Device for Setting the Drive Position of a Boat

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for setting the drive position of an electric drive of a boat, having a housing (14) with two receiving elements (15a, 15b) arranged on two opposing side walls (140) of the housing (14) for defining a pivot axis (17) and a drive lever (10) that can be pivoted around this pivot axis (17), wherein the drive lever (10) is received by two receiving elements (15a. 15b).

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A device for setting a drive position of an electric drive of a boat comprising: a housing with one or more receiving elements arranged on one or more side walls of the housing for defining a pivot axis; and a drive lever that can be pivoted around this pivot axis, wherein the drive lever is received by the one or more receiving elements.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the drive lever includes two legs that are identically shaped, the two legs being connected with each other via a connecting bridge, wherein the two legs each include a recess, wherein the one or more receiving elements receive the drive lever in the recesses, so that the drive lever can be pivoted around the pivot axis.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the drive lever comprises two identically shaped legs, which are connected with other via a connecting bridge, wherein the two legs each comprising a projection, wherein the projections engage the one or more receiving elements and receive the drive lever, so that the drive lever can be pivoted around the pivot axis.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein the drive lever can be clicked onto or into the one or more receiving elements of the housing.

21. The device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more receiving elements comprises two receiving elements arranged on two opposing side walls.

22. The device according to claim 17, wherein at least one magnet is arranged in the drive lever and at least one sensor is arranged in the housing in order to record a pivot position of the drive lever around the pivot axis.

23. The device according to claim 17, wherein the drive lever is formed as a single piece.

24. The device according to claim 18, wherein the recesses of the two legs of the drive lever form a snap & click connection with the one or more receiving elements.

25. The device according to claim 17, wherein the receiving elements are rigidly connected with the housing or are integrally formed in the side wall of the housing.

26. The device according to claim 18, wherein a cover is provided for every side of the device, wherein the cover engages an area surrounding one or more of the recesses, the recess itself, or the receiving elements once the two legs of the drive lever have been clamped onto the receiving elements and close the recess.

27. The device according to claim 17 further including a spring element or an arresting element, which is implemented in a way to hold the drive lever in a zero position.

28. The device according to claim 17 further comprising one or more elements selected from an input means, a display unit, a seal, a control unit, an on/off switch, or a data cable, wherein the elements are arranged inside the housing and are received by the housing.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein the elements to be received by the housing are cast into the housing.

30. The device according to claim 28, wherein the on/off switch is a magnet pin in magnetic connection with a round plate that is in connection with the control means.

31. A device for setting a drive position of an electric drive of a boat, comprising: a housing with a receiving element for defining a pivot axis arranged on a side wall of the housing, wherein the pivot axis extends through the receiving element; and a drive lever, which is received on the housing to pivot around this pivot axis, wherein the drive lever comprises a leg, wherein the drive lever can be pivoted around the pivot axis and the drive lever can be clicked onto the or into the receiving elements of the housing.

32. The device according to claim 31, wherein at least one magnet is arranged in the drive lever and at least one sensor is arranged in the housing in order to record the pivot position of the drive lever around the pivot axis.

33. The device according to claim 31, wherein the drive lever is formed as a single piece.

34. The device according to claim 31, wherein a recess of the leg of the drive lever form a snap & click connection with the receiving elements or the receiving element.

35. A boat comprising: a device for setting a drive position of an electric drive of a boat comprising: a housing with one or more receiving elements arranged on one or more side walls of the housing for defining a pivot axis; and a drive lever that can be pivoted around this pivot axis, wherein the drive lever is received by the one or more receiving elements; a bracket configured to fit the device for setting the drive position to the boat.

36. The boat according to claim 35, wherein the bracket is implemented as a sheet metal or plastic structure, and wherein the housing is implemented in such a way that the housing can be pushed onto the bracket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0063] Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description of the Figures. These show:

[0064] FIG. 1 a schematic exploded drawing of a device for setting the drive position of an electric drive according to one embodiment example;

[0065] FIG. 2a-e various views of the schematically illustrated device for setting the drive position of an electric drive according to the embodiment example of FIG. 1;

[0066] FIG. 3 a schematic illustration of a boat with a device for setting the drive position of an electric motor according to a further embodiment example; and

[0067] FIG. 4 a schematic exploded drawing of a device for setting the drive position of an electric motor according to a further embodiment example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES

[0068] Preferred embodiment examples will be described in the following with reference to the Figures. Identical or similar elements, or those producing an identical effect are identified with identical reference numbers in the Figures, and a repeated description of these elements is partly omitted to avoid redundancies.

[0069] FIG. 1 illustrates a device 1 for setting the drive position of an electric drive of a boat according to one embodiment example.

[0070] The device 1 has a drive lever 10 and a housing 14 with two opposing side walls 140, a front wall 142, a rear wall 144, a top side 146 and an underside 148.

[0071] Receiving elements 15a, 15b are each arranged on one of the two opposing side walls of the housing 14 on the two opposing side walls 140, wherein the receiving elements 15a, 15b are arranged opposite each other and are implemented in a way to fit the drive lever 10 to the housing to pivot around a pivot axis 17. The receiving elements 15a, 15b accordingly define a pivot axis 17 and are implemented in such a way that the drive lever 10 can be pivoted in relation to the pivot axis 17, wherein the drive lever 10 is received by both receiving elements 15a, 15b.

[0072] The drive lever 10 has two identically shaped legs 10a, 10b, which are connected with each other via a connecting bridge 10c, wherein the two legs 10a, 10b each have a recess 11a, 11b. The receiving elements 15a, 15b receive the legs 10a, 10b in the recesses 11a, 11b, so that the drive lever can be pivoted around the pivot axis. A twin-leg, preferably single-piece implementation of a drive lever like the one shown here allows the drive lever to be fitted to the housing in a simple way. A complex constructive mounting of the drive lever in the housing is not required.

[0073] In other words, the receiving elements 15a, 15b are arranged symmetrically opposite a central plane 19 of the housing shown in FIG. 1a and form the pivot axis 17 for the drive lever. The central plane denotes the plane that lies in the center of two side wall lying opposite each other.

[0074] According to a further embodiment example the drive lever 10 can be clicked onto the receiving elements 15a, 15b of the housing 14, so that the drive lever 10 is fixed in the axial direction of the pivot axis 17 and can be pivoted around the pivot axis 17.

[0075] In one embodiment example the legs 10a, 10b as well as the handle 10c are of a flexible bending implementation in order to stretch the legs 10a, 10b onto the receiving elements 15a, 15b. A clamping effect generated by the legs 10a, 10b of the drive lever can provide a simple and cost-effective connection with a drive lever 10. A complex connection of the drive lever with the housing is omitted.

[0076] In FIG. 1 the drive lever is shown as a U-shaped profile. The lever can however also have a trapezoidal shape. The recesses 15a, 15b are for example arranged in a lower area of the legs 10a, 10b wherein the lower area extends substantially vertical to the pivot axis 17. The drive lever 10 is further illustrated as a single-piece component. As shown in FIG. 1 the drive lever 10 resembles a clamp, quasi in the form of “headphones”, which can be clamped onto the receiving elements of the housing.

[0077] The recesses 15a, 15b of the legs 10a, 10b are each implemented circular or as cylindrical recesses in the lower area of the leg. The radius of the recess 11a, 11b is implemented in such a way that it equals the radius of the receiving element 15a, 15b in such a way that the legs 10a, 10b can be pushed or clamped onto the receiving elements, so that the recesses 11a, 11 b of the legs 10a, 10b of the drive lever 10 are in contact in a way that the drive lever can be pivoted in relation to the pivot axis 17. The clamping effect of the legs 10a, 10b and/or the pre-tensioning of the spring element (not shown) secure the drive lever against a loosening of the drive lever 10 along the axial direction of the pivot axis 17. The insides of the legs are preferably spaced apart from the side walls of the housings 14.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment the receiving elements 15a, 15b are cylindrical or hollow cylindrical projections, at the ends of which lugs are formed and circumferentially evenly distributed. The lugs have a hook-shaped form and engage behind the recess and additionally block the legs against displacement in an axial direction of the pivot axis 17 after the legs 10a, 10b have been pushed or clamped onto the receiving elements. The receiving elements 15a, 15b are preferably rigidly connected with the housing or integrally formed from the side wall of the housing 14.

[0079] The housing and the drive lever are preferably produced by means of a molding process, for example injection molding. In an alternative embodiment example, the housing is produced by means of a 3D printing method. The drive lever is for example also produced by means of a 3D printing method.

[0080] The area surrounding the recesses 11a, 11b on the circumference side has further evenly distributed recesses 13a-n. The recesses 13a-n serve for pushing a cover 32 onto the lower area of the legs 10a, 10b.

[0081] A cover each is preferably provided for every side of the device 1, which engages the area surrounding the recesses 11a, 11b and/or the recess itself and/or the receiving elements 15a, 15b after the legs 10a, 10b of the drive lever 10 have been clamped onto the receiving elements 15a, 15b and close the recess. FIG. 2c shows the drive lever 10 from the side in viewing direction of a side wall of the housing 14. The cover 32 closes the recesses of the legs after the drive lever 10 has been clamped or clicked onto the receiving elements 15a, 15b of the housing 14.

[0082] The cover 32 has a circular shape corresponding to the lower area of the legs 10a, 10b with lugs 32a-n projecting transverse from the circular plane of the cover on the circumference side. The lugs are implemented in a way that they engage the recesses 13a-n and cover the lower area of the legs 10a, 10b. The cover 32 further has a cone-shaped projection 33, which extends coaxially along a central line of the circular plane of the cover. The cone-shaped projection serves to prevent that the lugs 32a-n are put under too much strain when a force is applied from the side, e.g. in the direction of the central plane 19. If a force is for example applied to the lever from the side, the cone-shaped projection prevents that a leg of the lever jumps off the receiving elements.

[0083] The recesses 11a, 11b of the legs 10a, 10b of the drive lever 10 with the receiving elements 15a, 15b form a snap & click connection. A simple connection with the housing 14 can be provided with such an implementation of the drive lever 10. A complex connection of the drive lever 10 with the housing 14 is omitted.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 1 the device 1 further has an input means 16 and/or a display unit 20 and/or a seal 20 and/or a control unit 24 and/or an on/off switch 24 and/or a data cable 28, wherein these are arranged inside the housing 14.

[0085] At least one magnet 12 is arranged in the drive lever 10 and at least one sensor (not shown) is furthermore arranged in the housing 14 as shown by way of example in FIG. 1 in order to record the position change of the drive lever 10 around the pivot axis 17. The position change is transmitted to a control unit 24 here, which sets the drive position of the electric drive 102 (see FIG. 3) based on the position change of the drive lever 10. Based on the calculated position of the drive lever the electric drive is controlled with a specified power and/or torque and/or RPM. As shown here the at least one magnet 12 is arranged concentric to the pivot axis. When the drive lever 10 is pivoted the sensor calculates the rotation of the magnetic field of the magnet 12. The control unit 24 controls the electric drive 102 according to the power specified in relation to the calculated rotation change of the magnetic field of the magnet 12. The transmission of the signal of the power specified is transmitted to the electric drive (see FIG. 3) of the data cable 28.

[0086] In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 1 the input means is preferably a foil keyboard arranged on the top side of the housing 14 (see also FIG. 2a). The top side of the housing has a recess, which is implemented in such a way that the display unit 20, preferably a fully graphic display, is visible. The foil keyboard has a transparent area here, which substantially equals the size of the display unit 20.

[0087] A seal 22 is preferably provided to protect the display unit against water ingress 20. The seal 22 is arranged between the top side of the housing and the display unit 20. The display unit 20 and the foil keyboard 16 are connected with the control unit 24, preferably the controller circuit board. The control unit 24 is also implemented for calculating the position change of the at least one magnet 12 and for transmitting a power specification based on the same to the electric drive. The input means 16 and/or the display unit 20 and/or the seal 22 and/or the control unit 24 are arranged in the housing and connected to the housing with fitting means 30. Alternatively, the parts to be received by the housing are cast into the housing. Casting the electronics of the device into the housing enables a particularly efficient protection of the electronics in aggressive environments, for example salt water.

[0088] Shown as a further example the on/off switch 18 is a magnet pin (see also FIG. 2b), which is in magnetic connection with a round plate 34 connected with a control means. Once the magnetic pin 18 is inserted into the specified space of the housing the device is switched on, or switched off, if the magnet pin 18 is not inserted into the space. The round plate 34 is made of a ferromagnetic material, preferably metal. A safe on/off switch can be provided in this way.

[0089] The device can furthermore be fitted to the boat 100 via a bracket 26 (see also FIG. 3). As illustrated in FIG. 1a and FIG. 2d the bracket is implemented as a sheet metal structure, wherein the housing 14 is implemented in such a way that the housing 14 can be pushed onto the bracket 26. In this way the device can be mounted on the bracket in a simple way.

[0090] FIG. 2e shows a perspective view according to an embodiment example of the device.

[0091] Like FIG. 1, FIG. 4 shows a device with just one leg of the drive lever. The leg 10 has a recess 11a, which can be guided across the receiving element 15a. The receiving element 15a has arresting lugs at the tips of the illustrated tabs. When the recess 11a is moved across the receiving element 15a the illustrated tabs are first radially bent in the direction of the pivot axis by the special, tapered shape of the arresting lugs. As soon as the recess 11a has been completely moved over the receiving element 15a the tabs move radially outwards, as no radial force is applied to the arresting lugs anymore. At the same time, it is realized that the arresting lugs fix the axial position of the leg 10. The tabs of the receiving element 15a further effect a radial outward force, so that friction or a frictional force is generated between the inside of the recess 11a and the receiving element 15a. The leg can therefore be moved only once the frictional force has been overcome by a user. This prevents that the leg is for example actuated during a strong swell. A frictional force further enables a more precise adjustment of forward propulsion, as the returning force forwards a haptic feedback regarding the leg position to the user.

[0092] Where applicable all individual features illustrated in the embodiment examples can be combined with and/or exchanged for each other without leaving the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0093] 1 Control means

[0094] 10 Drive lever

[0095] 10a, 10b Leg

[0096] 10c Connecting bridge

[0097] 11a, 11b Recess

[0098] 12 Magnet

[0099] 13a-n Recesses

[0100] 14 Housing

[0101] 15a, 15b Receiving element

[0102] 16 Input means

[0103] 17 Pivot axis

[0104] 18 Switch

[0105] 20 Display unit

[0106] 22 Seal

[0107] 24 Control unit

[0108] 26 Bracket

[0109] 28 Data cable

[0110] 30 Fitting means

[0111] 32 Cover

[0112] 32a-n Lugs

[0113] 34 Round plate

[0114] 100 Boat

[0115] 140 Side wall

[0116] 142 Front wall

[0117] 144 Rear wall

[0118] 146 Top wall