Flying robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760478-B2
Application number	US-201916978005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2019
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A flying robot comprising: a flying body unit; a propulsion portion comprising a plurality of propulsion units configured to cause propulsion to occur by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided on the flying body unit; a working body unit; a manipulator unit configured to be capable of executing predetermined work and comprising one or more work manipulators provided on the working body unit; and connection units provided on the working body unit and the flying body unit so as to enable the flying body unit to be connected with and disconnected from the working body unit; wherein the flying robot executes the predetermined work by the work manipulators in a state in which the working body unit and the flying body unit are connected at the connection units. The flying robot is caused to execute a wide range of content of work as far as possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flying robot comprising:
a flying body unit;
a propulsion portion comprising a plurality of propulsion units configured to cause propulsion to occur by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided on the flying body unit;
a working body unit;
a manipulator unit configured to be capable of executing predetermined work and comprising one or more work manipulators provided on the working body unit; and
connection units provided on the working body unit and the flying body unit so as to enable the flying body unit to be connected with and disconnected from the working body unit by flying with the plurality of propulsion units;
wherein the flying robot executes the predetermined work by the work manipulators in a state in which the working body unit and the flying body unit are connected at the connection units; and
the flying body unit detects and connects the working body unit corresponding to the predetermined work from one or more work manipulators while flying based on an instruction of the predetermined work.

2. The flying robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the one or more work manipulators are arm units configured to be capable of grasping a target object; and
the flying robot grasps the target object by the arm units as the predetermined work while flying by the propulsion portion in the state in which the working body unit and the flying body unit are connected at the connection units.

3. The flying robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of work manipulators are leg units configured to be capable of supporting the working body unit; and
the flying robot executes walk control on a walking surface by the leg units as the predetermined work without flying by the propulsion portion, in the state in which the working body unit and the flying body unit are connected at the connection units.

4. The flying robot according to claim 1 , wherein
the flying body unit comprises a flying-side secondary battery configured to supply power for driving the plurality of propulsion units and capable of being supplied with power from outside;
the working body unit comprises a working-side battery configured to supply power for driving the one or more work manipulators; and
when the working body unit and the flying unit body are connected at the connection units, power supply from the working-side battery to the flying-side secondary battery is performed.

Assignees

• Thk Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hoshide Kaoru

Classifications

• B64U10/16

  with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters · CPC title

• B64U60/55

  the legs being also used as ground propulsion · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U50/23

  with each propulsion means having an individual motor · CPC title

• B60F5/02 Primary

  convertible into aircraft (convertible aircraft B64C37/00; convertible unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV]-type aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles, B64U10/70) · CPC title