Reduced noise rotor for aerial vehicles
AssigneeZipline International Inc.
InventorBrendan J.D. Wade
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerial vehicle is disclosed including a rotor assembly including a shaft, a first blade, and a second blade. At least the first blade and the second blade are configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, the shaft defines a keyed pathway extending along and at least partially about the axis of rotation, at least one of the first blade or the second blade is movable along and about the axis of rotation along the keyed pathway between a first configuration and a second configuration and defines a keyed surface extending at least partially into the shaft and the keyed pathway.
Claims20
An aerial vehicle comprising:
- a rotor assembly comprising:
- a shaft,
- a first blade, and
- a second blade,
- wherein:
- at least the first blade and the second blade are configured to rotate about an axis of rotation,
- the shaft defines a keyed pathway extending along and at least partially about the axis of rotation,
- at least one of the first blade or the second blade is movable along and about the axis of rotation along the keyed pathway between a first configuration and a second configuration and defines a keyed surface extending at least partially into the shaft and the keyed pathway.
A rotor assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a shaft defining a keyed pathway at an outer surface of the shaft;
- a first blade;
- a second blade;
- and
- a motor configured to cause at least the first blade and the second blade to rotate about an axis of rotation;
- wherein:
- the keyed pathway extends along and at least partially about the axis of rotation, each of the first blade and the second blade comprise:
- blade portions defining aerodynamic foils, and
- a central component configured to structurally support the blade portion,
- at least one of the first blade or the second blade is movable relative to the other along the keyed pathway between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and comprises a key feature extending from the central component to mate with the keyed pathway.
A rotor assembly for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a shaft defining a keyed pathway;
- a first blade;
- a second blade;
- a biasing element;
- and
- a motor;
- wherein:
- the keyed pathway extends along and at least partially about an axis of rotation of at least the first blade and the second blade,
- each of the first blade and the second blade comprise:
- blade portions defining aerodynamic foils, and
- a central component configured to structurally support the blade portion,
- at least one of the first blade or the second blade is movable relative to the other of the first blade and the second blade along the keyed pathway and defines a keyed feature for complimentary engagement with the keyed pathway, and
- the biasing element biases the first blade and the second blade towards each other along the axis of rotation,
- rotation of the motor causes the first blade or the second blade to overcome the biasing element to be spaced apart along the axis of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.