Zf Friedrichshafen Ag

Adriano Zanfei

Michele Zottele

Andrea Pellegrinetti

Paolo Stasolla

Davide Grassi

A hybrid drive system for a ship, designed as a parallel hybrid drive system, and comprising an internal combustion engine (), an electric machine (), acting as a generator or motor, depending on switching an electric controller (), a battery (), at least one switching clutch (), and a drive device () for transferring the drive power to at least one propeller (). The electric machine () together with a first () and a second switched clutch (), form a drive unit (), that can be modularly disposed between the internal combustion engine () and the drive device (). The first switched clutch () is disposed between the electric machine () and the internal combustion engine () and the second switched clutch () is disposed between the electric machine () and the drive device ().

Hybrid drive system for a ship

A method for operating a ship propulsion system, in particular a sailing ship propulsion system, comprising an internal combustion engine (), at least one shifting clutch (), and a drive device () for transmitting drive power to at least one propeller (). The direction of thrust of the propeller () is changed via the drive device () which is designed as a ship propulsion system which can be pivoted about a substantially vertical control axis () by pivoting a thrust unit () associated with the drive device (). For this purpose, the pivotable thrust unit () is pivoted approximately 180&#xb0; in the opposite direction to reverse the direction of thrust of the propeller ().

Ship propulsion system

A method of checking a toe angle of at least one port rudder () and at least one starboard rudder () of a ship, which are electronically adjusted via a control device, such that different toe angles are set for the at least one port rudder () and the at least one starboard rudder () and from which an optimal toe angle is determined, in real time, for each of the at least one port rudder () and the at least one starboard rudder ().

Method for verifying the toe angle of a ship's rudders

A steering unit (), for a steer-by-wire ship control system, comprises a steering wheel (), a controller () that is connected to the electronic controller of the ship control system (ECU) via a CAN bus, a sensor () for detecting an angular position of the steering wheel (), and a unit for generating mechanical resistance in the steering wheel (), in which the unit for generating mechanical resistance in the steering wheel () is an electric motor () and the shaft () of the steering wheel (), that is rotationally fixed to the steering wheel (), is rotationally fixed to the rotor () of the electric motor (), and the stator () of the electric motor () is rotationally fixed to the housing () of the electric motor ().

Steering unit for a steer-by-wire ship's control system and method for operating the steering unit

A steering actuator () designed as a linear electro-mechanical actuator for a ship control system which comprises an electric motor (), a controller () connected, via a CAN bus, to the electronic control unit of the ship control system (ECU) and an angle sensor () actively connected to the controller () for determining the angular position of the rudder (). The electric motor () is designed as a vector-controlled brushless motor.

Growing community of inventors

Madrano, Italy

Adriano Zanfei