Patent Application
20230112935
This application claims benefit of priority from German Patent Application No. DE 102021126415.4 filed on Oct. 12, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a drive for a boat as an additional drive or alternative drive to a main drive.
The invention further relates to a drive system for a boat and to a boat.
Inboard or outboard motors are normally used as the main drive of a boat. These are powered by means of petrol, diesel or electrically and—when there is usually only one existing main drive—are attached centrally to the stern of the boat.
Moreover, drive motors come in different variants as auxiliary motors and/or servo-motors, which are fastened to the stern of a boat on the right or left. These drive motors are usually also available powered by petrol, diesel or electricity.
One disadvantage of the auxiliary/servo-motors used according to the prior art relates to the extensive space requirement, which severely limits full usage of the stern of the boat as a swimming platform, swimming ladder, etc., for example.
Furthermore, in known additional drives the auxiliary motor in the waterway generally remains below the water line, this leading to an increase in energy requirement.
A further disadvantage is that when the main drive breaks down, as a result of engine or propeller damage, for example, the auxiliary drive must first be connected up and, in the case of petrol engines, the engine has to be started up first.
Moving the auxiliary drive into the correct position, connecting it up and starting it takes up time—something that is urgently needed in case of an emergency. There is no time left to manoeuvre the boat and its passengers out of a potentially hazardous situation.
The cumbersome and ineffective steering associated with the auxiliary engines which are traditionally used likewise has a negative impact.
The problem addressed by the present invention can be seen as that of providing an additional drive for a boat with a main drive, the use of which additional drive is simplified and by which the additional energy consumption can be minimized.
According to the invention, a drive for a boat is used as an additional drive or an alternative drive to a main drive, which is designed as a Z-drive or a drive with outboard motors, for example. The main drive is in this case provided with a cavitation plate, which is a horizontal plate above a main propeller of the main drive and is intended to prevent cavitation. In this case, the drive comprises an electric motor and is designed in such a manner that it can easily be fastened to the main drive. The drive is configured to be fastened to the cavitation plate such that, after assembly, said drive does not project rearwards beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive.
By virtue of the position of the additional or alternative drive, in which it does not project beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, during planing, when the boat is in operation with the main drive, said additional or alternative drive is located above the water line and creates no additional resistance, and therefore the energy consumption when the drive is assembled is not increased as a result. This effect is based on the water line dropping to a significant extent at the stern during travel and what is referred to as a “V” forming in the water. When at a standstill, or when no main drive is present, the additional or alternative drive is located underwater and can be used to drive the boat.
If the drive is to be used as an additional drive, it preferably comprises an additional propeller which is driven by the electric motor. Insofar as the drive is to be used as an alternative drive, it is both possible for the drive to have an additional propeller which replaces the main propeller of the original drive during operation or, alternatively, is directly coupled to the main propeller during use. In this case, the electric motor can be connected to a shaft of the main propeller by means of a coupling and/or a transmission. It is also possible for the electric motor to be operated directly with the main propeller and/or in combination with the additional propeller using a toothed belt.
When the drive comprises an additional propeller which is driven by the electric motor, the drive is configured such that, after assembly, not more than the additional propeller projects beyond the cavitation plate. It is further preferred, if the additional propeller projects not more than 6 cm rearwards beyond the cavitation plate. It is, however, particularly preferred, if the additional propeller does not project rearwards beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, too.
By virtue of the arrangement in which the drive is fastened to the cavitation plate such that said drive does not project beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, and in case of a drive having an additional propeller not more than the additional propeller projects beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, the drive is above the water line when the boat is planing, and the drive and the additional propeller do not protrude into the water. In this case, the fuel consumption during planing remains the same, since no additional resistance is created by the additional propeller of the auxiliary drive. Depending on the type of boat, planing usually begins at a velocity of about 15 km/h.
The drive preferably further comprises a battery system for supplying energy to the electric motor. The battery system in this case can have one or multiple battery cells which are connected to one another in parallel and/or in series. The battery cells in this case are preferably designed as lithium-ion cells, such as lithium iron phosphate cells (lithium ferrophosphate cell, LFP cell), for example. The battery system in this case can have a voltage of 24V, 36V, 48V, 60V or also an even higher voltage.
The drive preferably further comprises a battery management system for the control and monitoring of the battery system. The temperature, voltage and current of the battery system, for example, can be monitored and controlled in this case. By means of the battery management system, the battery system can be charged with a vehicle power supply of 12 V or 24 V, for example, via a step-up transformer which is also referred to as an up-converter or boost controller.
In this case, the on/off and forward/reverse control and the throttle lever for the drive can be fastened to the control panel. The control in this case can be optionally realized by CANopen or I/O control with switches and potentiometers or by means of remote control.
The drive preferably has a mounting support for holding the electric motor and the additional propeller, when there is one. The mounting support of the drive preferably has a two-part design. In this case, the mounting support can be mechanically worked from two parts, an upper motor mounting support and a lower counterplate having a recess for anode exchange or also created by 3D printing. It is also conceivable, however, for the mounting support to be divided into individual parts.
The drive preferably further comprises a housing for receiving the electric motor. In this case, a clutch and/or a transmission can be accommodated in the housing. The mounting support and the housing preferably have a two-part design. Advantageously, the strength and stability of the drive can thereby be increased.
The shape of the mounting support can be adapted to the installation space, for example, or to the shape of the main drive or clamped straight onto the main drive or integrated in it. The material being used for the mounting support or the housing can be freely selected, taking account of the saltwater and freshwater compatibility. For example, the mounting support or the housing can be produced from metal, such as high-grade steel or aluminium, for example, carbon fibre composites, plastics of all kinds, such as polyamide (PA) or polyoxymethylene (POM), for example, or alloys of all kinds. Preferably, the mounting support here is milled from anodized aluminium from one block, since optimum use is made of the forces of the motor and the weight as a result.
The mounting support preferably has one or multiple wings. The wings are preferably integrated in the mounting support or screwed onto it. In this way, an additional cavitation plate extension can be dispensed with.
The mounting support preferably has a recess for receiving an anode. The anode fastened to the main drive can be freely accessible due to the design of the main drive. In this way, a change of anode can also always be performed, even when the drive according to the invention is fastened.
The drive is preferably fastened by a form-fitting, force-fitting and/or substance-bonded connection, in particular by bore-free clamping of the upper motor mounting support and the lower counterplate having an anode exchange opening, to the cavitation plate of the main drive. In this case, the upper motor mounting support and the lower counterplate can be connected to one another outside the cavitation plate by screws or clamping, for example, in order to clamp the drive to the cavitation plate. As a result, perforation of the cavitation plate, which impairs the stability of the cavitation plate, is avoided. The stability of the cavitation plate is therefore ensured.
A drive system for a boat is also proposed. In this case, the drive system comprises a main drive and a drive according to the invention. This enables the drive according to the invention to be added to an existing drive of a boat. It is also possible for new drives to be supplemented with the integration of the drive according to the invention.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a boat which comprises a main drive and a drive according to the invention.
With the solution proposed according to the invention, a drive or a drive system for a boat is provided, wherein the use of the drive according to the invention is considerably simplified.
In this case, the drive according to the invention is ready for use in a second, because the drive according to the invention is fitted with the electric motor that is already fastened straight to the existing drive in advance.
If the main drive breaks down, or also in order to supplement the main drive, the drive according to the invention is started immediately at the push of a button, and the boat can be easily steered and moved out of the danger zone in the shortest time.
The solution proposed according to the invention of combining both drives—the pre-existing main drive and the drive according to the invention—enables the drive according to the invention to be used with all stern drives known in the art.
Since the drive according to the invention is fastened straight to the main drive and does not project beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, or, if the drive comprises an additional propeller, not more than the additional propeller project rearwards beyond the cavitation plate of the main drive, it has no effect on the flow behavior of the water at the stern of the boat.
Embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail with the help of the drawings and the following description.
In the drawings:
In the following description of embodiments of the invention, the same or similar elements are noted using the same reference numbers, wherein there is no repeated description of these elements in individual cases. The figures only provide a schematic representation of the subject matter of the invention.
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The mounting support 3 of the drive 10 according to the invention can have an integral design in this case. The mounting support 3 can be mechanically worked from one piece in this case or also created by 3D printing. A division of the mounting support 3 into individual parts is also possible, however.
It emerges from
The mounting support 3 and the housing 9 have an integral design in this case. The strength and stability of the drive 10 according to the invention is thereby increased.
The shape of the mounting support 3 can be adapted to the installation space or to the shape of the main drive, for example. The material to be used for the mounting support 3 or the housing 9 can be freely selected while taking account of seawater and freshwater compatibility. For example, the mounting support 3 or the housing 9 made be produced from metal, such as high-grade steel or aluminium, for example, plastics of all kinds, such as polyamide (PA) or polyoxymethylene (POM), for example, or alloys of all kinds.
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In the present case, in
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When the boat is at a standstill or has a low velocity below planing, usually a velocity of less than 15 km/h, i.e. during displacement travel, as is evident from
During planing of the boat, as illustrated in
The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described here and the aspects highlighted therein. Instead, a plurality of modifications is possible within the scope specified by the claims, said modifications falling within the actions of the person skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 126 415.4 | Oct 2021 | DE | national |
