US 12,214,871 B2
Drone arms locking/deployment mechanism
Gedalia Kuperman, Tel Aviv (IL); and Shay Yitshak, Mishmar David (IL)
Assigned to SPEAR U.A.V LTD, Tel Aviv (IL)
Filed by SPEAR U.A.V LTD, Tel Aviv (IL)
Filed on May 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/750,546.
Claims priority of application No. 283403 (IL), filed on May 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0388653 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64C 27/33 (2006.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 30/293 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01)
CPC B64C 27/33 (2013.01) [B64C 39/02 (2013.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 30/293 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drone comprising:
a body defining a central axis;
two or more arms, each arm (i) comprises a rotor disposed at a distal end portion, and (ii) being pivotally coupled to the body at a proximal end portion to allow a pivotal transition between a first, non-deployed state in which the arms extend substantially in the axial direction, and a second, deployed state in which the arms extend from the body substantially in the radial direction;
wherein each arm is pivotably connected to the body by a pivot in between a main arm portion that comprises the rotor and a lever arm portion;
a biasing assembly that comprises (i) at least one biasing element, and (ii) at least one interfacing element being configured to displace by the biasing element, between a non-biased state and a biased state; wherein
(i) during said displacement of the at least one interfacing element, each of the at least one interfacing element is configured to engage the proximal end portion of each respective arm so as to apply a biasing force sufficient to cause said pivotal transition about said pivot, wherein the pivot is different than the at least one interfacing element, and wherein (ii) when the biasing assembly is in the biased state, each interfacing element restricts the pivotal movement of the arm and restrains it in the deployed state;
wherein the interfacing element is not integral with or coupled to the arm;
wherein the interfacing element is either (1) a bearing that bears on said lever portion of the arm, or (2) is constituted by a projection, wherein the projection projects normal to the central axis and is configured to engage with said lever portion of the arm;
wherein the lever portion has an interfacing rim portion, and the interfacing element interfaces with said rim portion during said transition, and wherein in the non-biased state the rim portion is located axially to the interfacing element and in the biased state the rim portion is located radially to the interfacing element.