Adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly and method of adjusting pitch of propeller

Abstract

The application discloses a propeller pitch adjusting assembly and a propeller pitch adjusting method to solve the problem of the tail shaft needing to be perforated in the prior art adjustable pitch propeller, and the propeller pitch adjusting assembly comprises a tail shaft, an adjusting hole is arranged at the rear end of the tail shaft, a hub is arranged at the rear end of the tail shaft, a guide hole is arranged at the rear end of the hub, a fixing device is detachably arranged in the guide hole, an adjusting rod is arranged in the hub, a clamping hole is arranged at the rear end of the adjusting rod, the front end of the adjusting rod is in threaded connection with the adjusting hole, and the front end of the fixing device is inserted into the clamping hole and suitable for fixing the adjusting rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine technology, and in particular to an adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly and a method for adjusting the propeller pitch. Background Technology

[0002] Adjustable pitch propellers are a common type of marine propeller. For newly built and in-service ships, the matching between the hull, main engine, and propeller often deteriorates due to design changes, increased deposits on the propeller surface, increased deposits on the hull bottom, and decreased main engine power. Adjustable pitch propellers adjust the pitch in real time to achieve the best matching effect under different operating conditions.

[0003] A typical propeller control assembly usually includes an adjusting rod and a transmission assembly, requiring a through-hole in the center of the stern shaft. This through-hole extends through the entire stern shaft, and an oil pipe or connecting rod is installed within it to connect the adjusting rod and the transmission assembly. A complex structure, such as a hydraulic adjustment device, is used to control the adjusting rod to achieve pitch adjustment. Because drilling through the center of the stern shaft is very difficult, and opening a hole in the center of the shaft reduces its strength, the electrical control system, gearbox system, and other structures have high costs. Furthermore, the low compatibility with the hull and main engine significantly increases the difficulty of equipment management and assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the first aspect of this invention proposes an adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly, and the second aspect proposes a method for adjusting the propeller pitch, which eliminates the need for drilling on the stern shaft, is easy to process, and has low manufacturing cost.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly includes: a stern shaft with an adjustment hole at its rear end; a hub disposed at the rear end of the stern shaft, with a guide hole at the rear end of the hub; a fixing device detachably disposed within the guide hole; an adjustment rod disposed within the hub, with a locking hole at its rear end; the front end of the adjustment rod is threadedly connected to the adjustment hole, and the front end of the fixing device is inserted into the locking hole to fix the adjustment rod.

[0006] The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following advantages: by opening an adjustment hole on the stern shaft, one end of the adjustment rod is threadedly connected to the adjustment hole, and the other end is locked to the propeller hub by a fixing device, thereby fixing the adjustment rod; during operation, only the fixing device needs to be removed, and the adjustment rod can be manually rotated through the guide hole to achieve pitch adjustment. This invention avoids opening a through hole on the stern shaft, thereby eliminating the need for complex equipment such as hydraulic adjustment devices, simplifying the internal structure of the propeller, saving equipment costs, and facilitating processing and assembly.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the device further includes propeller blades and a transmission assembly. The propeller blades are movably mounted on the hub, and the transmission assembly connects the adjusting rod and the propeller blades. The transmission assembly can convert the helical motion of the adjusting rod into the rotation of the propeller blades.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a rotating base is provided at the bottom end of the propeller blade, the rotating base is snapped onto the propeller hub, and the rotating base is provided with an opening slot; the transmission assembly includes: a guide frame, sleeved on an adjusting rod, the helical movement of the adjusting rod can drive the guide frame to move linearly along the axis of the adjusting rod; a fixing pin, fixed on the outside of the guide frame; a guide block, installed on the outside of the guide frame through the fixing pin, the guide block connects the guide frame and the rotating base, the guide block can rotate around the fixing pin, and the guide block is snapped into the opening slot.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjusting rod is provided with a protrusion and a limiting groove, the guide is disposed between the protrusion and the limiting groove, and a fixing ring is provided in the limiting groove for fixing the guide to the adjusting rod.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjusting rod is provided with a collar, which is disposed between the protrusion and the limiting groove, and the guide is sleeved on the collar.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the propeller hub includes a front propeller hub and a rear propeller hub that are interlocked with each other, the propeller blades are installed between the front propeller hub and the rear propeller hub, and the front propeller hub is fixedly connected to the stern shaft by fasteners.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fixing device is provided with a flange, and a countersunk hole matching the flange is provided on the outside of the guide hole. The fixing device is fixed in the propeller hub by the cooperation of the flange and the countersunk hole.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a sealing ring is also included, which is disposed between the fixing device and the guide hole.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for adjusting the pitch of a propeller includes an adjusting device and an adjustable pitch propeller adjusting assembly as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the front end of the adjusting device matches the shape of a retaining hole. The method further comprises the following steps: removing a fixing device from a guide hole; inserting the front end of the adjusting device into the retaining hole through the guide hole; rotating the adjusting device to cause the adjusting rod to perform a helical motion to adjust the pitch; and after adjustment, removing the adjusting device and fixing the fixing device in the guide hole to fix the adjusting rod.

[0015] The propeller pitch adjustment method according to the present invention has at least the following advantages: by using an adjustment device to pass through the guide hole and abut against the retaining hole to rotate the adjustment rod, the propeller pitch is adjusted. This is different from the prior art method of adjusting the pitch by opening a through hole in the stern shaft and using a complex structure such as a transmission component. The adjustment method is easy to implement, the operation steps are simple and reliable, and it has better controllability and stability.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Sectional view at point AA;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adjusting rod and guide frame in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Reference numerals: Stern shaft 100; Adjustment hole 101; Propeller hub 200; Guide hole 210; Fixing device 220; Flange 221; Adjustment rod 300; Locking hole 301; Protrusion 302; Limiting groove 303; Propeller blade 400; Rotating base 410; Opening groove 411; Transmission assembly 500; Guide frame 510; Fixing pin 520; Guide block 530; Fixing ring 600. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," and "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] refer to Figure 1 The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly provided in the first aspect of the present invention includes: a stern shaft 100, with an adjustment hole 101 formed at its rear end along the central axis, the adjustment hole 101 being a threaded hole; a hub 200, fixed to the rear end of the stern shaft 100 by fasteners such as bolts or nuts, the rear end of the hub 200 having a guide hole 210, the guide hole 210 and the adjustment hole 101 being arranged on the same axis; a fixing device 220, detachably disposed within the guide hole 210; and an adjustment rod 30. 0 is a cylindrical rod. The adjusting rod 300 is set inside the propeller hub 200. The rear end of the adjusting rod 300 is provided with a locking hole 301. The locking hole 301 is a blind hole opened along the axis of the adjusting rod 300. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the locking hole 301 is a regular polygon. The front end of the adjusting rod 300 is threadedly connected to the adjusting hole 101. The front end shape of the fixing device 220 matches the cross-section of the locking hole 301. The front end of the fixing device 220 is inserted into the locking hole 301 to fix the adjusting rod 300.

[0026] It should be understood that the locking hole cooperates with the fixing device to restrict the rotation of the adjusting rod and thus fix the adjusting rod. The shape of the cross-section of the locking hole can be any non-circular shape. In addition to the regular polygon in this embodiment, it can also be an ellipse or an irregular polygon. The preferred regular polygon is to facilitate the matching of the shape of the fixing device and the cross-section of the locking hole and to facilitate size management.

[0027] The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following advantages: By opening an adjustment hole on the stern shaft, one end of the adjustment rod is threadedly connected to the adjustment hole, and the other end is locked to the propeller hub using a fixing device, thereby fixing the adjustment rod. During operation, only the fixing device needs to be removed, and a knob rod matching the shape of the locking hole is used. The knob rod is passed through a guide hole and abuts against the locking hole, and the adjustment rod is rotated by operating the knob rod to achieve pitch adjustment. This invention avoids opening a through hole on the stern shaft, thus eliminating the need for complex equipment such as hydraulic adjustment devices. The manual adjustment method simplifies the internal structure of the propeller, saves equipment costs, and facilitates processing and assembly.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 It also includes a propeller blade 400 and a transmission assembly 500. The propeller blade 400 is movably mounted on the hub 200. The transmission assembly 500 connects the adjusting rod 300 and the propeller blade 400. The transmission assembly 500 can convert the helical motion of the adjusting rod 300 into the rotation of the propeller blade 400.

[0029] refer to Figure 2 The propeller blade 400 has a rotating base 410 at its bottom end. The rotating base 410 is circular and is snapped onto the propeller hub 200. The rotating base 410 has an opening slot 411, which is arranged along the radial direction of the rotating base. The transmission assembly 500 includes a guide frame 510, a guide block 530, and a fixing pin 520. The guide frame 510 has a square cross-section and a circular hole that matches the adjusting rod 300. The guide frame 510 is sleeved on the adjusting rod 300. While the adjusting rod 300 is performing a helical motion, it drives the guide frame 510 to perform a linear motion along the axis of the adjusting rod 300. The guide frame 510 and the adjusting rod 300 are not absolutely fixed. Since the transmission assembly 500 is connected to the propeller blade 400, the rotational freedom of the guide frame 510 is restricted. Therefore, the guide frame 510 will not rotate with the adjusting rod 300. The fixing pin 520 is inserted into the periphery of the guide frame 510 and faces the rotating base 410. The guide block 530 connects the guide frame 510 and the rotating base 410. The guide block 530 is connected to the fixing pin 520 through its own opening and is installed on the outside of the guide frame 510. At the same time, the guide block 530 also matches the opening slot 411 and is locked in the opening slot 411. The adjusting rod 300 makes a spiral motion while driving the guide frame 510 to make a linear motion. The guide block 530 follows the guide frame 510 to make a linear motion in the same direction. At the same time, since the guide block 530 is engaged in the opening slot 411, the guide block 530 slides relative to the opening slot 411. Since the degree of freedom of movement of the rotating base 410 is restricted by the propeller hub 200, the rotating base 410 only makes a rotational motion under the drive of the guide block 530, thereby changing the angle of the propeller blade 400 and realizing the adjustment of the pitch.

[0030] It should be understood that the function of the transmission assembly is to convert the helical motion of the adjusting rod into the rotation of the propeller blades. The components or working principle of the transmission assembly are not limited to the schemes in the above embodiments. In some embodiments other than those described above, the transmission principle can also be as follows: a rotating base is provided at the bottom of the propeller blades. The rotating base is circular and is snapped onto the propeller hub. The transmission assembly includes a guide frame and a slider. The guide frame has a square cross-section and is sleeved on the adjusting rod. While the adjusting rod is helical, it drives the guide frame to move linearly along the axis of the adjusting rod. A groove is provided on the periphery of the guide frame facing the rotating base. The slider is movably installed in the groove and its top protrudes from the groove. At the same time, the top of the slider is also hinged to the edge of the rotating base. The helical motion of the adjusting rod drives the guide frame to move linearly. The slider follows the guide frame to move linearly in the same direction. Since the slider is also hinged to the edge of the rotating base, the degree of freedom of movement of the rotating base is restricted by the propeller hub. Therefore, the slider slides in the groove, thereby driving the rotating base to rotate and achieving the purpose of changing the angle of the propeller blades.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 3 The adjusting rod 300 has a protrusion 302 and a limiting groove 303, both arranged circumferentially along the adjusting rod 300. The protrusion 302 is an annular block protruding from the adjusting rod 300. The guide frame 510 is positioned between the protrusion 302 and the limiting groove 303. A fixing ring 600 is provided within the limiting groove 303. The protrusion 302 abuts against the guide frame 510, while the fixing ring 600 presses against the guide frame 510. The guide frame 510 is fixed to the adjusting rod 300 by the limiting relationship between the fixing ring 600 and the protrusion 302. The fixing ring 600 structure facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the equipment, offering advantages such as simple fixing structure and high reliability.

[0032] In some embodiments of the present invention, the adjusting rod 300 is provided with a collar, which is barrel-shaped and its inner diameter matches the diameter of the adjusting rod 300. The collar is fixed between the protrusion 302 and the limiting groove 303, and the guide frame 510 is sleeved on the collar. Since the guide frame 510 does not rotate with the adjusting rod 300, that is, the adjusting rod 300 rotates relative to the guide frame 510, by providing a collar between the guide frame 510 and the adjusting rod 300, direct contact between the guide frame 510 and the adjusting rod 300 can be avoided, reducing wear between the adjusting rod 300 and the guide frame 510. When the wear is large, only the collar needs to be replaced to ensure normal operation of the equipment, without the need to replace the adjusting rod, thus saving maintenance costs.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the propeller hub 200 includes a front propeller hub and a rear propeller hub that interlock with each other. After the front and rear propeller hubs are interlocked, a mounting groove is formed in the middle. The propeller blades are installed in the mounting groove between the front and rear propeller hubs. The front propeller hub is fixedly connected to the stern shaft 100 by fasteners such as bolts or screws. By setting the propeller hub 200 into a front-to-rear mating structure, during equipment assembly, only the front propeller hub is fixed first. After the internal components of the propeller hub 200 are installed, the rear propeller hub is interlocked to achieve assembly, which facilitates the disassembly and maintenance of the equipment.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fixing device 220 is provided with a flange 221 at the connection with the propeller hub 200, and a countersunk hole matching the flange 221 is provided on the outer side of the guide hole 210. One end of the fixing device 220 is inserted into the guide hole 210, and the other end is fixed in the propeller hub 200 through the flange 221 and the countersunk hole. The fixing device 220 is fixed by the flange 221 connection, which ensures the structural stability. At the same time, the flange 221 connection has the advantages of convenient assembly and disassembly.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, a sealing ring is also included, which is disposed between the fixing device 220 and the guide hole 210. The sealing ring has a waterproof function, preventing external water from flowing through the guide hole 210 and seeping into the interior of the propeller hub 200.

[0036] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for adjusting propeller pitch, comprising an adjusting device and an adjustable pitch propeller adjusting assembly as described in any of the above embodiments. In this embodiment, the adjusting device is rod-shaped, and the front end of the adjusting device matches the shape of the locking hole 301. The method further comprises the following steps: removing the fixing device 220 from the guide hole 210; inserting the front end of the adjusting device into the locking hole 301 through the guide hole 210; in this embodiment, the shape of the front end of the adjusting device and the locking hole 301 are both regular polygonal structures. By utilizing the shape matching between the adjusting device and the locking hole 301, the adjusting device is manually rotated to cause the adjusting device to drive the adjusting rod 300 in a spiral motion, thereby achieving pitch adjustment; after pitch adjustment is completed, the adjusting device is removed, and the fixing device 220 is fixedly installed in the guide hole 210 to fix the adjusting rod 300.

[0037] It should be noted that the rotation adjustment device proposed in this invention is not limited to the manual rotation method described in the above embodiments. Other methods include installing a drive motor at the rear end of the adjustment device and using the motor's rotation to drive the adjustment device to rotate.

[0038] The propeller pitch adjustment method according to the present invention has at least the following advantages: by using an adjustment device to pass through the guide hole and abut against the retaining hole to rotate the adjustment rod, the propeller pitch is adjusted. This is different from the prior art method of adjusting the pitch by opening a through hole in the stern shaft and using a complex structure such as a transmission component. The adjustment method is easy to implement, the operation steps are simple and reliable, and it has better controllability and stability.

[0039] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "some embodiments" indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0040] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly, characterized in that, include: The stern shaft is a solid shaft with an adjustment hole at the rear end, which is a blind hole; The propeller hub is located at the rear end of the stern shaft, and a guide hole is provided at the rear end of the propeller hub; The fixing device is detachably installed in the guide hole; An adjusting rod is disposed inside the propeller hub, and a locking hole is provided at the rear end of the adjusting rod; The front end of the adjusting rod is threadedly connected to the adjusting hole, the front end of the fixing device is inserted into the locking hole to fix the adjusting rod, and the other end of the fixing device is detachably fixed inside the propeller hub; It also includes propeller blades and a transmission assembly. The propeller blades are movably mounted on the hub. The transmission assembly connects the adjusting rod and the propeller blades. The transmission assembly can convert the helical motion of the adjusting rod into the rotation of the propeller blades. The transmission assembly is located between the two ends of the adjusting rod. The transmission assembly includes a guide frame, which is sleeved on the adjusting rod. The helical motion of the adjusting rod can drive the guide frame to move linearly along the axis of the adjusting rod.

2. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The propeller blade has a rotating base at its bottom end, which is snapped onto the propeller hub. The rotating base has an opening slot. The transmission assembly also includes: A retaining pin is used to secure the outer side of the guide frame. The guide block is mounted on the outside of the guide frame by the fixing pin. The guide block connects the guide frame and the rotating base. The guide block can rotate around the fixing pin. The guide block is locked in the opening slot. The transmission assembly is connected to the propeller blade, the rotating base is slidably connected to the guide frame, and the rotational freedom of the guide frame is restricted.

3. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjusting rod has a protrusion and a limiting groove. The guide frame is disposed between the protrusion and the limiting groove. A fixing ring is provided in the limiting groove. The fixing ring is used to fix the guide frame to the adjusting rod. The guide frame has a square cross-section.

4. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adjusting rod is provided with a collar, which is disposed between the protrusion and the limiting groove, and the guide is sleeved on the collar.

5. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The propeller hub includes a front propeller hub and a rear propeller hub that are interlocked with each other, and a propeller blade is provided between the front propeller hub and the rear propeller hub. The front propeller hub is fixedly connected to the stern shaft by fasteners.

6. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing device is provided with a flange, and a countersunk hole matching the flange is provided on the outside of the guide hole. The fixing device is fixed in the propeller hub by the cooperation of the flange and the countersunk hole.

7. The adjustable pitch propeller adjustment assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing ring, which is disposed between the fixing device and the guide hole.

8. A method for adjusting propeller pitch, comprising an adjusting device and an adjustable pitch propeller adjusting assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the front end of the adjusting device matches the shape of the retaining hole, characterized in that, The method also includes the following steps: removing the fixing device from the guide hole; inserting the front end of the adjusting device into the card hole through the guide hole; rotating the adjusting device to drive the adjusting rod to make a spiral motion to adjust the pitch; after the adjustment is completed, removing the adjusting device and fixing the fixing device in the guide hole to fix the adjusting rod.

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