Electric vehicles with detachably coupled propulsion units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227299-B1
Application number	US-202117484233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Sep 28, 2020
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle that includes a communications interface that exchanges, with a propulsion unit that includes a battery, a first propeller, and a local flight controller, one or more decoupling communications associated with decoupling the propulsion unit and the vehicle and outputs a motor control signal. The vehicle further includes a central flight controller that obtains a reduced thrust allocation map with the first propeller removed and generates, using the reduced thrust allocation map, a motor control signal for a second propeller that is not included in the propulsion unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A propulsion unit system, comprising:
a battery;
a communications interface that is configured to exchange, with a vehicle that includes a central flight controller, one or more decoupling communications associated with decoupling the vehicle and the propulsion unit system;
a configuration controller that is configured to:
send, to an attachment interface, a release instruction associated with decoupling the vehicle and the propulsion unit system; and
configure a motor controller to be under the control of a local flight controller;

the local flight controller that is configured to generate a motor control signal for a first propeller; and
the motor controller that is configured to rotate the first propeller as commanded by the motor control signal.

2. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications interface is configured to exchange the one or more decoupling communications over a wireless communications channel.

3. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein the propulsion unit system further includes a tiltrotor such that the vehicle includes a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle.

4. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle further includes a docking point that communicates configuration information to the propulsion unit system; and
the propulsion unit system configures itself as specified by the configuration information.

5. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a plurality of propellers.

6. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a wing.

7. The propulsion unit system recited in claim 1 further including a wing, wherein a distal end of the wing is configured to detachably and serially couple to a distal end of a second wing included in a second propulsion unit system.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Parker Madeline Elliott
• Bowen-Davies Graham
• Vocke Iii Robert Donald

Classifications

• B64D27/24 Primary

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

• B64C29/0025

  the propellers being fixed relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B64U50/13

  using external fans or propellers · CPC title

• B64U50/19

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64C2211/00

  Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters · CPC title