Marine drives and apparatuses for steering marine drives and for routing flexible rigging connectors on marine drives
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorDerek J. Fletcher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A marine drive may include a frame configured to support the marine drive with respect to the marine vessel, a cowling enclosing a portion of the frame in a cowling interior, a steering arm configured such that movement of the steering arm causes rotation of the marine drive with respect to the steering axis, and a flexible rigging connector extending from the cowling interior to a location in the marine vessel. The flexible rigging connector may extend through a guide passage in the steering arm. Additionally or alternatively, the steering arm may include a base member and a mounting member selectively movable relative to the base member to adjust the length of the steering arm.
Claims20
A marine drive for propelling a marine vessel in a body of water, the marine drive comprising:
- a frame configured to support the marine drive with respect to the marine vessel;
- a cowling enclosing a portion of the frame in a cowling interior;
- a steering arm configured to support a tiller relative to the marine drive;
- and
- a flexible rigging connector extending from the cowling interior and through the steering arm for connecting a component of the marine drive to a component on the marine vessel.
An apparatus for steering a marine drive with respect to a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising:
- a tiller for steering the marine drive;
- and
- a steering arm for coupling the tiller to the marine drive such that movement of the tiller steers the marine drive, the steering arm including a base member configured to be coupled to the marine drive and a mounting member configured to couple the tiller to the base member;
- wherein the mounting member is selectively movable relative to the base member to adjust a position of the tiller relative to the marine drive.
A steering arm for coupling a tiller to a marine drive on a marine vessel, the steering arm comprising:
- a base member including mounting openings configured to receive fasteners to couple the steering arm to the marine drive;
- a mounting member slidably secured to the base member and configured to couple the tiller to the base member;
- and
- a guide passage between the base member and mounting member and extending through the steering arm, the guide passage being configured to support a flexible rigging connector extending from the marine drive for connection to a component on the marine vessel;
- wherein the mounting member is selectively movable relative to the base member to adjust a position of the tiller relative to the marine drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.