PROPULSION SYSTEM INTENDED TO BE INTEGRATED INTO A BOAT

Abstract

The invention relates to a propulsion system (30) intended to be integrated into a boat (1) and comprising a vertical guide device (31) comprising a member for fixing the vertical guide device (31) to the hull of said boat (1); an electric thruster (32) comprising a gyration box (33), said gyration box (33) being vertically movably mounted on the vertical guide device (31) to be able to adopt an emerged position and a submerged position; a drive system (34) capable of causing a vertical movement of the gyration box (33) of the electric thruster (32) along the guide device (31); a control unit (35) capable of receiving a movement instruction and arranged, in response to said instruction, to control the drive system (34) to cause movement of the gyration box (33) toward the emerged position or toward the submerged position.

Claims

1. A propulsion system (30) intended to be integrated into a boat (1) and comprising: a) A vertical guide device (31) comprising a member for fixing the vertical guide device (31) to the hull of said boat (1), b) An electric thruster (32) comprising a gyration box (33), said gyration box (33) being vertically movably mounted on the vertical guide device (31) to be able to adopt an emerged position and a submerged position, c) A drive system (34) capable of causing a vertical movement of the gyration box (33) of the electric thruster (32) along the guide device (31); d) A control unit (35) capable of receiving a movement instruction and arranged, in response to said instruction, to control the drive system (34) to cause movement of the gyration box (33) toward the emerged position or toward the submerged position.

2. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical guide device (31) comprises a transmission member (310), in that the drive system (34) comprises at least one motor able to drive the transmission member (310) in rotation and in that the gyration box (33) comprises a complementary transmission member (330) cooperating with the transmission member (310) so that the rotation of the transmission member (310) causes a vertical movement of the complementary transmission member (330).

3. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertical guide device (31) comprises two transmission members (310) arranged on either side of the electric thruster (32), in that the gyration box (33) comprises two complementary transmission members (330) each cooperating with one of said transmission members (310), in that the drive system (34) comprises two stepper motors each able to drive one of the transmission members (310) in rotation, and in that the control unit (35) is arranged, in response to said instruction, to control each of the stepper motors to cause a simultaneous vertical movement of each of the complementary transmission members (330).

4. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric thruster (32) is rotatably mounted on the gyration box (33) along a vertical axis (V), in that the drive system (34) is able to cause rotation of the thruster (32) about said vertical axis (V), and in that the control unit (35) is arranged, in response to said instruction, to control the drive system (34) to cause rotation of the thruster (32) to a determined position according to said instruction.

5. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit (35) is arranged, in response to an instruction to move the thruster (32) toward an emerged position, to control the drive system (34) to cause rotation of the thruster (32) toward a predetermined position.

6. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit (35) is arranged, in response to an instruction to move the thruster (32) toward a given angular position, to control the drive system (34) to cause rotation of the thruster (32) toward a determined position according to said instruction.

7. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 4, characterized in that the thruster (32) is rotatably mounted on the gyration box (33) along said vertical axis (V) via a reduction gear and in that the drive system (34) comprises a motor capable of driving said reduction gear.

8. The propulsion system (30) according to claim 7, characterized in that the electric thruster (32) comprises a motor comprising a stator (320) and a rotor (321), the rotor (321) comprising a propeller comprising a plurality of blades (3211) mounted on a crown (3210), the motor being arranged to cause rotation of the crown (3210) with respect to the stator (320).

9. A boat (1) equipped with a thermal propulsion system (2) and a propulsion system (30) according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Other advantages and features of the present invention are now described using examples that are purely illustrative and in no way limit the scope of the invention, and based on the appended drawings, in which drawings the various figures show:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows, schematically and partially, a perspective view of a propulsion system according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows, schematically and partially, a front view of the propulsion system of [FIG. 1];

[0037] FIG. 3 shows, schematically and partially, a rear view of a part of a hull of a boat on which two propulsion systems are fixed according to one embodiment of the invention; and

[0038] FIG. 4 shows, schematically and partially, a front view of an electric thruster of a propulsion system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0039] In the following description, identical elements, by structure or by function, appearing in different figures retain the same references, unless otherwise specified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a propulsion system 30 according to one embodiment of the invention. This propulsion system 30 is described in connection with [FIG. 2],

[0041] FIG. 3 and [FIG. 4].

[0042] The propulsion system 30 comprises a vertical guide device 31 and an electric thruster 32 comprising a gyration box 33. The propulsion system 30 has two positions, an emerged position (not shown) and a submerged position.

[0043] The example of [FIG. 3] shows a boat 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. This boat 1 is equipped with a thermal thruster 2 comprising a heat engine 21 and a propeller 22, and two propulsion systems 30, arranged on either side of the thermal thruster 2. As shown in [FIG. 3], each propulsion system 30 is fixed to the rear of the hull of the boat 1, under a bathing platform. The set of electric 30 and thermal 2 thrusters forms a hybrid propulsion system, the pilot of the boat 1 being able to selectively activate a thermal propulsion mode or an electric propulsion mode.

[0044] The propulsion system 30 comprises an electric propulsion 32 shown in [FIG. 4], subsequently called electric thruster. The electric thruster 32 comprises a motor comprising a stator 320 and a rotor 321. This motor is a brushless motor. The rotor 321 comprises a crown 3210 on which a plurality of blades 3211 are fixed that form a propeller rotating about a propeller axis H coinciding with the axis of rotation of the rotor 321. The stator 320 surrounds the rotor 321. Each blade 3211 extends radially from the crown 3210, to which it is fixed, toward the axis H. Each blade 3211 has a substantially triangular shape. Each blade has an outer end located on the side of the stator and an inner end located on the side of the propeller shaft. The outer end of each blade 3211 is fixed to the crown 3210 and the inner end of each blade 3211 is free, the rotor 321 thus having no central hub. When the motor is started, the rotation of the rotor causes the simultaneous rotation of the blades 3211 and the crown 3210.

[0045] The propulsion system 30 comprises two drive systems 34. In the example described, each drive system 34 comprises a stepper motor.

[0046] The vertical guide device 31 comprises two opposite rails 311, inside which transmission members 310 are provided. Each drive system 34 is arranged in one of the rails 311. In the embodiment described in [FIG. 1], each transmission member 310 is a worm, mounted vertically along an axis parallel to a vertical axis V passing through the electric thruster 32, in one of the rails 311 and connected to one of the drive systems 34. Each drive system 34 allows driving of the rotation of the worm 310 of the guide device 31.

[0047] The gyration box 33 is installed between the two rails of the guide device 31. The gyration box 33 of the electric thruster 32 comprises an upper face 33.2, a lower face 33.1 and two side faces 33.3. The gyration box 33 comprises, on each of its side faces 33.3, a complementary transmission member 330 each cooperating with one of the transmission members 310. In the example described, each complementary transmission member 330 is a nut secured to a side face 33.3 of the gyration box 33 and screwed onto the worm 310. When the drive systems 34 are activated, they each drive a worm 310 in rotation and therefore cause the movement of each nut 330 on these worms 310, and consequently the movement of the gyration box 33 along the vertical guide device 31.

[0048] The guide device 31 allows the vertical movement of the gyration box 33 and therefore of the electric thruster 32 in an emerged position (not shown) and/or in a submerged position.

[0049] The electric thruster 32 is mounted on the underside 33.1 of the gyration box 33. The gyration box 33 is fixed in rotation with respect to the vertical axis V. The electric thruster 32 is rotatably mounted about the vertical axis V, relative to the gyration box 33. The drive system 34 comprises a motor and a pinion meshed with a toothed wheel (not shown and provided inside the gyration box 33). The electric thruster 32 has a shaft extending along the vertical axis V. The shaft of the electric thruster cooperates with the toothed wheel; thus, the motor of the drive system 34 allows the rotation of the electric thruster 32 about the vertical axis.

[0050] The propulsion system 30 comprises a control unit 35 capable of receiving a movement or gyration instruction from a cockpit of the boat, for example under the impetus of the pilot of the boat. In response to the instruction, the control unit 35 is arranged to control the drive system 34 to cause a vertical movement of the gyration box 33 in an emerged or submerged position and/or a rotation of the electric thruster 32 about the axis V according to the instruction received.

[0051] When the pilot activates the electric propulsion mode, the control unit 35 receives an instruction to move the electric thruster to the submerged position and, in response to this instruction, controls the drive system 34. The drive system 34 activates the two stepper motors of the guide device 31, which simultaneously rotate each worm 310 on which each nut 330 descends. The gyration box 33 passes from an emerged position to a submerged position. The electric thruster 32 is in a predetermined angular position in which the position of the gyration box 33 may be modified by the vertical guide device 31. It should be noted that in this position, the rotation of the electric thruster 32 about the axis V is authorized. If we compare [FIG. 2] and [FIG. 3], the electric thruster 30 is able to pivot in rotation about the vertical axis V through an angle of 90? on either side of this predetermined angular position.

[0052] When the pilot wishes to perform a transverse maneuver, the control unit 35 receives an instruction to move the electric thruster 32 to a given angular position, for example 90?, and controls the drive system 34 in response to this instruction. The drive system 34 activates the motor driving the pinion, the toothed wheel and the shaft of the electric thruster 32, causing the rotation of the electric thruster 32 corresponding to the determined amplitude.

[0053] When the navigator deactivates the electric propulsion mode to return to a thermal propulsion mode, the control unit 35 receives an instruction to move the electric thruster to the emerged position and controls the drive system 34 in response to this instruction. The drive system 34 activates the motor driving the pinion, the toothed wheel and the shaft of the electric thruster 32, causing the rotation of the electric thruster 32 in the predetermined position. The drive system 34 activates the two stepper motors of the guide device 31, which simultaneously rotate each worm 310 on which each nut 330 rises. The gyration box 33 passes from a submerged position to an emerged position.

[0054] The preceding description clearly explains how the invention allows the objectives it has set itself to be achieved, namely to propose an electric propulsion system capable of being integrated into a boat already equipped with a heat engine in order to form a hybrid propulsion system with this heat engine, able to operate selectively in a thermal mode or in an electric mode, without requiring significant modification of the structure of the boat, by proposing a propulsion system intended to be integrated into a boat equipped with thermal propulsion, comprising a vertical guide device, an electric thruster, a drive system and a control unit.

[0055] In any event, the invention cannot be limited to the embodiments specifically described in this document, and extends in particular to all equivalent means and to any technically operative combination of these means.