# US 10,766,599 B2 · Aircraft and outer shell therefor

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- Number: US 10,766,599 B2
- Document ID: US10766599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/016,686
- Filed: 2018-06-25
- Published: 2018-10-25
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-25
- Assignees: PowerVision Robot Inc.
- Applicants: PowerVision Robot Inc.
- Inventors: Weifeng Zheng; Hui Han; Yi Zheng; Buwei Wei; Guozhi Zeng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766599B2

## CPC

- H04N 7/185: {from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control}
- B64C 25/10: retractable, foldable, or the like
- B64U 20/50: Foldable or collapsible UAVs (with frangible components B64U20/30)
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- B64C 25/26: Control or locking systems therefor
- B64U 30/293: Foldable or collapsible rotors or rotor supports
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

An aircraft and an outer shell therefor. The aircraft includes an outer shell; and main body components, accommodated in the outer shell. The outer shell includes: an inner cavity, the inner cavity being provided with a space for at least accommodating the main body components of the aircraft; an outer surface, the outer surface enclosing the inner cavity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft, comprising:
an outer shell; and
main body components, accommodated in the outer shell;
wherein the outer shell comprises an inner cavity and an outer surface, the outer surface forms a first opening for a mechanical arm of the aircraft to expand and retract relative to the outer shell, and the main body components comprise a first installation mechanism that is located at the first opening and allows variation of the angle of the mechanical arm relative to a gravity center axis of the aircraft;
wherein the mechanical arm comprises:
an arm main body, the arm main body being installed on the first installation mechanism and being capable of being at least partially accommodated in the first opening when the mechanical arm is retracted; and
an arm cover, the arm cover being installed on a side of the arm main body and being capable of at least partially covering the first opening when the mechanical arm is retracted.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is provided in a form of an ellipsoid or a sphere.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the main body components comprise an aircraft framework.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further comprises mechanical arms.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The aircraft of claim 4, wherein the mechanical arm can expand and retract relative to the outer shell.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The aircraft of claim 4, wherein installation positions of the mechanical arms are distributed around a gravity center axis of the aircraft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of the first openings, the first openings pass through the outer surface of the outer shell, and the first openings are distributed around the aircraft in equal central angles.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the main body components comprise a controlling component for the mechanical arm, the controlling component for the mechanical arm is configured to generate an expanding signal for driving the mechanical arm to expand out of the first installation mechanism, and a retracting signal for driving the mechanical arm to retract back to the first installation mechanism, and the controlling component for the mechanical arm generates the expanding signal for the mechanical arm or the retracting signal for the mechanical arm according to a flight status of the aircraft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the outer surface forms a second opening for a leg of the aircraft to expand and retract relative to the outer shell, and the main body components comprise an installation mechanism that is located at the second opening and allows variation of the angle of the leg relative to a gravity center axis of the aircraft.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of the second openings, the second openings pass through the outer surface of the outer shell, and the second openings are distributed around the aircraft in equal central angles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the main body components comprise a controlling component for the leg of the aircraft, the controlling component for the leg of the aircraft is configured to generate an expanding signal for driving the leg of the aircraft to expand out of the installation mechanism and a retracting signal for driving the leg of the aircraft to retract back to the installation mechanism, and the controlling component for the leg of the aircraft generates the expanding signal or the retracting signal according to a flight status of the aircraft.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the leg comprises:
a leg main body, the leg main body being installed on the second installation mechanism and being capable of being at least partially accommodated in the second opening when the leg is retracted; and
a leg cover, the leg cover being installed on a side of the leg main body and being capable of at least partially covering the second opening when the leg is retracted.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the aircraft further comprises a gimbal camera, and the leg is disposed to be kept away from a shooting view of the gimbal camera after a flight height of the aircraft is not less than a threshold.

### Claim 14

An outer shell of an aircraft, the outer shell comprising:
an inner cavity, the inner cavity having a space for at least accommodating main body components of the aircraft; and
an outer surface, the outer surface enclosing the inner cavity;
wherein the outer surface forms a first opening for a mechanical arm of the aircraft to expand and retract relative to the outer shell, and the main body components comprise a first installation mechanism that is located at the first opening and allows variation of the angle of the mechanical arm relative to a gravity center axis of the aircraft;
wherein the mechanical arm comprises:
an arm main body, the arm main body being installed on the first installation mechanism and being capable of being at least partially accommodated in the first opening when the mechanical arm is retracted; and
an arm cover, the arm cover being installed on a side of the arm main body and being capable of at least partially covering the first opening when the mechanical arm is retracted.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The outer shell of claim 14, wherein the outer surface is bounded by a closed envelope surface, and the closed envelope surface is formed by a smooth curved surface or a plurality of surfaces.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The outer shell of claim 15, wherein the smooth curved surface has a shape of an ellipsoid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The outer shell of claim 14, wherein the outer surface further forms a second opening for a leg of the aircraft to expand and retract relative to the outer shell.