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US 12,545,384 B2Granted
Hubless propulsion unit
AssigneeEveron Corporation
InventorLukasz Opalinski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The propulsion unit including a casing having an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, at least one tire disposed within the casing within a duct defined by the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface, a first propeller and a second propeller having a plurality of blades extending from within the casing toward a center axis of the casing, and one or more motors housed within the casing, the one or motor being configured to operate the at least one tire, the first propeller, and the second propeller independently of one another. There is also provided a vehicle with one or more propulsion units of the present disclosure.
Claims30
A propulsion unit comprising:
- a casing having an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface;
- at least one tire disposed within the casing radially within a duct defined by between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface, wherein an opening is provided in the outer curved surface to permit the at least one tire to contact a driving surface;
- a first propeller and a second propeller having a plurality of blades extending from within the casing toward a center axis of the casing;
- one or more motors housed within the casing and including at least one stator, the one or more motors being configured to operate the at least one tire, the first propeller, and the second propeller independently of one another;
- and
- a sliding mechanism configured to slide the at least one stator between a first location to cause rotation of the at least one tire along in a driving mode and a second location to cause rotation of at least one of the first propeller and the second propeller in a fly mode, wherein the at least one stator is disengaged from a locked stationary position in the first location, the at least one stator is moved by the sliding mechanism, and the at least one stator is engaged to the locked stationary position in the second location.
3 more elements
A propulsion unit comprising:
- a first rotor coupled to a plurality of blades extending toward a center axis of the first rotor,
- a second rotor a coupled to a tire;
- at least one stator designed to cause rotation of the first rotor or the second rotor;
- a casing for housing the first rotor, the second rotor, and the at least one stator;
- and
- a sliding mechanism configured to slide the at least one stator between a first location to cause rotation of the first rotor to cause rotation of the plurality of blades in a fly mode and a second location to cause rotation of the second rotor to cause rotation of the tire in a driving mode, wherein the at least one stator is disengaged from a locked stationary position in the first location, the at least one stator is moved by the sliding mechanism, and the at least one stator is engaged to the locked stationary position in the second location.
3 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a chassis for receiving a passenger;
- and
- a propulsion unit comprising:
- a casing having an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface;
- at least one tire disposed within the casing radially within a duct defined by between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface, wherein an opening is provided in the outer curved surface to permit the at least one tire to contact a driving surface;
- a first propeller and a second propeller having a plurality of blades extending from within the casing toward a center axis of the casing;
- one or more motors housed within the casing and including at least one stator, the one or more motors being configured to operate the at least one tire, the first propeller, and the second propeller independently of one another;
- and
- a sliding mechanism configured to slide the at least one stator between a first location to cause rotation of the at least one tire to propel the vehicle along the driving surface in a driving mode and a second location to cause rotation of the first propeller and the second propeller to create lift of the vehicle off the driving surface in a fly mode, wherein the at least one stator is disengaged from a locked stationary position in the first location, the at least one stator is moved by the sliding mechanism, and the at least one stator is engaged to the locked stationary position in the second location.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.