Hub assembly for marine propeller

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6685432
  • Patent Number
    6,685,432
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, September 12, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 3, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A propeller assembly is provided for mounting in a rotatable propeller shaft of a water craft. The propeller assembly includes a hub structure extending along an axis and including an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys projecting therefrom. An adaptor translates rotatational movement of the propeller shaft to the hub structure. The adaptor includes an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving a propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys extending therefrom. The keys of the hub structure and the keys of the adaptor lie on a generally circular key path such that rotation of the adaptor is directly translated to the hub structure.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to propellers, and in particular, to a hub assembly for translating rotational movement from a propeller shaft of a marine vehicle to the blades of a propeller.




BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is known to propel a marine vehicle utilizing a propeller assembly mounted on a rotatable shaft. The propeller assembly includes propeller blades extending from a central hub. A motor rotates the drive shaft which, in turn, rotates the central hub and the propeller blades. A hub assembly is provided to interconnect the central hub to the drive shaft. As is known, rotation of the propeller blades extending from the central hub propels the marine vehicle through the water.




Typically, the propeller assembly is constructed as a unit wherein the propeller blades, the central hub and the hub assembly are mounted or removed from the drive shaft in unison. Typically, the central hub of the propeller assembly includes an outer cylindrical housing which is welded or otherwise attached to a plurality of propeller blades. The central hub also includes an inner cylindrical housing which is co-axial with the outer cylindrical housing and radially spaced therefrom. The inner housing is supported within the outer housing by a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs. The propeller assembly further includes a hub assembly disposed within the inner cylindrical housing of the propeller hub assembly. The hub assembly includes a drive member having an inner surface which meshes with splines on the outer surface of the drive shaft and an outer surface. A bushing formed from a rubber or elastomeric material is provided between the inner surface of the inner housing and the outer surface of the drive member. The elastomeric bushing provides shock absorbency between the propeller hub assembly and the drive shaft.




It has been found that slippage may occur between the elastomeric bushing and the inner surface of the inner housing. Once slippage has occurred, the outer surface of the elastomeric bushing becomes more common. Consequently, once slippage has occurred, it becomes necessary to replace the propeller assembly in order to once again realize the power capabilities of the motor of the marine vehicle.




In addition, it is known that the drive shafts driven by the various motors for marine vehicles differ depending upon the manufacture. Consequently, individual propellers must be provided for the drive shafts of each motor brand. Maintaining an inventory of specific propellers for each brand of motor requires significant storage space and may be cost prohibitive.




Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a hub assembly for a propeller which discourages slippage between the coupling element and the inner surface of the inner housing.




It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a hub assembly for a propeller which may be easily adapted for mounting propellers on the drive shafts of different manufacturers' motors.




It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a hub assembly for a propeller which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.




In accordance with the present invention, a propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft. The propeller assembly includes a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis. The hub structure includes an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface having a longitudinally extending key projecting therefrom. The key is a predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis. The propeller assembly also includes an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a longitudinally extending key extending therealong. The key of the adaptor is also the predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis.




The propeller assembly may also include a tubular bushing about the adaptor. The bushing has a portion disposed between the key of the hub structure and the key of the adaptor. The tubular bushing includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure. It is contemplated to form the tubular bushing from a resilient material.




In accordance with the further aspect of the present invention, a propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft. The propeller assembly includes a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis. The hub structure includes an outer surface and an inner surface having a longitudinally extending key projecting therefrom. The propeller assembly also includes an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a longitudinally extending key extending therealong. The key of the hub structure and the key of the adaptor lie on a generally circular key path. The key path having a predetermined radius.




A tubular bushing may be positioned about the adaptor. The tubular bushing includes a portion disposed between the key of the hub structure and the key of the adaptor. In addition, the tubular bushing includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure. It is contemplated that the tubular bushing be formed from a resilient material.




The inner surface of the adaptor may include splines to mesh with the splines on the rotatable propeller shaft of the watercraft. The outer surface of the hub structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom.




In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft. The propeller assembly includes a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis. The hub structure includes an outer surface and an inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys projecting therefrom. The propeller assembly also includes an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys extending therealong. Each key of the adaptor is disposed between the corresponding pair of keys projecting from the inner surface of the hub structure.




The outer surface of the hub structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom. A tubular bushing may be provided about the adaptor. The tubular bushing includes a plurality of bushing portions. Each bushing portion is disposed between a key projecting from the outer surface of the adaptor and a corresponding key projecting from the inner surface of the hub structure. The tubular bushing also includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure. It is contemplated to form the tubular bushing from a resilient material.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The drawings furnished herewith illustrate a preferred construction of the present invention in which the above advantages and features are clearly disclosed as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment.




In the drawings:





FIG. 1

is an exploded, isometric view of a propeller assembly in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a side elevational view, partially in section, showing the propeller assembly of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional view of the propeller assembly of the present invention taken along line


3





3


of

FIG. 2

; and





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of the propeller assembly of the present invention taken along line


4





4


of FIG.


3


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a propeller assembly in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral


10


. It is intended that propeller assembly


10


be mounted on a rotatable propeller shaft


12


which, in turn, is driven by a marine engine (not shown). Propeller shaft


12


extends along a longitudinal axis and terminates at a threaded terminal end


14


adapted for receiving a locking nut


16


thereon, for reasons hereinafter described. As is conventional, rotatable shaft


12


includes an outer surface


17


having longitudinally extending splines


18


therealong adjacent terminal end


14


.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, propeller assembly


10


includes a central hub


20


having an inner cylindrical housing


22


and an outer cylindrical housing


24


. Outer housing


24


has an outer surface


26


and an inner surface


28


. A plurality of circumferentially spaced propeller blades


30


project radially from outer surface


26


of outer housing


24


. Inner surface


28


defines an inner housing receipt cavity


32


.




Inner housing


22


is received within inner housing receipt cavity


32


defined by outer housing


24


. Inner housing


22


includes an outer surface


34


and an inner surface


36


. A plurality of circumferentially spaced connection spokes


38




a-c


extend between the outer surface


24


of inner housing


22


and the inner surface


28


of outer housing


24


so as to rigidly connect inner housing


22


to outer housing


24


.




Inner housing


22


has a first end


40


and a second, opposite end


42


. An end flange


44


projects radially inward from second end


42


of inner housing


22


and terminates at a radially inner surface


46


which defines a generally circular opening


48


in second end


42


of inner housing


22


.




Inner surface


36


of inner housing


22


includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially-extending keys


50


. Each key


50


includes a first narrow end


52


and an opposite wider end


54


which abuts surface


44




a


of end flange


44


of inner housing


22


. Keys


50


are dimensioned for receipt in corresponding inner housing keyways


54


in bushing


56


.




Bushing


56


is formed from a resilient material and has first and second opposite ends


58


and


60


, respectively. Each inner housing keyway


54


is defined by a first closed end


62


and a second open end


64


which is generally co-planar with first end


58


of bushing


56


. It is contemplated that inner housing keyway


54


be narrower at closed end


62


than at open end


64


thereof such that inner housing keyways


54


may receive corresponding keys


50


along the inner surface


36


of inner housing


22


in a mating relationship.




Bushing


56


further includes a plurality of adaptor keyways


66


. Each adaptor keyway


66


includes a first closed end


68


and a second open end


70


which is generally coplanar with second end


60


of bushing


56


. It is contemplated that each adaptor keyway


66


be narrower at closed end


68


than at open end


70


.




Bushing


56


includes an inner surface


72


which defines a passageway therethrough for receiving adaptor


74


. Bushing


56


further includes an outer surface


76


which engages the inner surface


36


of inner housing


22


, for reasons hereinafter described.




Adaptor


74


includes an outer surface


78


and an inner surface


80


which defines a passage


84


therethrough for receiving the splined portion of propeller shaft


12


. Inner surface


80


of adaptor


74


includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending splines


82


therealong which mesh with splines


18


extending along propeller shaft


12


. Outer surface


78


of adaptor


74


includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending keys


86


projecting therefrom. Each key


86


includes a narrow end


88


and a wider end


90


. Keys


86


of adaptor


74


are dimensioned for receipt in corresponding adaptor keyways


66


in bushing


56


.




Adaptor


74


further includes a stop member


92


which extends radially from outer surface


78


and terminates at a radially outer surface


94


. Stop member


92


includes a radially extending stop surfaces


96


which project radially from outer surface


78


of adaptor


74


to outer surface


94


. Radially-extending stop surfaces


96


extend between wider ends


90


of keys


86


. Enlarged head


98


is formed adjacent stop member


92


of adaptor


74


and has a radially outer surface


100


. Outer surface


100


of enlarged head


98


is radially spaced from outer surface


94


of stop member


92


by radially-extending sidewall


102


.




In order to mount propeller assembly


10


on propeller shaft


12


, propeller shaft


12


is inserted through passage


84


in adaptor


74


such that splines


18


along outer surface


17


of propeller shaft


12


mesh with corresponding splines


82


along the inner surface


80


of adaptor


74


. Bushing


56


is slid axially onto adaptor


74


such that keys


86


extending along outer surface


78


of adaptor


74


are received within corresponding adaptor keyways


66


in bushing


56


. Bushing


56


is slid onto adaptor


74


until such point that second end


60


of bushing


56


engages stop surfaces


96


of stop member


92


. It can be appreciated that such construction prevents keys


86


of adaptor


74


from becoming wedged within corresponding adaptor keyways


66


in bushing


56


. Central hub


20


is slid axially onto bushing


56


such that keys


50


extending along the inner surface


36


in bushing


56


such that first end


40


of inner housing


22


abuts sidewall


102


of enlarged head


98


of adaptor


74


. Central hub


20


is slid onto bushing


56


until such point that first end


58


of bushing


56


engages surface


44




a


of flange member


44


.




With central hub


20


received on bushing


56


, terminal end


14


of propeller shaft


12


extends through opening


48


defined by flange


44


of inner housing


22


. Washer


106


is positioned on terminal end


14


of propeller shaft


12


such that an enlarged portion


108


of washer


106


overlaps opening


48


and engages outer surface


44




b


of flange


44


of inner housing


22


. Locking nut


16


is threaded onto end


14


of propeller shaft


12


to secure propeller assembly


10


on propeller shaft


12


. It is contemplated to reverse washer


106


such that a portion of washer


106


extends into opening


48


and such that enlarged portion


108


of washer opening


48


and engages outer surface


44




b


of flange


44


of inner housing


22


. As a result, washer


106


axially aligns propeller shaft


12


through inner housing


22


.




It can be appreciated that propeller assembly


10


may be assembled as heretofore described prior to the mounting thereof on propeller shaft


12


. In such manner, adaptor


74


may be modified so as to adapt to various types of propeller shafts


12


produced by different manufacturers. In other words, utilizing a modified adaptor


74


, propeller assembly


10


may be mounted on each of the various types of propeller shafts.




In operation, propeller shaft


12


is rotated by the motor of the marine vehicle. As propeller shaft


12


is rotated, such rotation is translated to propeller assembly


10


through bushing


56


and adaptor


74


combination as heretofore described. Rotation of the propeller blades


30


projecting from the outer surface


26


of outer housing


24


propels the marine vehicle through the water.




Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A propeller assembly for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft, comprising:a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis and including an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom and an inner surface having a longitudinally extending key projecting therefrom, the key having a portion that is a predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis; an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a longitudinally extending key extending therealong, the key of the adaptor having a portion that is the predetermined distance from the longitudinal axis; and a tubular bushing about the adaptor, the tubular bushing having a portion disposed between the key of the hub and the key of the adaptor.
  • 2. The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the tubular bushing includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure.
  • 3. The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the tubular bushing is formed from a resilient material.
  • 4. The propeller assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the adaptor includes splines.
  • 5. A propeller assembly for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft, comprising:a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis, the hub structure including an outer surface and an inner surface having a longitudinally extending key projecting therefrom; an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a longitudinally extending key extending therealong; and a tubular bushing about the adaptor, the tubular bushing having a portion disposed between the key of the hub structure and the key of the adaptor, wherein the key of the hub structure and the key of the adaptor lie on a generally circular key path, the key path having a predetermined radius.
  • 6. The propeller assembly of claim 5, wherein the tubular bushing includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure.
  • 7. The propeller assembly of claim 5 wherein the tubular bushing is formed from a resilient material.
  • 8. The propeller assembly of claim 5 wherein the inner surface of the adaptor includes splines.
  • 9. The propeller assembly of claim 5 wherein the outer surface of the hub structure has a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom.
  • 10. A propeller assembly for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a watercraft, comprising:a hub structure extending along a longitudinal axis, the hub structure including an outer surface and an inner surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys projecting therefrom; an adaptor having an inner surface defining a passageway for receiving the propeller shaft therethrough and an outer surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending keys extending therealong, each key of the adaptor disposed between a corresponding pair of keys projecting from the inner surface of the hub structure; and a tubular bushing about the adaptor.
  • 11. The propeller assembly of claim 10 wherein the outer surface of the hub structure includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades projecting therefrom.
  • 12. The propeller assembly of claim 10 wherein the tubular bushing includes a plurality of a bushing portions, each bushing portion disposed between a key projecting from the outer surface of the adaptor and a corresponding key projecting from the inner surface of the hub structure.
  • 13. The propeller assembly of claim 10 wherein the tubular bushing includes an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the adaptor and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the hub structure.
  • 14. The propeller assembly of claim 10 wherein the tubular bushing is formed from a resilient material.
  • 15. The propeller assembly of claim 10 wherein the inner surface of the adaptor includes splines.
RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/753,366, filed Jan. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,481 and entitled “HUB ASSEMBLY FOR MARINE PROPELLER.”

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