PROPELLER ASSEMBLY FOR A BOAT
A boat and a propeller assembly for a boat. The propeller assembly includes a propeller and a thrust bearing, and the thrust bearing is made of a harder material than the propeller. The boat may also include a hull, a drive shaft, and a motor. The motor may be positioned within the hull and configured to rotate the drive shaft. The drive shaft may extend through a hull bottom of the hull and the propeller assembly may be positioned forward of a transom of the hull and beneath the hull bottom. The propeller may include a central hub having a hole capable of having the drive shaft inserted therethrough. The thrust bearing may be located in the hole of the central hub and secured to the propeller such that the thrust bearing and the propeller form a unified assembly.
1 - 14 . (canceled)
15 . A propeller assembly for a boat, the propeller assembly comprising:
a propeller including a central hub and a plurality of blades connected to the central hub, the central hub including a hole capable of having a drive shaft inserted therethrough; and
a thrust bearing located in the hole of the central hub and secured to the propeller such that the thrust bearing and the propeller form a unified assembly, the thrust bearing being made of a harder material than the propeller.
16 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the thrust bearing is annular, having a hole therethrough.
17 . The propeller assembly of claim 16 , wherein the thrust bearing is a sleeve.
18 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the thrust bearing is secured in the hole of the central hub by being press fit into the hole.
19 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the hole of the central hub includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, and the thrust bearing is located in the large diameter portion of the hole.
20 . The propeller assembly of claim 19 , wherein the hole includes a mating surface, the mating surface of the propeller being a surface formed at an end of the large diameter portion where the large diameter portion transitions to the small diameter portion, and
wherein the thrust bearing includes a mating surface, the thrust bearing being positioned within the hole of the central hub such that the mating surface of the thrust bearing abuts the mating surface of propeller.
21 . The propeller assembly of claim 20 , wherein the thrust bearing includes a contact surface formed on the thrust bearing and capable of contacting a contact surface of the drive shaft, the surface area of the mating surface of the thrust bearing being larger than the surface area of the contact surface of the thrust bearing.
22 . The propeller assembly of claim 21 , wherein the central hub defines an axis of rotation, and
wherein the contact surface of the thrust bearing is a tapered surface, that is oriented at an angle relative to the axis of rotation.
23 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the propeller is a copper alloy and the thrust bearing is stainless steel.
24 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the thrust bearing has a hardness that is at least 10 percent harder than the propeller.
25 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the thrust bearing has a hardness that is at least 25 percent harder than the propeller.
26 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the hole includes an inner circumferential surface, and
wherein the thrust bearing is received within the hole of the central hub such that at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface is located in the hole.
27 . The propeller assembly of claim 26 , wherein the thrust bearing is located entirely within the hole of the central hub.
28 . The propeller assembly of claim 15 , wherein the hole includes an inner circumferential surface, and
wherein the thrust bearing includes an outer circumferential surface in contact with the inner circumferential surface.
29 . A propeller assembly for a boat, the propeller assembly comprising:
a propeller including a central hub and a plurality of blades connected to the central hub, the central hub defining an axis of rotation and including a hole extending along the axis of rotation, the hole including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion; and
a thrust bearing received within the large diameter portion of the hole and secured to the propeller, the thrust bearing being made of a harder material than the propeller.
30 . The propeller assembly of claim 29 , wherein the thrust bearing has a hardness that is at least 25 percent harder than the propeller.
31 . The propeller assembly of claim 29 , wherein the thrust bearing includes an outer circumferential surface in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the large diameter portion.
32 . The propeller assembly of claim 29 , wherein the thrust bearing includes a tapered contact surface on an end of the thrust bearing opposite the small diameter portion, the tapered contact surface oriented at an angle relative to the axis of rotation.
33 . The propeller assembly of claim 29 , wherein the small diameter portion includes an internal surface with splines formed thereon.
34 . The propeller assembly of claim 33 , wherein an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing is free from splines.