Angle-adjustable hub cap fin suitable for propeller

Abstract

The angle-adjustable hub cap fin comprises a hub cap body, fins and cylindrical bases, the hub cap body is of a gyro-shaped structure, the cylindrical bases are rotatably installed on the circumferential outer wall of the hub cap body and are of a central symmetry structure, the fins are rotatably installed on the cylindrical bases, and the fins are arranged on the cylindrical bases in a centrosymmetric mode. And a rotating mechanism for controlling the cylindrical base to rotate is arranged in the hub cap body. The hub cap fin has the two-stage adjusting function, namely, the overall adjusting function of the fin installation angle is achieved, the independent adjusting and locking function of the inclination angle of each fin is achieved, the hub cap fin can accurately adapt to different navigation working conditions of an aircraft or a surface ship, and the energy-saving efficiency is the highest.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical and marine propulsion technology, specifically to an adjustable-angle hub cap fin suitable for propellers. Background Technology

[0002] Hub fins are energy-saving devices installed on the propeller hub. They improve propulsion efficiency by reducing energy loss and enhancing the propeller wake field. Most existing hub fins use a fixed structure, with non-adjustable fin installation and tilt angles, making them unsuitable for efficient operation under different sailing conditions (such as varying speeds, loads, or current conditions). While some designs have attempted to introduce adjustable fins, the adjustment mechanisms are typically complex, and it's difficult to achieve independent adjustment and reliable locking of each fin. This results in cumbersome operation, low adjustment precision, and the possibility of loosening under vibration, affecting service life and energy-saving performance.

[0003] For example, the patent document "An Energy-Saving Cap Fin for Ship Propellers with Rapid Adjustment Function" published in Chinese patent literature, with publication number CN118062209A, achieves automatic adjustment of the fin angle through multiple sets of pneumatic push rods and gear transmission. However, its structure is complex, its cost is high, and it relies on external power and control systems.

[0004] Based on this, this application proposes an adjustable hub cap fin suitable for propellers, which can realize the overall adjustment of the hub cap fin mounting angle and the independent adjustment and locking of the tilt angle of each fin, so as to improve the adaptability and energy efficiency of propellers. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and propose an adjustable hub cap fin suitable for propellers. The hub cap fin has two-level adjustment functions: one is the overall adjustment of the fin mounting angle, and the other is the independent adjustment and locking of the tilt angle of each fin.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution specifically adopted by the present invention is as follows: An adjustable-angle hubcap fin for a propeller includes a hubcap body, fins, and cylindrical bases. The hubcap body has a gyroscope-like structure. Several cylindrical bases are rotatably mounted on the circumferential outer wall of the hubcap body and are arranged in a centrally symmetrical structure. The fins are rotatably mounted on the cylindrical bases. The hubcap body is provided with a rotating mechanism for controlling the rotation of the cylindrical bases.

[0007] Preferably, the outer circumferential wall of the hub cap body is provided with a plurality of mounting holes for mounting a cylindrical base, the inner wall of the mounting holes is provided with annular grooves, and the radial outer wall of the cylindrical base is provided with balls that cooperate with the grooves.

[0008] Preferably, the cylindrical base has a strip-shaped mounting groove on its outer side, and a mounting shaft is provided in the mounting groove. The bottom side of the fin is rotatably mounted on the mounting shaft.

[0009] Preferably, a connecting cylinder is integrally formed on the bottom side of the fin, the connecting cylinder is sleeved on the mounting shaft, and the mounting shaft is provided with an angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the fin.

[0010] Preferably, the angle adjustment mechanism includes a spring and a locking part. The spring is sleeved on the mounting shaft, and the two ends of the spring are respectively connected to one end of the connecting cylinder and one side of the mounting groove. The locking part includes a meshing convex tooth and a concave tooth. The annular convex tooth is disposed at the other end of the connecting cylinder and is integrally formed with the connecting cylinder. The annular concave tooth is disposed on the other side of the mounting groove and cooperates with the convex tooth.

[0011] Preferably, the groove walls on both sides of the mounting groove that are parallel to the mounting axis are inclined surfaces, and the inclined surfaces are inclined outward from the bottom.

[0012] Preferably, the rotating mechanism includes a driving bevel gear, a driven bevel gear, and a drive shaft. The driving bevel gear is rotatably disposed at the bottom of the hub cap body. The bottom sides of several driven bevel gears are respectively fixedly connected to the inner side of the cylindrical base, and the driven bevel gears coincide with the axis of the cylindrical base. The serrations at the bottom of several driven bevel gears respectively mesh with the driving bevel gear. The bottom end of the drive shaft is fixedly connected to the center of the upper surface of the driving bevel gear. The top of the hub cap body is provided with a through hole for the drive shaft to pass through.

[0013] Preferably, the top of the drive shaft is fixedly connected to an adjusting turntable.

[0014] Preferably, the adjusting turntable is provided with a locking screw.

[0015] This invention has the following characteristics and beneficial effects: 1. This invention provides two levels of functions: overall adjustment of the mounting angle of the hub cap fin and independent adjustment of the tilt angle of each fin. This allows the hub cap fin to be precisely adapted to different navigation conditions of aircraft or surface ships, resulting in the highest energy efficiency.

[0016] 2. The tilt angle of each fin in this invention can be adjusted independently. During adjustment, simply press down on a single fin to disengage its locking teeth, allowing the fin to swing freely. Upon release, it automatically locks under the pre-tension of the spring force, making the operation simple, fast, and intuitive.

[0017] 3. The present invention is based on a locking mechanism of toothed engagement and spring compression. It has a simple structure, large locking force, and can effectively resist vibrations during the navigation of ships or aircraft, prevent the fin angle from changing on its own, and has high operational stability.

[0018] 4. The adjustment accuracy of the fin tilt angle of the present invention is determined by the number of teeth of the jaw teeth. High-precision fine adjustment can be achieved by increasing the number of teeth to meet the requirements of high performance.

[0019] 5. The overall adjustment mechanism of this invention adopts bevel gear transmission, which is compact and reliable. All core mechanisms are built into the hub, providing good concealment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an adjustable-angle hub cap fin for a propeller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure.

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the fins of the hub cap.

[0023] Figure label: 1-Hub body, 2-Fin, 3-Cylindrical base, 4-Mounting shaft, 5-Spring, 6-Adjusting turntable, 7-Drive shaft, 8-Driving bevel gear, 9-Driven bevel gear, 10-Locking screw. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides an adjustable-angle hub cap fin suitable for propellers, mainly comprising a hub cap body 1, fins 2, and a cylindrical base 3. The hub cap body 1 has a streamlined gyroscope-like structure, with a through hole at the top for the drive shaft 7 to pass through, and an interface at the bottom for connecting to the propeller hub cap.

[0026] Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple (usually three) mounting holes are evenly provided circumferentially on the outer wall of the hub cap body 1 for mounting the cylindrical base 3. The inner wall of each mounting hole is machined with an annular groove, and the radial outer wall of the cylindrical base 3 is fitted with balls (not shown in the figure) that cooperate with the groove, forming a rolling support structure, which allows the cylindrical base 3 to rotate smoothly in the mounting hole and withstand radial loads.

[0027] In a further embodiment, each cylindrical base 3 has a strip-shaped mounting groove on its outer side, and a mounting shaft 4 is fixedly installed in the groove. The bottom of the fin 2 is integrally formed with a connecting cylinder, which is sleeved on the mounting shaft 4, so that the fin 2 can rotate around the mounting shaft 4, thereby realizing the adjustment of the fin tilt angle.

[0028] Understandably, to achieve the adjustment and locking of the tilt angle, this invention includes an angle adjustment mechanism, mainly comprising a spring 5 and a locking part. The spring 5 is sleeved on the mounting shaft 4, with one end abutting against the end of the connecting cylinder and the other end abutting against one side wall of the mounting groove. The locking part consists of interlocking convex and concave teeth: the convex teeth are annular structures, integrally formed on the other end of the connecting cylinder; the concave teeth are correspondingly located on the other side wall of the mounting groove. Under the preload of the spring 5, the convex and concave teeth remain engaged, achieving angle locking of the fin 2.

[0029] When adjusting the tilt angle of a fin, simply press the fin manually to move it inward along the mounting axis, compressing the spring 5 and disengaging the convex and concave teeth. The fin can then freely rotate around the mounting axis 4 to the desired angle. Upon release, the spring 5 returns, pushing the fin back to its original position, and the convex and concave teeth re-engage, completing the angle fixation.

[0030] To further improve the adaptability of the fin swing range, the two groove walls parallel to the mounting shaft 4 in the mounting groove are designed as inclined surfaces, tilting outward from the bottom of the groove, to avoid interference between the fin and the groove wall during the swing process.

[0031] In a further embodiment, to achieve synchronous overall adjustment of the mounting angles of all fins, the hub cap body 1 is provided with a rotating mechanism, which mainly includes a driving bevel gear 8, a driven bevel gear 9 and a transmission shaft 7.

[0032] The drive bevel gear 8 is rotatably mounted at the bottom center of the hub body 1 via a bearing. The drive shaft 7 is vertically arranged, with its bottom end fixedly connected to the center of the upper surface of the drive bevel gear 8, and its top end extending out of the top of the hub body 1 and fixedly connected to an adjusting turntable 6.

[0033] A driven bevel gear 9 is fixedly connected to the inner side (the side facing the center of the hub cap) of each cylindrical base 3, and the axis of the driven bevel gear 9 coincides with the axis of the cylindrical base 3. All driven bevel gears 9 mesh with the driving bevel gear 8, forming a bevel gear transmission pair.

[0034] When the adjustment turntable 6 is rotated, the power is transmitted to the driving bevel gear 8 through the transmission shaft 7, driving all driven bevel gears 9 to rotate synchronously and in the same direction, thereby driving each cylindrical base 3 to rotate around its own axis, realizing the overall synchronous adjustment of the installation angle of all fins 2 installed on the base.

[0035] Understandably, the axial positioning of the driven bevel gear 9 is achieved through its coaxial engagement with the precision-machined hole on the hub cap body 1. Specifically, outward along its axis, it is constrained by the shoulder structure and the inner wall of the hub cap body 1; inward along its axis, it is axially constrained by the continuously meshing driving bevel gear 8. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the driving bevel gear 8 and the driven bevel gear 9 are paired in a non-orthogonal bevel gear configuration, with a non-perpendicular meshing angle—an unconventional installation method. This design, while achieving transmission, further enhances the axial constraint capability and transmission stability of the gear pair.

[0036] To lock the position after adjustment, the adjusting turntable 6 is equipped with a locking screw 10. After adjustment, tightening the locking screw 10 will cause its end to press against the upper surface of the hub cap body 1, preventing the adjusting turntable from rotating accidentally.

[0037] Based on the analysis of the above technical solutions, it can be concluded that: Independent tilt angle adjustment: For a specific fin, press → disengage → rotate to the target angle → release → engage and lock.

[0038] Overall installation angle adjustment: Loosen the locking screw 10 → Rotate the adjusting turntable 6 → Drive all bases to rotate synchronously through bevel gear transmission → Adjust to the target installation angle → Tighten the locking screw 10 to fix.

[0039] This invention, through two-stage adjustment, enables the hub cap fin to actively match a wide range of ship navigation conditions, expanding the high-efficiency energy-saving range from a "single point" to a "surface," significantly improving the average propulsion efficiency over the entire voyage. The independent fine-tuning function allows for local compensation and optimization of uneven propeller wake, unlocking additional energy-saving potential that cannot be achieved with fixed structures. In addition, the fully mechanical, self-locking design ensures a robust structure and strong anti-interference capability, guaranteeing long-term stable and reliable energy-saving performance under various sea conditions, making it particularly suitable for merchant ships with extremely high reliability requirements. It eliminates the need for complex control systems, actuators, and sealing devices, significantly reducing manufacturing, installation, and maintenance costs, and improving the feasibility of promoting this technology in the shipbuilding market. The overall adjustment is "one turn to adjust," and the independent fine-tuning is "one press and release," greatly reducing the usage threshold and operational burden for crew members.

[0040] Therefore, in the technical direction of "adjustable hub cap fin", this invention has found a solution that achieves an excellent balance between adjustment performance, reliability, cost and operability, effectively overcoming the defects of the prior art, and possessing outstanding substantive features and significant industrial practical value.

[0041] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An adjustable angle hubcap fin suitable for use with a propeller, characterized by, The application relates to a gyroscopic structure, which comprises a hub cap body (1), fins (2) and cylindrical bases (3), the hub cap body (1) is in a gyroscopic structure, a plurality of cylindrical bases (3) are rotatably arranged on the circumferential outer wall of the hub cap body (1) and are arranged in a central symmetrical structure, the fins (2) are rotatably arranged on the cylindrical bases (3), and a rotating mechanism for controlling the rotation of the cylindrical bases (3) is arranged in the hub cap body (1).

2. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The circumferential outer wall of the hub cap body (1) is provided with a plurality of mounting holes for mounting the cylindrical bases (3), the inner wall of the mounting hole is provided with an annular rolling groove, and the radial outer wall of the cylindrical base (3) is provided with rolling balls matched with the rolling groove.

3. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The outer side of the cylindrical base (3) is provided with a strip-shaped mounting groove, the mounting groove is provided with a mounting shaft (4), and the bottom side of the fin (2) is rotatably arranged on the mounting shaft (4).

4. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The bottom side of the fin (2) is integrally formed with a connecting barrel, the connecting barrel is sleeved on the mounting shaft (4), and the mounting shaft (4) is provided with an angle adjusting mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the fin (2).

5. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The angle adjusting mechanism comprises springs (5) and locking parts, the springs (5) are sleeved on the mounting shaft (4), the two ends of the spring (5) are connected with one end of the connecting barrel and one side of the mounting groove respectively, the locking part comprises a convex tooth part and a concave tooth part which are engaged with each other, the annular convex tooth part is arranged at the other end of the connecting barrel and is integrally formed with the connecting barrel, and the annular concave tooth part is arranged at the other side of the mounting groove and is matched with the convex tooth part.

6. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein, The groove walls of two sides of the mounting groove which are parallel to the mounting shaft (4) are inclined surfaces, and the inclined surfaces are inclined outward from the bottom.

7. A variable angle hubcap fin for propellers according to claim 1, wherein, The rotating mechanism comprises driving bevel gears (8), driven bevel gears (9) and a transmission shaft (7), the driving bevel gears (8) are rotatably arranged at the bottom of the hub cap body (1), the bottom sides of the driven bevel gears (8) are fixedly connected with the inner sides of the cylindrical bases (3) respectively, the driven bevel gears (8) are coaxial with the cylindrical bases (3), the serrations at the bottoms of the driven bevel gears (8) are engaged with the driving bevel gears (8) respectively, the bottom end of the transmission shaft (7) is fixedly connected with the center of the upper surface of the driving bevel gear (8), and the top of the hub cap body (1) is provided with a through hole for the transmission shaft (7) to penetrate.

8. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller according to claim 7, wherein, The top of the transmission shaft (9) is fixedly connected with an adjusting turntable (6).

9. A variable angle hubcap fin for a propeller according to claim 8, wherein, The adjusting turntable (6) is provided with locking screws (10).

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