# US 10,518,855 B2 · Marine vessel hull having profiled propulsor pod mounting surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,518,855 B2 - Document ID: US10518855B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/896,559 - Filed: 2018-02-14 - Published: 2019-08-15 - Granted: 2019-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-14 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Benjamin Pulley; Endicott M. Fay - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10518855B2 ## CPC - B63B 1/18: of hydroplane type - B63H 5/08: of more than one propeller - B63B 1/08: Shape of aft part - B63B 1/32: Other means for varying the inherent hydrodynamic characteristics of hulls - B63H 5/125: movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction {, e.g. podded azimuthing thrusters}({outboard units or Z-drives B63H20/00; } movably mounted for steering purposes only, {rudders carrying propellers} B63H25/42) - B63H 5/16: characterised by being mounted in recesses; with stationary water-guiding elements; Means to prevent fouling of the propeller, e.g. guards, cages or screens - B63H 2005/1256: {with mechanical power transmission to propellers} - 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) - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) ## Abstract A vessel hull for an inboard-powered marine vessel includes a hull body having a hull bottom that includes a contoured pod mounting surface positioned longitudinally between a central keel and a stern of the hull body. The contoured pod mounting surface has a planar mounting face, for mounting a propulsor pod, and a transition face each positioned between peripheral edges of the pod mounting surface. The transition face slopes forwardly and downwardly from the planar mounting face to the central keel and follows a contour defining a sine wave pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine vessel comprising: a vessel hull including a hull body having a bow, a stern, an upper hull body side, and a lower hull body side having a hull bottom; the hull bottom including a first hull bottom side surface and a second hull bottom side surface, the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface adjoining one another in a V-pattern so as to form a central keel; the hull bottom further including a contoured pod mounting surface positioned longitudinally between the central keel and the stern and having a first peripheral edge and a second peripheral edge oriented so as to diverge from one another rearwardly from the central keel; the contoured pod mounting surface further including a planar mounting face extending forwardly from the stern, and a transition face sloping forwardly and downwardly from the planar mounting face to the central keel, such that the contoured pod mounting surface forms, within the transition face, has' a concave longitudinal profile that extends from the planar mounting face to the central keel; and a propulsor pod mounted upon the planar mounting face. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine vessel of claim 1 wherein the transition face has a curvilinear longitudinal profile. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The marine vessel of claim 1 wherein the transition face has a continuously varying curvature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The marine vessel of claim 3 wherein the continuously varying curvature has a sine wave pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The marine vessel of claim 1 wherein the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface form a deadrise at the stern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The marine vessel of claim 5 further comprising a second propulsor pod mounted upon a starboard side of the pod mounting surface and a third propulsor pod mounted upon a port side of the pod mounting surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The marine vessel of claim 5 further comprising a break-away mount supporting the propulsor pod. ### Claim 8 A vessel hull for an inboard-powered marine vessel comprising: a hull body including a bow having a forwardly positioned nose, a stern having a rearwardly positioned transom, an upper hull body side, and a lower hull body side having a hull bottom; the hull bottom including a first hull bottom side surface and a second hull bottom side surface, the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface adjoining one another in a V-pattern so as to form a central keel; the hull bottom further including a contoured pod mounting surface positioned longitudinally between the central keel and the stern and having a first peripheral edge and a second peripheral edge oriented so as to diverge from one another rearwardly from the central keel; and the contoured pod mounting surface further including a planar mounting face, for mounting a propulsor pod, extending forwardly from the stern, and a transition face sloping forwardly and downwardly from the planar mounting face to the central keel, such that the contoured pod mounting surface forms, within the transition face, a concave longitudinal profile, that extends from the planar mounting face to the central keel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vessel hull of claim 8 wherein the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface form a deadrise at the stern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vessel hull of claim 9 wherein the hull body includes a mono-hull. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vessel hull of claim 10 wherein the hull bottom further includes a second planar face for mounting a second propulsor pod on a starboard side of the pod mounting surface and a third planar face for mounting a third propulsor pod on a port side of the pod mounting surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vessel hull of claim 9 wherein the hull body is one of two or more hull bodies in a catamaran configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vessel hull of claim 8 wherein the transition face has a curvilinear longitudinal profile. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vessel hull of claim 13 wherein the transition face has a continuously varying curvature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vessel hull of claim 14 wherein the continuously varying curvature has a sine wave pattern. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vessel hull of claim 15 wherein the sine wave pattern has a zero-axis crossing point that is coincident with an intersection between the central keel and the pod mounting surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The vessel hull of claim 8 wherein the pod mounting surface has a paraboloid footprint. ### Claim 18 A vessel hull for an inboard-powered marine vessel comprising: a hull body including a bow having a forwardly positioned nose, a stern having a rearwardly positioned transom, an upper hull body side, and a lower hull body side having a hull bottom; the hull bottom including a first hull bottom side surface and a second hull bottom side surface, the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface adjoining one another in a V-pattern so as to form a central keel extending rearwardly from the bow, and a deadrise at the stern; the hull bottom further including a contoured pod mounting surface positioned longitudinally between the central keel and the stern, and latitudinally between the first hull bottom side surface and the second hull bottom side surface; the contoured pod mounting surface having a planar mounting face, for mounting a propulsor pod, and a transition face each positioned between a first peripheral edge and a second peripheral edge, the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge extending from the central keel to the transom and being oriented so as to diverge from one another rearwardly from the central keel; and the planar mounting face and the transition face each being positioned between the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge, and the transition face sloping forwardly and downwardly from the planar mounting face to the central keel and having, in profile, a concave upward curvature adjoining the central keel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vessel hull of claim 18 wherein the transition face has a curvilinear longitudinal profile. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The vessel hull of claim 18 wherein the hull bottom further includes a second planar face for mounting a second propulsor pod on a starboard side of the pod mounting surface and a third planar face for mounting a third propulsor pod on a port side of the pod mounting surface.