Trolling motor assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969474-B1
Application number	US-201715637602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Aug 9, 2016
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A trolling motor assembly includes a base and an attached cradle. A transmission housing is coupled to the base by a pivot pin defining an axis about which the transmission housing pivots. A shaft is supported by the transmission housing and moves relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is parallel to a central axis of the shaft. The shaft is also rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the central axis. A thrust motor is attached to and moves and rotates with the shaft. The assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position, and the thrust motor is below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto its side, and the thrust motor rests in the cradle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trolling motor assembly for propelling a boat in a body of water, the assembly comprising:
a base configured to be attached to the boat;
a cradle attached to the base, the cradle having an upper end with an upwardly concave surface;
a transmission housing coupled to the base by way of a pivot pin extending generally transverse to the base and defining a pivot axis about which the transmission housing is pivotable with respect to the base;
a shaft supported by the transmission housing and moveable relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is generally parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the shaft and rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the shaft central axis; and
a thrust motor attached to a lower end of the shaft and moveable and rotatable with the shaft;
wherein the assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position with respect to the base, and the thrust motor is configured to be below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto a first side thereof within the base, and the thrust motor rests in the upwardly concave surface of the cradle; and
wherein the cradle is rotatable with respect to the base about a cradle pivot axis that extends generally transverse to the base.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a locking pin coupled to the base, wherein the locking pin both locks the transmission housing in the upright position when the assembly is in the deployed position and locks the cradle in an upright position when the assembly is in the stowed position.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a release mechanism coupled to the locking pin;
wherein the locking pin travels in a first direction and a second direction in a horizontal slot in the base;
wherein movement of the release mechanism in the first direction moves the locking pin in the first direction in the horizontal slot and out of engagement with a locking slot in one of the cradle and the transmission housing, thereby enabling movement of the assembly between the stowed and deployed positions; and
wherein movement of the release mechanism in the second direction moves the locking pin in the second direction in the horizontal slot and into engagement with the locking slot in the one of the cradle and the transmission housing, thereby locking the one of the cradle and the transmission housing in its respective upright position.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a latching rod that serves as both the release mechanism and the locking pin.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a hook on the first side of the transmission housing, wherein the latching rod engages the hook and holds the transmission housing on the first side while the assembly is in the stowed position.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spring in contact with both the cradle and the base, wherein the spring biases the cradle around the cradle pivot axis with respect to the base such that the assembly is biased into the deployed position.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring wound around the cradle pivot axis and located between the base and the cradle.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a tab coupled to a lower end of the cradle, wherein the tab extends inwardly under a second side of the transmission housing when the transmission housing is locked in the upright position and prevents the cradle from rotating with respect to the base when the assembly is in the deployed position.

9. A trolling motor assembly for propelling a boat in a body of water, the assembly comprising:
a base configured to be attached to the boat;
a cradle attached to and stationary with respect to the base, the cradle having an upper end with an upwardly concave surface;
a transmission housing coupled to the base by way of a pivot pin extending generally transverse to the base and defining a pivot axis about which the transmission housing is pivotable with respect to the base;
a shaft supported by the transmission housing and moveable relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is generally parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the shaft and rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the shaft central axis; and
a thrust motor attached to a lower end of the shaft and moveable and rotatable with the shaft;
wherein the assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position with respect to the base, and the thrust motor is configured to be below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned generally horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto a first side thereof within the base, and the thrust motor rests in the upwardly concave surface of the cradle; and
further comprising a first hook on the first side of the transmission housing, a second hook on a second side of the transmission housing, and a latching rod coupled to the base and moveable in a first direction and a second direction;
wherein the latching rod engages with the first hook to hold the transmission housing on its first side while the assembly is in the stowed position; and
wherein the latching rod engages with the second hook to hold the transmission housing on its second side and to lock the transmission housing in its upright position while the assembly is in the deployed position.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a vertical slot in the base through which the transmission housing pivot pin extends, wherein movement of the transmission housing pivot pin in an upward direction in the vertical slot enables the thrust motor to clear the stationary cradle while the assembly is moving between the stowed and deployed positions.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein movement of the transmission housing pivot pin in a downward direction in the vertical slot enables the latching rod to engage with the first hook.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a locking surface extending across a lower edge of the transmission housing proximate the first side and located adjacent and parallel to the transmission housing pivot pin, wherein the locking surface has a radius that is off center with respect to the transmission housing pivot axis.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a fulcrum extending across the transmission housing parallel to and offset in the second direction from the locking surface and the transmission housing pivot axis, wherein pivoting of the transmission housing about the transmission housing pivot axis and about the fulcrum as the assembly moves into the deployed position causes the transmission housing to translate such that the transmission housing pivot pin slides upward within the vertical slot.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the stationary cradle comprises a convexly rounded surface including a living hinge that connects to the upwardly concave surface and that enables the cradle to flex as the thrust motor moves over the cradle when the assembly moves between the stowed and deployed positions.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the upwardly concave surface of the cradle includes concave locking surfaces that move with the living hinge and that hold the thrust motor in place when the assembly is in the stowed position.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Truax Perin
• Parks Macrae
• Mckinney Elzie
• Scott Brian
• Witte John

Classifications

• B63H20/106

  Means enabling lifting of the propulsion element in a substantially vertical, linearly sliding movement · CPC title

• B63H20/00

  Outboard propulsion units, e.g. outboard motors or Z-drives; Arrangements thereof on vessels · CPC title

• B63H20/007 Primary

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

• B63B2221/24

  by means that allow one or more degrees of translational freedom, e.g. telescopic joints, not otherwise provided for in this class · CPC title

• B63H21/17

  by electric motor · CPC title