Method and system for maneuvering aquatic vessels
First Claim
1. A method of maneuvering an aquatic vessel, said vessel including at least one hull and at least one engine, said at least one engine including at least one output rotationally couplable to a plurality of corresponding propeller units which are mounted so as to be angularly moveable in respect of said at least one hull, said aquatic vessel including a control unit for controlling operation of said at least one engine and angles of said propeller units with respect to said at least one hull, said aquatic vessel being configurable to operate in a first mode wherein directions of thrust developed by the plurality of propeller units are mutually substantially parallel for propelling the vessel through water, said method comprising the steps of:
- user-instructing the control unit to invoke a second mode of operation wherein said directions of thrust developed by said propeller units mutually diverge angularly with respect to a longitudinal axis from a rear end of the vessel to a forward end thereof for providing the vessel with a turning characteristic; and
controlling rotation of the vessel by controlling power coupled from the at least one engine delivered to said plurality of propeller units and controlling forward/reverse coupling of said propeller units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aquatic vessel (500) includes a hull (20) and two engines (30, 50), the engine (30, 50) outputs being rotationally couplable to corresponding propeller units (332, 352) which are mounted so as to be angularly moveable in respect of the hull (20). The vessel (500) includes a control unit (70) for controlling operation of the engines (30, 50) and angles (α1, α2) of the propeller units (332, 352) with respect to the hull (20). The vessel (500) is configurable to operate in a first mode wherein directions of thrust developed by the propeller units (332, 352) are mutually substantially parallel for propelling the vessel (500) through water, and a second “fishing” mode of operation wherein the directions of thrust developed by the propeller units (332, 352) are configured to mutually diverge with respect to a longitudinal axis from a rear end of the vessel (500) to a forward end thereof for providing the vessel (500) with a turning characteristic (160) in operation. The control unit (70) is configured to receive in operation user-instructions for commanding the control unit (70) to operate in the second mode for causing the propeller units (3320, 352) to be angularly orientated in a divergent manner in respect of the longitudinal direction. The control unit (70) controls rotation of the vessel (500) by controlling power coupled from the two engines (30, 50) and delivered to their propeller units (332, 352) and forward/reverse coupling of the propeller units (332, 352).
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of maneuvering an aquatic vessel, said vessel including at least one hull and at least one engine, said at least one engine including at least one output rotationally couplable to a plurality of corresponding propeller units which are mounted so as to be angularly moveable in respect of said at least one hull, said aquatic vessel including a control unit for controlling operation of said at least one engine and angles of said propeller units with respect to said at least one hull, said aquatic vessel being configurable to operate in a first mode wherein directions of thrust developed by the plurality of propeller units are mutually substantially parallel for propelling the vessel through water, said method comprising the steps of:
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user-instructing the control unit to invoke a second mode of operation wherein said directions of thrust developed by said propeller units mutually diverge angularly with respect to a longitudinal axis from a rear end of the vessel to a forward end thereof for providing the vessel with a turning characteristic; and controlling rotation of the vessel by controlling power coupled from the at least one engine delivered to said plurality of propeller units and controlling forward/reverse coupling of said propeller units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 26)
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13. An aquatic vessel, comprising:
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at least one hull; at least one engine; a plurality of propeller units mounted to be selectably angularly oriented with respect to said at least one hull, and coupled to an output of said at least one engine; a control unit for controlling operation of said at least one engine and controlling angular orientation of said plurality of propeller units, wherein said control unit has a first mode of operation wherein directions of thrust developed by the plurality of propeller units are mutually substantially parallel, and a second mode of operation wherein said directions of thrust developed by said propeller units may be mutually divergent in respect of a longitudinal axis from a rear end of the vessel to a forward end thereof for providing the vessel with a turning characteristic in operation; a user interface operationally connected to said control unit to deliver user-instructions for controlling power coupled from the at least one engine to said plurality of propeller units, controlling forward/reverse coupling of said propeller units, and for commanding the control unit to operate in one of said first mode and said second mode. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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27. A propulsion system for an aquatic vessel, said propulsion system comprising:
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a plurality of propeller units mounted to be selectably angularly oriented with respect to said at least one hull, and coupled to an output of said at least one engine; a control unit for controlling operation of at least one engine and controlling angular orientation of said plurality of propeller units, wherein said control unit has a first mode of operation wherein directions of thrust developed by the plurality of propeller units are mutually substantially parallel, and a second mode of operation wherein said directions of thrust developed by said propeller units may be mutually divergent in respect of a longitudinal axis from a rear end of the vessel to a forward end thereof for providing the vessel with a turning characteristic in operation; a user interface operationally connected to said control unit to deliver user-instructions for controlling power coupled from the at least one engine to said plurality of propeller units, controlling forward/reverse coupling of said propeller units, for commanding the control unit to operate in one of said first mode and said second mode, and for controlling an angle of orientation of the propeller units in the second mode.
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Specification