KR20130055604A - Electric marine surface drive - Google Patents

Abstract

The marine articulated surface drive propulsion system is provided with a housing structure allowing the direct application of an electric motor for power over the drive structure. Instead, it may include a power transmission element for reducing the position or rotational speed of the motor shaft relative to the propeller shaft. The drive can be retrofitted to existing boat hulls and may not require a dedicated hull. The electric motor can be fitted to the surface drive housing on the interior of the transom. Electric motors with very small dimensions are intended to be mounted in drive thrust tubes and ball sockets, eliminating the need for U-joints. In particular, if the propeller remains free from wheeling, it becomes a thruster for the electric motor to become a generator and to recharge the batteries.

Description

ELECTRIC MARINE SURFACE DRIVE

The present invention relates to marine propulsion systems, and in particular the invention relates to improvements to environmentally friendly surface driven marine propulsion systems.

Given the enormous environmental aspects, vehicles that can run on electric power instead of relying on internal combustion engines are becoming more popular. To date, the most common commercialized examples of this trend are seen in the automotive industry.

Efforts have been made to utilize electric power drive technologies in the marine industry, but none include surface drives. See, for example, US Pat. No. 4,645,463 to Arneson, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, which occasionally appears to be surface drives of all configurations.

The use of electric motors as a power source for propellers also exists especially in naval ships. However, the most common marine examples of using electric motors are provided in electric trolling motors for small vessels and in hybrid electro-combustion systems in the largest of the vessels, but among these marine means of transport. There is no inclusion of an electric motor to move the surface drive.

Large cruise ships or other boats may be operated at low speed to avoid noise and rebounds when near or at the marina, at other mooring locations, or when crossing a non-counter-specified portion of the waterway. Importantly, electric motors are more fuel efficient than combustion engines at low speeds and are also beneficial in reduced noise and non-existent emissions when compared to combustion engines.

More attention is paid to the various jurisdictions, anti-idling laws and rules provided and proposed for boats and other vessels. Some jurisdictions propose and enforce laws and rules that establish maximum horsepower ratings for internal combustion engines or prohibit the use of internal combustion engines in certain parts of the channels within the jurisdictions.

Current surface drives fail to provide a solution to the problems of fuel consumption by emissions from boats of internal combustion engines and boats of internal combustion engines. Known surface drives are driven by heavy and noisy internal combustion engines.

Green solutions are required to cause less environmental pollution in the form of improved fuel efficiency and reduced noise and emissions.

The present invention provides an offshore surface drive system that utilizes an engine, which is an electric motor, to produce reduced noise and air pollution emission materials. In some embodiments the electric motor may be configured as a generator.

In recent years, cell technology has been rapidly developed in that the stored energy densities of some batteries enable the electric propulsion of ocean transport means. Moreover, advances in semiconductor conversion technology enable enormous electric motor improvements such as reduced size that were not possible in the past. The propulsion power of the present invention is provided by an electric motor that can be integrally and directly mounted to the inner housing of the surface drive system. Instead, there may be a reduction gear between the surface drive input shaft and the electric motor. When the technology allows for reduced electric motor dimensions, it is contemplated that the electric motor may be mounted within the socket ball of the surface driven thrust tube, excluding the coupling with universal joints.

The electric motor may be in the hull or outside the hull. The electric motor can directly rotate the propeller at the same revolutions per minute as the shaft of the electric motor. In another preferred embodiment, the electric motor can be connected to the delivery device and the revolutions per minute of the motor is reduced such that the propeller rotates at a slower RPM than the shaft of the electric motor.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric marine surface drive system that can propel a boat with an electric motor, preferably for extended periods. Preferably, the offshore propulsion system will utilize new cell and electric motor technology as well as the predicted introduction of cost effective fuel cells as energy sources for offshore propulsion systems. Another object of the invention is to provide a marine propulsion system which is very compact, flexible and still highly efficient and quiet to be mounted. Accordingly, preferred embodiments provide an electric marine surface drive system that can be installed in an engine compartment that is substantially the same or smaller size than a typical engine compartment containing a conventional internal combustion engine power transmission system. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an overall electric propulsion system that can act as a generator and recharge its batteries.

According to a preferred embodiment, the surface drive for offshore transport means comprises a support housing and at least one propeller, with a portion of the propeller being above the water to substantially reduce drag in the water. In addition, the surface drive includes at least one motor coupled to at least one propeller, the motor comprising a motor control device for operating the electric motor and for selecting the electric motor speed and direction of rotation. Furthermore, at least one shaft for coupling the electric motor to the propeller and a shaft carrier are provided, at least a portion of the at least one shaft extending through the shaft carrier.

In another embodiment, at least one electric motor is mounted inside the support housing.

According to a further aspect of this embodiment, the at least one shaft comprises a drive shaft and a propeller shaft, and the electric motor is attached to the drive shaft coupled to the propeller shaft. Moreover, at least one propeller is coupled to the propeller shaft.

In another aspect of this embodiment, the drive includes articulated trimming with at least one movable joint and an adjustable length at the arm end having an arm front end connecting the marine transport means and an arm rear end connected to the top of the shaft carrier. The arm can further include an arm that is substantially parallel to the shaft longitudinal axis and above the shaft longitudinal axis. The articulated trimming arm can be lengthened or shortened by the ball joints rotating substantially individually up and down, thereby controlling the portion of the submerged propeller and the depth of the submersion.

According to another aspect of this embodiment, the shaft comprises at least one front drive shaft and a propeller shaft with a power transmission unit therebetween. The power train transmits a rotational movement from the front drive shaft to the propeller shaft at least one of the following: displacement between the front drive shaft and the rotational axes of the propeller shaft or reduced speed of rotation of the propeller shaft.

According to another preferred embodiment, the surface drive for the marine transport means comprises a support housing which is stably mounted to the marine transport means. Additionally, the surface drive includes at least one electric motor that enables the at least one propeller to be driven. The motor has a control device and a power supply for operating the electric motor and selecting the electric motor speed and direction of rotation. The drive also includes at least one propeller, with the propeller's position relative to the marine vehicle being vertically controllable such that a portion of the propeller may be above the surface to substantially reduce underwater drag. In addition, the position of the propeller relative to the marine means of transport can be controlled horizontally to steer the direction of the marine means of transport. In addition, the drive device has at least one shaft having a front end connected to the electric motor, a rear end connected to the propeller, and a shaft carrier.

In another aspect of this embodiment, the drive of the electric motor is reliably mounted in one of the groups comprising the support housing and the shaft carrier.

Other aspects and objects of the invention will be better understood and appreciated when considered in combination with the following description and the accompanying drawings. However, while showing the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the following description is given by way of example and may be understood as not limiting. Many variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes all such modifications.

Are included herein.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and like reference numerals indicate like parts:
1 is a side view of an embodiment of the marine surface drive device of the present invention;
2 is a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive of the present invention with steering cylinders;
4 is a fragmentary plan view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive of the present invention with steering cylinders mounted to a support casing;
5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive of the present invention showing hydraulic fluid conduits and having steering cylinders mounted to the stern of the ocean transport means;
6 is a schematic diagram of a steering and trim control system for the device of the preferred embodiments;
7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive device of the present invention having a single steering cylinder mounted to the stern of the ocean transport means;
8 is a side view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive device of the present invention having a power transmission device;
9 is a side view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive device of the present invention having an internal electric motor;
10 is a side view of another embodiment of a marine surface drive of the present invention with a complete electric motor in a housing ball joint;
FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of the device of FIG. 9 showing the mounting of the housing ball joint and the electric motor; FIG.
12 is a block diagram showing an electric motor control system according to a preferred embodiment; And
13 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical charging system according to a preferred embodiment.

With reference to the drawings, in particular with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electric marine surface drive adapted for use with a marine vehicle having a transom 20 to which the device is mounted or integrated. A first embodiment of a surface drive apparatus 10 is shown. The drive 10 has its rear end ball socket 24 (FIG. 2), preferably formed of synthetic plastic, such as nylon, so that a tubular support casing is fixed to the transom 20. 22) the same support housing. The propeller shaft 40 is journaled by bearings 45, 47, 49 in the propeller shaft carrier 30. The rear end of the propeller shaft 40 houses a propeller 44, for example a conventional surface-piercing propeller. The propeller shaft carrier 30, for example a tubular propeller shaft carrier, is pivotally mounted in a ball socket 24 (collectively ball joint 25) as shown in FIG. 2. It includes a ball 32 at its front end and a propeller shaft housing 74 connected to the ball socket 24 at the rear end of the shaft carrier 30. The propeller shaft housing is preferably frusto-conical. The ball joint 25 allows the angle of the propeller 44 relative to the marine transport means to be changed to affect either the marine transport speed or the direction.

A forward drive shaft 38 is journaled by bearings 54, 56 in the support casing 22. The front drive shaft 38 has a front end connected to an electric motor 11 in the hull as shown in FIG. 1, and a universal joint 46, preferably a conventional double as shown in FIG. 2. It includes a rear end connected to a universal or constant velocity joint. The electric engine 11 may be a suitable horsepower AC or DC electric motor, or a conventional electric motor such as, for example, an HTS technology superconductor motor.

The universal joint 46 combines the front of the propeller shaft 40 with the rear of the drive shaft 38 so that the propeller shaft 40 rotates at the same speed as the front drive shaft 38 while simultaneously driving the drive shaft length in one or more directions. Allows for angular displacement of the propeller shaft longitudinal axis from the axial axis. This angular displacement occurs when the ball joint 25 is rotated or pivoted, meaning that the ball 32 is pivoted relative to the ball socket 24 at approximately a pivot point 50. In other words, the center of the universal joint 46 corresponds to the pivot point 50.

The support housing 22 has a rear main body 51 with an open rear end. The rear main body 51 is connected or integral with the front end body 52. Shear body 52 extends through transom 20 and has an open shear. The rear main body 51 and the shear body 52 are preferably substantially cylindrical as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The support casing 22 is firmly fixed to the back of the transom 20 by a number of bolts 62. A stabilizing fin 90 is fixed or integral to the propeller shaft housing 74. Stabilization pins 90 act to help counter the lift of the propeller shaft while the boat is turning.

In addition, the embodiment 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a trim assembly for vertical control (i.e. raising and lowering the drive) that controls a portion of the propeller on the water and thereby controls drag and thrust. ). Trim assembly 141 is vertically eared and bracket movably coupled to a power-actuated hydraulic trim cylinder 140 and secured to an end of piston rod 142. pivotally attached to housing 74 by bracket 152. The trim assembly 141 is a ball joint member for insertion into a ball receiving socket 145 contained in a socket assembly 146 fixed to the transom 20 with bolts 151. joint member 144.

3, another preferred embodiment 200 has steering assemblies 117, 119 attached to the ears 100, 102 extending laterally from the housing 74. The ears 100, 102 are brackets 107 fixed to the ends of the piston rods 104, 106 individually movably coupled to a power-actuated hydraulic steering cylinder 108, 110. , 103) pivotally connected. The steering assemblies 117, 119 have ball joint members 112, 114 for insertion into ball receiving sockets (not shown) secured to the transom. In addition, the embodiment 200 of FIG. 3 has a trim assembly, such as the trim assembly 141 first shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for raising and lowering the drive. The trim assembly 141 pivots on the housing 74 by brackets 152 and vertical ears 154 movably coupled to the power-actuated hydraulic trim cylinder 141 and secured to the ends of the piston rod 142. Is attached. Trim assembly 141 has a ball joint member 144 for insertion into a ball receiving socket secured to a transom. The operation of the trim assembly 141 has movements that mainly rotate the ball joint 25 to rotatably raise the drive when the piston rod 142 withdraws into the hydraulic cylinder 140 and the piston rod 142 to hydraulic The drive device is rotatably lowered when unfolded from the cylinder 140.

Referring to FIG. 4, the preferred embodiment 210 has two articulated steering assemblies 117, 119 having adjustable lengths, such as hydraulic steering cylinders 108, 110. Steering arms 117, 119 have separate movable ball and socket joints 111, 113. At the front ends of the steering cylinders 108, 110 ball pivots, which are rotatably received inside complementary recesses 116 and 118 formed in a pair of mounts 120 and 122. 112 and 114 are provided separately. Another aspect of this preferred embodiment is that the mounts 120, 122 can be attached or integral with the support casing 22. Referring to FIG. 5, in another preferred embodiment 220 mounts 120, 122 are secured to transom 20 rather than support casing 22 to relieve some pressure from casing 22.

Subsequent to FIG. 5, the embodiment 220 has a hydraulic system so that the fluid conduits 130, 131 and 132, 133 are individually located at the front and rear portions of the steering cylinders 108 and 110. Is provided. The fluid conduits are in fluid communication with the conventional hydraulic steering system 190 shown in FIG. 6, which will be described further below. Referring again to FIG. 5, the articulated trimming arm 141 has fluid conduits 158, 160 in fluid communication with, for example, the conventional hydraulic trimming system 192 shown in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 5, a front end of the trim cylinder 140 is provided with a ball pivot 144 that is pivotally received within a socket 145 of a mount secured to the transom 20 by fasteners 151. . The rear end of the trim arm 141 is provided with a two-pronged bracket 152 spanning an upwardly extending pad 154 securely fixed to the upper, middle portion of the tube 74. Pivot pin 156 interconnects bracket 152 and pad 154. Hydraulic conduits 158 and 160 connect the front and rear ends of the trim cylinder 140 with the hydraulic system shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now primarily to FIG. 6, the hydraulic system includes a conventional power source 180 coupled to a hydraulic pump 181. Reservoir 182 and conventional control valves 184 and 186 are coupled to pump 181. In one preferred embodiment, the steering cylinders 108 and 110 and the trim cylinder 140 are individually connected to the valves 184 and 186 by conduits 130, 131, 132, 133, 158 and 160. do. The valve 184 is operatively connected to the steering wheel 190 of the boat in a conventional manner, while the valve 186 is operatively connected to the up and down trim lever 192 in a conventional manner. do. Rotation of the steering wheel 190 will actuate the valve 184 to control the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the pump 181 to the steering cylinders 108 and 110. In this way, the piston rods 104 and 106 of the steering cylinders can be individually unfolded and shrunk simultaneously. With reference to FIG. 3, the spreading and withering of the steering cylinders 108 or 110 is laterally with respect to the axis S-S and laterally with respect to the steering axis S-S which pivots the ball joint 25. Thereby providing horizontal control of the drive 200 by swinging the propeller shaft carrier 30. In addition, the pivot point 164 of the ball pivot 144 lies on the steering axis S-S such that the lateral movement about the axis S-S pivots the trim arm 141 laterally. In another preferred embodiment 230, there is only a single steering cylinder 161 shown for example in FIG. 7. In another preferred embodiment, the valve 186 of FIG. 6 may be connected to an automated trim controller that may be used in addition to or instead of the manual up-down trim lever 192 of FIG. 6.

Subsequently, returning to FIG. 8, in another preferred embodiment, the drive 240 is, for example, a power transmission unit 61 instead of being directly coupled to the electric motor 11 as shown in FIG. 1. Drive shaft 38, which can be coupled to a conventional power transmission device such as < RTI ID = 0.0 > The power transmission unit 61 of the drive 240 of FIG. 8 has a displacement D between the axis “I” of the input shaft 39 and the axis “O” of the output shaft 38. Allow. The power transmission unit 61 can rotate the output shaft 38 at a reduced speed from the input shaft 39. Still referring to FIG. 8, the power transmission unit 61 of the drive 240 has a gear 63 connected to the rear shaft portion and a gear 65 connected to the input shaft 39, the gears being flat Gears, planetary gears, helical gears, herringbone gears, straight bevel gears, spiral bevel gears, hypoid gears, worm gears, and may instead include a chain or toothed belt drive. Can be. The electric motor 11 rotates the shaft 39, which causes the gear 65 to rotate the intermediate shaft 66, which causes the gear 63 to rotate the output propeller shaft 40 and the propeller 44. Let's do it.

In a preferred embodiment the electric motor II may be in the hull as shown in FIG. 1. In alternative embodiments, the electric motor may be outside the hull and included in the support housing 22 in a position that is forward of the ball socket 24 as shown in FIG. 9. The driver 250 includes an electric motor 252 which is fixed to the transom 20 either directly or indirectly.

In another alternative, shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the drive 260 includes an electric motor 262 located in the ball socket 24 and in the support housing 22. In this case, the electric motor 262 is free to move relative to the housing 22 as the ball joint 25 is rotated, while remaining firmly fixed to the propeller shaft 40. This mounting position allows the motor 262 to be connected directly or indirectly to the propeller shaft 40 without the intervening universal joint 46 (FIG. 2).

Referring now primarily to FIG. 12, electric motor 11 includes power supply 204, which may include electrical storage devices such as cells or capacitors; Controllers 206 for the direction and speed of the ocean vehicle; And a motor drive unit 208. The motor drive unit 208 has connections 216 to the power source 204, one or more control signals from the motor control device 214, and connections to the electric motor 210. The connections of the electric motor 210 are commanded electric motor speed with a clockwise or counterclockwise direction of rotation and a rotational speed corresponding to forward and reverse directions commanded by the speed and direction control signals from the motor control device 206. And output motor control signals for operating the electric motor 11 to rotate the electric motor shaft 212 at "V".

In another preferred embodiment the connections 210 from the motor drive 208 to the electric motor 11 may also include inputs indicating the direction and speed of rotation of the electric motor 11. Another preferred embodiment may also include one or more signals indicative of the speed and direction of the ocean vehicle. Another embodiment includes a neutral setting of the motor control device 206 where electrical power is not provided to the electric motor 11 to stop rotation.

Returning to FIG. 13, in one preferred embodiment rotation “A” of propeller 44 by means of another source of power, such as water flow, produces rotation “B” in electric motor 11. This rotation causes the electric motor 11 to generate one or more currents 224 and an inverter 222 is used to provide the current 226 to charge the power storage device 220. In one preferred embodiment, the electric motor generates three-phase AC currents 224, and the inverter 222 generates a direct current 226 to charge a storage device, such as lead-acid battery 220. The battery storage device 220 provides power to the motor 11, and in another preferred embodiment, the power source 180 for the hydraulic pump 181 (FIG. 6) is supplied by the electrical storage device 220. With power.

Many changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit. The scope of some of these changes is described above. The scope of others will be apparent from the appended claims.

10, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260: electric marine surface drive
11: electric engine
20: transom
22: support casing
24: ball socket
25: ball joint
30: shaft carrier
32: ball
38: front drive shaft
40: propeller shaft
44: propeller
45, 47, 49, 54, 56: bearing
46: universal joint
50: pivot point
51: rear main body
52: shear body
62, 151: bolt
74: propeller shaft housing
90: stable pin
100, 102: gear
103, 107: bracket
108, 110: steering cylinder
112, 114: ball joint member
116, 118: recess
117, 119: steering assembly
120, 122: mount
130, 131, 132, 133, 158, 160: fluid conduits
140: trim cylinder
141: trim assembly
142: piston rod
144: ball joint member
145: ball receptacle
146: socket assembly
151: fastener
152: bracket
154: Ear
190: hydraulic steering system
192: hydraulic trimming system

Claims (20)

A support housing;
At least one propeller, a portion of the propeller being above the surface to substantially reduce drag in the water;
At least one electric motor coupled to at least one propeller, the motor including a motor control device for operating the electric motor and selecting an electric motor speed and direction of rotation; And
At least one shaft coupling the electric motor to the propeller, and a shaft carrier, at least a portion of the at least one shaft extending through the shaft carrier;
Surface driving device for marine transport means comprising a. The method of claim 1,
And the at least one electric motor is mounted inside the support housing. The method of claim 1,
The at least one electric motor is mounted to the marine transport means. The method of claim 1,
And said at least one shaft comprises said electric motor reliably attached to said propeller shaft. The method of claim 1,
Said at least one shaft comprising a drive shaft and a propeller shaft, said electric motor being attached to said drive shaft coupled to said propeller shaft, said at least one propeller coupled to said propeller shaft. The method of claim 1,
And a ball joint further included in the support housing to change the angle of the propeller with respect to the marine transportation means. The method according to claim 6,
And the electric motor is stably mounted inside the ball joint. The method according to claim 6,
The arm further comprises an articulated trimming arm having at least one movable joint and an adjustable length at an arm end having an arm rear end connected to the top of the shaft carrier and an arm front end connected to the marine transport means. The articulating trimming arm is substantially parallel to the shaft longitudinal axis and parallel to the shaft longitudinal axis and the length of the articulated trimming arm can be lengthened or shortened by the individual rotation of the ball joint substantially downwards and upwards, so that a portion of the submerged propeller And a driving device capable of controlling the depth of immersion. The method according to claim 6,
At least one articulated steering arm having at least a movable joint and an adjustable length at an arm end having an arm front end connected to the front of the pivot point of the ball joint and an arm rear end connected to the side of the shaft carrier. And the arm shear is moved at least substantially horizontally from the shaft longitudinal axis and by rotating the ball joint to either side controlling the horizontal angle of the propeller shaft relative to the marine transport means for steering. Drives that can be lengthened or shortened with articulated steering arms. 10. The method of claim 9,
A front end of the front end of the articulated steering arm is a drive device that is stably mounted to the marine transport means. 10. The method of claim 9,
A front end of the articulated steering arm front end is stably mounted to the front of the ball joint pivot point and to the side of the support housing. 10. The method of claim 9,
And a second articulated steering arm. The method according to claim 6,
The shaft includes at least one front drive shaft and a propeller shaft having a coupling therebetween and a longitudinal axis of the propeller shaft and the drive shaft while rotational movement from the drive shaft portion is transmitted to the propeller shaft portion. Drive while allowing at least some angular displacement between the longitudinal axes. The method of claim 13,
And the coupling is a universal joint. The method of claim 1,
The shaft includes at least one front drive shaft and a propeller shaft having a power transmission unit therebetween, the power transmission unit having a reduced rotational speed of the propeller shaft or between the axis of rotation of the propeller shaft and the front drive shaft. And at least one of the displacements to transfer rotational movement from the front drive shaft to the propeller shaft. 16. The method of claim 15,
The power transmission unit includes at least one gear connected to the front drive shaft and at least one gear connected to the propeller shaft, wherein the gears are spur gears, planetary gears, helical gears, herringbone gears, straight bevels A drive selected from at least one of a group of gears, spiral bevel gears, hypoid gears, worm gears. The method of claim 1,
And a motor drive connected to the motor control device, a power supply, and at least one electric motor, wherein the motor drive is based on the direction control signal and the speed control signal from the motor control device. Drive powered by motor. The method of claim 1,
And a power conversion device coupled to the motor control device and the power storage device, wherein the inverter provides power from the electric motor to the power storage device when not driven but generating a current. A support housing stably mounted to the marine transport means;
At least one electric motor for driving at least one propeller, said motor having a control device for operating said electric motor and for selecting an electric motor speed and direction of rotation;
Power supply;
At least one propeller, the position of the propeller relative to the marine means of transport can be vertically controlled such that a portion of the propeller may be above the surface to substantially reduce the drag in the water, and the position of the propeller relative to the marine means of transport Horizontally controllable to steer the ocean transport means; And
At least one shaft having a front end connected to the electric motor, a rear end connected to the propeller, and a shaft carrier, the shaft extending through the shaft carrier;
Surface driving device for marine transport means comprising a. 20. The method of claim 19,
And the electric motor is reliably mounted in one of the group comprising a support housing and the shaft carrier.

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