IP Library Granted Patent US 12,466,567
Granted Patent B2
US 12,466,567 · App. 18/477,729 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Power unit

Inventor: Keun Bae Kim (Daejeon, KR)
Assignee: KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
B64D27/33F02B63/042F16D41/12H02K7/108H02K21/22B64D27/026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,466,567
App. No.
18/477,729
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power unit includes an engine including a driving shaft, a power generator provided on the driving shaft and configured to supply electric energy to a flight vehicle, and a thrust generator provided on an outer side of the power generator and configured to provide a propulsion force to the flight vehicle. When a temperature of the power generator is greater than or equal to a first temperature, the power generator and the thrust generator are decoupled from each other, and the power generator is driven by an output of the engine and supplies the electric energy to the flight vehicle. When the temperature of the power generator is less than the first temperature, the power generator and the thrust generator are coupled to each other, and the thrust generator is driven by the output of the engine and provides the propulsion force to the flight vehicle.

Claims (25)

1 . A power unit comprising:

an engine comprising a driving shaft;

a power generator provided on the driving shaft and configured to supply electric energy to a flight vehicle; and

a thrust generator provided on an outer side of the power generator and configured to provide a propulsion force to the flight vehicle,

wherein when a temperature of the power generator is greater than or equal to a first temperature, the power generator and the thrust generator are decoupled from each other, and the power generator is driven by an output of the engine and supplies the electric energy to the flight vehicle, and when the temperature of the power generator is less than the first temperature, the power generator and the thrust generator are coupled to each other, and the thrust generator is driven by the output of the engine and provides the propulsion force to the flight vehicle.

2 . The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the power generator comprises:

at least one hook enabling decoupling and coupling between the thrust generator and the power generator; and

at least one insertion groove formed at a position at which the hook is located, and having a shape corresponding to a shape of the hook,

wherein the thrust generator comprises at least one coupling groove formed at the position corresponding to the hook.

3 . The power unit of claim 2 , wherein the power generator comprises a rotor that rotates integrally with the driving shaft,

the thrust generator comprises a housing that is located coaxially with the rotor,

the hook is located on the rotor,

the insertion groove is formed in the rotor at a position at which the hook is located, and

the coupling groove is formed in the housing at a position corresponding to the hook.

4 . The power unit of claim 3 , wherein when the temperature of the power generator is greater than or equal to the first temperature, the hook is inserted into the insertion groove, and the power generator and the thrust generator are decoupled from each other.

5 . The power unit of claim 3 , wherein when the temperature of the power generator is less than the first temperature, the hook protrudes out from the insertion groove and is coupled to the coupling groove, and the power generator and the thrust generator are coupled to each other.

6 . The power unit of claim 2 , wherein the hook comprises a first metal and a second metal that have thermal expansion coefficients different from each other.

7 . The power unit of claim 6 , wherein the first metal having a greater thermal expansion coefficient than the second metal is located on the outer side of the power generator.

8 . The power unit of claim 7 , wherein when the temperature of the power generator is greater than or equal to the first temperature, the hook is bent in a direction toward the second metal and is inserted into the insertion groove, and

when the temperature of the power generator is less than the first temperature, the hook is restored to an original shape thereof and coupled to the coupling groove.

9 . The power unit of claim 2 , wherein the hook comprises a shape memory alloy.

10 . The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the hook has a shape so that the hook is

inserted into the insertion groove at a temperature greater than or equal to the first temperature and

coupled to the coupling groove at a temperature less than the first temperature.

11 . The power unit of claim 1 , wherein when the temperature of the power generator is less than the first temperature, the power generator receives the electric energy from the flight vehicle and provides additional power to the thrust generator.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2023
From: KIM, KEUN BAE
To: KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 065071/0393 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0155810 · Nov 18, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240166359A1 · May 23, 2024
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