Electric Boat Drive

Abstract

A control device for controlling an electric motor. The control device includes a twist grip that is rotatably mounted on a carrier such that the twist grip is user-twistable in a first direction from a neutral position to a first operating position, and in a second direction from the neutral position to a second operating position. The control device further includes a force element for producing a return force. The force element operatively couples to the twist grip via a force transmission element and at least one deflection element such that the force element applies the return force to the twist grip thereby twisting the twist grip to the neutral position.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling an electric motor, the control device comprising: a twist grip is rotatably mounted on a carrier such that the twist grip is user-twistable in a first direction from a neutral position to a first operating position, and in a second direction from the neutral position to a second operating position; and a force element for producing a return force, the force element operatively coupled to the twist grip via a force transmission element and at least one deflection element such that the force element applies the return force to the twist grip thereby twisting the twist grip to the neutral position.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein two or more of: the force element, force transmission element and defection element, are integrated in a single component.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the force element is a spring element.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the force transmission element is a pull cable or linkage.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the deflection element comprises at least one of: a roller, a sliding guide and a lever.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein the carrier is at least in part a hollow body, and the force element is disposed in the interior of the hollow body.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein the force element is attached on the outside of the carrier.

8. The control device of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is part of an outboard drive for a boat.

9. The control device of claim 8, wherein the outboard drive has a propeller, and the propeller rotates in different directions in the first and the second operating position.

10. The control device of claim 1, wherein the outboard drive has a tiller, and a portion of the tiller serves a carrier.

11. The control device of claim 1, wherein the boat drive is an outboard motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 schematically show a control device according to at least one embodiment;

[0026] FIG. 2 schematically show the control device of FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 3 schematically show a control device according to at least one other embodiment; and

[0028] FIG. 4 schematically show the control device of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The above described drawing figures illustrate the described invention in at least one embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. While the disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail at least one embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosure to the embodiment illustrated. Therefore, it should be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure

[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically a control device for controlling an electric outboard motor. The control device has a twist grip 1, which is rotatably mounted on the tube 2 that serves as a tiller. In FIG. 1, twist grip 1 is shown in the neutral position. By turning the twist grip 1, the power supplied to the electric outboard motor and the speed of rotation of the propeller of the outboard motor are regulated, via a system that is not shown here. From the initial neutral position of the twist grip 1, turning the twist grip 1 in one direction causes rotation of the propeller in one direction, and turning the twist grip 1 in the other direction correspondingly causes rotation of the propeller in the other direction. In this manner the boat, which is driven by the outboard motor, is set in forward motion by turning the twist grip 1 clockwise (FIG. 1), and set in reverse motion by turning counter-clockwise.

[0031] In the interior of the tube 2, a return spring 3 is attached at one end to a hook 4 or another fixed point (fixed relative to the tube 2). At the other end of the return spring 3 a pull cable 5 is attached. The pull cable 5 can be for example a natural fiber or synthetic fiber cord, a wire cable, or a comparable elongated element which is suitable for transmitting the tensile forces.

[0032] In the interior of the tube 2, a first deflection roller 6 is further provided. The axis of rotation of the deflection roller 6 is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry 9 of the tube 2. The first deflection roller 6 is designed as a fixed roller. This means that its position relative to the tube 2 is fixed, and does not change during use. In place of a deflection roller, a non-rotatable deflection element can also be used. This does not affect the principle of the invention, but the losses due to friction are somewhat higher.

[0033] Two further deflection rollers 7, 8 are also fixed in the interior of the tube 2. The axes of rotation of both deflection rollers 7, 8 are aligned in the direction of the axis of symmetry 9. The two deflection rollers 7, 8 are disposed at the same level, and almost touch each other, but with sufficient space remaining between the deflection rollers 7, 8 for the pull cable 5 to be guided between the deflection rollers 7, 8. The two deflection rollers 7, 8 can also be replaced with fixed deflection elements.

[0034] The pull cable 5 runs from the return spring 3 to the first deflection roller 6. In FIG. 2, the return spring 3 and the first deflection roller 6 are disposed such that the pull cable runs between the return spring 3 and the first deflection roller 6 substantially in the axial direction 9. The hook or fixed point 4 and the first deflection roller 6 can, however, also be otherwise disposed relative to each other, in such a manner that the pull cable 5 does not run between the return spring 3 and the first deflection roller 6 parallel to the axis of symmetry 9, but at an angle to it.

[0035] The pull cable 5 is deflected by the first deflection roller 6 to the second deflection rollers 7, 8. Preferably, the first deflection roller 6 and the two deflection rollers 7, 8 are disposed relative to each other such that the pull cable 5 is deflected by 90°. The other end of the pull cable 5 is attached to an attachment device 10 of the twist grip 1.

[0036] In the neutral position of the twist grip 1, the return spring 3 and the pull cable 5 are only slightly tensioned. If the twist grip 1 is turned out of the neutral position, the attachment device 10 moves away from the two deflection rollers 7 and 8, and this transmit a tensile force via the pull cable 5 to the return spring 3. Due to this, the return spring 3 is pulled apart and further tensioned. If the boat driver then releases the twist grip 1, the twist grip 1 is turned by the spring force of the return spring 3, via the pull cable 5, back to the neutral position.

[0037] Irrespective of the direction in which the twist grip 1 is turned, i.e. clockwise or counter-clockwise, after the twist grip 1 is released it is brought back by the return spring 3 to the neutral position. Depending on the direction in which the twist grip 1 is turned, the pull cable 5 runs over the deflection roller 7 or over the deflection roller 8.

[0038] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a further embodiment of the invention. The same elements are designated with the same reference numbers in all figures. The embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4 substantially corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The mechanism for turning back the twist grip 1 is, however, disposed outside the tube 2 rather than inside the tube 2.

[0039] The enablements described in detail above are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the invention and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.

[0040] The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

[0041] Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

[0042] The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented.