Propeller alignment devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059440-B2
Application number	US-201715826470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A propeller alignment device is described. The propeller alignment device can include a second retainer attached to a propeller and a motor. The propeller alignment device can also include a first retainer that does not rotate, but that is aligned with the second retainer. The first retainer can include two or more magnets oppositely orientated relative to each other. The second retainer can also include two or more magnets oppositely orientated relative to each other. As the second retainer rotates relative to the first retainer, the magnets alternatingly align with each other. In the absence of a current applied to the motor, the magnets may magnetically bias the second retainer into a predetermined orientation relative to the first retainer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a motor connected to the frame and comprising a shaft;
a propeller connected to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft by the motor causes the propeller to rotate;
a mounting housing connected to the frame; and
an alignment structure to align the propeller relative to the mounting housing, the alignment structure comprising:
a stationary ring secured to the mounting housing, the stationary ring comprising:
a first magnet disposed within a first area of the stationary ring and orientated in a first direction; and
a second magnet disposed within a second area of the stationary ring and oriented in a second direction; and

a rotating ring aligned with the stationary ring and configured to rotate relative to the stationary ring as the propeller is rotated by the motor, the rotating ring comprising:
a third magnet disposed within a first area of the rotating ring and oriented in the first direction; and
a fourth magnet disposed within a second area of the rotating ring and orientated in the second direction,

wherein, in the absence of a current applied to the motor, the first and second magnets and the third and fourth magnets magnetically bias the rotating ring into a predetermined orientation.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a magnetic force is produced as part of the first and second magnets and the third and fourth magnets magnetically biasing the rotating ring, the magnetic force sufficient to resist an opposing rotational force applied to the propeller when the aerial vehicle is moving.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first area of the stationary ring comprises a first c-shaped half of the stationary ring, and the second area of the stationary ring comprises a second c-shaped half of the stationary ring.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first magnet, the second magnet, the third magnet, and the fourth magnet comprise a plurality of cylindrical magnets, each plurality of cylindrical magnets disposed within the respective first and second areas of the stationary ring and the respective first and second areas of the rotating ring.

5. An alignment device, comprising:
a stator configured to receive a motor shaft;
a rotor configured to receive the motor shaft and rotate relative to the stator about a rotation axis that extends through the motor shaft;
a first retainer connected to the stator, the first retainer comprising a plurality of stator magnets that comprises a first set of stator magnets oriented in a first direction; and
a second retainer spaced apart from the first retainer along the rotation axis and connected to the rotor, the second retainer comprising a plurality of rotor magnets that comprises a first set of rotor magnets oriented in a second direction that is opposite the first direction,
wherein the first set of stator magnets and the first set of rotor magnets magnetically bias the rotor into a predetermined orientation about the rotation axis with respect to the stator.

6. The alignment device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a second set of stator magnets of the plurality of stator magnets oriented in the second direction; and
a second set of rotor magnets of the plurality of rotor magnets oriented in the first direction,
wherein the second set of stator magnets and the second set of rotor magnets magnetically bias the rotor into the predetermined orientation.

7. The alignment device of claim 6 , wherein the first set of stator magnets and the second set of stator magnets are located in respective first and second portions of the first retainer and the first set of rotor magnets and the second set of rotor magnets are located in respective first and second portions of the second retainer, and wherein in the predetermined orientation the first portion of the first retainer is aligned with the first portion of the second retainer.

8. The alignment device of claim 6 , wherein the first set of stator magnets and the second set of stator magnets are intermixed throughout the first retainer and the first set of rotor magnets and the second set of rotor magnets are intermixed throughout the second retainer.

9. The alignment device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of stator magnets are inserted into a first plurality of openings in the first retainer, and the plurality of rotor magnets are inserted into a second plurality of openings in the second retainer.

10. The alignment device of claim 6 , wherein the first set of rotor magnets is disposed in a first half of the second retainer and a second set of rotor magnets of the plurality of rotor magnets is disposed in a second half of the second retainer.

11. The alignment device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a propeller connected to the motor shaft and connected to the rotor, wherein the first set of stator magnets and the first set of rotor magnets magnetically bias the propeller into an orientation having reduced aerodynamic resistance.

12. The alignment device of claim 11 , wherein the propeller is a lift propeller and the first set of stator magnets and the first set of rotor magnets magnetically bias the propeller into the orientation when the lift propeller is not in use.

13. The alignment device of claim 5 , wherein the rotor is magnetically biased into the predetermined orientation based at least in part on application of a current to one or more electromagnets of the stator.

14. The alignment device of claim 5 , wherein the rotor is magnetically biased into the predetermined orientation based at least in part on application of a current to one or more electromagnets of the rotor.

15. A motor system, comprising:
a propeller;
a motor connected to the propeller, the propeller configured to rotate relative to the motor about a rotation axis in response to a current applied to the motor;
a first structure connected to the motor and comprising a first plurality of magnets, a first set of magnets of the first plurality of magnets oriented in a first direction; and
a second structure connected to the propeller and comprising a second plurality of magnets, a second set of magnets of the second plurality of magnets oriented in a second direction that is opposite the first direction,
wherein, in the absence of the current applied to the motor, the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets magnetically bias the propeller into a predetermined orientation about the rotation axis.

16. The motor system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a sensor package configured to detect when the propeller is in the predetermined orientation; and
a processor configured to:
receive sensing information from the sensor package; and
in response to receiving the sensing information, apply a first current to the motor to cause the propeller to rotate with respect to the motor.

17. The motor system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the first current based at least in part on the sensing information.

18. The motor system of claim 15 , wherein, in the predetermined orientation, the propeller has a lower energy state compared to when the propeller is out of the predetermined orientation.

19. The motor system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a third set of magnets of the first plurality of magnets oriented in the second direction; and
a fourth set of magnets of the second plurality of magnets oriented in the first direction,
wherein in the absence of the current applied to the motor, the third set of magnets

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Erdozain Jr Jack
• Legrand Iii Louis Leroi
• Traube Joshua White

Classifications

• B64U50/14

  ducted or shrouded · CPC title

• B64U10/10

  Rotorcrafts · CPC title

• B64C27/58 Primary

  Transmitting means, e.g. interrelated with initiating means or means acting on blades (means acting on blades B64C27/72) · CPC title

• B64C2201/108

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/024

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic