A fish-like underwater robot includes a shell, a driving assembly and an integrated tension and swing component. The integrated tension and swing component includes a plurality of tension ropes and tension elements. Every two adjacent tension elements are connected in series through the plurality of tension ropes. The driving assembly and the integrated tension and swing component are disposed inside the shell. The driving assembly is disposed at a head of the shell. The integrated tension and swing component has an end connected to a tail of the shell and an end connected to the driving assembly. When the fish-like underwater robot is used, the driving assembly drives the integrated tension and swing component to swing to generate power for forward movement. A traditional fish-like tail swing structure is replaced with an integrated tension skeleton structure.

The present invention relates to two configurations of structure for a compact, pedal-propelled boat, a recumbent configuration and a conventional configuration, and to two possible propulsion systems, one with rigid transmission system and other with flexible transmission system. Both configurations are used with hulls arranged in parallel, catamaran configuration, preferably inflatable, allowing the volume and size of the assembly to be reduced so as to fit in a car trunk, making it easier to transport and store. In the recumbent configuration, the boat driver is in a sitting position, with his back supported by the seat, and actuates the pedals located in the front part of the structure while maneuvers the boat by means of handlebars located on the sides of the structure. In the conventional configuration, the boat driver is in the same position as the rider of a conventional bicycle, and the seat, pedals and handlebar are arranged in the same positions as in a bicycle. The invention seeks to provide simple solutions and the greatest quantity possible of shared components between these configurations, such that a production plant can produce these configurations through as few production processes as possible and sharing as many production processes as possible.

The present invention relates to two configurations of structure for a compact, pedal-propelled boat, a recumbent configuration and a conventional configuration, and to two possible propulsion systems, one with rigid transmission system and other with flexible transmission system. Both configurations are used with hulls arranged in parallel, catamaran configuration, preferably inflatable, allowing the volume and size of the assembly to be reduced so as to fit in a car trunk, making it easier to transport and store. In the recumbent configuration, the boat driver is in a sitting position, with his back supported by the seat, and actuates the pedals located in the front part of the structure while maneuvers the boat by means of handlebars located on the sides of the structure. In the conventional configuration, the boat driver is in the same position as the rider of a conventional bicycle, and the seat, pedals and handlebar are arranged in the same positions as in a bicycle. The invention seeks to provide simple solutions and the greatest quantity possible of shared components between these configurations, such that a production plant can produce these configurations through as few production processes as possible and sharing as many production processes as possible.

An outboard motor for a marine vessel application, and related methods of making and operating same, are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the outboard motor includes a horizontal-crankshaft engine in an upper portion of the outboard motor, positioned substantially positioned above a trimming axis of the outboard motor. In at least another embodiment, first, second and third transmission devices are employed to transmit rotational power from the engine to one or more propellers at a lower portion of the outboard motor. In at least a further embodiment, the outboard motor is made to include a rigid interior assembly formed by the engine, multiple transmission devices, and a further structural component. In further embodiments, the outboard motor includes numerous cooling, exhaust, and/or oil system components, as well as other transmission features.

An outboard motor for a marine vessel application, and related methods of making and operating same, are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the outboard motor includes a horizontal-crankshaft engine in an upper portion of the outboard motor, positioned substantially positioned above a trimming axis of the outboard motor. In at least another embodiment, first, second and third transmission devices are employed to transmit rotational power from the engine to one or more propellers at a lower portion of the outboard motor. In at least a further embodiment, the outboard motor is made to include a rigid interior assembly formed by the engine, multiple transmission devices, and a further structural component. In further embodiments, the outboard motor includes numerous cooling, exhaust, and/or oil system components, as well as other transmission features.

The inventive technology described herein generally relates to the field of power transmission, more particularly power transmission through a mechanical drive system. More specifically, in certain embodiments the inventive technology includes methods and apparatus for a variable coupler drive utilizing, in one embodiment a dynamic drive-ratio gearing system to transmit a drive input for application with a variety of output uses. In a preferred embodiment, such a variable coupler drive may be used to transmit a rotational drive input to a drive shaft to power, for example, a variety of commercial and industrial applications, and may be particularity suited to power rotational propeller based propulsion systems.

The inventive technology described herein generally relates to the field of power transmission, more particularly power transmission through a mechanical drive system. More specifically, in certain embodiments the inventive technology includes methods and apparatus for a variable coupler drive utilizing, in one embodiment a dynamic drive-ratio gearing system to transmit a drive input for application with a variety of output uses. In a preferred embodiment, such a variable coupler drive may be used to transmit a rotational drive input to a drive shaft to power, for example, a variety of commercial and industrial applications, and may be particularity suited to power rotational propeller based propulsion systems.

A method for controlling a marine propulsion device having an engine rotatably engaged with a transmission via a clutch, and rotatably engaged with a charging device for charging a battery. The method includes measuring a voltage of the battery and comparing the voltage to a minimum threshold. The method further includes increasing a speed of the engine when the voltage is below the minimum threshold, and also increasing a slip of the clutch when the speed of the engine is increased in response to the voltage being below the minimum threshold.

A system and method are for controlling handling of a marine vessel having a steerable component that is steerable to a plurality of positions to vary a direction of movement of the vessel. A controller is communicatively connected to an actuator of the steerable component and a user input device provides to the controller an operator-initiated steering command to steer the steerable component to one of the plurality of positions. A sensor provides to the controller an indication of an undesired course change of the marine vessel. The controller has a vessel direction control section that outputs a command to the actuator to change a position of the steerable component from the one of the plurality of positions so as to automatically counteract the undesired course change. The vessel direction control section is active only when the operator-initiated steering command is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

A wheel-legged amphibious mobile robot with a variable attack angle, which belongs to the technical field of robot structure technology. The robot includes three parts: motion unit, body trunk and power unit. As a key structure, the motion unit mainly includes a moving mechanism, a wheel assembly, a telescopic mechanism and a transmission device. The robot drives the telescopic mechanism to reciprocate linearly through a gear and rack set, and pushes “legs” to expand and retract, so as to realize a mutual switching between a wheeled mode and a gait mode. Under transmission of bevel gear set, the blades can rotate at any same angle at the same time, to change the attack angle and realize the steering. The robot provided by the present disclosure can effectively adapt to a complex and harsh amphibious environment, and meet a series of operation requirements such as rapid movement, obstacle climbing, underwater steering.