UAV having shroud cooling openings
AssigneeSnap Inc.
InventorsDavid G. Fliszar, Mathias Hintermann, Russell Douglas Patton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A UAV including a shroud with cooling openings to cool electronics in the UAV. The shroud includes propeller openings surrounding respective propellers. The propeller openings include intake openings that draw air from outside the shroud into the shroud to cool UAV components. The propeller openings are formed at an interface between an upper portion of the shroud and a lower portion of the shroud. The UAV includes a selector, such as a dial, including exit openings under the selector that provide air outflow from the shroud.
Claims12
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
- a shroud having a shroud wall encompassing a cavity;
- electronics including a processor configured to control the UAV disposed within the cavity and encompassed by the shroud wall;
- a propeller opening formed by the shroud wall and extending through the shroud;
- a propeller coupled to the shroud and positioned within the propeller opening;
- an air intake vent disposed through the shroud wall in the propeller opening and communicating with the cavity, the propeller configured to force air through the air intake vent from the propeller opening into the shroud cavity and direct the forced air across the electronics;
- a selector coupled to the processor, wherein the selector is coupled to an exterior surface of the shroud;
- and
- an air outflow vent configured to direct air from within the shroud cavity out through the shroud wall, wherein the air outflow vent is disposed adjacent the selector.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
- a shroud having a shroud wall encompassing a cavity;
- electronics including a processor configured to control the UAV disposed within the cavity and encompassed by the shroud wall;
- a propeller opening formed by the shroud wall and extending through the shroud;
- a propeller coupled to the shroud and positioned within the propeller opening;
- an air intake vent disposed through the shroud wall in the propeller opening and communicating with the cavity, the propeller configured to force air through the air intake vent from the propeller opening into the shroud cavity and direct the forced air across the electronics;
- the shroud comprising an air outflow vent configured to direct air from within the shroud cavity out through the shroud wall, wherein the shroud wall has an upper portion and a lower portion coupled together at an interface, wherein the interface forms the air intake vent, wherein the air intake vent comprises a plurality of openings extending through the shroud wall, and wherein the upper portion and the lower portion each have recesses that together form the plurality of openings.
A method of using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising a shroud having a shroud wall encompassing a cavity, electronics including a processor configured to control the UAV disposed within the cavity and encompassed by the shroud wall, a selector coupled to the processor, wherein the selector is coupled to an exterior surface of the shroud, a propeller opening formed by the shroud wall and extending through the shroud, a propeller coupled to the shroud and positioned within the propeller opening, and an air intake vent in the propeller opening and communicating with the cavity, the propeller configured to force air through the air intake vent from the propeller opening into the shroud cavity and direct the forced air across the electronics, the shroud comprising an air outflow vent configured to direct air from within the shroud cavity out through the shroud wall, wherein the air outflow vent is disposed adjacent the selector, comprising:
- forcing air from outside the shroud into the shroud cavity via the air intake vent;
- flowing the forced air about the electronics;
- and
- directing air from within the shroud cavity out through the air outflow vent.
A method of using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a shroud having a shroud wall encompassing a cavity, electronics including a processor configured to control the UAV disposed within the cavity and encompassed by the shroud wall, a propeller opening formed by the shroud wall and extending through the shroud, a propeller coupled to the shroud and positioned within the propeller opening, and an air intake vent in the propeller opening and communicating with the cavity, the propeller configured to force air through the air intake vent from the propeller opening into the shroud cavity and direct the forced air across the electronics, wherein the shroud wall has an upper portion and a lower portion coupled together at an interface, wherein the interface forms the air intake vent comprising a plurality of openings extending through the shroud wall, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion each have recesses that together form the plurality of openings, the method comprising:
- forcing air from outside the shroud into the shroud cavity via the air intake vent;
- and
- flowing the forced air about the electronics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.