Parking position
Various aspects provide for “parking” an apparatus in a “parking position.” A parking position may be a configuration of an apparatus that minimizes damage resulting from extended exposure during periods of inactivity. An apparatus may comprise a marine apparatus, which may be configured to be disposed in an environment comprising saltwater, salty air, brackish water, freshwater, and the like. An apparatus may comprise a propulsion system (e.g., for a ship) and/or a steering system. Some aspects include a water jet based propulsion system having a scoop and a nozzle operable to redirect the water jet, providing a range of forward/backward and port/starboard thrusts. A control cylinder and/or a linkage may be parked in a configuration that segregates damage incurred during periods of inactivity to portions of an apparatus not needed for normal operation.
1. A water jet propulsion system for a boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device, the propulsion system comprising:
a water jet configured to generate a jet of water to propel the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device;
a scoop shaped to controllably redirect at least a portion of the jet during normal operation of the water jet propulsion system in which the water jet generates the jet of water;
a scoop parking apparatus comprising:
a scoop linkage comprising at least one of a pivot and a lever arm, the scoop linkage configured to couple the scoop to the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device, the scoop linkage having a scoop range of motion comprising:
a forward/reverse working range, within which the scoop may be positioned in the jet to yield a forward/reverse thrust during the normal operation of the water jet propulsion system, wherein the forward/reverse thrust is selected from the group consisting of a forward thrust, a reverse thrust, and a combination of forward and reverse thrusts, wherein a forward end of the forward/reverse working range disposes the scoop substantially outside the jet of water resulting in maximum forward thrust and a reverse end of the forward/reverse working range disposes the scoop within the jet of water resulting in maximum reverse thrust, and
an extended scoop position, in which the scoop is disposed further away from the jet of water than when the scoop is disposed at the forward end of the forward/reverse working range, at which the scoop may be parked during a period of inactivity;
a scoop control actuator coupled to the scoop linkage, the scoop control actuator comprising:
a scoop working length operable to actuate the scoop linkage to position the scoop within the forward/reverse working range; and
a scoop additional distance operable to actuate the scoop linkage to position the scoop at the extended scoop position outside the forward/reverse working range during the period of inactivity; and
a system controller comprising a processor coupled to computer readable non-transitory storage media configured to receive an instruction to park the scoop parking apparatus, identify the extended scoop position for the scoop parking apparatus that disposes the scoop further away from the jet of water than when the scoop is disposed at the forward end of the forward/reverse working range, and direct the scoop control actuator to move to the scoop additional distance.
2. The water jet propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the scoop control actuator comprises an electrically driven actuator.
3. The water jet propulsion system of claim 2 ,
wherein: the electrically driven actuator comprises a lead screw; and
the additional distance comprises an additional distance into the actuator into which the lead screw retracts to position the scoop at the extended scoop position.
4. The water jet propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the scoop control actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder.
5. The water jet propulsion system of claim 4 , wherein the additional distance comprises an additional distance into a barrel of the hydraulic cylinder into which a piston of the hydraulic cylinder retracts to position the scoop at the extended scoop position.
6. The water jet propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the scoop control actuator comprises two hydraulic cylinders, each having a corresponding piston and barrel, each hydraulic cylinder having an additional distance into which the corresponding piston retracts to position the scoop at the extended scoop position.
7. A water jet propulsion system for a boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device, the propulsion system comprising:
a water jet configured to generate a jet of water to propel the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device;
a nozzle through which the jet is configured to flow during normal operation of the water jet propulsion system in which the water jet generates the jet of water; and
a nozzle parking apparatus comprising:
a nozzle linkage comprising at least one of a pivot and a lever arm, the nozzle linkage configured to couple the nozzle to the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device, the nozzle linkage having a lateral range of motion comprising:
a lateral working range, within which the nozzle may be positioned in the jet to yield a desired lateral thrust during the normal operation of the water jet propulsion system, wherein at a full starboard end of the lateral working range the lateral thrust would steer the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device in its most starboard heading, and at a full port end of the lateral working range the lateral thrust would steer the boat, ship, submarine, or subsurface device in its most port heading, and
an extended nozzle position, in which the nozzle is outside the lateral working range, at which the nozzle may be parked during a period of inactivity;
a nozzle control actuator coupled to the nozzle linkage, the nozzle control actuator comprising:
a nozzle working length operable to actuate the nozzle linkage to position the nozzle within the lateral working range; and
a nozzle additional distance operable actuate the nozzle linkage to position the nozzle at the extended nozzle position outside the lateral working range during the period of inactivity; and
a system controller comprising a processor coupled to computer readable non-transitory storage media configured to receive an instruction to park the nozzle parking apparatus, identify the extended nozzle position for the nozzle parking apparatus that positions the nozzle beyond at least one of the full starboard end and the full port end of the lateral working range, and direct the nozzle control actuator to move to the nozzle additional distance.
8. The water jet propulsion system of claim 7 , wherein the nozzle control actuator comprises an electrically driven actuator.
9. The water jet propulsion system of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle control actuator comprises one electrically driven actuator.
10. The water jet propulsion system of claim 8 ,
wherein: the electrically driven actuator comprises a lead screw;
and
the additional distance comprises an additional distance into the actuator into which the lead screw retracts to position the nozzle at the extended nozzle position.
11. The water jet propulsion system of claim 7 , wherein the nozzle control actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder.
12. The water jet propulsion system of claim 11 , wherein the additional distance comprises an additional distance into a barrel of the hydraulic cylinder into which a piston of the hydraulic cylinder retracts to position the nozzle at the extended nozzle position.
13. The water jet propulsion system of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle control actuator comprises one hydraulic cylinder.