Armwing structures for aerial robots
Robotic wings for an aerial drone include a plurality of armwing structures, each comprising a plurality of rigid members connected together by flexible living hinges in a single monolithic structure. Wing membranes are supported by the armwing structures. A drive mechanism is connected to the armwing structures for articulating the armwing structures. A motor is connected to the drive mechanism for actuating the drive mechanism to move the armwing structures through a series of wingbeats wherein the armwing structures expand in a downstroke and retract in an upstroke to move the wing membranes in a flapping motion.
1. Robotic wings for an aerial drone, comprising:
a plurality of armwing structures, each comprising a plurality of rigid members connected together by flexible living hinges in a single monolithic structure;
wing membranes supported by the armwing structures;
a drive mechanism connected to the armwing structures for articulating the armwing structures;
each armwing structure including an upper section with a radius four-bar linkage mechanism connected to the drive mechanism and a lower section with a humerus four-bar linkage mechanism connected to the drive mechanism; and
a motor connected to the drive mechanism for actuating the drive mechanism to move the armwing structures through a series of wingbeats wherein the armwing structures expand in a downstroke and retract in an upstroke to move the wing membranes in a flapping motion.
2. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the rigid members and flexible living hinges comprise different materials, and wherein the armwing structures are formed in an additive manufacturing process.
3. The robotic wings of claim 2 , wherein the additive manufacturing process uses a Polyjet 3-D printer.
4. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the armwing structures include four-bar linkage mechanisms.
5. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein each flexible living hinge comprises a joint with a notch design.
6. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a gear and crank mechanism operably coupled to the motor and to the plurality of armwing structures.
7. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the armwing structures comprise two sets of crank and four-bar mechanisms representing a radius bone and a humerus bone, respectively, in a bat's arm.
8. The robotic wings of claim 7 , wherein the two sets of crank and four-bar mechanisms are off-plane and parallel to each other.
9. The robotic wings of claim 8 , wherein gears of the drive mechanism that drive the two sets of crank and four-bar mechanisms are located in a midpoint of housing to enable a symmetric wing assembly.
10. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a single brushless motor.
11. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the aerial robot drone comprises a micro-aerial vehicle.
12. The robotic wings of claim 1 , wherein the wing membranes each comprise a flexible printed circuit board.
13. The robotic wings of claim 12 , wherein the printed circuit board includes computer processing units and sensors.
14. The robotic wings of claim 13 , wherein the sensors perform flow measurement or wing movement measurement.
15. Armwing structures for an aerial robot, each comprising a plurality of rigid members connected together by flexible living hinges in a single monolithic structure,
each armwing structure supporting a wing membrane and
articulated by a drive mechanism driven by a motor; and
each armwing structure including an upper section with a radius four-bar linkage mechanism connected to the drive mechanism and a lower section with a humerus four-bar linkage mechanism connected to the drive mechanism,
such that the armwing structures are moved through a series of wingbeats during which the armwing structures expand in a downstroke and retract in an upstroke to move the wing membranes in a flapping motion.
16. The armwing structures of claim 15 , wherein the rigid members and flexible living hinges comprise different materials, and wherein the armwing structures are formed in an additive manufacturing process.
17. The armwing structures of claim 15 , wherein the armwing structures include four-bar linkage mechanisms.
18. The armwing structures of claim 15 , wherein the armwing structures comprise two sets of crank and four-bar mechanisms representing a radius bone and a humerus bone, respectively, in a bat's arm.