Reactionless free-spinning motor with dual propellers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111030-B2
Application number	US-202117150332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2021
Priority date	Jan 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A system which includes a first propeller, a second propeller, an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to the first propeller, and an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to the second propeller. The electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field receptor and the second propeller rotate in a first rotational direction and the electromagnetic field emitter and the first propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first propeller;
a second propeller;
an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to the first propeller;
an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to the second propeller, wherein the electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and the second propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and the first propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction; and

at least one of the following:
a first mechanical coupling that mechanically reorients a direction of rotation between the electromagnetic field receptor and the second propeller such that the first propeller and the second propeller are not co-axial; or
a second mechanical coupling that mechanically reorients a direction of rotation between the electromagnetic field emitter and the first propeller such that the first propeller and the second propeller are not co-axial.

2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the system is included in a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle; and
the first propeller and the second propeller rotate about a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the system is included in a vehicle that takes off and lands using wing-borne flight; and
the first propeller and the second propeller rotate about a substantially longitudinal axis of rotation.

4. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first propeller and the second propeller rotate in one or more planes that are above a top of a fuselage.

5. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first propeller has a first blade length and the second propeller has a second blade length that is not equal to the first blade length.

6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first propeller has a first blade pitch setting and the second propeller has a second blade pitch setting that is not equal to the first blade pitch setting.

7. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the first propeller has a shorter blade length than the second propeller; and
the first propeller has a higher blade pitch setting than second propeller.

8. A method, comprising:
providing a first propeller;
providing a second propeller;
providing an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to the first propeller;
providing an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to the second propeller, wherein the electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and the second propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and the first propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction; and

providing at least one of the following:
a first mechanical coupling that mechanically reorients a direction of rotation between the electromagnetic field receptor and the second propeller such that the first propeller and the second propeller are not co-axial; or
a second mechanical coupling that mechanically reorients a direction of rotation between the electromagnetic field emitter and the first propeller such that the first propeller and the second propeller are not co-axial.

9. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the method is performed by a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle; and
the first propeller and the second propeller rotate about a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

10. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the method is performed by a vehicle that takes off and lands using wing-borne flight; and
the first propeller and the second propeller rotate about a substantially longitudinal axis of rotation.

11. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the first propeller and the second propeller rotate in one or more planes that are above a top of a fuselage.

12. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the first propeller has a first blade length and the second propeller has a second blade length that is not equal to the first blade length.

13. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the first propeller has a first blade pitch setting and the second propeller has a second blade pitch setting that is not equal to the first blade pitch setting.

14. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the first propeller has a shorter blade length than the second propeller; and
the first propeller has a higher blade pitch setting than second propeller.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Thrun Sebastian
• Saunders Christopher Scott
• Berry Benjamin Otto

Classifications

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D27/31

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B64D35/06 Primary

  the propellers or rotors being counter-rotating · CPC title

• B64C11/46 Primary

  Arrangements of, or constructional features peculiar to, multiple propellers {(B64C11/306 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y02T50/40

  Weight reduction · CPC title