Hinged Propellers for Multi-Mode Locomotion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicles are limited in their ability to seamlessly transition between air, ground, and water locomotion, requiring separate vehicles for different environments and suffering from energy inefficiencies in ground and air-boat applications.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design featuring propellers that can rotate around a hinge to change thrust direction, allowing for protection during ground use and horizontal thrust in water, with shrouds or wheels transforming between modes, powered by motors or belts for efficient propulsion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a quadrotor is used for air locomotion, then the vehicle can reach inaccessible locations, but the energy consumption is significantly higher compared to ground vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The propellers are made dynamically adjustable through a hinge mechanism that allows rotation between vertical (air mode) and horizontal (ground mode) orientations. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the vehicle to switch between high-energy air locomotion and low-energy ground locomotion based on environmental requirements, directly resolving the energy consumption contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The propulsion system serves multiple functions by enabling the same propellers to provide both aerial thrust (when vertical) and ground propulsion (when horizontal). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate air and ground vehicles, allowing a single platform to adapt to different locomotion needs while optimizing energy usage in each mode.
2Power
If propellers are exposed for air propulsion, then thrust efficiency is maximized, but the blades lack protection during ground contact
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism dynamically repositions the propellers from an exposed vertical orientation during air flight to a protected horizontal orientation during ground contact. This dynamic movement ensures that blades are exposed only when needed for thrust generation and protected when ground contact occurs, simultaneously achieving thrust efficiency and blade protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge acts as an intermediary mechanism between the propellers and the vehicle body, mediating the exposure and protection states of the blades. By controlling the hinge angle, the system can transition propellers between exposed (for thrust) and protected (for ground contact) positions, resolving the contradiction between thrust efficiency and blade safety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single vehicle design is used for multiple environments, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is segmented into independent modular components: the body, the hinge mechanism, and the propellers. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall system adaptability. The modular structure actually reduces complexity by making each component simpler and more specialized rather than requiring a completely reconfigurable monolithic design.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism serves as a universal solution enabling the same propeller assembly to function in both air and ground modes. This single multi-functional mechanism replaces what would otherwise require entirely separate air vehicle and ground vehicle systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high environmental adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables a single vehicle to efficiently transition between air, ground, and water environments, reducing energy consumption and extending operational time by utilizing the same propulsion system for multiple modalities.
Implementation Method 1
the four propellers are rotated around a hinge from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation with respect to the vehicle body when being used as a flying vehicle to generate downwards thrust
Implementation Method 2
In the case of the water implementation, these propellers are also used to provide horizontal thrust to the vessel
Implementation Method 3
the four propellers are rotated around a hinge from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation with respect to the vehicle body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention presents a vehicle that is capable of utilizing different methods of movement by rotating its propellers to accommodate air, ground, or water locomotion. The present invention includes being able to change the direction of the thrust mechanism, so that it creates thrust in the direction of flight, but it is hinged to provide full protection to the blades in the ground modality. In the case of the water implementation, these propellers are also used to provide horizontal thrust to the vessel.