IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0603810
(2006-11-21)
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등록번호 |
US-7712702
(2010-06-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- McGeer, Brian T.
- von Flotow, Andreas H.
- Roeseler, Cory
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
22 인용 특허 :
49 |
초록
▼
Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the aircraft can be launched from an apparatus that includes a launch carriage that moves along a launch guide. The carriage can accelerate when portions of the carriage
Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the aircraft can be launched from an apparatus that includes a launch carriage that moves along a launch guide. The carriage can accelerate when portions of the carriage and/or the launch guide move relative to each other. A gripper carried by the launch carriage can have at least one grip portion in contact with the aircraft while the launch carriage accelerates along the launch axis. The at least one grip portion can move out of contact with the aircraft as the launch carriage decelerates, releasing the aircraft for takeoff. A brake can arrest the motion of the gripper after launch.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: a first launch member; a second launch member positioned at least proximate to the first launch member; and a launch carriage having an aircraft support positioned to releasably carry an unmanned aircraft during a takeoff ope
We claim: 1. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: a first launch member; a second launch member positioned at least proximate to the first launch member; and a launch carriage having an aircraft support positioned to releasably carry an unmanned aircraft during a takeoff operation, the launch carriage having a first portion in contact with the first launch member and a second portion in contact with the second launch member, wherein the launch carriage is movable relative to the launch members between a first launch carriage location and a second launch carriage location as at least one of the first and second launch members moves relative to the other, or as at least one of the carriage portions moves relative to the other, or both. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the launch carriage moves in a first direction between the first launch carriage location and the second launch carriage location, and wherein the at least one launch member moves in a second direction transverse to the first direction between a first position and a second position. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the launch carriage moves in a first direction between the first launch carriage location and the second launch carriage location, and wherein the at least one carriage portion moves in a second direction transverse to the first direction between a first position and a second position. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support structure, and wherein the first and launch members are carried by the support structure. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to the at least one launch member, the at least one carriage portion, or both. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to the at least one launch member, the at least one carriage portion, or both, and wherein the actuator includes at least one of a hydraulic cylinder, a spring, a pneumatic cylinder, and an electric motor. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second launch members includes a braking portion, and wherein the braking portion is positioned to contact and decelerate the launch carriage as the launch carriage moves from the first launch carriage location to the second launch carriage location. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second launch members includes a curved portion, and wherein the curved portion is shaped to provide constant acceleration to the launch carriage as the launch carriage moves from the first launch carriage location to the second launch carriage location. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first launch member includes a first roller surface and the second launch member includes a second roller surface non-parallel to the first roller surface; and the launch carriage includes a first wheel in rolling contact with the first roller surface and a second wheel in rolling contact with the second roller surface. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first launch member includes a first surface in contact with the launch carriage, and wherein the second launch member includes a second surface in contact with the launch carriage, the second surface having a first portion oriented at a first angle relative to the first surface to accelerate the launch carriage, the second surface having a second portion oriented at a second angle relative to the first surface to decelerate the launch carriage, the second angle being different than the first angle. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first launch member includes a first roller surface and the second launch member includes a second roller surface non-parallel to the first roller surface, and wherein the angle between the first and second roller surfaces is greater when the launch carriage is in the second launch carriage location than when the launch carriage is in the first launch carriage location. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the unmanned aircraft. 13. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: a first launch member; a second launch member positioned at least proximate to the first launch member; and a launch carriage having an aircraft support positioned to releasably carry an unmanned aircraft during a takeoff operation, the launch carriage having a first portion in contact with the first launch member and a second portion in contact with the second launch member, the launch carriage being movable relative to the launch members between a first launch carriage location and a second launch carriage location as at least one of the carriage portions moves relative to the other. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first launch member includes a first track and wherein the second launch member includes a second track, with at least a portion of the first track being non-parallel to the second track. 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first portion of the launch carriage includes first pulleys and the second portion of the launch carriage includes second pulleys, and wherein the apparatus further comprises: an elongated flexible transmission member engaged with the first and second pulleys; and an actuator operatively coupled to the transmission member to apply tension to the transmission member and draw the at least one carriage portion toward the other. 16. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: carriage means for supporting an unmanned aircraft during a takeoff operation, the carriage means having a first carriage portion and a second carriage portion; and support means for supporting the carriage means, the support means having a first support portion and a second support portion, wherein at least one of the carriage portions is movable relative to the other to accelerate the carriage means relative to the support means, or at least one of the support portions is movable relative to the other to accelerate the carriage means relative to the support means, or both. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the support means includes a first launch member in contact with the first carriage portion and a second launch member in contact with the second carriage portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first launch member in contact with the first carriage portion is non-parallel to at least a portion of the second launch member in contact with the second carriage portion. 18. An apparatus for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: a first launch member; a second launch member positioned at least proximate to the first launch member; a launch carriage having a first portion in contact with the first launch member and a second portion in contact with the second launch member, the launch carriage being movable relative to the launch members between a first launch carriage location and a second launch carriage location as at least one of the carriage portions moves relative to the other; a gripper movably coupled to the launch carriage, the gripper including at least one grip portion positioned to releasably engage an unmanned aircraft, the gripper being movable relative to the launch carriage between a first position with the at least one grip portion positioned to contact the aircraft and a second position with the at least one grip portion positioned to be out of contact with the aircraft; and a gripper brake positioned at least proximate to the gripper, the gripper brake being changeable from a first configuration in which the gripper brake inhibits motion of the gripper by a first amount, and a second configuration in which the gripper brake does not inhibit motion of the gripper, or inhibits motion of the gripper by a second amount less than the first amount. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the first launch member is non-parallel to at least a portion of the second launch member. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the launch carriage to move the at least one carriage portion relative to the other. 21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the launch carriage to move the at least one carriage portion relative to the other, and wherein the actuator is carried by the launch carriage. 22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the launch carriage to move the at least one carriage portion relative to the other, and wherein the actuator is not carried by the launch carriage. 23. A method for launching an unmanned aircraft, comprising: releasably supporting an unmanned aircraft with a launch carriage, the launch carriage being movably carried by and in contact with a first launch member and a second launch member; accelerating the launch carriage from a first launch carriage location to a second launch carriage location by moving at least one of the first and second launch members relative to the other while the launch members contact the launch carriage, or by moving at least one portion of the launch carriage relative to another while the launch members contact the launch carriage, or both; and releasing the unmanned aircraft from the launch carriage for flight. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein at least a portion of the first launch member is non-parallel to at least a portion of the second launch member, and wherein accelerating the launch carriage includes moving the at least one launch member away from the other. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein at least a portion of the first launch member is non-parallel to at least a portion of the second launch member, and wherein accelerating the launch carriage includes moving the at least one carriage portion toward the other.
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