Propulsion unit for a ship

Abstract

This invention provides a propulsion unit for a ship with a new structure that is able to propel the ship without using a propeller. It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship ( 10 ) that it has the propulsion unit's main body ( 12 ) that rotates around the rotation axis X, extending along the propulsive direction of the ship, the inlet port ( 16 ) set on the surface of the propulsion unit's main body ( 12 ), the outlet port ( 18 ) set on the surface of the propulsion unit's main body ( 12 ), and the circulation path ( 20 ) connecting the inlet port ( 16 ) and outlet port ( 18 ), and that the inlet port ( 16 ) is set ahead of the outlet port ( 18 ) in the propulsive direction, the outlet port ( 18 ) is set on the outer side of the inlet port in the radial direction from the aforesaid rotation axis, the circulation path ( 20 ) inclines backwards from the propulsive direction at least at the opening part of the outlet port ( 18 ), and by discharging water from the outlet port ( 18 ), which is absorbed at the inlet port ( 16 ), by the rotation around the rotation axis of the propulsion unit's main body ( 12 ), the ship ( 100 ) is propelled.

Scope of Claim 
     
         1 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship that the it has the propulsion unit's main body that rotates around the rotation axis, extending along the propulsive direction of the ship and
 the inlet port set on the surface of this propulsion unit's main body and   the outlet port set on the surface of the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body and   the circulation path connecting the aforesaid inlet port and the aforesaid outlet port,   and that the aforesaid inlet port is set ahead of the outlet port in the aforesaid propulsive direction,   the aforesaid outlet port is set on the outer side of the inlet port in the radial direction from the aforesaid rotation axis,   the circulation path inclines backwards from the propulsive direction at least at the opening part of the outlet port, and   by discharge of water from the outlet port, which is absorbed from the inlet port, by the rotation around the rotation axis of the propulsion unit's main body, the aforesaid ship is propelled.   
     
     
         2 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body is constructed that its section intersecting perpendicularly with the aforesaid axis is a circular shape. 
     
     
         3 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 2  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body presents a spindle or droplet shape, the central axis line of which is the aforesaid rotation axis. 
     
     
         4 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 2  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body is constructed, including at least the hemisphere shape part, the central axis line of which is the aforesaid rotation axis. 
     
     
         5 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the aforesaid circulation path has the extending part that is substantially parallel to the aforesaid rotation axis at the opening part of the aforesaid inlet port. 
     
     
         6 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 5  that the aforesaid circulation path presents a folding structure that the opening part of the inlet port and the opening part of the outlet port are connected at the prescribed obtuse angle. 
     
     
         7 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 5  that the aforesaid circulation path presents a curved structure that the opening part of the inlet port and the opening part of the outlet port are connected smoothly by the part extending in a curved shape. 
     
     
         8 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the aforesaid circulation path is constructed by the path that connects the aforesaid inlet port and outlet port in a substantially straight extended line configuration. 
     
     
         9 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body is fixedly set up at the forward part of the aforesaid ship. 
     
     
         10 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 9  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body is installed at the tip of the drive shaft extending forward from the forward part of the aforesaid ship. 
     
     
         11 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 10  that one (1) drive shaft is a fixedly set up along the central axis line of the aforesaid ship as the aforesaid drive shaft. 
     
     
         12 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 10  that a plural number of shafts are fixedly set up parallel to the central axial line of the ship as the aforesaid drive shafts. 
     
     
         13 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body is a fixedly set up beneath the central part of the aforesaid ship, excluding the forward part and backward part of the ship. 
     
     
         14 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 13  that such propulsion unit has the housing installed beneath the aforesaid central part of the aforesaid ship and such propulsion unit's main body is installed in the aforesaid housing as a rotating body. 
     
     
         15 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 14  that the driving source, which drives the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body in a rotating manner, is built in the aforesaid housing. 
     
     
         16 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 14  that the means of transmission, which transmits the motive power from the driving source accommodated in the aforesaid ship to the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body, is built in the aforesaid housing. 
     
     
         17 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 14  that the aforesaid housing is installed beneath the central part of the aforesaid ship as a unit rotating around the vertical axis line. 
     
     
         18 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 17  that the aforesaid housing is driven around the vertical axis in a rotating manner by the driving source built in the aforesaid ship and the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body installed in the aforesaid housing provides the propulsive force to move the aforesaid ship forward under the situation that such main body is directed forward of the aforesaid ship,
 and provides the propulsive force to move the aforesaid ship backward under the situation that such main body is directed backward of the aforesaid ship. 
 
     
     
         19 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the deflection member, that deflects the discharge direction of water discharged from the aforesaid outlet port backward of the propulsion direction, is further provided. 
     
     
         20 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 19  that the aforesaid deflecting member is installed in the propulsion unit's main body. 
     
     
         21 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 14  that the fins for rectification are installed on the outer periphery of the aforesaid housing, extending along the aforesaid rotation axis. 
     
     
         22 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 14  that the grooves for rectification are formed on the outer periphery of the aforesaid housing, extending along the aforesaid rotation axis. 
     
     
         23 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the outlet port and inlet port are fixedly set up with the relationship of one-to-one. 
     
     
         24 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 23  that a plural number of the aforesaid inlet ports are formed in the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body. 
     
     
         25 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that the outlet port and inlet ports are fixedly set up with the relationship of one-to-many. 
     
     
         26 . It is characteristic for the propulsion unit for a ship described in  claim 1  that only one (1) input port is formed in the aforesaid propulsion unit's main body.