Marine propulsion and steering unit

US6165031A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kamewa AB · SE

Inventors

• Stig Lönngren · Kristinehamn, SE
• Jan Pettersson · Kristinehamn, SE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 4, 1998
• Grant date: Dec 26, 2000
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B63H2005/1258
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A marine propulsion and steering unit (10) comprises a pod (13) having front and rear ends, a driving machine (14), e.g. a drive motor, accommodated in the pod, a substantially horizontal propeller shaft (15) drivingly connected to the driving machine and provided with a propeller (18) externally of the front end of the pod (13), and an upright pod supporting strut (12) rigidly attached to the pod and having at the upper end thereof swivel bearing means (11) supporting the pod supporting strut and the pod below a buoyant body for angular motion about a substantially vertical axis (C). The pod supporting strut (12) is shaped essentially as an upstanding airfoil the chord plane (V) of which contains or is proximal to the axis (T) of the propeller shaft (15) and the leading edge (12A) of which is directed towards the propeller (18). At the trailing edge (12L) thereof the pod supporting strut (12) is provided with a rudder (19) which is angularly movable about an axis (L) disposed in or parallel to the chord plane (V) of the pod supporting strut and at an angle to the axis (T) of the propeller shaft.