IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,530,036
Granted Patent B2
US 11,530,036 · App. 16/956,868 · Granted Dec 20, 2022

Fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle and control method thereof

Inventors: Zheng Zeng (Shanghai, CN); Lian Lian (Shanghai, CN); Di Lu (Shanghai, CN); Ping Ren (Shanghai, CN); Xiafei Ma (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: SHANGHAI JIAO TONG UNIVERSITY
B64C37/00B63G8/001B63G8/08B63G8/16B64C27/26B63G2008/002B64C2201/027B64C2201/042B64C2201/108
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,530,036
App. No.
16/956,868
Granted
Dec 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle includes a shell component, a flight component and a pneumatic buoyancy component. The flight component includes a fixed wing and rotors, and the fixed wing and the rotors are mounted in the shell component. The pneumatic buoyancy component includes an air bladder and an inflation and deflation portion, and the inflation and deflation portion can inflate and deflate the air bladder. The air bladder is installed on the shell component, a containing space is formed in the shell component, and the inflation and deflation portion is partially or entirely installed in the containing space. Each rotor includes a rotor supporting rod, a motor base, a motor and a propeller, which are sequentially connected. A control method for the fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle mentioned above is further provided.

Claims (51)

1. A fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle, comprising a shell component, a flight component, and a pneumatic buoyancy component; wherein

the flight component comprises a fixed wing and a plurality of rotors, and the fixed wing and the rotor are all mounted on the shell component;

the pneumatic buoyancy component comprises an air bladder and an inflation and deflation portion, the air bladder is connected to the inflation and deflation portion, and the inflation and deflation portion is configured to inflate and deflate the air bladder; and

the air bladder is installed on the shell component, a containing space is formed in the shell component, and the inflation and deflation portion is partially or entirely installed in the containing space;

wherein the inflation and deflation portion comprises a gas cylinder, a solenoid valve, an inflation pipe penetration member, and a deflation pipe penetration member;

the solenoid valve comprises an inflation solenoid valve and a deflation solenoid valve; and

the gas cylinder, the inflation pipe penetration member, the air bladder and the deflation pipe penetration member are sequentially connected.

2. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, the air bladder comprises an annular air bladder, and the annular air bladder is sleeved on the shell component; and

a vent relief valve is arranged on the annular air bladder.

3. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, each rotor comprises a rotor supporting rod, a motor base, a motor and a propeller, and the rotor supporting rod, the motor base, the motor and the propeller are sequentially connected; and

the plurality of rotors are arranged along a circumferential direction of the shell component.

4. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 3 , wherein, the propeller comprises an auto-folding propeller, and the auto-folding propeller comprises an auto-folding propeller hub and a pair of auto-folding aerial propeller blades; and

the motor comprises a waterproof brushless motor.

5. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, a depth sensor, a receiver, an electronic speed controller, a battery and a controller are arranged in the containing space;

the electronic speed controller comprises a four-in-one electronic speed controller, and the battery comprises a lithium battery; and

a pressure sensor is arranged on the air bladder.

6. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 5 , wherein, the controller comprises:

a signal acquisition module, wherein the signal acquisition module is configured to obtain a depth signal, a pressure signal and a remote control signal;

a flight control module, wherein the flight control module is configured to control the flight component to operate; and

a buoyancy control module, wherein the buoyancy control module is configured to control the pneumatic buoyancy component to operate.

7. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, the shell component comprises a sealed bottom cap, a sealed pressure shell, a sealed end cap and a top fairing, and the sealed bottom cap, the sealed pressure shell, the sealed end cap and the top fairing are sequentially connected; and

the sealed bottom cap is spherical, and the top fairing is ellipsoid.

8. The fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle of claim 7 , wherein, a supporting plate and a fixed-wing supporting ring are arranged on the shell component;

the rotors are fixedly connected to the shell component by the supporting plate, and the fixed wing is fixedly connected to the shell component by the fixed-wing supporting ring; and

the fixed-wing supporting ring comprises an upper fixed-wing supporting ring and a lower fixed-wing supporting ring, and the upper fixed-wing supporting ring and the lower fixed-wing supporting ring are arranged along an axial direction of the shell component.

9. A control method for a fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle, wherein the fixed-wing aerial underwater vehicle comprises a shell component, a flight component, and a pneumatic buoyancy component wherein the flight component comprises a fixed wing and a plurality of rotors, and the fixed wing and the rotor are all mounted on the shell component the pneumatic buoyancy component comprises an air bladder and an inflation and deflation portion, the air bladder is connected to the inflation and deflation portion, and the inflation and deflation portion is configured to inflate and deflate the air bladder; and the air bladder is installed on the shell component, a containing space is formed in the shell component, and the inflation and deflation portion is partially or entirely installed in the containing space, and the control method comprising following steps:

flying out of water: opening a inflation solenoid valve to inflate an annular air bladder; when an air pressure in the annular air bladder reaches a set value, closing the inflation solenoid valve, then a waterproof brushless motor operating, and an auto-folding propeller rotating and unfolding;

flying control: controlling an output current of the waterproof brushless motor by a four-in-one electronic speed controller to cause a rotational speed difference between a plurality of auto-folding propellers to achieve different motions;

entering the water: turning off the waterproof brushless motor, the auto-folding propeller folding, opening a deflation solenoid valve to deflate the annular air bladder; when the air pressure in the annular air bladder reaches the set value, closing the deflation solenoid valve; and

gliding underwater: controlling an opening and a closing of the inflation solenoid valve and the deflation solenoid valve to change a volume of the annular air bladder.

10. The control method of claim 9 , wherein, each rotor comprises a rotor supporting rod, a motor base, a motor and a propeller, and the rotor supporting rod, the motor base, the motor and the propeller are sequentially connected; and

the plurality of rotors are arranged along a circumferential direction of the shell component.

11. The control method of claim 10 , wherein, the propeller comprises an auto-folding propeller, and the auto-folding propeller comprises an auto-folding propeller hub and a pair of auto-folding aerial propeller blades; and

the motor comprises a waterproof brushless motor.

12. The control method of claim 9 , wherein, the inflation and deflation portion comprises a gas cylinder, a solenoid valve, an inflation pipe penetration member, and a deflation pipe penetration member;

the solenoid valve comprises an inflation solenoid valve and a deflation solenoid valve; and

the gas cylinder, the inflation pipe penetration member, the air bladder and the deflation pipe penetration member are sequentially connected.

13. The control method of claim 12 , wherein, the air bladder comprises an annular air bladder, and the annular air bladder is sleeved on the shell component; and

a vent relief valve is arranged on the annular air bladder.

14. The control method of claim 9 , wherein, a depth sensor, a receiver, an electronic speed controller, a battery and a controller are arranged in the containing space;

the electronic speed controller comprises a four-in-one electronic speed controller, and the battery comprises a lithium battery; and

a pressure sensor is arranged on the air bladder.

15. The control method of claim 14 , wherein, the controller comprises:

a signal acquisition module, wherein the signal acquisition module is configured to obtain a depth signal, a pressure signal and a remote control signal;

a flight control module, wherein the flight control module is configured to control the flight component to operate; and

a buoyancy control module, wherein the buoyancy control module is configured to control the pneumatic buoyancy component to operate.

16. The control method of claim 9 , wherein, the shell component comprises a sealed bottom cap, a sealed pressure shell, a sealed end cap and a top fairing, and the sealed bottom cap, the sealed pressure shell, the sealed end cap and the top fairing are sequentially connected; and

the sealed bottom cap is spherical, and the top fairing is ellipsoid.

17. The control method of claim 16 , wherein, a supporting plate and a fixed-wing supporting ring are arranged on the shell component;

the rotors are fixedly connected to the shell component by the supporting plate, and the fixed wing is fixedly connected to the shell component by the fixed-wing supporting ring; and

the fixed-wing supporting ring comprises an upper fixed-wing supporting ring and a lower fixed-wing supporting ring, and the upper fixed-wing supporting ring and the lower fixed-wing supporting ring are arranged along an axial direction of the shell component.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2020
From: ZENG, ZHENG; LIAN, LIAN; LU, DI; REN, PING; MA, XIAFEI
To: SHANGHAI JIAO TONG UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 053006/0311 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201711386555.4 · Dec 20, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210061458A1 · Mar 4, 2021