Marine drive system with centering bearing surface

Abstract

A drive system for a marine vessel includes a first housing fixed to an opening in a hull of the marine vessel, and a drive unit arranged inside the first housing. The drive unit has a second housing comprising an electric or combustion drive motor and a marine propulsion system attached to the second housing, where the drive system is provided with a parking position in which the marine propulsion system is positioned inside the first housing, a drive position in which the marine propulsion system is positioned outside of the first housing, where the first housing is provided with an inwardly extending flange arranged around the circumference of the opening, and that the second housing is provided with an edge at the circumference of a lower side of the second housing, where the flange shape and the edge shape are complementary, such that the edge of the second housing bears on the flange of the first housing when the drive system is in the drive position.

1 . A drive system for a marine vessel comprising a first housing provided with an opening and being fixed to an opening inside a hull of the marine vessel, and a drive unit arranged inside the first housing, where the drive unit comprises a second housing comprising a drive motor and a marine propulsion system attached to the second housing, where the marine propulsion system comprises a leg and a hub provided with at least one propeller, where the drive system comprises an adjustment mechanism arranged to adjust the position of the drive unit in the first housing, where the drive system is provided with a parking position in which the marine propulsion system is positioned inside the first housing and a drive position in which the marine propulsion system is positioned outside of the first housing, wherein the first housing is provided with an inwardly extending flange having a flange shape, where the inwardly extending flange is arranged around the circumference of the opening, and that the second housing is provided with an edge at the circumference of a lower side of the second housing, having an edge shape complementary to the flange shape, such that the edge of the second housing bears on the flange of the first housing when the drive system is in the drive position, characterized in that the first housing is arranged to be resiliently connected to the hull of the marine vessel. 
     
     
         2 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first housing is arranged to be resiliently connected to the hull of the marine vessel by means of at least one O-ring arranged above and below a protrusion arranged at a lower end of the first housing. 
     
     
         3 . Drive system according to  claim 2 , wherein the O-rings have a material thickness of 3-50 mm. 
     
     
         4 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is an electric drive motor. 
     
     
         5 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         6 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange shape and the edge shape is tapered. 
     
     
         7 . Drive system according to  claim 6 , wherein the angle of the tapered flange of the first housing and the edge of the second housing is between 30 to 60 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the drive system. 
     
     
         8 . Drive system according to  claim 7 , wherein the angle of the tapered flange of the first housing and the edge of the second housing is between 40 to 50 degrees with respect to a vertical axis of the drive system. 
     
     
         9 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange of the first housing further comprises a seal and/or the edge of the second housing further comprises a seal. 
     
     
         10 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer shape of the first housing and the second housing is circular. 
     
     
         11 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer shape of the first housing and the second housing is non-circular. 
     
     
         12 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second housing is rotationally adjustable in the first housing. 
     
     
         13 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second housing is rotationally fixed in the first housing. 
     
     
         14 . Drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is provided with a locking means that is adapted to lock the adjustment mechanism in the selected position. 
     
     
         15 . Marine vessel, comprising at least one drive system according to  claim 1 .