Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority under Paris Convention to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0148890, filed 26 Oct. 2015, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a drone with a wind guide part. More particularly, the present invention relates to a drone with a wind guide part, which is configured such that it can lift off or aviate using the flow of wind. 
         [0003]    Generally, a drone is simply defined as an ‘aircraft having no pilot’. Further, the dictionary definition of the drone means a low, continuous, dull noise. The drone is also referred to as an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in that it does not have any people therein and is remotely controlled from the ground. Such a drone has been proposed to function as a target substituting for an enemy aircraft in military practice drills utilizing planes, anti-aircraft artillery, or missiles. Recently, the size of the drone used for military purposes has gradually shrunken in size and is now highly customized. Such drone technology has now carried over to the commercial sector. Particularly, a flying drone designed in a type of a helicopter equipped with a multi-rotor is widely used in various application fields, such as aerial photography, broadcasting image making, aerospace rescue, delivery of goods, surveillance, survey, disease prevention, or leisure activities. 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a conventional drone. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional drone  1  includes a body  10 , a control part (not shown) coupled to the body  10 , four frames  20  radially extending from a center of the body  10 , and a propelling unit coupled to each frame  20 . The propelling unit includes an engine (not shown) that is driven in response to a signal received from the control part, and a propeller  30  that is coupled to the engine and generates a vertical lift force when the propeller is rotated by the engine. Further, the drone  1  is remotely controlled by driving the engine and the propeller  30 , in response to the control signal transmitted from a controller (not shown). 
         [0005]    Such a conventional drone may possibly crash or collide with an object due to a user&#39;s inexperienced piloting or jamming. Since the propeller is rotated at very high speed, crashing or collision of the drone leads to an accident due to the contact of the propeller, and maintenance cost is undesirably increased due to the damage to the propeller. Further, since each propeller requires the engine, a considerable level of noise is generated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drone with a wind guide part, which is configured such that it can lift off or aviate using the flow of wind. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a drone with a wind guide part that does not use a propeller, thus preventing an accident due to the contact of the propeller, saving maintenance cost, and reducing weight and noise. 
         [0008]    In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a drone with a wind guide part, the drone including a body; an inlet unit accommodated in the body to introduce wind therein; at least one wind guide part spaced apart from the body; and a connecting duct connecting the body with the wind guide part to cause the wind introduced from the inlet unit to flow into the wind guide part, wherein the wind guide part has a lift force to discharge the wind moved from the connecting duct and thereby allow the body to fly. 
         [0009]    The wind guide part may include a plurality of wind guide parts, the wind guide parts extending radially from the body to be spaced apart from each other. 
         [0010]    The wind guide part may include a supply part receiving wind from the connecting duct; a discharge part discharging the wind supplied to the supply part; and a wind passage formed between the supply part and the discharge part to allow the wind to flow therethrough. 
         [0011]    The wind guide part may be formed in a ring shape, and may include an outer circumferential part provided on an outer circumference thereof, an inner circumferential part provided on an inner circumference thereof, an upper side part provided on an upper portion between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part, and a lower side part provided on a lower portion between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part, and the supply part may be formed on the outer circumferential part, the discharge part may be formed on the inner circumferential part, and the wind passage may be provided between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part. 
         [0012]    The inner circumferential part may include a first inner circumferential part formed in a direction from the upper side part to the lower side part, and a second inner circumferential part formed in a direction from the lower side part to the upper side part, and an upper portion of the second inner circumferential part extends inside the first inner circumferential part, and the discharge part may be formed at a position where the first inner circumferential part faces the second inner circumferential part. 
         [0013]    The second inner circumferential part may be formed to be inclined towards the outer circumferential part, thus allowing wind to be obliquely discharged from the discharge part according to an inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part. 
         [0014]    The inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part may be formed such that it may be closer to the outer circumferential part, as the second inner circumferential part may approach the supply part. 
         [0015]    A lower end of the first inner circumferential part may be formed to be closer to the second inner circumferential part. 
         [0016]    The wind guide part may be formed in a ring shape, and may include an outer circumferential part provided on an outer circumference thereof, an inner circumferential part provided on an inner circumference thereof, an upper side part provided on an upper portion between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part, a lower side part provided on a lower portion between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part, and the wind passage provided in a space between the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part, and the supply part may be formed on the outer circumferential part, and the discharge part may be formed at a position where the supply part of the outer circumferential part may not be formed or may be formed on the lower side part. 
         [0017]    The inlet unit may include an inlet fan generating wind; and an inlet motor rotating the inlet fan. 
         [0018]    The drone may further include a control part provided in the body to control the inlet unit; and a controller wirelessly transmitting a manipulation signal to the control part. 
         [0019]    The connecting duct or the wind guide part may be formed to be tiltable. 
         [0020]    An interior of the body may be partitioned into a plurality of independent spaces, the inlet unit may comprise a plurality of inlet units to be located in the respective spaces, the wind guide part may comprise a plurality of wind guide parts that may be arranged outside the respective spaces to be spaced apart therefrom, and the connecting duct may comprise a plurality of connecting ducts to connect the respective spaces with the wind guide parts. 
         [0021]    As described above, the present invention provides a drone, which has a lift force by wind discharged towards the ground through a connecting duct and a wind guide part, so that the drone may lift off or aviate using the flow of the wind. 
         [0022]    Further, the present invention provides a drone, which may aviate without a propeller, thus preventing an accident due to the contact of the propeller, saving maintenance cost, and reducing weight and noise. 
         [0023]    Furthermore, the present invention provides a drone, in which a second inner circumferential part of a wind guide part is obliquely formed towards an outer circumferential part, so that wind discharged from a discharge part flares out from a body according to an inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part, and thereby the body may fly more stably. 
         [0024]    Further, the present invention provides a drone, in which a lower end of a first inner circumferential part is formed to be closer to a second inner circumferential part, so that a discharge part located between the first inner circumferential part and the second inner circumferential part is formed to be narrower towards the lower end of the first inner circumferential part, and thereby the speed of the wind passing through the discharge part is gradually increased, and consequently, a body has a stronger lift force. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, the present invention provides a drone, in which a plurality of inlet units is provided to supply wind to a plurality of wind guide parts, so that each wind guide part may stably discharge strong wind to a lower position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a conventional drone; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is view schematically illustrating an interior of a body of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is view schematically illustrating a connecting duct of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is view schematically illustrating the wind guide part included in the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is view schematically illustrating an operation of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is view schematically illustrating the flow of wind moved by the wind guide part of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    Hereinafter, drones with wind guide parts according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is view schematically illustrating an interior of a body of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the drone  50  with the wind guide part  300  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is intended to lift off or aviate using the flow of wind, and includes a body  100 , an inlet unit  200 , wind guide parts  300 , and connecting ducts  400 . 
         [0039]    The body  100  includes a first body  102  that has a space to accommodate therein the inlet unit  200  that will be described below, and a second body  104  that covers an open bottom of the first body  102 . The first and second bodies  102  and  104  may be integrally or separately formed. An interior of the first body  102  is partitioned into a first accommodation part  110  located at an upper position and a second accommodation part  120  located at a lower position by a partition wall  115 . A top of the first accommodation part  110  is opened to form an inlet part  102   a.    
         [0040]    The inlet unit  200  includes an inlet fan  210 , an inlet motor  220 , and a battery  230 . The inlet fan  210  and the inlet motor  220  are accommodated in the first accommodation part  110 , while the battery  230  is accommodated in the second accommodation part  120 . Further, a plurality of supports  112  is formed in the inlet part  102   a  of the first accommodation part  110  to support the inlet fan  210  and thereby prevent it from being removed. If the inlet motor  220  rotates the inlet fan  210  using the power of the battery  230 , outside air flows through a space between the supports  112  into the first accommodation part  110 , so that air flow, namely, wind is generated. The wind moves to the connecting ducts  400  that will be described below. By controlling the rotating speed of the inlet fan  210  and adjusting the amount of wind supplied to the wind guide parts  300  that will be described below, the body  100  may be moved up or down. 
         [0041]    The wind guide parts  300  may be radially arranged along an outer circumference of the body  100  to be spaced apart from each other. A plurality of wind guide parts, for example, four wind guide parts may be provided. The connecting ducts  400  connect the body  100  with the wind guide parts  300  to render wind supplied to the body  100  to be moved to the wind guide parts  300 . The wind guide parts  300  and the connecting ducts  400  will be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is view schematically illustrating the connecting duct of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  is view schematically illustrating the wind guide part included in the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a plurality of connecting ducts  400  is provided to correspond to the number of the wind guide parts  300 , and extends in a longitudinal direction to connect the body  100  with the wind guide parts  300 . The connecting duct  400  defines therein a connecting path  410  to allow wind to flow in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting path  410  is open at both ends thereof, so that the wind introduced into the first accommodation part  110  of the body  100  flows through the connecting path  410  to the wind guide part  300 . To this end, an outlet part  102   b  is formed at a junction between the body  100  and the connecting duct  400  to allow wind from the body  100  to be discharged to the connecting path  410 . 
         [0044]    The wind guide part  300  receives wind from the connecting duct  400  and then discharges the wind to a lower position, and includes a supply part  312  that is connected with the connecting duct  400  to be supplied with the wind, a discharge part  326  that discharges the wind supplied to the supply part  312 , and a wind passage  350  that is formed between the supply part  312  and the discharge part  326  to allow wind to flow therethrough. In detail, the wind guide part  300  is formed in a ring shape, and includes an outer circumferential part  310  that is provided on an outer circumference thereof, an inner circumferential part  320  that is provided on an inner circumference thereof, an upper side part  330  that is provided on an upper portion between the outer circumferential part  310  and the inner circumferential part  320 , and a lower side part  340  that is provided on a lower portion between the outer circumferential part  310  and the inner circumferential part  320 . Further, the supply part  312  is formed through a junction between the outer circumferential part  310  and the connecting duct  400  to communicate with the connecting duct  400 , the discharge part  326  is formed on the inner circumferential part  320  to face the ground, and the wind passage  350  is provided in a space between the outer circumferential part  310  and the inner circumferential part  320 . Here, the inner circumferential part  320  includes a first inner circumferential part  322  formed in a direction from the upper side part  330  to the lower side part  340 , and a second inner circumferential part  324  formed in a direction from the lower side part  340  to the upper side part  330 , and an upper portion of the second inner circumferential part  324  extends inside the first inner circumferential part  322 . Further, the discharge part  326  is formed at a position where the first inner circumferential part  322  faces the second inner circumferential part  324 . 
         [0045]    As such, while the wind supplied through the connecting duct  400  to the wind guide part  300  flows to the discharge part  326 , the wind flow direction is changed towards the ground, and the body  100  has a lift force by the wind discharged towards the discharge part  326 . Thus, the body  100  may vertically lift off or aviate using the flow of the wind. 
         [0046]    Meanwhile, the second inner circumferential part  324  may be formed to be inclined towards the outer circumferential part  310 , thus allowing wind to be obliquely discharged from the discharge part  326  according to an inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part  324 . Further, the inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part  324  is formed such that it is closer to the outer circumferential part  310 , as the second inner circumferential part approaches the supply part  312 . As a result, the wind discharged from the discharge part  326  is discharged to flare out from the body  100  according to the inclination angle of the second inner circumferential part  324 , thus allowing the body  100  to be more stably moved up and down. 
         [0047]    Further, a lower end of the first inner circumferential part  322  may be formed to be closer to the second inner circumferential part  324 , so that the discharge part  326  located between the first inner circumferential part  322  and the second inner circumferential part  324  is formed to be narrower towards the lower end of the first inner circumferential part  322 . Thus, the speed of the air passing through the discharge part  326  is gradually increased, so that the body  100  has a stronger lift force. 
         [0048]    Furthermore, the connecting duct  400  or the wind guide part  300  may be formed to be tiltable. To this end, a tilting unit (not shown) may be provided between the body  100  and the connecting duct  400 , or between the connecting duct  400  and the wind guide part  300 . The tilting unit is intended to adjust an angle of the connecting duct  400  or the wind guide part  300  using the rotation of a motor, for example. Since the tilting unit configured to tilt a wing, a propeller, or the like in an aircraft, a drone, or the like is generally known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted herein. As such, if the connecting duct  400  or the wind guide part  300  is tilted, it is possible to control the flying direction of the body  100  in all directions. 
         [0049]    Further, a gravity sensor or the like may be provided in the body  100  to convert a gradient for a gravity direction into an electrical signal, and a Gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, or the like may be further provided. Various sensing signals detected by these sensors are transmitted to a control part (not shown) that is provided in the body  100 , and a control part outputs a control signal to control the tilting unit or the inlet motor  220  of the inlet unit  200  based on the sensing signal, thus controlling the flying or posture of the body  100 . Further, the control part may receive a manipulation signal that is transmitted wirelessly from a controller (not shown), which will be described below, and may output a control signal to control the tilting unit or the inlet motor  220  of the inlet unit  200 , thus controlling the flying or posture of the body  100 . Here, the controller is configured to be manipulated by a user himself and wirelessly transmit the manipulation signal to the control part. Since such a controller adopts a general configuration for remotely or automatically controlling the drone  50 , a detailed description thereof will be omitted herein. 
         [0050]    In the embodiment of the present invention, the discharge part  326  is configured to be formed on the inner circumferential part  320  of the wind guide part  300 . However, without being limited to such a configuration, the discharge part  326  may be formed on the outer circumferential part  310  to face downwards, or formed on the lower side part  340 . 
         [0051]    Hereinafter, an operation of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0052]      FIG. 6  is view schematically illustrating the operation of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 7  is view schematically illustrating the flow of wind moved by the wind guide part of the drone with the wind guide part according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0053]    Referring to the drawings, in order to operate the drone  50  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user manipulates a controller (not shown), and the controller transmits the manipulation signal to the control part (not shown) provided in the body  100 . Then, the control part controls the inlet motor  220  of the inlet unit  200 , thus rotating the inlet fan  210 . Then, while the air outside the body  100  flows into the body  100 , the air flow, namely, the wind is generated. After the wind passes through the inlet unit  200 , the wind is supplied through the supply part  312  of the wind guide part  300  to the wind passage  350  of the wind guide part  300 . Further, the wind supplied to the wind passage  350  is discharged through the discharge part  326  to a lower portion of the wind guide part  300 . At this time, the body  100  has a lift force, so that flying is possible. 
         [0054]      FIG. 8  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0055]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the drone with the wind guide part according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in terms of the discharge part  366  of a wind guide part  355 . That is, the wind guide part  355  receives wind from the connecting duct  400  (see  FIG. 7 ) and then discharges the wind to a lower portion. The wind guide part includes a supply part  360   a  that is connected with the connecting duct  400  to be supplied with wind, a discharge part  366  that discharges the wind supplied to the supply part  360   a , and a wind passage  380  that is formed between the supply part  360   a  and the discharge part  366  to allow the wind to flow therethrough. In detail, the wind guide part  355  is formed in a ring shape, and includes an outer circumferential part  360  that is provided on an outer circumference thereof, an inner circumferential part  370  that is provided on an inner circumference thereof, an upper side part (not shown) that is provided on an upper portion between the outer circumferential part  360  and the inner circumferential part  370 , and a lower side part (not shown) that is provided on a lower portion between the outer circumferential part  360  and the inner circumferential part  370 . Further, the supply part  360   a  is formed through a junction between the outer circumferential part  360  and the connecting duct  400  to communicate with the connecting duct  400 , and the wind passage  380  is provided in a space between the outer circumferential part  360  and the inner circumferential part  370 . Here, at a location where the supply part  360   a  of the outer circumferential part  360  is not formed, a first outer circumferential part  362  formed from the upper side part to the lower side part, and a second outer circumferential part  364  formed from the lower side part to the upper side part are included. An upper portion of the second outer circumferential part  364  extends inside the first outer circumferential part  362 . Further, the discharge part  366  is formed at a position where the first outer circumferential part  362  faces the second outer circumferential part  364 . Further, while the wind supplied through the connecting duct  400  to the wind guide part  355  flows to the discharge part  366 , the wind flow direction is changed towards the ground. 
         [0056]      FIG. 9  is a view schematically illustrating a drone with a wind guide part according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the drone  50  with the wind guide part  300  according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in the number of inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204 . That is, a plurality of inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204  is provided to correspond to a plurality of wind guide parts  300  that are radially arranged along the outer circumference of the body  100 . For example, if the number of the wind guide parts  300  is four, four inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204  may be correspondingly provided to supply wind to the respective wind guide parts  300 . In this regard, the interior of the body  100  is provided with a plurality of independent spaces (not shown), for example, four independent spaces, and the inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204  are provided in the spaces, respectively. Further, inlet parts  102   a - 1 ,  102   a - 2 ,  102   a - 3  and  102   a - 4  are formed in upper portions of the spaces, respectively. Each wind guide part  300  is located outside the corresponding space to be spaced apart therefrom, and each connecting duct  400  is connected between each space and each wind guide part  300 . Thus, for example, if four inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204  are driven, outside air flows through four inlet parts  102   a - 1 ,  102   a - 2 ,  102   a - 3 , and  102   a - 4  to four connecting ducts  400 , respectively, and subsequently, four wind guide parts  300 , respectively. 
         [0058]    As such, since the present invention has a plurality of inlet units  201 ,  202 ,  203 , and  204  to supply wind to a plurality of wind guide parts  300 , each wind guide part  300  has the effect of stably discharging stronger wind to a lower position. 
         [0059]    Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: 7