Unmanned aerial vehicle propeller assembly

• US 10,737,774 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldstein, Ryan Michael, Milton, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Seabe, Justin D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Legendre, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US15/906,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20190210719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/02 Hub construction
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/08 for non-adjustable blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/473 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

Various embodiments of an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. In some embodiments, the UAV includes a motor assembly rotatable about a rotation axis and a propeller hub assembly removably engageable with the motor assembly. The propeller hub assembly includes a retainer configured and dimensioned for engagement with the motor assembly such that rotation of the motor assembly causes corresponding rotation of the propeller hub assembly. The retainer includes a pair of deflectable arms resiliently repositionable between a first position and a second position, for engagement and disengagement with the motor assembly, respectively. The arms are movable inwardly towards the rotation axis from the first position to the second position upon application of an external force and movable outwardly away from the rotation axis from the second position to the first position upon removal of the external force.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a motor assembly rotatable about a rotation axis, the motor assembly including;

a motor cap defining apertures; and

a propeller hub assembly removably engageable with the motor assembly, the propeller hub assembly including;

a retainer configured and dimensioned for engagement with the motor cap such that rotation of the motor assembly causes corresponding rotation of the propeller hub assembly, the retainer including a bridge member connecting a pair of deflectable arms resiliently repositionable between a first position, wherein the arms are positioned for engagement with the apertures respectively, in the motor cap, and a second position, wherein the arms are positioned for disengagement with the apertures in the motor cap such that the retainer can be removed from the motor assembly, the arms being movable inwardly towards the rotation axis from the first position to the second position upon application of an external force and movable outwardly away from the rotation axis from the second position to the first position upon removal of the external force; and

a hub member defining a recess configured and dimensioned to receive the bridge member of the retainer such that rotation of the retainer via engagement with the motor cap causes corresponding rotation of the hub member.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor assembly includes a motor and the motor cap covers the motor.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the arms each include an outwardly extending retention member configured and dimensioned for insertion into the respective aperture formed in the motor cap such that the retention members are engageable with an inner surface of the motor cap to secure the propeller hub assembly to the motor assembly.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the retention members each include a chamfered outer surface and the apertures each include a corresponding chamfered inner surface, the chamfered outer surfaces of the retention members being configured and dimensioned for contact with the chamfered inner surfaces of the apertures to facilitate inward deflection of the arms and insertion of the retention members into the apertures formed in the motor cap.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hub member is a first hub member, and wherein the propeller hub assembly further includes:

a second hub member spaced from the first hub member; and

a spacer positioned between the first and second hub members so as to define a first receiving space and a second receiving space.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

a first propeller having an end portion configured and dimensioned for positioning within the first receiving space; and

a second propeller having an end portion configured and dimensioned for positioning within the second receiving space.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the second hub member further includes at least one stop member, the motor cap including an additional aperture configured and dimensioned to receive the stop member.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the bridge member and the arms are unitarily formed.

9. A propeller hub assembly for use with an unmanned aerial vehicle including a motor assembly, the propeller hub assembly comprising:

a retainer configured and dimensioned for engagement with the motor assembly such that rotation of the motor assembly causes corresponding rotation of the propeller hub assembly, the retainer including a bridge member extending between a pair of deflectable arms resiliently repositionable between a first position, wherein the arms are positioned for engagement with the motor assembly, and a second position, wherein the arms are positioned for disengagement with the motor assembly such that the retainer can be removed from the motor assembly, the arms being deflectable towards one another during movement from the first position to the second position upon application of an external force to the arms and movable away from one another during movement from the second position to the first position upon removal of the external force; and

a hub member defining a recess configured and dimensioned to receive the bridge member of the retainer such that rotation of the retainer via engagement with the motor assembly causes corresponding rotation of the hub member.

10. The propeller hub assembly of claim 9, wherein the arms each include an outwardly extending retention member configured and dimensioned for engagement with an inner surface of the motor assembly.

11. The propeller hub assembly of claim 10, wherein the retention members each include a tapered configuration to facilitate engagement with the motor assembly.

12. The propeller hub assembly of claim 9, wherein the hub member is a first hub member, the propeller hub assembly further including:

a second hub member spaced from the first hub member; and

a spacer positioned between the first and second hub members so as to define a first receiving space and a second receiving space.

13. The propeller hub assembly of claim 9, wherein the bridge member and the arms are unitarily formed.

14. A propeller hub assembly for use with an unmanned aerial vehicle including a motor assembly, the propeller hub assembly comprising:

a hub member including shoulders extending from an interior surface toward a rotation axis of the motor assembly and propellers extending from an exterior surface away from the rotation axis, and

a latch member including disengagement members resiliently repositionable between a first position, wherein the disengagement members are positioned to secure the hub member to the motor assembly, and a second position, wherein the disengagement members are positioned such that the hub member can be removed from the motor assembly,

wherein the disengagement members are movable towards one another during movement from the first position to the second position upon application of an external force to the disengagement members and movable away from one another during movement from the second position to the first position upon removal of the external force, and

wherein the disengagement members define receiving spaces in which the shoulders of the hub member are positioned respectively, to secure the hub member to the motor assembly.

15. The propeller hub assembly of claim 14, further including:

at least one biasing member positioned between the disengagement members, the at least one biasing member moving the disengagement members from the second position to the first position.

16. The propeller hub assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one biasing member is configured as a spring.