US 10,118,713 B2 · Electric unmanned aerial vehicle launcher

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide improvements to UAV launching systems. The disclosed launching system eliminates the use of hydraulic fluid and compressed nitrogen or air by providing an electric motor-driven tape that causes movement of a shuttle along a launcher rail. The shuttle is detachable from the motor-driven tape, such that stoppage of the tape can be separate from stoppage of the shuttle. Embodiments further provide a secondary arrestment strap. Further embodiments provide an anti-rollback latch system.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A launching system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

(a) a launcher rail;
(b) a shuttle configured to travel along the launcher rail;
(c) a drive mechanism for moving the shuttle along the launcher rail, the drive mechanism comprising (i) a length of tape running along the launcher rail, (ii) an electric drive motor that drives movement of the tape, and (iii) a drive reel to which one end of the tape is secured and around which the tape is wound during launch, wherein the shuttle is detachably secured to the tape via a rotary assembly system and a pawl, wherein engagement of the pawl with respect to the rotary assembly maintains attachment of the shuttle to the tape, wherein release of the pawl from the rotary assembly allows the shuttle to release from the tape.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/999,290Filed 20 Apr 2016 · continuation in part

Priority

27 Aug 2013

Published

US 2016/0347477 A11 Dec 2016

Granted

6 Nov 2018

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B64F 1/08
For launching aircraft: using winches
B64U 70/70
Launching, take-off or landing arrangements: launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails
B64F
Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for use in connection with aircraft
B64U
Unmanned aerial vehicles [uav]

Family

Application61/870,281Us provisional application · filed 27 Aug 2013

Application14/469,767Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Aug 2014

US 2016/0347477 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Dec 2016

US 9,783,322 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2015/0060600 A1Published application

US 10,118,713 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Electric unmanned aerial vehicle launcher

Life of this patent

Electric unmanned aerial vehicle launcher

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20