The object of this invention is an apparatus to produce electric energy for water vehicle which apparatus has been fixed to the mentioned vehicle and consists of an underwater into a horizontai operation position supported or to be supported turbine rotor and the first axis fixed to it to transfer the rotation movement from the mentioned rotor, it is aiso the object of the invention a method to use the mentioned apparatus.

The intention of the invention is to gather kinetic energy from the water that is flowing in relation to the water vehicle, convert it into electric energy and to store the gained energy into a battery of the water vehicle. Alternatively, the gained electric energy can also be directed directly to the electric apparatus that uses it. The mentioned electric apparatus can be in the water vehicle, on the dock, or on the shore.

Advantageous using purposes of the invention are all sail and motor boats, ships, sauna ferries and other in water moving vehicles. The apparatus according to the invention can be used always when the water vehicle and the water around it have different directions and velocities.

It is especially advantageous to use the invention for instance when tacking with a sailboat, when driving a sailboat or a motorboat into a different direction than the water flow direction and when the boat, ship, sauna ferry or other water vehicle is in anchor in a place where the water flows. It is advantageous to use the invention also in all other situations where a water vehicle is used. The British patent publication GB 2372783A presents one known solution to use a water turbine located in a boat to produce electric energy. A special characteristic of the apparatus is that it can be changed from to be water driven to to be air driven and vice versa, always what is best for the purpose. This happens by turning the shaft 5 vertically from water driven position into air driven position and vice versa. The fixing organ 16 of the shaft 5 binds the shaft and the water turbine 14 essentially in the direction of the bows line of the boat

The greatest disadvantages of this known technology are same as generally in the water turbines attached to the water vehicles, that is to say the bows line KI of the boat (figures 6a and 6 b) defines the position of the rotor of the turbine in relation to water flow towards the water vehicle or then it must be regulated manually. When for instance the bows iine of a boat in anchor is the same as the mentioned flow the water comes occasionally to the rotor in the direction of its axis (abeam of the rotor), but when the bows line of the boat is different than mentioned flow direction the flow comes at an angie to the rotor. The disadvantage is greatest with the wooden boat when tacking and with the sailboats and the motorboats when they are in anchor in flowing water in such a way the bows line is different than the flow direction of the water.

The usage of the apparatus according to the before mentioned publication becomes disadvantageous also in such a case where the boat is driven into a direction that Is different than the flow direction of the water because the boat's land velocity speed vector and the water flow velocity vector caused speed sum vector that would give the highest possible flow velocity against the rotor but as the rotor axis is in a certain angle in relation to that we have to be satisfied with the flow velocity that is smaller than the sum vector the direction of which is the same as the bows line KL of the magnitude of the component Kvl, Kv2 (Figures 6a and 6b) against the rotor.

The intention of this invention is to achieve such an apparatus to produce electric energy for a water vehicle and a method to use it that disadvantages in the known technology are avoided. It is characteristic for the solution according to the invention what has been stated in the characterizing part of the claims 1 and 10.

The greatest advantage of the invention in relation to the known technology can be seen to be that the water flowing in relation to the water vehicle the velocity of which is formed by the sum of the vectors of the land velocity of the vehicle and the water flow velocity (in relation to the land) can be directed in all the driving and anchor situations to the rotor of the water turbine that is fixed to the water vehicle in a flow that is an abeam flow, that is, the most efficient possible. The apparatus according to the invention takes its most advantageous usage position automatically in ail usage situations. in this document, the term "horizontai" means essentially horizontal so that for instance the swinging or tilting water vehicle differing from the horizontal position but horizontal or almost horizontai position to operate Intended apparatus is seen to be horizontai. The same principle is used to define vertical. Land velocity means the velocity of the water vehicle in relation to the land and the water flow velocity means also its speed in relation to the iand.

Figure I shows one apparatus according to the invention installed to a boat directly from side, figure 2 shows a cut of the position A~A of figure 1, figure 3 shows in more detail the apparatus according to the invention of figure 1, figure 4 shows a cut of the position B-B of figure 3, figures 5a and 5b show two different usage situations of the invention, figures 6a and 6b show the achievements with the known technology in the conditions of the previous figures, figure 7 shows another application of the invention, figure 8 shows a third application of the invention.

Next, a construction of one favorable operation of the invention is described by referring into the previous figures.

In figure 1 it has been described a setting directly from side where the apparatus 20 according to the invention has been mounted to a water vehicle 100, in this case to bows of a boat. In figure 2 the apparatus 20 has been shown cut in the position A-A. The apparatus 20 consists of a permanently to the boat mounted frame 1, with a vertical joint 2 to the frame horizontally underwater 10 mounted cylinder 3 and inside the cylinder same centered rotor 4 and to it fixedly from its first end 5.1 installed first axis 5. The rotor 4 has been installed to rotate in relation to the center axis 4.1 that is situated in the center axis 3.2 of the cylinder by the water pressure directed against it. Figure 2 illustrates the cooperation of the pieces of the apparatus 20. The cylinder 3 has been set to turn in relation to the frame 1 round the joint axis 2.3 essentially horizontally and to get the direction of the water flow in relation of the water vehicle 100. The "flow" that has been presented in figure 2 is thus the sum of the vectors of the land velocity of the water vehicle 100 and the water flow velocity vector. The pressure of the water flowing to the wall of the cylinder 3.1 causes that the cylinder 3 is positioned to the direction of the flow, in which case the cylinder 3 strives to find a balance state, something it reaches when the cylinder center axis 3.2 has the direction of the flow. As the cylinder 3 has been mounted essentially only to one side of the joint axis 2.3 the cylinder 3 gets its position behind the joint when seen the direction of the advance of the flow (in this example the side of the boat) and aiso the rotor 4 in the same side distance of a from the joint axis 2.3. The water flowing through the cylinder (flow) hits the rotor 4 and makes It rotate and this rotation movement is transferred via the first axis 5 to the position of the joint 2. The first axis 5 has been connected from its second end 5.2 to the first part 7.1 of the second axis 7 via an axial direction changer

6 which mentioned axis transfers the rotation movement to the generator 8. The electricity thatthe generator 8 produces is stored into a battery 9 that is situated in the water vehicle or alternatively it is used right away in electric equipment in the water vehicle, on the dock, or ashore. in figures 3 and 4 the apparatus 20 according to the invention has been described in more detail. In this example, the cylinder 3 has been situated between down part 1.1 and top part 1.2 of the frame and connected and supported with the down part 2.1 of the joint and the bearing 11 to the down part 1.1 of the frame and with the top part 2.2 of the joint and with the bearing 12 to the top part 1.2 of the frame so that the center axis of the joint, that Is joint axis 2.3, goes all the way through the construction vertically. The bearing 11 is in this example a thrust bearing to support the parts of the joint and the cylinder 3 vertically to the frame 1 and the bearing 12 a radiai-thrust bearing to support the parts of the joint into a vertical position and thus to support the cylinder 3 into a horizontal position. So the first axis 5 has been centered to be same centered with the cylinder 3 and supported with the supports 13 and the bearings 14 to the cylinder 3 and connected via the rotation direction changer 6 to another axis 7 first part 7.1 that is same centered with the joint axis 2.3 which axis 7 has been supported and connected with a thrust bearing 15 to the top part 2.2 of the joint to maintain its vertical position and with the bearing 16 likewise to the top part 2.1 of the joint or to the cylinder 3. In this exampie, the second axis 7 consists at least of one universal joint 17 to change its axial direction because of the favorable direction from the point of view of the generator. The first axis 5 has been positioned in the cylinder 3 so that its movement into the axial direction is hindered. In this example, the rotation direction changer 6 has then been adapted to change the rotation direction 90°. We will come back to the details of the rotation direction changer 6 later.

Figure 5a shows schematically one exampie of the application of the invention. The flow against the bows of a vehicle 100 caused by the land velocity of a water vehicle Bv and the flow velocity of the water Wvl that is diagonally against in the direction the vehicle goes have different directions and form together the flow velocity sum vector Rvl that is the angle a amount different than the flow Bv and a certain amount more than it. The cylinder 3 turns in the joint 2 into the direction of the sum vector Rvl in order to reach a balance situation and thus the flow against the rotor 4 directly is of its velocity the velocity of the sum vector Rvl.

Figure 5b shows another application of the invention. The water vehicle 100 has the same land velocity Bv as in the previous exampie, the water flow Wv2 is diagonally favorable in relation to the advance direction of the vehicle and the sum vector Rv2 of the flow velocity is smaller than the land velocity Bv in this example and in an angle β with it. The cylinder 3 turns in the join 2 and now to the direction of the flow velocity sum vector Rv2 in order to achieve the balance situation and the right-angled flow with toe rotor 4, toe velocity is thus the sum vector Rv2. Figures 6a and 6b show the operation of an apparatus according to the known technology in the before mentioned example situations. The water vehicle 100 of the figure 6a advances in the conditions of the figure 5a and right-angled against the turbine rotor coming flow is the flow velocity sum vector Rvl component Kvl (Kvl = Rvl multiplied by cos(α)). The water vehicle 100 of the figure 6b advances in the conditions of the figure 5b and right-angled against its turbine rotor coming flow is the flow velocity sum vector Rv2 component Kv2 (Kv2 = Rv2 multiplied by cos (β)). in other words, Kvl is smaller than Rvl and Kv2 is smaller than Rv2 and the solution according to the known technology is thus less effective than the solution according to the invention. The differences in the efficiency depend on how big the angles α and β are.

In the solution according to the invention, the cylinder 3, the rotor 4, and the first axis 5 can turn the full 360° In the flows so that the greatest possible benefit can be achieved in all the conditions when using the water vehicle. When tacking with a sailboat or when driving in side wind the cylinder 3 finds its in each direction automatically its position to the flow velocity sum vector direction below the flow in relation to the joint 2 and when the water vehicle 100 is in anchor in a flow the cylinder 3 settles to the direction of the water flow below the flow in relation to the joint 2.

The invention realization mode in the figure 7 shows a casing 18 mounted around the second axis 7 to protect it. The mentioned casing prevents for instance the vegetation getting stuck to the second axis 7 and winding around it. The casing 18 can be made in any known way and in the example of the figure 7 it has been made of a round tube. The casing 18 can be made to reach the whole length of the second axis or only a part of it. The figure 7 shows also a filter 19 mounted to the end 3.3 of the cylinder to prevent vegetation, fishes, and other animals penetrating into the cylinder 3. The penetration power of the filter can be adapted so that the mentioned disadvantage is avoided essentially but that the flow of the water into the cylinder is not hindered too much. In the example of the figure 7, the filter is a grating.

The figure 8 shows an apparatus 20 according to the invention where there are flaps 21 in the cylinder 3. They have been adapted into the cylinder lengthwise in a vertical position in the down and top part of the cylinder and their purpose is to intensify the turning of the cylinder advantageously into the direction of the flow. The flaps 21 can be more than two in the cylinder or only one. The frame 1 is of the shape of U in the before mentioned example consisting of the down and top parts 1.1, 1.2 and the part 1.3 that connects them but they can also be realized in some other way. It is central for it that the cylinder 3 that has been joined to it by the joint 2 can operate the way that has been presented earlier. The joint 2 can be made also of one part and the cylinder 3 can be joined by it to the frame 1 in one or more spots. Al the realization ways where the joint 2 and the cylinder 3 have been fixed sufficiently firmly from the point of view of the apparatus operation realizes the invention.

The cylinder 3 can be adapted to turn around the joint axis 2.3 full 360° or a smaller angle. The length and the diameter of the cylinder can always be selected according to the situation. The cylinder 3 can be made differently than the before example also so that only a part of its wall 3.1 has the shape of a cylinder while the other parts have some other shape. As an example we can mention a construction, where the cylinder 3 rotor 4 surrounding part is cylinder and the other part of mantie is a cone or a part of corners changing from cylinder shape. Also such a cylinder 3 realizes the invention where there around the rotor is a mantie 3.1 part of the shape of a cone. To summarize we can define that foe part mounted around foe cylinder mantle 3,1 rotor 4 is of the shape a cylinder, a cone, or a combination of them and the shape of the other parts can be selected more freely. It is favorable to adapt a gap between rotor 4 and foe mantle 3.1. The rotor an be fixed to the first axis 5 using any known way and also the supporting of the axis to the cylinder 3. The axial direction changer 6 is in foe before mentioned example a bevel gear pair and foe change of the direction is thus 90°. The mentioned organ can also be a worm gear or some other to the situation suitable gear so that foe rotation of foe first axis 5 can be transferred further in relation to it favorably into a different direction. The rotation speed of the second axis 7 can be kept the same as foe first axis 5 or it can be changed. One way to realize the change of foe rotation speed is to adapt to the bevel gear pair different size gearwheels. The change of foe rotation speed can also be made by placing a gear in the front side of the generator 8. in the before example the first part 7.1 of the second axis that transfers the rotation movement has been situated favorably inside foe joint 2 but the apparatus 20 can be realized also in some other useful way.

The second axis 7 can be equipped with one or more universal joints 17 and lead it/them further to the generator 8 or foe mentioned gear or its rotation can be transferred with some other to the setting suitable power transfer organ to the generator or a gear. As an example of this kind of organ a belt in belt rollers can be mentored. The bearings between foe parts can be done in many different known ways, ball bearing, cone bearing, slide bearing, it is essential for the bearings that the friction of the parts that move in relation to each other can be gotten as small as possible and that the moving parts of the apparatus 20 are supported sufficiently well into their operating positions.

In the examples of this document the apparatus 20 has been located to the bows of the water vehicle 100 but it can be located also in its stern or side. It is possible to locate to one water vehicle one or more apparatuses according to the invention and the frame 1 can be built to suite its location.

It should be noted that even though this description sticks to one type for the invention favorable application example this does not want to limit the usage of the invention to only this type of example but many variations are possible as defined in the claims to be in the scope of the idea of the invention.