EP2589530B1 - Rudder propeller having an oil drain system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rudder propeller for a watercraft, comprising an oil drainage system, wherein the rudder propeller has at least one housing in which at least one propeller gear is received for driving a propeller, wherein the housing for lubricating and / or cooling the propeller gear at least partially with an oil is filled and has a lower housing part in which a propeller shaft is mounted, is arranged at the end of the propeller.

STATE OF THE ART

The DE 20 2009 009 031 U1 shows an example of a rudder propeller of a watercraft, which has a housing in which a propeller gear is received to drive a propeller. The housing is partially filled with an oil for lubrication and / or cooling of the propeller gear. In particular, the lower housing part, which is formed by the so-called underwater nacelle and in which the drive shaft of the propeller is mounted, is filled with oil. If the oil must be changed, it is desirable to remove as much of the oil as possible from the housing of the rudder propeller. The propeller gear has a vertical shaft, which is designed as a hollow shaft, so that through the cavity of the vertical shaft, a hose for oil extraction can be introduced. Disadvantageously, however, the oil can not be completely sucked out of the lower housing part, since the hose can only be inserted into the lower housing part to a maximum extent to the propeller shaft. Consequently, there is the disadvantage that the oil can not be completely removed from the housing of the rudder propeller.

Also known are oil drain plugs on gear housings, for example, of rudder propellers, the lowest or at least almost bottom Point of the lower housing part are arranged. If the oil drain plug is loosened, oil runs out of the opening in the housing of the rudder propeller, in which the screw was screwed. Disadvantageously, the oil can only be removed from the housing in this way when the craft is dry docked or the rudder propeller is removed. Such a device is in the US Pat. No. 3,799,291 played.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Based on the aforementioned disadvantages, the object of the present invention is to provide a rudder propeller of a watercraft with an oil drainage system, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art described above. The task is to simplify the oil drainage system for a rudder propeller. In particular, the entire oil from the housing of the rudder propeller can be removed without docking the watercraft dry.

This object is achieved with a rudder propeller for a watercraft, comprising an oil drainage system, with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention includes the technical teaching that the rudder propeller has at least one check valve, through which the oil from the rudder propeller can be removed.

The invention proposes a check valve directly in the housing of the rudder propeller, can be removed through the oil from the rudder propeller. The check valve may, in a modification thereof, also be arranged on each further component of the rudder propeller, which fluidly communicates with the oil or is conveyed by the oil.

The use of a check valve has the advantage that the removal of the oil at the junction of the check valve can also be done below the waterline. The check valve has the property that when removing a connection element from the check valve a prevailing Oil flow is stopped by the check valve immediately. Thus, the removal of the oil from the housing of the rudder propeller can be made below the waterline without getting oil into the water.

The Rudderpropeller can be pivotally mounted on the vessel, and this can be pivoted, for example, at an angle of 0 ° to 180 ° on the vessel. For example, the rudder propeller can be pivoted by 45 ° from the vertical, or the rudder propeller can be pivoted to the horizontal position 90 ° to the vertical. Thus, even with the arrangement of a check valve for removing the oil from the housing of the rudder propeller, the check valve can be conveyed over the waterline to bring a corresponding fitting with the check valve in combination.

Advantageously, the check valve is arranged in the housing of the rudder propeller, in particular, the housing may have a lower housing part, on which the check valve is arranged. The lower housing part may be formed approximately rotationally symmetrical about the axis of rotation of the propeller. In the lower housing part, the propeller shaft is mounted, is arranged at the end of the propeller. The propeller shaft rotates about the axis of rotation. At the same time, the axis of rotation forms approximately the axis of symmetry of the lower housing part.

The check valve can be arranged on the lower housing part such that it is in a position between the lower point of the lower housing part and the height of the axis of rotation. Preferably, then, when the rudder propeller is pivoted on the vessel, the lowest point of the lower housing part moves from the bottom in the lateral area, and if the rudder propeller has been pivoted on the vessel, for example, in the horizontal, then the lowest point of the lower housing part is laterally Arrangement at the height of the axis of rotation. The arrangement of the check valve on the lower housing can thus in a Position be provided, which depends on the possible tilt angle of the rudder propeller on the vessel.

The Rudderpropeller is rotatable in a known manner by up to 360 ° on the vessel about the vertical axis. Regardless of the pivoting direction transversely or laterally to the hull of the vessel, the lower housing part can be rotated to a position in which the check valve reaches the lowest point of the housing.

Preferably, the check valve is arranged in a side arrangement on the lower housing part, so that the check valve is arranged substantially at the height of the axis of rotation in a lateral arrangement thereto. This advantageously results in about a 90 ° arrangement to the vertical axis of the rudder propeller.

In a further preferred embodiment, the vertical axis of the rudder propeller extends through the axis of rotation of a vertical shaft of the rudder propeller, which extends through a central housing part of the rudder propeller, wherein the arrangement of the check valve on the lower housing part with the vertical axis at an angle of 90 ° to 180 °, preferably an angle of 90 ° to 135 °, and more preferably an angle of 100 ° to 135 °. If, for example, the rudder propeller can be pivoted out of the vertical at an angle of 80 °, then the check valve is in an arrangement at an angle of 100 ° to the vertical axis at the lower position of the lower housing part. If a connection element is connected to the check valve, the oil can be completely removed from the rudder propeller. The oil can be sucked out of the housing by means of a negative pressure, or the oil already flows from the rudder propeller through the check valve due to gravity. Alternatively, the housing of the rudder propeller may also be temporarily pressurized to squeeze the oil out of the housing. The lower housing part may be formed in this embodiment rotationally symmetric or rotationally asymmetric.

A connection element can be brought into operative connection with the check valve, such that the oil can only be removed from the rudder propeller via the connection element in operative connection with the check valve. The connection between the connecting element and the check valve may also be designed in the manner of a quick coupling, as is known for hose connections, for example, for pneumatic and hydraulic applications. Such quick couplings have the property that upon release of the check valve with the connection element, the fluid passed through the coupling is already interrupted in the flow. For this purpose, the check valve has a closing element which closes the valve when the connection element is no longer arranged on the check valve.

Thus, the check valve may advantageously be brought into a blocking position when the connection element is not brought into operative connection with the check valve, wherein the blocking position can then be transferred to an open position when the connection element is brought into operative connection to the check valve. The connecting element preferably has a manually operable shut-off unit. If the connection element is connected to the non-return valve, the shut-off unit can additionally be operated in order to enable oil to flow through the non-return valve and the connection element. For example, can be connected to the connection element, a hose through which the oil can eventually drain.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the connecting element may have an activating mandrel, which is formed in operative connection of the connecting element with the check valve for opening a closing element in the check valve. By activating the mandrel, the closing element can be lifted from a valve seat, wherein the closing element is pressed for example by the force of a spring element in the valve seat. The activation mandrel dissolves when connecting the connection element to the check valve against the spring force, the closing element from the valve seat.

With further advantage, the check valve can be designed for the arrangement of a magnetic measuring element, which can be arranged in particular for the measurement of metallic wear particles in the oil, preferably by means of a thread on the check valve. Magnetic measuring elements are known, on which metallic suspended particles can collect in the oil of a transmission, so that when evaluating the metallic wear particles collected at the magnetic measuring element, a statement can be made about the aging state of the oil, but also about the wear state of the transmission. With particular advantage, such a magnetic measuring screw can be arranged on the check valve, so that the check valve can be designed for the corresponding arrangement of such a magnetic measuring element and the rudder propeller can be taken with arranged magnetic measuring element in operation.

It is also conceivable that the check valve is designed for the arrangement of a closure element. The check valve may have a threaded portion or the check valve is arranged in the housing of the rudder propeller, that the closure element, for example, the magnetic measuring element, is screwed into the thread of the housing, whereby the check valve is covered outside the housing.

The lower housing part may, with further advantage, have an opening into which a sight hole cover is inserted, wherein the non-return valve may be arranged on the sight hole cover itself. Showroom covers are usually used to survey the gear teeth in a housing part, and the housing has a receiving opening for receiving the Schaulochdeckels. If the check valve is arranged in or on the inspection hole cover, no further receiving location for receiving the check valve has to be created in the housing. Also, the check valve may be adapted so that it can be introduced into the Schaulochöffnung in which usually the Schaulochdeckel is arranged. In particular, the housing wall can be made particularly thick in the area of the inspection hole cover, so that the arrangement of the Check valve may be provided particularly advantageous in this housing area.

Rudder propellers of the present type can have an oil overpressure range, in particular if the rudder propeller is designed with an active oil supply system. In the context of the present invention, a check valve may also be introduced in such an oil overpressure region in which oil prevails with an overpressure, wherein the oil overpressure region may, for example, have an oil drain arrangement from which oil can be removed during the operation of the rudder propeller. According to the invention, the check valve may be arranged in or on this oil drain arrangement and be fluidly connected to the oil overpressure area.

The oil overpressure region may comprise, according to a further embodiment, an oil return line through which oil is passed under positive pressure, preferably from an upper housing part to a transmission shaft housing, wherein the oil drain arrangement is arranged in the oil return line. The advantage of oil extraction from an oil overpressure range of the rudder propeller is that oil can also be removed during operation of the rudder propeller. For example, oil sampling may be required to determine the quality of the oil in the rudder propeller. The removal of the oil must take place during the operation of the rudder propeller, because only then impurities in the oil are kept floating. For example, oil may contain a proportion of water or even an amount of air that can only be determined during an oil sampling of the current rudder propeller. Consequently, it is particularly advantageous to be able to extract oil samples from the oil overpressure region by means of the check valve arranged according to the invention in an oil drain arrangement.

In a modification, the oil drain arrangement may be arranged with the check valve above the waterline, for example on the upper housing part. In this case, the oil return line between the upper housing part and the transmission shaft housing extend above the waterline, so that in a simple manner During operation of the rudder propeller through the check valve oil can be removed from the rudder propeller.

In particular, when the connection element is brought into connection with a manually operable shut-off unit in operative connection with the check valve on the oil drain arrangement, the required quantity for the oil sample can be removed by manually opening the shut-off unit.

The rudder propeller can be arranged pivotably on the vessel, and the pivot angle to the vertical can in particular have a value of 45 ° to 90 °.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht eines Ruderpropellers mit einem Ölablasssystem gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine Detailansicht des unteren Gehäuseteils des Ruderpropellers mit dem Ölablasssystem,

Fig. 3

eine Detailansicht der Anordnung eines Rückschlagventils im Gehäuse des Ruderpropellers,

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Anschlusselementes mit einer Absperreinheit und

Fig. 5

eine Ölablassanordnung am oberen Gehäuseteil eines Ruderpropellers mit einem Rückschlagventil.

Further, measures improving the invention will be described in more detail below together with the description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to FIGS. They show schematically:

Fig. 1

a view of a rudder propeller with an oil drainage system according to the present invention,

Fig. 2

a detailed view of the lower housing part of the rudder propeller with the oil drain system,

Fig. 3

a detailed view of the arrangement of a check valve in the housing of the Rudderpropellers,

Fig. 4

a perspective view of a connection element with a shut-off and

Fig. 5

an oil drain assembly on the upper housing part of a rudder propeller with a check valve.

Fig. 1 shows a rudder propeller 100 with a housing 11. The housing 11 consists of an upper housing part 23, a central housing part 29 and a lower housing part 15. The rudder propeller 100 can be placed on a watercraft, and the arrangement can be done outside the hull of the vessel. However, a portion of the rudder propeller 100 may also protrude into the hull of the vessel, and portions of the housing 11 may be below the waterline, and at least a portion of the housing 11 may also be above the waterline. For example, the upper housing part 23 may be arranged above the waterline, and the waterline is at the level of the middle housing part 29. Thus, the lower housing part 15 is located with the propeller 13 below the waterline.

The exemplary embodiment shows the rudder propeller 100 with an oil drainage system 10. The oil drainage system 10 has a check valve 14, which is arranged on the lower housing part 15. Through the check valve 14, an oil, which is located in the housing 11, can be drained. The view of the rudder propeller 100 shows the arrangement of the check valve 14 in a lateral position on the lower housing part 15, and the height at which the check valve 14 is disposed on the lower housing part 15 is approximately at the height of the axis of rotation 16 of the propeller shaft, on which Propeller 13 is arranged.

The Rudderpropeller 100 can be pivotally mounted on the vessel. If the rudder propeller 100 is pivoted out of the vertical arrangement shown into an inclined position, then the laterally arranged non-return valve form the lowest point of the entire housing 11 of the rudder propeller 100, or be arranged closer to the lowest point of the housing 11 than in the vertical arrangement. The arrangement of the check valve 14 on the housing 11 corresponds to an advantageous pivoting angle, with which the rudder propeller 100 can be pivoted on the vessel, so that the check valve 14 is located at the lowest point of the housing 11.

In a side view, the rotationally symmetrical lower housing part 15 of the rudder propeller 100 is shown from the direction of the axis of rotation 16. In the view, three positions of the check valve 14 on the lower housing part 15 are shown by way of example. The position I shows a 90 ° position, the position II shows a 100 ° position and the position III shows an example of a 135 ° position, wherein the angle refers to the vertical axis 27 extending through the rudder propeller 100 therethrough. If the rudder propeller 100 can be pivoted on the watercraft, for example, by 45 °, then the check valve 14 can advantageously be arranged in the position III, which encloses an angle of 135 ° to the vertical axis 27. In the context of the present invention, however, the check valve 14 can also be arranged at the lower housing point 28.

By using a check valve 14 in the housing 11 of the rudder propeller 100, a connection element can be arranged on the check valve 14, and the oil can be completely removed from the housing 11 of the rudder propeller 100 without the rudder propeller 100 having to be dry-docked with the watercraft.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the lower housing part 15 with the propeller 13. An oil drainage system 10 is arranged in a position II at an angle of 100 ° to the vertical axis 27 by way of example. At the oil drain system 10, a connection element 17 is arranged, which is brought into operative connection with the non-visible check valve 14. To the connecting element 17, for example, a hose can be connected, through which the oil is discharged from the housing 11 of the rudder propeller 100 or sucked off. The connection element 17 also has a shut-off unit 18, which can be operated manually.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of the check valve 14 in the housing 11 of the rudder propeller 100. With the check valve 14, a connection element 17 is connected, and the connection element 17 is an activation mandrel 19, which is brought into operative connection with a closing element 20 of the check valve 14. By the operative connection between the activation mandrel 19 and the closing element 20, this is lifted from a sealing seat, so that oil from the propeller gear 12, which is shown in sections, can be discharged through the check valve 14 and through the connecting element 17. If the connection element 17 with the activation mandrel 19 is removed again from the check valve 14, then the closing element 20 closes, and no further oil can escape from the propeller gear 12 through the check valve 14. The check valve 14 is arranged, for example, on the inside in the housing 11, and the connection element 17 is screwed into the housing 11 with a screw thread 30.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the connection element 17 with an activating mandrel 19 arranged on the front, which is located on a connection head 25 of the connection element 17. The connection element 17 may be screwed into the housing 11 with the connection head 25, which preferably has a thread, and the connection head 25 is adjoined by a base body of the connection element 17, in which a manually operable shut-off unit 18 is arranged. With the shut-off unit 18, the flow of oil through the connection element 17 can be blocked and released.

Fig. 5 Finally, an example of an oil drain system 10 on a rudder propeller 100, which is shown in the region of the upper housing part 23. The Rudderpropeller 100 has an oil overpressure range in which an overpressure prevails in the oil. The oil overpressure region has an oil drain assembly 21 through which oil during operation of the rudder propeller 100 can be removed. A check valve 14a for forming an oil drain system 10 is disposed on the oil drain assembly 21, and a valve nipple 26 is exemplarily mounted on the output port of the check valve 14a. The oil drain assembly 21 is shown in an oil pressure set oil return line 22 extending between the upper housing part 23 and a transmission shaft housing 24. In this case, oil is passed through the oil return line 22 from the upper housing part 23 in the transmission shaft housing 24, and the oil is in the oil return line 22 under an overpressure. In particular, during operation of the rudder propeller 100, the oil is moved through the oil return line 22. The removal of oil from the oil drain assembly 21 allows the extraction of oil samples, with which the presence of foreign bodies in the oil, but also of water or for example air, can be measured. This measurement is only possible when the rudder propeller 100 is put into operation, since only in the operation of the rudder propeller 100 impurities in the oil are suspended. In this case, the arrangement of a check valve 14a in the oil drain assembly 21 has the advantage that oil can be removed by simply connecting a connection element with the check valve 14a, and in a separation of the connection of the connection element with the check valve 14a exits no further oil from the oil drain assembly 21 ,

The invention is not limited in its execution to the above-mentioned preferred embodiments. Rather, a number of variants is conceivable, which make use of the solution shown in other types.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

Rudderpropeller

10

Oil drain system

11

casing

12

propeller gearbox

13

propeller

14, 14a

check valve

15

lower housing part

16

axis of rotation

17

connecting element

18

Shut-off

19

activation Dorn

20

closing element

21

Oil drain arrangement

22

Oil return line

23

Upper housing part

24

Gear shaft housing

25

connection head

26

valve nipple

27

vertical axis

28

lower housing point

29

middle housing part

30

screw thread

I

90 ° position, side arrangement

II

100 ° position

III

135 ° position

Claims (13)

1. Rudder propeller (100) for a watercraft, comprising an oil drain system (10), wherein the rudder propeller (100) has at least a housing (11) in which at least a propeller gearbox (12) for driving a propeller (13) is accommodated, wherein the housing (11) is at least partially filled with an oil for the lubrication and / or cooling of the propeller gearbox (12) and has a lower housing part (15), in which a propeller shaft is mounted, at the end of which the propeller is arranged,
   characterized in that
   the rudder propeller (100) has at least one check valve (14) arranged at the lower housing part (15), which is equipped for removing the oil from the rudder propeller (100).
2. Rudder propeller (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower housing part (15) is configured approximately rotationally symmetrical about the rotational axis (16) of the propeller (13) and serves for bearing the propeller shaft, wherein the check valve (14) is arranged at the lower housing part (15) in such a way that the latter in a position (I, II, III) between a lower point (28) of the lower housing part (15) and the level of the rotational axis (16).
3. Rudder propeller (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the check valve (14) is arranged in a side arrangement (I) at the lower housing part (15), so that the check valve (14) is substantially laterally arranged at the level of the rotational axis (16).
4. Rudder propeller (100) according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a vertical axis (27) extends through the rudder propeller (100), which forms the rotational axis of a vertical shaft of the rudder propeller (100), which extends through a central housing part (29) of the rudder propeller (100), wherein the arrangement of the check valve (14) at the lower housing part (15) with the vertical axis (27) draws an angle of 90° to 180°, preferably an angle of 90° to 135° and particularly preferably an angle of 100° to 135°.
5. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connecting element (17) is provided which is can be brought into operative connection with the check valve (14) in such a way that the oil can be removed from the rudder propeller (100) via the connecting element (17) in operative connection with the check valve (14).
6. Rudder propeller (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the check valve (14) has a blocking position, wherein the blocking position can be moved into an opening position if the connecting element (17) to the check valve (14) is brought into operative connection, wherein the connecting element (17) preferably has a manually operated blocking unit (18).
7. Rudder propeller (100) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the connecting element (17) has an activation pin (19) which, during the operative connection of the connecting element (17) with the check valve (14) is configured for opening a closing element (20) in the check valve (14).
8. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the check valve (14) is configured for arranging a magnetic measuring element which can be arranged at the check valve (14), in particular for measuring metal wear particles in the oil, preferably by means of a thread.
9. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the check valve (14) is configured for arranging a closure element.
10. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the lower housing part (15) has an opening into which an inspection hole cover is inserted, wherein the check valve (14) is arranged at the inspection hole cover.
11. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rudder propeller (100) has an oil overpressure area, in which an overpressure is present in the oil, wherein the oil overpressure area has an oil drain arrangement (21) configured for removing oil during the operation of the rudder propeller (100), wherein preferably the oil drain arrangement (21) has a check valve (14a), and this check valve (14a) is fluidically connected to the oil overpressure area.
12. Rudder propeller (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that the oil overpressure area comprises an oil return line (22) through which oil is passed under overpressure, preferably from an upper housing part (23) to a gear shaft housing (24), wherein the oil drain arrangement (21) is arranged in the oil return line (22).
13. Rudder propeller (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rudder propeller (100) is pivotally mounted at the watercraft, in particular the rudder propeller (100) is pivotable at an angle to the vertical of 45° to 90°.

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