Drive arrangement for a marine vessel

Abstract

A drive arrangement for a marine vessel. The drive arrangement includes an upper drive part configured to be mounted onto an outside of a transom of the marine vessel. A lower drive part is connected to the upper drive part to be fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper drive part. The lower drive part has a hydrodynamic configuration and is provided with at least one propeller. A transmission system is arranged to transfer a drive torque to the propeller from a drive source system connected to the transmission system. An outer surface of the upper drive part substantially is made up of a plurality of surface sections connected by one or more edges. Each of said surface sections has a shape corresponding to a so-called ruled surface that can be generated by the motion of a straight line.

1 . Drive arrangement for a marine vessel, the drive arrangement comprising:
 an upper drive part configured to be mounted onto an outside of a transom of the marine vessel;   a lower drive part connected to the upper drive part so as to be fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper drive part, wherein the lower drive part has a hydrodynamic configuration and is provided with at least one propeller; and   a transmission system arranged to transfer a drive torque to the propeller from a drive source system connected to the transmission system, wherein the transmission system is arranged to be connected to a drive source system located at least partly on-board the marine vessel inside of the transom, wherein the transmission system comprises a first drive shaft member extending vertically between the upper and lower drive parts and a second drive shaft member extending substantially horizontally in the lower drive part, and wherein the second drive shaft member is connected to the first drive shaft member and to the at least one propeller,   wherein the upper drive part is intended to be located behind the transom and substantially above an imaginary extension of a hull bottom of the marine vessel when mounted onto the transom,   wherein the lower drive part is intended to be located substantially below the imaginary extension of the hull bottom of the marine vessel, and/or substantially below the real hull bottom of the marine vessel, when the upper drive part of the drive arrangement is mounted onto the transom, and   wherein an outer surface of the upper drive part substantially is made up of a plurality of surface sections connected by one or more edges, wherein each of said surface sections has a shape corresponding to a so-called ruled surface that can be generated by the motion of a straight line, such as a planar surface or a lateral surface of a cylinder or cone.   
     
     
         2 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the upper drive part comprises at least two flat surface sections connected by a straight edge. 
     
     
         3 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the upper drive part comprises at least three, preferably more, flat surface sections connected by straight edges. 
     
     
         4 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the upper drive part comprises at least a part of a lateral side of a cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surface sections are arranged to generally be facing sideways, upwards and/or backwards in relation to the marine vessel when the upper drive part is mounted onto the transom. 
     
     
         6 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of surface sections covers at least 70% of the total outer surface of the upper drive part facing generally sideways, upwards and/or backwards in relation to the marine vessel when the upper drive part is mounted onto the transom. 
     
     
         7 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper drive part is arranged to be mounted to the transom via a hinge element so as to allow the drive arrangement to pivot from side to side. 
     
     
         8 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper drive part is arranged to be fixedly mounted onto the transom. 
     
     
         9 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower drive part is rotatable about a vertical axis in relation to the upper drive part. 
     
     
         10 . Drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive source system forms part of the drive arrangement, and wherein the drive source system comprises i) an internal combustion engine intended to be located on board the marine vessel inside of the transom or ii) an electric motor and an electric energy storage unit for powering the electric motor, wherein at least the electric energy storage unit is intended to be located on board the marine vessel inside of the transom. 
     
     
         11 . Marine vessel, wherein the marine vessel is provided with a drive arrangement comprising:
 an upper drive part mounted onto an outside of a transom of the marine vessel;   a lower drive part connected to the upper drive part so as to be fixed in a vertical direction in relation to the upper drive part, wherein the lower drive part has a hydrodynamic configuration and is provided with at least one propeller; and   a transmission system arranged to transfer a drive torque to the propeller from a drive source system connected to the transmission system, wherein the drive source system is located at least partly on-board the marine vessel inside of the transom, wherein the transmission system comprises a first drive shaft member extending vertically between the upper and lower drive parts and a second drive shaft member extending substantially horizontally in the lower drive part, and wherein the second drive shaft member is connected to the first drive shaft member and to the at least one propeller,
 wherein the upper drive part is located behind the transom and substantially above an imaginary extension of a hull bottom of the marine vessel, 
 wherein the lower drive part is located substantially below the imaginary extension of the hull bottom of the marine vessel and/or substantially below the real hull bottom of the marine vessel, and 
 wherein an outer surface of the upper drive part substantially is made up of a plurality of surface sections connected by one or more edges, wherein each of said surface sections has a shape corresponding to a so-called ruled surface that can be generated by the motion of a straight line, such as a planar surface or a lateral surface of a cylinder or cone. 
   
     
     
         12 . Marine vessel according to  claim 11 , wherein the upper drive part is fixedly mounted onto the transom. 
     
     
         13 . Marine vessel according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower drive part is rotatable about a vertical axis in relation to the upper drive part. 
     
     
         14 . Marine vessel according to  claim 11 , wherein the drive source system forms part of the marine vessel and wherein the drive source system comprises an internal combustion engine or an electric motor located on board the marine vessel inside of the transom. 
     
     
         15 . Marine vessel according to  claim 11 , wherein the drive source system forms part of the marine vessel and wherein the drive source system comprises an electric motor at least partly arranged in the upper drive part. 
     
     
         16 . Marine vessel according to  claim 11 , wherein the drive source system forms part of the marine vessel and comprises an electric motor and an electric energy storage unit, wherein the electric energy storage unit is located on board the marine vessel inside of the transom.