B63H20/00

OUTBOARD MOTOR
20230202629 · 2023-06-29 · ·

An outboard motor includes a power source disposed, a propeller shaft, a drive shaft, a gear mechanism, a lower case having an internal space in which gear oil is stored, a gear oil gauge configured to check a level or a state of the gear oil stored in the internal space, a gauge mounting hole provided configured to removably mount the gear oil gauge to the lower case such that one end side of the gear oil gauge is immersed in the gear oil stored in the internal space, a gauge insertion portion configured to insert the gear oil gauge into the gauge mounting hole, an oil supply and discharge passage provided in the lower case, and a pump connecting portion configured to connect a pump. The gauge insertion portion and the pump connecting portion are arranged side by side.

Batteries for electric marine propulsion systems, and associated systems and methods

A battery pack (e.g., a battery pack for marine environments) can include a lower enclosure having an upper wall and defining a cavity, a plurality of battery cells positioned within the cavity, a radiator assembly positioned above the upper wall of the lower enclosure, a vent in the upper wall of the cavity, and/or a valve configured to selectively facilitate fluid communication between the cavity and the radiator assembly via the vent. In some embodiments, the valve is configured to open in response to increased pressure in the cavity resulting from a thermal runaway event. In some embodiments, the radiator is configured to create a tortuous path and collect flammable particulates from the thermal runaway event.

Systems and methods for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device

A system for suspending a lubricant in a marine propulsion device having a gearcase, the gearcase defining a gearset cavity for containing a propeller shaft gearset rotated by a driveshaft. The system includes a pump device configured to pump the lubricant away from the gearset cavity, and a reservoir located away from the gearset cavity and configured to receive the lubricant from the pump device. An input passage conveys the lubricant from the pump device to the reservoir, and an output passage conveys the lubricant from the reservoir to the gearset cavity. The reservoir is configured to retain a portion of the lubricant circulating between the gearset cavity and the reservoir.

METHOD TO CONTROL A MARINE VESSEL, A CONTROL UNIT AND A VESSEL

The disclosure relates to a method and a control unit to control a marine vessel comprising two or more drive units. The method involving the steps of registering an operating command indicating a requested vessel direction and plotting a course represented by a reference line for the requested vessel direction from an initial position. It is then monitored if the vessel has deviated from the reference line and if a deviation from the reference line is detected, then a value for current vessel speed is detected. The detected vessel speed value is compared to a predetermined reference speed value to determine if the current vessel speed value is within a high speed interval or a low speed interval relative to the reference speed value. Depending on the determined speed interval the vessel is controlled according a low speed control strategy; or a high speed control strategy in order to move the vessel from a current vessel heading to the reference line and the requested vessel direction.

Outboard-motor vibration-isolating cooler apparatus
09845139 · 2017-12-19 ·

An outboard-motor vibration-isolating cooler system apparatus providing a retrofit substitute for the midsection and the lower unit of a standard outboard motor, having a substitute closed-loop cooling system with an exterior heat exchanger, a substitute oil reservoir, a substitute exhaust system, and a substitute propulsion system with an isolating power-take-off shaft, allowing an existing standard outboard-motor powerhead to be used in conditions not conducive to standard open-loop water cooling, such as shallow-water, muddy-water, obstructed-water, seawater, or corrosive-water conditions.

OUTBOARD MOTORS HAVING SIDE AND REAR LAYDOWN CAPABILITY

An outboard motor has a cowling, a gearcase, a midsection located axially between the cowling and the gearcase, a steering arm extending forwardly from the midsection, and an anti-ventilation plate between the midsection and the gearcase. A wing extends laterally from the steering arm. The wing, a lateral side of the cowling, and a lateral side of the gearcase together define a side tripod which supports the outboard motor in a side laydown position. The anti-ventilation plate has a rear edge with laterally outer rear support members, which together with the rear of the cowling form a rear tripod which supports the outboard motor in a rear laydown position.

DEVICE FOR STEERING A TROLLING MOTOR AND METHOD OF THE SAME
20230192258 · 2023-06-22 ·

A device for steering a trolling motor of a watercraft is provided. The device comprises a housing and a joystick attached to the housing, pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick. The movement from the neutral position generates a steering command for the trolling motor. The device has a transmitter within the housing and a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the joystick. The device may further include a memory including a computer program code. The computer program code is configured when executed by the processor to receive movement data from the joystick, generate a steering command from the movement data, and transmit the steering command to the trolling motor. The steering command causes the trolling motor to rotate to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on the joystick movement.

Integrated display for a trolling motor
09840312 · 2017-12-12 · ·

Trolling motor assemblies with an integrated screen and/or user interface are provided herein. For example, the screen is integrated in the main housing or a foot pedal housing of the trolling motor assembly and accessible/visible by a user while the trolling motor is deployed. Such an assembly provides an easy-to-use and compact assembly that provides useful marine features for the user right at the trolling motor, thereby saving space and allowing the user to receive all pertinent information at their current position on the watercraft.

Cooling system for an outboard motor having a hydraulic shift mechanism
09840316 · 2017-12-12 · ·

An outboard motor having an internal combustion engine that causes rotation of a driveshaft, a planetary transmission that operatively connects the driveshaft to a transmission output shaft, a band brake configured to shift the planetary transmission amongst a forward gear, neutral gear and reverse gear, a hydraulic actuator is configured to actuate the band brake, and a cooling water circuit that extends adjacent to the hydraulic actuator so that the hydraulic actuator exchanges heat with cooling water in the cooling water circuit.

Wireless voice activated control system for bow mounted electric trolling motor
09836048 · 2017-12-05 ·

A wireless voice controlled system for a trolling motor assembly which enables fully automatic usage of the trolling motor assembly in different modes of operation, including automatic voice controlled storage/locking of the trolling motor assembly at the boat base, launching the trolling motor assembly from a horizontal/storage position to a vertical position for operation in water, locking the trolling motor assembly in the vertical position, and retrieving the trolling motor back to a horizontal/storage/lock position on the bow mounted base using voice commands entered by a boat operator in a microphone on a wireless command transmitter. The system enables the boat operator to control the steering of the trolling motor and speed of the propeller for the boat propulsion using voice commands transmitted wirelessly from the handheld (or stationary) wireless command transmitter to a receiver embedded in a positioning and operation control unit having a logic and mechanical drive mechanism for transitioning the trolling motor assembly into any desired mode of operation and controlling the operation of the motor.