US 11,685,485 B2
Fin stabilizer
John D. Venables, Monroe, CT (US); Steven J. Venables, South Windsor, CT (US); Cameron Costen, Milford, CT (US); and Ryan W. Knapp, Sandy Hook, CT (US)
Assigned to Naiad Maritime Group, Inc., Shelton, CT (US)
Filed by Naiad Maritime Group, Inc., Shelton, CT (US)
Filed on Jul. 10, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/925,556.
Application 16/925,556 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/853,418, filed on Apr. 20, 2020, granted, now 10,946,942.
Application 16/853,418 is a continuation of application No. 15/843,446, filed on Dec. 15, 2017, granted, now 10,625,831, issued on Apr. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2020/0361582 A1, Nov. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. B63B 39/06 (2006.01); B63J 99/00 (2009.01); B63B 79/00 (2020.01)
CPC B63B 39/06 (2013.01) [B63J 99/00 (2013.01); B63B 79/00 (2020.01); B63B 2039/065 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vessel hull stabilizer comprising:
a housing having a shaft, the shaft connected to a fin such that the fin is configured to be located on an outside of the vessel hull and the housing is configured to be located on an inside of the vessel hull, the housing having a first side from which the fin extends and a second side spaced relative to the first side;
bearings positioned in the housing and spaced apart at a distance, the bearings supporting the shaft and located between the first and second sides;
a drive system mounted on the second side of said housing, said drive system including a motor and a drive element, the drive element including a central rotating element and an outer element, wherein the motor drives the central rotating element about an axis to cause a plurality of teeth, positioned between the outer element and the central rotating element, to oscillate inwards and outwards and thereby cause the plurality of teeth to progressively interface with outer element teeth of the outer element such that as the plurality teeth oscillate they progressively move into engagement with different ones of the outer element teeth to create a rotational movement;
wherein the drive system is connected to the shaft such that the rotational movement causes rotation of the fin.