Patent Application
20210070411
This invention generally relates to watercraft technology, and more particularly to watercraft employing a motor, and even more particularly to actuation mechanisms associated with such motors.
Recreational watercraft such as kayaks have become increasingly popular for recreational activities. Kayakers have typically used a paddle to propel the kayaks. Unfortunately, many people cannot paddle a kayak for long distances or at all due to various physical conditions. Further, currents in the water, wakes from other watercraft, etc., can make paddling a challenging process even for the fit enthusiast. Even further, if a person is using the kayak to fish, paddling becomes a limitation of the kayak as the kayaker typically must use both hands to paddle the kayak and thus cannot hold the fishing pole or operate any fishing related equipment such as deep and shallow water anchors, etc.
It has become very popular to fish from kayaks as a kayak can be maneuvered into many areas that a typical boat for fishing cannot. Due to the benefits of the maneuverability of the kayak many fisherman who would not otherwise use a kayak have become drawn to their use. Some of these fishermen would prefer a method to reduce the amount of paddling, or the amount of time, required to get to and from their fishing spot but do not want to lose the shallow water capabilities of a traditional kayak.
In view of the above, there has been a trend in recent years to utilize additional componentry on the kayak to avoid the need for paddling the kayak, or at least reduce the amount of paddling necessary. An example of such componentry is the use of motors in the context of kayaks and the like. Such motors can take on a variety of forms and provide a means for moving relatively rapidly within the water when compared to a traditional paddle arrangement. Further, such motors can alleviate the need for paddles entirely, so that the user's hands are free to fish, etc.
For example, such motors may take the form of a conventional motor normally employed on larger fishing boats. Such a motor may be mounted generally along the peripheral edge of the kayak using a mounting structure. When so mounted, the thrust provided by the lower unit of the motor may be fixed in a given direction, or a steering arrangement may also be provided to direct the thrust provided by the lower unit.
Alternatively, some kayaks may include provisions for fully integrating the motor into the kayak as opposed to the “side mount” configurations described above. In these configurations, the kayak includes a passageway into which a motor can be mounted. The lower unit of the motor typically includes a device for providing thrust that extends through the passageway and below the kayak.
While the above configurations have proven very useful integrating the advantages of a motor into the context of a kayak, there remains some drawbacks. For example, whether a side mount style or a fully integrated style, once mounted the motor is generally fixed relative to the kayak. If the user desires to enter shallow water, they may need to raise or retract the motor such that its lower unit does not strike the bottom of the body of water. Alternatively, the user may simply want to retract the motor when the thrust provided thereby is not necessary, e.g. during hauling or storage of the watercraft.
In these cases, raising or retracting the motor typically requires manually adjusting a mounted configuration of the motor. This adjustment operation in many cases implicates the user repositioning themselves such that they are in proximity to the motor to adjust it. This repositioning may be undesirable or difficult, especially if the user is currently seated in the kayak and occupied with another activity, such as holding or casting a fishing rod. Further, many contemporary motors are somewhat heavy and cumbersome, making their adjustment difficult due to these factors alone. There have been attempts to automate this adjustment operation, but such attempts typically involve relatively complex, sometimes motorized, mechanisms which drive up the overall cost, weight, and battery power consumption of the water craft.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,266 to Ellis et al. titled “Electrically Powered Watercraft,” the teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, discloses the use of a motor integrated into a kayak. In order to transition the motor from its deployed position to its stowed position, a user must first manually remove a small safety pin at a hinge joint of the mechanism, which once removed, allows the motor to propel itself into a stowed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,290,251 to Schmidtke titled “Motor System For a Light-Weight Watercraft,” the teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, discloses the use of a side mounted motor associated with a kayak. The system utilizes an electric winch to raise and lower the motor, which draws power from the onboard battery.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a watercraft and associated motor assembly that includes a lifting mechanism that utilizes an efficient and easily manipulated mechanism for transitioning the motor from a stowed position to a deployed position. The invention provides such a watercraft and associated motor assembly. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
In one aspect, the invention provides a watercraft. An embodiment of such a watercraft includes a hull having a passageway and defining a cockpit area, with a motor assembly situated within said passageway. The motor assembly includes a motor and a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position. The watercraft also includes a user control coupled to the lifting mechanism and configured to allow a user to operate said lifting mechanism from said cockpit area.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the lifting mechanism also includes a biasing member which may be embodied for example as a gas spring. The lifting mechanism includes a base arm and a lifting arm. The lifting arm has a first end and a second end. The first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm. The motor is connected to the lifting arm adjacent the second end of the lifting arm by a connection joint.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the connection joint may for example be a ball joint. The ball joint includes an aperture in the lifting arm and a spherical member connected to the motor, with the spherical member rotatable within the aperture.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the gas spring has a first end and a second end. The first end of the gas spring is connected to the lifting arm. The second end of the gas spring is connected to the base arm such that elongation of the gas spring causes the lifting arm to rotate about a pivot axis defined by the base arm.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the lifting mechanism also includes a docking assembly configured to mount to the hull adjacent the passageway. The docking assembly can include a docking plate, a locking bracket, and a biasing element. The locking bracket pivotably coupled to the docking plate, the locking bracket having a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the biasing element biases the locking bracket to the locked position. In the locked position, a pin mounted at the first end of the base arm and defining a pivot axis of the lifting arm relative to the base arm is situated within a slot formed in the locking bracket.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the user control includes a cable having a first end connected to the second end of the lifting arm and a second end with a handle attached to the second end of the cable. The user control also includes a locking mechanism for locking the cable in tension such that it applies an opposing force to oppose the biasing force to hold the motor in the deployed position. The locking mechanism may, for example, be a cable cleat. The second end of the cable with the handle may be situated adjacent a cockpit area of the hull.
In another aspect, the invention provides a motor assembly for a watercraft. An embodiment of such a motor assembly includes a motor. The motor includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, a head unit mounted at the first end, and a lower unit mounted at the second end. The lower unit includes a motor and a device for providing thrust. The motor assembly also includes a lifting mechanism operably connected to the motor for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position. The lifting mechanism includes a docking assembly configured for mounting to a watercraft, a base arm removably received within the docking assembly, and a lifting arm having a first end and a second end.
The first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm such that in a first angular position of the lifting arm relative to the base arm the motor is in the deployed position and such that in a second angular position of the lifting arm relative to the base arm, the motor is in the stowed position. An angle between the lifting arm and the base arm in the first angular position is less than an angle of the lifting arm relative to the base arm in the second angular position. The lifting mechanism also includes a biasing member connected between the lifting arm and the base arm for biasing the motor to the stowed position.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the docking assembly includes a docking plate, a locking bracket, and a biasing element. The locking bracket is pivotably coupled to the docking plate. The locking bracket has a locked position and an unlocked position. The biasing element biases the locking bracket to the locked position. In the locked position, a pin mounted at the first end of the base arm and defining a pivot axis of the lifting arm relative to the base arm is situated within a slot formed in the locking bracket.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a lifting mechanism for a motor that is configured for transitioning the motor from a deployed position to a stowed position. The motor has a shaft having a first end and a second end, a head unit mounted at the first end, and a lower unit mounted at the second end. The lower unit includes a motor and a device for providing thrust. The lifting mechanism includes a docking assembly configured for mounting to a watercraft, a base arm removably received within the locking bracket, and a lifting arm having a first end and a second end. The first end of the lifting arm is pivotably connected to a first end of the base arm. A second end of the lifting arm is configured for connecting to a motor via a connection joint. The first end of the lifting arm and the first end of the base arm are commonly connected at a pin defining a pivot axis of the lifting arm relative to the base arm. A biasing member is connected between the lifting arm and the base arm for biasing the motor to the stowed position. The docking assembly is configured to receive the base arm and lock the base arm into a cradle defined by the docking assembly as the base arm is rotated about a mounting axis defined by the docking assembly.
In embodiments according to this aspect, the docking assembly includes a docking plate, a locking bracket, and a biasing element. The locking bracket is pivotably coupled to the docking plate. The locking bracket has a locked position and an unlocked position. The biasing element biases the locking bracket to the locked position such that the pin is constrained within a slot formed in the locking bracket. The locking bracket includes at least one strike plate arranged such that the pin contacts the strike plate when rotating the base arm about the mounting axis and biases the locking bracket to the unlocked position. The pin biases the locking plate to the unlocked position such that the pin rests upon the docking plate. The biasing element may, for example, be a leaf spring.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Turning now to the drawings, the same illustrate embodiments of a watercraft and its associated motor assembly. The motor assembly includes a lifting mechanism that allows a user to easily and rapidly stow and deploy a motor of the motor assembly while remaining in a cockpit area of the watercraft. It is contemplated by the disclosure herein that the motor assembly may be supplied as a stand-alone device which may be retrofit into an existing watercraft, or be supplied with a watercraft as a combined system.
As will be explained in greater detail below, the motor has a deployed position and a stowed position. In the deployed position, the motor is in an orientation such that it may provide thrust to the watercraft to propel it along the water. In the stowed position, the motor is in an orientation wherein it does not protrude from a bottom of the watercraft. Advantageously, this stowed position also allows for access to a lower unit of the motor assembly so that a user can clear weeds or other debris from the lower unit. This stowed position is ideal for shallow water operations, as the motor is positioned such that it will not strike a bottom of a body of water. The aforementioned functionality is achieved in part due to a compact and ergonomically designed lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism itself utilizes a relatively small number of components thereby reducing its overall cost, complexity, and weight.
Turning now to
Motor assembly 22, and more particularly a motor 30 thereof, may communicate with a control device 32. Control device 32 may for example be a remote control device. As another example, control device 32 may be an external component such as a fish finder or multi-function display, mobile device, a foot pedal device or other remote control, etc. In any case, control device 32 is operable to send control signals to motor 30 to control its function.
Motor 30 may include its own internal control system as well, which may include GPS technology, allowing motor 30 to determine its position, and hence the position of watercraft 20, and automatically propel watercraft 20 along a selected route. For non-limiting example, motor 30 may include i-Pilot® or i-Pilot® Link™ by Johnson Outdoors Inc., which allows for a variety of navigational functionality using a motor. Indeed, the internal control system of motor 30 may be operable to cause watercraft 20 to automatically follow a given route, follow a depth contour, or hold a particular position. Alternatively, the aforementioned functionality of the internal control system of motor 30 may be integrated additionally and/or instead within control device 32, and as such, all of the information and commands necessary to achieve the foregoing functionality may be communicated to motor 30 from control device 32.
Motor 30 includes a head unit 34 which may house the aforementioned internal control system, GPS hardware, firmware, and software, and any other componentry for controlling the operation of motor 30. Motor 30 also includes a lower unit 36 which houses a motor connected to a device for providing the aforementioned thrust. In the illustrated embodiment, this device is a propeller. However, in other embodiments, the device for providing thrust may be any device utilized in watercraft systems for providing thrust, e.g. fins, a shrouded propeller, a waterjet device, etc. A shaft 38 extends between head unit 34 and lower unit 36 and may be used for routing wiring to lower unit 36 from the remainder of motor 30.
Motor 30 also includes a steering unit 40, which is mechanically coupled to shaft 38 such that it can rotate shaft 38, and hence head unit 34 and lower unit 36, about the longitudinal axis of shaft 38. This allows for the direction of thrust from lower unit 36 for purposes of steering watercraft 20. Steering unit 40 may, for example, receive steering commands from head unit 34 and/or from control device 32 via a wired or wireless connection. Steering unit 40 includes an internal motor and any necessary mechanical components necessary to transfer input torque from this motor to shaft 38. The aforementioned steering commands allow for the automatic operation of motor 30 to achieve the various navigational functionality described herein.
Watercraft 20 may also includes a rudder system 42 (shown in its folded configuration in
Turning now to
A console 50 of motor 30 which may house additional electronics for controlling the operation of motor 30 as needed and also provide a local user interface 52 mounts adjacent to passageway 28 through hull 24 such that passageway 28 is sealed off from the interior of watercraft 20, e.g. cockpit area 26, to thereby reduce or eliminate ingress of water through passageway 28. Appropriate seals may also be incorporated on console 50, the remainder of motor 30, and/or on passageway 28 so as to facilitate the foregoing.
A user control 60 of watercraft 20 is configured to operate lifting mechanism 48. As explained in greater detail below, user control 60 is configured to oppose a biasing force of a biasing member 62 (
Turning now to
To transition motor 50 back to its deployed position, a user simply pulls on user control 60 such that a tension is created therein. The user then locks user control 60 in place such that the tension remains therein, and the biasing force generated by biasing member 62 is opposed.
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Base arm 64 is received in a docking assembly 68. Docking assembly 68 mounts to watercraft 20 (
Still referring to
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Biasing member 62 is connected at its second end 118 to lifting arm 66 at a point which is spaced from an upper connection pin 120 defining pivot axis 80 (
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With reference now to
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Locking bracket 92 is pivotably mounted to docking plater 90 about a pivot axis 150. Biasing element 94 biases locking bracket 92 such that it rotates about pivot axis 150 in rotation direction 152 until notches 140 capture the ends of upper pin 120. As can be seen in
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A clasp 180 is attached to one end of cable 170 and connected to lifting arm 66 as shown. A handle 184 is attached at the other end of cable 170. A user can pull upon handle 184 to apply a tensile force to cable 170 which is transmitted to lifting arm 66, and creates a force F which opposes the biasing force provided by biasing member 62. Once lifting mechanism 148 is in its fully retracted configuration as is shown in
Turning now to
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
