Selectively thrusting propulsion units for aerial vehicles
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B64D-027/26
B64C-039/02
B64C-011/32
G05D-001/10
출원번호
US-0083123
(2016-03-28)
등록번호
US-9663236
(2017-05-30)
발명자
/ 주소
Shiosaki, Dominic Timothy
Welsh, Ricky Dean
출원인 / 주소
Amazon Technologies, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Athorus, PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
1
초록▼
Aerial vehicles may include propulsion units having motors with drive shafts that may be aligned at a variety of orientations, propellers with variable pitch blades, and common operators for aligning the drive shafts at one or more orientations and for varying the pitch angles of the blades. The com
Aerial vehicles may include propulsion units having motors with drive shafts that may be aligned at a variety of orientations, propellers with variable pitch blades, and common operators for aligning the drive shafts at one or more orientations and for varying the pitch angles of the blades. The common operators may include plate elements to which a propeller hub is rotatably joined, and which may be supported by one or more linear actuators that may extend or retract to vary both the orientations of the drive shafts and the pitch angles of the blades. Operating the motors and propellers at varying speeds, gimbal angles or pitch angles enables the motors to generate forces in any number of directions and at any magnitudes. Attributes of the propulsion units may be selected in order to shape or control the noise generated thereby.
대표청구항▼
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a propulsion unit comprising: a housing having a base comprising a gimbaling mechanism;a plate element comprising a necked bore extending substantially perpendicular to a plane of the plate element;a motor assembly pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a propulsion unit comprising: a housing having a base comprising a gimbaling mechanism;a plate element comprising a necked bore extending substantially perpendicular to a plane of the plate element;a motor assembly pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism, wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor coupled to a first end of a drive shaft slidably extending through the necked bore, wherein the drive shaft defines an axis substantially perpendicular to the plate element, and wherein the motor is configured to rotate a second end of the drive shaft at a predetermined speed;a first plate support comprising a first linear actuator and a first shaft, wherein the first plate support has a first proximal end joined to the base and a first distal end joined to a first portion of the plate element, and wherein the first linear actuator is configured to adjust a length of the first plate support;a second plate support comprising a second linear actuator and a second shaft, wherein the second plate support has a second proximal end joined to the base and a second distal end joined to a second portion of the plate element, and wherein the second linear actuator is configured to adjust a second length of the second plate support;a third plate support, wherein the third plate support has a third proximal end joined to the base and a third distal end joined to a third portion of the plate element; anda propeller rotatably coupled to the second end of the drive shaft, wherein the propeller comprises a variable pitch hub having a plurality of rotatable linkages and a plurality of blades, wherein each of the plurality of blades is pivotably mounted to one of the rotatable linkages, and wherein a pitch angle of each of the plurality of blades is determined based at least in part on a relative distance between the variable pitch hub and the plate element. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a computing device having a memory and one or more computer processors, wherein the computing device is configured to at least: receive a first instruction to cause the aerial vehicle to travel at a first air speed and on a first course;determine a first force to be generated by the propulsion unit to cause the aerial vehicle to travel at the first air speed and on the first course, wherein the first force comprises a first magnitude and a first direction;determine at least one of a first motor speed and a first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first force;identify a first angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the first direction of the first force;determine, for the first linear actuator, a first length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the first pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the first angular orientation;determine, for the second linear actuator, a second length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the first pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the first angular orientation;cause the motor to operate at the first motor speed;cause the first linear actuator to align at the first length; andcause the second linear actuator to align at the second length. 3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an acoustic sensor, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least: capture acoustic energy during a first operation of the motor at the first motor speed and with the axis of the drive shaft aligned at the first angular orientation using the acoustic sensor;determine at least one of a second motor speed and a second pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first force based at least in part on the acoustic energy;determine, for the first linear actuator, a fourth length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the second pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the first angular orientation;determine, for the second linear actuator, a fifth length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the second pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the first angular orientation;cause the motor to operate at the second motor speed;cause the first linear actuator to align at the fourth length; andcause the second linear actuator to align at the fifth length. 4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least: receive a second instruction to cause the aerial vehicle to travel at a second air speed and on a second course;determine a second force to be generated by the propulsion unit to cause the aerial vehicle to travel at the second air speed and on the second course, wherein the second force comprises a second magnitude and a second direction;determine at least one of a second motor speed and a second pitch angle for generating the second magnitude of the second force;identify a second angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the second direction of the second force;determine, for the first linear actuator, a fourth length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the second pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the second angular orientation;determine, for the second linear actuator, a fifth length to cause each of the plurality of blades to align at the second pitch angle and to cause the axis of the drive shaft to align at the second angular orientation;cause the motor to operate at the second motor speed;cause the first linear actuator to align at the fourth length; andcause the second linear actuator to align at the fifth length. 5. A method to operate a propulsion unit of an aerial vehicle, wherein the propulsion unit comprises: a base having a gimbaling mechanism;a plate element having a bore, wherein the plate element defines a plane;at least one plate support extending between the base and the plate element, wherein the at least one plate support comprises at least one actuator to adjust a length of the at least one plate support;a motor pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism, wherein the motor is configured to rotate a drive shaft extending through the bore of the plate element substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate element, and wherein the gimbaling mechanism enables an angular orientation of the drive shaft to vary within a predetermined angular range; anda propeller comprising a variable pitch hub and a plurality of blades pivotably joined to the variable pitch hub, wherein a pitch angle of each of the plurality of blades is determined based at least in part on a relative position of the variable pitch hub with respect to the plate element, and wherein the propeller is coupled to the motor by the drive shaft, andwherein the method comprises:determining a first desired force to be generated by the propulsion unit by at least one computer processor, wherein the first desired force comprises a first magnitude and a first direction;determining at least a first motor speed and at least a first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force;determining a first angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the first direction of the first desired force;determining a first relative position of the plate element with respect to the variable pitch hub for placing each of the plurality of blades of the propeller at the first pitch angle and to place the drive shaft at the first angular orientation;causing the motor to operate at the first motor speed; andcausing the at least one actuator to place at least a portion of the plate element at the first relative position with respect to at least a portion of the base. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one plate support comprises at least one shaft, at least one ball joint joined to at least one portion of the plate element, at least one knuckle joint joined to at least one portion of the base and the at least one actuator, and wherein the at least one actuator is configured to increase or decrease a distance between the at least one portion of the plate element and the at least one portion of the base. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the propulsion unit further comprises: a first plate support extending between a first portion of the base and a first portion of the plate element, wherein the first plate support comprises a first shaft, a first ball joint joined to the first portion of the plate element, a first knuckle joint joined to the first portion of the base and a first actuator configured to increase or decrease a first distance between the first portion of the plate element and the first portion of the base;a second plate support extending between a second portion of the base and a second portion of the plate element, wherein the second plate support comprises a second shaft, a second ball joint joined to the second portion of the plate element, a second knuckle joint joined to the second portion of the base and a second actuator configured to increase or decrease a second distance between the second portion of the plate element and the second portion of the base; anda third plate support extending between a third portion of the base and a third portion of the plate element, wherein the third plate support comprises a third shaft, a third ball joint joined to the third portion of the plate element, a third knuckle joint joined to the third portion of the base and a third actuator configured to increase or decrease a third distance between the third portion of the plate element and the third portion of the base. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plate element comprises a substantially triangular shape having a first vertex, a second vertex and a third vertex, wherein the first portion of the plate element comprises the first vertex,wherein the second portion of the plate element comprises the second vertex, andwherein the third portion of the plate element comprises the third vertex. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the bore comprises a neck substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate element, wherein the drive shaft is slidably inserted into the bore, andwherein the plane of the plate element is substantially perpendicular to the angular orientation of the drive shaft. 10. The method of claim 5, further comprising: a motor assembly comprising a first support plate pivotably joined to the gimbaling mechanism, a second support plate, and a plurality of support bars extending between the first support plate and the second support plate,wherein the motor is disposed between the first support plate and the second support plate. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined angular range is between approximately zero and approximately fifteen degrees. 12. The method of claim 5, wherein determining at least the first motor speed and at least the first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force further comprises: determining a first shape of at least one of the plurality of blades joined to the variable pitch hub to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force, andwherein the method further comprises:causing the at least one of the plurality of blades to have the first shape. 13. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the first desired force to be generated by the propulsion unit further comprises: determining at least one of a first course or a first air speed for the aerial vehicle; andselecting the first magnitude and the first direction based at least in part on the first course or the first air speed. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining at least one of a second course or a second air speed for the aerial vehicle;selecting a second desired force to be generated by the propulsion unit based at least in part on the at least one of the second course or the second air speed;determining at least a second motor speed and at least a second pitch angle to generate the second magnitude of the second desired force;determining a second angular orientation of the drive shaft associated with the second direction of the second desired force;determining a second relative position of the plate element with respect to the variable pitch hub to place each of the plurality of blades of the propeller at the second pitch angle and to place the drive shaft at the second angular orientation;causing the motor to operate at the second motor speed; andcausing the at least one actuator to place at least the portion of the plate element at the second relative position with respect to at least the portion of the base. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: identifying a transit plan for the aerial vehicle, wherein the transit plan comprises a first segment between an origin and at least one intervening waypoint and a second segment between the at least one intervening waypoint and a destination,wherein the first course and the first air speed are associated with the first segment, andwherein the second course and the second air speed are associated with the second segment. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor, and wherein determining the at least one of the second course or the second air speed comprises:sensing at least one of an operating characteristic of the aerial vehicle or an environmental condition of the aerial vehicle using the at least one sensor,wherein the at least one of the second course or the second air speed is determined based at least in part on the operating characteristic or the environmental condition. 17. The method of claim 5, wherein determining at least the first motor speed and at least the first pitch angle to generate the first magnitude of the first desired force comprises: identifying at least one noise constraint associated with an operation of the aerial vehicle; andselecting at least one of the first motor speed or the first pitch angle based at least in part on the at least one noise constraint. 18. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a frame;a first propulsion unit mounted to the frame, wherein the first propulsion unit has a first motor and a first propeller with a first plurality of blades pivotably joined to a first hub at variable pitch angles, wherein the first motor is rotatably coupled to the first propeller by a first drive shaft at a variable angular orientation, and wherein the first propulsion unit comprises a first common operator to adjust the pitch angles of the first plurality of blades and the angular orientation of the first drive shaft; anda computing device having a memory and one or more computer processors,wherein the computing device is configured to at least: determine a desired velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle within at least one area;identify at least one noise restriction associated with the area;define a first force to be supplied to the unmanned aerial vehicle by the first propulsion unit to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel at the desired velocity within the area, wherein the first force comprises a first magnitude and a first direction;select a first pitch angle for the first plurality of blades of the first propeller based at least in part on the first magnitude of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;select a first rotational speed for the first motor based at least in part on the first magnitude of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;select a first angular orientation for the first drive shaft based at least in part on the first direction of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;cause, by the first common operator, the first plurality of blades to be aligned at the first pitch angle and the first drive shaft to be aligned at the first angular orientation; andcause the first motor to operate at the first rotational speed. 19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the noise restriction comprises at least one of a sound pressure level limit within the area or a frequency spectrum limit within the area. 20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18, further comprising an acoustic sensor, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least: capture information regarding sound radiated by the aerial vehicle within the at least one area;determine that the sound radiated by the aerial vehicle violates the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;select a second pitch angle for the first plurality of blades of the first propeller based at least in part on the first magnitude of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;select a second rotational speed for the first motor based at least in part on the first magnitude of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;select a second angular orientation for the first drive shaft based at least in part on the first direction of the first force and the at least one noise restriction associated with the area;cause, by the first common operator, the first plurality of blades to be aligned at the second pitch angle and the first drive shaft to be aligned at the third angular orientation; andcause the first motor to operate at the second rotational speed.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (1)
Wang, Tao; Wang, Mingyu, Remote control method and terminal.
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