Rudder apparatus for a watercraft
AssigneeSmartTrack, LLC
InventorAndrew F. DOVE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a rudder apparatus for steering a watercraft includes a housing for being coupled to a stern of the watercraft. A blade casing is coupled to the housing. A blade is coupled to the blade casing. The blade casing is pivotally connected to the housing and pivotable with the blade between a deployed position in which the blade extends vertically downwardly into the water, and a stowed position in which the blade extends perpendicularly relative to the deployed position. The blade is pivotable relative to the blade casing from the deployed position to deflected positions to permit the blade to deflect when the blade impacts debris or the bed of the body of water.
Claims20
A rudder apparatus for steering a watercraft, comprising:
- a housing for being coupled to a stern of the watercraft;
- a blade casing coupled to the housing;
- a blade coupled to the blade casing;
- the blade casing pivotally connected to the housing and pivotable with the blade between a deployed position in which the blade extends vertically downwardly into the water, and a stowed position in which the blade extends perpendicularly relative to the deployed position;
- and
- the blade pivotable relative to the blade casing from the deployed position to deflected positions to permit the blade to deflect when the blade impacts underwater debris or the bed of the body of water.
A rudder apparatus for a watercraft, comprising:
- a blade;
- a blade casing secured to the blade;
- a housing coupled to the blade casing;
- and
- first and second springs biasing the blade in opposite directions, the second spring biasing the blade to retract from a deployed position for operational use to a stowed position adjacent to a stern of the watercraft in a horizontal configuration and, in the deployed position, the blade configured to be vertical and extend downward to act as a rudder for the watercraft when in operation and, in the deployed position, the first spring configured to allow the blade to pivot and deflect rearwardly away from the deployed position when the blade contacts underwater debris or the bed of the body of water, and then return the blade to the deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.