Patent Application
20250153824
The present invention relates to an autonomous tiller unit for retrofitting a manually drivable outboard motor.
In the marine industry outboard motors have been around for decades. In more recent years outboard motors have become more popular, especially with the more recent development of electric motors used in marine applications. However, many outboards (both electric and gasoline powered) on the market utilize manual tillers that attach to the motor head, so that a user can throttle, steer and shift the outboard. It is desirable to be able to retrofit a manual outboard motor with an autonomous tiller unit that will provide users with an autopilot that controls throttle, steering and shifting to navigate a vessel to commanded coordinates and then hold the vessel at those coordinates for desired amount of time.
The present invention is directed to an autonomous tiller unit for retrofitting a manually drivable outboard. The autonomous tiller unit includes a helm unit having a drive wheel connected to a transmission that is driven by a helm motor. The helm motor is a bidirectional motor with an output that connects to the transmission. The transmission includes one or more gears that rotate the drive wheel. There is a power and signal connection to the helm unit for supplying power to drive the helm motor and one or more control signals to control rotation of the drive wheel. Connected to a portion of the manually driven outboard is an outboard driven wheel. A belt is connected between the drive wheel and the driven wheel. Rotational force of the drive wheel is transferred through the belt to cause rotation of the driven wheel.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Referring now to
The outboard 12 includes a propeller 14 connected to a lower unit 16 that may include a gear box or may be direct drive. Above the lower unit 16 is a midsection 18 and a above the midsection 18 is a motor head 20. A power transmission structure (not shown), which are typically one or more shafts and gears extends between the motor, located in the motor head 20, to the gearbox of the lower unit 16 to transfer power to the propeller 14. However, in some outboard motors, the actual motor is located within the lower unit 16 and power and signal lines are located between the lower unit 16 and the motor head 20. Also, connected to the midsection 18 is a mounting bracket 22 for connecting the outboard 12 to a watercraft. The motor head 20 includes a cowl 24 that cover the main motor (now shown) for driving the propeller 14.
As shown in
Connected to a portion of the outboard 12 is a driven wheel 44. As shown the driven wheel 44 is connected to the midsection 18 of the outboard 12. However, it is within the scope of the invention for the driven wheel 44 to be connected to the motor heard 20. A belt 46 is connected between the drive wheel 30 and the driven wheel 44. Rotational force of the drive wheel 30 is transferred through the belt 46 to cause rotation of the driven wheel 44. In one embodiment of the invention the belt is a V belt, however, any type of belt can be used as long as it provides suitable friction between the belt 46, drive wheel 30 and driven wheel 44.
There is a power and signal connection 36 to the helm unit 28 for supplying power to drive the helm motor 34. In addition to supplying power, the power and signal connection 26 provides one or more control signals to the helm motor 34 control rotation of the drive wheel 30. The power and signal connection 36 are shown as being part of the same conduit extending from the cowl 24 to the helm motor 34, however, it is within the scope of the invention for there to be two separate lines or conduits. The power and signal connection 36 is connected to a power source 40, which is a battery located in the motor head 20. Connected to the motor head 20 is a helm controller 42 that is in communication to a navigation system. The helm controller 42 generates and transmits one or more control signals to the helm motor 34 of the helm unit 28 through the power and signal connection 36. It is within the scope of the invention for the helm controller 42 to be used in connection with a variety of navigation systems. Suitable navigation systems include one or more selected from the group comprising a global positioning satellite communication device, a loran device, a radio wave connection, and Internet connection to a maps website, and combinations thereof.
During operation, the helm controller 42 receives instructions from a user through a wireless interface. This is done using a computer, controller or smartphone connected to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, mobile cellular network or other suitable interface, which allows a user to give commands regarding the location that the outboard 12 (and vessel it is attached to) is to be navigated to. Additional commands include speed inputs and manually or automatically generated waypoints. The helm controller 42 then sends signals through the power and signal connection 36 where the helm motor 34 is operated to rotate the midsection 18 and lower unit 16 to steer the vessel to the desired coordinates. The outboard 12 is able to rotate 360 degrees within the mounting bracket 22. This way the outboard 12 is able to hold the vessel on a desired position once specific coordinates have been reached.
In order to properly control the direction of movement of the vessel it is necessary to know the location of the propeller 14. Referring no to
The helm controller 42 also controls the throttle of the motor of the outboard 12 to cause the propeller 14 to rotate at various speeds or levels of throttle using power from the power source 40. The outboard 12 of the present invention is an electric outboard motor that utilizes a brushless 48 volt motor powered by the power source 40, which is a battery that is a lithium battery, a lead acid battery, nickel cadmium battery, or any other suitable battery. However, the size and type of the motor is not limited to a brushless 48 volt motor.
Referring now to
As shown in
Connected to a portion of the outboard is a driven wheel 144. A belt 146 is connected between the drive wheel 130 and the driven wheel 144. Rotational force of the drive wheel 130 is transferred through the belt 146 to cause rotation of the driven wheel 144. In one embodiment of the invention the belt is a V belt, however, any type of belt can be used as long as it provides suitable friction between the belt 146, drive wheel 130 and driven wheel 144.
Referring now to
There is a power and signal connection 136 to the helm unit 128 for supplying power to drive the helm motor 134 and providing one or more control signals to the helm motor 134 control rotation of the drive wheel 130. The power and signal connection 136 are shown as being part of the same conduit extending from the cowl 124 to the helm motor 134, however, it is within the scope of the invention for there to be two separate lines or conduits. The power and signal connection 136 is connected to a power source (now shown) through a main power connection 140. The power source are external batteries, which are necessary to the size of the propulsion motor of the outboard 112. Connected to the motor head 120, through the power and signal connection 136 is a helm controller 142 that is in communication to a navigation system. The helm controller 142 generates and transmits one or more control signals to the helm motor 134 of the helm unit 128 through the power and signal connection 136. The helm controller 142 can be used in connection with a variety of navigation systems. Suitable navigation systems include one or more selected from the group comprising a global positioning satellite communication device, a loran device, a radio wave connection, and Internet connection to a maps website, and combinations thereof.
During operation, the helm controller 142 receives instructions from a user through a wireless interface. This is done using a computer, controller or smart phone connected to a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, mobile cellular network or other suitable interface that allows a user to use a computer to give commands regarding the location that the outboard 112 (and vessel it is attached to) is to be navigated to. Additional commands include speed inputs and manually or automatically generated waypoints. The helm controller 142 then sends signals through the power and signal connection 136 where the helm motor 134 is operated to rotate the midsection 118 and lower unit 116 to steer the vessel to the desired coordinates. The outboard 112 is able to rotate 360 degrees within the mounting bracket 122. This way the outboard 112 is able to hold the vessel on a desired position once specific coordinates have been reached.
In order to properly control the direction of movement of the vessel it is necessary to know the location of the propeller 114. Referring now to
The helm controller 142 also controls the throttle of the motor of the outboard 112 to cause the propeller to rotate at various speeds or levels of throttle using power from the power source 140. The outboard 112 of the present invention is an electric outboard motor that is powered by one or more external batteries. The batteries can be lithium, lead acid, nickel cadmium, or any other suitable battery. During operation, the helm controller 142 receives instructions from a user through a wireless interface. This is done using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, mobile cellular network or other suitable interface that allows a user to use a computer to give commands regarding the location that the outboard 112 (and vessel it is attached to) is to be navigated to. Additional commands include speed inputs and manually or automatically generated waypoints. The helm controller 142 then sends signals through the power and signal connection 136 where the helm motor 134 is operated to rotate the midsection 118 and lower unit 116 to steer the vessel to the desired coordinates. The outboard 112 is able to rotate 360 degrees within the mounting bracket 122. This way the outboard 112 is able to hold the vessel on a desired position once specific coordinates have been reached. It is also further within the scope of the invention for the electric motor of the outboard 112 to be a brushless 48 volt motor powered by the power source 140.
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
