Gear Box Break-in Assembly for Stern Drive Service Time Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for breaking in water vessel stern drives require extensive resources and time, as they need to be driven at varying speeds during initial break-in periods, and if a replacement is needed, the vessel must be taken out of service for another break-in period.
Innovation Solution
A break-in assembly is used to break in a gear box before installation, where a drive apparatus drives the gear box and a loading apparatus applies load according to a predefined schedule, with a water tank providing cooling, allowing the gear box to be broken in independently of the vessel, thus minimizing resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water vessels are driven at varying speeds during initial break-in periods, then stern drive components operate smoothly and wear evenly during regular use, but extensive resources are consumed including water vessel service time, crew time, and vessel preparation resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by breaking in the gear box before it is installed on the water vessel. The break-in assembly performs the break-in operation in advance, so that when the gear box is later installed on the vessel, it is already broken in and ready for immediate service without requiring the vessel to be taken out of service for break-in operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the break-in process from the water vessel operation by using a separate break-in assembly. The gear box is broken in independently on the break-in assembly, separating the break-in function from the vessel's propulsion function, thereby eliminating the need to consume vessel service time for break-in operations.
2Reliability
If water vessels are driven at varying speeds during initial break-in periods, then stern drive components wear evenly, but crew time and vessel preparation resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The break-in operation is performed in advance on the break-in assembly before the gear box is installed on the vessel. This preliminary action ensures even component wear is achieved during the break-in period, but it occurs independently of vessel operations, thereby eliminating the consumption of crew time and vessel preparation resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The break-in assembly serves as an intermediary device that performs the break-in operation. Instead of using the water vessel and its crew to break in the gear box, the break-in assembly acts as a dedicated intermediary system that handles the break-in function, freeing up crew time and vessel resources for productive operations.
3Productivity
If a replacement stern drive is installed on a water vessel, then the vessel can continue operation, but the replacement stern drive requires another break-in period that removes the vessel from service
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement stern drive's gear box is broken in in advance on the break-in assembly before it is installed on the water vessel. This preliminary break-in action ensures that when the replacement gear box is installed, it is already broken in and can immediately operate without requiring the vessel to be removed from service for a break-in period, thereby maintaining vessel operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The break-in function is segmented from the vessel operation function. The gear box undergoes break-in on the break-in assembly as a separate, independent process before installation. This segmentation allows the vessel to remain in service while the gear box is broken in, and eliminates the need for post-installation break-in that would remove the vessel from service.
4Loss of time
If gear boxes are broken in on break-in assembly before installation, then water vessel service time and crew time are minimized, but additional equipment (break-in assembly) is required
Solution Approach 1:
The break-in function is extracted from the water vessel system and placed into a separate break-in assembly. This extraction eliminates the need to use the complex water vessel system for break-in operations, thereby minimizing loss of water vessel service time. The break-in assembly, while adding equipment, is a dedicated simple system designed solely for break-in operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear box serves itself by being broken in on the break-in assembly before installation on the vessel. This self-service approach to break-in eliminates the need for the water vessel and its crew to be involved in the break-in process, thereby minimizing loss of water vessel service time and crew time, even though it requires the break-in assembly equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the need for vessel service time, crew time, and resource usage, allowing for efficient pre-installation break-in of gear boxes and eliminating the need for subsequent break-in periods when replacing stern drives.
Implementation Method 1
a water tank within which at least a portion of the gear box operates in order to receive regular water cooling from water within the water tank
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are directed to utilizing a break-in assembly to break-in a gear box. The break-in assembly includes a gear box support to support the gear box. The break-in assembly further includes a drive apparatus coupled with the gear box support, the drive apparatus being constructed and arranged to drive the gear box while the gear box is supported by the gear box support. The break-in assembly further includes a loading apparatus disposed in a fixed position relative to the gear box support, the loading apparatus being constructed and arranged to apply loading to the gear box while the drive apparatus drives the gear box. Accordingly, the gear box may be installed on the break-in assembly, broken in during a gear box break-in period while the gear box is installed on the break-in assembly, removed from the break-in assembly, and installed on a water vessel.