PROPULSION UNIT

摘要

A propulsion unit is disclosed, which can include a casing, a shaft, a propeller, an annular housing and a rim drive electric motor. The casing can be rotatably supported at a hull of a vessel. The shaft can be rotatably supported with bearings within a lower portion of the casing. A propeller can be attached to an outer end of the shaft protruding from the lower portion of the casing. The annular housing can surround an outer perimeter of the propeller and can form a duct for water flowing through the interior of the annular housing. The rim drive electric motor can include a rotor rim provided on an outer perimeter of the propeller and a stator provided within the annular housing. Oil lubricated roller bearings can be used on the shaft within the casing. The axial length of the propulsion unit can be short.

主权项

1. A propulsion unit comprising:
a casing including an upper portion and a lower portion, the casing is configured to be rotatably supported from the upper portion at a hull of a vessel; a shaft rotatably supported with radial and axial bearings within the casing, the shaft having an axial center line and an outer end protruding from a first end of the lower portion of the casing; a propeller attached to the outer end of the shaft outside the first end of the lower portion of the casing, and wherein the propeller is configured to rotate with the shaft; an annular housing fixedly supported at the casing, the axial center line of the shaft forming an axial center line of the annular housing, the annular housing surrounding an outer perimeter of the propeller and forming a duct for water to flow through an interior of the annular housing; and a rim drive electric motor including a rotor rim and a stator, the rotor rim being provided on the outer perimeter of the propeller for rotation with the propeller, and wherein the stator is provided within the annular housing and surrounding the rotor rim.