Propeller drive arrangement

Abstract

A propeller drive arrangement includes a propeller shaft, a planetary gear comprising a first planetary gear member, a second planetary gear member and a third planetary gear member, an outer shaft arranged coaxially with and radially outside of the propeller shaft, A gear wheel set drivingly connecting the second planetary gear member with the outer shaft, The outer shaft is drivingly connected to the one or more propeller blades for varying the pitch angle.The propeller shaft is drivingly fixed to the first planetary gear member, and the second planetary gear member drives the outer shaft via the gear wheel set by a driving torque exerted on the propeller shaft. A pitch controlling actuator controls the pitch angle of the one or more propeller blades,to, in a first state, engage the third planetary gear member to a housing so that the propeller shaft and the outer shaft are arranged to rotate with the same rotational speed, and, in a second state, actuate the third planetary gear member so that the third planetary gear member rotates with respect to the housing.

1 . A propeller drive arrangement, comprising:
 a propeller shaft,   a propeller hub comprising one or more propeller blades, wherein a pitch angle of the one or more propeller blades is variable,   a planetary gear comprising a first planetary gear member, a second planetary gear member and a third planetary gear member which are drivingly connected,   an outer shaft arranged coaxially with and radially outside of the propeller shaft,   a gear wheel set drivingly connecting the second planetary gear member with the outer shaft,   wherein the outer shaft is drivingly connected to the one or more propeller blades for varying the pitch angle,   wherein the propeller shaft, in one end thereof, is configured to be drivingly connected to a propulsion unit and, in a second end thereof, is drivingly fixed to the propeller hub,   wherein the propeller shaft is drivingly fixed to the first planetary gear member, and   wherein the second planetary gear member is arranged to drive the outer shaft via the gear wheel set by a driving torque exerted on the propeller shaft, and   the propeller drive arrangement further comprising a pitch controlling actuator for controlling the pitch angle of the one or more propeller blades,   wherein the pitch controlling actuator is arranged to, in a first state, engage the third planetary gear member to a housing so that the propeller shaft and the outer shaft are arranged to rotate with the same rotational speed, and, in a second state, actuate the third planetary gear member so that the third planetary gear member rotates with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the first planetary gear member is a sun gear of the planetary gear. 
     
     
         3 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the second planetary gear member is a planet carrier of the planetary gear carrying a plurality of planetary gear wheels. 
     
     
         4 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the third planetary gear member is a ring gear of the planetary gear. 
     
     
         5 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the pitch controlling actuator is a rotary actuator, such as an electromechanical rotary actuator, which is configured to rotate the third planetary gear member with respect to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer shaft is arranged to rotate one full revolution or more than one full revolution with respect to the propeller shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the pitch controlling actuator is arranged to, in the second state, actuate the third planetary gear member in any rotational direction with respect to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear wheel set has a fixed gear ratio which allows the propeller shaft and the outer shaft to rotate with the same rotational speed when the pitch controlling actuator is provided in the first state. 
     
     
         9 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 8 , wherein the gear wheel set comprises a first gear wheel which is in meshing engagement with an auxiliary gear wheel of the second planetary gear member, and wherein the gear wheel set further comprises a second gear wheel, which is rotationally fixed to the first gear wheel and which is in meshing engagement with an outer shaft gear wheel which is rotationally fixed to the outer shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 9 , wherein the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel are made in one single piece. 
     
     
         11 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bevel gear arrangement drivingly connecting the outer shaft to the one or more propeller blades. 
     
     
         12 . The propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the propeller drive arrangement comprises only one planetary gear. 
     
     
         13 . A vessel, such as a sailing vessel, comprising a propeller drive arrangement according to  claim 1 .