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US 5,755,601 AGranted
Brake system for personal watercraft
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorJames R. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorJames R. Jones
Estimating the term…
A jet propelled watercraft has a brake which the driver of the watercraft can use to decelerate forward motion of the watercraft. The brake mechanism preferably includes a reverse gate that allows watercraft steering to be consistent when the watercraft is accelerating or cruising with the reverse gate in a fill-up position as when the watercraft is decelerating with the reverse gate in a full-down or partial-down position. The positioning of the reverse gate during operation of the watercraft is adjusted in accordance with the state of hand operated actuators for a forward throttle control mechanism and a brake control mechanism. Preferably, an electronic controller receives a signal from the control mechanisms and outputs a control signal that directs a servomotor to move a reverse gate control cable or linkage to position the reverse gate. Forward thrust can be increased by proportionally closing the actuator for the forward thrust control mechanism. In addition, reverse thrust or braking thrust can be increased by proportionally closing the actuator for the brake control mechanism.
In a jet propelled watercraft having a jet pump with a nozzle, a rudder rotatably mounted about a vertical axis to direct a jet of water from the nozzle and steer the watercraft, and a reverse gate rotatably mounted about a fixed horizontal pivot axis that can be positioned in a full-up position for forward propulsion and in a full-down position for rearward propulsion, a brake mechanism comprising:
In a jet propelled watercraft having a jet pump with a nozzle, a rudder, and a reverse gate, a method of braking comprising the following steps:
In a jet propelled watercraft having a jet pump with a nozzle, a rudder, and a reverse gate, a method of braking comprising the following steps:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.