IP Library Granted Patent US 11,932,429
Granted Patent B1
US 11,932,429 · App. 18/193,856 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Mounts for unmanned aerial vehicles

Inventors: Trevor Greenberg (Louisville, KY); David Brandon Smith (Ft. Worth, TX); Isaac C. Dearmond (North Richland Hills, TX)
Assignee: INDOOR ROBOTICS INC.
B64U80/00B64U2101/31
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,932,429
App. No.
18/193,856
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station for a premises including a ceiling grid and a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid is provided. The apparatus includes an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket including a top surface and a bottom surface which is configured to be affixed to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in the ceiling grid by a first plurality of fastening elements. The bottom surface of the bracket is configured to be affixed to the ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station. The apparatus further includes a panel including a top surface and a bottom surface which is configured to be affixed to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements. The top surface of the panel includes at least one anchoring element physically coupling the panel to the support structure.

Claims (28)

1. An apparatus for supporting a ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station in a premises comprising a ceiling grid and a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid, the apparatus comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface of the bracket comprising a first plurality of fastening elements configured to be affixed to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in the ceiling grid, the bottom surface of the bracket being configured to be affixed to the ceiling mounted unmanned aerial vehicle docking station; and

a panel comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the bottom surface of the panel being configured to be affixed to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements, the top surface of the panel comprising at least one anchoring element physically coupling the panel to the support structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ceiling element is a ceiling tile.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one anchoring element comprises at least one eye bolt inserted in the top surface of the panel, where the at least one eye bolt is configured to be affixed to a coupling, and the coupling is configured to be attached at a first end to the at least one eye bolt and at a second end to the support structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the coupling comprises a hanging wire.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a cross brace coupled to the top surface of the panel, where the cross brace is configured to be affixed to at least one of a main beam and a cross beam of the ceiling grid; and

at least one anchoring element affixed to the cross brace, the at least one anchoring element being configured to be affixed to a coupling, the coupling comprising a first end affixed to the at least one anchoring element and a second end affixed to the support structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a power supply for the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station configured to be coupled to the cross brace.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one anchoring element comprises an eye bolt, and the coupling comprises a hanging wire.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the panel is a rectangular shape which has substantially the same length and width as the ceiling element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station is configured to be affixed to the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket, the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station comprising a magnetic docking element for magnetically securing a premises security unmanned aerial vehicle during a docking procedure or an undocking procedure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the panel is configured to be affixed to the ceiling grid using lathe screws.

11. An apparatus for supporting an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station, the apparatus comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket comprising a first plurality of fastening elements configured to be affixed to an exposed surface of a ceiling element in a ceiling grid, the bottom surface of the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket being configured to be affixed to the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station; and

a panel comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the bottom surface of the panel being configured to be affixed to a concealed surface of the ceiling element by the first plurality of fastening elements, the top surface of the panel comprising at least one anchoring element configured to physically couple the panel to a support structure disposed above the ceiling grid.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the ceiling element is a ceiling tile.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one anchoring element comprises at least one eye bolt configured to be inserted in the top surface of the panel, where the at least one eye bolt is configured to be affixed to a coupling, and the coupling is configured to be attached at a first end to the at least one eye bolt and at a second end to the support structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the coupling comprises a hanging wire.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:

a cross brace configured to be coupled to the top surface of the panel, the cross brace being configured to be affixed to at least one of a main beam or a cross beam of the ceiling grid; and

at least one anchoring element configured to be affixed to the cross brace, the at least one anchoring element being configured to be affixed to a coupling, the coupling comprising a first end configured to be affixed to the at least one anchoring element and a second end configured to be affixed to the support structure.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the cross brace is configured to be coupled to a power supply for the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one anchoring element comprises an eye bolt, and the coupling comprises a hanging wire.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the panel is a rectangular shape that has substantially the same length and width as the ceiling element.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station mounting bracket is configured to be affixed to the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station, the unmanned aerial vehicle docking station comprising a magnetic docking element for magnetically securing a premises security unmanned aerial vehicle during a docking procedure or an undocking procedure.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the panel is configured to be affixed to the ceiling grid using a plurality of lathe screws.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2023
From: THE ADT SECURITY CORPORATION
To: INDOOR ROBOTICS INC.
Reel/Frame 065274/0830 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: GREENBERG, TREVOR; SMITH, DAVID BRANDON; DEARMOND, ISAAC C.
To: THE ADT SECURITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063201/0372 →
Continuity (1)
Continuation 18087784 · Dec 22, 2022