Maneuvering system for watercraft

a technology for watercraft and maneuvering, which is applied in the direction of watercraft, vessel parts, marine propulsion, etc., can solve the problems of requiring appropriate practice and affecting the operation of the operator, and achieve the effects of less noise, less vibration, and improved hydrodynamics

US20160325812A1Inactive Publication Date: 2016-11-10MUELLER PETER A
6 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2016-11-10
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

Smart Images

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1
  • Figure 2
    Figure 2
  • Figure 3
    Figure 3
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to two maneuvering systems, each of which is located in a housing and which are placed as far apart from each other as possible on the stern in order to this enable a watercraft to be moved precisely on the longitudinal axis, laterally, forward / backward and on the vertical axis. By means of a modified throttle and gear lever of the main engines, referred to as a manipulator, which is coupled with the functions of the maneuvering systems and, with the integration of the steering wheel, all of the maneuvering functions and driving modes can be carried out and automated or act in a supportive capacity by means of the controller, or the manual incorporation of the main engines can be permitted at any time by means of an actuator.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

CONTINUITY INFORMATION

[0001] This is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14 / 233,253 filed Apr. 21, 2014, which is a National Phase of International Application No. PCT / CH2012 / 000167 filed Jul. 16, 2012, which claims the benefit of Swiss Application No. CH 1202 / 11 filed Jul. 16, 2011. The disclosures of the prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The invention relates to a maneuvering system for watercraft according to the preamble of the first claim.PRIOR ART

[0003] Maneuvering means such as lateral thrust rudders in the form of freestanding propellers or propellers in a tube, centrifugal pumps or jet systems in the bow and in the area of the stern are appropriately known. Their task as simple and efficient course-correction measures or maneuvering aids is to enable a watercraft to rapidly rotate the bow or the stern in an appropriate direction or travel sideways, particularly when maneuvering in narrow ports, in c...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0011]The object of the invention is to provide a maneuvering system for a watercraft with rigid drive, stern-drive, outboard engine or jet drive which has the function of a bow thrust rudder or stern thrust rudder, namely to enable lateral driving or rotating of the watercraft about the vertical axis, but without a tunnel in the bow, as well as easier operation for greater comfort and increased safety, as well as substantially easier maneuverability even with swivelable stern-drives, because the thrust forces act further outside on the hull. It is also advantageous that the maneuvering tasks can also be carried out with a single main engine. Furthermore, the maneuvering system has a “go home” emergency function as a drive in the event that the main engines fail. A housing carries and protects the maneuvering system and serves simultaneously as buoyancy means and hydrodynamic hull extension.

[0012]The system is controlled conventionally by means of the steering wheel and the throttle...