The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 25, 1999
Michael S. Sinko, Preston, CT (US);
James S. Smith, Old Lyme, CT (US);
Pieter Van Dine, Mystic, CT (US);
John H. Chapman, Groton, CT (US);
Electric Boat Corporation, Groton, CT (US);
Abstract
In the external electric drive propulsion module arrangement described in the specification, two parallel propulsion units are mounted in a housing affixed beneath the stern of a ship and having a surface contour conforming to the contour of the adjacent surface portions of the ship's hull. Each propulsion unit is disposed substantially horizontally to provide maximum propulsion efficiency and has a rotating blade section for driving water rearwardly from an inlet and a fixed blade section following the rotating blade section. The inlet receives water from a wraparound array of screened intake openings near the forward end of the module housing which draws in the surface boundary layer of the ship's hull. In addition, vertical vanes are affixed to the stern of the ship to straighten the flow of water from the propulsion units.