Method and apparatus for automated launch, retrieval, and servicing of a hovering aircraft
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64F-001/02
B64F-001/04
B64C-039/02
B64D-037/00
B64F-005/00
출원번호
US-0034097
(2013-09-23)
등록번호
US-9004402
(2015-04-14)
발명자
/ 주소
McGeer, Brian Theodore
Heavey, III, Robert Joseph
McMillan, Damon Lucas
Stafford, John William
출원인 / 주소
Aerovel Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
5인용 특허 :
47
초록▼
An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is c
An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured b an end effector. The tether length is adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch, the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with a simple, economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage and requires moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus comprising: (a) a suspension support;(b) a docking carriage supported by the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object:(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support, the flying object capturer including at least two teeth configured to capture a
1. An apparatus comprising: (a) a suspension support;(b) a docking carriage supported by the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object:(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support, the flying object capturer including at least two teeth configured to capture a portion of the fling object therebetween; and(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to move the flying object capturer relative to the suspension support. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two teeth of the flying object capturer include a first set of two teeth and a second different set of two teeth, wherein the teeth of the first set are configured to capture the portion of the flying, object therebetween and the teeth of the second set are configured to capture the portion of the flying object therebetween. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a guide supported by the suspension support, the guide supporting the flying object capturer. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the motor is configured to move the flying object capturer relative to the guide. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suspension support suspends the flying object capturer in a substantially horizontal orientation. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the flying object includes a flexible member. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor is configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, Wherein the docking carriage includes at least one constraining surface configured to guide the flying object into the docking carriage. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one constraining surface includes at least one of: an arm a longeron, and a wing trailing-edge support. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object after receiving the flying object. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said servicing is performed automatically. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via a fueling probe insertable into a receptacle of the flying object. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fueling probe is configured to add fuel to the flying object and remove fuel from the flying object. 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via an oil connector insertable into a receptacle of the flying object. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, Wherein the oil connector is configured to add oil to the flying object and remove oil from the flying object. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via an electricity connector insertable into a receptacle of the flying object. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electricity connector is configured to charge a power source of the flying, object. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes one or more sensors configured to measure at least one of: (a) a position of the flying object relative to the apparatus, (b) a velocity of the flying object relative to the apparatus, and (c) an orientation of the flying object. 19. apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flying object capturer includes a chain. 20. An apparatus comprising: (a) a suspension support;(b) a docking carriage supported b the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object;(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support, the flying object capturer including at least two teeth configured to capture a portion of the flying object therebetween; and(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object. 21. An apparatus comprising: (a) a suspension support;(b) a docking carriage supported by the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object;(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support in a substantially horizontal orientation, the flying object capturer including a first set of two teeth and a second different set of two teeth, wherein the teeth of the first set are configured to capture a portion of the flying object therebetween and the teeth of the second set are configured to capture the portion of the flying, object therebetween; and(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (47)
Winter Ralph C. (Doylestown PA), Aircraft arresting system.
Greenhalgh Richard David (Warton near Preston EN) Saunders Ronald Alexander (Warton near Preston EN) Seyfang George Reginald (Warton near Preston EN), Aircraft recovery methods.
Burgess R. Anthony (Toronto CAX) Cunliffe Geoffrey (Mississauga CAX) Tadros Atef (Brampton CAX), Apparatus for capturing, securing and traversing remotely piloted vehicles and methods therefor.
Burgess R. Anthony (Toronto CAX) Cunliffe Geoffrey (Mississauga CAX) Tadros Atef (Brampton CAX), Apparatus for capturing, securing and traversing remotely piloted vehicles and methods therefor.
Dennis,Brian D.; Jackson,Clifford; McGeer,Brian T.; von Flotow,Andreas H., Methods and apparatuses for capturing and recovering unmanned aircraft, including extendable capture devices.
Dennis,Brian D.; Jackson,Clifford; McGeer,Brian T., Methods and apparatuses for capturing and storing unmanned aircraft, including methods and apparatuses for securing the aircraft after capture.
Dennis,Brian D.; McGeer,Brian T.; Roeseler,Cory, Methods and apparatuses for capturing unmanned aircraft and constraining motion of the captured aircraft.
McGeer,Brian T.; Roeseler,Cory; von Flotow,Andreas H., Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft, including methods and apparatuses for releasably gripping aircraft during launch.
McGeer,Brian T.; von Flotow,Andreas H.; Roeseler,Cory, Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft, including releasably gripping aircraft during launch and braking subsequent grip motion.
McGeer, Brian T.; von Flotow, Andreas H.; Roeseler, Cory, Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft, including releasably gripping aircraft during launch and breaking subsequent grip motion.
McGeer,Brian T.; von Flotow,Andreas H.; Roeseler,Cory, Methods and apparatuses for launching unmanned aircraft, including releasably gripping aircraft during launch and breaking subsequent grip motion.
McGeer,Brian T., Methods and apparatuses for launching, capturing, and storing unmanned aircraft, including a container having a guide structure for aircraft components.
McGeer,Brian T., Methods and apparatuses for launching, capturing, and storing unmanned aircraft, including a container having a guide structure for aircraft components.
Roeseler, Corydon C.; Woodruff, Caleb Andrew; Reiss, Daniel Pepin, Multicopter-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.