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US 9,809,300 B1Granted
Torque-sensitive locking and release mechanism for a bistable pitch propeller
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorsSteffen Kuentzel, Damon Vander Lind
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In response to a torque that is applied to a clutch module not exceeding a torque threshold, the clutch module is locked where a blade is configured to be at a first pitch angle in response to the clutch module being locked. In response to the torque that is applied to the clutch module exceeding the torque threshold, the clutch module is released where the blade has a range of motion which extends from the first pitch angle to a second pitch angle in response to the clutch module being released.
Claims12
A bistable pitch propeller, comprising:
- a clutch module, which includes a ball, a detent, and a Belleville spring, that is configured to:
- in response to a torque that is applied to the clutch module not exceeding a torque threshold, lock the clutch module, including by using the Belleville spring to press the ball into the detent;
- and
- in response to the torque that is applied to the clutch module exceeding the torque threshold, release the clutch module, including by popping the ball out of the detent;
- and
- a blade that is configured to:
- be at a first pitch angle in response to the clutch module being locked;
- and
- have a range of motion which extends from the first pitch angle to a second pitch angle in response to the clutch module being released.
6 more elements
A bistable pitch propeller, comprising:
- a clutch module that is configured to:
- in response to a torque that is applied to the clutch module not exceeding a torque threshold, lock the clutch module;
- and
- in response to the torque that is applied to the clutch module exceeding the torque threshold, release the clutch module;
- a blade that is configured to:
- be at a first pitch angle in response to the clutch module being locked;
- and
- have a range of motion which extends from the first pitch angle to a second pitch angle in response to the clutch module being released;
- and
- a pitch module that is mechanically coupled to the clutch module and the blade, wherein:
- the pitch module includes a wedge, a first connector to a first blade, a second connector to a second blade, and a spring;
- in response the wedge separating the first connector and the second connector, the first blade and the second blade are rotated to be at the first pitch angle;
- and
- in response to the spring pushing the first connector and the second connector together when the wedge does not separate the first connector and the second connector, the first blade and the second blade are rotated to be at the second pitch angle.
11 more elements
A method, comprising:
- in response to a torque that is applied to a clutch module not exceeding a torque threshold, locking the clutch module, which includes a ball, a detent, and a Belleville spring, including by using the Belleville spring to press the ball into the detent, wherein a blade is configured to be at a first pitch angle in response to the clutch module being locked;
- and
- in response to the torque that is applied to the clutch module exceeding the torque threshold, releasing the clutch module, including by popping the ball out of the detent, wherein the blade has a range of motion which extends from the first pitch angle to a second pitch angle in response to the clutch module being released.
A method, comprising:
- in response to a torque that is applied to a clutch module not exceeding a torque threshold, locking the clutch module, wherein a blade is configured to be at a first pitch angle in response to the clutch module being locked;
- and
- in response to the torque that is applied to the clutch module exceeding the torque threshold, releasing the clutch module, wherein the blade has a range of motion which extends from the first pitch angle to a second pitch angle in response to the clutch module being released, wherein:
- there is a pitch module that is mechanically coupled to the clutch module and the blade;
- the pitch module includes a wedge, a first connector to a first blade, a second connector to a second blade, and a spring;
- in response the wedge separating the first connector and the second connector, the first blade and the second blade are rotated to be at the first pitch angle;
- and
- in response to the spring pushing the first connector and the second connector together when the wedge does not separate the first connector and the second connector, the first blade and the second blade are rotated to be at the second pitch angle.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.