Safety system for a marine vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025206421-A1
Application number	US-202418987294-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2024
Priority date	Dec 22, 2023
Publication date	Jun 26, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A safety system for a marine vessel, the safety system comprising a plurality of proximity sensors, each proximity sensor having a detection zone and configured to detect objects within the detection zone; and a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to trigger an action to stop rotation of the propeller in response to information from at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors indicating detection of an object within the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors. The plurality of proximity sensors arranged such that the detection zones of the plurality of proximity sensors enclose the propeller in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A safety system for a marine vessel, the marine vessel having a longitudinal extension in a longitudinal direction being parallel to an intended direction of travel of the marine vessel, the marine vessel further having a vertical extension in a vertical direction extending upwards perpendicular to a still water surface when the marine vessel is located in a body of water, the marine vessel also having a transversal extension in a transversal direction being perpendicular to each one of the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction, the marine vessel comprising at least one propeller arranged to rotate in the water to provide propelling force to the marine vessel during operation, the safety system comprising:
a plurality of proximity sensors, each proximity sensor having a detection zone and configured to detect objects within the detection zone, and a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to trigger an action to stop rotation of the propeller in response to information from at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors indicating detection of an object within the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors; wherein the plurality of proximity sensors is arranged such that the detection zones of the plurality of proximity sensors enclose the propeller in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction.

2 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the detection zones has a conical shape extending between a sensor proximal end and a sensor distal end, wherein the plurality of proximity sensors is arranged such that the detection zones of the plurality of proximity sensors enclose, the propeller in each plane, parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction, located at least from a lowermost to a uppermost point of the propeller along the vertical direction.

3 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel further comprises a connecting member and a drive leg, the drive leg comprising a central axis extending between the connecting member and the propeller along the vertical direction, wherein the plurality of proximity sensors is arranged about the central axis of the drive leg.

4 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein in the plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction, the detection zones of the proximity sensors form a continuous area fully enclosing the propeller.

5 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proximity sensors comprises at least four sensors located relative to the propeller such that lines connecting adjacent sensors enclose the propeller in the plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction.

6 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the safety system further comprises a safety mechanism configured to stop rotation of the propeller, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the safety mechanism to stop rotation of the propeller in response to information from at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors indicating detection of an object within the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors.

7 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proximity sensors comprises at least one of a sonar-based sensor, a radar-based sensor, a lidar-based sensor or a laser-based sensor.

8 . The safety system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a visual warning system configured to generate a visible indication at a warning zone being at a predetermined distance from the propeller, wherein the warning zone encloses, the detection zones of the proximity sensors and the propeller in the plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the visual warning system to generate the visible indication during operation of the propeller.

9 . The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to identify the detected object and determine whether the detected object is a forbidden object by inputting sensed data from the plurality of the proximity sensors to a machine-learning model.

10 . A propeller assembly for a marine vessel comprising a connecting member, a drive leg and the safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive leg comprises a central axis extending between the connecting member and the propeller along the vertical direction, wherein the connecting member is arranged to be articulately connected to a marine vessel's hull.

11 . The propeller assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the connecting member has a horizontal extension in a connecting member plane being parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction, wherein the propeller has a horizontal extension in a propeller plane parallel to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction, and wherein the horizontal extension of the connecting member is between 80%-150% of the horizontal extension of the propeller.

12 . A marine vessel comprising a safety system according to claim 1 .

13 . A marine vessel comprising a propeller assembly according to claim 10 .

14 . A computer-implemented method for controlling a safety system according to claim 1 , comprising:
obtaining, by the processing circuitry, information from at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors indicating detection of an object within the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of proximity sensors, and in response thereto, triggering, by the processing circuitry, an action to stop rotation of the propeller.

15 . A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method according to claim 14 .

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method according to claim 14 .

Assignees

• Volvo Penta Corp

Inventors

• Tell Johan
• Wik Lars
• Sällberg Joakim
• Wessman Björn

Classifications

• B63B79/20

  using models or simulation, e.g. statistical models or stochastic models · CPC title

• B63B79/10 Primary

  using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers · CPC title

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title

• G01S15/04

  Systems determining presence of a target · CPC title

• G01S13/04

  Systems determining presence of a target (based on relative movement of target G01S13/56) · CPC title