# US 9,434,460 B1 · Marine vessels and systems for laterally maneuvering marine vessels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,460 B1 - Document ID: US9434460B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/314,415 - Filed: 2014-06-25 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-08 - Assignees: Brunswick Corporation - Applicants: Brunswick Corporation - Inventors: William J. Samples; Robert S. Mirman; William R. Robertson; Kenneth G. Gable - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434460B1 ## CPC - B63H 25/42: Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements (by jets B63H25/46); Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers - 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 20/12: Means enabling steering - B63H 20/20: with provision for reverse drive - B63H 2020/003: {Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units} - B63H 2025/026: {using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring} - 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 Systems for maneuvering a marine vessel comprise an input device for requesting lateral movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal axis and a plurality of propulsion devices including at least a port propulsion device, a starboard propulsion device and an intermediate propulsion device disposed between the port and starboard propulsion devices. A control circuit controls orientation of the port and starboard propulsion devices inwardly towards a common point on the marine vessel, and upon a request for lateral movement of from the input device, operates one of the port and starboard propulsion devices in forward gear, operates the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices in reverse gear, and operates the intermediate propulsion device in reverse gear. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of maneuvering a marine vessel, the marine vessel comprising a longitudinal centerline and a plurality of propulsion devices comprising a port propulsion device, a starboard propulsion device and an intermediate propulsion device, each of the port propulsion device, starboard propulsion device and intermediate propulsion device comprising forward and rearward ends, wherein the intermediate propulsion device is disposed between the port and starboard propulsion devices, and wherein the intermediate propulsion device is rotatable about a steering axis, the method comprising: operating an input device to request a lateral movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal centerline; controlling an orientation of the forward ends of the port and starboard propulsion devices inwardly towards the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts along axes that intersect at a common point, maintaining an orientation of the forward end of the intermediate propulsion device parallel with the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts parallel to the longitudinal centerline; and operating one of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a forward gear, operating the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a reverse gear, and operating the intermediate propulsion device in a reverse gear to thereby achieve the lateral movement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling an orientation of the port and starboard propulsion devices so as to create propulsive thrusts that are transverse to the longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising operating the one of the port and starboard propulsion devices to apply a propulsive thrust that is greater than a maximum potential propulsive thrust of the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising orienting the port, starboard and intermediate propulsion devices so that substantially zero moment is applied to the marine vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the common point is a center of turn of the marine vessel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the lateral movement that is greater than a speed of movement of the marine vessel that can be achieved by a current orientation of the port, starboard, and intermediate propulsion devices, and further comprising controlling the orientation of the port and starboard propulsion devices so as to create propulsive thrusts along axes that are angled further aftwardly with respect to the center of turn. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a joystick. ### Claim 8 The method of maneuvering a marine vessel, the marine vessel comprising a longitudinal centerline and a plurality of propulsion devices comprising a port propulsion device, a starboard propulsion device and an intermediate propulsion device, each of the port propulsion device, starboard propulsion device and intermediate propulsion device comprising forward and rearward ends, wherein the intermediate propulsion device is disposed between the port and starboard propulsion devices, and wherein the intermediate propulsion device is rotatable about a steering axis, the method comprising: operating an input device to request a lateral movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal centerline; controlling an orientation of the forward ends of the port and starboard propulsion devices inwardly towards the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts along axes that intersect at a common point, maintaining an orientation of the forward end of the intermediate propulsion device parallel with the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts parallel to the longitudinal centerline; and operating one of the port and starboard propulsion devices to apply a forward thrust on the marine vessel, operating the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices to apply a reverse thrust on the marine vessel, and operating the intermediate propulsion device to apply a reverse thrust on the marine vessel to thereby achieve the lateral movement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising operating one of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a forward gear to apply the forward thrust, operating the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a reverse gear to provide the reverse thrust, and operating the intermediate propulsion device in a reverse gear to provide the reverse thrust. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising controlling an orientation of the port and starboard propulsion devices so that the forward thrust and reverse thrust of the port and starboard propulsion devices are transverse to the longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising operating the one of the port and starboard propulsion devices so that the forward thrust is greater than a maximum potential of the reverse thrust of the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising orienting the port, starboard and intermediate propulsion devices so that substantially zero moment is applied to the marine vessel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the common point is a center of turn of the vessel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the lateral movement that is greater than a speed of movement of the marine vessel that can be achieved by a current orientation of the port, starboard, and intermediate propulsion devices, and further comprising controlling the orientation of the port and starboard propulsion devices so that the forward and reverse thrusts of the port and starboard propulsion devices extend along axes that are angled further aftwardly with respect to the center of turn. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the input device comprises a joystick. ### Claim 16 A method of maneuvering a marine vessel, the marine vessel comprising a longitudinal centerline and a plurality of propulsion devices comprising a port propulsion device, a starboard propulsion device and an intermediate propulsion device, each of the port propulsion device, starboard propulsion device and intermediate propulsion device comprising forward and rearward ends, wherein the intermediate propulsion device is disposed on the longitudinal centerline between the port and starboard propulsion devices, and wherein the intermediate propulsion device is rotatable about a steering axis located on the longitudinal centerline, the method comprising: operating an input device to request a lateral movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal centerline; controlling an orientation of the forward ends of the port and starboard propulsion devices inwardly towards the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts along axes that intersect at a common point, and operating one of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a forward gear, operating the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices in a reverse gear, and operating the intermediate propulsion device in a reverse gear to thereby achieve the lateral movement. ### Claim 17 A method of maneuvering a marine vessel, the marine vessel comprising a longitudinal centerline and a plurality of propulsion devices comprising a port propulsion device, a starboard propulsion device and an intermediate propulsion device, each of the port propulsion device, starboard propulsion device and intermediate propulsion device comprising forward and rearward ends, wherein the intermediate propulsion device is disposed on the longitudinal centerline between the port and starboard propulsion devices, and wherein the intermediate propulsion device is rotatable about a steering axis located on the longitudinal centerline, the method comprising: operating an input device to request a lateral movement of the marine vessel with respect to the longitudinal centerline; controlling an orientation of the forward ends of the port and starboard propulsion devices inwardly towards the longitudinal centerline so as to create propulsive thrusts along axes that intersect at a common point, and operating one of the port and starboard propulsion devices to apply a forward thrust on the marine vessel, operating the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices to apply a reverse thrust on the marine vessel, and operating the intermediate propulsion device to apply a reverse thrust on the marine vessel to thereby achieve the lateral movement.