公开(公告)号：US10392104B1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US15600292

申请日：2017-05-19

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Bradley David Urban ,  Dominic Timothy Shiosaki ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: B64C27/50 ,  B64C11/28 ,  B64C27/52 ,  B64C11/46 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C11/16 ,  B64C11/20 ,  B64C27/32 ,  B64C27/46

Abstract: Aerial vehicles may be equipped with propellers having pivotable blades that are configured to rotate or fold when the propellers are not rotating under power. A pivotable blade may rotate about an axis of a propeller with respect to a hub in the presence of wind flow until the pivotable blade is coaligned with a fixed blade, in a direction opposite to the wind flow. A pivotable blade may also fold over a hub of a propeller in the presence of wind flow, with the pivotable blade and a fixed blade being oriented in directions opposite to the wind flow. A center of mass of the pivotable blade may be caused to be on the same side of an axis as a center of mass of a fixed blade, even where the axis is not normal to the wind flow, thereby reducing an amount of drag generated by the propeller.

公开(公告)号：US20190217510A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-18

申请号：US15871517

申请日：2018-01-15

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Steven McGinnis ,  Prescott Gee Glynn ,  Kader Chellabi ,  Adrian Timothy Wallace ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: B29C44/58 ,  B29C44/34 ,  B29C44/42 ,  B29C33/48 ,  B29C33/50 ,  B29D99/00

CPC classification number: B29C44/583 ,  B29C33/485 ,  B29C33/505 ,  B29C44/355 ,  B29C44/42 ,  B29D99/0025 ,  B29L2031/3085

Abstract: Lightweight and strong components may be manufactured using foam material compositions and resin coating materials by the processes described herein. One or more mandrels and/or a molding tool may be coated with resin coatings, the one or more mandrels may be inserted into the molding tool, and a foam material composition may be injected into the molding tool. After closing the molding tool, the foam material composition may expand and cure to form a component, and heat may be applied to cure the resin coatings into skins. For example, an external skin may be formed by the resin coatings on an exterior surface of the component in contact with surfaces of the molding tool, and one or more internal skins may be formed by the resin coatings on one or more interior surfaces of negative space spars of the component in contact with surfaces of the one or more mandrels.

公开(公告)号：US10293937B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-21

申请号：US15849374

申请日：2017-12-20

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Ricky Dean Welsh ,  Gur Kimchi

IPC: B64C27/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  A63H27/00

Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes a frame that provides both structural support for the UAV and protection for foreign objects that may come into contact with the UAV. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV may also include one or more pushing motor and propeller assemblies that are oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor(s) may be engaged and the pushing propeller(s) will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

公开(公告)号：US10202186B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-12

申请号：US15585058

申请日：2017-05-02

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Dominic Timothy Shiosaki ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: B64C11/30 ,  B64D27/26 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C11/32 ,  B64C11/20 ,  B64D31/06 ,  G05D1/08

Abstract: Aerial vehicles may include propulsion units having motors with drive shafts that may be aligned at a variety of orientations, propellers with variable pitch blades, and common operators for aligning the drive shafts at one or more orientations and for varying the pitch angles of the blades. The common operators may include plate elements to which a propeller hub is rotatably joined, and which may be supported by one or more linear actuators that may extend or retract to vary both the orientations of the drive shafts and the pitch angles of the blades. Operating the motors and propellers at varying speeds, gimbal angles or pitch angles enables the motors to generate forces in any number of directions and at any magnitudes. Attributes of the propulsion units may be selected in order to shape or control the noise generated thereby.

公开(公告)号：US09975644B1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-22

申请号：US14976845

申请日：2015-12-21

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Gur Kimchi ,  Dominic Timothy Shiosaki ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: G01C23/00 ,  B64D35/04 ,  B64D35/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D27/24

CPC classification number: B64D35/04 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/024 ,  B64C2201/042 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64D35/02

Abstract: An aerial vehicle may be equipped with propulsion modules that include motors, sensors, transceivers, controllers, power sources or other components therein. The propulsion modules may be releasably mounted to the aerial vehicle in a manner that allows a propulsion module to be removed and replaced when one or more of the components within the propulsion module requires maintenance or repairs, thereby enabling the aerial vehicle to return to service promptly. The propulsion modules may communicate via wired or wireless means with one another, or with a central computer system onboard the aerial vehicle. The propulsion modules may be interchangeably installed on each of the aerial vehicles in a class, or on aerial vehicles in different classes. Furthermore, aerial vehicles may be equipped with varying numbers of propulsion modules, as needed, subject to one or more operational requirements or constraints.

公开(公告)号：US20180077350A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-15

申请号：US15265793

申请日：2016-09-14

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Taylor David Grenier ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Barry James O'Brien ,  Joshua John Watson ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: H04N5/232 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D47/08

CPC classification number: H04N13/243 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/027 ,  B64C2201/127 ,  B64D47/08 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/239 ,  H04N2213/001

Abstract: Described is an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes a plurality of sensors, such as stereo cameras, mounted along a perimeter frame of the aerial vehicle and arranged to generate a scene that surrounds the aerial vehicle. The sensors may be mounted in or on winglets of the perimeter frame. Each of the plurality of sensors has a field of view and the plurality of optical sensors are arranged and/or oriented such that their fields of view overlap with one another throughout a continuous space that surrounds the perimeter frame. The fields of view may also include a portion of the perimeter frame or space that is adjacent to the perimeter frame.

公开(公告)号：US09868524B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-16

申请号：US14538570

申请日：2014-11-11

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Ricky Dean Welsh ,  Daniel Buchmueller ,  Fabian Hensel ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Brandon William Porter ,  Walker Chamberlain Robb ,  Joshua White Traube

IPC: B64C27/24 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C27/22

CPC classification number: B64C39/024 ,  B64C27/22 ,  B64C27/24 ,  B64C29/0025 ,  B64C2201/027 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/165

Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will facilitate extended flight duration. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV also includes a pushing motor and propeller assembly that is oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor may be engaged and the pushing propeller will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.

公开(公告)号：US20170253332A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-07

申请号：US15384899

申请日：2016-12-20

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Robert Roy Champagne, JR. ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Nicholas Hampel Roberts ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: B64C39/02

CPC classification number: B64C39/024 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C2201/024 ,  B64C2201/027 ,  B64C2201/108 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/141 ,  B64C2201/145 ,  B64C2201/165 ,  G05D1/0858

Abstract: This disclosure describes an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), which includes a plurality of maneuverability propulsion mechanisms that enable the aerial vehicle to move in any of the six degrees of freedom (surge, sway, heave, pitch, yaw, and roll). The aerial vehicle may also include a lifting propulsion mechanism that operates to generate a force sufficient to maintain the aerial vehicle at an altitude.

公开(公告)号：US09598169B1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-21

申请号：US15093845

申请日：2016-04-08

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III ,  Ricky Dean Welsh ,  Walker Chamberlain Robb ,  Robert Roy Champagne, Jr. ,  Daniel Buchmueller ,  Joshua White Traube ,  Gur Kimchi

IPC: B64C27/30 ,  B64C27/24 ,  B64C13/00 ,  B64C29/00 ,  B64D27/24 ,  B64C27/473

CPC classification number: B64C27/30 ,  B64C13/00 ,  B64C27/26 ,  B64C27/32 ,  B64C27/473 ,  B64C29/0025 ,  B64D27/24 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G05D1/08 ,  G05D1/0858

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a single blade propeller and systems, devices, and techniques pertaining to assisting in critical stages of flight (e.g., takeoff, landing, emergency situations, etc.) in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The single blade propeller may be incorporated into fixed and rotary wing VTOL aircraft as part of a first propulsion system. The first propulsion system may include one or more single blade propellers driven by electric motors, combustion engines, and/or hybrid engines. Each of the single blade propellers may include a lift-producing blade and a counterweight opposite the lift-producing blade. As each of the single blade propellers spins, it may produce lift in a direction approximately perpendicular to the horizon to effect vertical flight.

公开(公告)号：US09348333B1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-24

申请号：US14563647

申请日：2014-12-08

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Daniel Buchmueller ,  Jack Erdozain, Jr. ,  Gur Kimchi ,  Brandon William Porter ,  Ricky Dean Welsh

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  G05D3/00 ,  G06F7/00 ,  G06F17/00 ,  B64D1/08 ,  B64F5/00 ,  B64D31/00 ,  B64D45/00 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G06Q10/08

CPC classification number: G06Q10/08355 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/128 ,  B64C2201/146 ,  B64C2211/00 ,  B64D1/08 ,  B64D31/00 ,  B64D45/00 ,  B64F5/10 ,  G05D1/0011 ,  G06Q10/083 ,  G08G5/0069

Abstract: Aspects of modular airborne delivery are described. When a shipping container is provided to an airborne carrier for delivery, the airborne carrier may assess weather across a route for airborne delivery of the shipping container, evaluate an approach to drop the shipping container at a delivery zone, and calculate a remaining amount of time until a target delivery time, for example. The airborne carrier may then select components to assemble a modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on those or other factors, and assemble the UAV using the selected components. The modular UAV may then be directed to deliver the shipping container according to instructions from the airborne carrier. According to the concepts described herein, flexibility and other advantages may be achieved using modular UAVs for airborne delivery.

Abstract translation: 描述模块化机载交付的方面。 当运输集装箱提供给空中运输工具进行运输时，机载运输公司可以评估运输集装箱航空运输路线上的天气，评估运送集装箱在运送区域的方法，并计算剩余的时间量 直到目标交付时间为止。 然后，机载运营商可以基于这些或其他因素选择组件来组装模块化无人驾驶飞行器（UAV），并使用所选择的部件组装UAV。 然后，可以根据来自机载运营商的指示，将模块化UAV引导到运送集装箱。 根据本文描述的概念，可以使用用于机载传送的模块化UAV实现灵活性和其他优点。