# US 10,246,170 B2 · Electric fin stabilizer

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- Number: US 10,246,170 B2
- Document ID: US10246170B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/954,830
- Filed: 2018-04-17
- Published: 2018-08-23
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-29
- Assignees: Naiad Maritime Group, Inc.
- Applicants: John D. Venables; Christopher M. Pappas
- Inventors: John D. Venables; Christopher M. Pappas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246170B2

## CPC

- B63B 39/06: to decrease vessel movements by using foils acting on ambient water (constructional aspects of bilge keels B63B3/44 {; foils mounted on the housing of outboard motors B63H20/34})
- G05D 1/0875: {specially adapted to water vehicles}
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

A marine vessel stabilizer and control including a fin having a stem extending into the hull. An arm is connected to the stem and extends towards a connector which is connected to a rod. A housing is connected to another end of the rod and a screw passes through the housing. A motor is connected to the screw and configured to rotate to rotate the fin. A controller is connected to the motor, a speed sensor, a roll sensor and a fin position sensor such that a control signal can be calculated and the position of the fin can be determined to reduce roll of the vessel both when making headway and when at rest (zero speed). When the vessel is at rest, the fin is be configured to rotate through maximum angles greater than 15 degrees from either side of a neutral position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A marine vessel stabilizer comprising:
a fin having a stem extending therefrom, the stem configured to extend through a hull of the marine vessel, the stem having an end;
a fixed housing receiving said stem through a hole in said fixed housing,
the stem configured to rotate in said hole;
an arm connected to the end and extending away from the end at a distance to a connector such that the connector is spaced apart from a center of the stem to create a lever;
a linear actuator mechanism connected to said arm; and
a removable stop configured to engage said fixed housing and said arm such that when said removable stop is engaged, said fin is in a pre-determined position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein said pre-determined position is a neutral position of said fin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said neutral position places a lengthwise axis of the fin parallel to a lengthwise axis of the marine vessel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said removable stop is a pin that engages said fixed housing and said arm via a hole in said fixed housing and a hole in said arm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4 further comprising:
at least one screw in said housing and configured to rotate such that an end of said at least one screw moves the arm to align the hole of said fixed housing with the hole of said arm.