Patent Application
20210061430
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The disclosure relates to steering devices and more particularly pertains to a new steering device for steering a tiller outboard motor.
The prior art relates to steering devices.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a control stick that is movably mounted in a boat. The control stick extends forwardly from a seat in the boat. In this way the control stick is accessible to a driver of the boat. The control stick is positionable in a left position, a right position or a center position. A plurality of pulleys is each rotatably coupled to the boat. A pair of cables is each coupled between the control stick and the outboard motor. Each of the cables urges the outboard motor to turn to the right when the control stick is positioned in the left position for steering the boat to the port side. Additionally, each of the cables urges the outboard motor to turn to the left when the control stick is positioned in the right position for steering the boat to the starboard side.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The control stick 12 comprises a pair of bearings 18 that are each coupled to a bottom surface 20 of the seat 16 in the boat 14. The bearings 18 are aligned with each other and are distributed along a line extending between a front side 22 of the seat 16 and a back side 24 of the seat 16. The control stick 12 includes a first rod 26 that has a first end 28 and a second end 30. The first rod 26 extends through each of the bearings 18 such that the first rod 26 is rotatable about an axis extending through the first end 28 and the second end 30. Additionally, the first end 28 is positioned forwardly from the front side 22 of the seat 16 and the second end 30 is positioned rearwardly from the back side 24 of the seat 16.
The control stick 12 includes a lock 32 that has a first portion 34 which is hingedly coupled to a second portion 36. The first portion 34 is coupled to the first end 28 of the first rod 26. In this way the lock 32 is accessible to the driver of the boat 14 when the driver sits in the seat 16. The lock 32 is positionable in a closed position having the first portion 34 abutting the second portion 36. The lock 32 is positionable in an open position has the second portion 36 angling downwardly from the first portion 34. The lock 32 may include a lever 38 that is movably coupled to the second portion 36 which engages the first portion 34 for retaining the lock 32 in the closed position. The lever 38 may be manipulated to facilitate the lock 32 to be positioned in the open position.
The control stick 12 includes a second rod 40 that has a primary end 42 and a secondary end 44. The secondary end 44 is coupled to the second portion 36 of the lock 32. The second rod 40 has a bend 46 that is positioned closer to the secondary end 44 than the primary end 42 to define a first section 48 of the second rod 40 and a second section 50 of the second rod 40. The first section 48 is directed upwardly when the lock 32 is in the closed position. In this way the first section 48 can be gripped by the driver when the driver sits in the seat 16. Moreover, the first rod 26 is rotated about the axis when the first section 48 is tilted to the left or to the right. The first section 48 lies on a floor of the boat 14 when the lock 32 is positioned in the open position. In this way the first section 48 does not inhibit movement of the driver when the driver sits in the seat 16.
The control stick 12 includes a grip 52 that is coupled to the second rod 40. The grip 52 is positioned adjacent to the primary end 42 of the second rod 40 such that the grip 52 can be gripped by the driver. The grip 52 may have a front surface 54 and the front surface 54 may have a plurality of depressions 56 therein. The depressions 56 may be spaced apart from each other to accommodate fingers of the driver when the driver grips the grip.
The control stick 12 includes a third rod 58 that has a lower end 60 and an upper end 62. The lower end 60 is coupled to the first rod 26 at a point that is positioned adjacent to the second end 30 of the first rod 26. The third rod 58 is oriented to extend along a line which is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the first rod 26. Moreover, the third rod 58 extends upwardly behind the seat 16. A coupling 64 is coupled to the third rod 58 and the coupling 64 is positioned adjacent to the upper end 62 of the third rod 58.
A plurality of pulleys 66 is provided and each of the pulleys 66 is rotatably coupled to the boat 14. Each of the pulleys 66 is positioned on a gunnel 68 of the boat 14 and each of the pulleys 66 is positioned between the seat 16 and an outboard motor 70 on the boat 14. The plurality of pulleys 66 includes a set of first pulleys 72 and a set of second pulleys 74. Each of the first pulleys 72 is positioned on the port side of the gunnel 68. Each of the second pulleys 74 is positioned on the starboard side of the gunnel 68. Moreover, each of the first pulleys 72 and the second pulleys 74 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed from a transom of the boat 14 toward a bow of the boat 14. In this way each of the first pulleys 72 and the second pulleys 74 defines a respective one of four corners of a rectangle.
A pair of cables 76 is provided and each of the cables 76 is coupled between the control stick 12 and the outboard motor 70. Each of the cables 76 urges the outboard motor 70 to turn to the right when the control stick 12 is positioned in the left position. In this way the boat 14 can be steered to the port side. Each of the cables 76 urges the outboard motor 70 to turn to the left when the control stick 12 is positioned in the right position. In this way the boat 14 can be steered to the starboard side.
The pair of cables 76 includes a first cable 78 and a second cable 80. The first cable 78 is coupled between the coupling 64 on the third rod 58 and a left side of the outboard motor 70. Additionally, the first cable 78 is routed through each of the first pulleys 72. The second cable 80 is coupled between the coupling 64 on the third rod 58 and a right side of the outboard motor 70. Additionally, the second cable 80 is routed through each of the second pulleys 74.
In use, the lock 32 is positioned in the closed position to facilitate the driver to steer the boat 14. In this way the driver can remain facing forward in the seat 16 while steering the tiller outboard motor 70. Thus, the driver can operate the boat 14 with enhanced visibility and safety as compared to sitting side-saddle for steering the tiller outboard motor 70 in the conventional manner. The second rod 40 is gripped and the second rod 40 is tilted to the left for steering the boat 14 to the port side. The second rod 40 is gripped and the second rod 40 is tilted to the right for steering the boat 14 to the starboard side. In this way the boat 14 can be steered in the convention of using a joystick or the like.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
