# US 10,770,833 B2 · Coupling mechanism for light vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,833 B2 - Document ID: US10770833B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/903,797 - Filed: 2018-02-23 - Published: 2019-07-25 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-24 - Assignees: Roke Manor Research Limited - Applicants: Roke Manor Research Limited - Inventors: Michael Hodgson; Rebecca Robinson; Jack Wakley; Edmund Sparks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770833B2 ## CPC - B64C 25/52: Skis or runners - H01R 13/6205: {Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet} - B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations - B64F 1/12: for anchoring aircraft - B64U 10/13: Flying platforms - B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports - B64U 70/90: Launching from or landing on platforms - G01B 21/00: Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant - H01F 7/0252: {PM holding devices (H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence)} - H01F 7/20: without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) - H01F 7/204: {Circuits for energising or de-energising} - B60P 3/073: Vehicle retainers {(specially adapted for fixing semi-trailers on railway vehicles B61D45/004)} - B64C 2025/325: {specially adapted for helicopters} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A coupling mechanism for coupling a light vehicle to a surface, the coupling mechanism comprising: a magnetic coupling device arranged such that it may be switched between a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode the device generates an external magnetic field less than a first strength, and in the second mode the device generates an external magnetic field of at least a second strength, the second strength being greater than the first strength; and a surface detection unit, coupled to the magnetic coupling device, and arranged to determine when the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a surface, wherein in response to the surface detection unit determining that the light vehicle is within the predetermined distance, switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode, to secure the light vehicle to the surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coupling mechanism for coupling a light vehicle to a surface, the coupling mechanism comprising: a magnetic coupling device, configured to be attached to the light vehicle, and arranged such that it may be switched between a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode the magnetic coupling device generates an external magnetic field less than a first strength, and in the second mode the magnetic coupling device generates an external magnetic field of at least a second strength, the second strength being greater than the first strength; and a surface detection unit, configured to be attached to the light vehicle, and arranged in use to determine a distance between the light vehicle and the surface and to determine when the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the surface, wherein in response to the surface detection unit determining that the light vehicle is within the predetermined distance, switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode, to couple the magnetic coupling device to the surface and thereby secure the light vehicle to the surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, wherein the surface detection unit comprises one or more of a machine vision system, a micro switch, an optical sensor, a radar detection unit and a magnetometer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, wherein the surface detection unit is further arranged to detect if magnetic susceptibility of the surface is greater than a predetermined level, and the magnetic coupling device is switched from the first mode to the second mode only upon detection that the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance to the surface with a magnetic susceptibility greater than the predetermined level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, further comprising: a manually operable means for switching the magnetic coupling device between the first and second modes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, further comprising: an electrically conductive pathway, arranged such that one end of the electrically conductive pathway comes into contact with the surface when the light vehicle is in contact with the surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The coupling mechanism of claim 5, wherein the magnetic coupling device forms at least part of the electrically conductive pathway. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling device comprises a permanent magnet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The coupling mechanism of claim 7, wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises adjusting a position of the permanent magnet to be closer to the surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The coupling mechanism of claim 7, wherein the magnetic coupling device further comprises a magnetic adapter, coupled to the permanent magnet, arranged to minimise the external magnetic field of the permanent magnet in a first position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The coupling mechanism of claim 9, wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises adjusting a position of one or both of the permanent magnet and the magnetic adapter relative to each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The coupling mechanism of claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling device comprises an electromagnet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The coupling mechanism of claim 11 wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises increasing electrical current supplied to the electromagnet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The coupling mechanism of claim 11, wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises adjusting a position of the electromagnet to be closer to the surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A light vehicle, comprising the coupling mechanism of claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The light vehicle of claim 14, wherein the light vehicle is one or more of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned land vehicle and an unmanned sea vehicle. ### Claim 16 A method of operating a coupling mechanism for coupling a light vehicle to a surface, the method comprising: determining, by a surface detection unit attached to the light vehicle when the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance to the surface; and switching a magnetic coupling device, attached to the light vehicle, from a first mode to a second mode to secure the light vehicle to the surface, wherein in the first mode the magnetic coupling device generates an external magnetic field less than a first strength, and in the second mode the magnetic coupling device generates an external magnetic field of at least a second strength, the second strength being greater than the first strength. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: detecting if magnetic susceptibility of the surface is greater than a predetermined level, wherein the magnetic coupling device is switched from the first mode to the second mode only upon detection that the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance to the surface with a magnetic susceptibility greater than the predetermined level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises adjusting a position of at least part of the magnetic coupling device to be closer to the surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic coupling device comprises a permanent magnet and a magnetic adapter, and wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises adjusting a position of one or both of the permanent magnet and the magnetic adapter relative to each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic coupling device comprises an electromagnet, and wherein switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode comprises increasing the electrical current supplied to the electromagnet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: determining a presence of an electrical connection between the coupling mechanism and the surface; and sustaining a supply of electrical current to the electromagnet by use of the electrical connection.