Sail drive and ship

Abstract

The sail drive includes a lower unit, an upper unit that is disposed above the lower unit such that an arrangement direction can be changed with respect to the lower unit, and an intermediate unit that is disposed between the lower unit and the upper unit. A refrigerant flowing between the lower unit and the upper unit via the intermediate unit is cooled in the lower unit. The intermediate unit switches a flow passage of the refrigerant.

1 . A sail drive, comprising:
 a lower unit;   an upper unit that is disposed above the lower unit such that an arrangement direction of the upper unit is changed with respect to the lower unit; and   an intermediate unit that is disposed between the lower unit and the upper unit, wherein:
 a refrigerant flowing between the lower unit and the upper unit via the intermediate unit is cooled in the lower unit, and 
 the intermediate unit switches a flow passage of the refrigerant. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sail drive according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flow passage includes:
 a lower flow passage provided in the lower unit, and 
 an upper flow passage provided in the upper unit, and 
   the intermediate unit maintains a connection relationship between the lower flow passage and the upper flow passage even when an arrangement direction of the upper unit with respect to the lower unit is changed.   
     
     
         3 . The sail drive according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the lower flow passage includes a lower flow passage inlet portion and a lower flow passage outlet portion,   the upper flow passage includes an upper flow passage inlet portion and an upper flow passage outlet portion, and   even when the arrangement direction of the upper unit with respect to the lower unit is changed, the intermediate unit causes the lower flow passage inlet portion and the upper flow passage outlet portion to communicate with each other and causes the lower flow passage outlet portion and the upper flow passage inlet portion to communicate with each other.   
     
     
         4 . The sail drive according to  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate unit includes a groove portion through which the refrigerant flows. 
     
     
         5 . The sail drive according to  claim 4 , wherein the groove portion includes:
 a downward groove that is recessed downward,   an upward groove that is recessed upward, and   a communication portion that allows the downward groove and the upward groove to communicate with each other.   
     
     
         6 . The sail drive according to  claim 4 , wherein the groove portion allows the lower flow passage inlet portion and the upper flow passage outlet portion to communicate with each other and allows the lower flow passage outlet portion and the upper flow passage inlet portion to communicate with each other. 
     
     
         7 . The sail drive according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate unit includes a plurality of switching members. 
     
     
         8 . The sail drive according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the plurality of switching members include:
 an upper member having a first groove and a second groove, 
 a lower member having a third groove and a fourth groove, and 
 an intermediate member having a pair of through holes, 
   the intermediate member is disposed between the upper member and the lower member,   the upper member is disposed such that opening sides of the first groove and the second groove face the intermediate member, and   the lower member is disposed such that opening sides of the third groove and the fourth groove face the intermediate member.   
     
     
         9 . The sail drive according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first groove is connected to a first upper port that is formed downward from an upper surface of the upper member and is recessed upward,   the second groove is connected to a second upper port that is formed downward from the upper surface of the upper member and is recessed upward,   the third groove is connected to a first lower port that is formed upward from a lower surface of the lower member and is recessed downward, and   the fourth groove is connected to a second lower port that is formed upward from the lower surface of the lower member and is recessed downward.   
     
     
         10 . The sail drive according to  claim 9 , wherein the first upper port and the second upper port are symmetrically arranged with respect to a central axis of the upper member in plan view. 
     
     
         11 . The sail drive according to  claim 9 , wherein the first lower port and the second lower port are symmetrically arranged with respect to a central axis of the lower member in plan view. 
     
     
         12 . The sail drive according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the upper member, the intermediate member, and the lower member are arranged in an up-down direction, and   the flow passage is switched when the intermediate member rotates about an axis extending in the up-down direction.   
     
     
         13 . The sail drive according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the intermediate unit includes:
 a first communication mode in which the first groove and the third groove communicate with each other and the second groove and the fourth groove communicate with each other, and 
 a second communication mode in which the first groove and the fourth groove communicate with each other and the second groove and the third groove communicate with each other, and 
   switching between the first communication mode and the second communication mode is performed when the intermediate member rotates about the axis.   
     
     
         14 . The sail drive according to  claim 8 , wherein the flow passage is switched when positions of the pair of through holes are changed. 
     
     
         15 . The sail drive according to  claim 14 , wherein;
 the intermediate unit includes:
 a first communication mode in which the first groove and the third groove communicate with each other and the second groove and the fourth groove communicate with each other, and 
 a second communication mode in which the first groove and the fourth groove communicate with each other and the second groove and the third groove communicate with each other, and 
   switching between the first communication mode and the second communication mode is performed when positions of the pair of through holes are changed.   
     
     
         16 . The sail drive according to  claim 8 , wherein the intermediate member has a positioning portion corresponding to at least one of the upper member and the lower member. 
     
     
         17 . The sail drive according to  claim 16 , wherein the positioning portion protrudes toward at least one of the upper member and the lower member. 
     
     
         18 . A ship comprising the sail drive according to  claim 1 .