Aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11173997-B2
Application number	US-201816119545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Nov 16, 2021
Grant date	Nov 16, 2021

Abstract

An aircraft includes: a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller; a balloon that laterally covers the plurality of rotor units, across a height of the plurality of rotor units in an up-and-down direction; and a drive unit configured to change the external shape of the balloon at a predetermined timing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft, comprising:
a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller;
a shock absorber that laterally covers the plurality of rotor units, across a height of the plurality of rotor units in an up-and-down direction;
a processor configured to perform shape-change control to change an external shape of the shock absorber at a predetermined timing; and
an on-board device that protrudes beyond the shock absorber,
wherein when the external shape of the shock absorber changes, the on-board device does not protrude beyond the shock absorber,
wherein the shock absorber comprises a balloon containing gas,
wherein the balloon includes a recessed region by which part of the external shape of the balloon is recessed,
wherein a shape of the recessed region is maintained by a base of the recessed region connected to another part of the balloon, inside the balloon, via a connector, and
wherein the shape-change control to be performed by the processor includes a disconnect process to disconnect the connector at the predetermined timing to cause the recessed region to protrude beyond the on-board device by internal pressure of the balloon.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a receiver that receives a signal,
wherein the predetermined timing is when the receiver receives a shape-change instruction signal instructing that the external shape of the shock absorber be changed, and
wherein the processor is configured to perform the shape-change control to change the external shape of the shock absorber when the receiver receives the shape-change instruction signal.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object below the aircraft,
wherein the predetermined timing is when the distance measured by the distance measuring unit is less than a predetermined distance, and
the processor is configured to perform the shape-change control to change the external shape of the shock absorber when the distance measured by the distance measuring unit is less than the predetermined distance.

4. An aircraft, comprising:
a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller;
a shock absorber that laterally covers the plurality of rotor units, across a height of the plurality of rotor units in an up-and-down direction;
a processor configured to perform shape-change control to change an external shape of the shock absorber at a predetermined timing; and
an on-board device that protrudes beyond the shock absorber,
wherein when the external shape of the shock absorber changes, the on-board device does not protrude beyond the shock absorber,
wherein the shock absorber comprises a balloon containing gas,
wherein the balloon includes a protruding region by which part of the external shape of the balloon is protruding,
wherein the protruding region has a distal end that connects to part of an outer surface of the balloon via a connector to give the protruding region a shape that follows a contour of the outer surface of the balloon, and
wherein the shape-change control to be performed by the processor includes a disconnect process to disconnect the connector at the predetermined timing to cause the protruding region to protrude from the external shape of the balloon.

5. An aircraft, comprising:
a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller;
a shock absorber that laterally covers the plurality of rotor units, across a height of the plurality of rotor units in an up-and-down direction;
a processor configured to perform shape-change control to change an external shape of the shock absorber at a predetermined timing; and
an on-board device that protrudes beyond the shock absorber,
wherein when the external shape of the shock absorber changes, the on-board device does not protrude beyond the shock absorber,
wherein the shock absorber comprises a balloon containing gas,
wherein the balloon includes a first region that is inflated and a second region that is deflated,
wherein the aircraft includes a gas supply unit capable of supplying gas to the second region, and
wherein the shape-change control to be performed by the processor includes a gas supply process to cause the gas supply unit to supply gas to inflate the second region at the predetermined timing so that the second region protrudes from the balloon.

6. The aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein
the gas supply unit comprises a valve that is disposed between the first region and the second region and selectively places a first space defined by the first region in fluid communication with a second space that the second region is capable of defining, and
the gas supply process opens the valve to supply gas contained in the first space to the second region at the predetermined timing.

7. The aircraft according to claim 5 , wherein
the gas supply unit comprises a canister filled with gas, and
the gas supply process causes the canister to supply the gas to the second region at the predetermined timing.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd
• Panasonic Intellectuai Property Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Toyama Masayuki
• Yumiki Naoto
• Tsuji Atsuhiro
• Matsumoto Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B64U10/30

  Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U20/70

  Constructional aspects of the UAV body · CPC title