# US 10,864,974 B2 · Propeller assembly with hub structure which reduces gear noise during operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,974 B2 - Document ID: US10864974B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/052,196 - Filed: 2018-08-01 - Published: 2020-02-06 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-01 - Assignees: Turning Point Propeilers, Inc. - Applicants: Turning Point Propellers, Inc. - Inventors: Phil Stephanuik; Liheng Chen; Ron Bailey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864974B2 ## CPC - B63H 1/20: Hubs; Blade connections - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) ## Abstract A propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft. The propeller assembly includes a hub structure having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface defining a passage. An adaptor is receivable in the passage of the hub structure. The adaptor a plurality of key pairs extending along the outer surface thereof the adaptor which define slots for receiving inserts therein. An inner portion of the first side of each insert forms mating relationship with first portion of the first sidewall of a first key of a corresponding key pair and an inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of a second key of the corresponding key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connection assembly for interconnecting a propeller shaft to a central hub of a propeller, the central hub extending along a longitudinal axis and including an inner surface, comprising: an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having first and second longitudinally extending keys extending therealong and defining a slot therebetween having a first open end and a second closed end, each key defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and an insert having an inner surface and an outer surface interconnected by first and second ends and first and second sides, the insert being slideably receivable in the slot such that the insert extends between the open end and the closed end of the slot; wherein: the first and second sides of the insert including inner portions; and the inner portion of the first side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of the first key and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of the second key with the insert received in the slot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the adaptor includes a plurality of splines for forming a mating relationship with the propeller shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert is formed from a resilient material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the adaptor includes an enlarged head extending radially from a first end thereof, the enlarged head engageable with the central hub. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The connection assembly of claim 1 further comprising a locking nut mountable on the propeller shaft for retaining the adaptor and the insert thereon and a washer disposed on the propeller shaft adjacent the locking nut. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert has a generally arcuate inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor with the insert received in the slot. ### Claim 7 A connection assembly for interconnecting a propeller shaft to a central hub of a propeller, the central hub extending along a longitudinal axis and including an inner surface, comprising: an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having first and second longitudinally extending keys extending therealong and defining a slot therebetween, each key defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and an insert having first and second sides and being slideably receivable in the slot, the first and second sides of the insert including inner portions; wherein the inner portion of the first side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of the first key and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of the second key with the insert received in the slot; wherein the first and second sidewalls of each of the first and second keys includes second portions extending from terminal ends of the first portions of the first and second sidewalls and converging toward each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The connection assembly of claim 7 wherein each of the first and second keys has a generally arcuate outer surface extending between terminal ends of the second portions of the first and second sidewalls of the keys. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The connection assembly of claim 8 wherein each of the first and second sides of the insert includes an outer portion extending from terminal ends of the inner portions of the first and second sides and diverging from each other, the outer portion of the first side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the first sidewall of the first key and the outer portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the second sidewall of the second key with the insert received in the slot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The connection assembly of claim 9 wherein the insert has an outer surface extending between terminal ends of the terminal ends of the outer portions of the first and second sidewalls of the insert, the outer surface including a generally planar portion. ### Claim 11 A connection assembly for interconnecting a propeller shaft to a central hub of a propeller, the central hub extending along a longitudinal axis and including an inner surface, comprising: an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface; a plurality of longitudinally extending key pairs extending along the outer surface of the adaptor, each key pair defining a slot having a first open end and a second closed end and each key of each key pair being defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and a plurality of inserts, each insert being receivable in a corresponding slot such that the insert extends between the open end and the closed end of the slot and having an inner surface and an outer surface interconnected by first and second ends and first and second sides; wherein: the first and second sides of each insert including inner portions; and the inner portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of a first key of a corresponding key pair and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of a second key of the corresponding key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The connection assembly of claim 11 wherein the inner surface of the adaptor includes a plurality of splines for forming a mating relationship with the propeller shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The connection assembly of claim 11 wherein the insert is formed from a resilient material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The connection assembly of claim 11 wherein the adaptor includes an enlarged head extending radially from a first end thereof, the enlarged head engageable with the central hub. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The connection assembly of claim 11 further comprising a locking nut mountable on the propeller shaft for retaining the adaptor and the insert thereon and a washer disposed on the propeller shaft adjacent the locking nut. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The connection assembly of claim 11 wherein each insert has a generally arcuate inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 17 A connection assembly for interconnecting a propeller shaft to a central hub of a propeller, the central hub extending along a longitudinal axis and including an inner surface, comprising: an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface; a plurality of longitudinally extending key pairs extending along the outer surface of the adaptor, each key pair defining a slot and each key of each key pair being defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and a plurality of inserts, each insert being receivable in a corresponding slot and having first and second sides, the first and second sides of each insert including inner portions; wherein the inner portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of a first key of a corresponding key pair and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of a second key of the corresponding key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot; wherein the first and second sidewalls of the first and second keys of each key pair include second portions extending from terminal ends of the first portions of the first and second sidewalls and converging toward each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The connection assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second keys of each key pair have a generally arcuate outer surface extending between terminal ends of the second portions of the first and second sidewalls of the first and second keys of each key pair. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The connection assembly of claim 18 wherein the first and second sides of each insert includes an outer portion extending from terminal ends of the inner portions of the first and second sides and diverging from each other, the outer portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the first sidewall of the first key of each key pair and the outer portion of the second side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the second sidewall of the second key of each key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The connection assembly of claim 19 wherein each insert has an outer surface extending between terminal ends of the outer portions of the first and second sides of the insert, the outer surface including a generally planar portion. ### Claim 21 A propeller assembly for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft, comprising: a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis, the hub structure including an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface defining a passage; an adaptor receivable in the passage of the hub structure, the adaptor including an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface; a plurality of longitudinally extending key pairs extending along the outer surface of the adaptor, each key pair defining a slot having a first open end and a second closed end and each key of each key pair being defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and a plurality of inserts, each insert being receivable in a corresponding slot such that the insert extends between the open end and the closed end of the slot and having an inner surface and an outer surface interconnected by first and second ends and first and second sides; wherein: the first and second sides of each insert including inner portions; and the inner portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of a first key of a corresponding key pair and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of a second key of the corresponding key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The propeller assembly of claim 21 wherein each insert has a generally arcuate inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 23 A propeller assembly for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft, comprising: a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis, the hub structure including an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface defining a passage; an adaptor receivable in the passage of the hub structure, the adaptor including an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface; a plurality of longitudinally extending key pairs extending along the outer surface of the adaptor, each key pair defining a slot and each key of each key pair being defined by first and second sidewalls having first portions that diverge from each other; and a plurality of inserts, each insert being receivable in a corresponding slot and having first and second sides, the first and second sides of each insert including inner portions; wherein the inner portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the first sidewall of a first key of a corresponding key pair and the inner portion of the second side of the insert forms a mating relationship with the first portion of the second sidewall of a second key of the corresponding key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot; wherein the first and second sidewalls of the first and second keys of each key pair include second portions extending from terminal ends of the first portions of the first and second sidewalls and converging toward each other. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The propeller assembly of claim 23 wherein the first and second keys of each key pair have a generally arcuate outer surface extending between terminal ends of the second portions of the first and second sidewalls of the first and second keys of each key pair. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The propeller assembly of claim 24 wherein the first and second sides of each insert includes an outer portion extending from terminal ends of the inner portions of the first and second sides and diverging from each other, the outer portion of the first side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the first sidewall of the first key of each key pair and the outer portion of the second side of each insert forms a mating relationship with the second portion of the second sidewall of the second key of each key pair with the insert received in the corresponding slot. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The propeller assembly of claim 23 wherein the insert has an outer surface extending between terminal ends of the outer portions of the first and second sides of the insert, the outer surface including a generally planar portion.