Rotatable Marine Drive Unit for Safe Swim Mode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine propulsion control systems do not adequately address the safety concerns when operating in different modes, particularly in situations where persons or equipment are in the water around the vessel, as they do not ensure the propellers are safely positioned to avoid contact.
Innovation Solution
A marine propulsion control system with a drive unit that has an upper part pivotably connected to the vessel and a lower part with propellers that can be rotated to face forward in a position of at least 90 degrees compared to the rearward facing position, ensuring no thrust force or rotation of the propellers in swim mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the propellers are positioned to face rearward for normal propulsion, then propulsion efficiency is improved, but the risk of contact with persons or equipment in the water increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lower part of the drive unit is made rotatable relative to the upper part, allowing the propeller orientation to be dynamically changed between rearward-facing (normal propulsion) and forward-facing (swim mode) positions. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction by adapting the propeller orientation to different operational contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the orientation parameter of the propellers by rotating the lower part of the drive unit by at least 90 degrees to face forward in swim mode, while maintaining rearward-facing orientation for normal propulsion. This parameter change allows the system to switch between efficient propulsion and safe swim mode operation.
2Power
If the drive unit is operated in normal mode with propellers facing rearward, then propulsion performance is improved, but safety for persons in water deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Before allowing the propellers to rotate or before normal operation begins, the control unit ensures the lower part is in the correct orientation position. In swim mode, the system preliminarily positions the propellers to face forward and ensures they remain stationary, preventing harmful contact before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the operator's input and the drive unit operation. It receives input about the operational mode and automatically configures the drive unit accordingly, mediating between the desire for propulsion performance and the need for safety by selecting appropriate propeller orientations.
3Reliability
If the lower part is made rotatable to enable swim mode, then safety for swimmers is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable lower part mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables both normal propulsion mode (rearward-facing) and swim mode (forward-facing) operation from a single drive unit configuration. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by eliminating the need for separate drive units or complex safety barriers.
4Reliability
If the control unit automatically manages drive unit positioning, then operational safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit automatically detects the operational mode and self-manages the positioning and configuration of the drive unit without requiring manual intervention for complex adjustments. The system serves itself by autonomously configuring the propeller orientation based on the selected mode, simplifying the operator's task to merely selecting the mode rather than manually adjusting mechanical components.
Data Source
AI summary
A marine propulsion control system for a marine vessel has a drive unit to be connected with the marine vessel. The drive unit comprises an upper part pivotably connected with the marine vessel and a lower part having propellers. The lower part is rotatable in relation to the upper part. An input unit obtains an activation message indicative of an operation mode for the drive unit. A control unit is configured to control the drive unit on basis of the activation message obtained from an input unit. The control unit controls the drive unit within different predetermined operation modes, wherein one of the predetermined operation modes is a swim mode in which the control unit rotates the lower part of the drive unit so that the one or more propellers is/are facing forward in a position of minimum 90 degrees compared to a rearward facing position of the one or more propellers. The control unit ensures no thrust force and/or rotation of the one or more propellers in the swim mode.