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US 6,213,821 B1Granted
Trolling motor assembly
OwnerDarrel A. Bernloehr, Dale E. Simonsoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A trolling motor assembly includes a trolling motor, a motor tube coupled to the trolling motor, an elongate tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube, a linear actuator for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along its axis, a steering arm, and a coupling mechanism between the motor tube and the arm. The coupling mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position while remaining connected to the motor assembly. The coupling mechanism connects the steering arm to the motor tube in the first position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated by the arm. The coupling mechanism disconnects the arm from the motor tube in the second position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated independent of the arm.
Claims40
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube having a lower most end coupled to the propulsion unit and an opposite uppermost end, wherein the tube extends along a first axis;
- an elongate tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube such that the uppermost end of the motor tube remains within the tubular housing regardless of the relative position of the tube and the housing;
- and
- a mounting mechanism coupled to the housing and adapted to pivotally secure the housing to the boat for pivotal movement about a second axis traverse to the first axis.
2 more elements
A trolling motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a control circuit electrically coupled to the propulsion unit to generate control signals to control the propulsion unit;
- a motor tube having an axis and being coupled to the propulsion unit;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the motor tube, the control unit including:
- a linear actuator coupled to the motor tube for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along its axis relative to the control circuit.
3 more elements
A trolling motor assembly comprising:
- a trolling motor;
- a motor tube coupled to the motor;
- a steering arm;
- and
- a coupling mechanism connected to the motor assembly between the motor tube and the arm, wherein the coupling mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position while remaining connected to the motor assembly, wherein the coupling mechanism connects the arm to the motor tube in the first position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated by the arm, and wherein the coupling mechanism disconnects the arm from the motor tube in the second position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated independent of the arm.
2 more elements
A trolling motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- a linear actuator coupled to the motor tube, wherein the linear actuator raises and lowers the motor tube along its axis;
- a steering shaft keyed to the motor tube to correspondingly rotate the motor tube and to permit the motor tube to move axially relative to the steering shaft;
- a steering arm;
- and
- a coupling mechanism between the steering arm and the steering shaft to selectively coupling the steering arm to the steering shaft, wherein the coupling mechanism is movable between the first position and the second position while remaining connected to the motor assembly, wherein the coupling mechanism connects the arm and the steering shaft in the first position, whereby rotation of the arm rotates the tube and the motor, and wherein the coupling mechanism disconnects the arm from the steering shaft in the second position, whereby the steering shaft may be rotated independent of the arm.
4 more elements
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- an elongate tubular housing adapted for being secured to the boat, the tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube;
- a linear actuator contained within the housing and coupled to the motor tube for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along a first axis;
- and
- a mounting mechanism coupled to the housing and adapted to pivotably secure the housing to the boat for pivotal movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis.
3 more elements
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- an elongate tubular housing adapted for being secured to the boat, the tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube;
- and
- at least one control circuit secured to the housing and electrically coupled to the propulsion unit to generate control signals to control the propulsion unit, wherein the propulsion unit and the motor tube telescopically move relative to the at least one control circuit.
2 more elements
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- an elongate tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube;
- a control circuit;
- a control wire extending from the control circuit to the propulsion unit;
- and
- a wire management mechanism, the wire management mechanism including:
- a member coupled to the control wire and movably coupled to the housing for movement between a first position distant from the propulsion unit to a second position proximate the propulsion unit, wherein the member is biased towards the first position.
5 more elements
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- an elongate tubular housing adapted for being secured to the boat, the tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the motor tube, the control unit including:
- a linear actuator coupled to the motor tube for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along its axis;
- a steering arm;
- and
- an elongate steering shaft connected to the arm to be rotated by the arm and keyed to the motor tube to correspondingly rotate the motor tube while permitting the motor tube to move axially relative to the steering shaft.
6 more elements
A trolling motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube having an axis and being coupled to the propulsion unit;
- a control unit coupled to the motor tube, the control unit including:
- a linear actuator coupled to the motor tube for vertically raising and lowering the motor tube along its axis;
- a steering arm;
- and
- an elongate steering shaft connected to the arm to be rotated by the arm and keyed to the motor tube to correspondingly rotate the motor tube while permitting the motor tube to move axially relative to the steering shaft.
4 more elements
A trolling motor assembly for a boat, the motor assembly comprising:
- a propulsion unit;
- a motor tube coupled to the propulsion unit;
- an elongate tubular housing adapted for being secured to the boat, the tubular housing telescopically receiving the motor tube;
- a steering arm;
- and
- a coupling mechanism connected to the motor assembly between the motor tube and the steering arm, wherein the coupling mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position while remaining connected to the motor assembly, wherein the coupling mechanism connects the arm to the motor tube in the first position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated by the arm, and wherein the coupling mechanism disconnects the arm from the motor tube in the second position, whereby the tube and the motor may be rotated independent of the arm.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.