Trimmable pod drive
AssigneeDavis Engineering, LLC
InventorsEric A. Davis, Richard A. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a trimmable pod drive assembly that includes a pod drive unit having a transmission assembly secured to a steering unit, a gear case assembly coupled to and rotatable by the steering unit about a steering axis, and a propeller rotatable about a propeller driveshaft axis extending through the gear case assembly so as to generate thrust along a thrust vector. The trimmable pod drive assembly further includes a trim assembly secured to the pod drive unit in a manner allowing for rotation of the pod drive unit about a trim axis that is substantially perpendicular to the steering axis, wherein actuation of at least one component of the trim assembly causes movement of the pod drive unit and the thrust vector about the trim axis.
Claims17
A trimmable pod drive assembly comprising:
- a pod drive unit having a transmission assembly secured to a steering unit;
- a gear case assembly coupled to and rotatable by the steering unit about a steering axis;
- a propeller rotatable about a propeller driveshaft axis extending through the gear case assembly so as to generate thrust along a thrust vector;
- and
- a trim assembly secured to the pod drive unit in a manner allowing for rotation of the pod drive unit about a trim axis,
- wherein actuation of at least one component of the trim assembly causes movement of the pod drive unit and the thrust vector about the trim axis,
- wherein the trim assembly includes a mounting plate secured adjacent to a bottom of a vessel, and the pod drive unit is pivotably secured to the mounting plate to provide the trim axis for rotation of the pod drive unit, and
- wherein the pod drive unit is pivotably secured to an actuator that is positioned above the bottom within the vessel and that is actuatable to provide rotation of the pod drive unit about the trim axis.
A trimmable pod drive assembly configured for use as part of a marine vessel having a vessel bottom, the trimmable pod drive assembly comprising:
- a pod drive unit having a gear case assembly coupled to a steering unit, wherein the gear case assembly is positioned substantially below the vessel bottom and the steering unit is positioned substantially above the vessel bottom, and wherein the steering assembly includes a steering axis for rotation of the gear case assembly thereabout;
- a propeller secured to a propeller driveshaft, the propeller driveshaft extending from the gear case assembly along a propeller centerline and providing a thrust vector that extends along the propeller centerline, wherein the propeller centerline is substantially perpendicular to the steering axis;
- and
- one or more actuators at least indirectly coupling the pod drive unit to the vessel in a manner such that actuation of the one or more actuators causes a rotation of the thrust vector about a trim axis, wherein the one or more actuators are positioned above the bottom of the vessel within the vessel.
A method of trimming a pod drive unit of a marine vessel comprising:
- providing a pod drive unit that extends through a vessel bottom substantially along a steering axis;
- pivotably securing the pod drive unit at least indirectly to the vessel so that the pod drive unit is capable of being rotated about a trim axis substantially perpendicular to the steering axis;
- and
- actuating one or more actuators at least indirectly linking the vessel with the pod drive unit so as to cause a rotation of the pod drive unit about a trim axis to perform a trim adjustment, wherein the one or more actuators are positioned above the bottom of the vessel within the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.