Boat Drive Auxiliary Motor Integration via Universal Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing boat drive systems, particularly pivoting boat drives or rudder propellers, require significant effort and modification to accommodate an additional drive motor for hybrid operation, and existing solutions are either costly or unsuitable for pivoting boat drives due to complex transmission designs and lack of angular deflection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A boat drive system with a transmission unit inside the hull and a steering unit outside, featuring a main input shaft and an additional output shaft with separate rotational axes, allowing for the integration of an auxiliary drive motor through an additional connection point, enabling efficient operation with both main and smaller drive engines, and allowing for easy installation and maintenance by pre-assembling drive devices outside the transmission unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the transmission unit is redesigned to accommodate an additional drive motor, then hybrid operation capability is achieved, but construction effort and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission unit is designed with a universal connection architecture that can accommodate either a single main drive motor or multiple drive motors (main drive plus auxiliary drive). The transmission housing includes standardized connection points and coupling mechanisms that remain functional regardless of whether one or two drive motors are installed, allowing the same transmission unit to serve multiple operational modes without requiring complex redesigns.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system is segmented into independent drive units (main drive and auxiliary drive) that can be selectively connected to the transmission unit. Each drive motor has its own independent connection path through separate coupling mechanisms, allowing the auxiliary drive to be added or removed without affecting the main drive's integration. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity by treating each drive as an independent module.
2Adaptability or versatility
If two input shafts are provided for dual drive motor operation, then alternative drive operation is enabled, but transmission construction becomes more sophisticated with higher cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission unit employs dynamic coupling mechanisms that allow the number of active input shafts to change based on operational requirements. The coupling between drive motors and the transmission can be selectively engaged or disengaged, enabling the system to operate with one or two drive motors without requiring permanent, fixed infrastructure for both. This dynamic adaptability reduces the need for permanent dual-input shaft configurations, thereby reducing weight.
3Ease of manufacture
If the transmission is designed for single drive motor operation, then installation is simpler, but significant modification is required to alter to two-engine operation
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission unit is preliminarily prepared with pre-positioned connection points, mounting interfaces, and coupling mechanisms that are ready to accommodate an auxiliary drive motor. These connection elements are installed during the initial manufacturing process, creating a foundation that enables future expansion to dual-drive operation without requiring significant structural modifications. The preliminary inclusion of these interfaces maintains installation simplicity while enabling future adaptability.
4Device complexity
If existing transmission unit is used without auxiliary drive connection, then construction effort is minimized, but hybridization is only possible with significant effort
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission unit incorporates intermediary coupling elements and adapter interfaces that mediate between the existing transmission architecture and the auxiliary drive motor. These intermediary components serve as bridge elements that connect the new auxiliary drive to the existing transmission without requiring fundamental redesigns of the core transmission unit. The intermediaries absorb the complexity of integration, allowing the main transmission to remain relatively simple while still enabling hybrid drive capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A pivotal boat drive having a transmission unit (1) which is driven by a drive engine via a connection point (A). The connection point has an input shaft (11) of a drive device (10) that is rotatably positioned around a first rotational axis (5) and an output shaft (3) that is coupled with the input shaft (11) and rotatable around a second rotational axis (6). The rotational axes (5, 6) are neither parallel nor concentrically positioned with respect to one another. At least one additional connection point (B, C) is provided at the transmission unit (1), at which an additional drive device (20), driven by an additional drive engine, can be positioned to drive the output shaft (3).