# US 11,993,373 B2 · Unmanned aerial vehicle

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- Number: US 11,993,373 B2
- Document ID: US11993373B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/962,491
- Filed: 2019-01-17
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-17
- Assignees: Griff Aviation AS
- Applicants: Griff Aviation AS
- Inventors: Svein Even Blakstad; Jan Martin Nysæter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993373B2

## CPC

- B64U 20/50: Foldable or collapsible UAVs (with frangible components B64U20/30)
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries
- B64D 27/402: {comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant}
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- H01M 50/20: Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders (structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46)
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B64U 20/87: Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
- B64U 30/29: Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
- B64U 60/50: with landing legs
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- 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
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle, having a main body comprising at least an elongate backbone with a forward end piece and a rearward end piece. The end pieces are wider than the backbone and comprise coupling facilities for respective rotor arms, each said rotor arm configured for supporting motor and propeller assemblies. The unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a pair of elongated batteries. The end pieces and at least a portion of the backbone form receptacles on both sides of the backbone for releasably receiving respective electric batteries, wherein the batteries, backbone and end pieces form an elongate and substantially rectangular body assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
a main body comprising at least an elongate main frame (“backbone”) with a forward end piece and a rearward end piece;
wherein the end pieces are wider than the backbone and comprising coupling facilities for respective rotor arms, each rotor arm configured for supporting motor and propeller assemblies;
a pair of elongated batteries;
wherein the end pieces and at least a portion of the backbone form a receptacle on two opposite sides of the backbone for releasably receiving the elongated batteries;
wherein the elongated batteries, the backbone and the end pieces form an elongate and substantially rectangular body assembly;
battery holding and locking parts arranged at a side of the forward and rearward end pieces for releasable locking engagement with corresponding battery holding and locking arrangement parts located at short sides at ends of the elongated batteries; and
wherein the battery holding and locking parts are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the main body and facing each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein each rotor arm comprises an arm inner part having on one end a coupling arrangement adapted for coupling to the end piece and on a second end a first part of an arm folding hinge, and an arm outer part having on one end an adapter for said motor and propeller assemblies and on a second end a second part of the arm folding hinge, and a displaceable and spring biased hinge lock arrangement disposed in a first one of the arm inner and outer parts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a spring biased cotter pin adapted to enter a hole in a second one of the arm inner and outer parts when aligned in an unfolded position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a rail, and a lever with finger grab opening, lever rotation axis and bearing, carrier stud, and lever latching cam, and a lever latching pin and release button assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the elongated batteries comprise a top long side, an inner long side, an outer long side, a bottom long side, and an end short side, and wherein the end short side comprises parts of the battery holding and locking arrangement parts including a straight first recessed track and an L-shaped second recessed track, both tracks having end openings at an edge of the bottom long side.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the straight first recessed track is dimensioned to receive at an end opening a rail to control the elongated batteries to slide onto the main body and is positioned on the end short side of the elongated batteries so as to position the elongated batteries next to a long side of the backbone and position an electrical connector of the battery elongated batteries in alignment with an electrical connector of the main body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the opening of the L-shaped second recessed track is positioned on the end short side of the elongated batteries so as to be capable of receiving a carrier stud on a lever positioned in an unlock and release position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein a corner of the L-shaped second recessed track is positioned so as to meet the carrier stud when the elongated batteries have sledded along the rail till a point where the electrical connector is about to make contact with the electrical connector, at which point the carrier stud stops further movement of the elongated batteries until the lever is rotated about is a rotation axis and bearing of the lever.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein a rotation of the lever towards a battery locking position makes the carrier stud follow a circular path, and limited by horizontal portion of the L-shaped second recessed track, the carrier stud brings the elongated batteries along and with leverage drives the elongated batteries to move further to a point at which the top and bottom long sides of the elongated batteries are substantially flush with respective top and bottom long sides of the backbone and the electrical connector of the elongated batteries is fully mated with and connected to the electrical connector of the main body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9, wherein when elongated batteries already are installed on the main body in a held and locked position, by rotation of the lever towards the unlock and release position, the carrier stud follows the circular path in an opposite direction, and limited by horizontal portion of the L-shaped second recessed track, the carrier stud brings the elongated batteries along and with leverage drives the elongated batteries to move further to a point at which the top and bottom long sides of the elongated batteries are elevated with respective top and bottom long sides of the backbone and the electrical connector of the elongated batteries is fully lifted out and disconnected to the electrical connector of the main body.