US 11,938,768 B2
Amphibious vehicles comprising cycloidal propellers
Moble Benedict, College Station, TX (US); Sean M. McHugh, San Jose, CA (US); Chase B. Wiley, Keller, TX (US); Ramsay A. Ramsey, College Station, TX (US); Adam Kellen, San Antonio, TX (US); and Yin Lu Young, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX (US); and The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed by The Texas A&M University System, College Station, TX (US); and The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Filed on May 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/321,048.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/025,427, filed on May 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0009300 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B60F 3/00 (2006.01); B63H 1/06 (2006.01); B63H 3/00 (2006.01); B63H 21/17 (2006.01); B63H 25/42 (2006.01)
CPC B60F 3/0007 (2013.01) [B63H 1/06 (2013.01); B63H 3/00 (2013.01); B63H 21/17 (2013.01); B63H 25/42 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An amphibious vehicle for traversing land and bodies of water, comprising:
a chassis; and
a cycloidal propeller coupled to the chassis, wherein the cycloidal propeller comprises:
a plurality of cycloidal propeller blades rotatably coupled to the chassis and each extending parallel a rotational axis of the cycloidal propeller; and
an extension/retraction system comprising a hub rotatably coupled to the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades and a linear actuator coupled between the hub and the chassis and configured to extend the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades away from the chassis and to retract the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades towards the chassis.