Vessel propulsion apparatus and vessel including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10167067-B2
Application number	US-201715810236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A vessel propulsion apparatus includes a cylindrical duct including a stator and a propeller. The propeller includes a rim including a rotor disposed at a position facing the stator and defining an electric motor in combination with the stator, and blades on an inner side in a radial direction of the rim. A fluid bearing is provided on the duct and defines a gap into which surrounding water is introduced between the fluid bearing and the rim, and is water-lubricated with respect to the rim due to water introduced into the gap from the surroundings. The vessel propulsion apparatus further includes a motor controller that drives the electric motor by rotation speed control in a rotation speed control region in which an output command is not more than a predetermined value, and drives the electric motor by torque control in a torque control region in which an output command is more than the predetermined value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vessel propulsion apparatus comprising:
a duct including a stator;
a propeller including a rim that includes a rotor facing the stator and defining an electric motor in combination with the stator, and a blade on an inner side in a radial direction of the rim;
a fluid bearing provided on the duct, and that defines a gap into which surrounding water is introduced between the fluid bearing and the rim, and is water-lubricated with respect to the rim due to water introduced into the gap from the surroundings; and
a motor controller configured or programmed to drive the electric motor by rotation speed control in a rotation speed control region in which an output command is not more than a predetermined value, and drives the electric motor by torque control in a torque control region in which an output command is more than the predetermined value.

2. The vessel propulsion apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the motor controller is configured or programmed to perform rotation speed keeping control to maintain a rotation speed of the electric motor so that the rotation speed of the electric motor is not less than a minimum rotation speed in the torque control region.

3. The vessel propulsion apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a minimum rotation speed setter to be operated by a user to set the minimum rotation speed; wherein
the motor controller is configured or programmed to perform the rotation speed keeping control based on the minimum rotation speed set by the minimum rotation speed setter in the torque control region.

4. A vessel comprising:
a hull; and
a vessel propulsion apparatus on the hull, the vessel propulsion apparatus including:
a duct including a stator;
a propeller including a rim that includes a rotor facing the stator and defining an electric motor in combination with the stator, and a blade on an inner side in a radial direction of the rim;
a fluid bearing provided on the duct, and that defines a gap into which surrounding water is introduced between the fluid bearing and the rim, and is water-lubricated with respect to the rim due to water introduced into the gap from the surroundings; and
a motor controller configured or programmed to drive the electric motor by rotation speed control in a rotation speed control region in which an output command is not more than a predetermined value, and drives the electric motor by torque control in a torque control region in which the output command is more than the predetermined value.

5. The vessel according to claim 4 , wherein the motor controller is configured or programmed to perform rotation speed keeping control to maintain a rotation speed of the electric motor so that the rotation speed of the electric motor is not less than a minimum rotation speed in the torque control region.

6. The vessel according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a minimum rotation speed setter to be operated by a user to set the minimum rotation speed; wherein
the motor controller is configured or programmed to perform the rotation speed keeping control based on the minimum rotation speed set by the minimum rotation speed setter in the torque control region.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Takayoshi
• Yamaguchi Kohei

Classifications

• B63H2021/216

  using electric control means · CPC title

• B63H23/24

  electric {(dynamo-electric machines H02K)} · CPC title

• B63H21/21

  Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels · CPC title

• B63H25/42

  Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements (by jets B63H25/46); Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers · CPC title

• B63H21/213

  Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers · CPC title