IP Library Granted Patent US 11,560,215
Granted Patent B2
US 11,560,215 · App. 16/770,880 · Granted Jan 24, 2023

Aircraft, flight system, and structure inspection system

Inventors: Akihiro Kawakami (Tokyo, JP); Shinji Tezuka (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B64C17/00B64C27/20B64C39/024B64D47/08B64C2201/027B64C2201/108B64C2201/127B64C2201/141
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,560,215
App. No.
16/770,880
Granted
Jan 24, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft ( 100 ) includes a body ( 10 ) and an outer frame ( 1 ) rotatably coupled to the body ( 10 ). The body ( 10 ) includes a plurality of rotary blades ( 15 a - 15 d ) and a driver ( 14 a - 14 d ) configured to rotate the plurality of rotary blades ( 15 a - 15 d ). The outer frame ( 1 ) includes a rotary frame ( 1 a - 1 c ) rotatable about a rotation axis intersecting the direction of gravity, and a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades ( 15 a - 15 d ) and the driver ( 14 a - 14 d ) is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

Claims (72)

1. An aircraft comprising:

a body including:

a plurality of rotary blades; and

a driver to rotate the plurality of rotary blades;

an outer frame rotatably coupled to the body; and

a storage battery to supply power to the driver,

wherein the outer frame includes a rotary frame rotatable about a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity,

wherein a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades and the driver is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity, and

wherein a center of gravity of the storage battery is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of rotary blades and the driver are located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein the body includes an image capturer to acquire at least one of an image and a video of a target, and

wherein a center of gravity of the image capturer is located above the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame includes at least one of a geodesic dome structure and a fullerene structure.

5. An aircraft comprising:

a body including:

a plurality of rotary blades; and

a driver to rotate the plurality of rotary blades; and

an outer frame rotatably coupled to the body,

wherein the outer frame includes a rotary frame rotatable about a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity,

wherein a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades and the driver is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity,

wherein the body includes an image capturer to acquire at least one of an image and a video of a target,

wherein a center of gravity of the image capturer is located above the rotation axis in the direction of gravity, and

wherein the image capturer is oriented to capture a downward face of a structure being the target.

6. The aircraft according to claim 5 ,

wherein the plurality of rotary blades and the driver are located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

7. The aircraft according to claim 5 ,

wherein the outer frame includes at least one of a geodesic dome structure and a fullerene structure.

8. An aircraft comprising:

a body including:

a plurality of rotary blades; and

a driver to rotate the plurality of rotary blades; and

an outer frame rotatably coupled to the body,

wherein the outer frame includes a rotary frame rotatable about a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity,

wherein a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades and the driver is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity,

wherein, where the rotation axis intersecting the direction of gravity is referred to as a first rotation axis and the rotary frame rotatable about the first rotation axis is referred to as a first rotary frame, the outer frame further includes a second rotary frame coupled to the first rotary frame, the second rotary frame rotates about a second rotation axis crossing the direction of gravity, the second rotation axis orthogonal to the first rotation axis, and

wherein a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades and the driver is located lower than the second rotation axis.

9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of storage batteries,

wherein the outer frame further includes a third rotary frame coupled to the second rotary frame, and the third rotary frame rotates about a third rotation axis being in the direction of gravity, and

wherein a center of gravity of each of the plurality of storage batteries is located lower than the first rotation axis and deviated from the third rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

10. The aircraft according to claim 8 ,

wherein the plurality of rotary blades and the driver are located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

11. The aircraft according to claim 8 ,

wherein the body includes an image capturer to acquire at least one of an image and a video of a target, and

wherein a center of gravity of the image capturer is located above the rotation axis in the direction of gravity.

12. The aircraft according to claim 8 ,

wherein the outer frame includes at least one of a geodesic dome structure and a fullerene structure.

13. A flight system comprising:

the aircraft according to claim 1 , and

an operation device to operate the aircraft.

14. A structure inspection system comprising:

an aircraft comprising:

a body including:

a plurality of rotary blades; and

a driver to rotate the plurality of rotary blades; and

an outer frame rotatably coupled to the body,

wherein the outer frame includes a rotary frame rotatable about a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity,

wherein a center of gravity of the plurality of rotary blades and the driver is located lower than the rotation axis in the direction of gravity,

wherein the body includes an image capturer to acquire at least one of an image and a video of a target,

wherein a center of gravity of the image capturer is located above the rotation axis in the direction of gravity;

an operation device to operate the aircraft; and

a terminal to communicate with at least one of the aircraft and the operation device,

wherein the terminal

generates a second image from a first image acquired with the image capturer; and

outputs the second image in association with the first image.

15. A flight system comprising:

the aircraft according to claim 5 , and

an operation device to operate the aircraft.

16. A flight system comprising:

the aircraft according to claim 8 , and

an operation device to operate the aircraft.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2020
From: KAWAKAMI, AKIHIRO; TEZUKA, SHINJI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 052868/0841 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2018-018575 · Feb 5, 2018 · national
JP JP2018-235437 · Dec 17, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210163122A1 · Jun 3, 2021