AN ARM MECHANISM FOR DOCKING AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE TO A STRUCTURE FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
20220388651 · 2022-12-08
Inventors
- Karthik Rajasekaran (Chennai, IN)
- Karthik Rajasekaran (Chennai, IN)
- Mohan Kumar (Chennai, IN)
- Pavantanooj Kodari Sai (Chennai, IN)
- Sunil Gd (Chennai, IN)
- Abhiman Sarkar (Chennai, IN)
- Kaushik Sampath (Chennai, IN)
- Raakesh Kamal (Chennai, IN)
Cpc classification
B64U2101/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
The present disclosure discloses an arm mechanism (100) for docking an unmanned aerial vehicle (200), to a structure for conducting non-destructive testing. The arm mechanism (100) comprises a bracket (101), which is connected to a body (201) of the unmanned aerial vehicle (200). Further, the arm mechanism (100) comprises a pair of members (M) positioned in the bracket (101), and each of the pair of members (M) are configured to rotate relative to movement of a driving unit (D). Furthermore, the arm mechanism (100) comprises at least one arm (104), which is coupled to each of the pair of members (M). Actuation of the driving unit (D), drives each of the pair of members (M) to angularly displace each of the at least one arm (104), to facilitate adjustment of arms (104) for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to different geometrical structures for conducting non-destructive testing.
Claims
1. An arm mechanism (100) for docking an unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to a structure for conducting non-destructive testing, the arm mechanism (100) comprising: a bracket (101), connectable to a body (201) of the unmanned aerial vehicle (200); a pair of members (M) rotatably positioned in the bracket (101), wherein each of the pair of members (M) is configured to rotate relative to movement of a driving unit (D); and at least one arm (104), coupled to each of the pair of members (M); wherein, actuation of the driving unit (D), drives each of the pair of members (M) to angularly displace each of the at least one arm (104), to facilitate adjustment of the arms (104) for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to the structure for non-destructive testing.
2. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of members (M) is a gear (102).
3. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gear (102) is a spur gear.
4. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving unit (D) is a worm gear (103) and is positioned in meshing engagement between the pair of gears (102).
5. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angular displacement of each of the at least one arm (104), facilitates in docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to different geometries of the structure.
6. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, the driving unit (D) is actuatable by a flange shaft, wherein the flange shaft is removably connectable to the driving unit (D).
7. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprises a rubber pad (105) coupled to an end of each of the at least one arm (104) via a torsional spring, wherein the rubber pad (105) provides traction for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200).
8. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprises a wheel (106) coupled to the end of each of the at least one arm (104), wherein the wheel (106) facilitates in docking and linear travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle (200).
9. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm mechanism (100) is enclosed in a housing made of thermally insulative material.
10. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thermally insulative material is at least one of a ceramic and a carbon material.
11. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of members (M) is a coupler unit (301).
12. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving unit (D) is a collar (305), configured to displace on a sleeve member (304).
13. The arm mechanism (100) as claimed in claim 11, comprises a pair of link members (303), wherein each of the pair of link members (303) are configured to connect the driving unit (D) and each of the pair of arms (104).
14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (200), adapted for conducting non-destructive testing, the aerial vehicle comprising: a body (201); a plurality of rotors (202) supported by the body (201), wherein the plurality of rotors (202) is adapted to exert a propulsion force to the unmanned aerial vehicle (200); a support structure (203) connected to the body (201), wherein the support structure (203) is configured to position a testing probe (204); an arm mechanism (100), for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to a structure, the mechanism (100) comprising: a bracket (101), connectable to a body (201) of unmanned aerial vehicle (200); a pair of members (M) rotatably positioned in the bracket (101), wherein each of the pair of members (M) are configured to rotate relative to movement of a driving unit (D); and at least one arm (104), coupled to each of the pair of (102); wherein, actuation of the driving unit (D), drives each of the pair of members (M) to angularly displace each of the at least one arm (104), to facilitate adjustment of the arms (104) for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to the structure for non-destructive testing.
15. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) is between a center of geometry of the body (201) and the testing probe (204), to facilitate in docking the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) to the structure.
16. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the support structure (203) includes a telescopic probe holder (205), configured to adjust the testing probe (204) based on angular displacement of each of the at least one arms (104).
17. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the support structure (203) of the testing probe (204) comprises an adjustment mechanism (400) to angularly displace the testing probe (204).
18. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the adjustment mechanism (400) includes a spur gear (401) and a worm gear (402) arrangement, to angularly displace the testing probe (204).
19. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, comprises a damper (206) configured at an end of the support structure (203), wherein the damper (206) facilitates in providing three degrees of freedom to adjust the probe (204) to dock on to the structure.
20. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the testing probe (204) is an ultrasonic probe (204), and is encased with a ceramic material.
21. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 14, comprises at least one sensor associated with the testing probe (204), wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine contact of the testing probe (204) with a surface of the structure.
22. The unmanned aerial vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least one sensor is a force sensor.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES
[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of device and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
[0030]
[0031]
[0032]
[0033]
[0034]
[0035] The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] In the present document, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
[0037] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and the scope of the disclosure.
[0038] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that mechanism or system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.
[0039] Embodiments of the present disclosure discloses an arm mechanism for an unmanned aerial vehicle, for non-destructive testing such as an ultrasonic testing. The arm mechanism comprises a bracket, a pair of members positioned in the bracket and a driving unit. Each of the pair of members is configured to rotate relative to movement of the driving unit. Further, the arm mechanism comprises at least one arm coupled to each of the pair of members. In an embodiment, actuating the driving unit, drives (thus, rotates) each of the pair of members. This rotation of each of the pair of members, may result in angular displacement of each of the at least one arm. This angular displacement of each of the at least one arm, based on the requirement provides flexibility for the unmanned aerial vehicle to dock itself on to the structure having different geometrical structures and different geometrical structures.
[0040] In the following detailed description, embodiments of the disclosure are explained with reference of accompanying figures that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0041]
[0042] As shown in
[0043]
[0044] As illustrated in
[0045] In an embodiment, positioning the driving unit (D) (thus, the worm gear (103)) between the pair of gears (102) may not be construed as a limitation, as individual driving unit (D) may be adapted to rotate each of the pair of gears (102) independently, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0046] Further referring to
[0047] By actuating the driving unit (D) via the flange shaft, each of the pair of gears (102) are operated (thus, rotated). Rotation of each of the pair of gears (102), may facilitate in angular displacement of each of the at least one arm (104) towards and away from each other. As an example, actuating the driving unit (D) in a first direction, say clockwise direction, one of the pair of gears (102) may rotate in a first direction, i.e. clockwise direction, while one of the pair of gears (102) may rotate in a second direction say anti-clockwise direction. This movement of each of the pair of gears (102), angularly displaces each of the at least one arm (104) away from each other. In other words, this rotation of the each of the pair of gears (102), facilitates in diverging each of the at least one arm (104). Further, actuating the driving unit (D) in a second direction, say anti-clockwise direction, one gear of the pair of gears (102) may rotate in anti-clockwise direction, while the other gear of the pair of gears (102) may rotate in clockwise direction. This movement of each of the pair of gears (102) may angularly displace each of the pair of gears (102), towards each other. In other words, this rotation of each of the pair of gears (102), facilitates in converging each of the at least one arm (104). This angular displacement of the each of the at least one arm (104), between a predefined position, may facilitate in docking the aerial vehicle (200) to different geometrical structures, for conducting non-destructive testing.
[0048] In an embodiment, diverging the at least one arms (104) due to actuation of the driving unit (D) in clockwise direction, and converging the at least one arms (104) due to actuation of the driving unit (D) in anti-clockwise direction may not be construed as a limitation, since clockwise actuation of the driving unit (D) may result in converging of the at least one arm (104) and anti-clockwise actuation of the driving unit (D) may result in diverging of the at least one arm (104), without deviating from scope of the present disclosure.
[0049] As apparent from
[0050] Referring to
[0051] In an embodiment, the driving unit (D) may be actuated to angularly adjust each of the at least one arm (104) based on the geometry of the structure to be docked, before flight of the aerial vehicle (200) or the driving unit (D) may be operated to adjust each of the at least one arms (104) during on-board of the aerial vehicle (200), in order to dock the aerial vehicle (200) to different geometrical structures.
[0052]
[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the pair of members (M) in the arm mechanism (100) may be coupler units (301), which may be rotatably positioned in the bracket (101). As an example, each of the pair of coupler units (301) may be rotatably positioned in the bracket (101) using suitable bearing arrangement. Further, each of the pair of coupler units (301) are configured to be operated (thus, rotated) by a driving unit (D). In an embodiment, the driving unit (D) may be a collar (305) disposed on a sleeve member (304), and is configured to displace in an upward and downward direction on the sleeve member (304), within a predefined length. Furthermore, the arm mechanism (100) may include at least one arm (104), coupled to each of the pair of coupler units (301). Additionally, the arm mechanism (100) comprises a pair of link members (303), which may be configured to connect each of the pair of arms (104) and the collar (305).
[0054] In an embodiment, displacing the collar (305) on the sleeve member (304) in an upward direction, may facilitate in angularly displacing each of the pair of arms (104) towards each other. In other words, displacing the collar (305) in the upward direction, facilitates each of the link members (303) to pivot towards the bracket (101). This facilitates in angularly displacing the each of the pair of arms (104) towards each other i.e. converging each of the pair of arms (104). Further, displacing the collar (305) in a downward direction, may actuate the link members (303) to angularly displace each of the pair of arms (104) away from each other i.e. diverging each of the pair of arms (104), and thus adjusting the pair of arms (104) based on the geometry of the structure to facilitate docking the aerial vehicle (200).
[0055] In some embodiments, the arm mechanism (100) may include a pulley arrangement, a wire or a rope arrangement, a hydraulic actuation arrangement, pneumatic actuation arrangement and the like, without deviating from scope of the present disclosure, to angularly displace each of the pair of arms (104) for docking the aerial vehicle (200) to different geometrical structures.
[0056] In an embodiment, the arm mechanism (100) and the testing probe (204) may be enclosed within a housing, made of thermally insulative material, to withstand high operational temperature of about 200 to 250 degrees and external environmental forces. As an example, the thermally insulative material may be one of but not limiting to ceramic and carbon material.
[0057] Returning back to
[0058] In an embodiment, the adjustment mechanism (400) to adjust (i.e. angularly displace) the probe holder (205) (thus, the testing probe (204)), may include rosette gears (500). As apparent from
[0059] In an embodiment, the probe holder (205) may be configured to be telescopic. This facilitates the probe holder (205) to extend or retract, based on angular displacement of the arms (104), in order to contact the testing probe (204) with the surface of the structure.
[0060] In an embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle (200) comprises at least one sensor, associated with the testing probe (204). The at least one sensor may be configured to determine contact of the testing probe (204) with the structure, during non-destructive testing. As an example, the at least one sensor may be a force sensor. This facilitates the user to determine contact of the testing probe (204) during non-destructive testing and hence, may facilitate in obtaining accurate readings, which in turn aids in assessing parameters of the structure precisely.
[0061] In an embodiment, the arm mechanism (100) may facilitate in adapting a single unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct non-destructive testing of different types of structures having varied geometries.
Equivalents
[0062] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
[0063] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances, where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
TABLE-US-00001 Referral Numerals: Reference Number Description 100 Arm mechanism 101 Bracket M Pair of members 102 Gears D Driving unit 103 Worm gear 104 Arm 105 Pad 106 Wheel 200 Unmanned aerial vehicle 201 Body 202 Plurality of rotors 203 Support structure 204 Testing probe 205 Probe holder 206 Damper 301 Coupler units 303 Link members 304 Sleeve member 305 Collar 400 Adjustment mechanism 401 Spur gear 402 Worm gear 500 Rosette gears 501 Sections of the probe holder 502 Fastening element