COMBINATION MANUALLY DRIVEN AND MOTOR DRIVEN WATERCRAFT
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a watercraft that is drivable by a manual force input member and by a motor. The watercraft is configured to prevent the motor from back-driving the manual force input member. In a particular embodiment, the watercraft includes a hull, a propelling member configured to propel the hull through water, a manual force input member that is movable manually, an output shaft that is operatively connected to the propelling member and that is drivable by the manual force input member, a motor that is operatively connectable to the output shaft, and a one-way clutch connected between the manual force input member and the output shaft. The one-way clutch is configured to permit the manual force input member to drive the output shaft in a first rotational direction, and to prevent the output shaft from driving the manual force input member in the first rotational direction.
The present invention relates to watercraft and more particularly to pedal boats.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPedal boats are typically simple watercraft with a paddlewheel that is driven manually by one or more riders through one or more sets of pedals. This type of watercraft is typically relatively inexpensive and does not require fuel, thereby avoiding an inconvenience associated with motorboats. Additionally, a pedal boat provides the user with some exercise so that the boating experience for the user is not sedentary.
There are several disadvantages associated with pedal boats, however. One such disadvantage is that the user typically cannot travel very far in a pedal boat, in part because the user must take into account that they have to pedal the boat back to their departure point. Another disadvantage is that pedal boats are typically relatively inefficient in terms of energy consumption relative to the amount of forward movement generated thereby.
While it is possible to overcome the problem of restricted travel distance by installing an outboard motor on a pedal boat, this can have some drawbacks associated therewith. One such drawback is that the movement of the boat in the water while powered by the motor causes the pedals to rotate, which can injure a boat rider if their foot is in the swept path of the pedals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn a first aspect, the invention is directed to a watercraft that is drivable by a manual force input member and by a motor. The watercraft is configured to prevent the motor from back-driving the manual force input member.
In a particular embodiment, the watercraft includes a hull, a propelling member configured to propel the hull through water, a manual force input member that is movable manually, an output shaft that is operatively connected to the propelling member and that is drivable by the manual force input member, a motor that is operatively connectable to the output shaft, and a one-way clutch connected between the manual force input member and the output shaft. The one-way clutch is configured to permit the manual force input member to drive the output shaft in a first rotational direction, and to prevent the output shaft from driving the manual force input member in the first rotational direction.
In a second aspect, the invention is directed to a watercraft that is drivable by a manual force input member and by a motor, wherein a torque sensor is configured to send signals to a controller related to the amount of torque being transmitted from the manual force input member, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on the signals sent to the controller by the torque sensor.
In a second aspect, the invention is directed to a torque sensor, comprising a first support member that is rotatably drivable by a first rotating member, at least one first trip member mounted to the first support member, a first sensor configured for sending first sensor signals to a controller when sensing the presence of the first trip member, a second support member that is rotatable, at least one first trip member mounted to the first support member, a second sensor configured for sending second sensor signals to the controller when sensing the presence of the second trip member, a spring operatively connecting the first support member to the second support member. The controller is configured to determine the torque exerted between the first and second support members based on the time delay between the first and second sensor signals.
In a fourth aspect, the invention is directed to a watercraft that is drivable in a plurality of modes controlling the amount of electric motor assist that is available in addition to driving the watercraft with a manual force input member. In a first mode, the watercraft is drivable by the manual force input member with no electric motor assist. In a second mode, at least some electric motor assist is provided. Optionally the second mode includes a setting wherein the watercraft is drivable substantially unilaterally by the electric motor assist, ie. without the manual force input member.
The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Reference is made to
The drive train 14 includes a propelling member 18, two manual force input members 20 (shown individually at 20a and 20b), two one-way clutches 22 shown in
The propelling member 18 may be any suitable type of propelling member for propelling the watercraft 10 in water. For example, the propelling member 18 may be a propeller, as shown in the figures. As an alternative example, the propelling member may be a paddlewheel.
The manual force input members 20a and 20b may have any suitable structure and together drive a common shaft 29. More specifically, the first manual force input member 20a drives a first end 29a of the common shaft 29 either through the first one-way clutch 22a or through the first clutch bypass mechanism 23a, and the second manual force input member 20b drives a second end 29b of the common shaft 29 either through the second one-way clutch 22b or through the second clutch bypass mechanism 23b.
In the embodiment shown in
A controller 118 is provided in communication with the motor 24 for controllably adjusting the speed of the motor 24, and thus the rotational speed of the propelling member 18. The controller 118 is also in communication with a boat speed sensor 122. The boat speed sensor 122 is, by way of several specific and non-limiting examples, one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) based speed sensor, a drag sensor or a turbine driven sensor. During use, an algorithm correlates the speed of the propelling member 18 and the speed of the watercraft 10. A maximum deviation from the theoretical correct propeller speed is pre-defined, and the algorithm ensures that the propeller revolution speed remains within the pre-defined tolerance range. In this way, the propeller is prevented from turning at a speed that is either unnecessarily high or unnecessarily low. Accordingly, the algorithm ensures that the propelling member 18 works in its highest efficiency range. In an embodiment, the algorithm is embedded in the motor controller software of controller 118.
The second sprocket 36, the one-way clutch 22a and the clutch bypass mechanism 23a are shown further in
One-way clutch 22a connects between the extension member 40 and the common shaft 29. The one-way clutch 22a may be any suitable type of one-way clutch such as an INA needle roller one-way clutch. The one-way clutch 22a has an outer race 46, an inner race 48 and a plurality of rollers 50 therebetween. The outer race 46 is connected to the extension member 40 of the second sprocket 36. The inner race 48 is connected to the common shaft 29, for example by a key 52. The rollers 50 are configured so that one-way clutch 22a permits the sprocket 36 to transfer torque to the common shaft 29 when being driven forward (i.e., in the direction of arrow 54 in
As a result of the above, in a situation where the second sprocket 36 is rotating forward at any speed faster than the common shaft 29, the rollers 50 are brought forward and torque is transferred from the second sprocket 36 to the common shaft 29. In a situation where the common shaft 29 is rotating forward at any speed faster than the second sprocket 36, the rollers 50 are brought backwards and no torque is transferred from the common shaft 29 to the second sprocket 36.
Another feature of one-way clutch 22a is that the rollers 50 prevent torque to be transferred from the second sprocket 36 to the common shaft 29 if the second sprocket 36 is rotated backwards (i.e., in the direction of the arrow shown at 58 in
The clutch bypass mechanism 23a includes a control pin 60, a control pin actuator 61, and a plurality of drive balls 62. The control pin 60 is movable between a bypass position (
When the control pin 60 moves to the non-bypass position (
When the control pin actuator 61 attempts to move the control pin 60 back to the bypass position (
A control pin biasing member 72 may be provided to bias the control pin 60 to the non-bypass position. The biasing member 72 may be any suitable type of biasing member, such as a compression spring.
The control pin actuator 61 includes an actuator cable 74, an actuator lever 76 and an actuator lever biasing member 78. The actuator lever 76 is pivotably connected at one end to a frame member 80 and is operatively connected at an intermediate point to the control pin 60. The actuator lever 76 is movable by means of the actuator cable 74, between a non-bypass position (not shown) and a bypass position (
Reference is made to
It will be noted that the control lever 88 is connected to the actuator cable 74 through a tensioning member 90, which may be, for example, a compression spring. When the control lever 88 is moved to the bypass position, the actuator cable 74 is not immediately movable because the control pin 60 (
Thus, when the control lever 88 is moved to its bypass position, both clutch bypass mechanisms 23a and 23b are actuated to bypass both one-way clutches 22a and 22b (
Reference is made to
As shown in
When a torque is exerted from the common shaft 29 to the first helical gear 96 there is some flexure of the torsion spring 106. The amount of flexure of the torsion spring 106 is related to the amount of torque exerted. The amount of flexure of the torsion spring 106 directly affects on the rotational positions of the first support member 102 and second support member 104 relative to each other, and thus directly affects the angular offset between the magnets 112 and 114. The controller 118 can thus determine the torque exerted from the common shaft 29 to the first helical gear 96 based on the time delay between the first signals and the second signals. Based on the torque calculated by the controller 118, and the speed of watercraft 10 as sensed by speed sensor 122, the controller 118 selects an additional torque to be exerted on the output shaft 100 by the motor 24 (
It will be noted that the first magnets 112 could alternatively be any suitable type of first trip member and the first sensor 116 would be configured to sense the presence of the first trip member. Similarly the second magnets 114 could alternatively be any suitable type of second trip member and the second sensor 120 would be configured to sense the presence of the second trip member. Additionally, the torsion spring 106 could alternatively be any other suitable kind of spring that operatively connects between the first and second support members 102 and 104.
Reference is made to
In an embodiment, the amount of additional torque to be added by the motor 24 to the output shaft 100 is selectable by the rider 56 (
At a second setting on the control lever 88, the controller 118 may be configured to operate the motor (
At a fifth setting the controller 118 may drive the output shaft 100 using substantially only the motor 24. This is achieved by operating the motor 24 at a sufficiently high torque level that the motor 24 will drive the output shaft 100 at a relatively high speed. In doing so, the motor 24 will also drive the first helical gear 96 by means of the second helical gear 98. In turn the first helical gear 96 will drive the common shaft 29 at a relatively high speed. The relatively high speed may be selected to be sufficiently high that if the rider 56 (
The output shaft 100 may be coupled directly to a shaft 128 that has the propelling member 18 directly thereon (and which may be referred to as the propelling member shaft). It will be noted that the propelling member 18 shown in
It will be noted that, in some embodiments, such as the embodiments shown in
In use, the control lever 88 (
It will be understood that, while two manual force input members 20 are included in the embodiment shown in the figures, it is alternatively possible to configure the watercraft 10 to have only one manual force input member 20. Alternatively three or more manual force input members 20 could be provided in another embodiment.
It will be noted that the torque sensor 28 may be usable advantageously in a plurality of machines between a first rotating member and a second rotating member, and is not just limited to use in watercraft.
While the above description constitutes a plurality of embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the present invention is susceptible to further modification and change without departing from the fair meaning of the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. A watercraft, comprising:
- a hull;
- a propelling member configured to propel the hull through water;
- a manual force input member that is movable manually;
- an output shaft that is operatively connected to the propelling member and that is drivable by the manual force input member;
- a motor that is operatively connectable to the output shaft; and
- a one-way clutch connected between the manual force input member and the output shaft, wherein the one-way clutch is configured to permit the manual force input member to drive the output shaft in a first rotational direction, and to prevent the output shaft from driving the manual force input member in the first rotational direction.
2. A watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one-way clutch is configured to prevent the manual force input member from driving the output shaft in a second rotational direction, and wherein the watercraft further comprises a clutch bypass mechanism that is selectively actuatable to operatively connect the manual force input member to the output shaft for rotation in both the first and second directions.
3. A watercraft as claimed in claim 2, wherein the watercraft is operable in a first mode wherein the clutch bypass mechanism is in a bypass position wherein the manual force input member is operatively connected to the output shaft for rotation in both the first and second directions and the motor is disconnected from the propelling member, and in a second mode wherein the clutch bypass mechanism is in a non-bypass position wherein the manual force input member is operatively connected to the output shaft through the one-way clutch and the motor is operatively connected to the propelling member.
4. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a motor engagement clutch that is selectably positionable to control whether or not the motor is operative connected to the propelling member.
5. A watercraft as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a control lever that is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement to the first position causes the motor engagement clutch to operatively disconnect the motor from the output shaft and causes the clutch bypass mechanism to move to the bypass position thereby operating the watercraft in the first mode, and movement to the second position causes the motor engagement clutch to operatively connect the motor to the output shaft and causes the clutch bypass mechanism to move to the non-bypass position thereby operating the watercraft in the second mode.
6. A watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual force input member is a first manual force input member and the one-way clutch is a first one-way clutch and wherein the watercraft further comprises a second manual force input member that is movable manually, wherein the output shaft is drivable by the manual force input member; and
- a second one-way clutch connected between the second manual force input member and the output shaft, wherein the second one-way clutch is configured to permit the second manual force input member to drive the output shaft in a first rotational direction, and to prevent the output shaft from driving the second manual force input member in the first rotational direction.
7. A watercraft as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a common shaft operatively connected to the output shaft,
- wherein a first end of the common shaft is drivable by the first manual force input member through the first one-way clutch and wherein a second end of the common shaft is drivable by the second manual force input member through the second one-way clutch.
8. (canceled)
9. A watercraft as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a torque sensor configured to send first signals to a controller, the first signals relating to the amount of torque being transmitted from the manual force input member, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on the first signals sent to the controller by the torque sensor.
10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. A watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual force input member is a pedal-and-sprocket arrangement.
15. A watercraft as claimed in claim 9, comprising a speed sensor for sensing the speed of the watercraft, and being configured for sending to the controller second signals relating to the sensed speed of the watercraft.
16. (canceled)
17. A watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor is a unidirectional electric motor.
18. A watercraft, comprising:
- a hull;
- a propelling member configured to propel the hull through water;
- a manual force input member that is movable manually;
- an output shaft that is operatively connected to the propelling member and that is drivable by the manual force input member;
- a motor that is operatively connectable to the output shaft;
- a controller; and
- a torque sensor configured to send first signals to the controller related to the amount of torque being transmitted from the manual force input member, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on the first signals sent to the controller by the torque sensor.
19. A watercraft as claimed in claim 18, wherein the torque sensor includes:
- a first support member that is rotatably drivable by the manual force input member,
- at least one first trip member mounted to the first support member,
- a first sensor configured for sending first sensor signals to the controller when sensing the presence of the first trip member,
- a second support member that is rotatable,
- at least one first trip member mounted to the first support member,
- a second sensor configured for sending second sensor signals to the controller when sensing the presence of the second trip member,
- a spring operatively connecting the first support member to the second support member,
- wherein the controller is configured to adjust the torque of the motor based on the time delay between the first sensor signals and the second sensor signals.
20. A watercraft as claimed in claim 18, comprising a speed sensor for sensing the speed of the watercraft, and being configured for sending to the controller second signals relating to the sensed speed of the watercraft.
21. A watercraft as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on the first signals sent to the controller by the torque sensor and the second signals sent to the controller by the speed sensor.
22. A watercraft as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller permits a user to select the ratio of motor torque provided per unit of torque sensed by the torque sensor.
23. A watercraft as claimed in claim 19, wherein the spring is a torsion spring having a first end engaged with the first support member and a second end engaged with the second support member.
24. (canceled)
25. A watercraft, comprising:
- a hull;
- a propelling member configured to propel the hull through water;
- a manual force input member that is movable manually;
- an output shaft that is operatively connected to the propelling member and that is drivable by the manual force input member;
- a motor that is operatively connectable to the output shaft; and
- a controller configured to selectably operate the watercraft in a plurality of modes including a first mode wherein the manual force input member operatively connected to the output shaft and the motor is operatively disconnected from the output shaft and a second mode wherein the motor is operatively connected to the output shaft.
26. A watercraft as claimed in claim 25, wherein in the second mode the controller is configurable to adjust the amount of assistance provided by the motor.
27. A watercraft as claimed in claim 26, wherein in the second mode the controller is configurable between a first setting wherein the motor provides a selected fraction of the torque that is provided from the manual force input member, and another setting wherein the motor substantially unilaterally drives the output shaft.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 20, 2012
Inventors: Sandor Palvoelgyi (Gleisdorf), Bernhard Maier (Bad Gleichenberg)
Application Number: 13/496,950
International Classification: B63H 21/20 (20060101); B63H 21/22 (20060101);