US6645016B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merchant navy vessel comprising a hull that is provided for accommodating goods and/or people
Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 2000-06-19
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Granted: 2003-11-11
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Expires: 2020-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A ship includes a ship's hull which is intended for accommodating cargo and/or people, and at least one rotatable steering propeller as a propulsion unit. The rotatable steering propeller is arranged in a connection unit in the form of a box in the stem of the ship's hull. Electrical and mechanical components for supplying power to and controlling the steering propeller and its electric motor are at least partially combined in functional modules which are in the form of a transport container. The container is designed such that it can be functionally tested, can be accepted at its point of manufacture, and can be installed in this form at any desired location in the ship based upon the container base structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Andersen
- 👤 Wolfgang Rzadki
- 👤 Hannes Schulze Horn
- 👤 Hans van Mameren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:28
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H5/00; B63H5/07; B63H5/125; B63B; B63B1/00; B63B1/02; B63B1/04; B63B1/042; B63H1/00; B63H1/02; B63H1/12; B63H23/00; B63H23/22; B63H23/24; B63H5/16; B63H5/08; B63H5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A ship, comprising: a hull, intended for accommodating at least one of cargo and people; and at least two rotatable steering propellers as a propulsion unit, wherein the rotatable steering propellers are arranged in the stern of the hull and wherein components for controlling the steering propellers are located in the hull, the steering propellers each including an electric propeller motor, and wherein the electrical and mechanical components for supplying power to and controlling each steering propeller and an associated electric motor are at least partially combined in functional modules, wherein the ship includes a ship propulsion system with at least three functional modules including a power generator system, a power distribution system and a propeller drive, and wherein components for controlling the steering propellers are arranged in the hull, the functional modules are in a form of a transport container designed as being functionally testable, the transport containers being installable at a desired location in the ship based upon a given container base structure, and the transport containers are in a form of at least one of 40′ and 12 m containers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A ship, comprising: a hull, intended for accommodating at least one of cargo and people; and at least two rotatable steering propellers as a propulsion unit, wherein the rotatable steering propellers are arranged in the stern of the hull and wherein components for controlling the steering propellers are located in the hull, the steering propellers each including an electric propeller motor, and wherein the electrical and mechanical components for supplying power to and controlling each steering propeller and an associated electric motor are at least partially combined in functional modules, wherein the ship includes a ship propulsion system with at least three functional modules including a power generator system, a power distribution system and a propeller drive, and wherein components for controlling the steering propellers are arranged in the hull, the functional modules are in a form of a transport container designed as being functionally testable, the transport containers being installable at a desired location in the ship based upon a given container base structure, and the transport containers are in a form of at least one of 40′ and 12 m containers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the functional modules are arranged in the stern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ship includes at least one diesel generator set in a container in at least one of a front part of the ship and side sponsons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ship includes a control module for each steering propeller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ship includes two functional modules for one steering propeller, one each for a winding system of the propeller motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ship includes functional modules with at least one of remote diagnosis and remote transmission devices, with electrical devices being provided which are mounted in or on the containers and which include position finding sensors, and devices which transmit determined position details.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The ship as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising two steering propellers, wherein each steering propeller includes a respectively associated container, in which functional modules, associated with the steering propeller, of a propulsion system for the ship are arranged.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
The ship as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the two containers which contain the functional modules associated with the two steering propellers are arranged symmetrically with respect to one another with reference to the ship's longitudinal axis, with the starboard-side container and the port-side container containing identical functional modules and the functional modules contained in the starboard-side container being arranged, with reference to the ship's longitudinal axis, symmetrically with respect to the functional modules contained in the portside container and whose functions and types correspond to them.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The ship as claimed in claim 7 , wherein an inspection catwalk is provided on the outside of each of the longitudinal walls, facing the ship's longitudinal axis, of each of the containers associated with the two steering propellers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The ship as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each of the two containers associated with the steering propellers includes a door in its longitudinal wall facing the ship's longitudinal axis, through which door access can be gained to an inspection catwalk provided in the container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The ship as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a transformer system, a converter system, a control and regulation unit, a power supply section and a converter cooling system are arranged in each of the two containers associated with the steering propellers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the transformer system in each of the two containers includes one to three converter transformers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein in each container, the transformer system is arranged in a separate chamber, separated by a transverse wall, or in a separate container alongside.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The ship as claimed in claim 13 , wherein in each container, the chamber accommodating the transformer system is arranged between the transverse wall and an end wall of the container which is remote from the steering propeller.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein converter transformers in the transformer system in each container associated with the steering propellers can be cooled by a ventilation system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ship as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the ventilation system includes an air circuit in which an air cooler is arranged.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ship as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the air cooler is arranged on the inside of an end wall of the container which is remote from the steering propeller.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ship as claimed in claim 15 , wherein air guide plates are arranged on the converter transformers and guide the cooling air flow onto salient-pole cores of windings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein converter transformers in the transformer system in each container associated with the steering propellers can be cooled by a water cooling system, with a water cooler for the water cooling system preferably being arranged on that end wall of the container which is remote from the steering propeller associated with it.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein each converter transformer in the transformer system includes an associated hatch, formed in that longitudinal wall of the container which faces the ship's longitudinal axis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
The ship as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the converter system, the control and regulation unit, an intermediate area for the inspection catwalk on the container side, and the converter cooling system are arranged successively in each of the two containers associated with the steering propellers, on the inside of that longitudinal wall of the container which faces the ship's longitudinal axis, starting from the transverse wall in the direction of that end wall of the container which is on the steering propeller side.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the converter cooling system for each of the containers associated with the two steering propellers is in the form of a water cooling system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a direct converter in the converter system includes an associated service opening, formed in that longitudinal wall of the container which faces the ship's longitudinal axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a busbar system, on the power supply system side, for thyristor modules in a direct converter power section of the converter system is designed such that power cables for the converter transformers can be connected directly.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a cable rack is provided for the power cables between the converter transformers at one end and the converter systems at the other end.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
The ship as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a base frame of each container associated with the two steering propellers has transverse supports, designed as foundation supports for the converter system, for the control and regulation unit, for the power supply section and for the converter cooling system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
54 words
The ship as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each container which accommodates the functional modules of the ship's propulsion system includes at least one of successive associated pick-up points and supports in the longitudinal direction of the container, with the distance between adjacent pick-up points or supports being a maximum of 3 m.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ship as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the functional modules are arranged in a vicinity of a rotatable steering propeller.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ship as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the ship includes at least one diesel generator set in a container in at least one of a front part of the ship and side sponsons.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ship as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said ship includes a control module for each steering propeller, if there are two or more steering propellers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ship as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said ship includes a control module for each steering propeller, if there are two or more steering propellers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-10 | 2007-05-12 | 2007-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-10 | 2011-05-12 | 2011-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-10 | 2015-05-12 | 2015-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |