FOLDING PROPELLERS SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle, comprising:
- a rotatable-propeller assembly including rotatable propeller blades; and
a blade-lock assembly being cooperative with the rotatable propeller blades, and the blade-lock assembly being configured to selectively lockably fixedly connect the rotatable propeller blades together by application of a clamping force to the rotatable propeller blades, and the blade-lock assembly also being configured to selectively lockably disconnect the rotatable propeller blades from each other by removal of the clamping force from the rotatable propeller blades.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Folding propeller system for safe packing and shipping, and easy deployment.
99 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A vehicle, comprising:
-
a rotatable-propeller assembly including rotatable propeller blades; and a blade-lock assembly being cooperative with the rotatable propeller blades, and the blade-lock assembly being configured to selectively lockably fixedly connect the rotatable propeller blades together by application of a clamping force to the rotatable propeller blades, and the blade-lock assembly also being configured to selectively lockably disconnect the rotatable propeller blades from each other by removal of the clamping force from the rotatable propeller blades. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly is further configured to selectively lockably fixedly connect the rotatable propeller blades together in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positionable in any one of a blade-deployment position and a blade-storage position.
-
3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly is further configured to selectively lockably disconnect the rotatable propeller blades from each other in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are rotatable independently of each other between a blade-deployment position and a blade-storage position.
-
4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly is further configured to fixedly lock and maintain fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades relative to each other in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are rotatable about a central-rotation axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly locked together by the blade-lock assembly.
-
5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly is further configured to fixedly unlock and not maintain fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades relative to each other in such a way that each of the rotatable propeller blades is independently rotatable about a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly unlocked from each other by the blade-lock assembly.
-
6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
each of the rotatable propeller blades is configured to; rotate about a central-rotation axis whether the rotatable propeller blades are in a condition of being;
(A) locked relative to each other, and (B) not locked relative to each other.
-
-
7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
each of the rotatable propeller blades is configured to; rotate about a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis if and only if the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly unlocked relative to each other.
-
-
8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
each of the rotatable propeller blades is configured to; rotate about a central-rotation axis whether the rotatable propeller blades are in a condition of being;
(A) locked relative to each other, and (B) not locked relative to each other; androtate about a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis if and only if the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly unlocked relative to each other.
-
-
9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the central-rotation axis is geometrically positioned between respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis.
-
10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the central-rotation axis and each respective instance of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis extend in a co-parallel orientation.
-
11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly is configured to fixedly lock orientation of the rotatable propeller blades in any one of a locked in-line fixed-blade orientation.
-
12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
the blade-lock assembly is configured to fixedly lock orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in a first lock mode; and in the first lock mode, the blade-lock assembly fixedly locks orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend locked in-line relative to each other in a locked in-line fixed-blade orientation.
-
-
13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
in the locked in-line fixed-blade orientation, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned longitudinally lengthwise with proximal edges facing each other, and extend along a longitudinal blade-extension line.
-
14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
the blade-lock assembly is configured to fixedly lock orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in a second lock mode; and in the second lock mode, the blade-lock assembly fixedly locks orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend fixedly locked off-line relative to each other in a locked off-line fixed-blade orientation.
-
-
15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
in a locked off-line fixed-blade orientation, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned parallel relative to each other, and are spaced apart from each other.
-
16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
the blade-lock assembly is configured to fixedly lock orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in a first lock mode; the blade-lock assembly is configured to fixedly lock orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in a second lock mode; and in the first lock mode, the blade-lock assembly fixedly locks orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend locked in-line relative to each other in a locked in-line fixed-blade orientation; and in the second lock mode, the blade-lock assembly fixedly locks orientation of the rotatable-propeller assembly in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend locked off-line relative to each other in a locked off-line fixed-blade orientation.
-
-
17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in the locked in-line fixed-blade orientation, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned longitudinally lengthwise with the proximal edges facing each other, and extend along the longitudinal blade-extension line; and in the locked off-line fixed-blade orientation, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned parallel relative to each other, and are spaced apart from each other.
-
-
18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
the rotatable propeller blades each includes end-mountable portions, and each of the end-mountable portions is pivotally mountable at the respective instance of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axes that extend parallel to each other, and are spaced apart from each other; and in a locked in-line fixed-blade orientation, the rotatable propeller blades are; not pivotally rotatable about each of the respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis; and pivotally rotatable about the central-rotation axis that is geometrically positioned between the respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis, and the central-rotation axis and the respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis extend in the co-parallel orientation.
-
-
19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
the blade-lock assembly is further configured to permit unlocked relative movement of the rotatable propeller blades between a locked in-line fixed-blade orientation and a locked off-line fixed-blade orientation, and during relative movement, the rotatable propeller blades are; pivotally rotatable about each of the respective instance of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis; and not pivotally rotatable about the central-rotation axis that is geometrically positioned between the respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis, and the central-rotation axis and the respective instances of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis extend in the co-parallel orientation.
-
-
20. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in a blade-deployment position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend locked in-line relative to each other, longitudinally lengthwise with proximal edges facing each other, and to extend along a longitudinal blade-extension line; and in a blade-storage position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend parallel relative to each other, and are spaced apart from each other in an off-line arrangement.
-
-
21. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in a blade-deployment position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend locked in-line relative to each other, longitudinally lengthwise with proximal edges facing each other, and extend along a longitudinal blade-extension line; and in a blade-storage position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend parallel relative to each other in an off-line arrangement, and are spaced apart from each other, and the rotatable propeller blades are also positioned adjacent to each other in a side-by-side relationship.
-
-
22. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
in a blade-storage position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend parallel relative to each other in an off-line arrangement, and are spaced apart from each other, and the rotatable propeller blades are also fixedly positioned adjacent to each other in a side-by-side relationship.
-
23. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
-
a vehicle body; a propeller arm extending supportably outward from the vehicle body; a propeller motor being received supportably by the propeller arm; a rotor assembly being mounted supportably in the propeller motor; a propeller base being connected fixedly to the rotor assembly, and the propeller base extending axially from the rotor assembly, and the propeller base being configured to; support rotation of the rotatable propeller blades; and support the blade-lock assembly relative to the rotatable propeller blades.
-
-
24. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
-
a propeller base, wherein; the rotatable-propeller assembly extends outwardly radially from the propeller base; for a case where the blade-lock assembly locks the rotatable propeller blades together; the rotatable-propeller assembly is configured to rotate along a rotation plane having a central-rotation axis extending orthogonally through the rotation plane, and also extending orthogonally through the propeller base; and the rotatable propeller blades extend radially from the central-rotation axis; and for the case where the blade-lock assembly does not lock the rotatable propeller blades together; each of the rotatable propeller blades are pivotally movable to the propeller base at a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis extending radially through the propeller base.
-
-
25. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly includes; a retaining plate being fixedly positioned on one side of the rotatable propeller blades; and a locking pin being oriented along a central-rotation axis of the rotatable propeller blades, and the locking pin being configured to; selectively move along the central-rotation axis towards the retaining plate to a lock position in which the clamping force is transmitted across opposite sides of the rotatable propeller blades, and the rotatable propeller blades become fixedly connected together as a single unit; and selectively move away from the retaining plate to an unlock position in which the clamping force is not transmitted across the opposite sides of the rotatable propeller blades, and the rotatable propeller blades become disconnected from each other into separate units.
-
26. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in the lock position; the rotatable propeller blades contact the locking pin of the blade-lock assembly and contact the retaining plate in such a way that the locking pin and the retaining plate transmit the clamping force across the opposite sides of the rotatable propeller blades to maintain a fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades relative to each other in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are rotatable about the central-rotation axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly locked together; and in the unlock position; the rotatable propeller blades do not contact the locking pin in such a way that the locking pin and the retaining plate do not transmit the clamping force across the opposite sides of the rotatable propeller blades so that the fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades is not maintained relative to each other in such a way that each of the rotatable propeller blades is independently rotatable about a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly unlocked from each other.
-
-
27. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in the unlock position; a fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades is not maintained relative to each other in such a way that each of the rotatable propeller blades is independently rotatable about a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly unlocked from each other; and in the lock position; the fixed-blade orientation of the rotatable propeller blades is maintained relative to each other in such a way that the rotatable propeller blades are rotatable about the central-rotation axis once the rotatable propeller blades are fixedly locked together; and the clamping force is transmitted from the central-rotation axis toward the respective instance of the spaced-apart blade-mounting axis.
-
-
28. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
each of the rotatable propeller blades include; a proximal end defining a propeller mounting hole extending through the proximal end; and an outer facing peripheral edge defining instances of a locking cutout being spaced apart from each other along an outer facing peripheral edge; and the blade-lock assembly includes; a locking taper having a shape conforming to the shape of the locking cutout; and in the lock position, the clamping force is transmitted from the locking taper and the retaining plate toward the locking cutout provided by each of the rotatable propeller blades; and in the unlock position, the clamping force is not transmitted from the locking taper and the retaining plate toward the locking cutout provided by each of the rotatable propeller blades.
-
-
29. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a propeller base defining; a base spring pocket extending through the propeller base; propeller mounting pins extending from the propeller base, and the propeller mounting pins being spaced apart from each other; and mounting screw holes extending through the propeller base, and the mounting screw holes also extending through a respective instance of the propeller mounting pins, and the mounting screw holes being spaced apart from each other, and the mounting screw holes being fixedly positioned on the opposite sides of the base spring pocket.
-
30. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the retaining plate defines; a locking pin guide hole extending through the retaining plate, and the locking pin guide hole being aligned with the base spring pocket of the propeller base; and boss holes extending through the retaining plate, and the boss holes being fixedly positioned and being spaced apart from the locking pin guide hole, and the boss holes being aligned with a respective instance of the mounting screw holes of the propeller base.
-
31. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
each of the rotatable propeller blades defines; a propeller mounting hole extending through a proximal end of the rotatable propeller blades, and the propeller mounting hole being configured to operatively receive a respective instance of a propeller retaining screw that extends into a respective instance of the mounting screw holes of the propeller base; and an outer facing peripheral edge defining instances of a locking cutout being spaced apart from each and also being positioned other along an outer facing peripheral edge of the proximal end of the rotatable propeller blades, and the instances of the locking cutout being positioned proximate to the propeller mounting hole.
-
32. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the blade-lock assembly includes; a locking pin being configured to be slide receivable with the locking pin guide hole of the retaining plate; and a locking taper being provided by the locking pin, and the locking taper having a shape conforming to the shape of the locking cutout of the rotatable propeller blades.
-
33. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
in the lock position, the clamping force is transmitted from the locking taper and the retaining plate toward the locking cutout provided by the rotatable propeller blades; and in the unlock position, the clamping force is not transmitted from the locking taper and the retaining plate toward the locking cutout provided by the rotatable propeller blades.
-
-
34. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
in the lock position, the clamping force is transmitted from the central-rotation axis toward a respective instance of a spaced-apart blade-mounting axis.
-
35. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
a locking spring contained, at least in part, in the propeller base, and the locking spring being interactive with the locking pin, and the locking spring being configured to provide the clamping force to the locking pin.
-
36. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
-
a propeller motor; and a rotor assembly being operatively supported by the propeller motor, and the rotor assembly being fixedly coupled to the propeller base in such a way that in response to actuation of the propeller motor, the rotor assembly and the propeller base and the rotatable-propeller assembly are rotatable, and the rotatable-propeller assembly is configured to propel the vehicle.
-
-
37. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
-
a propeller arm operatively supporting the propeller motor; and a vehicle body supporting the propeller arm.
-
-
38. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
in a blade-storage position, the rotatable propeller blades are lockably fixedly positioned to extend parallel relative to each other in an off-line arrangement, and are spaced apart from each other, and the rotatable propeller blades are also fixedly positioned adjacent to each other in a side-by-side relationship.
-
39. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:
-
a vehicle body extending from a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle; the rotatable-propeller assembly is fixedly positioned relative to the vehicle body; and the blade-lock assembly is fixedly positioned relative to the vehicle body.
-
-
40. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
for the case where the propeller blades are not locked in a storage position, and the propeller blades are urged into a deployed position, the propeller blades become locked, by the blade-lock assembly, in the deployed position without operator assistance.
-
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
-
Specification
- Resources
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeFlir Unmanned Aerial Systems ULC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
-
Original AssigneeAeryon Labs, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
-
InventorsJohannesson, Glen, Kroetsch, David, Peasgood, Michael, Marchetti, Stephen
-
Granted Patent
-
Time in Patent OfficeDays
-
Field of Search
-
US Class Current1/1
-
CPC Class CodesB64C 27/50 Blades foldable to facilita...B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled ve...B64U 10/13 Flying platformsB64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor ax...B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supportsB64U 30/293 Foldable or collapsible rot...B64U 50/19 using electrically powered ...B64U 60/50 with landing legsB64U 80/00 Transport or storage specia...