Patent ID: 11938768
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 7:
8. 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 wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis;
a plurality of cycloidal propeller blades rotatably coupled to the chassis and each extending parallel a rotational axis of the cycloidal propeller;
a rotor configured to rotate in unison with the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades about the rotational axis, and wherein the rotor comprises a first clutch plate;
a rim coupled to the wheel and comprising a second clutch plate, wherein the first clutch plate is displaceable between a first position spaced from the second clutch plate and a second position in interlocking engagement with the second clutch plate; and
a drive motor configured to transmit rotational torque to the wheel when the amphibious vehicle is in a land operational mode and to transmit rotational torque to the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades when the amphibious vehicle is in a water operational mode.