Improved cap rudder, and boat

Abstract

An improved cap rudder and a boat. The cap rudder (1) comprises a rudder shaft (10) and a cap plate (11) fixed to a lower end (104) of the rudder shaft, wherein a rudder shaft sleeve (12) is axially located between the cap plate (11) and an upper end (101) of the rudder shaft, the rudder shaft (10) is radially supported in the rudder shaft sleeve (12) by means of a first bearing, and a pair of coaxially arranged transverse shafts (13) are perpendicular to an axis of the rudder shaft (10), with one end of each transverse shaft (13) being fixed to an outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve (12), and the other end of each transverse shaft (13) being a bearing connection end (132) connected to a second bearing (133). The transverse shafts of a rudder anchor and the rudder shaft sleeve form a cross-shaped structure, and the rudder shaft sleeve can rotate around the transverse shafts, so that the rudder angle of the cap rudder is changed, thereby realizing the adjustment and control of the trim of a hull.

Description

Improved helm and boat Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an improved structure of a marine cap rudder and a ship constructed using such an improved cap rudder; more specifically, it relates to an improved cap rudder and a ship. Background Technology

[0002] The invention patent application CN109050862A, entitled "Cap Rudder and Ship," discloses the structure of a cap rudder. Compared with traditional blade rudders or guide tube rudders, cap rudders have the advantages of low resistance and high rudder efficiency. After more than five years of actual ship use, significant energy-saving effects have been achieved. However, there is still room for further improvement in its energy-saving effect. According to the common sense of ship design and navigation operation, the attitude with the least resistance during navigation is the upright state, that is, the state without bow or stern trim. However, in actual navigation, due to factors such as different speeds or uneven loads, the ship's trim state often changes. For example, under the condition that other conditions remain unchanged, when the speed increases, stern trim will occur, that is, the bow tilts upward. This usually increases the navigation resistance and energy consumption. For example, after loading or unloading cargo, the change in trim state will inevitably increase the navigation resistance or reduce the propulsion efficiency. The cap rudder has the following unique characteristics: not only does it have a certain area in its projection on the mid-longitudinal plane, similar to the blade rudder, allowing it to be steered so that the ship can turn left or right, but it also has a much larger projection area on the horizontal plane than the blade rudder. At the same time, it is also located at the stern, which is far from the longitudinal center of gravity of the ship. Therefore, using it to control the ship's trim in real time can greatly save energy. On the other hand, when trim changes occur during navigation, especially stern trim, the high bow will obstruct the driver's view directly ahead, creating a potential hazard to navigation safety. Technical issues

[0003] A search of existing technologies revealed two solutions for actively controlling the pitch of a ship during navigation, all other things being equal: CN219215352U, entitled "A Bionic Robotic Fish Device Based on Dual-Axis Servo Control," and CN100348459C, entitled "Cross-Shaped Anti-Pitch Rudder." The former uses two sets of servos, one for controlling the left and right rotation of the tail fin and the other for controlling the buoyancy and descent of the pectoral fins, making its structure relatively complex. The latter uses a cross-shaped arrangement. Blade rudders can only effectively resist pitch, but cannot actively control trim. On the other hand, Chinese invention patent application CN111792015A, entitled "Rudder system and ship that can rotate around two axes," discloses a rudder system for blade rudders. In addition to the rudder shaft that allows the blade rudder to rotate in the horizontal plane, this rudder system also has a rotation axis that allows the blade rudder to rotate in the vertical plane. Its design purpose is to reduce the resistance of the blade rudder in straight-line conditions, but it cannot fundamentally change the trim state of the ship during navigation. Technical solutions

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide an improved rudder cap that enables adjustments to the ship's pitch state during navigation, thereby saving energy consumption and improving the operator's visibility.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a ship constructed using an improved cap rudder.

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned main objectives, the improved rudder cap provided by the present invention includes a rudder shaft arranged vertically along its axis and a cap plate fixed to the lower end of the rudder shaft. The upper end of the rudder shaft is a connecting end for connection with the rudder shank. A rudder shaft sleeve is located axially between the cap plate and the connecting end, and radially, the rudder shaft is located inside the rudder shaft sleeve. The rudder shaft is supported inside the rudder shaft sleeve by a first bearing, allowing the rudder shaft to rotate relative to the rudder shaft sleeve about its own axis. A pair of coaxial horizontal shafts are provided, with the axes of the horizontal shafts perpendicular to the axis of the rudder shaft. One end of each horizontal shaft is fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve, and the other end is a bearing connecting end for connection with a second bearing.

[0007] A further option is that the first bearing consists of a pair: a ball bearing located at the upper part of the rudder shaft sleeve and a copper bushing bearing located at the lower part of the rudder shaft sleeve. For large ships, since the lower bearing of the first bearing experiences enormous forces, using a copper bushing bearing can effectively extend the bearing's service life.

[0008] Another further option is that the first bearing consists of a pair of ball bearings, one located at the upper part and the other at the lower part of the rudder shaft sleeve. For small vessels, the force on the lower bearing of the first bearing usually does not exceed the compressive strength limit of the ball bearing. Therefore, the first bearing can be a pair of ball bearings, or the lower bearing can be designed with a double bearing structure to improve its compressive strength. This option has the advantage of relatively low cost.

[0009] A further embodiment involves the rudder shaft having a radially inwardly tapering annular groove, within which a retaining ring for axially restricting the inner ring of the upper ball bearing is positioned. A retaining ring cap and a sleeve cap are sequentially arranged at the upper part of the retaining ring in the axial direction. The retaining ring cap is axially fixedly connected to the retaining ring by fasteners, and the sleeve cap is axially fixedly connected to the rudder shaft sleeve by fasteners. There is an axial gap between the retaining ring cap and the sleeve cap. This allows the rudder shaft of the cap rudder to be constrained axially. Specifically, the retaining ring restricts the downward movement of the rudder shaft relative to the rudder shaft sleeve, while the rudder shaft, due to the weight of the cap plate, will not move upward relative to the rudder shaft sleeve. Even if it occasionally moves upward, it will be constrained by the sleeve cap.

[0010] Another further solution is to provide an oil seal and an oil seal cover at the lower end of the rudder shaft sleeve. This effectively prevents water from entering the inner cavity of the rudder shaft sleeve from the bottom and corroding the first bearing.

[0011] To achieve another objective of the present invention, the present invention provides a ship comprising a hull and a rudder cap, wherein the rudder cap is an improved rudder cap as described in any of the above embodiments, the upper end of the rudder shaft is connected to a rudder motor via the rudder handle; the connecting end of the transverse shaft is connected to a second bearing, the bearing seat of the second bearing is fixed on the hull, and a pair of transverse shafts are symmetrically arranged about the mid-longitudinal section; a second rudder motor is provided for driving the transverse shaft to rotate about its own axis.

[0012] A further design involves connecting one end of the servo motor to the hull via a ball joint, and the other end of the servo motor to the rudder handle via a ball joint. This allows the servo motor to smoothly steer the rudder when it rotates to different angles around the transverse axis.

[0013] Another further embodiment is that a hinge plate is fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve, the hinge plate is located on the mid-longitudinal section and at the upper end of the rudder shaft sleeve; one end of the second rudder is hinged to the hull, and the other end of the second rudder is hinged to the hinge plate.

[0014] A further proposed solution is to have two second servo motors, positioned on both sides of the servo shaft sleeve, which drive the improved servo cap to rotate around the axis of the horizontal axis in a push-pull manner.

[0015] A further solution involves installing a cylindrical cofferdam at the point where the improved rudder protrudes from the hull to prevent water from entering the hull. The lower end of the cofferdam is fixed to the bottom plate of the hull, the upper end is open, and the rear end has an outlet for draining water that enters the cofferdam out of the hull. The advantage of this solution is that it effectively solves the problem of water ingress and drainage at the point where the rudder shaft sleeve protrudes from the bottom plate of the hull. Beneficial effects

[0016] As can be seen from the above scheme, the present invention adopts a rudder shaft sleeve set outside the rudder shaft. On the one hand, it has the steering and sailing function like a rudder cap, that is, when the rudder shaft rotates relative to the rudder shaft sleeve, the ship can turn left or right. At the same time, a pair of transverse shafts are also set, which form a cross-shaped main structure with the rudder shaft sleeve. When the rudder shaft sleeve rotates around the axis of the pair of transverse shafts, whether it is in the positive rudder position or the cap plate with left and right rudder angles, it will produce a pitching action relative to the hull, just like the flaps produce a pitching action relative to the main wing, thereby realizing the adjustment and control of the hull's pitch. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 is a front view of the first embodiment of the improved cap rudder;

[0018] Figure 2 is a magnified view of part A in Figure 1;

[0019] Figure 3 is a left view of Figure 1;

[0020] Figure 4 is a front view of the first embodiment of the ship, and also a longitudinal sectional view of the ship;

[0021] Figure 5 is a top view of Figure 4, and also a plan view of the control cabin;

[0022] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B of Figure 5, which is also a bow view of the ship.

[0023] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram reflecting the structure of the well;

[0024] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the rudder's position relative to the hull when the ship is in a floating state.

[0025] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the rudder cap pressing against the hull when the ship is listing at the stern;

[0026] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the rudder cap lifting relative to the hull when the ship is listing by the bow;

[0027] Figure 11 is a comparison table of actual ship tests of the same ship using a cap rudder and an improved cap rudder.

[0028] The components include: an improved rudder cap 1; a rudder shaft 10; an upper end of the rudder shaft 101; an annular groove 102; a conical section 103; a lower end of the rudder shaft 104; a retaining ring 105; a retaining ring pressure plate 106; a cap plate 11; a rudder shaft sleeve 12; a cylinder 121; a sleeve cover 122; an upper sleeve bearing 123; a ball bearing 124; a copper sleeve bearing 125; a lower sleeve bearing 126; an oil seal 127; an oil seal cover plate 128; a transverse shaft 13; a fixed end 131; a bearing connection end 132; a second bearing 133; a rudder mechanism 14; a rudder handle 141; a spherical hinge 142; a spherical hinge 143; a second rudder mechanism 15; a hinge seat plate 151; a hinge 152; a hinge 153; a cofferdam 16; a cofferdam outlet pipe 161; a bottom plate 171; and a stern seal plate 172.

[0029] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] Improved cap rudder first embodiment

[0031] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the improved rudder cap 1 has a rudder shaft 10 with its axis in the vertical direction, and a cap plate 11 fixed to the lower end 104 of the rudder shaft. The upper end 101 of the rudder shaft has a rectangular cross-section and is the connecting end for fixed connection with the rudder handle. The rudder shaft 10 has a radially recessed annular groove 102 and a frustoconical section 103. Axially, the annular groove 102 is located between the upper end 101 of the rudder shaft and the frustoconical section 103, and the small-diameter end of the frustoconical section 103 is close to the annular groove 102. The rudder shaft sleeve 12 is located axially between the upper end 101 of the rudder shaft and the cap plate 11, and radially outside the rudder shaft 10, that is, the relatively thin-diameter rudder shaft 10 is located inside the relatively thick-diameter rudder shaft sleeve 12. The rudder shaft 10 is supported in the rudder shaft sleeve 12 by a first bearing consisting of a ball bearing 124 and a copper bushing bearing 125, so the rudder shaft 10 can rotate relative to the rudder shaft sleeve 12 about its own axis.

[0032] The rudder sleeve 12 has a relatively thin-walled cylindrical body 121 and a thicker-walled upper sleeve bearing 123 and a lower sleeve bearing 126 fixed at its upper and lower ends. A copper sleeve bearing 125 is disposed within the lower sleeve bearing 126 and is radially interference-fitted with the upper sleeve bearing 126. An oil seal 127 and an oil seal cover plate 128 are disposed at the lower end of the lower sleeve bearing 126. A ball bearing 124 is disposed within the upper sleeve bearing 123 and is radially interference-fitted with the upper sleeve bearing 124. A retaining ring 105 is installed in an annular retaining groove 102 to axially restrict the inner ring of the ball bearing 105. A retaining ring pressure plate 106 is fixedly connected to the retaining ring by circumferentially distributed fasteners. Therefore, when the rudder shaft 10 rotates relative to the rudder shaft sleeve 12, both the retaining ring 105 and the retaining ring pressure plate 106 rotate with the rudder shaft 10. The sleeve cover plate 122, which has a gap between itself and the retaining ring plate 106 in the axial direction, is fixed to the upper end face of the sleeve upper bearing 123 by circumferentially distributed fasteners. The small-diameter end of the frustoconical section 103 is adjacent to the lower end face of the sleeve upper bearing 123. Therefore, in the axial direction, the retaining ring 105 restricts the downward movement of the rudder shaft 10 relative to the rudder shaft sleeve 12, while the weight of the rudder shaft 10 and the cap plate 11, as well as the sleeve cover plate 122, restrict the upward movement of the rudder shaft 10 relative to the rudder shaft sleeve. During assembly, after the rudder shaft 10 is inserted into the rudder shaft sleeve 12 from bottom to top and positioned, the retaining ring consisting of three circumferential segments is inserted, then the retaining ring plate 106 is inserted and connected with fasteners, and finally the sleeve cover plate 122 is fixed.

[0033] Referring to Figure 3, the fixed ends 131 of a pair of coaxial horizontal shafts 13 are fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve 12. In this example, they are fixed to the outer wall of the lower sleeve bearing 126 with higher strength. The other end, which is a free end, is a bearing connection end 132 for connecting with the second bearing.

[0034] Improved second embodiment of the cap rudder

[0035] The difference between this example and the previous one is that the copper bushing bearing 125 is replaced with a ball bearing, that is, a ball bearing that can withstand axial loads is also used.

[0036] Other implementations of the improved cap rudder

[0037] Obviously, the upper end 101 of the rudder shaft can also be connected to the rudder handle by various key structures; the connection between the fixed end 131 of the horizontal shaft 13 and the lower bearing of the sleeve can also be provided with a triangular reinforcing elbow plate in the circumferential direction.

[0038] First embodiment of the ship

[0039] Referring to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram of the stern region in longitudinal section of the ship, in this example, the bottom plate 171 and the stern sealing plate 172, which are part of the hull, constitute the two walls of the steering gear compartment. The lower end of the rudder shaft sleeve 12 passes through a hole provided in the bottom plate 171. The size of this hole should meet the angle required for the rudder shaft sleeve 12 to rotate around the transverse axis 13. The method of handling water entering the bottom plate 171 through this hole will be described later. The second bearing 133 is fixed to the bottom plate 171 by its bearing seat. Obviously, it can also be fixed to the bottom truss of the ship by a bracket, or fixed to the hull structure in other structural forms.

[0040] The middle part of the rudder handle 141 is fixed to the upper end 101 of the rudder shaft, and the two ends of the rudder handle 141 are connected to the servo motor 14 through the ball joint 143.

[0041] A hinge plate 151 is fixed on the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve 12. The hinge plate 151 is located on the mid-longitudinal section of the hull and at the upper end of the rudder shaft sleeve 12. One end of the second rudder 15 is fixed to the bottom plate 171 or the bottom truss by hinge 152, and the other end is fixed to the hinge plate 151 by hinge 153.

[0042] Referring to Figure 4 and Figure 6, Figure 6 is a B-B sectional view of Figure 5, which is also equivalent to a cross-sectional view of Figure 4 through the axis of the rudder shaft 10. When the second servo motor 15 is extended, the cap plate 11 rotates counterclockwise around the horizontal axis 13. When the second servo motor 15 is retracted, the cap plate 11 rotates clockwise around the horizontal axis 13.

[0043] Referring to Figure 5, this example uses dual rudders 14, which are arranged symmetrically about the axis of the rudder shaft 10. When the dual rudders 14 are extended synchronously, the cap plate 11 rotates counterclockwise around the axis of the rudder shaft 10. When the dual rudders 14 are retracted synchronously, the cap plate rotates clockwise around the axis of the rudder shaft 10. The connecting end of the transverse shaft 13 is connected to the second bearing 133. The pair of transverse shafts are arranged symmetrically about the mid-longitudinal section of the hull. The axis of the transverse shaft 13 is perpendicular to the axis of the rudder shaft 10. One end is fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve 12 through its fixed end 131, and the other end is connected to the second bearing 133 through its bearing connecting end 132.

[0044] Referring to Figure 7, the cofferdam 16 is a cylindrical shell with its lower end watertightly fixed to the bottom plate 171 and its upper end open. A water outlet is provided at the rear end to guide water entering the cofferdam out of the hull. The lower end of the rudder shaft sleeve 12 passes through a hole provided on the bottom plate 171 and is enclosed within the area of ​​the cofferdam 16. The vertical height of the cofferdam should be higher than the maximum draft of the stern. Therefore, water entering the cofferdam 16 through the hole will not reach the open end of the cofferdam. On the other hand, a cofferdam outlet pipe 161 is also provided in the middle of the cofferdam. One end of the cofferdam outlet pipe 161 is connected to the water outlet at the rear end of the cofferdam 16, and the other end extends out of the stern sealing plate 172. A watertight rubber corrugated cover can also be provided between the upper open end of the cofferdam 16 and the rudder shaft sleeve 12. Therefore, water entering the cofferdam 16 will be discharged from the hull through the cofferdam outlet pipe 161 and will not overflow into the hull from the upper open end of the cofferdam 16.

[0045] Second embodiment of the ship

[0046] The difference between this example and the previous one is that there are two second servo motors 15. As shown in Figure 4, a second servo motor 15 is also set on the left side of the servo shaft sleeve 12. The two second servo motors 15 are symmetrical about the servo shaft sleeve 12, that is, they are set on both sides of the servo shaft sleeve 12. When the cap plate 11 is controlled to pitch, the two second servo motors 15 drive the improved cap rudder 1 to rotate around the axis of the horizontal axis 13 in a push-pull manner.

[0047] The improved cap rudder controls the ship's pitch and roll during navigation.

[0048] Referring to Figure 8, under normal navigation conditions, as long as there is no pitching, the second rudder 15 only needs to fix the cap plate 11 in a basically horizontal state. Even if there is some vertical force generated by the water flow on the cap plate 11, it will not affect the pitching of the ship. Therefore, the ship will sail with the designed minimum resistance in a positive buoyancy state.

[0049] Referring to Figure 9, when the ship's trim changes due to increased speed or uneven cargo distribution in the longitudinal direction, such as when the stern tilts (i.e. the bow tilts upward), the second rudder 15 can be activated to rotate the cap plate 11 counterclockwise around the transverse axis 13 by one rudder angle. This generates an upward force from the water flow, which in turn causes the ship to rotate clockwise around the longitudinal center of gravity, thereby reducing the trim or restoring the ship to a buoyant state.

[0050] Referring to Figure 10, similarly, when a bow tilt occurs, i.e. when the bow sinks, the second rudder 15 can be retracted to make the cap plate 11 rotate clockwise around the transverse axis 13 by one rudder angle. The water flow gives the cap plate 11 a downward component force, which causes the hull to rotate counterclockwise around the longitudinal center of gravity, which will also reduce the tilt or restore the ship to a buoyant state.

[0051] See Figure 11, which compares the measured data of the main engine at a rated speed of 2300 rpm under no-load and 1-ton cargo conditions on the same fiberglass diesel high-speed boat using a helm with a modified helm. The main parameters of the boat are as follows: hull length, width, and height are 13.8 meters × 2.7 meters × 1.25 meters; main engine model is WP13FY1000-23E200; gearbox model is HCQ501; propeller diameter is 0.84 meters; and pitch is 1130 millimeters.

[0052] The cap plate of the rudder is 1.35 meters long and is a semi-circular arc plate with a diameter 1.1 times that of the propeller diameter. Industrial applicability

[0053] As shown in Figure 11, the actual ship test results show that, in terms of speed comparison: under no-load conditions, the improved rudder increases the speed by 2.5% compared to the original rudder, while under a 1-ton load, the improved rudder increases the speed by 5% compared to the original rudder; in terms of stern trim adjustment, under no-load conditions, it can reduce stern trim by 13 degrees, while under a 1-ton load, it can reduce stern trim by 9.2 degrees.

Claims

1. An improved rudder cap, comprising a rudder shaft arranged vertically along its axis and a cap plate fixed to the lower end of the rudder shaft, wherein the upper end of the rudder shaft is a connecting end for connection with a rudder handle; Its features are: The rudder shaft sleeve is located between the cap plate and the connecting end in the axial direction, and the rudder shaft is located inside the rudder shaft sleeve in the radial direction. The rudder shaft is supported in the rudder shaft sleeve by a first bearing, so that the rudder shaft can rotate about its own axis relative to the rudder shaft sleeve. A pair of horizontal shafts are arranged coaxially, with the axis of the horizontal shaft perpendicular to the axis of the rudder shaft. One end of the horizontal shaft is fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve, and the other end is a bearing connection end for connecting with a second bearing.

2. The improved cap rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first bearing consists of a pair: a ball bearing located at the upper part of the rudder shaft sleeve and a copper bushing bearing located at the lower part of the rudder shaft sleeve.

3. The improved cap rudder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first bearing consists of a pair, namely a ball bearing located at the upper part and a ball bearing located at the lower part of the rudder shaft sleeve.

4. The improved cap rudder according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The rudder shaft has a radially inwardly tapering annular groove, in which a retaining ring for axially restricting the inner ring of the ball bearing at the upper part of the rudder shaft sleeve is disposed; The retaining ring has a retaining ring cover and a sleeve cover arranged sequentially on its upper part in the axial direction. The retaining ring cover is fixedly connected to the retaining ring in the axial direction by fasteners, and the sleeve cover is fixedly connected to the rudder shaft sleeve in the axial direction by fasteners. The retaining ring cover and the sleeve cover have a gap in the axial direction.

5. The improved cap rudder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The lower end of the rudder shaft sleeve is provided with an oil seal and an oil seal cover plate.

6. A ship, comprising a hull and a rudder, wherein the rudder is an improved rudder as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and the upper end of the rudder shaft is connected to a rudder motor via the rudder handle; Its features are: The connecting end of the transverse shaft is connected to the second bearing, the bearing seat of the second bearing is fixed on the hull, and a pair of transverse shafts are arranged symmetrically about the mid-longitudinal section. A second servo motor is used to drive the horizontal axis to rotate about its own axis.

7. The ship according to claim 6, characterized in that: One end of the servo motor is connected to the hull via a ball joint, and the other end of the servo motor is connected to the rudder handle via a ball joint.

8. The ship according to claim 6, characterized in that: A hinge plate is fixed to the outer wall of the rudder shaft sleeve. The hinge plate is located on the middle longitudinal section and at the upper end of the rudder shaft sleeve. One end of the second servo motor is hinged to the hull, and the other end of the second servo motor is hinged to the hinge plate.

9. The ship according to claim 8, characterized in that: There are two second servo motors, which are located on both sides of the servo shaft sleeve, and drive the improved servo cap to rotate around the axis of the horizontal axis in a push-pull manner.

10. The ship according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: The improved rudder has a cylindrical cofferdam at the point where it protrudes from the hull to prevent water from entering the cabin. The lower end of the cofferdam is fixed to the bottom plate of the hull, the upper end is open, and the rear end is provided with an outlet for leading water that has entered the cofferdam out of the hull.

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