	US 11,891,157 B2
	Gyroscopic boat roll stabilizer
Grady F. Smith, Greenville, NC (US); David Holden, Davidson, NC (US); and Jeffrey Peterson, Mooresville, NC (US)
Assigned to WAVETAMER LLC, Greenville, NC (US)
Filed by WaveTamer LLC, Greenville, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/128,834.
Application 18/128,834 is a continuation of application No. 16/428,259, filed on May 31, 2019, granted, now 11,649,017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/768,356, filed on Nov. 16, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/678,422, filed on May 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0234684 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B63B 39/04 (2006.01); F16F 15/30 (2006.01); H02K 7/02 (2006.01); H02K 9/22 (2006.01); G05D 1/08 (2006.01); G01C 21/18 (2006.01); F16C 37/00 (2006.01); F16F 15/315 (2006.01); H05K 7/20 (2006.01); F16C 19/52 (2006.01)

CPC B63B 39/04 (2013.01) [F16F 15/3153 (2013.01); F16F 15/3156 (2013.01); H02K 7/02 (2013.01); H02K 9/227 (2021.01); F16C 19/525 (2013.01); F16C 37/007 (2013.01); F16F 2222/025 (2013.01); G01C 21/18 (2013.01); G05D 1/0875 (2013.01); H05K 7/20854 (2013.01); H05K 7/20872 (2013.01); Y10T 74/12 (2015.01)]

20 Claims

1. A gyroscopic roll stabilizer for a boat, said gyroscopic stabilizer comprising:

an enclosure mounted to a gimbal for rotation about a gimbal axis and configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure;

a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, said flywheel assembly having a moment of inertia greater than 11.7 kg·m²(40,000 lbm·in²); the flywheel assembly configured to precess relative to the gimbal axis, when unlocked, in response to roll of the boat;

one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel assembly inside the enclosure;

a motor for rotating the flywheel assembly, said motor configured to accelerate the flywheel assembly to a normal operating speed of at least 6000 rpm; and

a bearing cooling system effective to cool the one or more bearings at the acceleration rate;

wherein the gyroscopic roll stabilizer is configured to lock the flywheel assembly at the start of acceleration and to unlock the flywheel assembly when the speed of the flywheel assembly reaches 75% of the normal operating speed.