Bracket for holding universal transducer for use with a fishing boat

Abstract

A bracket for holding a universal transducer for use with a fishing or other boat, including a transducer assembly, having a transducer shaft, which brackets a transducer at its bottom end, while its upper end is connected either to the side of the boat, or onto the upper portions, such as the gear box, of the associated trolling motor, to provide the means for scoping the underwater typography through usage of a universal transducer, as available in the art. The upper end of the transducer shaft connects to a bracket, applied onto the bracket is a geared motor, such as a reversing motor, that can pivot the transducer in an approximate 360-degree direction. The identified bracket mount can secure directly to the side of the boat, in which case the mount separates, for removal of the transducer assembly, or its application therein, in preparation for usage, or the bracket mount may secure to the underside of the trolling motor gear box or housing, and be simultaneously operative in conjunction with the maneuvering of the trolling motor, during its usage, or when positioned into a nonusage location upon the surface of the associated boat.

Claims

1. A bracket for holding and a transducer assembly to a boat and providing for an unobstructed underwater scanning by the transducer at an approximately 360° range; comprising said bracket including a housing, said housing formed of male and female portions, one of said male and female portions being secured to the upper side of the boat, the other of said male and female portions holding the transducer assembly; said other portion having a part of said housing, and said housing having a channel provided vertically therethrough, and the transducer assembly having a shaft that extends through the housing channel; said housing portion having connected thereon approximate its upper end a gear box, and a reversible motor operatively connected to the said gear box and when energized operating the gears of the gear box to induce a clockwise or counterclockwise pivot of the transducer shaft to turn the transducer in an approximate 360° range; and the bottom of said shaft incorporating another bracket, and said another bracket securing the transducer for pivot during usage of the transducer assembly.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein said male and female portions of said housing slidingly engage together to secure said transducer assembly to the boat during usage.

3. The bracket of claim 2, wherein said male portion of the said bracket is formed having an extending T structure, and said female portion of said bracket having a T slot, wherein when securing said male and female portions of said bracket together for transducer assembly usage, said T structure of said male portion slidingly fits within the T slot of the female portion of said bracket.

4. The bracket of claim 3, wherein said female portion of said bracket is engaged with the upper side of the boat.

5. The bracket of claim 4, wherein said female portion of said housing in contoured to contiguously fit against the upper side of the boat during installation.

6. The bracket of claim 5, wherein said female portion of said housing incorporates integrally lateral extensions that accommodate fasteners to secure the female portion to an upper side of the boat.

7. The bracket of claim 6, wherein said lateral extensions of the female portion are also contoured for contiguously fitting against the upper side of the boat during installation.

8. The bracket of claim 7, wherein said female portion and its lateral extensions are partially formed with arcuate surfaces to provide for securement of the female portion of said housing contiguously against the upper side of the boat.

9. The bracket of claim 2, wherein said another bracket secured to the bottom of said shaft is an L shaped bracket, the horizontal portion of said L shaped bracket securing to the bottom of the assembly shaft, and the vertical portion of said another bracket securing the transformer for its operations.

10. A bracket for holding a transducer assembly to a trolling motor and providing for an unobstructed underwater scanning by the transducer of an approximately 360° range; comprising said bracket including a housing, a flange connecting to the said housing and extending for direct connection with the gear housing of the trolling motor, said bracket housing having a channel provided vertically therethrough and the transducer assembly having a shaft that extends through the channel of the bracket housing; said bracket housing having connected thereon a gear box, and a reversible motor operatively connected with the said gear box and when energized operating the gears of the gear box to induce a clockwise or counterclockwise pivot of the transducer shaft to turn the transducer in an approximate 360° range; and the bottom of said transducer shaft incorporating another bracket, and said another bracket securing the transducer for pivot during usage of the transducer assembly.

11. The bracket for transducer assembly of claim 10, wherein said another bracket secures said transducer at a downward angle of between about 5° to 15° for the transducer sonar beam to clear the bottom of the trolling motor when scanning the underwater during usage.

12. The bracket for transducer assembly of claim 11, wherein the said another bracket secures the transducer at a downward angle of approximately 8°.

13. The bracket for transducer assembly of claim 10, wherein said bracket housing flange connects to the underside of the gear housing of the trolling motor.

14. The bracket for the transducer assembly of claim 11, wherein said trolling motor capable of pivoting between a resting position upon the deck of a boat as when not in usage to an operational position extending downwardly positioned in the water as during usage, and said transducer assembly capable of simultaneously pivoting between the resting position and operative position with the trolling motor during usage.

15. The bracket for a transducer assembly of claim 11, wherein said transducer is positioned above the trolling motor when located underwater during usage.

16. The bracket for a transducer assembly of claim 15, wherein said transducer is positioned approximately 5 inches to 8 inches above the associated trolling motor when located underwater during usage.

17. The bracket for transducer assembly of claim 16, wherein said another bracket secured to the bottom of said transducer shaft is an L shaped bracket, the horizontal portion of said L shaped bracket securing to the bottom of the transducer assembly shaft, and the vertical portion of said another bracket securing the transducer for its operations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In referring to the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 provides an isometric view of the transducer unit, its bracketed shaft, all applied to the side or gunnel of the associated boat;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the transducer unit and its bracketed shaft separated from its bracket engagement means, for application to the side of the boat, and further disclosing its gear box and motor that electrically connects with the toggle, or foot operated rocker switch, that are provided for independent operation of the associated transducer, during usage, and separate from the operations of the other motor components of the associated boat;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the bracket assembly that secures the transducer unit and its shaft to the side of a boat;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a top view of the male component of the bracket assembly;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a side view of the bracket assembly of FIG. 4;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a top view of the female portion of the bracket, as noted in FIG. 3;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a side view of the female portion of the bracket unit as seen in FIG. 6;

[0036] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a modification to the bracketing of the transducer unit, and its connecting shaft, directly to the gear box portion of the trolling motor;

[0037] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the transducer unit, with its supporting bracket and shaft, and disclosing the gear box and reversable motor applied for operations of the transducer assembly during its usage;

[0038] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the bracket that affixes the transducer and its shaft directly to the trolling motor head;

[0039] FIG. 11 is a top view of FIG. 10;

[0040] FIG. 12 is a right-side view of FIG. 11; and

[0041] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the bracket and shaft mount of this modification to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] In referring to the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1, therein is shown one embodiment for the bracket for holding universal transducer for use with a fishing boat, as noted at 1. As disclosed, the bracket is noted at 2 and which comprises of two parts, a male portion 3 and a female portion 4, the female portion shown being connected to the side, bumper, or gunnel of the boat B, as noted. The bracket fixes the gear box 5 into position, by means of a series of fasteners 6 and the gear box connects with the 12-volt reversable motor 7, which is connectable to an electric cord 8 to receive its electrical charge. Extending downwardly from the gear box 5, and through the bracket 2, is the transducer shaft 9, the bottom of the shaft including a transducer bracket 10, as noted, and this transducer bracket does hold the universal transducer T in place, during usage. As can be seen, the transducer bracket is L-shaped, the upper flange 11 securing to the bottom of the transducer shaft 9, while the downwardly extending plate 12 secures the transducer in place, through the use of a series of fasteners, as noted at 13. It can be seen that there is an electric line 14 that extends downwardly from the upper components of this bracket, in order to deliver electric charge to the transducer, to provide for its operation, and to transmit data back to the sonar screen that shows the trajectory of the underwater typography, when the transducer is operative.

[0043] This type of universal transducer, as previously summarized, does project its sonar pulses both generally horizontally, as noted at H, and also extends its sonar downwardly, generally vertically, as a B, to pick up an entire range of scan of the underwater typography, in the manner as previously described, and such a transducer is very effective at scanning objects as much as 200 feet forwardly, and 200 feet downwardly, during its usage and application. Thus, the boat operator, or the fisherman, have a complete scan for a good distance of the entire underwater, and can see schools of fish, isolated big fish, brush piles, and other fish attractants, including collection of minnow bait fish, to allow the fisherman to move the boat directly into their direction, to enhance the ability to catch fish, during usage.

[0044] As can also be noted, the upper side of the boat B generally exhibits a number of contours, such as an upwardly convex portion, as at C, a bumper as at B, and then the curved underside of the gunnel, as noted.

[0045] The bracket 2, and its female portion 4, and male portion 3, can be seen in FIG. 2, and the clamping, by way of fasteners, of the female portion 4 onto the upper side of the boat, can be readily be seen thereat. Also, as noted, the transducer bracket, through its motor 7 may be connected through the electrical line 8, with a rocker switch, as at 15, which will allow the operator to control the pivoting of the transducer T through usage of this device, to an approximate 360 degrees horizon, when detecting underwater objects, such as fish, during usage. Such a rocker switch may be in the form of a toggle, through its switch 16, so that the reversing motor 7 can be turned in either direction, to vary the movement of the transducer either in a clockwise, or counterclockwise direction, during usage. The cable 8 supplies sufficient energy to the transducer, and its bracket, to provide for both the operations of the motor, and the sonar, and provides feedback of detected objects, through the sonar, to the cable, and to a screen display. The cable also includes means for conducting electrical energy from the battery, to the various operative components of this universal transducer assembly.

[0046] The particular bracket mount 2 of this invention, and more specifically its male portion 3 and the female portion 4 can be seen in FIGS. 4-7. As noted, the male portion includes a housing 16 which has a channel 17 provided therethrough, and through which the transducer shaft 9 inserts. The opposite side of the male portion includes means for engagement of this portion with the female portion 4, when the transducer assembly is installed for usage, laterally of the shown boat. As can be seen, in this instance, the connecting portion is a T-shaped extending configuration, as at 18, and this particular T-shaped portion is provided for engaging within the T-slot 19 of the female part 4. There is a bottom 20 provided within the T-slot 19, so as to limit the amount of downward sliding movement of the male portion 3, within the portion 4, when the transducer assembly and its shaft 9 are interconnected, in preparation for its usage and application. Obviously, it is just as likely that the male portion 3 could connect with the boat and the female part 4 accommodate holding of the transducer shaft during usage.

[0047] As can also be seen, as in FIGS. 6 and 7, the female portion has a pair of laterally extending bosses 21 and 22, and which have apertures 23 and 24, available for accommodating fasteners, one as shown at 25, as noted in FIG. 1, for securement of the female portion of the mounting bracket 4 to the side of the boat, as previously reviewed. Furthermore, as can be seen, the lateral bosses incorporate an upwardly extending portion 25, spanning across the portion, which has some curvature to it, as at 26, and along with the curvature 27 of the lateral mount, are designed to accommodate their snug fitting against the side of the boat B, as noted in FIG. 1, to assure that the bracket mount is very stability secured thereto, during all phases of application and usage.

[0048] This essentially defines the structure of the first embodiment of Applicant's universal transducer bracket, of the type that is secured directly to the side of the boat, as distinct from the second embodiment, where it mounts upon the trolling motor itself, in preparation for usage.

[0049] FIGS. 8 and 9 show the second embodiment for the universal transducer bracketed mount 30 of this invention. As can be seen, in this case, the mount 31 connects to the gear box G of the trolling motor itself. The trolling motor has its usual downwardly extending shaft S that connects to its motor M and associated propeller P.

[0050] With this bracketed invention, the mount 31 secures the gear box 32 thereto, by means of a series of fasteners 33, and has its 12-volt reversing motor 35 affixed thereto, which when operative, can translate motion to the gear box, and to the transducer shaft 35, to affect its turning, and the turning of its lower transducer bracket 36, the structure of which has been previously defined. In this particular instance, it can be seen that the universal transducer T is oriented at an approximate 5-15 degrees downwardly, and more preferably at approximately 8 degrees, as can be noted, and for the following purpose. If the universal transducer T is mounted to project sonar directly horizontally, when it is turned in a direction facing the adjacent trolling motor 17, its sonar waves will be blocked. Hence, by directing the sonar of the transducer slightly downwardly, within a range of degrees as previously defined, the sonar extends beneath the trolling motor, and/or not obstructed by it, during its usage. Usually, the universal transducer T will be located approximately 4-8 inches above the trolling motor, so as to not detract from the operations of the motor, during movement, and thus, the reason for its mounting angularly downwardly, as noted, and as explained. Although, it is just as likely that the gear box 32 can mount directly onto the mount 31, directly, and eliminate the need for usage of the series of fasteners 33, as previously described.

[0051] The bottom of the transducer shaft 35 connects with the upper flange of the transducer bracket 36, as can be noted at 37.

[0052] There are a number of reasons why the mounting of the transducer assembly directly to the trolling motor are more useful. Initially, these trolling motors, as previously explained in the prior art, generally secure to a cradle, and which is connected to the upper surface of the boat, proximate its side, and then the entire trolling motor, and its transducer assembly, of this invention, can all be pulled upwardly and pivoted onto the surface of the boat, as during nonusage. Then, when the trolling motor and its transducer assembly is to be used, the entire combination can be pivoted outwardly, and downwardly, into the water, adjacent the side of the boat, all in one motion. Hence, this eliminates the need to attach the transducer assembly 1 to the side of the boat, and to engage its various mount portions, together, in preparation for its usage. By simply pivoting the trolling motor into the water, the transducer assembly is moved simultaneously, in preparation for its immediate application and usage.

[0053] The particular bracket mount 31 can be seen in FIGS. 10-13. As noted, it includes its housing 38, which incorporates a channel 39 therethrough, and through which the transducer shaft 35 locates, when assembled. The housing includes an extending flange 40 and this flange is provided for mounting to the underside of the gear box G, of the trolling motor, as noted in FIG. 8. There are a series of apertures 41 provided through the flange 40, which accommodates fasteners for securement of the flange, and its associated housing 38, to the underside of the gear box G, as can be noted. The housing 38 and its extending flange 40 may be secured together, either by welding, or through the use of a fillet, as noted at 42, which may form the basis for welding of these two components together.

[0054] Thus, the concept of this invention is to provide for these various embodiments for securement of a universal transducer either to the boat, or to its trolling motor, and provide the means for surveying of the entire underwater features, for some distance forwardly and downwardly from the positioned transducer. Furthermore, in either instance, if the transducer assembly is side mounted to the boat, as noted in FIG. 1, or mounted onto the trolling motor itself, as noted in FIG. 8, in either instance, the transducer assembly, and its universal transducer, can be independently operated to provide a full scan of approximately 360 degrees underwater, beneath the boat, separate and apart from the actual operations of the trolling motor itself, for moving the boat in a particular direction. Hence, when the problem arises, as previously explained, when the wind may be blowing or the trolling motor is in an autopilot mode, and moving the boat in a particular direction, the transducer assembly can be independently operated, for scanning the underwater in all directions. And, when the universal transducer picks up an identification underwater, as for example, of a school of fish, the operator can note from the positioning of an indicia, indicator, or arrow, as noted at 43, and see what direction the transducer is oriented towards, and then can turn the trolling motor into a like direction, to lead the boat to the location of the object being sited, through usage of the mounted transducer assembly of this invention. In other words, the transducer is used to sight a target area, which informs the operator to turn the trolling motor and direct the boat into the same direction, as noted by the indicator 43 upon the transducer assembly, and its mount. All the while, the transducer will be fixed upon the target area, as the boat is directed into that direction.

[0055] Variations or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the invention as described herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of the invention, as described herein, are set forth for illustrative purposes only. Any such variations are intended to be encompassed in the scope of any claims for patent protection issuing upon this development. The description of the preferred embodiments, and their depiction in the drawings, are set forth for illustrative purposes only.