Reactionless free-spinning motor with dual propellers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708172-B2
Application number	US-202117395086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Jan 17, 2020
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A first propeller has a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller. An electromagnetic field emitter is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller and an electromagnetic field receptor is coupled to the other one that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter. The electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field. In response to the electromagnetic field: the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction. In response to a second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque: the first propeller increases and subsequently decreases its rotational speed; and the second propeller increases its rotational speed at a slower rate than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first propeller having a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller;
the second propeller having a longer blade length and a higher inertia than the first propeller;
an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller; and
an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to a other one of the first propeller or the second propeller that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter, wherein:
the electromagnetic field emitter is configured to emit an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller are configured to rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller are configured to rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction;

in response to a second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque:
the first propeller is configured to increase its rotational speed and subsequently decreases its rotational speed; and
the second propeller is configured to increase its rotational speed at a rate that is slower than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller;

the first propeller has a first blade length and a first blade pitch; and
the first blade length and the first blade pitch are tuned in order to achieve a desired response function associated with the first propeller increasing its rotational speed and subsequently decreasing its rotational speed in response to the second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque.

2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first propeller having the shorter blade length is located below the second propeller having the longer blade length.

3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the desired response function includes one or more of the following: a desired duration, a desired peak, or a desired steady-state rotational speed.

4. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the system is included in an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle; and
all propellers included in the eVTOL vehicle have a corresponding and coaxial propeller with a different blade length.

5. A system, comprising:
a first propeller having a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller;
the second propeller having a longer blade length and a higher inertia than the first propeller;
an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller; and
an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to a other one of the first propeller or the second propeller that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter, wherein:
the electromagnetic field emitter is configured to emit an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller are configured to rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller are configured to rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction;

in response to a second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque:
the first propeller is configured to increase its rotational speed and subsequently decreases its rotational speed; and
the second propeller is configured to increase its rotational speed at a rate that is slower than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller;

the second propeller has a second blade length and a second blade pitch; and
the second blade length and the second blade pitch are tuned in order to achieve a desired response function associated with the second propeller increasing its rotational speed at the rate that is slower than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller in response to the second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque.

6. The system recited in claim 5 , wherein:
the desired response function includes one or more of the following: a desired rise time or a desired steady-state rotational speed.

7. The system recited in claim 5 , wherein the first propeller having the shorter blade length is located below the second propeller having the longer blade length.

8. The system recited in claim 5 , wherein:
the system is included in an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle; and
all propellers included in the eVTOL vehicle have a corresponding and coaxial propeller with a different blade length.

9. A method, comprising:
providing a first propeller having a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller;
providing the second propeller having a longer blade length and a higher inertia than the first propeller;
providing an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller; and
providing an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to a other one of the first propeller or the second propeller that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter, wherein:
the electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction;

in response to a second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque:
the first propeller increases its rotational speed and subsequently decreases its rotational speed; and
the second propeller increases its rotational speed at a rate that is slower than the increase in the rotational speed of the first propeller;

the first propeller has a first blade length and a first blade pitch; and
the method further includes tuning the first blade length and the first blade pitch are tuned in order to achieve a desired response function associated with the first propeller increasing its rotational speed and subsequently decreasing its rotational speed in response to the second electromagnetic field associated with increasing torque.

10. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the first propeller having the shorter blade length is located below the second propeller having the longer blade length.

11. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the desired response function includes one or more of the following: a desired duration, a desired peak, or a desired steady-state rotational speed.

12. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the method is performed by an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle; and
all propellers included in the eVTOL vehicle have a corresponding and coaxial propeller with a different blade length.

13. A method, comprising:
providing a first propeller having a shorter blade length and a lower inertia than a second propeller;
providing the second propeller having a longer blade length and a higher inertia than the first propeller;
providing an electromagnetic field emitter that is coupled to one of the first propeller or the second propeller; and
providing an electromagnetic field receptor that is coupled to a other one of the first propeller or the second propeller that is not coupled to the electromagnetic field emitter, wherein:
the electromagnetic field emitter emits an electromagnetic field and in response to the electromagnetic field:
the electromagnetic field receptor and its coupled propeller rotate in a first rotational direction; and
the electromagnetic field emitter and its coupled propeller rotate in a second and counter-rotational direction;

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

• B64D27/24

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title