# US 12,600,449 B1 · Marine vessels having a first marine drive and a second marine drive and methods for controlling them > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,449 B1 - Document ID: US12600449B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/315,323 - Filed: 2023-05-10 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-10 - Assignees: Brunswick Corporation - Applicants: Brunswick Corporation - Inventors: Kenneth G. Gable; Conor A. Leehaug; Andres Perdomo Tornbaum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600449B1 ## CPC - B63H 20/10: Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt - B63H 20/007: {Trolling propulsion units (trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K)} - B63H 2020/003: {Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units} - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) ## Abstract A marine vessel configured to be situated in water. The marine vessel includes a first marine drive and a second marine drive each configured to propel the marine vessel in the water. A first actuator is configured to change a trim angle of the first marine drive in the water. A second actuator is configured to change a depth of the second marine drive in the water. A control system is operatively connected to the first actuator and the second actuator. The control system is configured to change the depth of the second marine drive via the second actuator based on the trim angle of the first marine drive to prevent damage to the second marine drive. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine vessel configured to be situated in water, the marine vessel comprising: a first marine drive and a second marine drive each configured to propel the marine vessel in the water; a first actuator configured to change a trim angle of the first marine drive in the water; a second actuator configured to change a depth of the second marine drive in the water; and a control system operatively connected to the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the control system is configured to change the depth of the second marine drive via the second actuator based on the trim angle of the first marine drive to prevent damage to the second marine drive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the first marine drive comprises at least one outboard motor and the second marine drive comprises a stowable thruster. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The marine vessel according to claim 2, wherein the first marine drive is positioned near a stern of the marine vessel and the second marine drive is positioned near a bow of the marine vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the control system is operably connected to the first marine drive and the second marine drive, and wherein the control system is configured to prevent the first marine drive and the second marine drive from simultaneously propelling the marine vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator is configured to change the depth of the second marine drive to an upper position, a lower position that is deeper in the water than the upper position, and least one intermediate position therebetween. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The marine vessel according to claim 5, wherein the second marine drive is configured to propel the marine vessel in each of the lower position and the intermediate position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The marine vessel according to claim 6, wherein the first actuator is configured to change the trim angle of the first marine drive to an upper position, a lower position, and an intermediate position therebetween. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to change the trim angle of the first marine drive to an upper position, a lower position, and an intermediate position therebetween, and wherein the control system is configured to change the depth of the second marine drive based on the trim angle of the first marine drive only when the trim angle of the first marine drive is at or between the intermediate position and the upper position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to receive a trim command from a user to change the trim angle of the first marine drive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The marine vessel according to claim 9, wherein the control system is configured to receive a depth command from the user to change the depth of the second marine drive. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator pivots the second marine drive to change the depth thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The marine vessel according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the second marine drive is changeable into and between an upper position that is out of the water and a lower position that is in the water. ### Claim 13 A method for changing via a control system a first marine drive and a second marine drive for a marine vessel configured to be situated in water, a trim angle of the first marine drive being changeable, and a depth of the second marine drive being changeable into and between an upper position and a lower position with intermediate positions therebetween, the method comprising: receiving via the control system a trim command to increase the trim angle of the first marine drive; increasing the trim angle of the first marine drive based on the trim command; and decreasing a depth of the second marine drive to one of the intermediate positions based on the trim angle of the first marine drive so as to prevent damage to the second marine drive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising operating the second marine drive while in the one of the intermediate positions to propel the marine vessel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising comparing the trim angle of the first marine drive to a trim threshold and decreasing the depth of the second marine drive based on the trim angle of the first marine drive only when the trim angle is greater than the trim threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising increasing the depth of the second marine drive when the trim angle of the first marine drive is less than the trim threshold after being greater than the trim threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the trim command is a first trim command, further comprising receiving a second trim command to decrease the trim angle of the first marine drive, decreasing the trim angle of the first marine drive based on the second trim command, and increasing the depth of the second marine drive based on the trim angle of the first marine drive. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising accessing a stored lookup table for changing the depth of the second marine drive based on the trim angle of the first marine drive when changing the depth of the second marine drive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the trim angle of the first marine drive is changeable into and between an upper position and a lower position, further comprising changing the depth of the second marine drive to the upper position when the trim angle of the first marine drive is in the upper position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the trim command is receivable from a user, and wherein the control system is further configured to receive a depth command for changing the depth of the second marine drive other than based on the trim angle of the first marine drive.