Battery housing apparatus and unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a housing body and a battery locking mechanism disposed on the housing body. The housing body includes a battery compartment configured to receive a battery. The battery locking mechanism is configured to lock the battery in the battery compartment after the battery is mounted in place. The battery locking mechanism includes a locking assembly configured to be dislocated by the battery in a process of mounting the battery in the battery compartment and to be restored to lock the battery in the battery compartment after the battery is mounted in place, and an indicator assembly disposed on the housing body and configured to indicate whether the battery is mounted in place. The locking assembly includes a locking slider configured to tightly contact with the battery to lock the battery in a direction of a battery insertion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
 a housing body comprising a battery compartment configured to receive a battery;   a battery locking mechanism disposed on the housing body and configured to lock the battery in the battery compartment after the battery is mounted in place, the battery locking mechanism including:
 a locking assembly configured to be dislocated by the battery in a process of mounting the battery in the battery compartment and to be restored to lock the battery in the battery compartment after the battery is mounted in place; and 
 an indicator assembly disposed on the housing body and configured to indicate whether the battery is mounted in place, wherein: 
   the locking assembly comprises a locking slider configured to tightly contact with the battery to lock the battery in a direction of a battery insertion; and   the battery compartment includes a guide rail disposed on a side wall and extending in the direction of the battery insertion, the guide rail being configured to couple with a guide slot on the battery to lock the battery in a direction perpendicular to the bottom of the battery compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the locking assembly further includes a slider spring and a slider bracket;   in a process of mounting the battery in the battery compartment, the battery overcomes an elastic force of the slider spring to dislocate the locking slider;   after the battery is mounted in place, the locking slider is restored by the elastic force of the slider spring to lock the battery in the battery compartment;   the slider bracket is fixed in the battery compartment; and   the locking slider is supported on the slider bracket by the elastic force of the slider spring.   
     
     
         3 . The UAV of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the slider bracket is fixed to a bottom of the battery compartment;   a first guide slot coupling with a first guide rail on the battery and a first open slot connected to the first guide slot are disposed on the slider bracket and extend in the direction of the battery insertion;   the locking slider is disposed on a side of the slider bracket facing away from the battery, and is partially exposed in the first guide slot through the first open slot; and   the first guide rail inserts into the first guide slot to dislocate the locking slider during the process of mounting the battery in the battery compartment, a dislocation direction being perpendicular to the direction of the battery insertion.   
     
     
         4 . The UAV of  claim 3 , wherein:
 a locking portion is configured on a side of the locking slider adjacent to the slider bracket;   the locking portion is exposed in the first guide slot through the first open slot;   a second open slot and a first fixing post adjacent to the second open slot are configured on the locking slider;   an extension portion is configured on a side of the slider bracket adjacent to the locking slider;   the extension portion inserts into the second open slot;   a second fixing post is configured on the extension portion to extend toward the first fixing post; and   two ends of the slider spring are configured to sleeve on the first fixing post and the second fixing post, respectively, such that the locking slider is elastically supported on the slider bracket.   
     
     
         5 . The UAV of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the locking portion includes a guide surface disposed on a side of the locking portion facing toward the direction of the battery insertion to guide the first guide rail, and a locking surface disposed on a side of the locking portion facing away from the direction of the battery insertion to lock the first guide rail; and   when the battery is mounted in place, the locking portion locks the battery in the direction of the battery insertion.   
     
     
         6 . The UAV of  claim 3 , wherein:
 a second guide rail or a second guide slot is configured on a side wall of the battery compartment to extend in the direction of the battery insertion; and   the second guide rail or the second guide slot configured on the housing body is used to couple with a second guide slot or a second guide rail on the battery to lock the battery in the direction perpendicular to the bottom of the battery compartment.   
     
     
         7 . The UAV of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the locking assembly further includes a slider blocker;   the slider blocker is fixed to the slider bracket; and   the locking slider is disposed between the slider blocker and the slider bracket to confine the locking slider to move in the dislocation direction.   
     
     
         8 . The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the indicator assembly includes a key assembly;   the key assembly cooperatively couples with the locking assembly to indicate whether the battery is mounted in place under the control of the locking assembly; and   the key assembly further controls the locking assembly to unlock the battery to allow the battery to be taken out of the battery compartment.   
     
     
         9 . The UAV of  claim 8 , wherein:
 when the locking assembly is dislocated or restored, the key assembly is placed at different heights relative to the housing body;   the indicator assembly further includes a key spring;   when the locking assembly is dislocated by the battery, the key assembly is restored by an elastic force of the key spring;   when the locking assembly is restored, the locking assembly overcomes the elastic force of the key spring to dislocate the key assembly, such that the key assembly is placed at a different height relative to the housing body;   the key assembly connects with the locking assembly; and   when the locking assembly is dislocated or restored, the locking assembly drives the key assembly to different heights relative to the housing body.   
     
     
         10 . The UAV of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the battery compartment is a first battery compartment, and the housing body includes a second battery compartment disposed on a side opposite to the first battery compartment;   the locking assembly includes a first locking assembly corresponding to the first battery compartment and a second locking assembly corresponding to the second battery compartment;   the indicator assembly includes a first key assembly and a second key assembly enclosing with each other;   the first key assembly cooperatively couples with the first locking assembly to indicate whether the battery is mounted in place in the first battery compartment under a control of the first locking assembly; and   the second key assembly cooperatively couples with the second locking assembly to indicate whether the battery is mounted in place in the second battery compartment under a control of the second locking assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The UAV of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the indicator assembly further includes an indicator bracket;   the indicator bracket is fixed to the housing body; and   the indicator bracket, the first key assembly, and the second key assembly are sequentially nested.   
     
     
         12 . The UAV of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a rotation-limiting mechanism is configured between the indicator bracket and the first key assembly or between the first key assembly and the second key assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The UAV of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first key assembly includes a first key and a first key lock;   the second key assembly includes a second key and a second key lock;   the first key lock includes a first cylinder and a first extension disposed on an end of the first cylinder;   the second key lock includes a second cylinder and a second extension disposed on an end of the second cylinder;   the indicator bracket, the first cylinder, and the second cylinder are enclosed with each other;   the first key is fixed to the other end of the first cylinder;   the second key is fixed to the other end of the second cylinder;   the second key is enclosed in the first key; and   the first extension and the second extension extend toward two opposite sides of the indicator bracket, and contact with the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly respectively when the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly are restored.   
     
     
         14 . The UAV of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first cylinder connects to the first key by screw threads; and   the second cylinder fixedly connects to the second key by a screw inserted into one end of the second cylinder.   
     
     
         15 . The UAV of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the indicator assembly further includes at least one limiting key; and   the at least one limiting key is configured between the indicator bracket and the first cylinder or between the first cylinder and the second cylinder to prevent the first cylinder from rotating relative to the indicator bracket or the second cylinder from rotating relative to the first cylinder.   
     
     
         16 . The UAV of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one limiting key includes a first limiting key and a second limiting key;   the first limiting key is disposed between the indicator bracket and the first cylinder to prevent the first cylinder from rotating relative to the indicator bracket; and   the second limiting key is disposed between the first cylinder and the second cylinder to prevent the second cylinder from rotating relative to the first cylinder.   
     
     
         17 . The UAV of  claim 13 , wherein:
 a first receiving hole and a second receiving hole are configured on the indicator bracket;   the indicator assembly further includes a first lock pin, a first key spring, a first threaded stud, a second lock pin, a second key spring, and a second threaded stud;   the first lock pin and the first key spring are locked in the first receiving hole by the first threaded stud, such that the first lock pin elastically acts on the first extension;   when the first locking assembly is dislocated, the first lock pin drives the first key assembly to restore;   when the first locking assembly is restored, the first locking assembly overcomes an elastic force of the first key spring to dislocate the first key assembly;   the second lock pin and the second key spring are locked in the second receiving hole by the second threaded stud, such that second lock pin elastically acts on the second extension;   when the second locking assembly is dislocated, the second lock pin drives the second key assembly to restore; and   when the second locking assembly is restored, the second locking assembly overcomes an elastic force of the second key spring to dislocate the second key assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The UAV of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first key assembly includes a first key and a first key lock;   the second key assembly includes a second key and a second key lock;   the first key includes a first cylinder and a first fixing portion disposed on one end of the first cylinder;   the second key includes a second cylinder and a second fixing portion disposed on one end of the second cylinder;   the indicator bracket, the first cylinder, and the second cylinder are enclosed with each other;   the first key lock is connected between the first fixing portion and the first locking assembly;   when the first locking assembly is dislocated and restored, the first locking assembly drives the first key assembly to different heights relative to the housing body;   the second key lock is connected between the second fixing portion and the second locking assembly; and   when the second locking assembly is dislocated and restored, the second locking assembly drives the second key assembly to different heights relative to the housing body.   
     
     
         19 . The UAV of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the indicator bracket couples with the first cylinder by a D-shaped cross-section in a direction vertical to an axis direction to prevent the first cylinder from rotating relative to the indicator bracket.   
     
     
         20 . The UAV of  claim 19 , wherein:
 at least one rotation-limiting rib is configured on the first key lock and the second key, respectively; and   the at least one rotation-limiting rib on the first key lock misaligns with the at least one rotation-limiting rib on the second key lock to prevent the second cylinder from rotating relative to the first cylinder.