# US 2022/0274696 A1 · Bidirectional thrust apparatus, system and method

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- Number: US 2022/0274696 A1
- Document ID: US20220274696A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/750,015
- Filed: 2022-05-20
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08
- Assignees: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Vita Inclinata Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Derek Sikora; Logan Goodrich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220274696A1

## CPC

- B64C 11/001: {Shrouded propellers}
- B64D 1/22: Taking-up articles from earth's surface
- B64D 35/04: characterised by the transmission driving a plurality of propellers or rotors
- B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval
- 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 bidirectional thrust assembly comprises a motor, a selective power transfer mechanism, and a plurality of fans; wherein a change in direction of rotation of the motor causes the selective power transfer mechanism to change a torque transfer among the plurality of fans, wherein the fans may be opposing, and wherein the fans may be unidirectional. The bidirectional thrust assembly may be used in or by a plurality of craft or with respect to other objects which may need to be maneuvered, included suspended load control systems, vertical takeoff and landing craft, watercraft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bidirectional thrust assembly comprising:
a motor, a driveshaft, a first fan and a second fan, a selective power transfer mechanism,
wherein the selective power transfer mechanism is to transfer torque from the motor to either the first fan or the second fan and wherein the first fan and the second fan are unidirectional fans configured to propel thrust fluid and develop thrust in opposite directions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motor is operable in a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation, wherein the first direction of rotation causes the selective power transfer mechanism to transfer torque from the motor to the first fan and wherein the second direction of rotation causes the selective power transfer mechanism to transfer torque from the motor to the second fan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, wherein the power transfer mechanism comprises a first freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the first fan and a second freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the second fan.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first freewheel assembly and the second freewheel assembly engage or disengage with the motor based on a direction of rotation of the motor to cause the selective power transfer mechanism to transfer torque from the motor to either the first fan or the second fan.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first freewheel assembly comprises a pawl and a ratchet tooth, wherein the pawl is to selectively engage with the ratchet tooth in response to a rotation of the motor in a first direction and wherein the pawl is to selectively disengage with the ratchet tooth in response to a rotation of the motor in a second direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, wherein the driveshaft is a double ended driveshaft, wherein the double ended driveshaft passes through a center of the motor, wherein a first end of the double ended driveshaft is to engage with a first end of the selective power transfer mechanism, wherein the first end of the selective power transfer mechanism is to engage with the first fan, wherein a second end of the double ended driveshaft is to engage with a second end of the selective power transfer mechanism, wherein the second end of the selective power transfer mechanism is to engage with the second fan.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a computer processor and memory, wherein the memory comprises a thrust control module which, when executed by the computer processor, is to control the motor to selectively output thrust through the first fan and the second fan to influence a motion of the bidirectional thrust assembly

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a sensor suite, and wherein the thrust control module, when executed by the computer processor, is to determine a position, orientation, or motion of the bidirectional thrust assembly based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and is to control the motor to selectively output thrust through the first fan and the second fan according to the position, orientation, or motion to influence at least one of the position, orientation, or motion of the bidirectional thrust assembly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a heat transfer structure, wherein the heat transfer structure is radially arrayed around the motor in a flow of thrust fluid, wherein the motor comprises magnets proximate to the driveshaft, windings distal to the driveshaft, and wherein heat produced in the windings transfers to the heat transfer structure and to a thrust fluid surrounding the motor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The bidirectional thrust assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a brake, wherein the brake is to resist movement of at least one of the first fan or the second fan wherein the selective power transfer mechanism is to transfer torque from the motor to a first of the first fan or the second fan and the brake is to arrest movement of a second of the first fan or the second fan.

### Claim 11

A method to selectively transfer torque from a motor to either a first unidirectional fan or a second unidirectional fan comprising:
operating a motor in a first direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through a driveshaft and a selective power transfer mechanism to the first unidirectional fan and
operating the motor in a second direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through the driveshaft and the selective power transfer mechanism to the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the selective power transfer mechanism comprises a first freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the first unidirectional fan and a second freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the second unidirectional fan further comprising operating the motor in the first direction of rotation to engage the first freewheel assembly with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the first unidirectional fan and operating the motor in the second direction of rotation to engage the second freewheel assembly with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising controlling the motor with a computer processor, wherein the computer processor obtains instructions from a memory, and, with the instructions and the computer processor, controlling the motor to selectively output thrust through the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan to influence a motion of a load secured to a housing, wherein the housing is secured to the computer processor, the memory, the motor, the driveshaft, the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 14

An apparatus to selectively transfer torque from a motor to either a first unidirectional fan or a second unidirectional fan comprising:
means to operate a motor in a first direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through a driveshaft and a selective power transfer mechanism to the first unidirectional fan and
means to operate the motor in a second direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through the driveshaft and the selective power transfer mechanism to the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the selective power transfer mechanism comprises means for a first freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the first unidirectional fan and a second freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the second unidirectional fan, wherein the means for the first freewheel assembly comprises means to engage with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the first unidirectional fan when the motor is operated in the first direction of rotation and the second freewheel assembly comprises means to engage with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the second unidirectional fan when the motor is operated in the second direction of rotation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means to control the motor with a computer processor, wherein the computer processor comprises means to obtain instructions from a memory, and wherein the instructions comprise means to cause the computer processor to control the motor to selectively output thrust through the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan to influence a motion of a load secured to a housing, wherein the housing is secured to the computer processor, the memory, the motor, the driveshaft, the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means to resist a movement of at least one of the first fan or the second fan with a brake.

### Claim 18

One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that cause a computer device, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor of the computer device, to:
operate a motor in a first direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through a driveshaft and a selective power transfer mechanism to the first unidirectional fan and
operate the motor in a second direction of rotation to transfer torque from the motor through the driveshaft and the selective power transfer mechanism to the second unidirectional fan and thereby selectively transfer torque from the motor between the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computer-readable media according to claim 18, wherein the selective power transfer mechanism comprises a first freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the first unidirectional fan and a second freewheel assembly between the driveshaft and the second unidirectional fan, wherein the instructions further cause the processor of the computer device to engage the first freewheel assembly with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the first unidirectional fan by operating the motor in the first direction of rotation and to engage the second freewheel assembly with the driveshaft to transfer torque from the motor to the second unidirectional fan by operating the motor in the second direction of rotation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The computer-readable media according to claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor of the computer device to control the motor with a computer processor, wherein the computer processor obtains instructions from a memory, and, with the instructions, control the motor to selectively output thrust through the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan to influence a motion of a load secured to a housing, wherein the housing is secured to the computer processor, the memory, the motor, the driveshaft, the first unidirectional fan and the second unidirectional fan.