May 12, 2026

US12623780 - Drone adapter for dropping spoon-based devices

A system and method allowing spoon-based devices to be carried and dropped by a drone. The preferred embodiments are adapted for use with a drone having a retracting drop shaft release mechanism. First and second adapter portions are provided. These clamp around the body of a spoon-based device and hold the spoon-based device. The lower regions of the first and second adapter portions are joined by a pivot joint. The upper regions each include an engagement feature such as an upstanding tang portion. These first and second tang portions are engaged to the drone's release unit.

Assignee: FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN AND MACHINE COGNITION INC.
Inventors: John Carff, Matthew Johnson
Filing date: 2023-08-23

The patent describes a drone adapter designed to securely carry and release spoon-based devices, such as grenades, using a retracting drop shaft mechanism. The adapter consists of two clamping portions that hold the device and engage with the drone’s release unit, allowing for precise deployment.

Claim 1

1 . A method for releasably securing a spoon-based device to a drone, where said drone includes a release unit with a sliding drop shaft, comprising: (a) providing a spoon-based device, including, (i) a body, (ii) a fuse assembly attached to said body, (iii) a spoon pivotally attached to said fuse assembly, (iv) a pin passing through a first pin bore in said spoon and a second pin bore in said fuse assembly, (v) wherein said fuse assembly is activated by said spoon pivoting from a safe position adjacent to said body to a firing position away from said body; (b) providing a device adapter, including, (i) a first adapter portion including a first clamping surface, a first tang portion, and a first transverse bore in said first tang portion, (ii) a second adapter portion including a second clamping surface, a second tang portion, and a second transverse bore in said second tang portion, (iii) a pivot joint between said first and second adapter portions, with said pivot joint being opposite said first and second tang portions, (iv) a spoon receiver on an inward facing surface of said device adapter; (c) placing said device adapter around said body of said spoon based device with said first and second clamping surfaces clamping inward on said body and said spoon lying within said spoon receiver; and (d) placing said drop shaft of said release unit through said first transverse bore in said first tang portion and said second transverse bore in said second tang portion, thereby connecting said spoon-based device to said drone. (a) providing a spoon-based device, including, (i) a body, (ii) a fuse assembly attached to said body, (iii) a spoon pivotally attached to said fuse assembly, (iv) a pin passing through a first pin bore in said spoon and a second pin bore in said fuse assembly, (v) wherein said fuse assembly is activated by said spoon pivoting from a safe position adjacent to said body to a firing position away from said body; (i) a body, (ii) a fuse assembly attached to said body, (iii) a spoon pivotally attached to said fuse assembly, (iv) a pin passing through a first pin bore in said spoon and a second pin bore in said fuse assembly, (v) wherein said fuse assembly is activated by said spoon pivoting from a safe position adjacent to said body to a firing position away from said body; (b) providing a device adapter, including, (i) a first adapter portion including a first clamping surface, a first tang portion, and a first transverse bore in said first tang portion, (ii) a second adapter portion including a second clamping surface, a second tang portion, and a second transverse bore in said second tang portion, (iii) a pivot joint between said first and second adapter portions, with said pivot joint being opposite said first and second tang portions, (iv) a spoon receiver on an inward facing surface of said device adapter; (i) a first adapter portion including a first clamping surface, a first tang portion, and a first transverse bore in said first tang portion, (ii) a second adapter portion including a second clamping surface, a second tang portion, and a second transverse bore in said second tang portion, (iii) a pivot joint between said first and second adapter portions, with said pivot joint being opposite said first and second tang portions, (iv) a spoon receiver on an inward facing surface of said device adapter; (c) placing said device adapter around said body of said spoon based device with said first and second clamping surfaces clamping inward on said body and said spoon lying within said spoon receiver; and (d) placing said drop shaft of said release unit through said first transverse bore in said first tang portion and said second transverse bore in said second tang portion, thereby connecting said spoon-based device to said drone.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12623780

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12623780