Patent Application
20230264824
This invention generally relates to electric flying vehicles, and more particularly to electric flying vehicles with multiple independent propulsion modules containing removable and rechargeable battery packs capable of being balanced among the various packs of the vehicle while in flight.
The utility of vehicles for, but not limited to, agriculture, cattle herding, mining and similar purposes is nothing new; however, the use of an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) that is considered an ultralight vehicle category of aircraft, built in compliance with the FAA's 14 CFR, Part 103 standards to reduce emissions, complexity and safety concerns could prove cost-effective and invaluable to many markets needing to go short distances in a direct line path more quickly to investigate situations and provide timely response.
Various embodiments of a single operator electric vertical takeoff and landing transportation vehicle according to this invention are described herein, henceforth referred to as the “vehicle”. In some embodiments there may be a varying number of propulsion modules. The propulsion modules can be as low as two units and the maximum is unlimited and any number of modules in between. The proposed embodiment's design is for optimal operator safety and reduced risk of harm to person and/or the vehicle in such a way that it would no longer be able to operator safely. In any embodiment, the propulsion modules act as standalone units, but have a balancing capability using a voltage bus, connected with a higher resistance wire, designed to keep the battery packs at similar voltages by allowing more current to flow through the wire. The battery bus places all packs in a parallel configuration to optimize power draw and balancing at the same time.
Other aspects of this invention include a seat assembly for use in the vehicle as well as methods and systems of constructing, operating and retrofit modification of vehicles according to aspects of this invention.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The invention can be implemented in many ways, including as a process; an apparatus; a system; a flying vehicle, a composition of matter; a computer program product embodied on a computer readable storage medium; and/or a processor, such as a processor configured to execute instructions stored on and/or provided by a memory coupled to the processor. In this specification, these implementations, or any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Unless otherwise stated, a component such as a processor or memory described as being configured to perform or complete a task may be implemented as a general component that is temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time or a specific component that is manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term ‘processor’ refers to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores configured to process data, such as computer program instructions.
Various embodiments of a single operator electric vertical takeoff and landing transportation vehicle 10 are described herein, henceforth referred to as the “vehicle”. In some embodiments there may be a varying number of propulsion modules 12. The number of propulsion modules 12 can be as low as two units and the maximum is unlimited and any number of modules in between. The proposed embodiment's design is for optimal operator safety and reduced risk of harm to person and/or the vehicle 10 in such a way that it would no longer be able to operator safely. In any embodiment, the propulsion modules 12 act as standalone units, but have a balancing capability using a voltage bus 14, connected with a higher resistance wire, designed to keep battery packs 202 at similar voltages by allowing more current to flow through the wire. The battery voltage bus 14 places all battery packs 202 in a parallel configuration to optimize power draw and balancing at the same time.
For the purposes of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention have not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
Each battery pack 202 is directly connected to an electronic speed control module (ESC) 18 that drives the voltage of a motor 200 to increase or decrease the revolutions of the motor 200 per minute (RPM's). A shorter, lower gauge wire, with less resistance, is used between the battery pack 202 and the ESC module 18 to ensure the proper voltage and amperage is flowing to the motor 200.
Each propulsion module 12 is controlled independently by a vehicle Flight Control Computer (FCC) 28 located in the ECOM 104. Hence, each propulsion module 12 is standalone other than it contains a high voltage connection to the other propulsion modules 12 for purposes of balancing the battery packs 202 and a network connection to the FCC 28. In one embodiment, the implementation of the frame 30 is constructed for optimal flight control with the requirement that the propulsion modules 12 be far enough away from one another, should a fire occur in one of the propulsion modules 12 or its battery pack 202, it would not become hot enough to affect an adjacent propulsion module 12 and the vehicle 10 can continue to be controlled safely.
One embodiment of this invention has the floatation unit 209 in association with the airtight battery pack 204 which act together in the process of dissipating water across all propulsion modules 12 to assist a central fuselage outrigger floatation device 212 to keep the vehicle 10 afloat. Depending on vehicle weight, the size of the outrigger flotation device 212 should handle the majority of the floatation and the removable battery pack 202 would only descend approximately two-thirds under water at landing (
Another aspect of some embodiments of the vehicle 10 includes a fuselage float. The fuselage float displaces the majority of the water and it is used in conjunction with the outrigger floats 212 for buoyancy. The fuselage float may be comprised of a bladder and a covering that is waterproof. It is strapped into the frame with waterproof laces to maintain its position inside the frame. The fuselage float can be made up of a single or multiple floats.
The entire pack enclosure 1000 has a circuit board 1005 of the BMS 26 mounted on top of the pack enclosure 1000. The LOAD leads are run to two locking ports 1004 that in this embodiment are keyed on the back of the pack enclosure 1000 and these points will connect into the associated propulsion module 12 housing at equally keyed connectors of opposite gender or polarity. On the other end of the sealed pack is a handle 1001 for easy pull-out removal of the pack 202 from the propulsion module 12. An additional status light, in this embodiment, maybe mounted for informational purposes regarding the active state of the battery pack 202.
The following illustrations describe the purpose of the rechargeable battery system 26 according to one embodiment of this invention.
When the propulsion module's battery 202 life is low, the rechargeable battery pack 202 is pulled from the module 12 and placed in the battery charging system 300. This battery 202 can then be charged and used later in any propulsion module 12. We see that for each propulsion module 12, the battery pack 202 may be pulled and moved to the battery charging system 300 and a fully charged battery pack 202 may be pulled from the charging station 300 and moved back into the any propulsion module 12. Similarly any propulsion module 12 without a battery in it may have a battery pack 202 taken from the battery charging system 300 and placed into the propulsion module 12.
In this embodiment, the battery packs 202 are anonymous when added to the propulsion enclosure and only addressed for purposes of serializing tracking of the physical hardware. When placed in the vehicle 10 via the propulsion module's propulsion enclosure, they are then programmatically assigned a unique identifier associated with that particular propulsion module 12 (see
One embodiment as shown in
In one embodiment, the voltage of the various battery packs 202 needs to stay within a range, usually one to two tenths of each other, during discharge. This is to assure the vehicle operator that they have enough range and range calculations can be performed easily. To accomplish this, the high voltage bus 32 is used.
Just as this battery pack 202 is in parallel with each of the other modules 12 and the load is drawn across all packs 202, the packs 202 will balance each other with the high resistance 804. When current flows through the lines the high resistance, a principle of Ohm's Law, causes the other independent battery packs 202 to level at the same voltage. Each of the battery packs 202 will rise in voltage to the voltage of the highest pack.
Referencing
The following illustrations depict the purpose of the external battery charging system 300. In one embodiment, an external battery charging system 300 provides some very useful purpose. If the mechanism is a rolling cart or similar, it can be moved around easily and house additional removable battery packs 202 that are charged and ready for use once the vehicle packs 202 are discharged beyond effective use.
In one embodiment, additional range from one point to another may be necessary and by using an automotive vehicle, the packs 202 could be easily charged and retrieved using a battery charging system 300.
As each pack 202 is engaged in the battery charging system 300, it is seen by the FCC 28 that will follow the same process as
One possible scenario that takes advantage of the rechargeable/replaceable battery packs 202, but for which this invention is not limited to, follows.
The packs 202 left at FIELD A 902 can be charged and used later. The battery recharging system 300 could also be temporarily located at FIELD A 902 and then later returned to FARM A 900 for a later deployment somewhere else.
In one embodiment, each propulsion module 12 is managed by a central flight control system 28 to ensure stable and controlled flight. Stable and controlled flight is achieved through the use of factors involving, but not limited to, operator input, environmental instrumentation, vehicle instrumentation, third party remote data sources, all being accessed while in flight. To manage and control a multitude of electric motors 200 and perform responsive thrust management to maintain stable flight; ascending flight, descending flight; forward flight; and maneuvering flight, the flight control computer 28, these inputs used on all three flight axis to control the vehicle 10 in an unlimited set of possibilities. Below is described various non-limiting field of inventions technology to achieve this.
All input is processed through the interface layer 2001 of the FCC 28. The inputs are managed through drivers written to take device or signal input that could be, but not limited to digital or analog signaling. The inputs are processed to a normalized internal structure that organizes the data so it can be easily passed between system layers.
The execution layer 2002 is the layer where processing assessment and command request and response occurs. This layer 2002 will manage the state of the system as well as the logging for debugging and component assessment and management. It will provide logical system data management for the inner layers that process flight and vehicle characteristics.
When the execution layer 2002 passes data to the intermediate layer 2003 flight control tasks such as, but not limited to, hover, move forward, accelerate, and attitude are being calculated for execution. This layer 2003 is a combination of auto-generated code based on simulation and human considerations.
This layer 2003 rated data analysis, such as, but not limited to, have fast to accelerate or how slowly will the vehicle 10 land in varying configurations. The limiting of generic modeling data that accounts for human intuitiveness is built into this layer 2003. However, this layer 2003 does not make decisions alone. It relies on the core layer 2004 to handle complex sensor data and standum data from all systems.
The core layer 2004 is built based on complex modeling and simulation based on aerodynamic characteristics and input analysis. This layer 2004 is developed through modeling and simulation and is auto-generated code that is plugged into the flight control computer 28. Utilizing the driver data structures created at the interface layer 2001 and used at every intermediate layer 2003, this layer 2004 acts independent of the intermediate layer 2003. The intermediate layer 2003 takes data from the core layer 2004 and creates and execution strategy around the core constructs. The intermediate and core layers 2003, 2004 work together to provide the best flight characteristics for the vehicle 10.
When everything in the execution is determined at the intermediate layer 2003, the commands are passed back through the execution layer 2002 to the interface layer 2001 and to the propulsion modules 12, each module 12 receives its power commands to perform the associated tasks.
This process is running at very high frequency so input and control can be varied on the simplest of changes to any input.
The system of the flying vehicle 10 requires a lightweight frame 30 to comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations associated with the ultralight class of vehicle. To assure frame integrity, the lightweight frame 30, in one embodiment, may be pressurized with a lightweight gas.
Should the lightweight frame 30 crack, the pressure sensor 4000 would provide input feedback to the flight control computer 28, similarly, but not limited to, to all other inputs, to inform the vehicle operator that flight is not recommended.
Another aspect of various embodiments of this invention is shown in
Alternatively, the pockets 124 may rupture at a force threshold. There is no Kevlar 116 in the pockets 124 by design because they are meant to break in the event of a vertical drop. Foam core 118 is used to add support to the back 122a, hips 122b and upper leg 122c areas of the seat 122. A channel 126 is formed below the hips 122b that does not have any foam core to allow the seat 122 to bend. The seat 122 is designed to bend, but not break in a vertical drop, keeping the occupant safe. The bottom or hip area 122b of the seat 122 is supported by a matrix or web 128 made of shock absorbing nylon strap. The web 128 is designed to stretch 12″ in a 20 ft. drop, decreasing the vertical shock transmitted to the pilot. As seen in
These foregoing embodiments of the invention are exemplary only and in no manner should be viewed as exhaustive or limiting on the scope of this invention. Alternative numbers of components, method steps, materials, parameters, arrangements and other aspects may be utilized within the scope of this invention.
From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/312,963, filed Feb. 23, 2022 and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63312963 | Feb 2022 | US |
