Outboard Motor Power Sharing for Stable Rudder Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional watercraft with multiple outboard motors face an imbalance in steering load and electric power generation, leading to insufficient charging of main batteries and reduced output in the rudder deflecting system, necessitating larger and more costly generators.
Innovation Solution
The watercraft design includes multiple propulsion units with generators and rudder deflecting systems, allowing electric power to be shared between units, with each unit having a main battery and sub-battery, and multiple generators connected to main batteries and rudder systems, ensuring stable and reliable power supply without increasing generator size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the generator is arranged to supply the maximum electric power required by the outboard motor, then the rudder deflecting system can maintain sufficient output, but the size and cost of the generator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical power systems of multiple outboard motors by connecting their generators and batteries through a shared network. This allows power to be redistributed from motors with excess generation to those with higher consumption, eliminating the need for each generator to be sized for peak individual demand and thereby reducing overall generator size while maintaining reliable rudder operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical system is designed with multi-functionality where generators and batteries serve multiple purposes across different outboard motors. The same generator can supply power to multiple rudder deflecting systems, and batteries can be charged and discharged across the network, allowing a single generator to perform functions that would traditionally require multiple larger generators.
2Device complexity
If the generator supplies electric power only to the rudder deflecting system of the same outboard motor, then the system is simple, but the main battery becomes insufficiently charged when steering load exceeds generation capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple power supply paths by connecting generators and batteries across different outboard motors. This merged network allows power to flow from any generator to any load, and enables batteries to be charged from any generator, providing redundant charging paths that prevent battery depletion even when individual motor generation capacity is insufficient for peak steering demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared electrical network acts as an intermediary that mediates power distribution between generators and rudder deflecting systems. Instead of direct one-to-one connections, power can be routed through the network and batteries, allowing flexible redistribution that ensures batteries remain charged while meeting peak power demands of any individual motor.
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 configuration stabilizes electric power supply to rudder deflecting systems, prevents battery discharge, and ensures adequate charging, reducing the need for larger generators and maintaining efficient steering performance.
Implementation Method 1
the generator 2 generates electric power from the drive of the engine
Implementation Method 2
An electric motor of the rudder deflecting system 4 is driven with electric power from the generator 2
Data Source
AI summary
A watercraft includes a plurality of outboard motors. Each of the outboard motors has a generator and a rudder deflecting system driven by an electric motor. The outboard motors are turned by the rudder deflecting systems thereby steering the watercraft. Electric power can be supplied from the generators of others of the plurality of outboard motors to the rudder deflecting system of an arbitrary outboard motor among the plurality of the outboard motors. Using this arrangement it is possible to provide a watercraft in which electric power for operation is stably supplied to the rudder deflecting system without increasing the size of the generators.