Motor assembly having lifting mechanism and watercraft incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447220-B2
Application number	US-201916563129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2019
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A motor assembly having a lifting mechanism and associated watercraft are provided. The lifting mechanism is operable to lift a motor of the motor assembly from a deployed position to a stowed position. A user can then transition the motor from the stowed position back to the deployed position via a user control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area;
a motor assembly situated within said passageway, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position and from the stowed position to the deployed position;

a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area; and
wherein the lifting mechanism includes a biasing member, and wherein the biasing member is a gas spring.

2. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a base arm and a lifting arm, the lifting arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm, and wherein the motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint.

3. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area;
a motor assembly situated within said passageway, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position and from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area;
wherein the lifting mechanism includes a biasing member, and wherein the biasing member is a gas spring;
wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a base arm and a lifting arm, the lifting arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm, and wherein the motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint;
wherein the connection joint is a ball joint.

4. The watercraft of claim 3 , wherein the ball joint comprises an aperture in the lifting arm and a spherical member connected to the motor, the spherical member rotatable within the aperture.

5. The watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the gas spring has a first end and a second end, the first end of the gas spring connected to the lifting arm, the second end of the gas spring connected to the base arm such that elongation of the gas spring causes the lifting arm to rotate about a pivot axis defined by the base arm.

6. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area;
a motor assembly situated within said passageway, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position and from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area;
wherein the lifting mechanism includes a biasing member, and wherein the biasing member is a gas spring;
wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a base arm and a lifting arm, the lifting arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm, and wherein the motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint;
wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises a docking assembly, the docking assembly configured to mount to the hull adjacent the passageway.

7. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area;
a motor assembly situated within said passageway, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position and from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area;
wherein the lifting mechanism includes a biasing member, and wherein the biasing member is a gas spring;
wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a base arm and a lifting arm, the lifting arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm, and wherein the motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint;
wherein the lifting mechanism further comprises a docking assembly, the docking assembly configured to mount to the hull adjacent the passageway;
wherein the docking assembly includes a docking plate, a locking bracket, and a biasing element, the locking bracket pivotably coupled to the docking plate, the locking bracket having a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the biasing element biases the locking bracket to the locked position.

8. The watercraft of claim 7 , wherein in the locked position, a pin mounted at the first end of the base arm and defining a pivot axis of the lifting arm relative to the base arm is situated within a slot formed in the locking bracket.

9. The watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the user control comprises a cable having a first end connected to the second end of the lifting arm and a second end with a handle attached to the second end, the user control further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the cable in tension such that it applies a force to oppose the biasing force to hold the motor in the deployed position.

10. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area;
a motor assembly situated within said passageway, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position and from the stowed position to the deployed position; and

a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area;
wherein the lifting mechanism includes a biasing member, and wherein the biasing member is a gas spring;
wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a base arm and a lifting arm, the lifting arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm, and wherein the motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint;
wherein the user control comprises a cable having a first end connected to the second end of the lifting arm and a second end with a handle attached to the second end, the user control further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the cable in tension such that it applies a force to oppose the biasing force to hold the motor in the deployed position;
wherein the locking mechanism is a cable cleat.

11. The watercraft of claim 9 , wherein the second end with the handle is situated adjacent a cockpit area of the hull.

12. A motor assembly for a watercraft, the motor assembly comprising:
a motor having a shaft having a first end and a second end, a head unit mounted at the first end, a lower unit mounted at the second end, the lower unit including a motor and a device for providing thrust; and
a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position, the lifting mechanism further comprising:
a docking assembly configured for mounting to a watercraft;
a base arm removably received within the docking assembly;
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Assignees

• Bragg Timothy A
• Johnson Outdoors Inc

Inventors

• Bragg Timothy A

Classifications

• B63H2005/1254

  Podded azimuthing thrusters, i.e. podded thruster units arranged inboard for rotation about vertical axis · CPC title

• B63B34/00

  Vessels specially adapted for water sports or leisure; Body-supporting devices specially adapted for water sports or leisure (water sports boards B63B32/00; swimming frameworks A63B35/00; propulsion arrangements actuated by muscle power B63H16/00) · CPC title

• B63H5/125 Primary

  movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction {, e.g. podded azimuthing thrusters}({outboard units or Z-drives B63H20/00; } movably mounted for steering purposes only, {rudders carrying propellers} B63H25/42) · CPC title

• B63B34/26 Primary

  Accessories for canoes, kayaks or the like (effecting propulsion by muscle power B63H16/00; outboard propulsion units B63H20/00) · CPC title

• B63H20/007

  Trolling propulsion units (trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K) · CPC title