Propeller system with electronically controlled cyclic and collective blade pitch

A propeller system, comprising:

• a plurality of blades;
• hub means for supporting the blades for rotation about a common drive axis and so that each blade can be indpendently twisted about a corresponding blade axis to vary the pitch of the blade relative to the drive axis;
• and
• means for rotating the hub means about the drive axis and for twisting the blades to vary a cyclic pitch and a collective pitch of the blades during rotation of the hub means, including a plurality of permanent magnets, each rigidly connected to a root of a corresponding blade.

A submersible vessel, comprising:

• an elongate hull;
• a first propeller mounted adjacent a fore end of the hull for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the hull;
• a second propeller mounted adjacent an aft end of the hull for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the hull;
• each of the propellers including a plurality of blades and hub means for supporting the blades for rotation about a common drive axis and so that each blade can be independently twisted about a corresponding blade axis to vary the pitch of the blade relative to the drive axis;
• and
• means for rotating the hub means of the first and second propellers about the longitudinal axis and for varying a cyclic pitch and a collective pitch of the blades during rotation of the hub means for maneuvering the hull in six different degrees of freedom, including a plurality of permanent magnets, each rigidly connected to a root of a corresponding blade.

A propeller system, comprising:

• a plurality of blades each having a root;
• means for supporting the blades for rotation about a common drive axis and so that each blade can be independently twisted about a corresponding blade axis to vary the pitch thereof relative to the drive axis;
• means for rotating the blade supporting means about the drive axis;
• and
• means for twisting the blades during rotation of the blade supporting means to independently vary a cyclic pitch of the blades and a collective pitch of the blades during rotation of the blade supporting means about the drive axis, including a plurality of electromagnets annularly spaced about the drive axis radially inward of roots of the blades, each electromagnet being capable of being energized to attract or repel a member rigidly connected to a root of a selected blade to generate a torque on the selected blade about its blade axis as the selected blade moves past the energized electromagnet.

A propeller system, comprising:

• a plurality of blades each having a root;
• means for supporting the blades for rotation about a common drive axis and so that each blade can be independently twisted about a corresponding blade axis to vary the pitch thereof relative to the drive axis;
• means for rotating the blade supporting means about the drive axis;
• and
• means for twisting the blades during rotation of the blade supporting means to independently vary a cyclic pitch of the blades and a collective pitch of the blades during rotation of the blade supporting means about the drive axis, including a plurality of electromagnetic means spaced annularly about the drive axis adjacent the roots of the blades for each generating a predetermined torque on a selected blade as it moves thereby.

A propeller system, comprising:

• a plurality of blades;
• a generally cylindrical hub;
• means for supporting the hub for rotation about a drive axis;
• a plurality of shafts, each having an outer end rigidly connected to a root of a corresponding blade to define a blade axis, the shafts extending radially through the hub at circumferentially spaced locations around the hub and being rotatable to twist the blades about their blade axis;
• a plurality of permanent magnets, each rigidly attached to an inner end of a corresponding shaft;
• a plurality of electromagnets;
• and
• means for supporting the electromagnets in annularly spaced relationship about the drive axis radially inward of the permanent magnets, each electromagnet being capable of being energized to induce motion of an adjacent permanent magnet to thereby twist the blade connected thereto as the blades rotate about the drive axis.

A propeller system, comprising:

• a plurality of blades;
• means for supporting the blades for rotation about a common drive axis and to that each can be independently twisted about a corresponding blade axis to vary the pitch thereof relative to the drive axis;
• a plurality of electromagnetic means positioned in a plurality of fixed locations annularly spaced about the drive axis adjacent the roots of the blades, each being separately energizable to generate a torque or a selected blade as it moves thereby;
• and
• control means for energizing the electromagnets in a coordinated manner to cause the blade supported means to rotate about the drive axis and to independently vary a cyclic pitch of the blades and a collective pitch of the blades as the blade supporting means rotates about the drive axis.