The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 22, 1999
James E. Shaffer, Maitland, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus for deploying a propeller assembly from a folded configuration to a deployed, operational configuration, the apparatus comprising a propeller assembly hub which in conjunction with a propeller hub nut maintains an aerodynamically efficient shape after the propeller assembly is deployed, the propeller hub nut which is diametrically large enough to allow assembly of a drive shaft and a drive shaft bevel gear and includes a cavity to accept a spring detent, a propeller blade which protrudes from a journal located in the surface of the propeller assembly hub where when in its folded configuration, the propeller blade is in the same parallel axial direction as the drive shaft and when deployed is nutated to a radially outwardly extending operative position in response to rotating of a propeller blade bevel gear, the drive shaft rotated about its axis where one end engages a prime mover and a second distal end engages the hub nut, drive shaft bevel gear fixed to the drive shaft near the distal end which engages the propeller blade bevel gear, the propeller blade bevel gear connected to the propeller blade inside of the propeller assembly hub which engages the drive shaft bevel gear and rotates as a result of the drive shaft bevel gear rotating in unison with the drive shaft, a means to prevent the propeller blades from nutating beyond the operational configuration, a means to reduce friction between the hub nut and the drive shaft, a shear pin to statorize the propeller assembly hub prior to operating the deployed propeller assembly, and a means to break the sheer pin after the propeller assembly has achieved the deployed, operational configuration.