US 12,459,616 B2
Marine ducted propeller mass flux propulsion system
Stefan Broinowski, Lausanne (CH)
Assigned to Stefan Broinowski, Lausanne (CH)
Filed by Stefan Broinowski, Lausanne (CH)
Filed on Nov. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/527,925.
Application 17/527,925 is a continuation of application No. 16/827,287, filed on Mar. 23, 2020, abandoned.
Application 16/827,287 is a continuation of application No. 15/854,437, filed on Dec. 26, 2017, granted, now 10,597,129, issued on Mar. 24, 2020.
Application 15/854,437 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/776,989, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2014/030864, filed on Mar. 17, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/799,274, filed on Mar. 15, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0073177 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B63H 11/08 (2006.01); B63H 11/113 (2006.01); F01N 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC B63H 11/08 (2013.01) [B63H 11/113 (2013.01); F01N 3/0205 (2013.01); B63H 2011/081 (2013.01); F01N 2590/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A marine ducted propeller jet propulsion apparatus comprising a propulsion system comprising:
an intake section;
an impeller section positioned downstream of the intake section;
the impeller section comprising an impeller housing, comprising an interchangeable blade assembly impeller, said interchangeable blade assembly impeller comprising an impeller hub and impeller blades,
wherein the impeller blades are fixed along an outwardly tapered convex surface of the impeller hub,
said interchangeable blade assembly impeller allowing a changing of each blade on the interchangeable blade assembly impeller if damaged, and allowing the changing of a pitch of the impeller blades for different applications,
the impeller section comprising a diffuser/confusor housing, said diffuser/confusor housing comprising an interchangeable diffuser/confusor blade component, leading edge blades and diffuser vanes,
said interchangeable diffuser/confusor blade component allowing changing of leading edge blades to the diffuser so to replace such leading edge blades if damaged, and allowing changing of a pitch of a leading edge of diffuser vanes to meet the needs of trailing edge velocities of the interchangeable blade assembly impeller;
a discharge section positioned downstream of the impeller section, the discharge section comprising a steering nozzle assembly;
a passage extending from an intake opening of the intake section formed in a bottom surface of a hull at one end to an outlet of the steering nozzle assembly at the other end; and
a mass of at least a portion of one of a drive shaft, straightener intake flow guide vanes, pre-swirl stator vanes, the impeller housing, the impeller hub, impeller blades, the diffuser/confusor housing, a confusor/stator hub, the interchangeable blade assembly impeller, a steering shaft, spoke vanes, and flow guide vanes, being accommodated within the passage;
wherein the passage has an axial cross-sectional area, the axial cross-sectional area of the passage being adjusted throughout the passage by increasing external dimensions accordingly and/or by increasing a radius of the axial cross-sectional area to accommodate for a volumetric mass of the at least a portion of one of a drive shaft, straightener intake flow guide vanes, pre-swirl stator vanes, the impeller housing, the impeller hub, impeller blades, the diffuser/confusor housing, a confusor/stator hub, the interchangeable blade assembly impeller, a steering shaft, spoke vanes, and flow guide vanes so that the passage is capable of converging a passing water mass on a volumetric basis while maintaining a solid state character of the passing water mass as the passing water mass is driven through the passage from the intake opening of the intake section to the outlet of the steering nozzle assembly; and
wherein the axial cross-sectional area substantially and regularly decreases from an inlet to the outlet of the steering nozzle assembly without resistance of the mass of the at least a portion of one of a drive shaft, straightener intake flow guide vanes, pre-swirl stator vanes, the impeller housing, the impeller hub, impeller blades, the diffuser/confusor housing, a confusor/stator hub, the interchangeable blade assembly impeller, a steering shaft, spoke vanes, and flow guide vanes, representing a restriction or obstruction to a flow of the passing water mass.