# US 11,897,603 B1 · Convertible ducted fan engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,603 B1 - Document ID: US11897603B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/196,288 - Filed: 2023-05-11 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-13 - Assignees: Hyalta Aeronautics, Inc. - Applicants: Hyalta Aeronautics, Inc. - Inventors: Scott R. Kempshall; Nicholas Pfeifer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897603B1 ## CPC - B60B 19/02: convertible, e.g. from road wheel to rail wheel; Wheels specially designed for alternative use on road and rail - B64C 25/66: Convertible alighting gear; Combinations of different kinds of ground or like engaging elements - B60F 3/0007: {Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles} - B60F 5/02: convertible into aircraft (convertible aircraft B64C37/00; convertible unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV]-type aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles, B64U10/70) - B63H 5/125: movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction {, e.g. podded azimuthing thrusters}({outboard units or Z-drives B63H20/00; } movably mounted for steering purposes only, {rudders carrying propellers} B63H25/42) - B63H 5/15: Nozzles, e.g. Kort-type - B64C 11/001: {Shrouded propellers} - B64C 25/36: Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general - B64C 25/405: {Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing} - B64C 37/00: Convertible aircraft - B64D 35/00: Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions - B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters - B64U 30/26: Ducted or shrouded rotors - B64U 30/297: Tilting rotors - B64U 60/70: Movable wings, rotor supports or shrouds acting as ground-engaging elements - F04D 25/02: Units comprising pumps and their driving means - F04D 29/052: Axially shiftable rotors (F04D29/051 takes precedence {; control by creating a by-pass F04D27/0246}) - F04D 29/526: {Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips (ducts F04D29/545)} - B60F 2301/04: pivotally - B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors - F01D 15/00: Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby - F04D 29/326: {comprising a rotating shroud} - F05D 2220/326: to drive shrouded, low solidity propeller - F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B60F: VEHICLES FOR USE BOTH ON RAIL AND ON ROAD; VEHICLES CAPABLE OF TRAVELLING IN OR ON DIFFERENT MEDIA, e.g. AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES (air-cushion vehicles B60V) - 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) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A convertible ducted fan engine and mounting system. The convertible ducted fan engine has a shroud encircling a mechanical fan. The convertible ducted fan engine includes a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates freely with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow, and a drive-wheel configuration in which the shroud rotates about the rotational axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ducted fan engine, comprising: a motor; a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a rotational axis, the mechanical fan having a plurality of blades; a shroud that at least partially surrounds the mechanical fan or motor; a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan independently rotates with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow; a drive-wheel configuration in which the mechanical fan and/or a rotational component of the motor is configured to cause at least a portion of the shroud to rotate about the rotational axis in response to rotation of the mechanical fan and/or the rotational component of the motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ducted fan engine of claim 1, further including: an aft collar in non-rotational mechanical communication with the shroud, the aft collar having a first interlocking component; the mechanical fan having a second interlocking component; the fluid-propulsion configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably disengaged; and the drive-wheel configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably engaged. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ducted fan engine of claim 2, further including a spring applying a biasing force that causes the second interlocking component to move towards the first interlocking component or the first interlocking component to move towards the second interlocking component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The ducted fan engine of claim 2, wherein the second interlocking component is disposed on a hub of the mechanical fan, the hub being radially closer to the rotational axis than the plurality of blades. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ducted fan engine of claim 1, further including: a fore translation collar in non-rotational mechanical communication with the shroud, the fore translation collar having a first interlocking component; the mechanical fan having a second interlocking component; the fluid-propulsion configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably disengaged; and the drive-wheel configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably engaged. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ducted fan engine of claim 5, further including a spring applying a biasing force that causes the second interlocking component to move towards the first interlocking component or the first interlocking component to move towards the second interlocking component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The ducted fan engine of claim 5, wherein the second interlocking component is disposed on a hub of the mechanical fan, the hub being radially closer to the rotational axis than the plurality of blades. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ducted fan engine of claim 1, further including a tread disposed on an outer surface of the shroud, thereby providing traction between a shroud-contacting surface and the shroud when the ducted fan engine operates in the drive-wheel configuration. ### Claim 9 A ducted fan engine, comprising: a motor; a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a rotational axis, the mechanical fan having a plurality of blades; a shroud concentrically aligned with the mechanical fan about the rotational axis; a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates independently with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow; and a drive-wheel configuration in which the mechanical fan and/or a rotational component of the motor operably interacts with at least a portion the shroud, such that at least the portion of the shroud rotates about the rotational axis in response to rotation of the mechanical fan and/or the rotational component of the motor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ducted fan engine of claim 9, further including: an aft collar in non-rotational mechanical communication with the shroud, the aft collar having a first interlocking component; the mechanical fan having a second interlocking component; the fluid-propulsion configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably disengaged; and the drive-wheel configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably engaged. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ducted fan engine of claim 10, further including a spring applying a biasing force that forces the second interlocking component towards the first interlocking component or the first interlocking component towards the second interlocking component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The ducted fan engine of claim 10, wherein the second interlocking component is disposed on a hub of the mechanical fan, the hub being radially closer to the rotational axis than the plurality of blades. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The ducted fan engine of claim 9, further including: a fore translation collar in non-rotational mechanical communication with the shroud, the fore translation collar having a first interlocking component; the mechanical fan having a second interlocking component; the fluid-propulsion configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably disengaged; and the drive-wheel configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably engaged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ducted fan engine of claim 13, further including a spring applying a biasing force that forces the second interlocking component towards the first interlocking component or the first interlocking component towards the second interlocking component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The ducted fan engine of claim 13, wherein the second interlocking component is disposed on a hub of the mechanical fan, the hub being radially closer to the rotational axis than the plurality of blades. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The ducted fan engine of claim 9, further including a tread disposed on an outer surface of the shroud, thereby providing traction between a shroud-contacting surface and the shroud when the ducted fan engine operates in the drive-wheel configuration. ### Claim 17 A ducted fan engine, comprising: a motor; a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a rotational axis, the mechanical fan having a plurality of blades concentrically arranged about the rotational axis; a shroud concentrically aligned with the mechanical fan about the rotational axis; a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan rotates independently with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow; and a drive-wheel configuration in which the mechanical fan and/or a rotational component of the motor operably engages a collar that is in mechanical communication with at least a portion of the shroud, such that at least the portion of the shroud rotates about the rotational axis in response to rotation of the mechanical fan and/or the rotational component of the motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The ducted fan engine of claim 17, further including: a collar in non-rotational mechanical communication with the shroud, wherein the collar is concentrically aligned with the shroud and has a first interlocking component; the mechanical fan having a second interlocking component; the fluid-propulsion configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably disengaged; and the drive-wheel configuration including the first interlocking component and the second interlocking component operably engaged. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The ducted fan engine of claim 17, further including a spring applying a biasing force that forces the second interlocking component towards the first interlocking component or the first interlocking component towards the second interlocking component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The ducted fan engine of claim 17, wherein the second interlocking component is disposed on a hub of the mechanical fan, the hub being radially closer to the rotational axis than the plurality of blades.