Propeller blade

A propeller blade configured to be attached to a hub of a propeller, the propeller blade comprising:

• a body, comprising:
• a base and an upper end;
• a leading end extending longitudinally between the base and the upper end;
• a trailing end extending longitudinally between the base and the upper end;
• a planar front surface extending laterally between the leading end and the trailing end in a single plane;
• and
• a curved back surface extending laterally between the leading end and the trailing end, the back surface being the high positive pressure surface of the body,
• wherein the back surface of the body does not extend in a single plane between the leading end and the trailing end of the body.

A propeller, comprising:

• a hub having a rotational axis;
• and
• a plurality of blades extending radially outward from the hub, each blade of the plurality of blades comprising:
• a body, comprising:
• a base and an upper end;
• a leading end extending longitudinally between the base and the upper end;
• a trailing end extending longitudinally between the base and the upper end;
• a planar front surface extending laterally between the leading end and the trailing end in a single plane;
• a curved back surface extending laterally between the leading end and the trailing end, the back surface being the high positive pressure surface of the body,
• wherein the back surface of the body does not extend in a single plane between the leading end and the trailing end of the body;
• and.
• a tippet extending laterally along the upper end of the body between the leading and trailing end, the tippet curving in a direction generally away from the front surface and overhanging the back surface, the tippet forming a channel with a radius of curvature that varies laterally between the leading end and trailing end of the body
• wherein the tippet is shaped to draw fluid radially inward toward the hub from a radial inlet flow that enters the channel along a top end of the tippet as well as along the leading end of the body.

A propeller, comprising:

• a hub having a rotational axis;
• and
• a plurality of blades extending radially outward from the hub, each blade of the plurality of blades comprising:
• a body having a base coupled to the hub and extending radially outward from the hub to an upper end, the body comprising:
• a first leading edge and a trailing edge each extending from the base to the upper end;
• and
• a planar front surface extending between the leading end and the trailing end of the body in a single plane;
• and
• an curved back surface opposite the front surface, the back surface of the body being the high positive pressure surface of the body;
• and
• a tippet comprising a front surface and an opposing back surface respectively extending radially outward from the front and back surfaces of the body at the upper end of the body to a top end and laterally between a leading end and a trailing end, the tippet curving generally away from the front surface of the body and toward the back surface of the body as the tippet extends radially outward, so that the back surface of the tippet overhangs the back surface of the body so as to form a channel extending between the leading and trailing end of the tippet, the channel having a curve extending between the top end of the tippet and the upper end of the body along a lateral length of the tippet, the radius of curvature of the curve being varied along the lateral length of the tippet, the top end of the tippet forming a second leading edge between the leading and trailing end of the tippet.