Thruster arrangement for a boat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738841-B2
Application number	US-202117405797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2021
Priority date	Jun 10, 2019
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A pontoon boat including a thruster system is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pontoon boat, comprising:
a plurality of pontoons;
a deck supported by the plurality of pontoons; and
a thruster unit supported by a first pontoon of the plurality of pontoons, the first pontoon having an exterior including a movable portion, the movable portion positionable between a first position and a second position, wherein the thruster unit is capable of directing water around the exterior of the first pontoon to cause a desired movement of the pontoon boat when the movable portion is in the second position and is incapable of directing water around the exterior of the first pontoon to cause the desired movement of the pontoon boat when the movable portion is in the first position, wherein the plurality of pontoons defining a port side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and a starboard side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and the moveable portion of the first pontoon is between the port side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and the starboard side envelope of the plurality of pontoons.

2. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion has a first end having a first spacing from a remainder of the exterior of the first pontoon when the movable portion is in the first position and a second spacing from the remainder of the exterior of the first pontoon when the movable portion is in the second position, the first spacing being less than the second spacing.

3. The pontoon boat of claim 2 , wherein the thruster unit is positioned inside the first pontoon when the movable portion is in the first position.

4. The pontoon boat of claim 3 , wherein the first position of the movable portion is a closed position and the second position of the movable portion is an open position.

5. The pontoon boat of claim 4 , further comprising a mechanical linkage supported by the first pontoon, wherein the movable portion is positioned by the mechanical linkage.

6. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical linkage supported by the first pontoon, wherein the movable portion is positioned by the mechanical linkage.

7. The pontoon boat of claim 4 , further comprising a gear train supported by the first pontoon, wherein the movable portion is positioned by the gear train.

8. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , further comprising a gear train supported by the first pontoon, wherein the movable portion is positioned by the gear train.

9. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein a user input controls the positioning of the movable portion from the first position to the second position.

10. The pontoon boat of claim 9 , wherein the user input is one of a switch, joystick, dial, or touchscreen.

11. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the thruster unit is housed within an interior of the first pontoon when the movable portion is in the first position.

12. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion is positionable in a third position, the thruster unit directing fluid flow in a first direction when the movable portion is in the second position and in a second direction when the movable portion is in the third position, the second direction being angled relative to the first direction.

13. The pontoon boat of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pontoons further includes a second pontoon and a third pontoon, the first pontoon being positioned between the second pontoon and the third pontoon.

14. A method of operating a thruster system on a pontoon boat in water, the pontoon boat including a plurality of pontoons having exteriors in contact with the water, the plurality of pontoons including a first pontoon having a thruster unit positionable in an interior thereof, the method comprising:
a user providing an input via a user input to a controller on the marine vessel;
placing the thruster unit in fluid communication with the water around the exterior of the first pontoon by the controller moving a movable portion of the exterior of the first pontoon from a first position to a second position, wherein the plurality of pontoons defining a port side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and a starboard side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and the moveable portion of the first pontoon is between the port side envelope of the plurality of pontoons and the starboard side envelope of the plurality of pontoons; and
altering a direction of a thrusting force of the thruster unit by the controller, the thrusting force being in a first direction when the movable portion is in the second position and in a second direction when the movable portion is in a third position, the second direction being angled relative to the first direction.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first position is a closed position.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second position is an open position.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user input is one of a switch, joystick, dial, or touchscreen.

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Fishburn Bradley R
• Donat Blair A
• Marshall Gabriel A
• Fuchs Michael J
• Schmid Andrew C

Classifications

• B63H11/02 Primary

  the propulsive medium being ambient water · CPC title

• B63B35/38

  Rigidly-interconnected pontoons · CPC title

• B63H2011/008

  Arrangements of two or more jet units · CPC title

• B63H25/46 Primary

  Steering or dynamic anchoring by jets {or by rudders carrying jets (steering or dynamic anchoring by deflecting or directing main propulsion jets B63H11/00)} · CPC title

• B63B35/34

  Pontoons (floating bridges E01D15/14) · CPC title