Aerial vehicle propulsion mechanism with coaxially aligned and independently rotatable propellers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399666-B2
Application number	US-201615194477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Systems, methods, and apparatus may actively adjust the position and/or configuration of one or more propeller blades of a propulsion mechanism to generate different sounds and/or lifting forces from the propulsion mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:
a first motor having a rotatable shaft extending from the first motor, the first motor configured to rotate the rotatable shaft at a revolutions per minute (“RPM”);
a first propeller at a first position on the rotatable shaft and independently rotatable by the first motor;
a second propeller at a second position on the rotatable shaft and independently rotatable by the first motor; and
a propeller adjustment controller configured to independently engage each of the first propeller and the second propeller such that each of the first propeller and the second propeller, responsive to independent engagement, is rotated by the first motor at the RPM wherein the propeller adjustment controller includes a plurality of clutches to enable the independent engagement of each of the first and second propeller.

2. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second propeller remains in a fixed position when the propeller adjustment controller engages the first propeller.

3. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second propeller freely rotates when the propeller adjustment controller engages the first propeller.

4. The aerial vehicle apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first propeller generates a first lifting force and a first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the first motor at the RPM; and
the second propeller generates a second lifting force that is different than the first lifting force and a second sound that is different than the first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the first motor at the RPM.

5. A propulsion apparatus, comprising:
a motor including a shaft, the motor configured to rotate the shaft at a revolutions per minute (RPM);
a first propeller at a first position along the shaft;
a second propeller at a second position along the shaft; and
a propeller adjustment controller configured to independently engage each of the first propeller and the second propeller such that each of the first propeller and the second propeller, responsive to independent engagement, is rotated by the motor at the RPM wherein the propeller adjustment controller includes a plurality of clutches to enable the independent engagement of each of the first and second propeller.

6. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the first propeller generates a first lifting force and a first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
the second propeller generates the first lifting force and a second sound that is different than the first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM.

7. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the first propeller generates a first lifting force and a first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
the second propeller generates a second lifting force that is different than the first lifting force and the first sound when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM.

8. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the first propeller has a larger diameter than the second propeller.

9. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
a first distance between the first position and the second position is determined based at least in part on:
a first sound profile expected to be generated by the first propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM;
a second sound profile expected to be generated by the second propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
a determination that the first sound profile will cause interference with the second sound profile when the first propeller and the second propeller are both engaged by the propeller adjustment controller, rotated by the motor at the RPM, and separated by the first distance.

10. The propulsion apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the interference is destructive interference.

11. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a first pitch of the first propeller is different than a second pitch of the second propeller.

12. The propulsion apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third propeller at a third position along the shaft; and
wherein the propeller adjustment controller is further configured to engage the first propeller, the second propeller, the third propeller, the first propeller and the second propeller, the first propeller and the third propeller, or the second propeller and the third propeller such that the first propeller, the second propeller, the third propeller, the first propeller and the second propeller, the first propeller and the third propeller, or the second propeller and the third propeller are rotated by the motor at the RPM.

13. The propulsion apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:
a first distance between the first position and the second position is determined based at least in part on:
a first sound profile expected to be generated by the first propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM;
a second sound profile expected to be generated by the second propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
a determination that the first sound profile will cause interference with the second sound profile when the first propeller and the second propeller are both engaged by the propeller adjustment controller, rotated by the motor at the RPM, and separated by the first distance, the interference resulting in a net effect sound profile;

a second distance between the second position and the third position is determined based at least in part on:
the net effect sound profile;
a third sound profile expected to be generated by the third propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
a determination that the third sound profile will cause interference with the net effect sound profile when the first propeller, the second propeller, and the third propeller are each engaged by the propeller adjustment controller, rotated by the motor at the RPM, and separated by the first distance and the second distance.

14. The propulsion apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:
a first distance between the first position and the second position is determined based at least in part on:
a first sound profile expected to be generated by the first propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM;
a second sound profile expected to be generated by the second propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
a determination that the first sound profile will cause interference with the second sound profile when the first propeller and the second propeller are both engaged by the propeller adjustment controller, rotated by the motor at the RPM, and separated by the first distance;

a second distance between the first position and the third position is determined based at least in part on:
the first sound profile expected to be generated by the first propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM;
a third sound profile expected to be generated by the third propeller when engaged by the propeller adjustment controller and rotated by the motor at the RPM; and
a determination that th

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Beckman Brian C
• Brodie John Raymond
• Coralic Vedran
• Grenier Taylor David
• Kimchi Gur
• Shiosaki Dominic Timothy
• Welsh Ricky Dean
• Whitlock Richard Philip

Classifications

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• B64C11/50

  Phase synchronisation between multiple propellers · CPC title

• B64C11/48 Primary

  Units of two or more coaxial propellers · CPC title

• B64C2230/28

  at propeller or rotor blades · CPC title

• B64C11/28

  Collapsible or foldable blades · CPC title