BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to marine propellers and more particularly, to a marine
propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure for allowing adjustment of exhaust
volume.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] US 5916003 discloses a propeller device, which comprises a propeller body with a propeller hub
having 4 propeller blades extending therefrom and an aperture on each propeller blade,
and a plug having a diametric profile shaped to be received and retained within each
aperture. The vent plugs are provided with openings therethrough so that fluids can
flow from a passage within a hub of the propeller device to a region proximate the
outer cylindrical surface of the hub. The plugs can be changed to modify the size
of the ventilation aperture without having to change the propeller device itself.
[0003] The propeller device is driven by an engine to move the propeller blades through
water, achieving propeller thrust and forcing the boat to move forwards. At the same
time, waste engine gas enters the passage of the propeller hub. At this time, a part
of waste engine gas is exhausted through the ventilation aperture. Thus, the ventilation
apertures of the plugs assist lowering the internal air pressure of the passage of
the propeller hub, reducing water pressure from the propeller blades and enhancing
propelling speed of the propeller blades.
[0004] However, under different application conditions, such as water level, load, temperatures,
and etc., the user must selectively use different sizes of plugs having different
dimensions of ventilation apertures, or plugs without any ventilation aperture to
adjust the exhaust volume of the propeller device to an optimal condition for better
propeller performance.
[0005] On other words, the user must prepare many different plugs having different dimensions
of ventilation apertures. Preparing a large number of plugs relatively increases the
cost. Further, the plugs may be missed easily when not in use. Therefore, the aforesaid
prior art design of propeller device is not convenient to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is
the main object of the present invention to provide a marine propeller, which allows
convenient adjustment of the exhaust volume without changing any component parts,
facilitating ease of use.
[0007] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a marine propeller comprises
a propeller body. The propeller body comprises a propeller hub and a plurality of
propeller blades. The propeller hub comprises an outer surface and an inner surface.
The propeller blades are extended outwardly from the outer surface of the propeller
hub. The marine propeller further comprises at least one adjustable exhaust device.
Each adjustable exhaust device comprises an exhaust hole unit cut through the outer
surface and inner surface of the propeller hub, an adjustment member mounted in the
exhaust hole unit, and fastening means for securing the adjustment member to the exhaust
hole unit in position. The exhaust hole unit comprises at least one exhaust through
hole. The adjustment member comprises at least one shielding portion for shielding
the at least one exhaust through hole. Further, before the adjustment member is secured
in position by the fastening means, the adjustment member is movable relative to the
exhaust hole unit to adjust the shielding area of the at least one shielding portion
relative to the at least one exhaust through hole.
[0008] Thus, under different application conditions, the user can adjust the exhaust volume
to the optimal status without changing any component parts of the marine propeller,
enabling the marine propeller to provide a proper speed. Thus, the marine propeller
is very convenient to use.
[0009] Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by
reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010]
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a marine propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure
in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the marine propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure
in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating
one exhaust hole unit in the propeller body of the marine propeller.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 3, illustrating one adjustment member
installed in the exhaust hole unit.
FIG. 5 is an end view of the adjustment member shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the adjustment member shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of e marine propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure
in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the angular position of the adjustment member
adjusted relative to the exhaust hole unit.
FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the angular position of the adjustment member
adjusted relative to the exhaust hole unit.
FIG. 10 is a side view of a marine propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating one
exhaust hole unit in a propeller body.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the marine propeller with an adjustable exhaust structure
in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a marine propeller in accordance with a first embodiment
of the present invention is shown. The marine propeller
10 comprises a propeller body
20, three adjustable exhaust devices
30. Each adjustable exhaust device
30 comprises, installed in the propeller body
20, an exhaust hole unit
40, an adjustment member
50, and a fastening member
60.
[0012] The propeller body
20 comprises a propeller hub
22, and three propeller blades
24. The propeller hub
22 comprises an outer tube
222 and an inner tube
224 integrally formed of multiple rib plates (not shown), and an outer surface
226 and an inner surface
228 located on the outer tube
222. The propeller blades
24 are outwardly extended from the outer surface
226 of the propeller hub
22. The adjustable exhaust devices
30 are respectively disposed between each two adjacent propeller blades
24.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 2 and 3 again, each exhaust hole unit
40 comprises a recess
42, an axle hole
44, and six exhaust through holes
46. The recess
42 is located on the outer surface
226 comprises a bottom wall
422, an inner peripheral wall
424, and two blocks
426 protruded from the inner peripheral wall
424. The axle hole
44 and the exhaust through holes
46 extend through the bottom wall
422 of the recess
42 and the inner surface
228 of the propeller hub
22. Further, the exhaust through holes
46 are spaced around the axle hole
44.
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, each adjustment member
50 comprises a shaft
52, and an adjustment wheel
54 formed integral with one end of the shaft
52. The shaft
52 comprises a groove
522 extending around the periphery thereof. The adjustment wheel
54 is shaped like a gearwheel, comprising a circular peripheral wall
542, and a plurality of notches
544 arranged around a circle, i.e., equiangularly spaced around the circular peripheral
wall
542. The adjustment wheel
54 further comprises six through holes
546 cut through the opposing top and bottom sides thereof and spaced around the shaft
52, and a shielding portion
548 between each two adjacent through holes
546.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIGS. 2 and 4 again, in each adjustable exhaust device
30, the shaft
52 of the adjustment member
50 is inserted into the axle hole
44 of the exhaust hole unit
40, the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 is set in the recess
42 of the exhaust hole unit
40, and the two blocks
426 of the recess
42 are respectively engaged into one respective notch
544 of the adjustment wheel
54. The fastening member
60 is a C-shaped retaining ring mounted in the groove
522 of the shaft
52 of the adjustment member
50 to secure the adjustment member
50 to the exhaust hole unit
40. The user can detach the fastening member
60, and then remove the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 out of the recess
42, and then rotate the adjustment member
50 to the desired angle, and then set the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 in the recess
42 again, and thus the shielding portions
548 of the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 are moved relative to the exhaust through holes
46 to change their shielding area relative to the exhaust through holes
46 and to further adjust the exhaust volume of the marine propeller
10.
[0016] For example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the shielding portions
548 of the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 are moved away from the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 and the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 are fully opened. At this time, the exhaust volume of the marine propeller
10 reaches the maximum level. In the configuration shown in FIG. 9, the exhaust through
holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 are fully shielded by the shielding portions
548 of the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50, and the internal gas of the propeller hub
22 cannot be exhausted. At this time, the exhaust volume of the marine propeller
10 reaches the minimum level. Further, the shielding portions
548 of the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 can be moved to a position to partially shield the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40, as shown in FIG. 4. Subject to the aforesaid operation of rotating the adjustment
member
50 relative to the exhaust hole unit
40, the shielded area of the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 is relatively adjusted.
[0017] In other words, under different application conditions, the user can adjust the exhaust
volume to the optimal status without changing any component parts of the marine propeller
10, enabling the marine propeller
10 to provide a proper speed. Thus, the marine propeller
10 is very convenient to use.
[0018] It is to be noted that in each of the aforesaid adjustable exhaust devices
30, the fastening member
60 is not limited to C-shaped retaining ring, and any of a variety of other fastening
means capable of prohibiting the adjustment member
50 from escaping out of the exhaust hole unit
40 and allowing movement of the shielding portions
548 of the adjustment wheel
54 of the adjustment member
50 relative to the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 before fixation can be used as a substitute. Further, the number and locations of
the blocks
426 of the recess
42 of each exhaust hole unit
40 may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. One
single block
426 can also achieve the same effect of securing the adjustment member
50 in position.
[0019] In the aforesaid first embodiment, the relative positioning between the exhaust hole
unit
40 and the respective adjustment member
50 and quantitative adjustment of the relative angle therebetween are achieved by means
of selectively engaging the relative smaller number of the blocks
426 of the exhaust hole unit
40 into the relatively larger number of the notches
544 of the adjustment member
50. Alternatively, the adjustment member
50 can be made having a relatively smaller number of blocks for selectively engaging
a larger number of notches in the exhaust hole unit
40. Further, it is not a limitation to arrange the notches around a circle.
[0020] Further, the number and arrangement of the exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 and the number and arrangement of the through holes
546 and shielding portions
548 of each adjustment member
50 are not limited to the aforesaid design. Actually, each adjustable exhaust device
30 can be made having at least one set of exhaust through holes
46, through holes
546 and shielding portions
548 to achieve the same effects.
[0021] Further, the marine propeller
10 can be made having at least one adjustable exhaust device
30 to achieve the aforesaid exhaust volume adjustment effect. However, arranging one
adjustable exhaust device
30 between each two adjacent propeller blades
24 can balance the resistance of the propeller blades
24, facilitating smooth operation of the marine propeller
10.
[0022] In the aforesaid first embodiment, the recess
42, axle hole
44 and exhaust through holes
46 of the exhaust hole unit
40 are located on the propeller body
20, however, this arrangement is not a limitation. In a second embodiment of the present
invention as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the exhaust hole unit
70 of the marine propeller comprises a through hole
72 extending through the outer surface
226 and inner surface
228 of the propeller hub
22 of the propeller body
20, and a plug
74 fixedly mounted in the through hole
72. The plug
72 defines an axle hole
742, and a plurality of exhaust through holes
744. Thus, this exhaust hole unit
70 achieves the same effects as the exhaust hole unit
40 of the aforesaid first embodiment.
[0023] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for
purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is
not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
1. A marine propeller (10) comprising a propeller body (20), being characterized in that said propeller body (20) comprising a propeller hub (22) and a plurality of propeller
blades (24), said propeller hub (22) comprises an outer surface (226) and an inner
surface (228), said propeller blades (24) being extended outwardly from said outer
surface (226) of said propeller hub (22), wherein said marine propeller (10) further
comprises at least one adjustable exhaust device (30), each said adjustable exhaust
device (30) comprising an exhaust hole unit (40) cut through said outer surface (226)
and said inner surface (228) of said propeller hub (22), an adjustment member (50)
mounted in said exhaust hole unit (40), and fastening means (60) for securing said
adjustment member (50) to said exhaust hole unit (40) in position, said exhaust hole
unit (40) comprising at least one exhaust through hole (46), said adjustment member
(50) comprising at least one shielding portion (548) for shielding said at least one
exhaust through hole (46), said adjustment member (50) being movable relative to said
exhaust hole unit (40) to adjust the shielding area of said at least one shielding
portion (548) relative to said at least one exhaust through hole (46) before being
secured in position by said fastening means (60).
2. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 1, being characterized in that said fastening means (60) is a fastening member detachably mounted at said adjustment
member (50), said at least one shielding portion (548) of said adjustment member (50)
being movable relative to said at least one exhaust through hole (46) after detachment
of said fastening member (60) from said adjustment member (50).
3. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 2, being characterized in that said adjustment member (50) is rotatable relative to said propeller hub (22) to adjust
the shielding area of said at least one shielding portion (548) relative to said at
least one exhaust through hole (46).
4. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 3, being characterized in that said exhaust hole unit (40) further comprises an axle hole (44); said adjustment
member (50) comprises a shaft (52) inserted into said axle hole (44) and rotatable
relative to said propeller hub (10) after detachment of said fastening member (60)
from said adjustment member (50), and an adjustment disc formed integral with said
shaft (52), said adjustment disc comprising at least one through hole (72) and said
at least one shielding portion (548), said at least one through hole (72) being kept
in communication with said at least one exhaust through hole (46).
5. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 4, being characterized in that said exhaust hole unit (40) further comprises a recess (42) located on said outer
surface (226) of said propeller hub (22), said recess (42) defining therein a bottom
wall; said axle hole (742) and said at least one exhaust through hole (46) extend
through said bottom wall of said recess (42) and said inner surface (228) of said
propeller body (10); said adjustment disc is set in said recess (42).
6. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 5, being characterized in that one of said exhaust hole unit (40) and said adjustment member (50) comprises a plurality
of notches (544), and the other of said exhaust hole unit (40) and said adjustment
member (50) comprises at least one block (426) selectively engaged into said notches
(544).
7. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 6, being characterized in that said recess (42) of said exhaust hole unit (40) further comprises an inner peripheral
wall (424); said at least one block (426) is extended from said inner peripheral wall
(424); said adjustment disc of said adjustment member (50) comprises a peripheral
wall; said notches (544) are located on the peripheral wall of said adjustment disc
of said adjustment member (50).
8. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 7, being characterized in that said exhaust hole unit (40) comprises two blocks (426) disposed at two opposing sides;
said notches (544) of said adjustment member (50) are equiangularly spaced around
a circle.
9. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 4, being characterized in that said exhaust hole unit (40) comprises a plurality of exhaust through holes (46) spaced
around said axle hole (44); said adjustment disc of said adjustment member (50) comprises
a plurality of through holes (72) spaced around said shaft (52) and respectively kept
in communication with said exhaust through holes (46) of said exhaust hole unit (40),
and one said shielding portion (548) disposed between each two adjacent said through
holes (72).
10. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 4, being characterized in that said shaft (52) of said adjustment member (50) comprises a groove (522) extending
around the periphery thereof; said fastening means (60) is a C-shaped retaining ring
mounted in said groove (522) of said shaft (52).
11. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 1, being characterized in that said exhaust hole unit (40) further comprises a recess (42) located on said outer
surface (226) of said propeller hub (22); said adjustment member (50) is set in said
recess (42).
12. The marine propeller (10) as claimed in claim 1, being characterized in that said at least one adjustable exhaust device (30) is arranged in such a manner that
one said adjustable exhaust device (30) is disposed between each two adjacent said
propeller blades (24).
13. A marine propeller (10) being characterized in that the marine propeller (10) further comprises a propeller body (20), said propeller
body (20) comprising a propeller hub (22) and a plurality of propeller blades (24),
said propeller hub (22) comprising an outer surface (226) and an inner surface (228),
said propeller blades (24) being extended outwardly from said outer surface (226)
of said propeller hub (22), wherein said marine propeller (10) further comprises at
least one adjustable exhaust device (30), each said adjustable exhaust device (30)
comprising an exhaust hole unit (40), an adjustment member (50) mounted in said exhaust
hole unit (40), and fastening means (60) for securing said adjustment member (50)
to said exhaust hole unit (40) in position, said exhaust hole unit (40) comprising
a through hole (72) extending through said outer surface (226) and said inner surface
(228) of said propeller hub (22) and a plug (74) fixedly mounted in said through hole
(72), said plug (74) comprising at least one exhaust through hole (46), said adjustment
member (50) comprising at least one shielding portion (548) for shielding said at
least one exhaust through hole (46), said at least one shielding portion (548) being
movable relative to said at least one exhaust through hole (46) to adjust the shielding
area of said at least one shielding portion (548) relative to said at least one exhaust
through hole (46) before being secured in position by said fastening means (60).