Propeller

Abstract

A propeller having a central post to which one or more blades are connected. The blades are disposed and configured to pull air in from the propeller's sides toward the propeller's axis of rotation to create pressure in an area in the vicinity of the center of the propeller's rotating axis for generating thrust.

1 . A propeller comprising:
 a central post coincident with a rotational axis;   one or more blades each having a distal end and a proximate end;   each of the one or more blades comprising a top section, a bottom section, and a side section, the side section disposed at or toward the distal end;   the top section and bottom section of each of the one or more blades connected at the proximate end to and extending radially outward from the central post;   a gap between the central post connections of the top section and bottom section of at least one of the one or more blades wherein air is compressed upon rotation of the propeller; and   the one or more blades disposed and configured to pull air inward from the blade's side sections toward the propeller's axis of rotation and from the propeller's front to its back.   
     
     
         2 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein the blades are in loop form, wherein each of the blades in loop form spins in the same plane of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the blade sections exhibits a non-zero blade angle. 
     
     
         4 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein the cross-section of at least one of the top section or bottom section of the one or more blades is shaped substantially like an airfoil. 
     
     
         5 . The propeller of  claim 1  comprising at least one pair of blades opposing one another about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         6 . The propeller of  claim 5  wherein the pair of opposing blades form a single, contiguous loop. 
     
     
         7 . The propeller of  claim 5  wherein the pair of blades has a first blade intersecting the central post at a first blade intersection and a second opposing blade intersecting the central post at a second blade intersection; and
 wherein the angle of the first blade intersection with respect to the rotational axis is different from the angle of the second blade intersection with respect to the rotational axis. 
 
     
     
         8 . The propeller of  claim 7  wherein the range of difference between the angle of the first blade intersection with respect to the rotational axis and the angle of the second blade intersection with respect to the rotational axis is in the range of about 40° to about 60°. 
     
     
         9 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the one or more blades is wider at its distal end as compared to its proximate end. 
     
     
         10 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the blade top section, bottom section or side section of at least one of the one or more blades has a median line that is curved. 
     
     
         11 . The propeller of  claim 10  wherein each of the top section, bottom section and side section of at least one of the one or more blades is curved. 
     
     
         12 . The propeller of  claim 10  wherein a twist forming the curvature of the blades is in the range of about 30 degrees to about 40 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The propeller of  claim 12  wherein the twist forming the curvature of the blades is approximately 35 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The propeller of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additional blades disposed in stacked formation with respect to the propeller. 
     
     
         15 . The propeller of  claim 10  wherein the blades are graduated in thickness laterally across the blade. 
     
     
         16 . The propeller of  claim 15  wherein the blades are graduated in width from a smaller width at the proximate end to a larger width at the distal end. 
     
     
         17 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein at least the top and bottom blade sections exhibit a coarse pitch in the vicinity of the axis of rotation and decreasing pitch extending radially outward from the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         18 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein the side section exhibits a non-zero pitch. 
     
     
         19 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein at least the top and bottom sections of at least one of the blades have substantially linear median lines. 
     
     
         20 . The propeller of  claim 18  comprising wing segments connecting the top and bottom portions of each blade, wherein the wing segments are shaped and disposed at intervals radiating from the central post for pulling air inward to the center of the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         21 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein the top blade portion is not symmetrical with the bottom blade portion. 
     
     
         22 . The propeller of  claim 1  wherein the blade top portion intersects the central post at a blade top portion angle of intersection and the blade bottom portion intersects the central post at a blade bottom portion angle of intersection and wherein, as measured from a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the propeller, the blade bottom portion angle of intersection is greater than the blade top portion angle of intersection. 
     
     
         23 . The propeller of  claim 22  wherein the difference of angle of intersection between the top blade portion and the bottom blade portion is in the range of 5° to about 20°. 
     
     
         24 . The propeller of  claim 22  wherein the blade top portion angle of intersection is about 25° and the blade bottom portion angle of intersection 15° 
     
     
         25 . A device selected from the group consisting of an aircraft, watercraft, wind turbines, cooling devices, heating devices, automobile engines, and air circulation devices, wherein the device has at least one propeller according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of manufacturing a propeller comprising:
 selecting a desired direction of airflow;   selecting a desired quantity of thrust;   selecting a blade curvature, combination of blades and blade intersection angles to create the selected airflow and thrust.