Impact Resistant Propeller System, Fast Response Electric Propulsion System And Lightweight Vertical Take-Off And Landing Aircraft Using Same

• US 20160031556A1
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Joby Aviation, Inc.
• Inventors: Bevirt, JoeBen, Stoll, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/10 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/30 with provision for reducing drag of inoperative rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0008 having its flight directional axis horizontal when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16

Abstract

An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical takeoff and landing using pivoting thrust producing elements for takeoff and landing. An aerial vehicle which is adapted to takeoff with thrust units providing vertical thrust and then transitioning to a horizontal flight path. An aerial vehicle with pivoting thrust units with propellers, wherein some or all of the propellers are able to be stowed and fully nested during forward flight. An aerial vehicle adapted to withstand impacts upon its propellers. An aerial vehicle able to quickly alter the thrust of its propellers.

Claims

1. An impact resistant propeller system, said impact resistant propeller system comprising:

a propeller, said propeller having a primary spin direction along a first spin axis to provide positive thrust, said propeller comprising;

a central hub, said central hub comprising a first rotation axis;

a plurality of propeller blades, each of said plurality of propeller blades pivotally attached along a first pivot axis to said central hub,

wherein the first pivot axis is angled such that pivoting a propeller blade backwards along said first spin axis causes the propeller blade to rotate counter to said primary spin direction.

2. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 1 wherein said first pivot axis is angled to a plane normal to the first spin axis.

3. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 2 wherein said propeller blades comprise a pivot pin, said pivot pin extending from a leading edge of said propeller blade.

4. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 3 wherein said pivot pin comprises a first end at the leading edge of said propeller blade and a second end away from said leading edge of said propeller blade, and wherein said first end is forward of said second end along said first spin axis.

5. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 4 wherein said propeller system further comprises a nacelle, and wherein said blades are adapted to pivot from a deployed configuration substantially perpendicular to said spin axis to a stowed position along the exterior of said nacelle.

6. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 5 wherein said nacelle comprises recesses around its exterior, and wherein said blades reside in said recesses when in said stowed position.

7. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 6 further comprising a stowing mechanism, said stowing mechanism adapted to stow said propeller blades into said recesses in the outer surface of the nacelle.

8. The impact resistant system of claim 7 further comprising a spring system adapted to deploy the propeller blades from their stowed position.

9. The impact resistant propeller system of claim 8 further comprising a propeller deployment mechanism, said propeller deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said central hub from a first position wherein said first spin axis is horizontal to a second position wherein said first spin axis is vertical.

14. The quick response propeller system of claim 3 wherein said pivot pin comprises a first end at the leading edge of said propeller blade and a second end away from said leading edge of said propeller blade, and wherein said first end is forward of said second end along said first spin axis.

10. A quick response propeller system for an aerial vehicle, said system comprising:

a central hub;

a plurality of propeller blades, each of said plurality of propeller blades pivotally attached along a first pivot axis to said central hub,

wherein the first pivot axis is angled such that pivoting a propeller blade backwards along said first spin axis from a position forward of normal to the spin axis causes a change in pitch of the propeller blade.

11. The quick response propeller system of claim 10 further comprising an electric motor coupled to said central hub.

12. The quick response propeller system of claim 11 wherein said first pivot axis is angled to a plane normal to the first spin axis.

13. The quick response propeller system of claim 12 wherein said propeller blades comprise a pivot pin, said pivot pin extending from a leading edge of said propeller blade.

15. An aerial vehicle adapted for vertical take-off and horizontal flight, said aerial vehicle comprising:

a main vehicle body;

a right side wing;

one or more right side rotor assemblies comprising propellers, wherein one or more right side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said right side wing, and wherein said one or more right side wing rotor assemblies protrude forward of the leading edge of said right side wing along a middle section of the wing span, and wherein the propeller blades are adapted to pivot from a stowed position in the recesses of the nacelle body to a deployed position substantially perpendicular to said stowed position; and

a left side wing;

one or more left side rotor assemblies comprising propellers, wherein one or more left side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said left side wing, and wherein said one or more left side wing rotor assemblies protrude forward of the leading edge of said left side wing along a middle section of the wing span, and wherein said propeller blades are adapted to pivot from a stowed position in the recesses of the nacelle body to a deployed position substantially perpendicular to said stowed position;

a right side wing tip rotor unit, said right side wing tip rotor unit comprising a variable pitch propeller; and

a left side wing tip rotor unit, said left side wing tip rotor unit comprising a variable pitch propeller.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 wherein said right side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said right wing by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said right side wing rotor assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration, and wherein said left side wing rotor assemblies are attached to said left wing by a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy said left wing rotor assemblies from a forward facing horizontal flight configuration to a vertical take-off configuration.