Spring-assisted jack plate for outboard motor
AssigneePowrtran Inc.
InventorGary Nyren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A jack plate includes a mounting assembly having first and second spacing brackets connected by a transom plate adapted for mounting to the transom of a boat, each of the spacing brackets having inwardly facing channels at rearward sides of the spacing brackets. The jack plate further includes a motor lift including a lift plate extending between a first bearing and a second bearing, the channels adapted to conformingly receive the first and second bearings. An actuator is provided to raise and lower the lift plate relative to the transom plate. At least one spring is operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the motor lift, the spring unloading the lift plate to re-duce load on the actuator. The spring is optionally a compression gas spring.
Claims19
A jack plate comprising:
- a mounting assembly comprising a first spacing bracket, a second spacing bracket, the first spacing bracket defining a first channel, the second spacing bracket defining a second channel, the first channel and the second channel opening toward one another;
- a lift plate assembly comprising a first slider slidingly received in the first channel, a second slider slidingly received in the second channel, and a lift plate extending between the first slider and the second slider;
- an actuator operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly for raising and lower the lift plate assembly relative to the mounting assembly;
- and
- an upright gas spring operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly, the spring applying a biasing force between the lift plate assembly and the mounting assembly to unload the jack plate allowing for easier raising and lowering of an outboard motor mounted on the lift plate and utilization of the actuator with less power that what would otherwise be required.
A jack plate comprising:
- a mounting assembly configured for attachment to an exterior of a boat comprising a first channel opposite a second channel and a first flange;
- a lift plate assembly comprising a first slider slidingly received in the first channel, a second slider slidingly received in the second channel, a second flange, and a lift plate extending between the first slider and the second slider;
- an actuator operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly for raising and lower the lift plate assembly relative to the mounting assembly;
- and
- an upright gas spring operably coupled between the first flange and the second flange, the spring applying a biasing force between the lift plate assembly and the mounting assembly to unload the jack plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.