This disclosure describes a detent alignment mechanism consisting of a flexible plate and a lock plate arranged such that displacement of the flexible plate will release the interengagement and allow the lock plate to change position. The mechanism may provide one or more indexed locked positions. The geometry of the design allows the lock plate to move freely until a detent interengagement occurs. Displacing the flexible plate will allow the lock plate to be moved until the next engagement. In one application of the mechanism adapted to a multirotor aircraft (RPAS, drone, UAV) with arms extending horizontally from the fuselage, the invention allows the drone arms to fold against the fuselage for transportation and extend to the flight position smoothly and reliably without the use of tools or fasteners. The design provides a high strength, secure rotary joint for multirotor aircraft with specific geometries suited to 3, 4, 6 and 8 arm configurations.
LOCKING FOLDING ARM DETENT MECHANISM FOR MULTIROTOR AIRCRAFT
MECANISME DE DETENTE DE BRAS ARTICULE A VERROU POUR UN AERONEF MULTIROTOR
2021-09-17
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge |
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Europäisches Patentamt | 2017