Airframe of a volitant body

Number: 11899470
Published: 2024-02-13
Filed: 2020-12-02
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Wong; Clifford W. et al.
CPC: B64C1/061; B64C27/20; B64C39/022; B64C39/024; B64U10/14; B64U30/26; B64U50/14; G05D1/0816; G05D1/495; G05D1/69
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Flying-body (drone) airframe hardware with autonomous locomotion (granted).

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for an airframe of a volitant body are presented herein. An apparatus may include a body having a normal axis. The body comprising a central air passage communicating through the body along the normal axis of the body. The central air passage may have an inlet at a first end of the body and an outlet at a second end of the body, the second end being opposite the first end. The central air passage may form an interior surface of the body. The central air passage permitting a flow of air through the body via the central air passage. The inlet may be formed to produce a Venturi effect in the flow of air passing through the central air passage from the inlet to the outlet by choking the flow of air at the inlet.

Background

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE (1) This disclosure relates to an airframe of a volitant body, and systems and method to control the volitant body. BACKGROUND (2) Quadcopters, sometimes called drones, are becoming increasingly popular for both recreational and commercial use. Drones may be autonomous, remote-controlled, semi-autonomous, and/or controlled by other techniques. Drones are typically complex devices that use exposed spinning propellers and/or plastic rail guards in the same plane as the propellers to provide a minimal form of protection. Though they can maintain efficiency, the configurations of exposed propellers and/or using plastic rail guards may be unsafe. Upon collision of the drone with a user, the exposed spinning propellers may cause bodily harm. SUMMARY (3) Some manufactures may encase a drone, or portions thereof, in a protective cage. The cage may expose the drone as the object of interest. That is, the cage is typically built for the specific purpose of encasing the drone for safety, but not hiding the drone entirely because users still need to see the drone itself to properly control it remotely from a distance. However, the cage may create turbulence and thus reduce thrust efficiency. (4) Certain racing drones, called “whoops”, shroud each propeller slightly to maintain airflow and lift, but may be sized to enable high speed movement—a priority of a racing drone. Further, exposed spinning propellers may not hide the fact a drone is being used as a source of

Claims

1. An airframe of a flying toy device comprising: a body having a normal axis, the body comprising: an interior surface defining a central air passage communicating through the body along the normal axis of the body, the interior surface being formed such that a flow of air is permitted through the body via the central air passage; an air inlet at a first end of the body and an air outlet at a second end of the body, the second end being opposite the first end, wherein the air inlet tapers from a wide end to a narrow end, the wide end being at the first end of the body, the narrow end being opposite the wide end; a portion of the interior surface which starts at the narrow end of the air inlet and terminates at an opening of the outlet, the portion of the interior surface defining a constricted section of the central air passage; an exterior curved surface and an exterior flat surface, wherein the exterior flat surface is disposed at the first end of the body, wherein the exterior curved surface forms a substantially hemispherical shape of the body; and a set of side airflow passages evenly spaced around the body, wherein individual side airflow passages are disposed substantially orthogonal to the normal axis, the individual side airflow passages having individual side inlets at the exterior curved surface of the body which follow a contour of the exterior curved surface, the individual side airflow passages having individual side outlets at the portion of the interior surface such that the individual side outlets open into the constricted section of the central air passage, such that the individual side airflow passages permit individual flows of air from an ambient environment into the constricted section of the central air passage.