Marine drive unit and marine vessel

Abstract

A hybrid marine drive unit mounted to a transom. The drive unit includes a drive housing mounted on the transom, a propelling unit rotatable about a vertical axis and mounted to a lower surface of the drive housing, and a transmission with at least a vertical drive shaft located in the drive housing and extending into the propelling unit. The vertical drive shaft is arranged transmit drive torque from at least one of multiple sources of drive torque. The vertical drive shaft is operably connected to a first source of drive torque arranged within the drive housing, and the vertical drive shaft is operably connected to a horizontal output shaft extending into the drive housing through the transom. The horizontal output shaft is connectable to a second source of drive torque.

1 . Hybrid marine drive unit mounted to a transom, which drive unit comprises
 a drive housing rigidly mounted on the transom,   a propelling unit rotatable about a vertical axis and mounted to a lower surface of the drive housing, and   a transmission with at least a vertical drive shaft located in the drive housing and extending into the propelling unit, which vertical drive shaft is arranged to transmit drive torque from at least one of multiple sources of drive torque, wherein:   the drive unit is an azimuthing pod drive removably attached to the transom   the vertical drive shaft is operably connected to at least one first source of drive torque arranged within the drive housing, and that   the vertical drive shaft is operably connected to a horizontal output shaft extending into the drive housing through the transom, wherein the horizontal output shaft is connectable to a second source of drive torque.   
     
     
         2 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first source of drive torque is an electric motor with an independently excited rotor; wherein the rotor is arranged to be freewheeling when its excitation current is deactivated. 
     
     
         3 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one electric motor is a polyphase synchronous motor, a switched reluctance motor or a synchronous reluctance motor. 
     
     
         4 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first source of drive torque is operably connected to the upper end of the vertical drive shaft above a gear unit. 
     
     
         5 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric motor is directly connected to the propelling unit via the vertical drive shaft. 
     
     
         6 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric motor is operably connected to the vertical drive shaft by a gear unit. 
     
     
         7 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second sources of drive torque are operably connected to the vertical drive shaft via the gear unit. 
     
     
         8 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal output shaft is operably connected to the vertical drive shaft via the gear unit. 
     
     
         9 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the gear unit comprises opposing bevel gears operatively connected to the horizontal output shaft, wherein each bevel gear is connected or disconnected to the vertical drive shaft by a controllable actuator. 
     
     
         10 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the controllable actuator is a clutch. 
     
     
         11 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein each source of drive torque is arranged to drive the vertical drive shaft independently or in combination. 
     
     
         12 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive housing comprises a control unit and power electronic controller for the at least one electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . Hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive housing comprises a steering system with a control unit and a steering drive unit for rotating the propelling unit about its vertical axis. 
     
     
         14 . Marine vessel with a hybrid driveline comprising multiple sources of drive torque to propel the vessel, wherein the vessel is provided with at least one hybrid marine drive unit according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . Marine vessel according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one hybrid marine drive unit comprises at least one electric motor arranged within a drive housing and that the drive unit is operatively connected to an internal combustion engine arranged within the hull of the vessel.