US 11,702,187 B2
Collapsible pylons for drone aircraft
Robert Allen Bukovec, Dallas, TX (US); Nathaniel David Bryant, Dallas, TX (US); and Levi Charles Hefner, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations, Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/917,547.
Prior Publication US 2021/0403141 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B64C 9/34 (2006.01); B64D 27/26 (2006.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 9/34 (2013.01) [B64D 27/26 (2013.01); B64U 50/13 (2023.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A collapsible pylon for a drone aircraft, the collapsible pylon comprising:
an axially extending tubular barrel having a first barrel end and a second barrel end;
a first flex-pin bore formed through a wall of the barrel adjacent to the first barrel end and a second flex-pin bore formed through the wall of the barrel adjacent to the second barrel end;
a first arm having a first inboard end slidably positioned within the first barrel end and a first motor mount at an opposite end, wherein the first arm is axially slidable relative to the barrel between a first arm extended position and a first arm collapsed position;
a first flex pin disposed on the first arm adjacent to the first inboard end to engage the first flex-pin bore when the first arm is in the first arm extended position;
a second arm having a second inboard end slidably positioned within the second barrel end and a second motor mount on an opposite end, wherein the second arm is axially slidable relative to the barrel between a second arm extended position and a second arm collapsed position; and
a second flex pin disposed on the second arm adjacent to the second inboard end to engage the second flex-pin bore when the second arm is in the second arm extended position:
wherein the first motor mount and the second motor mount are separated by an extended distance when the first arm is in the first arm extended position and the second arm is in the second arm extended position, and the first motor mount and the second motor mount are separated by a collapsed distance that is less than the extended distance when at least one of the first arm is in the first arm collapsed position or the second arm is in the second arm collapsed position.