JP6872060B2 - Underwater propulsion device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an underwater propulsion device, and more particularly to an underwater propulsion device for a water vehicle having a floating portion on the water on which a user is boarded.

Water vehicles such as surfboards and windsurfboards for sports and entertainment are propelled by utilizing the natural forces such as waves and wind, and are operated by the weight shift of the user. In such a water vehicle, a configuration provided with a propulsion device for improving mobility is also known.

For example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a floating portion on the water on which the user is boarded, a hydrofoil arranged below the floating portion on the water, a support column for connecting the hydrofoil to the floating portion on the water, a propeller, and the like. , A hydrofoil including a motor for rotating a propeller, a controller for controlling the rotation speed of the motor, a battery for supplying electric power to the motor, and the like are disclosed. In the water vehicle of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the propeller and the motor are attached to the hydrofoil, and the controller and the battery are arranged in the floating portion on the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,359,044 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/01854530

Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 do not disclose a detailed configuration of a propulsion device including a propeller. The outer diameter of the propeller disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 is larger than the diameter of the case in which the motor is housed. Therefore, a high load may be applied to the motor.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an underwater propulsion device capable of improving the cooling efficiency of a motor and a motor drive circuit with a simple configuration.

This disclosure is
In an underwater propulsion device driven underwater
The main body of the underwater propulsion device includes a first chamber in which a motor is housed and
It has a second room where the propeller is housed,
The first chamber includes a cooling water channel for cooling the motor.
The cooling water channel has an intake port and a discharge port.
The second chamber has a water inlet and a jet outlet.
The outlet is communicated with the headrace and
Sectional area of the flow path of the second chamber, the decreases gradually toward the water conduit inlet to the propeller, then became constant at the location of the propeller, and characterized that you further reduction in the vicinity of the jet port To do.

Further, a motor drive circuit is housed in the first chamber.
The cooling water channel is characterized by cooling the motor drive circuit.

Further, the water inlet is covered with a filter that prevents foreign matter from entering the second chamber.

Further, the first room is characterized by having a waterproof structure.

According to the present invention, in an underwater propulsion device driven underwater, the main body of the underwater propulsion device has a first chamber in which a motor is housed and a second chamber in which a propeller is housed . The chamber is provided with a cooling water channel for cooling the motor, the cooling water channel has a suction port and a discharge port, the second chamber has a water guide port and a jet port, and the discharge port is a water guide port. communicated, cross-sectional area of the second chamber of the flow path, toward the water conduit inlet to the propeller decreases gradually, after becoming constant at the position of the propeller, so characterized that you further reduction in the vicinity of the jet port The motor can be cooled with a simple configuration.

Further, since the motor drive circuit is housed in the first chamber and the cooling water channel is characterized by cooling the motor drive circuit, the motor drive circuit and the motor can be cooled with a simple configuration.

Further, since the water inlet is covered with a filter that prevents foreign matter from entering the second chamber, damage due to suction of foreign matter is prevented, and the durability of the underwater propulsion device is improved.

Further, since the first chamber is characterized by having a waterproof structure, the waterproofness of the first chamber can be ensured with a simple configuration, and the productivity of the underwater propulsion device is improved.

It is a side view which showed the surface vehicle which comprises the underwater propulsion device as an example of embodiment of this disclosure. It is a perspective view of the underwater propulsion device. It is a side view of the underwater propulsion device. It is a bottom view of the underwater propulsion device. It is a rear view of the underwater propulsion device. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the stern side of FIG. It is the perspective view which showed the main body part of the underwater propulsion device disassembled. It is a perspective view which showed the state which the bow hydrofoil and the stern hydrofoil are attached to the main body part. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. It is a perspective view which showed an example of the inner case of the underwater propulsion device. It is a perspective view which showed an example of the cooling water channel of an underwater propulsion device. It is a side view which showed an example of the progress state of a water vehicle. It is a side view which showed an example of the stopped state of a water vehicle. It is a block diagram of a main part of a control system of a water vehicle.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the surface vehicle 1 including the underwater propulsion device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a surface vehicle 1 including an underwater propulsion device 20 as an example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the left side in FIG. 1, which is the propulsion direction of the underwater propulsion device 20 (the traveling direction of the surface vehicle 1), is the bow direction, and the right side is the stern direction. Further, the front side in FIG. 1, which is orthogonal to and horizontal to the propulsion direction, is the left direction, and the back side is the right direction. Further, the upper side in FIG. 1, which is orthogonal to the propulsion direction and is vertical, is the upward direction, and the lower side is the downward direction. Further, in FIG. 1, the water vehicle 1 is in an advanced state, and the description on the bow side of the water floating portion 2 described later is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water vehicle 1 includes a water floating portion 2, an underwater propulsion device 20, a bow hydrofoil 43, a stern hydrofoil 44, and a water surface sensor 4. The underwater propulsion device 20 is connected to the floating portion 2 on the water via the support column 3. The water level sensor 4 is attached to the support column 3. Although omitted in FIG. 1, the water vehicle 1 may further include a battery, an operating tool for operating the underwater propulsion device 20, a control unit for controlling the underwater propulsion device 20, and the like.

The water vehicle 1 is used in water. The user gets on the upper surface of the floating portion 2 on the water. The underwater propulsion device 20 is below the floating portion 2 on the water and is arranged in water. The surface vehicle 1 advances toward the bow by the propulsive force of the underwater propulsion device 20.

The floating portion 2 on the water is a plate-shaped member extending in the traveling direction. As the material of the floating portion 2 on water, a material that generates buoyancy with respect to water, for example, a foamed resin produced by adding a foaming agent to a synthetic resin such as polyurethane or polystyrene can be used, but is particularly limited. It's not a thing. A battery, a control unit, and the like are waterproofed and built into the floating portion 2 on the water, and an operating tool is attached to the floating portion 2. The waterproofing method is not particularly limited. For example, a battery, a control unit, or the like may be housed in a storage room having a waterproof structure using a gasket or the like.

The battery is a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies DC power. The voltage of the DC power supplied from the battery is, for example, about 30V to 60V. As the battery, a lead storage battery, a lithium ion battery, or the like can be used.

As the operating tool, a configuration in which a pressure-type switch having a waterproof structure is attached to a grip gripped by the user can be exemplified. The floating portion 2 on the water is configured to have a buoyancy that does not sink in water when the user gets on board. As the floating portion 2 on the water, for example, an existing surfboard, body board, paddle board, wind surfboard or the like can be diverted.

The support column 3 is a tubular member extending in the vertical direction. The columns 3 are formed in a streamlined manner, for example, having a narrow width in the left-right direction and a horizontal cross-sectional shape extending in the traveling direction. As the material of the support column 3, a material having light weight and high strength, for example, an aluminum alloy such as duralumin can be used, but the material is not particularly limited. The upper end of the support column 3 is fixed to the lower surface of the floating portion 2 on the water. An underwater propulsion device 20 is attached to the lower end of the support column 3.

The water level sensor 4 includes a bar 5 and a contact plate 6. The bar 5 extends in the direction of travel. The front end of the bar 5 is rotatably attached to the vicinity of the upper end of the support column 3 in the vertical direction. A contact plate 6 is attached to the rear end of the bar 5.

The water surface sensor 4 rotates downward due to its own weight when the water vehicle 1 advances in a state where the water floating portion 2 is levitated above the water surface 7. As a result, the contact plate 6 comes into contact with the water surface 7. The water surface sensor 4 is configured to be able to detect the distance between the floating portion 2 on the water and the water surface 7 by the amount of rotation with respect to the support column 3. Examples of the material of the bar 5 and the contact plate 6 include stainless steel, but the material is not particularly limited.

Next, the configuration of the underwater propulsion device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the underwater propulsion device 20, FIG. 3 is a side view of the underwater propulsion device 20, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the underwater propulsion device 20, and FIG. 5 is a rear view of the underwater propulsion device 20. Yes, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the stern side of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the underwater propulsion device 20 viewed from diagonally above the bow side. The VI-VI line in FIG. 3 is a straight line extending horizontally through the center of the underwater propulsion device 20, and FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the underwater propulsion device 20. Further, in FIG. 5, the description of the bow hydrofoil 43, the stern hydrofoil 44, and the like is omitted. Further, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the description of the bow hydrofoil 43, the stern hydrofoil 44, the inverter 25 described later, the control unit 26, the piping as the cooling water channel, and the like is omitted. Further, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the motor 22 and the power transmission shaft 24, which will be described later, are shown in a plan view rather than a cross section.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the underwater propulsion device 20 includes a main body 21, a motor 22, a propeller 23, a power transmission shaft 24, an inverter 25, and a control unit 26. The main body 21 extends in the propulsion direction. The main body 21 is hollow. The power transmission shaft 24 connects the motor 22 and the propeller 23. In this embodiment, the inverter 25 corresponds to a motor drive circuit.

As shown in FIG. 6, the inside of the main body 21 is divided into a first chamber 27 on the bow side and a second chamber 28 on the stern side. The first room 27 has a waterproof structure. The motor 22, the inverter 25, the control unit 26, and the like are housed in the first chamber 27. The propeller 23 is housed in the second room 28. The second chamber 28 has a water inlet 29 and a jet port 30. The headrace 29 is formed in the second chamber 28 on the bow side of the propeller 23. The jet port 30 is formed at the stern-side end of the second chamber 28. The underwater propulsion device 20 rotates the propeller 23 by the motor 22, sucks water from the water guide port 29 into the second chamber 28, and ejects water from the jet port 30 to generate a propulsive force traveling in the bow direction. Is configured to be able to.

As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the main body 21 includes a bow 31, a fuselage 32, a lid 33, and a stern 34. Here, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the main body portion 21, and is an exploded perspective view of the main body portion 21 viewed from diagonally above on the stern side. In FIG. 8, the main body 21 is shown with the bow 31, the fuselage 32, the lid 33, and the stern 34 separated. Further, in FIG. 8, the lower end portion of the support column 3 is also shown separately. Further, in FIG. 8, the description of the members housed in the main body 21, for example, the motor 22, the propeller 23, the power transmission shaft 24, and the like is omitted.

The bow portion 31 is formed in a hollow shape with an open end on the stern side. The bow portion 31 is formed, for example, in the shape of a cannonball that tapers toward the bow side. The stern-side end of the bow 31 is fitted to the bow-side end of the fuselage 32 via a seal member 35.

The body portion 32 has a cylindrical shape. The body portion 32 has substantially the same diameter and extends in the traveling direction of the underwater propulsion device 20.

The lid portion 33 has a fitting portion 36 and a protruding portion 37. The fitting portion 36 has a columnar shape. The protruding portion 37 is formed in a substantially truncated cone shape. The protruding portion 37 has a reduced diameter from the fitting portion 36 toward the stern side. The bow side of the fitting portion 36 is fitted to the stern side end of the fuselage 32 via the seal member 38.

The stern portion 34 has a substantially cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the bow-side end of the stern 34 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the fuselage 32. The outer diameter of the stern portion 34 on the stern side gradually decreases toward the stern side. The bow-side end of the stern portion 34 is fitted to the stern side of the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33. At this time, the protruding portion 37 of the lid portion 33 is inserted into the inside of the stern portion 34.

The inside of the main body 21 is divided into a first chamber 27 on the bow side and a second chamber 28 on the stern side by a lid portion 33. The first chamber 27 is composed of a bow portion 31, a columnar body portion 32, and a lid portion 33. The bow portion 31 is fitted to the columnar fuselage portion 32 via the seal member 35. The lid portion 33 is fitted to the body portion 32 via the seal member 38. As a result, the first chamber 27 has a waterproof structure. The sealing members 35 and 38 are not limited to O-rings, and may be rubber sheets or the like.

The second chamber 28 is composed of a stern portion 34. The stern portion 34 has water guide ports 29 having a rectangular shape in a side view on the left and right sides of the end portion on the bow side. The headrace 29 is covered by a filter 39. The filter 39 has a plurality of slits extending in the propulsion direction. The filter 39 is curved in an arc shape, for example, along the outer shape of the stern portion 34. The outer diameter of the stern portion 34 gradually decreases from the portion on the stern side of the headrace 29 toward the stern. The stern portion 34 has a jet port 30 at the end on the stern side. The jet port 30 has a circular shape when viewed from the rear.

Examples of materials for the bow portion 31, the body portion 32, and the stern portion 34 include stainless steel, but are not particularly limited. Further, as the material of the lid portion 33, aluminum and the like can be exemplified, but the material is not particularly limited.

The bow portion 31 and the lid portion 33 are fixed to the fuselage portion 32 by a fastening force acting in the tubular axial direction of the fuselage portion 32. The stern portion 34 is fixed to the lid portion 33 by a fastening force acting in the tubular axis direction of the body portion 32. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the bow 31 and the lid 33 are fixed to the fuselage 32 by the three screws 40, and the stern 34 is fixed to the lid 33 by the four screws 41. The stern.

Each of the screws 40 extends in the axial direction of the body portion 32. The screw 40 penetrates the bow portion 31 and extends to the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33. A male screw is formed on the stern side of the screw 40. The screw of the screw 40 is screwed into a female screw (not shown) formed in the fitting portion 36. By tightening the screw 40, the bow 31 is pressed against the fuselage 32, and the lid 33 is attracted to the fuselage 32. The screw 40 is arranged in the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 32. The screws 40 are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the body portion 32. Preferably, the portion of the bow portion 31 through which the screw 40 penetrates is waterproofed to prevent water from entering the first chamber 27. The waterproofing method is not particularly limited, and may be waterproofing by, for example, an O-ring.

Each of the screws 41 extends in the axial direction of the body portion 32. The screw 41 penetrates the stern portion 34 and extends to the protruding portion 37 of the lid portion 33. A male screw is formed on the bow side portion of the screw 41. The screw of the screw 41 is screwed into the female screw 42 formed on the protrusion 37. By tightening the screw 41, the stern portion 34 is pressed against the lid portion 33. The two screws 41 penetrate the upper part of the stern 34, and the other two screws 41 penetrate the lower part of the stern 34 (see FIG. 5). The screw 41 is arranged so as not to cross the water guide port 29 in a side view. Therefore, the screw 41 does not easily affect the flow of water flowing from the water guide port 29 to the propeller 23.

The bow 31 and the lid 33 are fixed to the fuselage 32, and the stern 34 is fixed to the lid 33 by the fastening force of the screw 40 and the screw 41 acting in the tubular axis direction of the fuselage 32. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a through hole or the like for screw-fastening the bow portion 31, the lid portion 33, and the stern portion 34 on the fuselage portion 32, and the waterproofness of the first chamber 27 can be ensured with a simple configuration. , The productivity of the underwater propulsion device 20 is improved.

The arrangement and number of the screws 40 and 41 are not limited to the above configuration, and can be appropriately designed. Further, the fixing of the bow portion 31 and the lid portion 33 to the body portion 32 and the fixing of the stern portion 34 to the lid portion 33 are not limited to those by the above-mentioned screws 40 and screws 41.

For example, the male thread structure formed on the outer peripheral surface of the stern side end of the bow portion 31 and the female thread structure formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bow side end of the fuselage 32 are screwed together. The bow portion 31 may be fixed to the body portion 32. Similarly, a male thread structure formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bow side end of the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33 and a female thread structure formed on the inner peripheral surface of the stern side end of the body portion 32. The lid portion 33 may be fixed to the body portion 32 by screwing the lid portion 33. Further, a female thread structure formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bow-side end of the stern portion 34 and a male-thread structure formed on the outer peripheral surface of the stern-side end of the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33. The stern portion 34 may be fixed to the lid portion 33 by being screwed.

Even with such a configuration, the bow 31 and the lid 33 are fixed to the fuselage 32 and the stern 34 is fixed to the lid 33 by the fastening force acting in the tubular axis direction of the fuselage 32, as described above. A similar effect can be obtained. Further, it is not necessary to provide a through hole through which the screw 40 is penetrated in the bow portion 31, and the airtightness of the first chamber 27 is improved.

As shown in FIG. 9, the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 are attached to the main body 21. More specifically, the bow hydrofoil 43 is detachably attached to the bow portion 31. A stern hydrofoil 44 is detachably attached to the stern portion 34. That is, the bow portion 31 has a configuration capable of having the bow hydrofoil 43. The stern portion 34 has a configuration capable of having a stern hydrofoil 44. Here, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 are attached to the main body 21. In FIG. 9, the main body 21 is attached to the support column 3.

The bow hydrofoil 43 has a symmetrical shape. The bow hydrofoil 43 has a dome 45, a right wing 46, and a left wing 47. The dome 45 has a shape that bulges toward the bow. The right wing 46 extends from the right side of the dome 45 to the right. The left wing 47 extends from the left side of the dome 45 to the left.

The dome 45 has a shape corresponding to the bow portion 31. A rib 48 projecting inward is formed on the inner surface of the dome 45. The rib 48 extends horizontally from the right side of the dome 45 through the bow side end to the left side. Further, a through hole (not shown) for inserting the screw 49 is formed at the bow end of the dome 45. The bow side of the end of the right wing 46 on the dome 45 side is joined to the dome 45. Similarly, the bow side of the end of the left wing 47 on the dome 45 side is joined to the dome 45.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, a female screw 50 screwed with the screw 49 is formed at the end of the bow portion 31 on the bow side. A groove 51 that is recessed inward is formed on the outer surface of the bow portion 31. The groove 51 corresponds to the rib 48 of the dome 45. The groove 51 extends horizontally from the right side of the bow portion 31 to the left side through the end on the bow side.

Returning to FIG. 9, the dome 45 is put on the bow portion 31 so as to cover the bow portion 31 from the bow side. At this time, the rib 48 is fitted into the groove 51, and the bow hydrofoil 43 is positioned in the circumferential direction. By screwing the screw 49 into the female screw 50 (FIG. 6) of the bow portion 31, the bow hydrofoil 43 is fixed to the bow portion 31.

The bow hydrofoil 43 is configured to generate upward lift as the surface vehicle 1 advances. The shapes and sizes of the right wing 46 and the left wing 47 of the bow hydrofoil 43 are appropriately designed according to the weight of the water vehicle 1, the positions of the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 with respect to the center of gravity of the water vehicle 1, and the like. As the material of the bow hydrofoil 43, a material having light weight and high strength, for example, a fiber reinforced plastic such as a carbon fiber reinforced plastic can be used, but is not particularly limited.

The stern hydrofoil 44 has a symmetrical shape. The stern hydrofoil 44 has a ring 52, a flat plate 53, a right wing 54, a left wing 55, and a mounting portion 56.

The ring 52 has a cylindrical shape extending in the tubular axis direction of the body portion 32. The flat plate 53 divides the inside of the ring 52 into upper and lower parts. The flat plate 53 extends horizontally through the tubular axis of the ring 52. The flat plate 53 is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the ring 52. The flat plate 53 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The bow-side end of the flat plate 53 is located at the bow-side end of the ring 52, and the stern-side end is located at the stern-side of the stern-side end of the ring 52. That is, the flat plate 53 protrudes from the ring 52 toward the stern side.

The right wing 54 extends to the right from the ring 52. The left wing 55 extends to the left from the ring 52. The end of the right wing 54 on the ring 52 side is joined to the ring 52 and the flat plate 53. Similarly, the end of the left wing 55 on the ring 52 side is joined to the ring 52 and the flat plate 53.

The mounting portion 56 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape extending in the tubular axis direction of the body portion 32 in a side view. At the bow-side end of the mounting portion 56, a through hole (not shown) for inserting the screw 57 is formed. The attachment portion 56 is connected to the right wing 54 and the left wing 55, respectively. The stern-side end of the right mounting portion 56 is swingably connected to the right wing 54 in the vertical direction. The stern-side end of the left mounting portion 56 is swingably connected to the left wing 55 in the vertical direction.

When attaching the stern hydrofoil 44 to the stern 34, the ring 52 is arranged concentrically with the barrel of the fuselage 32. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, female screws 58 screwed with the screws 57 are formed on the left and right sides of the stern portion 34 on the stern side. The stern hydrofoil 44 is attached to the stern 34 by attaching the ends of the left and right attachment portions 56 on the bow side to the stern 34 with screws 57, respectively.

The stern hydrofoil 44 is configured to suppress tilting of the water vehicle 1 in the bow direction and the stern direction during travel, and to stabilize the progress of the water vehicle 1. The shapes and sizes of the right wing 54 and the left wing 55 can be appropriately designed according to the weight of the water vehicle 1, the positions of the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 with respect to the center of gravity of the water vehicle 1, and the like. As the material of the stern hydrofoil 44, a material having light weight and high strength, for example, a fiber reinforced plastic such as a carbon fiber reinforced plastic can be used, but is not particularly limited. Further, each member constituting the stern hydrofoil 44 may be formed of different materials. For example, the ring 52 and the flat plate 53 are made of stainless steel, and the right wing 54, the left wing 55, and the mounting portion 56 are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. It may be formed.

As described above, since the bow hydrofoil 43 is fixed to the bow portion 31 by fastening with screws 49, it is easy to attach and detach. Since the stern hydrofoil 44 is attached to the stern portion 34 by fastening with screws 57, it is easy to attach and detach. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 can be easily removed from the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44, and the portability of the surface vehicle 1 is improved.

The bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 are directly attached to the main body 21. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide mounting members for the bow hydrofoil 43 and the stern hydrofoil 44 in the main body 21.

As shown in FIG. 9, the main body portion 21 has a pedestal portion 59 formed on the upper portion of the body portion 32 screwed to the flange 8 at the lower end of the support column 3. The pedestal portion 59 has a rectangular shape extending in the tubular axis direction of the body portion 32 in a plan view. The pedestal portion 59 is fixed to the upper portion of the body portion 32 by welding or the like. As the material of the pedestal portion 59, stainless steel or the like can be used, but the material is not particularly limited.

Returning to FIG. 8, the upper surface 60 of the pedestal portion 59 is a horizontal flat surface. The pedestal portion 59 has a recess 61 recessed downward on the upper surface 60. The recess 61 is located at the center of the pedestal portion 59 in the left-right direction. The recess 61 extends from substantially the center of the pedestal portion 59 in the propulsion direction to the end on the stern side. In the pedestal portion 59, a through hole 62 is formed on the bow side of the recess 61. The through hole 62 penetrates the body portion 32 and the pedestal portion 59 and communicates with the first chamber 27. A signal line, a power line, or the like that electrically connects the device accommodated in the first chamber 27 and the device arranged in the floating portion 2 on the water are passed through the through hole 62. These signal lines and power lines pass from the device accommodated in the first chamber 27 through the inside of the support column 3 through the through hole 62, and are connected to the device arranged in the floating portion 2 on the water.

The flange 8 has a rectangular shape extending in the propulsion direction in a plan view. The flange 8 has a shape corresponding to the pedestal portion 59. The lower surface of the flange 8 is overlapped with the upper surface 60 of the pedestal portion 59, and the four corners are screwed together to be fixed to the pedestal portion 59. The pedestal portion 59 may be fixed to the flange 8 using an adhesive.

A recess 9 recessed upward is formed on the stern side of the lower surface of the flange 8. The recess 9 corresponds to the recess 61 of the pedestal portion 59. Then, when the pedestal portion 59 is fixed to the flange 8, the recess 9 of the flange 8 and the recess 61 of the pedestal portion 59 form a passage 63 for communicating the inside and the outside of the support column 3 (see FIG. 5). ..

It is preferable that the through hole 62 is waterproofed to prevent water from entering the first chamber 27 through the through hole 62. The waterproofing method is not particularly limited, and waterproofing by close fitting of rubber tubes can be exemplified. Although the description by illustration is omitted, a cylindrical fixing pipe extending into the support column 3 corresponding to the through hole 62 is fixed to the pedestal portion 59 by welding or the like. The fixed tube is a rigid tube, for example made of aluminum. The outer diameter of the fixed tube is larger than the inner diameter of the rubber tube. The rubber tube extends through the inside of the support column 3 to the floating portion 2 on the water. Press-fit the fixed tube into the lower end of the rubber tube. Then, a signal line and a power line passing through the through hole 62 are passed through the rubber tube. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent water from entering the first chamber 27. A tightening band may be attached to the fitting portion between the rubber tube and the fixed tube.

Returning to FIG. 7, the internal configuration of the main body 21 will be described in detail. The motor 22 housed in the first chamber 27 of the main body 21 is an AC motor and is an outer rotor type. The motor 22 may be a DC motor or an inner rotor type, and is not particularly limited. The motor 22 is arranged in the vicinity of the lid 33 of the first chamber 27.

The output shaft 64 of the motor 22 is arranged on the cylinder shaft of the body portion 32 and extends toward the lid portion 33. The bow-side end of the power transmission shaft 24 is connected to the output shaft 64 of the motor 22 via a coupling 65. The power transmission shaft 24 is arranged on the cylinder shaft of the body portion 32. The power transmission shaft 24 penetrates the lid 33 and extends to the vicinity of the stern-side end of the second chamber 28. The power transmission shaft 24 is rotatably supported by the lid 33 by the bearing 66. A packing 67 is arranged on the stern side of the bearing 66. The packing 67 prevents water from entering the first chamber 27.

The propeller 23 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 68 and three wings 69 extending radially outward from the tubular portion 68 (see FIG. 5). The propeller 23 is arranged in the second chamber 28 on the stern side of the headrace 29. The propeller 23 is fixed to the power transmission shaft 24 after the power transmission shaft 24 is inserted into the tubular portion 68. The propeller 23 is configured to suck water into the second chamber 28 from the water guide port 29 and eject water from the jet port 30 by rotating. The method of fixing the propeller 23 to the power transmission shaft 24 is not particularly limited. The propeller 23 is fixed to the power transmission shaft 24 by, for example, screw fastening, keyway, spline, press fitting, or the like.

The outer diameter of the tubular portion 68 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the stern-side end of the protruding portion 37 of the lid portion 33. Further, a cylindrical spacer 70 inserted through the power transmission shaft 24 is arranged between the protruding portion 37 and the tubular portion 68. The outer diameter of the spacer 70 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the tubular portion 68. The outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 37, the outer peripheral surface of the spacer 70, and the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 68 are smoothly connected. As a result, it is possible to prevent the flow of water flowing from the headrace 29 to the propeller 23 from being disturbed.

The inner diameter of the stern portion 34 gradually decreases from the stern-side end of the headrace 29 toward the stern, and becomes substantially the same as the outer diameter of the propeller 23 at the portion where the propeller 23 is located. The inner diameter of the stern portion 34 gradually decreases toward the stern at the end of the stern portion 34 on the stern side. That is, the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the water flowing from the water inlet 29 to the jet port 30 gradually decreases from the water head port 29 toward the propeller 23, becomes constant at the position of the propeller 23, and then near the jet port 30. It is configured to be further reduced. Therefore, the flow velocity of the water flowing from the water guide port 29 to the jet port 30 due to the rotation of the propeller 23 increases as the cross-sectional area of the flow path decreases, and becomes the fastest in the vicinity of the jet port 30.

The outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 37 of the lid portion 33 is curved so as to be recessed inward. As a result, it is possible to prevent the flow of water flowing from the headrace 29 to the propeller 23 from being disturbed. However, the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 37 is not limited to such a shape. For example, the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 37 may be curved so as to bulge outward.

The stern-side end of the power transmission shaft 24 is rotatably supported by the support 71. The support portion 71 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 72 and three straightening vanes 73 (see FIG. 5). The straightening vane 73 extends radially outward from the tubular portion 72 and is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the stern portion 34. The straightening vane 73 is twisted in the opposite direction to the blade 69 of the propeller 23.

The stern-side end of the power transmission shaft 24 is inserted into the tubular portion 72 and rotatably supported by the support portion 71 by a bearing (not shown). That is, the power transmission shaft 24 is rotatably supported together with the end on the bow side and the end on the stern side, so that rotational runout is reduced. Further, the water ejected from the jet port 30 due to the rotation of the propeller 23 is in a state in which the rotation around the power transmission shaft 24 is canceled by the straightening vane 73. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 can generate an effective propulsive force.

The power transmission shaft 24 may extend in the propulsion direction to connect the motor 22 and the propeller 23, and is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the power transmission shaft 24 may have a configuration in which the end portion on the stern side is not supported by the support portion 71 but is rotatably supported by the lid portion 33 in a cantilever shape. Further, the number and shape of the blades 69 and the straightening vane 73 of the propeller 23 are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately designed.

The outer diameter of the propeller 23 is smaller than the maximum diameter of the first chamber 27. That is, the outer diameter of the propeller 23 is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the body portion 32. Preferably, the outer diameter of the propeller 23 is smaller than the inner diameter of the body 32. With such a configuration, the size of the propeller 23 with respect to the motor 22 housed in the first chamber 27 does not become too large. Therefore, an excessive load is not applied to the motor 22, and failure of the motor 22 and shortening of the life of the motor 22 are prevented. Further, the underwater propulsion device 20 can be continuously driven for a long time, which is convenient. Further, the underwater propulsion device 20 can make the motor 22 a small, low-torque, high-speed rotation motor without using a speed reducer. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 can be made compact, lightened, and dragged without reducing the propulsion output.

Generally, as the outer diameter of the propeller increases, a motor capable of producing high torque is required. However, since the diameter of a motor capable of producing high torque is naturally large, it contradicts the request to reduce the diameter of the motor when the motor is present in water. On the other hand, in order to increase the torque with a motor with a small diameter, that is, a high-speed rotation, it is necessary to install a reduction gear between the motor and the propeller. Not preferable. On the other hand, in the underwater propulsion device 20 according to the present embodiment, since the outer diameter of the propeller 23 is smaller than the diameter of the first chamber 27, a motor having a small diameter and high speed rotation is used without using a speed reducer. Is possible. Further, the propeller 23 can be completely housed in the main body 21.

The cross-sectional areas of the water guide port 29 and the jet port 30 can be appropriately designed according to the performance of the propeller 23 and the motor 22. Further, the water guide port 29 may be formed in the circumferential direction of the power transmission shaft 24 on the bow side of the propeller 23, and the shape and the position in the circumferential direction are not particularly limited. For example, the water guide port 29 may be formed on the entire circumference of the power transmission shaft 24 in the circumferential direction.

A general watercraft or the like has a water inlet formed on the lower side (bottom of the ship). However, it is preferable that the main body 21 of the underwater propulsion device 20 according to the present embodiment is a hollow propulsion body completely submerged in water, and the water guide port 29 does not open downward. Hereinafter, a preferable configuration of the headrace 29 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the underwater propulsion device 20, and more specifically, it is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

In FIG. 10, L1 is a straight line extending vertically upward through the axis O of the power transmission shaft 24. L2 is a straight line passing through the axis O of the power transmission shaft 24 and the lower end 29a of the water guide port 29. The water guide port 29 is preferably configured such that the angle θ formed by the straight line L1 and the straight line L2 is 90 ° or more and 160 ° or less. With such a configuration, while securing the area of the headrace 29, when the underwater propulsion device 20 approaches the water bottom (seabed, lake bottom, riverbed, etc.), foreign matter such as gravel on the water bottom is removed from the second chamber 28. It becomes difficult to be sucked into the water, and damage to the underwater propulsion device 20 due to sucking of foreign matter is prevented.

As described above, the headrace 29 is covered by the filter 39. Therefore, foreign substances such as algae and dust are prevented from entering the second chamber 28. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 is prevented from being damaged by sucking foreign matter, and the durability is improved.

The filter 39 may have a configuration that can prevent foreign matter from entering the second chamber 28, and the number and width of slits can be appropriately designed. Further, the filter 39 may have, for example, a configuration in which the slit extends in the circumferential direction, a wire mesh formed by twisting metal wires, or the like, or a configuration in which the slit and the wire mesh are combined. .. However, it is preferable that the filter 39 has a plurality of slits extending in the propulsion direction as in the present embodiment. With this configuration, foreign matter is less likely to be caught in the filter 39, and the water guide port 29 is less likely to be blocked by the foreign matter, so that a decrease in the propulsive force of the underwater propulsion device 20 can be suppressed.

As described above, the motor 22, the inverter 25, the control unit 26, and the like are housed in the first chamber 27 of the waterproof structure. The inverter 25, the control unit 26, and the like are housed in the body portion 32 in a state of being supported by the inner case 74 shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of the inner case 74, and is a perspective view of the inner case 74 viewed from diagonally above the bow side. In FIG. 11, the motor 22, the lid 33, and the inner case 74 are shown in a positional relationship in which they are housed in a body 32 (not shown here). In FIG. 11, the right side is the bow side and the left side is the stern side.

As shown in FIG. 11, the inner case 74 includes a tubular accommodating portion 75 extending in the axial direction of the body portion 32, three legs 76a, 76b, 76c extending from the accommodating portion 75 toward the stern side, and a motor. A protective unit 77 that surrounds 22 is provided.

The accommodating portion 75 has a horizontal flat surface 78 at the top. The lower portion of the accommodating portion 75 is formed in an arc shape. The inner diameter of the accommodating portion 75 is larger than the outer diameter of the motor 22. The inside of the accommodating portion 75 is divided into an upper chamber 80 and a lower chamber 81 by a partition plate 79. The inverter 25 is housed in the lower chamber 81. The control unit 26 is housed in the upper chamber 80. The inverter 25 and the control unit 26 are fixed to the inner case 74.

The lower leg portion 76a extends in the stern direction from the stern-side end of the accommodating portion 75 so as to cover the lower part of the motor 22. The leg portion 76a is formed so that the lower portion of the arc-shaped accommodating portion 75 is extended. The upper legs 76b and 76c extend in the stern direction from the stern-side end of the accommodating portion 75. The legs 76b and 76c are formed so that the left and right corners of the upper portion of the accommodating portion 75 are extended. The stern-side ends of the legs 76a, 76b, 76c are in contact with the bow-side ends of the fitting portion 36 of the lid 33.

The protective portion 77 is composed of a circular protective plate 82 arranged on the bow side of the motor 22, two protective plates 83 arranged on the left and right sides of the motor 22, and the like. The outer diameter of the protective plate 82 is larger than the outer diameter of the motor 22. The lower portion of the protective plate 82 is joined to the leg portion 76a. The protective plate 83 is curved in an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the motor 22. The upper portion of the protective plate 83 is joined to the legs 76b and 76c. The bow-side end of the protective plate 83 is joined to the protective plate 82. The protection unit 77 covers the left and right sides of the motor 22 and the bow side of the motor 22.

In the inner case 74, a space isolated from the motor 22 is formed by the protective portion 77 on both the left and right sides of the motor 22 and on the bow side (see FIG. 7). Power lines and signal lines (not shown), cooling water channels, etc., which will be described later, are arranged in this space and the space between the flat surface 78 of the accommodating portion 75 and the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 32. The power line, signal line, cooling water channel, and the like are isolated from the motor 22 by the protection unit 77 so as not to come into contact with the motor 22.

As the material of the inner case 74, a lightweight and easy-to-process material such as plastic (ABS resin) can be used, but the material is not particularly limited. The inner case 74 is formed with three mounting holes 84 extending in parallel with the cylinder shaft of the body portion 32 and penetrating the accommodating portion 75 and the leg portions 76a, 76b, 76c. Further, the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33 is formed with a female screw (not shown here) corresponding to the mounting hole 84. The screw 40 for fixing the bow portion 31 and the lid portion 33 to the body portion 32 described above is inserted into the mounting hole 84 and screwed into the female screw of the fitting portion 36.

The inverter 25 is provided with a switching element or the like, and is configured to convert DC power supplied from the battery into AC power having a desired frequency. By changing the frequency of the AC power supplied to the motor 22, the rotation speed of the motor 22 is changed. The inverter 25 is housed in the body 32 in a state of being housed in the inner case 74, and is arranged adjacent to the bow side of the motor 22. The configuration of the inverter 25 is not particularly limited. Further, the motor drive circuit is not limited to the inverter 25, and can be appropriately designed according to the configuration of the motor 22. For example, when the motor 22 is a DC motor, the motor drive circuit is configured so that the DC power supplied from the battery can be supplied to the motor 22 at a desired voltage. Then, by changing the voltage of the DC power supplied to the motor 22, the rotation speed of the motor 22 is changed.

The control unit 26 is configured to control the motor 22 by controlling the inverter 25. The control unit 26 is electrically connected to the inverter 25. Although not particularly shown, the control unit 26 is connected to the battery via a converter built in the floating unit 2 on the water, and DC power of a predetermined voltage is supplied from the battery. Although the details will be described later, the control unit 26 is also electrically connected to the control unit built in the water floating unit 2.

Examples of the control unit 26 include a control panel including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs arithmetic processing and control processing, a main storage device that stores data, a timer, an input circuit, an output circuit, and the like. A control program and various data are stored in a main storage device exemplified by a ROM (Read Only Memory) and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The control unit 26 is housed in the body 32 in a state of being housed in the inner case 74. The configuration of the control unit 26 is not particularly limited, and may be composed of, for example, a plurality of control panels.

The inverter 25 and the control unit 26 can be housed in the body portion 32 together with the inner case 74. Therefore, the inverter 25 and the control unit 26 can be easily housed in the body portion 32, and the productivity of the underwater propulsion device 20 is improved.

The inverter 25 is arranged on the bow side of the motor 22 in the propulsion direction. That is, the motor 22, the inverter 25, and the propeller 23 are arranged side by side in the propulsion direction. As a result, the dimensions of the main body 21 in the radial direction (vertical direction and horizontal direction) can be made compact, and the propulsion resistance of the underwater propulsion device 20 can be reduced.

More preferably, the inverter 25 is located on the bow side of the motor 22 and adjacent to the motor 22. Therefore, the power line between the motor 22 and the inverter 25 can be shortened, and the underwater propulsion device 20 can be made compact. Further, by shortening the power line, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat generated from the power line, the voltage drop in the power line, the electromagnetic noise generated from the power line, and the like.

Further, since the distance between the motor 22 and the inverter 25 is short, a bus bar can be used as a power line between the motor 22 and the inverter 25 instead of an electric wire coated with an insulator. The cross-sectional area of the bus bar is small compared to the cross-sectional area of the electric wire. Therefore, when the bus bar is used as the power line, the diameter of the main body 21 can be reduced, and the underwater propulsion device 20 can be compactly formed.

When the motor 22 is a three-phase AC motor, there are three power lines between the motor 22 and the inverter 25, so it is necessary to secure a large space for arranging the power lines. However, by arranging the inverter 25 adjacent to the motor 22, the space required for arranging the power lines can be reduced, and even if the motor 22 is a three-phase AC motor, the underwater propulsion device 20 can be used. Can be made compact.

The water vehicle 1 does not have the inverter 25 built in the floating portion 2 on the water, but the underwater propulsion device 20 includes the inverter 25. Therefore, in the water vehicle 1, even if the motor 22 is a three-phase AC motor, it is not necessary to pass three power lines inside the support column 3, and the support column 3 can be made thin, and the resistance of water is reduced. You can proceed.

The inner case 74 is not limited to the above configuration as long as it can accommodate the inverter 25 and the control unit 26. For example, the inner case 74 may be configured such that the inside of the accommodating portion 75 is partitioned to the left and right by the partition plate 79.

As shown in FIG. 11, the motor 22 is fixed to the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33 via the connecting member 86. The connecting member 86 includes an annular joint portion 87, three leg portions 88 extending from the joint portion 87 toward the stern side, and the like. The legs 88 are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The output shaft 64 of the motor 22 is inserted through the joint 87 (see FIG. 7), and the stern-side end of the motor 22 is fixed.

The leg portion 88 of the connecting member 86 is fixed to the fitting portion 36 of the lid portion 33. That is, the motor 22 is not supported by the body portion 32, but is cantilevered by the lid portion 33 via the connecting member 86. With this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a through hole or the like for screwing the motor 22 to the body portion 32, and the airtightness of the first chamber 27 is improved. Further, the body portion 32 does not need to have a complicated structure in which a table or the like for supporting the motor 22 is provided inside. Then, by inserting the lid portion 33 in which the motor 22 is fixed into the body portion 32, the motor 22 is arranged inside the body portion 32. Therefore, in the underwater propulsion device 20, the motor 22 can be easily arranged inside the body portion 32, and the productivity is improved.

Since the motor 22 can be fixed to the lid portion 33, the drive mechanism portion is completed before the assembly of the underwater propulsion device 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the mounting accuracy and mounting rigidity of the drive mechanism unit.

The underwater propulsion device 20 further includes pipes 89 and 90, as shown in FIG. The pipes 89 and 90 are cooling water channels that pass through the inside of the first chamber 27. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of the pipes 89 and 90, and is a perspective view of the pipes 89 and 90 viewed from diagonally below on the bow side. FIG. 12 also describes the motor 22, the inverter 25, and the lid 33, and the motor 22, the inverter 25, and the lid 33 are shown in a positional relationship housed in a body 32 (not shown here). ing. Further, in FIG. 12, the right side is the stern side and the left side is the bow side.

A suction port 91 is formed at one end of the pipe 89. The pipe 89 passes through the inside of the inverter 25 so as to reciprocate in the propulsion direction. The other end of the pipe 89 is connected to one end of a cooling water channel (not shown) of the motor 22. One end of the pipe 90 is connected to the other end of the cooling water channel of the motor 22. A discharge port 92 is formed at the other end of the pipe 90.

Of the body portion 32, the portion through which the pipe 89 penetrates and the portion through which the pipe 90 of the lid portion 33 penetrates are preferably waterproofed to prevent water from entering the first chamber 27. The waterproofing method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include waterproofing with an O-ring, waterproofing with an epoxy resin, a silicone resin, or the like to fill a gap.

Water flows through the pipes 89 and 90. The motor 22 and the inverter 25 are cooled by the water flowing through the pipes 89 and 90. Water is taken into the pipe 89 from the suction port 91. Then, this water flows in the order of the pipe 89 passing through the inside of the inverter 25, the cooling water passage of the motor 22, and the pipe 90, and is discharged from the discharge port 92 which is the other end of the pipe 90.

As the material of the pipes 89 and 90, stainless steel or the like can be used, but the material is not particularly limited. The pipes 89 and 90 may be formed of a partially flexible rubber tube or the like from the viewpoint of assembleability.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the suction port 91 of the pipe 89 projects radially outward from the body portion 32. As shown in FIG. 7, the pipe 90 penetrates the lid 33 in the propulsion direction and communicates with the second chamber 28.

As shown in FIG. 7, the discharge port 92 communicates with the water guide port 29. More specifically, the discharge port 92 is a flow path of water flowing from the water guide port 29 to the jet port 30 by the rotation of the propeller 23, and is arranged at a portion on the upstream side of the propeller 23. Due to the rotation of the propeller 23, the pressure at this portion is significantly lower than that outside the main body 21 where the suction port 91 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is located. Water is sucked into the pipe 89 from the suction port 91 due to the pressure difference between the suction port 91 and the discharge port 92, and is discharged from the discharge port 92 through the pipe 90. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 can cool the motor 22 and the inverter 25 with a simple configuration without using an actuator for flowing water through the pipes 89 and 90, for example, a pump or the like.

The suction port 91 is open in the traveling direction. Preferably, the suction port 91 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction. Therefore, as the water vehicle 1 advances, the water is sucked so as to be pushed into the suction port 91. Therefore, the underwater propulsion device 20 can increase the flow rate of the water flowing through the pipes 89 and 90 without using an actuator or the like for flowing the water through the pipes 89 and 90, and the motor 22 and the inverter 25 have a simple configuration. The cooling efficiency of the inverter can be improved.

The position and orientation of the suction port 91 are not particularly limited. For example, the end of the pipe 89 on which the suction port 91 is formed may protrude outward from the bow 31. Further, the suction port 91 may be arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the traveling direction on the outside of the main body portion 21.

For example, the suction port 91 may be the second chamber 28 and may be arranged in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the propeller 23. In the vicinity of the outer periphery of the propeller 23, the rotation of the propeller 23 causes the pressure to rise significantly in the water flow path of the second chamber 28 where the discharge port 92 is located, as compared with the upstream side of the propeller 23. Water can be pushed into the pipe 89 from the suction port 91 by this pressure difference. Even with such a configuration, the underwater propulsion device 20 can increase the flow rate of water flowing through the pipes 89 and 90 without using an actuator or the like for flowing water through the pipes 89 and 90, which is simple. The cooling efficiency of the motor 22 and the inverter 25 can be improved by the configuration.

The cooling water channel for cooling the motor 22 and the inverter 25 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration of the pipes 89 and 90. The cooling water channel may have a water intake port 91 and a water discharge port 92, and may be configured to pass through the inside of the first chamber 27. For example, the cooling water channel may be configured to cool the inverter 25 next to the motor 22. Further, the cooling water channel may be configured to cool the control unit 26 together with the motor 22 and the inverter 25.

Next, returning to FIG. 3, the swinging motion of the stern hydrofoil 44 will be described. As described above, the stern hydrofoil 44 is attached to the stern portion 34 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction. A link mechanism 93 is connected to the stern hydrofoil 44. The stern hydrofoil 44 is interlocked and connected to the water level sensor 4 by a link mechanism 93.

The link mechanism 93 includes wires 94 and 95 and a connecting arm 96. One end of the wire 94 is connected to the stern hydrofoil 44. One end of the wire 95 is connected to the water surface sensor 4 (FIG. 1). The connecting arm 96 connects the wire 94 and the wire 95.

One end of the wire 94 is connected to the upper end of the ring 52 of the stern hydrofoil 44. The wire 94 extends in the traveling direction along the upper portion of the body portion 32. The wire 94 extends to the inside of the support column 3 through a passage 63 (FIG. 5) formed between the pedestal portion 59 of the body portion 32 and the flange 8 of the support column 3. The wire 95 and the connecting arm 96 are housed in the support column 3. One end of the wire 95 is connected to a crank (not shown) formed on the rotation shaft of the bar 5 (FIG. 1) of the water surface sensor 4. The connecting arm 96 is formed in a substantially inverted L shape when viewed from the side. The connecting arm 96 is swingably supported by the support column 3 in the vertical direction with the bent portion as a fulcrum. The other end of the wire 94 is connected to the lower end of the connecting arm 96. The other end of the wire 95 is connected to the upper end of the connecting arm 96.

The stern hydrofoil 44 is interlocked and connected to the water surface sensor 4 by the link mechanism 93 having the above configuration. The stern hydrofoil 44 swings up and down in response to the rotational movement of the water surface sensor 4 with respect to the support column 3. As shown in FIG. 1, when the distance between the floating portion 2 on the water and the water surface 7 is a predetermined distance when the water vehicle 1 is traveling, the right wing 54 and the left wing 55 of the stern hydrofoil 44 are horizontal. It is a steady state that extends.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing an example of the progress state of the water vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 13 from the steady state of FIG. 1, when the distance between the floating portion 2 on the water and the water surface 7 becomes larger than a predetermined distance, the water surface sensor 4 rotates downward due to its own weight. Move. On the other hand, although the description by illustration is omitted, when the distance between the floating portion 2 on the water and the water surface 7 becomes smaller than a predetermined distance from the state of FIG. 1 which is a steady state, the water surface sensor 4 moves upward. Rotate. The stern hydrofoil 44 swings with respect to the support column 3 so as to keep the distance between the floating portion 2 on the water and the water surface 7 at a predetermined distance in response to the rotation of the water surface sensor 4.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing an example of the stopped state of the water vehicle 1. When the water vehicle 1 is stopped, the water surface sensor 4 is in a state of being rotated upward by buoyancy as shown in FIG.

The link mechanism 93 may be configured as long as the water level sensor 4 and the stern hydrofoil 44 are interlocked and connected, and is not limited to the above configuration. The link mechanism 93 may be arranged outside the support column 3. However, from the viewpoint of reducing drag, protection, etc., the link mechanism 93 is preferably arranged inside the support column 3.

Next, the control system of the water vehicle 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a main part of the control system of the water vehicle 1. In FIG. 15, the power supply is indicated by a broken line. The water vehicle 1 further includes a battery 10 built in the water floating unit 2, a control unit 11, and an operating tool 12 attached to the water floating unit 2.

The control unit 11 is electrically connected to the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20 and the operating tool 12. Further, the control unit 11 is connected to the battery 10 via a converter (not shown) built in the floating unit 2 on the water, and DC power of a predetermined voltage is supplied from the battery 10. The control unit 11 is configured to read various set values and input signals from the operating tool 12 and output the control signal to the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20 based on the input signals.

Similar to the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20, the control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs arithmetic processing and control processing, a main storage device that stores data, a timer, an input circuit, an output circuit, and the like. The included control panel is illustrated. A control program and various data are stored in a main storage device exemplified by a ROM (Read Only Memory) and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The configuration of the control unit 11 is not particularly limited, and may be composed of, for example, a plurality of control panels.

The control unit 11 outputs a control signal to the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20 based on the input signal from the operating tool 12, and the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20 outputs a control signal to the inverter 25 based on this control signal. Output. Then, by changing the frequency of the AC power supplied to the motor 22 based on the control signal input by the inverter 25, the rotation speed of the motor 22 is changed and the traveling speed of the water vehicle 1 is changed.

Here, the control unit 11 of the floating unit 2 on the water and the control unit 26 of the underwater propulsion device 20 may be configured to enable mutual communication. The communication between the control unit 11 and the control unit 26 may be serial communication or parallel communication. However, from the viewpoint of reducing drag, the communication between the control unit 11 and the control unit 26 is preferably serial communication. By using serial communication, one communication line can be used to connect the control unit 11 and the control unit 26. As a result, the number of communication lines passing through the inside of the support column 3 is reduced, and the support column 3 can be made thinner, so that the water vehicle 1 with reduced drag can proceed.

The underwater propulsion device 20 is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the underwater propulsion device 20 may be configured not to include the control unit 26. In the case of such a configuration, the underwater propulsion device 20 is configured to output a control signal from the control unit 11 built in the water floating unit 2 to the inverter 25.

The underwater propulsion device 20 includes a pressure sensor for measuring the traveling speed of the water vehicle 1, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the motor 22 and the inverter 25, an acceleration sensor for measuring the inclination of the water vehicle 1, and the like. It may be provided. These various sensors are electrically connected to the control unit 26. In this case, the control unit 26 calculates the traveling speed of the water vehicle 1 based on the detection value of the pressure sensor, calculates the temperature of the motor 22 or the inverter 25 based on the detection value of the temperature sensor, or the acceleration sensor. It is configured to calculate the inclination and the like of the water vehicle 1 based on the detected value of.

When the underwater propulsion device 20 includes various sensors, it is preferable to dispose the display device controlled by the control unit 11 in the water floating unit 2. The display device displays the speed, temperature, inclination, etc. calculated by the control unit 26. The display device may display the electric energy of the battery 10, the distance that can be traveled, and the like. The display device is not particularly limited, and a liquid crystal monitor or the like having a waterproof structure can be used. With such a configuration, the user can grasp the progress state of the water vehicle 1, which is convenient.

It is also possible to configure the control unit 26 to control the motor 22 based on the detection values of various sensors. For example, it is possible to control the motor 22 so that the speed of the water vehicle 1 does not exceed a predetermined speed. Further, the underwater propulsion device 20 may be provided with a drive mechanism for actively swinging the stern hydrofoil 44, and the control unit 26 may be configured to control the drive mechanism based on the detection of various sensors. With such a configuration, it is possible to control the attitude of the water vehicle 1.

Instead of the control unit 26, the control unit 11 may be configured to calculate various values. The acceleration sensor may be arranged on the floating portion 2 on the water. Further, a receiving device for receiving radio waves from the positioning satellite may be provided in the floating portion 2 on the water, and the traveling speed may be calculated using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

The bow hydrofoil 43 of the underwater propulsion device 20 may be attached to, for example, the fuselage portion 32 or the stern portion 34. The underwater propulsion device 20 does not have to include the bow hydrofoil 43. The bow hydrofoil 43 may be provided on the support column 3 or the like.

The underwater propulsion device 20 may have a configuration in which the stern hydrofoil 44 is fixed to the main body 21. The stern hydrofoil 44 may be arranged at a location other than the vicinity of the jet port 30. The underwater propulsion device 20 does not have to include the stern hydrofoil 44. The stern hydrofoil 44 may be provided on the support column 3 or the like.

Further, the main body 21 of the underwater propulsion device 20 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. In the main body 21, for example, the bow 31 and the body 32 may be integrally formed. However, from the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferable that the bow portion 31, the fuselage portion 32, and the stern portion 34 are separate bodies as described above.

Although one embodiment of the present embodiment has been described above, the underwater propulsion device according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The present disclosure can be suitably used for an underwater propulsion device for a water vehicle having a water floating portion on which a user is boarding.

1 Water vehicle 2 Water floating part 3 Strut 4 Water surface sensor 20 Underwater propulsion device 21 Main body 22 Motor 23 Propeller 24 Power transmission shaft 25 Inverter (motor drive circuit)
27 Room 1 28 Room 2 29 Water inlet 30 Bow port 31 Bow 32 Body 33 Lid 34 Stern 35 Seal member 38 Seal member 39 Filter 43 Bow hydrofoil 44 Stern hydrofoil 86 Connecting member 89,90 Piping ( Cooling water channel)
91 Inhalation port 92 Discharge port

Claims (4)

In an underwater propulsion device driven underwater
The main body of the underwater propulsion device includes a first chamber in which a motor is housed and
It has a second room where the propeller is housed,
The first chamber includes a cooling water channel for cooling the motor.
The cooling water channel has an intake port and a discharge port.
The second chamber has a water inlet and a jet outlet.
The outlet is communicated with the headrace and
Sectional area of the flow path of the second chamber, the decreases gradually toward the water conduit inlet to the propeller, then became constant at the location of the propeller, and characterized that you further reduction in the vicinity of the jet port Underwater propeller. A motor drive circuit is housed in the first chamber.
The underwater propulsion device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling water channel cools the motor drive circuit. The underwater propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the water inlet is covered with a filter that prevents foreign matter from entering the second chamber. The underwater propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the first chamber has a waterproof structure.

Images