Aerial vehicle securing system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548657-B2
Application number	US-201916980541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

An aerial vehicle securing system for use with a base portion of an aerial vehicle, comprising: at least one substantially flat platform for supporting said base portion upon landing of the vehicle thereon; at least one magnetizable element configured to be integrated in one of said platform or base portion; at least one electropermanent magnet configured to be integrated in another one of said platform or base portion, said electropermanent magnet configured for generating a magnetic field, so that upon a distance between said base portion and said platform reaching a pre-determined value during the landing of the vehicle on the platform, said magnetic field is configured to cause magnetizable element to be attracted to at least said one electropermanent magnet; and a power supply module configured for generating an electric current to said at least one electropermanent magnet for selectively generating and cancelling said magnetic field.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerial vehicle securing system for use with a base portion of an aerial vehicle, the aerial vehicle securing system comprising:
at least one substantially flat platform having an upper surface for supporting said base portion upon landing of the aerial vehicle thereon;
at least one magnetizable element configured to be integrated in said base portion;
at least one electropermanent magnet having an upper flat surface and configured to be integrated in said at least one substantially flat platform, said upper flat surface being configured to constitute a majority of said upper surface of said at least one substantially flat platform, said at least one electropermanent magnet including at least two sections, each of the at least two sections includes permanent magnetic material, being configured for generating a net magnetic field, so that upon a distance between said base portion and said at least one substantially flat platform reaching a pre-determined value during the landing of the aerial vehicle on the platform, said net magnetic field is configured to cause said at least one magnetizable element to be attracted to said at least one electropermanent magnet;
a power supply module configured for generating an electric pulse of current to said at least one electropermanent magnet for selectively generating and cancelling said net magnetic field, wherein at least one of the at least two sections is configured for changing a direction of magnetization thereof in response to said electric pulse of current, thereby selectively generating and cancelling said net magnetic field; and
a controlling module configured for controlling supply of said electric pulse of current.

2. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one magnetizable element is constituted by two or more magnetizable elements integrated in said base portion, and at two opposite sides of a center of gravity of the aerial vehicle or symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the aerial vehicle.

3. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one substantially flat platform includes a locomotion mechanism for transporting said at least one substantially flat platform with said aerial vehicle while being secured thereto.

4. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one magnetizable element includes a ferromagnetic element or an electromagnetic element.

5. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said upper flat surface of the at least one electropermanent magnet is substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the at least one substantially flat platform.

6. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electropermanent magnet or said at least one substantially flat platform includes one or more delimiting portions extending from the upper surface thereof for delimiting displacement of the base portion.

7. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein the upper flat surface of said at least one electropermanent magnet is characterized by a friction coefficient that is greater than a friction coefficient of an exterior surface of said at least one magnetizable element.

8. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 1 , wherein said controlling module is configured for receiving a releasing command, and upon receipt of said releasing command, said controlling module is configured for instructing said power supply module to generate the electric pulse of current to cancel the net magnetic field.

9. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 8 , wherein said releasing command is configured to be generated upon exceedance of a predetermined threshold parameter indicative of an intentional take-off of the aerial vehicle.

10. The aerial vehicle securing system according to claim 8 , wherein said releasing command is configured to be generated upon exceedance of a predetermined threshold parameter indicative of Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) of the aerial vehicle's motor.

11. A method for securing an aerial vehicle having a base portion by an aerial vehicle securing system, said method comprising:
providing said aerial vehicle securing system including: at least one substantially flat platform having an upper surface for supporting said base portion upon landing of the aerial vehicle thereon; at least one magnetizable element configured to be integrated in said base portion; at least one electropermanent magnet having an upper flat surface and configured to be integrated in said at least one substantially flat platform, said upper flat surface being configured to constitute a majority of said upper surface of said at least one substantially flat platform, said at least one electropermanent magnet including at least two sections, each of the at least two sections including permanent magnetic material, being configured for generating a net magnetic field, so that upon a distance between said base portion and said at least one substantially flat platform reaching a pre-determined value during the landing of the aerial vehicle on the at least one substantially flat platform, said net magnetic field is configured to cause said at least one magnetizable element to be attracted to said at least one electropermanent magnet, wherein at least one of the at least two sections is configured for changing a direction of its magnetization in response to an electric pulse of current for selectively generating and cancelling said net magnetic field; a power supply module; and a controlling module; and
while said aerial vehicle being secured to said at least one substantially flat platform by said net magnetic field, instructing said power supply module by said controlling unit to control supply of the electric pulse of current to said at least one electropermanent magnet for cancelling said net magnetic field.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising receiving a releasing command at the controlling module, and upon receipt of said releasing command, performing said instructing said power supply module by said controlling unit to control supply of the electric pulse of current to said at least one electropermanent magnet for cancelling said net magnetic field.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said releasing command is configured to be generated upon exceedance of a predetermined threshold parameter indicative of Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) of the aerial vehicle's motor.

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Gelman Gil
• Elnekave David
• Herzig Yoav

Classifications

• B64F1/12 Primary

  for anchoring aircraft · CPC title

• B64C25/58

  Arrangements or adaptations of shock-absorbers or springs (shimmy-dampers B64C25/50) · CPC title

• B64F1/222

  for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars · CPC title

• B64F1/22 Primary

  for handling aircraft · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title