Battery shifting for center of gravity control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10543905-B1
Application number	US-201916267875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2019
Priority date	Feb 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

In an embodiment, a system for battery shifting for center of gravity (CG) control includes a battery holder and a controller. The battery holder is adapted to change between a first battery position and a second battery position in a vehicle. The battery holder being in the first position causes the vehicle to have a first CG and the battery holder being in the second position causes the vehicle to have a second CG. The controller is configured to move the battery holder into the first position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a first angle such that the vehicle has a CG in a first vehicle location, and move the battery holder into the second position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a second angle such that the vehicle has a CG in a second vehicle location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a float for a vehicle;
a plurality of battery holders provided in the float, wherein each of the battery holders is adapted to change between a first battery position and a second battery position in the float, and the plurality of battery holders being in the first battery position causes the vehicle to have a first center of gravity and the plurality of battery holders being in the second battery position causes the vehicle to have a second center of gravity; and
a controller provided in the float, the controller being configured to:
move the plurality of battery holders into the first battery position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a first angle such that the vehicle has a center of gravity in a first vehicle location; and
move the plurality of battery holders into the second battery position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a second angle such that the vehicle has a center of gravity in a second vehicle location;
wherein each of the battery holders is configured to move independently from each other.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first angle and the second angle includes at least one of a pitch angle and a roll angle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein movement of the plurality of battery holders between the first battery position and the second battery position aligns a center of thrust and the center of gravity along a vertical axis of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein movement of the plurality of battery holders between the first battery position and the second battery position reduces a load on a rotor of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle includes a plurality of rotors that are attached to the vehicle at a fixed roll angle and a fixed pitch angle; and
the plurality of battery holders is adapted to move along a guide rail to align a center of thrust of the vehicle of a center of gravity align a vertical axis of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator adapted to move the plurality of battery holders along a guide rail.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is mechanical.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is electrical.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator includes at least one of: a belt and pulley, a lead screw, a rack and pin, and a linear actuator.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuating platform adapted to receive at least one of the plurality of battery holders, wherein the actuating platform is adapted to move the at least one of the plurality of battery holders between the first battery position and the second battery position.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a second actuating platform and a second battery holder, wherein each of the battery holders has a respective actuating platform.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a locking mechanism provided between the plurality of battery holders and the actuating platform, wherein the locking mechanism permits motion in at least one of the x-direction and the y-direction.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the actuating platform has at least five degrees of freedom.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the actuating platform is a Stewart platform.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the actuating platform includes:
a top portion adapted to support at least one of the plurality of battery holders; and
at least two legs independently joined to the top portion by a respective multi degrees of freedom joint, the at least two legs adapted to move independently of each other.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a locking mechanism provided between the plurality of battery holders and the actuating platform, wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one stopper to interrupt sliding motion of the battery.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a stopper to interrupt sliding motion of the plurality of battery holders for each direction of motion.

18. A method comprising:
providing a float for a vehicle;
providing a plurality of battery holders in the float, wherein each of the battery holders is adapted to change between a first battery position and a second battery position in the float, and the plurality of battery holders being in the first battery position causes the vehicle to have a first center of gravity and the plurality of battery holders being in the second battery position causes the vehicle to have a second center of gravity; and
providing a controller in the float, the controller being configured to:
move the plurality of battery holders into the first battery position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a first angle such that the vehicle has a center of gravity in a first vehicle location; and
move the plurality of battery holders into the second battery position at least some of the time when the vehicle is flying at a second angle such that the vehicle has a center of gravity in a second vehicle location;
wherein each of the battery holders is configured to move independently from each other.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein movement of the plurality of battery holders between the first battery position and the second battery position aligns a center of thrust and the center of gravity along a vertical axis of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Kwon Dennis Young
• Parker Madeline Elliott

Classifications

• B64C35/00

  Flying-boats; Seaplanes · CPC title

• B64C17/02 Primary

  by gravity or inertia-actuated apparatus · CPC title

• B64C27/20

  Rotorcraft characterised by having shrouded rotors, e.g. flying platforms · CPC title

• B64D27/24

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title