US 11,754,085 B1
Convertible fan engine
Scott R. Kempshall, St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Assigned to Hyalta Aeronautics, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Filed by Hyalta Aeronautics, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/892,296.
Application 17/892,296 is a continuation of application No. 16/414,448, filed on May 16, 2019, granted, now 11,454,245.
Application 16/414,448 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/225,951, filed on Dec. 19, 2018, granted, now 11,333,032, issued on May 17, 2022.
Application 16/225,951 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/209,383, filed on Jul. 13, 2016, granted, now 10,180,083, issued on Jan. 15, 2019.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F04D 29/052 (2006.01); F04D 29/52 (2006.01); F04D 29/32 (2006.01); F04D 19/00 (2006.01); B60F 3/00 (2006.01); B60F 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 29/052 (2013.01) [F04D 19/002 (2013.01); F04D 29/325 (2013.01); F04D 29/526 (2013.01); B60F 3/0007 (2013.01); B60F 5/00 (2013.01); F05B 2240/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fan engine, comprising:
a mechanical fan in communication with a motor, the motor configured to cause the fan to rotate about a rotational axis, the mechanical fan having a plurality of blades concentrically arranged about the rotational axis;
a shroud concentrically aligned with the mechanical fan about the rotational axis;
a fluid-propulsion configuration in which the mechanical fan independently rotates with respect to the shroud to produce thrust through fluid flow; and
a drive-wheel configuration in which the motor causes rotation of at least a portion of the shroud about the rotational axis.