US 11,305,874 B2Granted

Aerial vehicle adaptable propeller blades

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsBrian C. Beckman, John Raymond Brodie, Vedran Coralic, Taylor David Grenier, Gur Kimchi, Dominic Timothy Shiosaki, Ricky Dean Welsh, Richard Philip Whitlock

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Abstract

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:

a first motor configured to rotate a plurality of propeller blades such that each of the plurality of propeller blades generate a respective lifting force;
a hub coupled to the first motor;
a first propeller blade of the plurality of propeller blades coupled to and extending from the hub, the first propeller blade including:
a leading edge;
a trailing edge;
and
a surface area between the leading edge and the trailing edge;
and
a propeller adjustment controller configured to dynamically alter at least one of a size of the surface area, a shape of the surface area, a pitch of the first propeller blade, a camber of the first propeller blade, or a chord length of the first propeller blade;
wherein the propeller adjustment controller includes:
a spine that extends along a length of the first propeller blade;
and
a plurality of leading edge ribs that extend from the spine to the leading edge of the first propeller blade;
and
a plurality of trailing edge ribs that extend from the spine to the trailing edge of the first propeller blade;
wherein the first propeller blade includes a plurality of adjustable propeller blade sections that may further be moved by the propeller adjustment controller between:
a stacked position in which each of the plurality of adjustable propeller blade sections are vertically stacked;
and
a fanned position in which each of the plurality of adjustable propeller blade sections are displaced horizontally about the hub.

16 more elements

A propeller apparatus, comprising:

a hub;
a first propeller blade coupled to and extending from the hub, the first propeller blade including:
a first leading edge;
a first trailing edge;
a first surface area between the first leading edge and the first trailing edge;
a second propeller blade coupled to and extending from the hub, the second propeller blade including:
a second leading edge;
a second trailing edge;
a second surface area between the second leading edge and the second trailing edge;
and
a propeller adjustment controller configured to alter at least one of a size of the first surface area, a shape of the first surface area, a pitch of the first propeller blade, a camber of the first propeller blade, a chord length of the first propeller blade, a size of the second surface area, a shape of the second surface area, a pitch of the second propeller blade, a camber of the second propeller blade, or a chord length of the second propeller blade;
wherein the propeller adjustment controller includes:
a first spine that extends a first length of the first propeller blade;
a second spine that extends a second length of the second propeller blade;
a first plurality of leading edge ribs that extend from the first spine to the first leading edge of the first propeller blade;
a second plurality of leading edge ribs that extend from the second spine to the second leading edge of the second propeller blade;
a first plurality of trailing edge ribs that extend from the first spine to the first trailing edge of the first propeller blade;
and
a second plurality of trailing edge ribs that extend from the second spine to the second trailing edge of the second propeller blade;
wherein the first propeller blade includes a first plurality of adjustable propeller blade sections that may further be moved by the propeller adjustment controller between a first stacked position and a first fanned position relative to the hub;
and
wherein the second propeller blade includes a second plurality of adjustable propeller blade sections that may further be moved by the propeller adjustment controller between a second stacked position and a second fanned position relative to the hub.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/194,480Filed 27 Jun 2016 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Mar 2016
Published: US 2017/0274978 A128 Sep 2017
Granted: 19 Apr 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B64U 30/24
Rotors; Rotor supports: coaxial rotors
B64U 10/14
Flying platforms: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
B64U 40/10
On-board mechanical arrangements for adjusting control surfaces or rotors; On-board mechanical arrangements for in-flight adjustment of the base…:…
B64U 50/13
Propulsion: using external fans or propellers

Family

Application15/078,899Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Mar 2016
US 2017/0274978 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Sep 2017
US 2017/0274984 A1Published application
US 11,305,874 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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