vertical direction of the X axis and the tail portion of the pod 10 is located downward when the drone 1 is landed. .. As a result, the traveling direction of the drone 1 at the time of takeoff and landing coincides with the longitudinal axis L, the air resistance of the pod housing 12 becomes small, and long-distance transportation becomes possible. Further, when the pod housing 12 is detached from the drone 1, the pod housing 12 is supported by the support mechanism 16 in a state where the longitudinal axis L is inclined with respect to the landing surface. The difference between the postures of the pod 10 and the pod 10 is smaller than that in the case where the pod 10 is supported in an uninclined state, and the work of attaching/detaching the pod 10 to/from the drone 1 can be easily performed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the support mechanism 16 has a wheel group that comes into contact with the ground when the pod 10 is detached from the drone 1, so that the user can easily carry out the pod 10 even when the pod 10 is detached from the drone 1. Can be transported over the ground.

Further, in the present embodiment, the wheel group includes the follower wheels 48 attached to the tail portion of the pod housing 12. After landing of the drone 1, if the pod 10 with the longitudinal axis L of the pod housing 12 extending in the vertical direction is removed from the drone 1, the tail of the pod housing 12 may collide with the ground and be damaged. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the trailing wheel 48 first comes into contact with the ground when the drone 1 is disengaged, so that the tail portion of the pod housing 12 can be prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, by pushing the tail of the pod housing 12 horizontally from the abdomen side to the back side while the follower wheel 48 is grounded, the pod 10 can be easily and safely removed from the drone 1 while tilting.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the driven wheel 48 is configured to be retractable in the pod housing 12, storing the driven wheel 48 in the pod housing 12 during flight can reduce air resistance during flight. In addition, the risk of parts falling during flight can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, the wheel group of the pod 10 includes the main wheel 36 supported at a position separated from the pod housing 12 by the main leg 34 attached to the head side of the subordinate wheel 48 of the pod 10. .. Accordingly, with the pod 10 removed from the drone 1, the pod housing 12 can be supported with the head side positioned above. Further, when the drone 1 is detached from the drone 1, it is supported by the main leg 34 in an inclined state so that the head side of the pod housing 12 is located above. The difference in the pod's posture from the state is small. Therefore, the work of attaching/detaching the pod 10 to/from the drone 1 can be easily performed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the main leg 34 and the main wheel 36 are configured to be retractable in the pod housing 12. As a result, the main wheels 36 can be stored in the pod housing 12 during flight, so that air resistance during flight can be reduced. In addition, the risk of parts falling during flight can be reduced.

Further, the pod 10 according to the present embodiment has a handle on the head side of the pod housing 12 for the user to push and pull in a landed state, and the handle is attachable to and detachable from the pod housing 12. .. As a result, by pushing and pulling the handle while the wheel group is grounded, the pod 10 can be used as a carrier truck and can be transported on the ground.

In the first embodiment described above, as described with reference to FIG. 9, the tail side end on the abdomen side of the pod housing 12 is cut out to the head side rather than the back side, and the follower wheel cover 52 is cut. The abdomen side is extended to the head side rather than the back side, but the configurations of the slave wheel 48 and the slave wheel cover 52 of the present invention are not limited to this.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view showing the tail portion of the pod casing in the pod according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 16, the ground is indicated by G1 when the pod 110 is grounded so that the longitudinal axis L of the pod housing 112 is perpendicular to the ground plane, and the pod housing 112 is supported by the supporting mechanism so that the longitudinal axis L of the pod housing 112 is L. The ground which is supported so as to incline is indicated by G2.

As shown in FIG. 16, the edge of the tail portion of the pod casing 112 in the pod 110 according to the second embodiment extends in the longitudinal axis L direction. At the tail of the pod housing 112, an advancing member 152B that can move forward and backward along the back wall 124 is provided. A trailing wheel cover 152 is attached to the tail end of the advancing member 152B via a hinge 152A. A rib 130 projects rearward from an edge on the tail side of the pod housing 112, and an inclined surface 130A parallel to the ground G2 when the main wheel and the sub-wheel are in contact with the ground is formed at the lower end of the rib 130. A follower wheel 148 of this inclined surface 130A is attached so as to be able to swing to the left and right within a plane parallel to the inclined surface 130A.

To change the secondary wheel cover 152 from the retracted state to the deployed state, operate as follows. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a method of changing the subordinate wheel cover of the pod from the retracted state to the deployed state according to the second embodiment. First, as shown in FIG. 17, the advancing member 152B is advanced toward the tail side along the back wall 124 of the pod housing 112. Then, in this state, the driven wheel cover 152 is rotated toward the back side around the hinge 152A. Then, the advancing member 152B is pulled back to the tip side. As a result, the driven wheel cover 152 can be switched to a deployed state in which the driven wheel 148 is exposed.

According to the configuration of the second embodiment, if the driven wheel 148 can be stored in the driven wheel cover 152, the deployed state and the stored state can be switched. Therefore, the size and arrangement of the driven wheel 148 are not affected by the driven wheel cover 152. I can decide.

Further, FIG. 18 is an enlarged view showing the tail portion of the pod casing in the pod according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is an enlarged view showing the tail portion of the pod housing in the state where the pod according to the third embodiment of the present invention is landed. In FIG. 19, the ground in which the pod housing 212 is grounded so that the longitudinal axis is vertical is indicated by G1, and the ground in which the pod housing 212 is supported by the support mechanism such that the longitudinal axis is inclined. Is indicated by G2.

As shown in FIG. 18, the edge of the tail portion of the pod housing 212 in the pod 210 according to the third embodiment extends in the longitudinal axis L direction. A trailing wheel cover 252 is attached to the tail side edge of the back wall of the pod housing 212 via a first hinge 252A. Inside the pod housing 212, there is provided an advancing member 248A that can move forward and backward along the direction of the longitudinal axis from the end on the tail side. A second hinge 248B is provided at the lower end on the back side of the advancing member 248A, and a follower wheel 248 is provided which is rotatable around the second hinge 248B.

When the follower wheel cover 252 is closed, the follower wheel 248 is rotated toward the tip side (head side) about the second hinge 248B, and the advancing member 248A is retracted toward the tip side (head side). In this state, the follower wheel cover 252 is closed.

To open the driven wheel cover 252 and change the driven wheel 248 to the installable state, operate as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 18, the driven wheel cover 252 is rotated toward the back side around the first hinge 252A. Next, the advancing member 248A is advanced toward the rear. Then, the driven wheel 248 is rotated rearward about the second hinge 248B. As a result, as shown in FIG. 19, the follower wheel 248 can be exposed to the outside in a state of being rotatable in a plane parallel to the ground G2.

According to the configuration of the third embodiment as described above, since the follower wheel 248 of the tip of the advancing member 248A that can move forward and backward along the direction of the longitudinal axis is provided, the distance between the abdomen of the pod housing 212 and the ground can be reduced. Can be large.

1 Drone 2 Horizontal Wing 4 Connecting Member 6 Propulsion Device 6A Propulsion Device Main Body 6B Horizontal Tail 6C Vertical Tail 6D Propeller 8 Guide Rail 8A Notch 10 Pod 12 Pod Housing 14 Attachment/Detachment Mechanism 14A Slider 14B Slider 15 Fixing Pin 16 Support Mechanism 18 Main Cargo compartment 20 Sub cargo compartment 22 Side wall 24 Back wall 26 Back wall 28A Inner wall 28A Inner wall 28B Inner wall 28C Inner wall 30 Rib 32 Storage section 34 Main landing gear 34A Main landing gear body 34B Shaft 34C Stopper 34D Hinge 36 Main wheel 38 Main landing gear cover 40 Partition Plate 42 Cargo compartment door 42A Knob 48 Subordinate wheel 50 Connection port 52 Subordinate wheel cover 52A Hinge member 54 Impact resistant bumper 56 Lock mechanism 56A Lock button 56B Push force transmission mechanism 56C Slide member 56D Castor lock 56E Spring material 56F Fixing member 110 Pod 112 Pod Housing 124 Back wall 130 Rib 130A Inclined surface 148 Follower wheel 152 Follower wheel cover 152A Hinge 152B Advance member 210 Pod 212 Pod housing 248 Follower wheel 248A Advance member 248B Second hinge 252 Follower wheel cover 252A First hinge

Claims (20)

1. A pod for storing and transporting cargo,
   An elongated or flat pod housing having a cargo compartment formed therein for storing cargo,
   A support mechanism that supports the pod housing so that the axis of the pod housing is inclined with respect to the ground when the pod is installed on the ground.
   Pod that is characterized.
2. The pod is attachable to and detachable from a carrier device,
   The pod according to claim 1.
3. The carrier is a drone,
   The pod according to claim 2.
4. The drone flies horizontally such that the head of the drone is located forward along the flight direction and the tail is located rearward along the flight direction, and the tail of the drone is located vertically downward. Is a tailsitter drone that takes off and land vertically.
   The pod according to claim 3.
5. The pod housing has a streamlined shape extending in the direction of the axis.
   The pod according to claim 4.
6. The pod housing has a head and a tail,
   The pod is attached to the body of the drone so that the axis extends vertically and the tail portion of the pod housing is located downward when the drone is landed.
   The pod according to claim 4 or 5.
7. The support mechanism has a wheel group that contacts the ground when the pod is installed on the ground.
   The pod according to claim 6.
8. The pod housing has a head and a tail,
   The wheel group includes a first wheel attached to a tail portion of the pod housing,
   The pod according to claim 7.
9. The first wheel is provided so as to be retractable in the pod housing,
   The pod according to claim 8.
10. The pod housing includes a main leg on the head side of the first wheel,
    The wheel group includes a second wheel supported by the main leg at a position separated from the pod housing.
    The pod according to claim 8 or 9.
11. The main leg and the second wheel are configured to be retractable in the pod housing,
    The pod according to claim 10.
12. Furthermore, on the head side of the pod housing, there is a handle for the user to push and pull on the ground,
    The handle can be attached to and detached from the pod housing, or can be stored in the pod housing.
    The pod according to any one of claims 7 to 11.
13. Drone,
    The pod according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is attachable to and detachable from the drone,
    With
    Drone system.
14. The pod housing has a streamlined shape extending in the direction of the axis.
    The pod according to claim 1.
15. The support mechanism has a wheel group that contacts the ground when the pod is installed on the ground.
    The pod according to claim 1 or 14.
16. The pod housing has a head and a tail,
    The wheel group includes a first wheel attached to a tail portion of the pod housing,
    The pod according to claim 15.
17. The first wheel is provided so as to be retractable in the pod housing,
    The pod according to claim 16.
18. The pod housing includes a main leg on the head side of the first wheel,
    The wheel group includes a second wheel supported by the main leg at a position separated from the pod housing.
    The pod according to claim 16 or 17.
19. The main leg and the second wheel are configured to be retractable in the pod housing,
    The pod according to claim 18.
20. Furthermore, on the head side of the pod housing, there is a handle for the user to push and pull on the ground,
    The handle can be attached to and detached from the pod housing, or can be stored in the pod housing.
    The pod according to any one of claims 15 to 19.

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