Patent ID: 9598171
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: B60B,B60F,B60Y,B64C

Claim:
1. A combination rotor and wheel assembly for an unmanned vehicle with ground and aerial mobility, the assembly comprising: a rotor arm adapted to be attached at an inner end thereof to a vehicle body; a rotor rotatably connected to an outer end of the rotor arm about a rotor axis and a rotor drive mounted on the rotor arm operative to rotate the rotor such that the rotor exerts an upward lift force on the rotor arm; an open spoked wheel rotatably connected to the outer end of the rotor arm about the rotor axis independent of the rotor, wherein a diameter of the wheel is greater than a diameter of the rotor, and wherein a bottom edge of the wheel is below the rotor; a wheel drive mounted on the arm and operative to rotate the wheel independently of the rotor; and wherein the wheel comprises an annular rim connected by spokes to a hub rotatably mounted to the arm about the rotor axis, and an annular tread member connected to the rim below the rim and concentric with the rim such that the bottom edge of the wheel is provided by the tread member.