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US 12,698,071 B1Granted
Jet outboard motor nozzle steering assembly
OwnerBrent Kauffmaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steering nozzle assembly for a jet motor of a jet outboard motor includes a mounting frame attachable to the jet motor. The mounting frame is configured to be spaced apart by a gap from the discharge end of a discharge nozzle of the jet motor. The jet motor discharges a water jet that flows through the gap and past the mounting frame into a steering nozzle attached to the mounting frame for relative movement about a steering nozzle pivot axis. A reverse gate is movable from a neutral position away from the water jet to an actuated position in the gap between the discharge nozzle and the mounting frame. When in the actuated position, the reverse gate intercepts and reverses the direction of the water jet to generate reverse thrust before the water jet reaches the steering nozzle.
Claims20
A nozzle steering assembly for a jet outboard motor comprising:
- a mounting frame and at least one mounting arm connected to the mounting frame, the at least one mounting arm being adapted to fixedly attach the mounting frame to a jet motor of the jet outboard motor;
- wherein the at least one mounting arm spaces the mounting frame away from a discharge end of a jet motor discharge nozzle and defines an air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor by the at least one mounting arm;
- a steering nozzle being connected to the mounting frame and being pivotable with respect to the mounting frame about a steering nozzle pivot axis, the steering nozzle being disposed to receive a flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle into an intake end of the steering nozzle and to discharge the flow of water through a discharge end of the steering nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to jet motor whereby displacement of the steering nozzle about the nozzle pivot axis with respect to the mounting frame causes a change in the flow direction of water discharged from the steering nozzle;
- and
- a reverse gate being connected to the mounting frame, the reverse gate being movable with respect to the mounting frame independently of the steering nozzle about a reverse gate pivot axis between a neutral position and an actuated position;
- wherein when the reverse gate is in the neutral position, the reverse gate is disposed to not obstruct the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor;
- and
- wherein when the reverse gate is in the actuated position, the reverse gate is disposed between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle in the air gap and is configured to intercept and substantially reverse the flow direction of the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor.
5 more elements
A watercraft comprising:
- a jet outboard motor attached to a hull of the watercraft, the jet outboard motor comprising a jet motor and a discharge nozzle being configured to discharge a water jet that provides thrust for driving the watercraft;
- a nozzle steering assembly attached to the jet motor, the nozzle steering assembly comprising:
- (a) a mounting frame and at least one mounting arm connected to the mounting frame, the at least one mounting arm fixedly attaching the mounting frame to the jet motor;
- (b) the at least one mounting arm spacing the mounting frame away from a discharge end of the jet motor discharge nozzle and defining an air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle;
- (c) a steering nozzle being connected to the mounting frame and pivotable with respect to the mounting frame about a steering nozzle pivot axis, the steering nozzle being disposed to receive the water jet discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle into an intake end of the steering nozzle and discharging the flow of water through a discharge end of the steering nozzle whereby movement of the steering nozzle about the steering nozzle pivot axis causes a change in the flow direction of water discharged from the steering nozzle;
- and
- (d) a reverse gate being connected to the mounting frame, the reverse gate being movable with respect to the mounting frame independently of the steering nozzle about a reverse gate pivot axis between a neutral position and an actuated position;
- wherein when the reverse gate is in the neutral position, the reverse gate is disposed to not obstruct the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle;
- and
- wherein when the reverse gate is in the actuated position, the reverse gate is disposed in the air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle and is configured to intercept and substantially reverse the flow direction of the water jet discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.