GB2520015A

GB2520015A - Modular marine thruster

Info

Publication number: GB2520015A
Application number: GB1319547.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon John Etcheverria Parke; Christopher Parke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-11-05
Filing date: 2013-11-05
Publication date: 2015-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2033-11-05
Also published as: GB2520015B; GB201319547D0

Abstract

A modular electric hydro-jet thruster and mounting system with integrated power connectivity for small marine vessels. In the embodiment described, a brushless DC motor 1 is housed within a hydrodynamic cowling 5 but remains exposed to the surrounding ambient fluid, driving a propeller 8 that receives water from the surrounding flow and accelerating it through a nozzle 6. The nozzle and propeller are interchangeable enabling support for alternate hydrodynamic profiles more suited to a particular application. Directional control is achieved by vectoring the angle of the thruster. The thruster is mounted to a base mounting block 10 by means of anchoring pins 9 that are engaged by rotating cam locks 11.

Description

The thruster comprises a prime mover, means Field of the Invention of securely anchoring to a host vessel and electrical fittings for powering and control.

The invention broadly relates to marine The thruster is housed in a cowling for propulsion systems and in particular to protection and hydrodynamic performance.

electric marine propulsion systems for small vessels.

Advantages Background of the Invention Preferably the holes in the cowling to allow the electric motor to be exposed to the Marine propulsion typically consists of surrounding fluid will include mesh coverings inboard, outboard or thruster based to protect the motor chamber from ingress of solutions. Marine thrusters typically mount to particles.

the external submerged surfaces of boats and other water based vessels and are used as Preferably a collet will be fitted on the prop primary propulsion i.e. main drive thrust, or shaft just behind the motor providing a secondary propulsion i.e. directional control. clamping force for additional support.

Thrusters usually contain a propeller, some form of directional control and an electric Preferably a sealed bearing will be mounted drive motor. Power to the thruster will internally within the forward cowling aligned typically come from on board the host vessel, with the drive shaft so that the drive-shaft either from battery banks or a prime mover extends forward through the motor providing such as a diesel engine. Most thrusters are alignment support.

used on larger vessels and are therefore large in size and permanently installed. Smaller Preferably a sealed bearing will be mounted vessels typically use devices such as outboard externally where the drive-shaft exits the motors, stern drives or inboard waterjets for cowling to provide alignment support.

their main source of propulsion.

Preferably a rubber gasket will be placed between the interface block and base Statement of the Invention mounting block to provide additional water tightness.

Down scaling a thruster to suit smaller marine vessels adds a modular aspect to the design Preferably a method of securely fixing the nozzle to the cowling will be included.

allowing the thruster to be used across multiple vessels, or additional thrusters added to a single vessel, assuming a common fitting is used.

Brief Description of the Drawings

This invention provides a modular electric hydro-jet thruster as an alternative solution to The invention will be more understood from existing propulsion systems for small marine the following description and accompanying vessels. The object of this invention is to drawings.

provide a propulsion system which can be used in a similar capacity to conventional Figure 1 is a side view schematic of the propulsion systems but which derives primary modular thruster system.

propulsion from an exposed electric motor.

Figure 2 is an isometric exploded view of the thruster. pins 9 pass through the interface block 3 and fix to the motor mounting bracket 2.

Drawing Item Index The motor 1, bracket 2 and interface block 3 are housed within a cowling 5 which is rigidly 1. Brushless DC Motor fixed to the interface block and can be made 2. Motor Mounting Bracket up of two or more separate pieces.

3. Interface Block 4. Electrical Connections The propeller 8 is surrounded by a nozzle 6 . Cowling which attaches to the rear of the cowling.

6. Kort No2zle Various changes and modifications may be 7. Propeller Shaft made without departing from the spirit and 8. Propeller scope of the invention as defined by the 9. Anchoring Pins appended claims.

10. Base Mounting Block ii. Rotating Cam Lock

Description of the Preferred

Embodiment In the drawings a modular electric hydro-jet thruster constructed in accordance with the described embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG i. The thruster is adapted to fit to a host vessel via a mounting block io providing an anchoring system comprising two anchoring pins 9 which locate into rotating cam locks B. The mounting block io can be tailored to suit any small marine vessel.

The primary propulsion is provided by an outrunner brushless DC motor 1 which drives a propeller optimised for use within a ducted nozzle 8 via a rotating propeller shaft 7. The propeller 8 may be two, three, four or five bladed depending on specific requirements.

The motor I is rigidly fixed to a mounting bracket 2 so that the motor 1 may rotate freely. The motor cables are fitted with electrical connections 4 and the cables pass through and are mounted within an interface block 3 such that a watertight electrical connection may be formed with a host vessel.

The interface block 3 is located beneath the motor mounting bracket z and fixed into place using machine screws. The anchoring