A marine electric rudder engine

Abstract

The application discloses a ship electric rudder engine, and relates to the technical field of ship rudder engines, which comprises a base, a rudder rod, a linear motor and a motion conversion mechanism; the rudder rod is rotatably installed in a bearing seat through a bearing, and upper and lower ends of the rudder rod are respectively fixedly provided with a rudder rod rotary disc and a rudder blade; the motion conversion mechanism comprises a connecting rod rigidly connected with the rudder rod rotary disc and a connecting rod sliding seat fixed to an output end of the linear motor; one end of the connecting rod is provided with an oblong hole, and the oblong hole is in sliding fit with a sliding seat protrusion on a surface of the connecting rod sliding seat, so that radial displacement between linear motion and rotary motion is effectively compensated; the application has the beneficial effects that a novel electric rudder engine based on a linear motor as a power source and combining mechanical and control technologies is provided, and accurate, rapid and stable control of a rudder angle is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ship steering technology, and in particular to an electric ship steering gear. Background Technology

[0002] The ship's steering gear is the core equipment for navigation and steering, and its performance directly affects the ship's maneuverability, safety, and economy. Traditional ship steering gears mainly use hydraulic drive, which, while providing significant output force, has many inherent drawbacks: hydraulic system pipes, cylinders, and seals are prone to wear and aging, requiring frequent maintenance and replacement, which is complex and costly; hydraulic oil leaks can cause serious oil pollution to the marine environment; hydraulic pumps and motors generate significant noise and vibration during operation; the hydraulic system suffers from energy losses due to multiple energy conversions, resulting in low overall energy efficiency; and its fluid transmission characteristics lead to relatively slow response speed and limited control precision, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern ships for rapid and precise steering in high-speed or complex sea conditions.

[0003] With the development of motor technology, power electronics technology, and control technology, electric servo motors have become the mainstream alternative to hydraulic servo motors. Electric servo motors have significant advantages such as high control precision, simple structure, high reliability, environmental friendliness, energy saving, and low noise. However, conventional rotary motor drive schemes require transmission mechanisms such as reducers to increase torque, which may lead to problems such as system complexity and efficiency loss. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing hydraulic steering gears, such as insufficient energy conversion efficiency, poor safety and environmental performance, and difficulty in achieving precise automated control. The proposed invention is an electric steering gear for ships. Its advantages include: using a linear motor drive, completely eliminating pollution and maintenance problems caused by hydraulic oil leakage, significantly reducing operating noise, and facilitating subsequent integration with control technologies to achieve higher precision rudder angle control.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: a marine electric steering gear, including a base, and further including: a rudder stock, a bearing housing, a linear motor, and a motion conversion mechanism; the bearing housing is fixedly installed on the base, and a bearing is installed inside the bearing housing; the rudder stock is vertically rotatably installed in the bearing housing via the bearing; a rudder blade is fixedly installed at the lower end of the rudder stock, and a rudder stock turntable is fixedly installed at the upper end of the rudder stock; a motor mounting base is fixedly installed on the top of the base near the rudder stock turntable, and the linear motor is fixedly installed on the motor mounting base; the motion conversion mechanism includes a connecting rod fixedly installed at the top of the rudder stock turntable and a connecting rod slide fixedly installed at the top of the linear motor; a fixing circular hole is provided at one end and the middle position of the connecting rod; two turntable protrusions are provided in the radial direction at the top of the rudder stock turntable, and the two turntable protrusions respectively pass through the two fixing circular holes; an elongated hole is provided at the other end of the connecting rod; a slide protrusion is provided at the center of the top of the connecting rod slide, and the slide protrusion passes through the elongated hole to form a sliding fit.

[0006] Preferably, a first gear is fixedly installed on the shaft section of the rudder located below the base, a rotary encoder is fixedly installed at the bottom of the base, and a second gear is fixedly installed on the rotating shaft of the rotary encoder, with the first gear meshing with the second gear.

[0007] Preferably, two limit photoelectric switches are symmetrically installed at the extreme positions at both ends of the linear motor's motion trajectory.

[0008] Preferably, the bearing housing includes a top bearing housing and a bottom bearing housing, which are fastened together by bolts.

[0009] Preferably, the upper end of the rudder stick is provided with symmetrically distributed double flat keys, and the center of the rudder stick turntable is provided with a keyway that mates with the double flat keys. The rudder stick turntable and the rudder stick are connected and torque is transmitted through the double flat keys.

[0010] Preferably, the slide protrusion is a pin, one or both ends of the pin are threaded and equipped with a locking nut; a bearing is mounted on the pin.

[0011] Preferably, the rudder stick turntable and the linear motor are covered with rudder covers.

[0012] Preferably, the upper surface of the servo cover is equipped with a servo angle visual indicator.

[0013] Preferably, a control cabinet is installed on the rear platform of the base.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: (1) The use of linear motor to drive the steering gear replaces the hydraulic pump set, which eliminates the pollution risk and maintenance difficulty caused by hydraulic oil leakage from the root. The fully electrified design structure is simple, with fewer moving parts, which reduces the failure rate caused by aging and wear, improves reliability, and solves the problem of high noise and vibration of traditional steering gear, thus improving the living and working environment of the crew.

[0015] (2) A linear motor is used in conjunction with a motion conversion mechanism to realize the conversion from linear motion to rotary motion, eliminating the need for complex intermediate transmission chains such as reducers and lead screws. This structure reduces mechanical backlash and energy transfer loss, achieving higher energy conversion efficiency. In addition, the elongated hole design resolves motion path interference in direct drive mode. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of this utility model.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a side view of the internal structure of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of a portion of the structure of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the limit photoelectric switch in this utility model.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model from a downward viewing angle.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the closed-loop control system in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Rudder stock; 21. Rudder blade; 22. Gear 1; 23. Gear 2; 3. Bearing housing; 31. Top bearing housing; 32. Bottom bearing housing; 4. Linear motor; 51. Control cabinet; 52. Rotary encoder; 53. Limit photoelectric switch; 6. Connecting rod; 61. Fixed round hole; 62. Oblong hole; 7. Rudder stock turntable; 71. Turntable protrusion; 8. Motor mounting base; 9. Connecting rod slide; 91. Slide protrusion; 10. Servo cover. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present application will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0025] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "lateral", "longitudinal", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., which indicate the orientation and positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application 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 should not be construed as limiting the specific protection scope of this application.

[0026] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0027] Example 1 One preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, a marine electric steering gear includes: a base 1, and further includes: a rudder stock 2, a bearing housing 3, a linear motor 4, and a motion conversion mechanism; the bearing housing 3 is fixedly mounted on the base 1, and a bearing is installed inside the bearing housing 3; the rudder stock 2 is vertically rotatable within the bearing housing 3 via the bearing; a rudder blade 21 is fixedly mounted at the lower end of the rudder stock 2, and a rudder stock turntable 7 is fixedly mounted at the upper end of the rudder stock 2; a motor mounting base 8 is fixedly mounted on the top of the base 1 near the rudder stock turntable 7, and the linear motor 4 is fixedly mounted on the motor mounting base 8. The motion conversion mechanism includes a connecting rod 6 fixedly installed at the top of the rudder turntable 7 and a connecting rod slide 9 fixedly installed at the top of the linear motor 4. One end and the middle of the connecting rod 6 are respectively provided with fixed round holes 61. The top of the rudder turntable 7 is provided with two turntable protrusions 71 in the radial direction, and the two turntable protrusions 71 are respectively inserted into the two fixed round holes 61. The other end of the connecting rod 6 is provided with an elongated hole 62. The top center of the connecting rod slide 9 is provided with a slide protrusion 91, and the slide protrusion 91 is inserted into the elongated hole 62 to form a sliding fit.

[0028] Further reference Figures 2 to 4 The bearing housing 3 includes a top bearing housing 31 and a bottom bearing housing 32, which are fastened together by bolts.

[0029] Optionally, a radial thrust combined bearing is installed in the top bearing housing 31 to withstand the radial force of the rudder stock to prevent rudder stock wobbling, as well as the weight of the rudder blade and the impact force of water on the rudder blade. A radial bearing is installed in the bottom bearing housing 32 to provide additional radial support and prevent the lower end of the rudder stock from swinging.

[0030] Further reference Figure 2The upper end of the rudder 2 is provided with symmetrically distributed double flat keys, and the center of the rudder rudder disk 7 is provided with a keyway that matches the double flat keys. The rudder rudder disk 7 and the rudder rudder 2 are connected by the double flat keys to transmit torque.

[0031] Furthermore, the slide protrusion 91 is a pin, one or both ends of which are threaded and fitted with a locking nut; a bearing is mounted on the pin.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the slide protrusion 91 can be configured as a pin, one or both ends of which can be threaded to form a screw shaft segment, and equipped with a lock nut to facilitate assembly and prevent axial movement. To further reduce friction, a bearing (such as a needle roller bearing or bushing) can be installed on the pin before it is inserted into the elongated hole 62.

[0033] Further reference Figure 1 The rudder stick turntable 7 and the linear motor 4 are covered with rudder cover 10.

[0034] The connection relationships and installation steps of the components in this application are as follows: First, place the rudder stick 2 vertically on a special tooling and pass it through the opening in the base 1. Then, install the bearing and bearing seat 3 on the base 1 and the outside of the rudder stick 2 in sequence to form a stable support unit. Next, install the rudder stick turntable 7 on the top of the rudder stick 2. Fix the motor mounting base 8 on the base 1, and then install and fix the linear motor 4 on the motor mounting base 8. Next, install the motion conversion mechanism. Align the two fixing round holes 61 on the connecting rod 6 with the two turntable protrusions 71 on the rudder stick turntable 7 and fit them in. Lock them with nuts or retaining rings to make the connecting rod 6 and the rudder stick turntable 7 rigidly connected. Fix the connecting rod slide 9 to the top of the linear motor 4, and make the slide protrusion 91 pass into the elongated hole 62 at the other end of the connecting rod 6. The opening direction of the elongated hole 62 is consistent with the radial direction of the rudder stick turntable 7 to ensure that the slide protrusion 91 slides smoothly. Finally, a servo cover 10 can be installed on the outside of the rudder stick turntable 7 and the linear motor 4 to provide dust protection, safety protection, and aesthetics.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper surface of the servo cover 10 is equipped with a servo angle visual indicator.

[0036] To facilitate operators' visual observation of the rudder angle position, especially during manual operation or system debugging, a rudder angle visual indicator can be installed on the upper surface of the rudder cover 10. This indicator can be connected to the rudder stick 2 or rudder stick dial 7 via mechanical linkage or a sensor, clearly displaying the rudder angle scale on the outside of the rudder cover 10.

[0037] Optionally, the linear motor 4 is a permanent magnet synchronous linear motor or an AC induction linear motor.

[0038] When the ship needs to turn, the linear motor 4 pushes the connecting rod slide 9 fixed thereon to move together. The slide protrusion 91 on the connecting rod slide 9 slides in the elongated hole 62 of the connecting rod 6, thus pushing the connecting rod 6 to move. At the same time, since the connecting rod 6 is rigidly connected to the rudder turntable 7 through two fixed holes 61, it actually becomes a sturdy rocker arm of the rudder turntable 7. When the drive end of the connecting rod 6 is pushed by the linear motor 4, this "push" or "pull" force is effectively converted into torque to drive the rudder 2 to rotate. During this process, the elongated hole 62 automatically compensates for the radial displacement changes caused by the rotational motion, ensuring smooth and jam-free movement.

[0039] Example 2 Another preferred embodiment of this application, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a control cabinet 51 is installed on the rear platform of the base 1.

[0040] Optionally, the control cabinet 51 is equipped with a controller, which uses at least one of the PID control algorithm, fuzzy control algorithm or neural network control algorithm to perform precise closed-loop control of the rudder angle.

[0041] Closed-loop control systems can quickly respond to commands from the autopilot or bridge, maintaining the ship's accurate and stable course even in rough sea conditions. Their principle is as follows: Figure 7 As shown. Taking the PID control algorithm as an example, the system response is observed through steering tests in manual mode. The PID parameters are gradually adjusted and optimized to achieve a fast, stable, and zero steady-state error control effect.

[0042] Further reference Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 Gear 22 is fixedly installed on the shaft section of the rudder 2 located below the base 1. A rotary encoder 52 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the base 1. Gear 23 is fixedly installed on the rotating shaft of the rotary encoder 52. Gear 22 meshes with gear 23.

[0043] Installing a gear transmission mechanism on the shaft section below rudder stock 2 avoids the space constraints occupied by rudder stock turntable 7 and connecting rod 6 at the top of rudder stock 2, allowing for flexible installation. This gear mechanism forms part of the rudder angle measurement feedback system. Its function is not to drive or self-lock, but to transmit the actual rotation angle of rudder stock 2 to rotary encoder 52 through the meshing of gear 1 22 and gear 2 23. By selecting an appropriate transmission ratio, accurate measurement of the rudder angle is achieved, thereby providing real-time and accurate rudder angle position signals for the closed-loop feedback of the control system.

[0044] When the ship needs to turn, the autopilot or pilot issues a target rudder angle command. Control cabinet 51 calculates the distance and direction the linear motor 4 needs to move based on the command and drives the linear motor 4 to perform the corresponding linear motion. This motion is then converted into a drive to rotate the rudder stock 2 and rudder blade 21 via a motion conversion mechanism. At this time, gear 22, fixed to the rudder stock 2, drives gear 23, which meshes with it, causing the measuring shaft of the rotary encoder 52 to rotate. This allows the rudder angle information of the rudder stock 2 to be fed back to control cabinet 51 in real time and with precision. Control cabinet 51 compares the received measured rudder angle information with the previously input target rudder angle command in real time and calculates the angular deviation between the two. The controller calculates this deviation based on its built-in control algorithm and generates a correction command, readjusting the movement of the linear motor 4 to eliminate the deviation. The closed-loop control system continuously drives, feeds back, calculates, and corrects until the measured rudder angle matches the target rudder angle and is stably maintained at that angle, thus achieving precise and stable turning of the ship.

[0045] Further reference Figure 5 Two limit photoelectric switches 53 are symmetrically installed at the extreme positions at both ends of the linear motor 4's motion trajectory.

[0046] Two limit photoelectric switches act as travel end protection, providing a hardware safety barrier independent of the software control program. During ship navigation, if the travel of linear motor 4 exceeds the preset mechanical limit, the corresponding limit photoelectric switch 53 will be immediately triggered, sending a signal to control cabinet 51 to forcibly cut off the power supply or drive signal of linear motor 4, preventing damage to the mechanical structure due to excessive displacement and improving safety.

[0047] The basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application have been described above. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims. The scope of protection claimed by this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A marine electric steering gear, comprising: The base (1) is characterized in that it further includes: a rudder stock (2), a bearing housing (3), a linear motor (4), and a motion conversion mechanism; the bearing housing (3) is fixedly installed on the base (1), a bearing is installed inside the bearing housing, the rudder stock (2) is vertically rotatably installed in the bearing housing (3) through the bearing, a rudder blade (21) is fixedly installed at the lower end of the rudder stock (2), and a rudder stock turntable (7) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the rudder stock (2); a motor mounting base (8) is fixedly installed on the top of the base (1) near the rudder stock turntable (7), and the linear motor (4) is fixedly installed on the motor mounting base (8); The motion conversion mechanism includes a connecting rod (6) fixedly installed at the top of the rudder turntable (7) and a connecting rod slide (9) fixedly installed at the top of the linear motor (4); a fixed circular hole (61) is provided at one end and the middle position of the connecting rod (6); two turntable protrusions (71) are provided in the radial direction at the top of the rudder turntable (7); the two turntable protrusions (71) are respectively inserted into the two fixed circular holes (61); an elongated hole (62) is provided at the other end of the connecting rod (6); a slide protrusion (91) is provided at the center of the top of the connecting rod slide (9); the slide protrusion (91) is inserted into the elongated hole (62) to form a sliding fit.

2. The ship electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rudder stick (2) is fixedly mounted on the shaft section below the base (1) with a gear 1 (22). A rotary encoder (52) is fixedly mounted on the bottom of the base (1). A gear 2 (23) is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft of the rotary encoder (52). The gear 1 (22) meshes with the gear 2 (23).

3. The ship electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two limit photoelectric switches (53) are symmetrically installed at the extreme positions at both ends of the linear motor (4) motion trajectory.

4. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing housing (3) includes a top bearing housing (31) and a bottom bearing housing (32), which are fastened together by bolts.

5. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the rudder (2) is provided with symmetrically distributed double flat keys, and the center of the rudder turntable (7) is provided with a keyway that cooperates with the double flat keys. The rudder turntable (7) and the rudder (2) are connected by the double flat keys to transmit torque.

6. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slide block protrusion (91) is a pin, one or both ends of which are threaded and fitted with a locking nut; a bearing is mounted on the pin.

7. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rudder stick turntable (7) and the linear motor (4) are covered with rudder cover (10).

8. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The upper surface of the servo cover (10) is equipped with a servo angle visual indicator.

9. A marine electric steering gear as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A control cabinet (51) is installed on the rear platform of the base (1).

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