Propeller safety device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866150-B2
Application number	US-202117532626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Mar 11, 2021
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A propeller safety device is provided. The propeller safety device is configured to insert a moving part of a propeller into a fixed part during a crash of an air mobility to allow a reduction in the total length of the propeller, thereby preventing the propeller from hitting the ground. Accordingly, a secondary accident due to fragments formed when the rotating propeller hits the ground is prevented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A propeller safety device, comprising:
a shaft generating rotating power;
a fixed part having a sliding space therein, the fixed part having a first end coupled to the shaft, and a second end configured to be open to communicate with the sliding space;
a moving part provided at the second end of the fixed part and configured to be pulled out of and inserted into the sliding space, and to form a blade together with the fixed part when the moving part is pulled out of the sliding space; and
a driving module provided at the sliding space of the fixed part and connected to the moving part, and configured to allow the moving part to be inserted into the sliding space when a signal indicative of a crash of an air mobility is input,
wherein the fixed part includes a fixed portion located in the sliding space of the fixed part, disposed in a width direction of the fixed part and fixed to the fixed part, and to which the driving module is mounted, and
wherein the moving part has a hollow portion and an open first end such that the fixed portion of the fixed part is inserted into the hollow portion of the moving part when the moving part is inserted into the sliding space of the fixed part.

2. The propeller safety device of claim 1 , wherein the fixed part includes at least one support portion protruding inward from a circumferential surface of the sliding space and connected to the fixed portion, and the moving part includes a guide slit, at an outer circumferential surface thereof, into which the support portion is inserted.

3. The propeller safety device of claim 2 , wherein the support portion of the fixed part extends straightly along a longitudinal direction of the sliding space.

4. The propeller safety device of claim 1 , wherein the driving module includes:
a piston portion passing through the fixed portion with a first end thereof movably placed in the sliding space and a second end thereof connected to the moving part; and
a launch portion provided at the fixed portion, and configured to generate explosive force when the signal indicative of the crash of the air mobility is input and allow the first end of the piston portion to be moved toward the first end of the fixed part, to insert the moving part into the sliding space of the fixed part.

5. The propeller safety device of claim 4 , wherein the fixed portion is configured to close the open portion at the second end of the fixed part to seal the sliding space.

6. The propeller safety device of claim 4 , wherein the piston portion has the second end thereof connected to a second end of the moving part and the first end thereof placed in the sliding space, and the first end of the piston portion is located at one side of the sliding space when the moving part is pulled out of the sliding space.

7. The propeller safety device of claim 4 , wherein the launch portion is mounted to the fixed portion in the sliding space and configured to generate a gas when the signal indicative of the crash of the air mobility is input and to allow the first end of the piston portion to be moved.

8. The propeller safety device of claim 1 , wherein the driving module includes:
a moving portion passing through the fixed portion to movably place a first end thereof in the sliding space and connect a second end thereof to the moving part;
an elastic portion disposed between the first end of the moving portion and the fixed portion and configured to be transformable elastically; and
a stopper disposed in the sliding space of the fixed part, configured to fix a position of the moving portion by being brought into contact with the first end of the moving portion when the moving part is pulled out of the sliding space and the elastic portion is compressed, and to be separated from the first end of the moving part when the signal indicative of the crash of the air mobility is input.

9. The propeller safety device of claim 8 , wherein the moving portion has the second end thereof connected to a second end of the moving part and the first end thereof placed in the sliding space and configured to be located at one side of the sliding space when the moving part is pulled out of the sliding space.

10. The propeller safety device of claim 8 , wherein the elastic portion is a tension spring having a first end connected to the second end of the moving portion and a second end connected to the fixed portion.

11. The propeller safety device of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the fixed part and a first end of the moving part are connected to each other in a fastening manner to maintain a pulled-out state of the moving part.

12. The propeller safety device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to receive a flight condition of the air mobility and determine whether the air mobility has crashed and configured to transmit a signal indicative of a crash of the air mobility to the driving module in response to determining that the air mobility has crashed.

13. The propeller safety device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to receive altitude information of the air mobility and transmit the signal indicative of the crash of the air mobility to the driving module in response to determining that an altitude of the air mobility is equal to or less than a preset altitude.

14. The propeller safety device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to further receive information about a fall velocity and a posture of the air mobility and to pre-store a preset velocity corresponding to the fall velocity and a preset angle corresponding to the posture of the air mobility, and in response to determining that the fall velocity is equal to or greater than the preset velocity and the posture of the air mobility is equal to or greater than the preset angle, the controller is configured to transmit the signal indicative of the crash of the air mobility to the driving module.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Yoo Ji Woo
• Nam Youn Sic
• Kim Keon Woo
• Moh Kwan Ho
• Kim Young Heon

Classifications

• B64C11/003 Primary

  Variable-diameter propellers; Mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• B64D25/00

  Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C11/04 Primary

  Blade mountings · CPC title

• B64C27/473 Primary

  Constructional features · CPC title

• B64C27/32

  Rotors · CPC title