Propeller blade treatments for sound control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933988-B2
Application number	US-201514975209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position of one or more propeller blade treatments of a propeller blade of an aerial vehicle during operation of the aerial vehicle. For example, the propeller blade may have one or more propeller blade treatments that may be adjusted between two or more positions. Based on the position of the propeller blade treatments, the airflow over the propeller is altered, thereby altering the sound generated by the propeller when rotating. By altering the propeller blade treatments on multiple propeller blades of the aerial vehicle, the different sounds generated by the different propeller blades may effectively cancel, reduce, and/or otherwise alter the total sound generated by the aerial vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A propeller blade, comprising:
a hub;
a tip;
a surface area that extends between the hub and the tip, the surface area having an upper side, a lower side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge; and
the leading edge extending from the hub to the tip and including a first plurality of propeller blade treatments, each of the first plurality of propeller blade treatments being extendible in a direction from the leading edge that includes a horizontal component with respect to the surface area between a first position and a second position.

2. The propeller blade of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second plurality of propeller blade treatments positioned on the upper side.

3. The propeller blade of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second plurality of propeller blade treatments positioned on the lower side.

4. The propeller blade of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second plurality of propeller blade treatments positioned on the trailing edge.

5. The propeller blade of claim 1 , further comprising:
a propeller blade treatment adjustment controller configured to alter a position of a first propeller blade treatment of the first plurality of propeller blade treatments between the first position and the second position, wherein the propeller blade generates a first sound when rotating and the first propeller blade treatment is in the first position and generates a second sound when rotating and the first propeller blade treatment is in the second position.

6. The propeller blade of claim 5 , the propeller blade treatment adjustment controller including:
a communication component configured to receive a wireless communication that indicates whether the first propeller blade treatment is to be in the first position or the second position; and
an actuator in contact with the first propeller blade treatment and configured to move the first propeller blade treatment between the first position and the second position based at least in part on the indication included in the wireless communication.

7. The propeller blade of claim 6 , further comprising:
a power supply included in the propeller blade and configured to provide power to the actuator.

8. The propeller blade of claim 7 , wherein the power supply is at least one of a fuel cell, a battery, or a solar panel.

9. The propeller blade of claim 7 , wherein at least some of the first plurality of propeller blade treatments vary in shape and size.

10. The propeller blade of claim 1 , wherein a first propeller blade treatment of the first plurality of propeller blade treatments includes an actuator configured to move between the first position in which the first propeller blade treatment extends in a direction from the leading edge that includes a vertical component with respect to the surface area and the second position in which the first propeller blade treatment is approximately in a same plane as the surface area.

11. An aerial vehicle comprising:
a motor configured to rotate a propeller such that the propeller generates a lifting force;
the propeller including:
a hub that is coupled to the motor so that the motor can rotate the propeller;
a propeller blade extending from the hub, the propeller blade including:
a leading edge;
a tip;
a trailing edge; and
a plurality of propeller blade treatments positioned along the leading edge, wherein each of the plurality of propeller blade treatments is extendible in a direction from the leading edge that includes a horizontal component with respect to the propeller blade between a first propeller blade treatment position and a second propeller blade treatment position.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
a first set of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are positioned at different distances along the leading edge and extend above the leading edge; and
a second set of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are positioned at different distances along the leading edge and extend below the leading edge.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:
a propeller blade treatment adjustment controller coupled to at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments and configured to move the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments while the propeller blade is rotating.

14. The aerial vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the propeller blade treatment adjustment controller includes:
an actuator including an adjustment arm that extends along the propeller blade and contacts the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments such that:
responsive to the adjustment arm being in a first adjustment arm position, the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are in the first propeller blade treatment position, and
responsive to the adjustment arm being in a second adjustment arm position, the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are in the second propeller blade treatment position that is different than the first propeller blade treatment position.

15. The aerial vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor a sound generated around the aerial vehicle; and
wherein the propeller blade treatment adjustment controller moves the adjustment arm between the first adjustment arm position and the second adjustment arm position based at least in part on the sound.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments cause the propeller blade to:
generate a first sound when the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are in the first propeller blade treatment position and the propeller blade is rotating at a first speed; and
generate a second sound when the at least some of the plurality of propeller blade treatments are in the second propeller blade treatment position and the propeller blade is rotating at the first speed; and

the propeller blade treatment adjustment controller moves the adjustment arm from the first adjustment arm position to the second adjustment arm position when the second sound, when combined with the sound, will alter the sound.

17. An aerial vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a first motor coupled to the frame;
a first propeller coupled to and rotatable by the first motor, the first propeller including a first plurality of propeller blade treatments extending in a first direction from a first leading edge of the first propeller that includes at least one of a vertical component with respect to the first propeller or a horizontal component with respect to the first propeller;
a second motor coupled to the frame; and
a second propeller coupled to and rotatable by the second motor, the second propeller including a second plurality of propeller blade treatments extending in a second direction from a second leading edge of the second propeller that includes at least one of a vertical component with respect to the second propeller or a horizontal component with respect to the second propeller.

18. The aerial vehicle of claim 17 , wherein:
the first plurality of propeller blade treatments are positioned on the first propeller such that the first propeller generates a first sound when rotated by the first motor; and
the second plurality of propeller blade treatments are positioned on the second propeller such that the second propeller generates a second sound when rotated by the second motor, wherein the second sound causes interface with the first sound.

19. The aerial vehic

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Beckman Brian C
• Kimchi Gur
• Ko Allan

Classifications

• B64U30/29

  Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof · CPC title

• B64U20/20

  for noise reduction · CPC title

• B64C27/57 Primary

  automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust · CPC title

• G01H1/003

  of rotating machines (G01H1/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title