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US 12,337,954 B1Granted
Convertible drive system
AssigneeHyalta Aeronautics, Inc.
InventorsScott R. Kempshall, Nicholas Pfeifer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims20
A convertible drive system, comprising:
- a motor;
- a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a rotational axis;
- 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.
2 more elements
A convertible drive system, comprising:
- a motor;
- a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a 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 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.
2 more elements
A convertible drive system, comprising:
- a motor;
- a mechanical fan configured to be rotated by the motor about a 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.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.