# US 11,999,470 B2 · Rotor assembly and unmanned aerial vehicle having the same

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- Number: US 11,999,470 B2
- Document ID: US11999470B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/236,423
- Filed: 2021-04-21
- Published: 2021-12-30
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25
- Assignees: Sz Dji Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Sz Dji Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Fangming Ye
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999470B2

## CPC

- B64C 27/32: Rotors
- B64C 11/00: Propellers, e.g. of ducted type; Features common to propellers and rotors for rotorcraft
- B64C 11/10: rigid
- B64C 27/006: {Safety devices}
- B64C 27/08: with two or more rotors
- B64C 39/024: {of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV}
- B64D 35/00: Transmitting power from power plants to propellers or rotors; Arrangements of transmissions
- B64D 35/02: specially adapted for specific power plants
- B64D 35/026: the electric power plant being integral with the propeller or rotor
- B64U 30/29: Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
- B64U 10/10: Rotorcrafts
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- 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

## Abstract

A rotor assembly includes a propeller, a motor, and a connection assembly. The motor includes a stator and a rotator rotatable with respect to the stator. The connection assembly is configured to connect the propeller to the motor and includes a locking member that is arranged between the propeller and the motor. The locking member is configured to rotate with respect to the rotator and the propeller in a rotation direction identical to a rotation direction of the propeller in operation to lock the propeller to the motor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A rotor assembly, comprising:
a propeller;
a motor including a stator and a rotator rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotator including a housing; and
a connection assembly configured to connect the propeller to the motor and including a locking member arranged between the propeller and the housing;
wherein the propeller is mounted on the housing and configured to not rotate with respect to the housing, and the locking member is configured to rotate with respect to the housing and the propeller to lock the propeller to the motor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the propeller includes a locking block;
the locking member includes at least one latch corresponding to the locking block; and
the at least one latch of the locking member is configured to couple with the locking block of the propeller to lock the propeller to the motor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The rotor assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the propeller includes a seat and one or more blades each fixed to the seat, the one or more blades including a first blade and a second blade; and
the locking block is provided on the seat and arranged between the first blade and the second blade, wherein the locking block is closer to the first blade than to the second blade.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The rotor assembly of claim 3, wherein:
a number of the at least one latch corresponds to a number of the one or more blades.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The rotor assembly of claim 3, wherein:
in response to a rotation of the locking member, the at least one latch is moved along a direction, away from the second blade and toward the first blade, to engage with the locking block to lock the propeller to the motor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The rotor assembly of claim 5, wherein:
if the one or more blades are counterclockwise rotating blades, the direction is counterclockwise direction; and
if the one or more blades are clockwise rotating blades, the direction is clockwise direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The rotor assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the locking block of the propeller is a first locking block;
the at least one latch includes a second locking block at an end of the at least one latch, the second locking block extending toward a rotation axis of the propeller; and
the second locking block is configured to engage with the first locking block to lock the propeller to the motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The rotor assembly of claim 7, wherein:
the first locking block includes a first fitting surface configured to engage with a second fitting surface of the second locking block; and
an end of the first fitting surface, proximal to the rotation axis, is closer to the motor than an end of the first fitting surface distal from the rotation axis to form an inclined angle with respect to the rotation axis.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the connection assembly further includes a restrainer arranged between the propeller and the locking member, the restrainer being configured to fix to the motor to rotatably couple the locking member with the motor and preventing the locking member from moving along a rotation axis of the propeller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The rotor assembly of claim 9, wherein:
the restrainer includes a boss configured to couple with the propeller to restrain a relative rotation between the propeller and the restrainer about the rotation axis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The rotor assembly of claim 9, wherein:
the connection assembly further includes an elastic member arranged between the locking member and the motor, and configured to fix, through the restrainer, to the motor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The rotor assembly of claim 11, wherein:
the connection assembly further includes a bolt; and
the bolt is configured to penetrate the restrainer and the elastic member to connect with the motor, the locking member being rotatably arranged between the restrainer and the elastic member.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The rotor assembly of claim 11, wherein:
in response to a rotation of the locking member, a portion of the locking member is moved to a position to elastically abut against a portion of the elastic member to restrain a movement of the locking member.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The rotor assembly of claim 11, wherein:
the locking member includes a bulge;
the elastic member includes an elastic protrusion corresponding to the bulge; and
the bulge is configured to slide on a surface of the elastic protrusion to enable a portion of the elastic protrusion to restrain a movement of the bulge.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The rotor assembly of claim 14, wherein:
the surface of the elastic protrusion includes a smooth curve.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The rotor assembly of claim 14, wherein:
the elastic member further includes:
a connecting portion configured to fix, through the restrainer, to the housing; and
an elastic tab protruding toward the locking member with respect to a surface of the connecting portion of the elastic member, the elastic protrusion being formed by bending the elastic tab.

### Claim 17

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more rotor assemblies each including:
a propeller;
a motor including a stator and a rotator rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotator including a housing; and
a connection assembly configured to connect the propeller to the motor and including a locking member arranged between the propeller and the housing;
wherein the propeller is mounted on the housing and configured to not rotate with respect to the housing, and the locking member is configured to rotate with respect to the housing and the propeller to lock the propeller to the motor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The UAV of claim 17, further comprising:
a body; and
an arm connecting one of the one or more rotor assemblies to the body.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The UAV of claim 18, wherein:
the arm includes a main arm and a branch arm;
one end of the main arm is connected to the body and another end of the main arm is connected to the branch arm; and
the one of the one or more rotor assemblies is positioned at an end of the branch arm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the propeller includes a locking block and a seat, the locking block protruding from a side surface of the seat and extending a length along a circumference of the seat.