Redundant steering system for waterborne vessels

Abstract

A redundant steering system for watercraft that transfers rudder control to an electronic steering system when a hydraulic steering system either fails or is under repair. The electronic steering system utilizes either a fueled generator or a battery or series of batteries to power electric steering and flanking motors that serve control the angular position of the rudders.

Claims

1. A maritime steering system comprising: (a) at least one rudder in communication with a steering mechanism, wherein the angular position of said rudder is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder as part of a hydraulic steering system; (b) at least one electric motor affixed to said rudder, said electric motor being untensioned while said hydraulic cylinder is tensioned, said electric motor being part of an electronic steering system to control the angular position of said rudder; and (c) a power source for said electric motor.

2. The steering system of claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic steering system override to switch the control of said rudder from said hydraulic steering system to said electronic steering system, said hydraulic steering system override causing the decoupling of said hydraulic steering system from said rudder and the actuation of said electric motor.

3. The steering system of claim 2, wherein said hydraulic system may be decoupled from said rudder by physically decoupling a tiller arm controlling the angular position of said rudder from said hydraulic steering system.

4. The steering system of claim 2, wherein said hydraulic system is decoupled from said rudder by depressurizing said hydraulic system so as to reduce the resistance to free movement of said hydraulic piston.

5. The steering system of claim 1, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of batteries and a fuel powered generator.

6. The steering system of claim 5, wherein said batteries are deep state batteries.

7. The steering system of claim 1, wherein said rudder is selected from the group comprising steering and flanking rudders.

8. The steering system of claim 1, wherein said steering mechanism is in communication with said electric motor which controls the movement of said rudder.

9. The steering system of claim 1, wherein the angular position of said rudder is controlled by a steering mechanism in communication with said electric motor but not in communication with said hydraulic piston.

10. The steering system of claim 1, wherein said electric motor is in communication with and controls the position of said tiller arm in communication with said rudder.

11. The steering system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control system to sense and to report on variables related to the condition and operation of the steering systems and to permit the selection of said hydraulic steering system and said electronic steering system.

12. The steering system of claim 11, wherein a loss of hydraulic pressure in said hydraulic steering system triggers said control system to transfer control of said rudder to said electronic steering system.

13. The steering system of claim 12, wherein said control system alerts a user to the loss of hydraulic pressure.

14. A maritime steering system comprising: (a) at least one rudder in communication with a steering mechanism, wherein the angular position of said rudder is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder as part of a hydraulic steering system; (b) at least one electric motor affixed to said rudder, said electric motor being untensioned while said hydraulic cylinder is tensioned, said electric motor being part of an electronic steering system to control the angular position of said rudder; (c) a power source for said electric motor; and (d) a hydraulic steering system override to switch the control of said rudder from said hydraulic steering system to said electronic steering system, said hydraulic steering system overide initiating the decoupling of said hydraulic steering system from said rudder and the actuation of said electric motor.

15. The steering system of claim 14, wherein said rudder is selected from the group comprising steering and flanking rudders.

16. The steering system of claim 15, wherein said hydraulic system may be decoupled from said rudder by physically decoupling a hydraulic piston from a tiller arm in communication with said rudder.

17. The steering system of claim 15, wherein said hydraulic system is decoupled from said rudder by depressurizing said hydraulic system so as to reduce the resistance to free movement of said hydraulic piston.

18. The steering system of claim 15, wherein the angular position of said rudder is controlled by a steering mechanism in communication with said electric motor but not in communication with said hydraulic piston.

19. The steering system of claim 14, wherein said electric motor is in communication with and controls the position of a tiller arm in communication with said rudder.

20. The steering system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control system to sense and to report on variables related to the condition and operation of the steering systems and to permit the selection of said hydraulic steering system and said electronic steering system.

21. The steering system of claim 11, wherein a loss of hydraulic pressure in said hydraulic steering system triggers said control system to alert a user and transfer control of said rudder to said electronic steering system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 depicts the process flow for the redundant steering system.

(2) FIG. 2 depicts a schematic layout of the redundant steering system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) The system of the current application, as depicted in FIGS. 1-2 is a redundant steering system for watercraft, particularly small vessels that rely upon one or two compressors to generate a pressurized hydraulic fluid system. In the event of a hydraulic steering failure, the electrical redundant steering system of the present application can assume control of the rudders and allow the vessel to be steered to safety.

(4) The method for utilizing a redundant electrical steering system requires switching from a failed or failing hydraulic steering system 80 by decoupling the hydraulic system from the rudder 10 prior to actuating the electronic rudder control system 100. Decoupling the hydraulic system 80 from the rudder 10 can be accomplished by depressurizing the hydraulic system 80 so as to untension the hydraulic piston 20 or other mechanism that controls the angular position of the rudder 10 or by mechanically decoupling the rudder 10 from the hydraulic system. Ideally, the hydraulic piston 20 that controls a rudder 10 will be freely moveable when the hydraulic pressure is relieved by a pressure relief valve 25 so that the rudders 10 become untensioned and move freely which permits the electronic rudder control system 100 to take control of the rudders 10. If a hydraulic piston 20 has seized and is unmovable or otherwise restricted from freely moving it, potentially renders the vessel unsteerable if coupled to a rudder 10. In this situation the hydraulic piston 20 must be mechanically decoupled from the rudder 10, preferably at the tiller arm-hydraulic piston joint 16, e.g. mechanically decoupling the tiller arm 14 that controls the rudder 10 from its corresponding hydraulic piston 20 of the hydraulic steering system 80, in order for the electronic steering system 100 to function properly. The tiller arm 14 is connected to the rudder at the tiller arm-rudder joint 12.

(5) The electronic rudder control system 100 controls the rudder via actuation of an electric motor 40 in communication with the tiller arm 14 via a gear box 45 so as to transmit force from the electric motor 40 to the rudders 10. When the electric motor 40 is inactive, it remain in an untensioned state so as to not impede the control of the rudders 10 by the hydraulic system 80.

(6) The operation of the electric motor 40 is preferably controlled in the wheelhouse by the electronic steering system. In an embodiment, the disclosed system provides electronic rudder control through an electric motor 40 powered by at least one deep-cycle battery 50. Typically, a deep cycle battery 50 will have two or three times the reserve capacity of a conventional vehicle lead-acid battery, but will deliver one-half to three-quarters of the cold cranking amps. In addition, a deep cycle battery can withstand several hundred total discharge/recharge cycles, while a conventional lead-acid battery is not designed to be totally discharged. Deep-cycle lead-acid batteries 50 generally fall into two distinct categories; flooded (FLA) and valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA), with the VRLA type further subdivided into two types, Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) and Gel. The battery 50 should ideally be discharged and recharged to maintain its viability, and may be maintained by trickle charge from the boat's generator to avoid degradation from processes such as sulfation. Alternatively, the battery 50 may be maintained by a trickle charge generated by solar, wind, and/or water power generation means. In a further embodiment, electricity is supplied to the electric motors 40 by a traditional internal combustion generator 55.

(7) In an embodiment, 4 electric motors 40 (2 steering and 2 flanking) are utilized to drive the rudders 10. The system is ideally manually engaged in the wheelhouse and requires the depressurization of the hydraulic steering system and the release of the hydraulically controlled rudders 10 so that they will not affect steering as the pressure from the steering ram, e.g. hydraulic piston 20, is released back to a hydraulic fluid reservoir. Likewise, when the hydraulic system 80 is engaged, the electric motor 40 released is untensioned so as to not interfere with control of the rudders 10, i.e. the electric motors 40 move freely until engaged to drive the movement of the rudders 10 by the control system 60. The electric motors 40 are ideally installed so as to make them easily accessible for rapid changeout if necessary.

(8) The electric motors 40 are engaged to turn the appropriate rudders 10, flanking or steering, by chain, belt, piston, or gears so as to provide either linear or rotary actuation to control the angular position of the rudders 10. The flanking rudders 10 turn together, as do the steering rudders 10. In an embodiment, the precise position of the rudders 10 is determined by an encoder in communication with the electric motor 40. A servomotor may be utilized as the electric motor 40.

(9) In an embodiment, the electronic steering system 100 mechanically controls the angular position of the rudders through the actuation of an electric motor 40. Alternatively, the system may employ a control system 60 employing a data processor for precise control of the rudders 10 and for feedback on electric motor performance 42 and steering system diagnostics. Steering may be accomplished by a control panel or a mechanical control to translate motion into signals, e.g. current, to control the actuation of the electric motors so as to position and hold the rudders 10. In yet a further embodiment, a control system 60 monitors variables reflecting the operation and performance of at least one of the hydraulic steering system 80 and the electronic steering system through various sensor feeds 30, 42. Ideally the control system 60 at least monitors the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic steering system 80 and controls the movement of the hydraulic piston 20 which controls the angular position of the rudder 10.

(10) The control system 60, in a further embodiment, reports any malfunction such as a seized hydraulic piston 20 or loss of control of a rudder 10. Preferably, the control system 60 also controls and reports on the electronic steering system 100. In a yet further embodiment, the control system 60 overrides the hydraulic system 80 and automatically transfers control of the rudders 10 to the electronic steering system 100 in the event of loss of control of the rudders 10 and alerts the crew of the malfunction.

(11) Ideally, engaging the electronic steering system 100 automatically disengages the hydraulic steering system 80 and either releases the hydraulic pressure holding the hydraulically controlled rudders 10 in place, e.g. through the pressure relief valve 25 or causes the mechanical decoupling of the rudder 10 from the hydraulic piston 20 at the tiller arm-hydraulic piston joint 16. Alternatively, a user may engage a manual mechanical decoupling of the rudder 10 from the hydraulic piston 20 of the hydraulic steering system 80 either as a primary step or as a failsafe should the control system 60 fail to decouple the rudder 10 from the hydraulic steering system 80. The control system 60 also permits the user to transfer control of the rudder 10 to an electronic steering system 100 on demand so as to permit the repair or maintenance of the hydraulic steering system 80 while in transit.

(12) The provided examples herein are intended only for exemplary purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the system. Alternative embodiments are understood to become obvious to one skilled and the art upon reading this disclosure.