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US 10,499,628 B2Granted
Dispensers and methods of use thereof for dispensing solid mosquito larvicides and other materials of interest
AssigneeRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
InventorsGregory M. Williams, Randy Gaugler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Dispenser devices suitable for use on unmanned aerial vehicles are described having utility for dispensing solid larvicides to difficult to reach insect habitats.
Claims13
A linear dispenser device for an unmanned aerial system (UAS) for releasing one or more solid briquettes or tablets at a location of interest, comprising:
- a body housing a control board and having supporting arms with means for mounting said body onto legs of the unmanned aerial system (UAS), said body having a lid, a charge port, indicator lights, an on/off switch, and a wire hole;
- a hopper connected to said body for holding the briquettes or tablets above a mouth of the body;
- a servo attached to a servo arm with a shuttle located in the mouth;
- a separate opaque light cover connectable to the UAS for replacing a clear lens on the UAS;
- and
- a light sensor configured to be positioned by said light cover directly below a light on the UAS;
- wherein the light sensor is configured to detect when the light of the UAS is on or off and to send signals to the control board;
- and
- wherein the control board is configured to signal the servo to swing the shuttle back from the mouth with the servo arm for allowing one of the briquettes or tablets to drop from the hopper into the mouth when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS being turned on or off, and to move the shuttle forward to push the briquette or tablet out of the mouth when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS being switched back off or on, thereby releasing the briquette or tablet at the location of interest.
6 more elements
A linear dispenser device for releasing one or more solid briquettes or tablets at a location of interest from an unmanned aerial system (UAS) having a light, comprising:
- a body for housing electronics and having support arms with clips for mounting said body on the UAS, the body defining a mouth through which a briquette or tablet may be released, said electronics including a control board and a servo;
- a hopper connected to said body for containing a supply of briquettes or tablets adjacent the mouth;
- a servo arm extending from the servo and configured to locate a shuttle in positions within and outside of the mouth;
- and
- a light sensor configured to be mounted adjacent the light of the UAS, to detect when the light of the UAS is toggled from on to off and from off to on, and to transmit signals to the control board;
- wherein the control board is configured to cause the servo to move the shuttle with the servo arm out of the mouth to permit a briquette or tablet to drop from the hopper into the mouth, when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS having been toggled, and to move the shuttle to push the briquette or tablet out of the mouth, when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS being toggled again to thereby release the briquette or tablet at a location of interest.
3 more elements
An unmanned aerial system (UAS) with linear dispenser device for releasing one or more solid briquettes or tablets at a location of interest, said UAS having legs and at least one remotely actuatable light, and said linear dispenser device comprising:
- a body for housing electronics and having support arms mounted to the legs of the UAS, the body defining a mouth through which a briquette or tablet may be released, said electronics including a control board and a servo;
- a hopper connected to said body for containing a supply of briquettes or tablets adjacent the mouth;
- a servo arm extending from the servo and configured to locate a shuttle in positions within and outside of the mouth;
- and
- a light sensor mounted adjacent the light of the UAS to detect when the light of the UAS is toggled from on to off or from off to on and to transmit signals to the control board;
- wherein the control board is configured to cause the servo to move the shuttle with the servo arm out of the mouth to permit a briquette or tablet to drop from the hopper into the mouth, when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS having been toggled, and to move the shuttle to push the briquette or tablet out of the mouth, when the light sensor detects the light of the UAS being toggled again to thereby release the briquette or tablet at the location of interest.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.