Boat Lift Limit Switch
OwnerWilliam Goldeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A limit switch device for a boat lift includes a lower gear connected to and rotated by a drive shaft of the boat lift, and an interengaged upper gear operatively connected to an electronics module of the limit switch. The interengaged gears are enclosed within a gear housing that is sufficiently narrow to restrict the gears from laterally disengaging one another. The limit switch electronics module is mounted above the drive shaft and disposed interiorly of the gear mechanism. The module does not protrude beyond the frame bearing blocks that rotatably support the drive shaft and winder of the boat lift.
Claims20
A boat lift limit switch for use in combination with a boat lift, which boat lift includes a motor-driven, axially rotatable drive shaft mounted to and extending between a pair of opposing first and second rotary bearings, the drive shaft carrying a winder with a boat supporting cable wound thereon, the drive shaft being rotated selectively in a first direction to unwind cable from the winder and in an opposite second direction to wind the cable onto the winder to respectively raise and lower a boat supported by the cable, said limit switch comprising:
- an electronic limit switch module supported above the drive shaft;
- and
- a limit switch actuating gear mechanism operably interconnecting the drive shaft to said electronic limit switch module, said limit switch actuating gear mechanism including a lower drive gear for coupling to and being axially rotated by the drive shaft and an upper driven gear operably interengaged with said lower drive gear and for rotatably coupling to said electronic switch module such that rotation of the drive shaft causes said lower drive gear to turn said upper driven gear, which directs said electronic limit switch module to generate signals representing rotation of the drive shaft and stop rotation of the drive shaft and operation of the lift when a signal representing a predetermined drive shaft rotation parameter is generated;
- said interengaged lower drive gear and upper driven gear being accommodated in an interior compartment of a gear housing, said interior compartment of said gear housing having a width that is less than the combined widths of said interengaged lower drive gear and upper driven gear, whereby said interengaged lower drive gear and upper driven gear are constrained to remain in operative interengagement when the drive shaft rotates.
A boat lift limit switch assembly comprising:
- a motor-driven, axially rotatable drive shaft mounted to and extending between a pair of opposing first and second rotary bearing blocks, said drive shaft carrying a winder with a boat supporting cable wound thereon, said drive shaft being selectively rotated in a first direction to unwind said cable from said winder and in an opposite, second direction to wind said cable onto said winder for respectively lowering and raising a boat supported by said cable;
- a frame that encloses and rotatably supports said drive shaft, said frame being defined by first said and second rotary bearing blocks and a plurality of elongate walls that extend between and are attached to said first and second rotary bearing blocks;
- an electronic switch module supported above said drive shaft by an upper plate comprising one of said elongate walls of said frame;
- and
- a limit switch actuating gear mechanism operably interconnecting said drive shaft to said electronic switch module, said limit switch actuating gear mechanism including a lower drive gear coupled to and axially rotated by said drive shaft and an upper driven gear operably interengaged with said lower drive gear and axially rotatably coupled to said electronic limit switch module such that rotation of said drive shaft causes said lower drive gear to turn said upper driven gear, which directs said electronic limit switch module to generate signals representing rotation of said drive shaft, said motor being responsive to said signals generated by said electronic limit switch module for stopping rotation of said drive shaft and operation of said lift when a signal representing a predetermined drive shaft rotation parameter is sensed by said motor;
- said interengaged drive gear an driven gear being accommodated in an interior compartment of a gear housing attached to a first one of said rotary bearing blocks, said interior compartment having a width that is less than the combined width of said interengaged lower drive gear and upper driven gear, whereby said interengaged lower drive gear and upper driven gear are constrained to remain in operative interengagement when said drive shaft rotates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.