Marine Drive Trim Adjustment for Inward Roll in Multi-Hull Turns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-hull marine vessels experience undesirable outward roll during turns, which is uncomfortable and difficult to handle, and mounting drives at canted angles to mitigate this is undesirable due to maintenance and wear issues.

Innovation Solution

A trim control system that adjusts the trim position of marine drives during turns to mimic the effect of mounting them at canted angles, where outer drives are trimmed down and inner drives are trimmed up, inducing an inward roll similar to mono-hull vessels, without requiring actual canted mounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If drives are mounted at canted angles to mitigate outward roll during turns, then turn handling and comfort are improved, but maintenance difficulty and wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveturn handlingVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the trim position of marine drives during turns to induce inward roll, replacing the static canted angle mounting with a dynamic control solution that achieves the same handling benefit without the maintenance penalties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the trim parameter of the marine drives during turns to induce inward roll, achieving the desired handling characteristics through parameter adjustment rather than fixed geometric mounting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If drives are mounted at canted angles to induce inward roll during turns, then vessel stability during turns is improved, but system wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevessel stability during turnsVSAvoidsystem wear

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses dynamic trim adjustment during turns to induce inward roll, achieving vessel stability without the mechanical wear associated with canted angle mounting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical solution of canted angle mounting with a control system that uses trim actuators to achieve the same stability effect, eliminating the mechanical wear problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If canted angle mounting is used to improve turn behavior, then roll control is improved, but ease of maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroll controlVSAvoidease of maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts trim positions during turns to control roll, providing the same operational benefit as canted mounting but with standard vertical mounting that is easier to maintain

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system copies the effect of canted angle mounting through trim control, achieving the desired roll behavior without the actual canted geometry that complicates maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11312460B2System and method for controlling trim position of marine drives on a multi-hull marine vessel

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 BRUNSWICK CORP

AI summary

A method of controlling a plurality of marine drives on a multi-hull marine vessel includes determining, based on steering information, that the multi-hull marine vessel is entering a turn and then receiving a running trim position for each marine drive. A trim position of at least a portion of the plurality of marine drives is then adjusted from each respective running trim position so as to induce roll of the multi-hull marine vessel during the turn.