Patent Application
20240199185
Electric motors are starting to attract significant attention in the marine industry due to their low carbon footprint and silent operation. These motors can be used to power the watercraft's sterndrive instead of the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE). Many watercraft owners have begun to consider converting their ICEs into electric motors. One of the considerations that needs to be taken into account is that the initial accelerating force from the electric motor is much higher than that from the ICE, placing a greater force on the stern wall compared to its original design force. This issue can pose an obstacle for watercraft owners, as the main propeller force is directed towards the stern wall.
One of the other problems facing the sterndrive fixation inside the watercraft is the misalignment of gears. This issue arises because it involves various large parts, each of which needs to be fastened to the watercraft structure. To optimize the alignment, a shaft coupling is added to separate the propeller noise and vibrations from the engine. This decreases overall vibration and noise, delivering a smoother ride and longer equipment life, while eliminating the need for perfect shaft alignment. However, it's important to note that this solution requires a larger space for the placement of the shaft coupling. Also, the benefit of having a silent operation can be distributed by the noise from the various parts' connections to the watercraft.
In view of the same, devices, systems, and methods for accommodating the above problems would be well received in the marketplace.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a watercraft propulsion system's fixation method that connects the sterndrive, gears, and motor to the watercraft's structure so that the force from the sterndrive is applied to the watercraft's structural base to reduce the force on the stern wall. Also, it solves the gears' misalignment issues as the entire drive system parts are connected to one base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, comprising a sterndrive bracket configured to couple to a sterndrive unit of a propulsion system and further configured to couple to a stern wall of a watercraft on an outside of the watercraft, and a driveshaft bracket configured to couple to an electric motor of the propulsion system and further configured to couple to the stern wall of the watercraft on an inside of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, further comprising the sterndrive unit.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, further comprising the electric motor.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein the electric motor is configured to provide power to the sterndrive unit.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein components of the propulsion system are interlinked and collectively direct force to a structural base of the watercraft, thereby enabling a direct application of force from the sterndrive to the watercraft base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein components of the propulsion system are connected to direct most of a propulsion force to the structural base of the watercraft instead of the stern wall.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein the electric motor is coupled to a structural base of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein the electric motor is coupled to a structural base of the watercraft using mountings, said mountings designed to absorb noise and vibration from the propulsion system.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, further comprising a first rubber pad positioned between the sterndrive bracket and the stern of the watercraft, and a second rubber pad positioned between the driveshaft bracket and the stern of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein the first rubber pad and the second rubber pad prevent water from an outside of the watercraft from entering the watercraft via the stern wall.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, further comprising a planetary gear connected to an output of the electric motor and to a driveshaft to reduce vibration and noise while connecting the driveshaft bracket to the electric motor.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein a propulsion system mounting is connected to the planetary gear facilitating the connection of components of the propulsion system to a structural base of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein a drive shaft coupling is not required as the electric motor is coupled to the structural base of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, wherein a configuration of the sterndrive fixation system reduces a required propulsion system space, providing increased space on the inside of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a sterndrive fixation system, further providing an advantage by enabling installation on a thin stern wall as a force from the sterndrive is directed to the structural base of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a system, comprising a sterndrive unit of a propulsion system positioned outside of a watercraft, a sterndrive bracket facilitating a connection between the sterndrive unit and inner components of the propulsion system, and a drive shaft bracket establishing a connection between the sterndrive bracket and an electric motor of the propulsion system, the electric motor configured to provide power to the system and to connect the propulsion system to a structural base of the watercraft, wherein all components of the propulsion system are interlinked and collectively direct force to the structural base of the watercraft, thereby enabling a direct application of the force from the sterndrive unit to the structural base of the watercraft instead of to a stern wall of the watercraft.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the propulsion system components are connected to direct most of the propulsion force to the watercraft structural base instead of the watercraft stern wall.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, characterized as a sterndrive unit positioned outside the watercraft, a sterndrive bracket facilitating the connection between the sterndrive and inner components of the propulsion system, a drive shaft bracket establishing a connection between the sterndrive bracket and the electric motor, and an electric motor to provide power to the system and connect the electric propulsion system to the watercrafts structural base, wherein all components of the propulsion system are interlinked and collectively direct force to the watercraft structural base, thereby enabling the direct application of force from the sterndrive to the watercraft base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, further comprising a planetary gear connected to the electric motor output and the driveshaft to reduce the vibration and noise while connecting the drive shaft bracket to the electric motor case.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the propulsion system mounting is connected to the planetary gears instead of the electric motor facilitating the connection of propulsion system components to the watercraft structure.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, further comprising a mounting designed to absorb noise and vibration from the drive system and connect the system to the watercraft's structural base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, further comprising rubber pads installed at both sides of the stern wall to prevent the water from entering the watercraft and provide a flexibility in installing the sterndrive 106 on the stern wall.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the configuration eliminates the need for a drive shaft coupling by connecting propulsion system components on a single base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the novel configuration reduces the required propulsion system space, providing increased space on the boat.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the configuration eliminates the need for a drive shaft coupling by connecting propulsion system components on a single base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, further providing an advantage by enabling installation on a thin stern wall as the force from the sterndrive is directed to the watercraft base.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of an electric propulsion system for a watercraft, wherein the propulsion system sterndrive, electric motors, gears, and drive are mounted on the watercraft's stern wall without the need to a second mounting point between the propulsion system components (like the motor, gears) and the watercraft bottom base due to the light weight of the electric propulsion system components compared to their ICE counterparts.
The present disclosure includes disclosure of a system, comprising a sterndrive unit of a propulsion system positioned outside of a watercraft, a sterndrive bracket facilitating a connection between the sterndrive unit and inner components of the propulsion system, and a drive shaft bracket establishing a connection between the sterndrive bracket and an electric motor of the propulsion system, the electric motor configured to provide power to the system, wherein all components of the propulsion system components are interlinked and mounted on the stern wall without mounting the inner component on the watercraft bottom base.
The disclosed embodiments and other features, advantages, and disclosures contained herein, and the matter of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As such, an overview of the features, functions and/or configurations of the components depicted in the figures will now be presented. It should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figures are necessarily described and some of these non-discussed features (as well as discussed features) are inherent from the figures themselves. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and/or configuration. Furthermore, wherever feasible and convenient, like reference numerals are used in the figures and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The figures are in a simplified form and not to precise scale.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.
The electrification revolution in the automotive industry has now extended to include the marine industry. Several adjustments are necessary when replacing the internal combustion engine with an electric motor. The electric motor's characteristics include a high starting force that must be accommodated on the watercraft's side. To avoid modifying the watercraft's structure, specifically the stern wall, the force from the sterndrive should be directed towards the robust watercraft structure. Therefore, the present disclosure utilizes a drive system fixation unit that transfers the sterndrive force from the stern wall to the watercraft's structural base. Moreover, misalignment in the drive system components reduces overall efficiency due to the necessity of using a driveshaft coupling.
The present disclosure includes the disclosure of an electric propulsion system 100 for a watercraft 200 characterized as a sterndrive unit 106 outside the watercraft, a sterndrive bracket 103 that connects the sterndrive 106 to the inner parts of the propulsion system 100, a drive shaft bracket 102 that connects the sterndrive bracket 103 to the electric motor 104, an electric motor 104 to drive the system 100 and connects the propulsion system 100 components to the watercraft structural base 201, as shown in
In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the propulsion system 100 further comprises mountings 105 that couple the electric motor 104 to the watercraft structural base and that absorbs the noise and vibration from the propulsion system 100, as shown in
In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the propulsion system 100 further comprises rubber pads 108 installed at both sides of the stern wall 202 to prevent the water from entering the watercraft 200 and to provide a flexibility in installing the sterndrive 106 on the stern wall 202, as shown in
In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the propulsion system 100 further comprises a planetary gear 107 connected to the electric motor 104 output and the driveshaft (not shown) to reduce vibration and noise. Moreover, the planetary gears bracket 101, such as shown in
Another advantage of the present disclosure is the ability to install the propulsion system 100 to a thin stern wall 202 as the force of the sterndrive 106 is directed to the watercraft structural base 201.
In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electric propulsion system 100 is much lighter than its ICE counterparts. Therefore, the propulsion system 100 can be mounted on the stern wall 204 only without the need for another mounting for the electric motors 104 and other propulsion system 100 components. The sterndrive 106 is mounted on the outside surface of the stern wall 204 while the electric motor 104, drive shaft bracket 102, and the planetary gears 107 are mounted on the inside surface of the stern wall 204. By that, the vibration and noise are reduced as there's only one connection between the propulsion system 100 and the watercraft 200, as shown in
While various embodiments of devices and systems and methods for using the same have been described in considerable detail herein, the embodiments are merely offered as non-limiting examples of the disclosure described herein specially for the motor type used in platform. It will therefore be understood that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the content thereof.
Further, in describing representative embodiments, the present disclosure may have presented a method and/or a process as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth therein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described, as other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps disclosed herein should not be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. In addition, disclosure directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written. Such sequences may be varied and still remain within the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63433325 | Dec 2022 | US |
