Tiller having removable top cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783278-B1
Application number	US-201615236534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 15, 2016
Priority date	Aug 15, 2016
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A tiller is for an outboard motor. The tiller comprises a supporting chassis having a first end and an opposite, second end. A rotatable throttle grip is supported on the first end and a pivot joint is located at the second end. The pivot joint is configured to facilitate pivoting of the tiller at least into and between a horizontal position wherein the supporting chassis extends horizontally and a vertical position wherein the supporting chassis extends vertically. A top cover is located on the supporting chassis. The top cover and the supporting chassis together define an interior of the tiller. The top cover is located vertically on top of the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tiller for an outboard motor, the tiller comprising:
a supporting chassis having a first end and an opposite, second end;
a rotatable throttle grip supported on the first end;
a pivot joint located at the second end, the pivot joint configured to facilitate pivoting of the tiller at least into and between a horizontal position wherein the supporting chassis extends horizontally and a vertical position wherein the supporting chassis extends vertically;
a top cover on the supporting chassis, wherein the top cover and the supporting chassis together define an interior of the tiller, and wherein the top cover is located vertically on top of the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position;
wherein the top cover is removable from the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position, and wherein removal of the top cover provides access to the interior from above the tiller when the tiller is in the horizontal position;
wherein the supporting chassis comprises a bottom wall and opposing sidewalls that extend vertically upwardly on opposite sides of the bottom wall when the tiller is in the horizontal position; and
a plurality of supporting ribs formed along the bottom wall, wherein the supporting ribs are located closer to the second end than the first end and absorb reaction forces in the supporting chassis due to a downward force applied to the first end;
wherein the plurality of supporting ribs axially extend with respect to the supporting chassis and extend vertically higher than the sidewalls when the tiller is in the horizontal position.

2. A tiller for an outboard motor, the tiller comprising:
a supporting chassis having a first end and an opposite, second end;
a rotatable throttle grip supported on the first end;
a pivot joint located at the second end, the pivot joint configured to facilitate pivoting of the tiller at least into and between a horizontal position wherein the supporting chassis extends horizontally and a vertical position wherein the supporting chassis extends vertically;
a top cover on the supporting chassis, wherein the top cover and the supporting chassis together define an interior of the tiller, and wherein the top cover is located vertically on top of the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position; and
a first set of axial alignment ribs that axially extend along the top cover and a second set of axial alignment ribs that axially extend along the rotatable throttle grip, wherein the first and second sets of axial alignment ribs are in alignment when the rotatable throttle grip is located in an idle position and wherein the first and second sets of axial alignment ribs are out of alignment when the rotatable throttle grip is located out of the idle position.

3. A tiller for an outboard motor, the tiller comprising:
a supporting chassis that extends in an axial direction, the supporting chassis having a first axial end and an axially opposite, second axial end;
a rotatable throttle grip supported on the first axial end;
a pivot joint located at the second axial end, the pivot joint configured to facilitate pivoting of the tiller through a range of motion including at least into and between a horizontal position wherein the supporting chassis axially extends horizontally and a vertical position wherein the supporting chassis axially extends vertically;
a top cover on top of the supporting chassis, wherein the top cover and the supporting chassis together define an interior of the tiller, and wherein the top cover is located vertically on top of the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position;
wherein the top cover is removable from the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position, and wherein removal of the top cover provides access to the interior from above the tiller when the tiller is in the horizontal position;
a throttle linkage that is configured to link the rotatable throttle grip to a throttle on the outboard motor, the throttle linkage comprising a throttle shaft that is disposed in the interior of the tiller such that the supporting chassis is located vertically beneath and supports the throttle shaft when the tiller is in the horizontal position, wherein rotation of the rotatable throttle grip causes rotation of the throttle shaft; and
a manual shift lever coupled to the chassis and a shift linkage that is configured to link the manual shift lever to a transmission on the outboard motor, the shift linkage being disposed in the interior of the tiller such that the supporting chassis is located vertically beneath and supports the shift linkage when the tiller is in the horizontal position, wherein manually shifting the shift lever causes rotation of the shift linkage;
wherein removal of the top cover when the tiller is in the horizontal position provides manual access to the throttle linkage and shift linkage which remain supported in the chassis in the horizontal position.

4. The tiller according to claim 3 , wherein the chassis comprises a bottom wall and opposing sidewalls that extend vertically upwardly on opposite sides of the bottom wall when the tiller is in the horizontal position.

5. The tiller according to claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of supporting ribs formed along the bottom wall, wherein the supporting ribs are located closer to the second axial end than the first axial end and absorb reaction forces in the chassis due to a downward force applied to the first end.

6. The tiller according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of supporting ribs axially extend with respect to the supporting chassis.

7. The tiller according to claim 6 , wherein the ribs extend vertically higher than the sidewalls when the tiller is in the horizontal position.

8. The tiller according to claim 3 , wherein the top cover is coupled to the chassis by a plurality of removable fasteners, wherein removal of the fastener allows removal of the top cover from the chassis.

9. The tiller according to claim 3 , further comprising a first set of axial alignment ribs that axially extend along the top cover and a second set of axial alignment ribs that axially extend along the rotatable throttle grip, wherein the first and second sets of axial alignment ribs are in alignment when the rotatable throttle grip is located in an idle position and wherein the first and second sets of axial alignment ribs are out of alignment when the rotatable throttle grip is located out of the idle position.

10. A tiller for an outboard motor, the tiller comprising:
a supporting chassis that extends in an axial direction, the supporting chassis having a first axial end and an axially opposite, second axial end;
a rotatable throttle grip supported on the first axial end;
a pivot joint located at the second axial end, the pivot joint configured to facilitate pivoting of the tiller through a range of motion including at least into and between a horizontal position wherein the supporting chassis axially extends horizontally and a vertical position wherein the supporting chassis axially extends vertically;
a top cover on top of the supporting chassis, wherein the top cover and the supporting chassis together define an interior of the tiller, and wherein the top cover is located vertically on top of the supporting chassis when the tiller is in the horizontal position;
wherein the rotatable throttle grip comprises a beveled end surface that is set at an angle to the axial direction so that the beveled end surface is visible from above the tiller when the tiller is in the horizontal position; and
a kill switch on the beveled end surface for ceasing operation of the outboard motor.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Dannenberg Todd D
• Vaninetti Travis J
• Zarembka Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B63H21/213

  Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers · CPC title

• B63H20/12 Primary

  Means enabling steering · CPC title