CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR A WATERCRAFT

A control assembly for a watercraft is presented comprising a housing defining at least one passage adapted to receive a steering column therethrough, a lever being pivotally connected to the housing about a first axis, the first axis being offset from the at least one passage, the lever being adapted to be disposed between a steering wheel of the watercraft and a dashboard of the watercraft, and an electronic motor control system operatively connected to the lever, the electronic motor control system producing signals operative to control a speed of a motor in response to the lever being rotated about the first axis. A watercraft including a control assembly is also disclosed.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/260,374, filed on Nov. 27, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates to control assemblies for controlling a watercraft or a motor of a watercraft.

BACKGROUND

Helm stations for watercraft generally include a steering wheel for controlling the watercraft's heading, as well as a lever or set of levers for controlling engine speed and for shifting engine gear (forward, neutral and reverse). The levers are mounted near the steering wheel, but generally to the side of the watercraft such that an operator must remove a hand from the steering wheel to engage the lever or levers.

It is also common for helm stations to include buttons or toggles to control the trim angle of an outboard engine, which controls the attitude or pitch of the watercraft. These buttons or toggles are likewise typically mounted near the steering wheel, but far enough that the operator of the watercraft cannot keep both hands on the steering wheel while adjusting the trim. As the trim angle can have a significant effect on the watercraft's hydrodynamic properties, the operator will likely need or want to adjust trim during standard operation of the watercraft, when the operator is also likely to be manipulating the steering wheel and the speed/throttle levers as well.

In view of the foregoing, a desire has developed for a watercraft with a control assembly that allows an operator's hands to remain on or in proximity to the steering wheel.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art.

According to an aspect of the present technology, there is provided a control assembly for a watercraft comprising a housing defining at least one passage adapted to receive a steering column therethrough; a lever being pivotally connected to the housing about a first axis, the first axis being offset from the at least one passage, the lever being adapted to be disposed between a steering wheel of the watercraft and a dashboard of the watercraft; and an electronic motor control system operatively connected to the lever, the electronic motor control system producing signals operative to control a speed of a motor in response to the lever being rotated about the first axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the motor is an engine and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control at least one of a throttle valve, a fuel injector, and a spark timing of the engine.

In some implementations of the present technology, rotating the lever in a first direction about the first axis from a neutral position causes the motor to produce forward motion of the watercraft and rotating the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position causes the motor to produce reverse motion of the watercraft.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is rotatable in the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position to a plurality of forward positions, a first plurality of angles of rotation being defined between the neutral position and the plurality of forward positions, each one of the first plurality of angles of rotation corresponding to a desired speed of the motor in a forward direction, larger angles of rotation corresponding to higher desired speeds of the motor.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is rotatable in the second direction about the first axis from the neutral position to a plurality of reverse positions, a second plurality of angles of rotation being defined between the neutral position and the plurality of reverse positions, each one of the second plurality of angles of rotation corresponding to a desired speed of the motor in a reverse direction, larger angles of rotation corresponding to higher desired speeds of the motor.

In some implementations of the present technology, a maximum angle of rotation of the first plurality of angles of rotation is larger than a maximum angle of rotation of the second plurality of angles of rotation.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises an ignition switch disposed on the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, a length of the lever is adjustable.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises buttons adapted for receiving a start-up key code, the buttons being disposed on the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, a distance between the lever and a rear surface of the housing is adjustable.

In some implementations of the present technology, the housing is adapted to tilt with the steering wheel about a horizontal axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is pivotable about a second axis, the second axis being skewed relative to the first axis and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a trim of the watercraft in response to the lever being pivoted about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is pivotable about a second axis, the second axis being orthogonal to the first axis and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a trim of the watercraft in response to the lever being pivoted about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises a resistance adjustment screw disposed on the housing, the resistance adjustment screw adapted to modify a resistance to rotation of the lever about the first axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises a display connected to the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the display extends above the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises an articulated accessory arm connecting the display to the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is a first lever and the motor is a first motor and the control assembly further comprises a second lever being pivotally connected to the housing about a second axis, the second axis being offset from the at least one passage, the second lever being operatively connected to the electronic motor control system, the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a speed of a second motor in response to the second lever being rotated about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises a trim switch disposed on the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, the trim switch is disposed on an end face of the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever includes at least a neck portion and a head portion, the neck portion being narrower than the head portion.

In some implementations of the present technology, the control assembly further comprises a tuning switch disposed on the lever, the tuning switch producing signals operative to change in at least one of a position of a throttle valve, fuel injection and spark timing of the engine in steps.

According to another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a watercraft comprising a hull; a deck disposed on the hull; a dashboard connected to the deck; a steering assembly disposed on the deck, including a steering wheel and a steering column, the steering wheel being pivotally connected to the steering column about a steering axis, the steering column being operatively connected to the dashboard; a motor connected to the hull; and a speed control assembly comprising a housing, the housing defining at least one passage, the steering column extending through the at least one passage, a lever being pivotally connected to the housing about a first axis, the first axis being offset from the at least one passage, the lever being disposed between the steering wheel and the dashboard, and an electronic motor control system operatively connected to the lever, the electronic motor control system producing signals operative to control a speed of a motor in response to the lever being rotated about the first axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the first axis is parallel to a steering axis and the first axis is disposed below and to a side of the steering axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the motor is an engine and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control at least one of a throttle valve, a fuel injector, and a spark timing of the engine.

In some implementations of the present technology, rotating the lever in a first direction about the first axis from a neutral position causes the motor to produce forward motion of the watercraft and rotating the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position causes the motor to produce reverse motion of the watercraft.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is rotatable in the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position to a plurality of forward positions, a first plurality of angles of rotation being defined between the neutral position and the plurality of forward positions, each one of the first plurality of angles of rotation corresponding to a desired speed of the motor in a forward direction, larger angles of rotation corresponding to higher desired speeds of the motor.

In some implementations of the present technology, a maximum angle of rotation of the first plurality of angles of rotation is larger than a maximum angle of rotation of the second plurality of angles of rotation.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises buttons adapted for receiving a start-up key code, the buttons being disposed on the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, a distance between the lever and the steering wheel is adjustable.

In some implementations of the present technology, the steering column is adapted to tilt with respect to the dashboard about a horizontal axis and the housing is adapted to tilt with the steering column.

In some implementations of the present technology, the first axis is at a first distance below the steering axis, the first axis is at a second distance to the side of the steering axis, and the first and second distances are approximately equal to each other.

In some implementations of the present technology, the first axis is at a third distance from the steering axis and the third distance is approximately half of an external radius of the steering wheel.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is pivotable about a second axis, the second axis being skewed relative to the first axis and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a trim of the watercraft in response to the lever being pivoted about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is pivotable about a second axis, the second axis being orthogonal to the first axis and the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a trim of the watercraft in response to the lever being pivoted about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises a resistance adjustment screw disposed on the housing, the resistance adjustment screw adapted to modify the resistance to rotation of the lever about the first axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises a display connected to the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the display extends above the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises an articulated accessory arm connecting the display to the housing.

In some implementations of the present technology, the lever is a first lever and the motor is a first motor and the watercraft further comprises a second lever being pivotally connected to the housing about a second axis, the second axis being offset from the at least one passage, the second lever being operatively connected to the electronic motor control system, the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a speed of a second motor in response to the second lever being rotated about the second axis.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises a trim switch disposed on the lever.

In some implementations of the present technology, the watercraft further comprises a tuning switch disposed on the lever, the tuning switch producing signals operative change in at least one of a position of a throttle valve, fuel injection and spark timing of the engine in steps.

For purposes of this application, terms related to spatial orientation such as forwardly, rearward, upwardly, downwardly, left, and right, are as they would normally be understood by an operator of the watercraft riding thereon in a normal driving position. Terms related to spatial orientation when describing or referring to components or sub-assemblies of the watercraft, separately from the watercraft, should be understood as they would be understood when these components or sub-assemblies are mounted to the watercraft, unless specified otherwise in this application.

The term “motor” can refer to any device that provides motive power including but not limited to an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

Explanations and/or definitions of terms provided in the present application take precedence over explanations and/or definitions of these terms that may be found in the document incorporated herein by reference.

Implementations of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned object and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned object may not satisfy this object and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.

Additional and/or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of implementations of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present technology, as well as other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of a watercraft;

FIG. 2 is a rear, left, bottom side perspective view of a steering column assembly connected to a dashboard of the watercraft of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the steering column assembly connected to the dashboard (shown in cross-section) of the watercraft of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of a control assembly with a lever in a neutral position;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 4, disposed on the steering column assembly connected to the dashboard (shown in cross-section);

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 4 with an outline of a steering wheel disposed on the steering column assembly;

FIG. 7 is a rear, right, top side perspective view of the steering wheel and the control assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is another rear, right, top side perspective view of the steering wheel and the control assembly of FIG. 4, disposed on the steering column;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the above-mentioned steering wheel, steering column, and control assembly;

FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of the lever of the control assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a partial view of the lever removed from its lever sensing unit;

FIG. 12 is a schematic outline of the outboard engine and the connecting control assembly electronics;

FIG. 13 is the rear elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 4, with the lever in a maximum forward position;

FIG. 14 is the rear elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 4, with the lever in a maximum reverse position;

FIG. 15 is a partial rear elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 4, illustrating different exemplary positions of the lever;

FIG. 16 is a partial top plan view of the control assembly of FIG. 4 with the lever pivoted rearward;

FIG. 17 is a right side perspective view of another steering wheel and the control assembly of FIG. 4 disposed on the steering column with the lever being translated to an adjusted position;

FIG. 18 is a right side perspective view of the steering wheel of FIG. 17 and the control assembly of FIG. 4 disposed on the steering column with the lever being tilted to an adjusted position;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the steering wheel of FIG. 7 and the control assembly of FIG. 4 disposed on the steering column with the lever being illustrated with an extended length;

FIG. 20 is a right, rear perspective view of the steering wheel and the control assembly of FIG. 4 with an accessory arm and display;

FIG. 21 is a left side perspective view of an alternative implementation of a watercraft having two outboard engines;

FIG. 22 is a rear elevation view of an alternative implementation of a control assembly having two levers with each lever being in a neutral position;

FIG. 23 is a rear elevation view of the control assembly of FIG. 22, displaying the maximum forward positions, the maximum reverse positions, and the neutral positions of the levers;

FIG. 24 is a rear elevation view of another alternative implementation of a lever of the control assembly of FIG. 4, with the lever shown in isolation;

FIG. 25 is a rear, right side perspective view of the lever of FIG. 24; and

FIG. 26 is an exploded, rear, right side perspective view of the lever of FIG. 24.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A control assembly for a watercraft will be described with respect to a watercraft propelled by an outboard engine having an internal combustion engine. However, it is contemplated that the control assembly could be used for different types of watercraft. It is also contemplated that the control assembly could be implemented with watercraft having motors other than internal combustions engines, such as electric motors and hybrid internal combustion/electric engines.

The general construction of a watercraft 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. It should be understood that the watercraft 10 could have a construction other than the one described below.

The watercraft 10 has a hull 12 and a deck 14 supported by the hull 12. The watercraft has a front 15 and a rear 17. The deck 14 has a forward passenger area 16 and a rearward passenger area 18. A right console 21 including a dashboard 20, and a left console 22 are disposed on either side of the deck 14 between the two passenger areas 16, 18. A passageway 24 disposed between the two consoles 21, 22 allows for communication between the two passenger areas 16, 18. Windshields 26 are provided over the consoles 21, 22.

A driver seat 28 and a passenger seat 30 are disposed behind the consoles 20 and 22 respectively. Seats 32 and 34 are also provided in the forward and rearward passenger areas 16 and 18 respectively. The dashboard 20 is provided with a steering wheel 36 on a steering column assembly 75 (see FIG. 5), used by the operator of the watercraft 10 to steer of the watercraft 10. The steering column assembly 75, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a steering column 78 that rotates with the steering wheel 36 and a steering column housing 77 which is rotationally fixed with respect to the dashboard 20.

A control assembly 100 for controlling an outboard engine 45 is provided on the steering column assembly 75 between the steering wheel 36 and the dashboard 20. Operation of the control assembly 100 to control the speed of an engine 50 of the outboard engine 45 and other aspects of the watercraft 10 will be described in more detail below. It is contemplated that the watercraft 10 could be propelled by, for example, an electric motor controlled by the control assembly 100.

The watercraft 10 includes other features not described herein, such as electrical and fuel systems. It should be understood that such features are nonetheless present in the watercraft 10.

The control assembly 100 will now be described in relation to FIGS. 4 to 10. The control assembly 100 includes a housing 108, within and upon which the various features of the control assembly 100 are disposed. The housing 108 is mounted to the steering column housing 77 and has a passage 122 adapted to receive the steering column 78. In FIGS. 4, 13, and 14, the control assembly 100 is shown removed from the watercraft 10 and the passage 122 is visible. In FIGS. 6 to 9 and 17 to 20, the control assembly 100 is shown as installed on the watercraft 10.

The steering column 78 of the steering column assembly 75 passes through the passage 122 of the housing 108 (see for example FIG. 5. The steering column 78 receives and rotates with the steering wheel 36 to steer the watercraft 10, transferring the motion of the steering wheel 36 to further elements (not shown), such a hydraulic pump for vessels with hydraulic steering, a push-pull cable actuation assembly for vessels with mechanical steering, or a digital position sensor for vessels with electronic “by-wire”. The steering column housing 77 is fixed to the dashboard 20 and supports the steering column 78. The control assembly 100 is fixed to the steering column housing 77 by three bolts 138. As such, the control assembly 100 is disposed between the dashboard 20 and the steering wheel 36, but will not rotate when the operator turns the steering wheel 36. It is contemplated that more or fewer than three bolts 138 could be used to attach the control assembly 100 to the steering column housing 77. It is also contemplated that other means of connecting the control assembly 100 to the steering column assembly 75 could be implemented.

As installed, the control assembly 100 does not rotate with the steering wheel 36. However, the steering column assembly 75 includes a tilt mechanism that allows the operator to tilt the steering wheel 36 about a horizontal axis 76 to adjust the steering wheel 36 position. More specifically, the steering column 78 comprises a universal joint (not shown) and the steering column housing 77 comprises a fixed portion 77a and a tilting portion 77b. The control assembly 100 is connected to the tilting portion 77b of the steering column housing 77 and so tilts with the steering wheel 36. Additionally, installation of the control assembly 100 on the steering column assembly 75 includes installing the operative link between the control assembly 100 and the outboard engine 45. Electronics connecting the control assembly 100 to the outboard engine 45, described in more detail below, pass from a front surface of the control assembly 100 via an interior of the steering column assembly 75 and then through the watercraft 10. As such, the electronics are not exposed to the often wet environment of the watercraft 10 in standard operation.

In some implementations, the control assembly 100 is provided as a kit to be installed on a watercraft not originally equipped with the control assembly 100. In such a case, the electronics controlling a conventional throttle lever on the watercraft would be rerouted through the steering column assembly 75 in order to allow the control assembly 100 to control the speed of the engine 50 (described in more detail below). After having removed the steering wheel 36, the operator would then connect the throttle lever electronics (plus the wiring for any other desired systems to be controlled) to the control assembly 100. The control assembly 100 is then positioned on the steering column housing 77, with the steering column 78 passing through the passage 122. In some implementations, the passage 122 may be adjustable to better adapt to different steering columns 75. The control assembly 100 is then bolted to the steering column housing 77 using bolts 138. Once the control assembly 100 is in place, the steering wheel 36 is reattached to a rearward extremity of the steering column 78. Depending on the implementation and the watercraft, additional steps may be necessary to fully implement the control assembly 100 kit.

During standard operation, the steering wheel 36 is between a forward-facing operator and the control assembly 100. As the control assembly 100 is forward of the operator, the operator will see a rear side 110 of the housing 108. Depending on the orientation of the steering wheel 36 with respect to the housing 108 and the position of the operator with respect to the steering wheel 36, however, some of the surface may be visually blocked to the operator by the steering wheel 36. As such, operative and visual features of the control assembly 100 are generally disposed on the rear side 110, shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the operative and visual features are generally disposed such that the operator does not find them visually blocked by the steering wheel 36.

Near a top portion of the rear side 110, five steering indicator lights 116 display an approximate steering position (port to starboard) of the outboard engine 45 with respect to the watercraft 10. For example, when the outboard engine 45 is pivoted all the way to port, the left most light 116 illuminates. Likewise, when the outboard engine 45 is steered all the way to the starboard, the right most light 116 illuminates. Intermediate positions will illuminate one or more of the lights 116 to give an indication of the approximate position of the outboard engine 45. It is contemplated that there could be more or fewer indicator lights 116 on the control assembly 100. It is further contemplated that for some implementations, the lights 116 could be removed. It is further contemplated that the lights 116 could be replaced by another mode of visual indication, such as an LCD display or an analog gauge and needle display.

There are two engine status lights provided near a bottom portion of the rear side 110: an engine temperature warning light 118 to indicate that the engine 50 of the outboard engine 45 may be overheating and a check engine light 119 to indicate the detection of an engine malfunction. In some implementations, an auditory indication (such as a “ding”) may supplement the engine status lights 118, 119. It is contemplated that there could be more or different engine status lights 118, 119 depending on the implementation. It is also contemplated that one or both of the engine status lights 118, 119 could be removed. It is further contemplated that the engine status lights 118, 119 could be displayed differently, for example as indicator lights on the dashboard 20.

A gauge panel 112 is also disposed on the rear side 110 of the control assembly 100. The gauge panel 112 shows the fuel level of the fuel tank (not shown) of the outboard engine 45. The gauge panel 112 also displays the number of hours of operation with the current oil of the outboard engine 45. It is contemplated that the gauge panel 112 could include additional or different informational gauges. It is also contemplated that the gauge panel 112 could be replaced with a display screen which the operator could use to choose the information they wish to see. It is further contemplated that the gauge panel 112 could be removed or replaced with other types of information indicators for different implementations. A second gauge panel 212 is also disposed on the rear side 110 to be used for an implementation with a second outboard engine (see FIG. 21). It is contemplated that the second gauge panel 212 could be removed or covered for implementations of the watercraft 10 with one engine 50.

Additional indicators 114A to 114F are disposed on the housing 108. A trim indicator 114A on a right rear portion of the housing 108 displays a number indicating the approximate current trim position of the outboard engine 45. A second trim indicator 114E on a left rear portion of the housing 108 is provided to indicate trim status for implementations with the second outboard engine. An Eco indicator 114B illuminates when the outboard engine 45 is set to an economy mode and/or operating at optimal efficiency. It is contemplated that the Eco indicator 114B could also be a button, illuminated or not, that the operator could use to initiate Eco mode. A Steer indicator 114C is provided to display the current setting of the power steering functionalities. It is similarly contemplated that the Steer indicator 114C could be a button, illuminated or not, for changing the power steering settings. A Foot indicator 114D is provided to indicate if a foot pedal (not shown) for throttle control has been engaged. The Foot indicator 114D could also be a button for engaging the foot pedal. In some implementations, there may be no foot pedal to engage with the Foot indicator 114D. In these implementations, the Foot indicator 114D may be present but not functional, or the Foot indicator 114D could be removed or covered. A Helm indicator 114 is provided for implementations utilizing a secondary helm (not shown) Likewise, it is contemplated that the Helm indicator 114 could be a button used by the operator to engage the secondary helm of a watercraft. It is also contemplated that the control assembly 100 could include more or fewer or different indicators 114. Similarly, in some implementations, there may be no secondary helm and the Helm indicator 114F may be present but not functional, or the Helm indicator 114F could be removed or covered.

The control assembly 100 includes a lever 150 for controlling different aspects of the watercraft 10, including speed and shifting. The lever 150 is connected to the rear side 110 of the housing 108 and can be rotated about an axis of rotation 155 with respect to the housing 108. In FIGS. 4 to 9, the lever 150 is a neutral position 302. Specifically, the lever 150 is on a right side portion of the rear side 110, where it is located between the steering wheel 36 and the housing 108 when installed on the watercraft 10. The lever 150 is located such that the operator can rotate and pivot the lever 150 without having to remove his hands from the steering wheel 36. Operation of the lever 150 to control the speed and trim of the watercraft 10 will be described in more detail below.

Four buttons 158 are provided on the lever 150 for entering key codes for an electronic motor control system 115 which will be discussed in further detail below. The key code buttons 158 are used to wake up (i.e. power up) the outboard engine 45, and more particularly the electronic systems associated therewith by submitting a security code. The security code replaces an ignition key for preventing unauthorized operation of the watercraft 10. The key code buttons 158 are also provided for the operator to input a winterization code to indicate to the outboard engine 50 to initiate winterization procedures. It is contemplated that the operator could input an engine performance code to select between a limited performance mode, which restricts engine performance, and a full performance mode. It is contemplated that more or fewer than four buttons 158 could be provided, depending on the implementation. It is also contemplated that in certain implementations the key code buttons may be omitted and an ignition key could be used. In some implementations, key code buttons 158 could be provided in addition to an ignition key. It is further contemplated that the key code buttons 158 could be disposed on the housing 108 of the control assembly 100.

An ignition switch 182 is also provided on the lever 150 for keyless ignition. The ignition switch 182 is pivotable with respect to the remainder of the lever 150 about the longitudinal axis of the lever 150 between a start position (not shown), an off position (not shown) and a rest position therebetween in which the ignition switch 182 is inactive. After having entered the security code using the key code buttons 158, the operator twists and holds the ignition switch 182 in a direction 382 to the start position to start up the outboard engine 50 (see FIG. 5). When the operator is ready to shut down the outboard engine 50, the ignition switch 182 is twisted in an opposite direction 383 to the off position to turn off the engine 50. The ignition switch 182 is biased to return to the rest position, from either the start or off positions, when released by the operator. It is contemplated that the ignition switch 182 could be split into two switches for ignition and for shut down. It is further contemplated that the ignition switch 182 could be one or more push buttons.

The details of how the lever 150 pivotally connects to the rear side 110 of the control assembly 100 will now be described with respect to FIGS. 6 and 11. The control assembly 100 includes a lever sensing unit 160, as illustrated in FIG. 11. The lever sensing unit 160 is mostly disposed within the housing 108, with a splined shaft 161 extending through the rear surface 110. The spline shaft 161 is connected to a lever position sensor 156 in the lever sensing unit 160. A connecting end 165 of the lever 150 includes a spline aperture 162 to fit on the spline shaft 161. As the lever 150 is rotated about the rotation axis 155, so too is the spline shaft 161 connected to the lever sensing unit 160.

The rotation axis 155 about which the lever 150 turns is normal to the rear surface 110. The rotation axis 155 is also generally parallel to a steering axis 136 about which the steering wheel 36 turns. The rotation axis 155 is offset downward and to the right from the passage 122 and the steering axis 136. As seen in FIG. 6, the rotation axis 155 is offset a distance 37 downward from the steering axis 136 and a distance 38 to the right side of the steering axis 136. The rotation axis 155 is offset downward and to the right side at about the same distance from the steering axis 136, distances 37 and 38 being about 72 cm in the illustrated implementation.

A distance 39 from the steering axis 136 to an external edge 35 of the steering wheel 36 (the external radius 39 of the steering wheel 36) is about 190 cm, while the rotation axis 155 is about 100 cm (distance 40) from the steering axis 136. As such, the distance between the steering axis 136 and the rotation axis 155 is about half (53%) of the external radius 39 of the steering wheel 36. It is contemplated that in different implementations, the rotation axis 155 could be different distances from the steering axis 136 and the outside edge 35 of the steering wheel 36.

The rotation axis 155 is positioned such that the operator of the watercraft 10 can rotate the lever 150 with his right hand without needing to remove his hands from the steering wheel 36. It is contemplated that the rotation axis 155 could be at an angle other than normal to the rear side 110 of the housing 108. It is also contemplated that the rotation axis 155 could be offset different distances from the steering axis 136, depending on the implementation.

As described above, the lever 150 is connected to the lever sensing unit 160 via the spline shaft 161. The lever sensing unit 160 includes a lever position sensor 156. The lever position sensor 156 includes a potentiometer to transform the rotational position of the spline shaft 161 into an electronic signal. It is contemplated that the potentiometer could be replaced with another element capable of translating rotation to electronic signal, such as a digital potentiometer or a shaft encoder. The lever sensing unit 160 also communicates electronically with the lever 150 via electrical contacts (not shown) near the spline shaft 161 in order to receive information from the lever 150 features (the key code buttons 158, for example).

The lever sensing unit 160 is connected to the electronic motor control system 115 contained in the housing 108 of the control assembly 100, representatively shown with dashed lines (see FIG. 4). The electronic motor control system 115 receives information from the lever sensing unit 160, including information regarding the position of the lever 150, as well as signals from the lever 150 features (e.g. the key code buttons 158). The electronic motor control system 115 then produces signals operative to shift a transmission 55 of the outboard engine 45 (in response to a rotation of the lever 150 away from the neutral position 302, as will be described in further detail below) and communicates them to an engine management module 157 (EMM). A schematic diagram of the communication path from the lever sensing unit 160 to the outboard engine 45 is presented in FIG. 12. It is contemplated that some or all of the functions of the electronic motor control system 115 could be performed by the EMM 157. It is also contemplated that the functions of the electronic motor control system 115 and EMM 157 could be performed by more or less modules and could be located elsewhere than described in the present implementation.

The electronic motor control system 115 also produces signals operative to control the speed of the outboard engine 45, in response to the lever 150 being rotated about the rotation axis 155. The speed can be controlled by controlling the position of a throttle valve 51 of the engine 50 of the outboard engine 45. It is contemplated that the speed could be controlled by producing signals operative to control spark timing of the spark plugs 52 or a fuel injector 53 of the engine 50 as well. It is also contemplated that the speed could be controlled by producing signals operative to controlling a combination of the throttle valve 51, the spark timing and the fuel injector 53.

Additionally, the electronic motor control system 115 produces and communicates to the EMM 157 signals operative to control other aspects related to the outboard engine 45, including but not limited to: powering up, ignition, winterization, and a trim of the outboard engine 45 (described below).

A resistance adjustment screw 130 is provided for adjusting the resistance of the lever 150 to rotation, i.e. the effort required of the operator to change the position of the lever 150. The screw 130 is disposed on a bottom side of the housing 108 and is connected to the lever sensing unit 160. Turning the screw 130 in one direction increases the friction for the lever 150, making it more difficult to rotate. Turning the friction screw 130 in the other direction decreases the friction, making the lever 150 easier to rotate. The setting of the resistance of the lever 150 via the screw 130 may depend on many factors, including but not limited to: the particular implementation, the operating conditions of the watercraft 10, and the operator's personal preferences.

Adjacent to the screw 130, a neutral adjustment screw 131 is provided for adjusting the resistance of the lever 150 to being shifted out of the neutral position 302. In order to prevent the engine from being inadvertently shifted from neutral to forward or reverse, the control assembly 100 comprises a mechanism (not shown) within the housing 108 that makes it more difficult to move the lever 150 out of the neutral position 302, than from other positions along its range of motion. This mechanism can include a spring-loaded ball that settles into a notch. By turning the neutral adjustment screw 131, the operator can set how much more difficult it is to rotate the lever 150 out of the neutral position 302. Again, the setting of the screw 131 may depend many factors, including but not limited to: the particular implementation, the operating conditions of the watercraft 10, and the operator's personal preferences.

In some implementations, it is contemplated that the screws 130 and 131 could exchange positions. It is also contemplated that some implementations could include only one or neither of the screws 130, 131.

An RPM tuning switch 152 on the lever 150 is further provided to make fine (step-wise) adjustments to the speed of the engine 50. The RPM tuning switch 152 is a biased toggle switch that can be pivoted forward or rearward from a rest position. Pivoting the tuning switch 152 from the rest position causes the electronic motor control system 115 to produce signals operative to modify one or a combination of the throttle valve 51, the spark timing and the fuel injector 53. For example, pivoting the tuning switch 152 in a forward direction causes an increase of engine speed by a pre-determined increment. For example, pushing the tuning switch 152 one time may increase the revolutions per minute (RPMs) of the engine 50 by 5 RPMs. Pivoting the tuning switch 152 in the opposite direction causes a decrease of the speed by a pre-determined decrement. The RPM tuning switch 152 is inactive when in the rest position. In some implementations, the step size of the increment and the step size of the decrement could be the same. In other implementations, the increment could be larger or smaller than the decrement. It is also contemplated that the increment and decrement could be a percentage of engine speed, such as 1%.

Operation of the control assembly 100 using the lever 150 will now be described in further detail with respect to FIGS. 4, 13 to 15. The maximum forward and reverse positions are illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 respectively, while various examples of operating positions of the lever 150 are illustrated in FIG. 15, represented by lever outlines 150′, in dashed lines.

The outboard engine 45 can operate in forward and reverse gears, in which the engine 50 turns a propeller (not shown) so as to drive the watercraft 10 forward and rearward, respectively. The outboard engine 45 can also operate in a neutral gear, in which the engine 50 runs at an idle speed but is decoupled from the propeller such that the propeller does not turn. This coupling in the forward and reverse gears, and the decoupling in the neutral gear is accomplished by the transmission 55. When beginning operation of the watercraft 10, the lever 150 begins in the neutral position 302 which sets the outboard engine 45 in neutral gear. By rotating the lever 150 about the pivot axis 155 from the neutral position 302 in a direction 308 to a forward position 303 which is at an angle 321, the control system 115 causes the transmission 55 to shift from neutral into forward gear. The speed of the engine 50, which can range from the idle speed to a maximum engine speed (often referred to as “wide-open-throttle”) is controlled as a function of the angle 321; the larger the angle 321 between the lever 150 and the neutral position 302, the greater the speed of the engine 50. As such, rotating the lever 150 from the neutral position 302 to a forward position 303 will also cause the engine 50 to increase from an idle speed to a speed corresponding to the angle 321 to which the lever 150 has been rotated. Similarly, by rotating the lever 150 in a direction 310 from the forward position 303 toward the neutral position 302 (decreasing the angle between the lever 150 and the neutral position 302), the operator decreases the forward speed of the engine 50.

In some implementations, the desired speed communicated to the outboard engine 45 could depend linearly on the angle 321 between the lever 150 position and the neutral position 302. In other implementations, the desired speed could have a more exponential dependence on the angle 321. In such a case, when angle 321 is small (the lever 150 is near the neutral position 302), small changes in the angle 321 will cause small changes in engine speed. When the angle 321 is large (the lever 150 is far from the neutral position 302), small changes in the angle 321 cause larger changes in engine speed. It is also contemplated that the relationship between the angle 321 and the resultant speed of the engine 50 could be varied by the operator, for example through the provision of engine performance modes defined in the electronic motor control system 115 and/or the EMM 157. It should be noted that the exact speed of the watercraft 10 when the lever 150 is in the forward position 303 will depend on various conditions, including possible lag in the engine 50 or environmental conditions.

Position 304, illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 15, is the maximum forward position 304, i.e. the position corresponding to wide-open-throttle. The range of motion of the lever 150 from the neutral position 302 to the maximum forward position 304 in the forward motion direction 308 is an angle 322. Angle 322 is about 60 degrees of rotation about the rotation axis 155. It is contemplated that the range of motion 322 be smaller or larger than 60 degrees.

When returning the lever 150 to the neutral position 302, the transmission 55 shifts into a neutral gear and the engine 50 runs at an idle speed.

Beginning with the lever 150 again in the neutral position 302, the control system 115 causes the transmission 55 of the outboard engine 45 to shift into a reverse direction gear when the lever 150 is rotated about the pivot axis 155 in the direction 310.

Rotating the lever 150 from the neutral position 302 to a reverse position 305 will cause the transmission 55 to shift from neutral gear to reverse gear and the engine 50 to increase from idle speed to a speed corresponding to an angle 319 to which the lever 150 has been rotated. As described above, the larger the angle 319 between the neutral position 302 and the reverse position 305, the greater the speed of the engine 50, but the specific dependence of the speed on the angle 319 may depend on the implementation. By rotating the lever 150 in a direction 308 from the position 305 toward the neutral position 302 (decreasing the angle between the lever 150 and the neutral position 302), the operator decreases the speed of the engine 50. The exact speed of the watercraft 10 drives in reverse when the lever 150 is in the position 305 will again depend on various conditions.

Position 306, illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, is the maximum reverse position 306, i.e. the position corresponding to the maximum reverse speed of the engine 50. The maximum reverse speed of the engine 50 is less than its maximum speed when in forward gear (wide-open-throttle). As such, moving the lever 150 to position 360 results in a lower engine speed than moving the lever to position 304. The range of motion of the lever 150 from the neutral position 302 to the maximum reverse position 306 is an angle 320, which in the illustrated implementation is about 45 degrees of rotation about the rotation axis 155. It is contemplated that the range of motion could be smaller or larger than 45 degrees. The range of motion 321 in the reverse motion direction 310 is smaller than the range of motion 322 in the forward motion direction 308. It is contemplated that in some implementations, the range of motion 321 in the reverse direction could be the same as or greater than the range of motion 322 in the forward direction. It is also contemplated that the maximum reverse and maximum forward speeds could be equal.

It should be noted that the maximum forward position 304 and the maximum reverse position 306 represent the farthest positions from the neutral position 302 possible for the lever 150 but not the only positions possible for the lever 150. The lever 150 may be rotated to any intermediate position between the neutral position 302 and the maximum positions 304, 306, depending on the speed of the watercraft 10 desired by the operator. It is contemplated that the control assembly 100 could provide a discrete set of positions for the lever 150 across the forward and reverse ranges of motion 322 and 321.

The outboard engine 45 is mounted to a transom (not shown) of the watercraft 10 such that is can pivot both about a vertical steering axis and about a horizontal trim axis. During standard operation of the watercraft 10, the trim angle, i.e. the angle between the engine 50 and the hull 12 as measured about a horizontal trim axis, may need to be adjusted. Decreasing the angle between the engine 50 and the hull 12, i.e. swinging a lower portion of the outboard engine 45 towards the hull 12, is known as “trimming in”, while increasing the angle is known as “trimming out.” When at cruising speed, trimming in raises the stern and pushes the bow down, while trimming out lowers the stern and raises the bow.

With reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 16, the lever 150 comprises the connecting end 165, as well as a pivotable portion 170 which can pivot about a pivot axis 175 with respect to the connecting end 165. As described above with respect to FIGS. 10 and 11, the connecting end 165 is rotatably mounted to the housing 108 and thereby allows the rotation of both the portions 165 and 170 about the pivot axis 155. Various features 152, 158 and 182 of the lever 150 are provided on the pivotable portion 170, to the right of the pivot axis 175. However, it is contemplated that pivot axis the 175 could be positioned otherwise than as illustrated herein. In particular, it is contemplated that the pivot axis 175 could be positioned farther away from the axis of rotation 155 and that some or all of the features of the lever, such as the features 152, 158 and 182, could be provided on or near the connecting end 165. Trim is adjusted via the control assembly 100 by pivoting the lever 150 about a pivot axis 175. The pivot axis 175 is orthogonal to the rotation axis 155. It is contemplated that the two axes 155, 175 could also be in a different relative arrangement.

The pivotable portion 170 is biased toward a rest trim adjustment position 360, in which it is inactive. From the rest trim adjustment position 360, the pivotable portion 170 can be pivoted in a direction 356 (i.e. towards the housing 108) to a trim in position (not shown) or pivoted in a direction 364 (i.e. toward the steering wheel 36) to a trim out position 362. When the operator releases the pivotable portion 170 after pivoting in either direction about the pivot axis 175, it returns to the rest position 360. In FIG. 16, the pivotable portion 170 is illustrated having been pivoted in the direction 354 to the trim out position 362. It should be noted that in standard operation, the pivotable portion 170 will pivot back to the rest position 360 and will not stay in the position 362 as depicted. Adjusting the trim by pivoting the pivotable portion 170 about the pivot axis 175 can be performed regardless of the position of the lever 150 about the axis of rotation 155, although it is contemplated that the trim adjustment could be limited at certain positions of the lever 150.

The outboard engine 45 includes an automated trim function that automatically adjusts trim angle of the outboard engine 45 as a function of vessel or engine speed. The automated trim function can be activated or deactivated by an autotrim button 180 provided on the right side end of the lever 150 (see for example FIG. 10). As such, in cases where the operator does not wish to manually adjust the trim, the automatic trim function can be activated via the autotrim button 180, without the operator having to remove their hands from the steering wheel 36, to trim automatically as a function of vessel or engine speed. It is contemplated that the autotrim button 180 could be electronically connected to a different computer module for automatically adjusting the trim of the watercraft 10.

As shown in FIGS. 17 to 19, the lever 150 can be adjusted to fit different steering wheels 36 or the operator's ergonomic preferences. A distance between the lever 150 and the steering wheel 36 can be adjusted, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. A length of the lever 150 can also be adjusted, as illustrated in FIG. 19.

Different steering wheels can have different depths (referred to as “dish”). As such, the distance between the operator's hands, when holding a given steering wheel, and the control assembly 100 can vary depending on the given steering wheel used. In one implementation, it is desirable to locate the lever 150 about 1.5 inches (40 mm) from the edge of the steering wheel 36. As illustrated in FIG. 17, replacing the steering wheel 36 of FIG. 8 with a different steering wheel 436 with a deeper dish increases the distance between the lever 150 and the operator's hands when placed on the steering wheel 436. As shown in FIG. 17, the lever 150 has been repositioned rearward by the addition of an extender 370 between the connecting portion 165 and the housing 108 such that it is closer to the steering wheel 436. To install the extender 370, the lever 150 is first disconnected by the operator from the control assembly 100 by separating the spline shaft 161 and the spline aperture 162. The extender 370 then connects to the splines shaft 161 and the spline aperture 162 then connects to the extender 370, reconnecting the lever 150 to the control assembly 100 via the extender 370. It is contemplated that in some implementations, the lever 150 end portion 165 could be telescopic and the lever 150 could be translated into an adjusted position.

The original location of the lever 150 is indicated with the lever outline 150″. The lever outline 150″ is a distance 372 away from the housing 108 and a distance 378 from the steering wheel 436, indicating the original position of the lever 150. Having been adjusted, the lever 150 is now a greater distance 374 away from the housing 108, but a shorter distance 376 away from the steering wheel 436.

The arrangement and adjustment illustrated in FIG. 17 is just one example of the possible steering wheel 436 and lever 150 arrangements. It is contemplated that the steering wheel 436 could be replaced with a steering wheel with a larger or smaller dish, necessitating more or less adjustment of the position of the lever 150. It is also contemplated that the adjustment of the distance 376 between the lever 150 and the steering wheel 436 could depend on the operator making the adjustment. Depending on the operator comfort, the operator may want the lever 150 nearer or farther away from the steering wheel 436.

FIG. 18 illustrates another implementation of an adjustment to the lever 150 of the control assembly 100. In this example, the rest trim position 360 of the pivotable portion 170 has been repositioned rearward such that its right extremity of closer to the steering wheel 436. The original location of the lever 150 is indicated with the lever outline 150″. With this adjustment, the lever 150 is rotated about the pivot axis 175 and fixed at an angle 361 to the housing rear face 110. The precise adjustment depends again on the particular steering wheel 436 and on the operator's preferences. This adjustment does not alter the operator's ability to adjust the trim by pivoting the pivotable portion 170 towards and away from the housing 108.

It is contemplated that according to some implementations of the control assembly 100, the steering wheel 436 may be repositioned with respect to the control assembly 100, rather than the lever 150 with respect to the steering wheel 436 as described above. In this case, an extender section (not shown) may be included as a kit with the control assembly 100. The extender section would be disposed on the steering column assembly 75 between the control assembly 100 rear side 110 and the steering wheel 436. It is further contemplated that in implementations where the housing 108 is larger and impedes the steering wheel 36 from connecting to the steering column 78, a different extender section could be included in a kit to adjust the length of the steering column 78.

In some implementations, a length of the lever 150 can be adapted to different implementations of the steering wheel 36 or different operator preferences. As illustrated in FIG. 19, the lever 150 is telescopic and has been adjusted to be longer, where the pivotable portion 170 of the lever 150 has been translated toward the right, exposing an extended section 172 of the lever 150. Depending on the implementation, the extended section 172 could pivot with the pivotable portion 170. In other implementations, the extended section 172 may be fixed with respect to the connecting end 165. The position of the pivotable portion 170 is secured at this new length by use of a set screw (not shown). It is contemplated that the position of the pivotable portion 170 could be secured by a spring latch. It is also contemplated that the lever 150 could utilize an extender section similar the extender 370 described above in order to adjust the length.

The lever 150 is generally adjusted such that an end of the lever 150 extends past the edge of the steering wheel 36, so that the operator can operate the lever 150 with their fingers without having to remove either hand from the steering wheel 36. Hence for larger steering wheels, the lever 150 can be extended farther outward from the axis 155. If changing to a smaller steering wheel 36, the operator may similarly want to shorten the lever 150 such that the tuning switch 152 is at the operator's preferred distance from the steering wheel 36. The preferred length of the lever 150 may also depend on ergonomics specific to the operator. One operator may prefer a certain length of the lever 150, while a different operator using the same steering wheel 36 may prefer a different length of the lever 150.

The control assembly 100 is illustrated in FIG. 20 with an attached accessory module 140. The accessory module 140 provides a display 142. The display 142 provides visual information to the operator, which can include, but is not limited to: trim position, GPS coordinates, sonar, speed and tachometer readings. It is contemplated that the display 142 could be a touch-sensitive screen. The display 142 could serve to control an audio system of the watercraft 10, to adjust the steering sensitivity or present a fish finding application. Depending on the implementation, the display 142 could also replace the rear face 110 features of the control assembly 100, including but not limited to: the rudder lights 116, the engine status lights 118, the gauge panels 112, 212 and the indicators 114A to 114F.

The display 142 is supported by an accessory arm 144. The accessory arm 144 is articulated, having two joint articulations 146. It is contemplated that in some implementations the accessory arm 144 could have more or fewer articulations. It is contemplated that the accessory arm 144 could also support accessories other than the display 142, including but not limited to a cellphone holder. It is also contemplated that the display 142 could be a cellphone, tablet or other mobile device and that the accessory arm 144 includes a dock via which the cellphone/tablet/mobile device 142 and the electronic motor control system 115 and/or the EMM 157 can communicate.

An implementation of a watercraft 400 having a twin engine arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 21. The watercraft 400 includes the outboard engine 45 to a right side of the watercraft 400 and has an additional outboard engine 410 with an internal combustion engine 412 toward a left side of the watercraft 400. The outboard engines 45, 410 are similar except that their propellers (not shown) turn in opposite direction during standard operation, a feature known as “counter rotation”. Elements of the watercraft 400 that are similar to those of the watercraft 10 retain the same reference numeral.

A control assembly 200 according to another implementation for controlling the watercraft 400 is illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. Elements of the control assembly 200 that are similar to those of the control assembly 100 retain the same reference numeral.

The control assembly 200 has the lever 150 on a right side of the housing 108 for controlling the outboard engine 45 and a lever 250 for controlling the outboard engine 410. Two electronic motor control systems 115, 215 are included to send signals to the EMMs 157, 257 the outboard engines 45, 410, each one responsive to the levers 150, 250. It is contemplated that the motor control systems 115, 215 could be incorporated into a single electronic unit. It is also contemplated that the functions of the motor control systems 115, 215 could be performed by the EMMs 157, 257 of the outboard engines 45 and 410.

The control assembly 200 again includes the five rudder indicator lights 116 and the indicators 114A to 114F. Near a bottom portion of a rear side 210 of the control assembly 200, there are four engine status lights. There is an engine temperature warning light 118 for the engine 50 and an engine temperature warning light 218 for the engine 450. A check engine light 119, 219 for each of the engines 50, 450 is also included to indicate to the operator that there could be some problem occurring with the respective engine. The two gauge panels 112, 212 of the control assembly 100 are also present on the control assembly 200.

Similar to the lever 150 as described in relation to the control assembly 100, the lever 250 includes four key code buttons 258 to power-up the outboard engine 410, an ignition switch 282 to start the engine 450, an autotrim button 280, and a tuning switch 252. These features 258, 282, 280, 252 all operate for the outboard engine 410 responsive to the lever 250 as described above for lever 150 features 152, 158, 182, 180, 152 respectively. Similarly, a resistance screw 230 and a neutral adjustment screw 231 corresponding to the screws 130, 131 are included for the lever 250. As such, each lever 150, 250 is capable of controlling their respective outboard engine 45, 410.

It is contemplated that in some implementations the lever 150 could control both outboard engines 45, 410, as illustrated by the dotted line in FIG. 12. In this way, the outboard engines 45, 410 could be operated synchronously. In such an implementation, operation would also only require the operator to use one hand to adjust the speed of the outboard engines 45, 410, rather than using both hands simultaneously. It is also contemplated that some or all of the features 258, 282, 280, 252 could be removed and the outboard engine 410 would be responsive to the features 158, 182, 180, 152 of lever 150.

Operation of the lever 250 is similar to that of the lever 150, described in detail above. The lever 250 rotates about a rotation axis 255. The rotation axis 255 is offset below and to the left of the steering axis 136. As illustrated in FIG. 12, a lever sensing unit 260 communicates with the electronic motor control system 215 and the EMM 257 of the outboard engine 410 to produce signals operative to control the speed of the engine 450 responsive to rotation of the lever 250.

FIG. 23 illustrates the maximum positions of the levers 150 and 250, with the different positions represented by the lever outlines 150′ and 250′, in dashed lines. For lever 250, rotation from a neutral position 330 in a direction 338 causes a transmission 455 of the outboard engine 410 to shift into a forward direction gear. Rotation from the neutral position 330 in a direction 340 causes the transmission 455 to shift into a reverse direction gear.

Position 332 is the maximum forward position 332. The range of motion of the lever 250 from the neutral position 330 to the maximum forward position 332 in the forward motion direction 338 is an angle 342. When the lever 250 has been rotated by the angle 342 from the neutral position 330 in the direction 338, the engine 450 is generally set to its maximum forward speed.

Position 334 is the maximum reverse position 334. The range of motion of the lever 250 from the neutral position 330 to the maximum reverse position 334 in the reverse motion direction 340 is an angle 344. When the lever 250 has been rotated by the angle 344 from the neutral position 330 in the direction 340, the engine 450 is generally set to its maximum reverse speed.

As before, the maximum forward positions 304, 332 and the maximum reverse positions 306, 334 represent the farthest positions from the neutral positions 302, 330 possible for the levers 150, 250 but not the only positions possible for the levers 150, 250. The levers 150, 250 may be rotated to any intermediate position between the neutral positions 302, 330 and the maximum positions 304, 306, 332, 334, depending on the speed of the watercraft 400 desired by the operator.

Trim of the outboard engine 410 is also adjustable via the control assembly 200 by pivoting the lever 250 about a pivot axis orthogonal to the rotation axis 255, or by using the autotrim button 280.

A lever 500 according to another implementation is illustrated in FIGS. 24 to 26. The lever 500 is shown in isolation, but is connected to the control assembly 100, as described above, in place of the lever 150. Elements of the lever 500 that are similar to those of the lever 150 retain the same reference numeral and need not be described again here. The lever 500 is operated in a similar manner to the lever 150, except as otherwise noted.

The lever 500 is connected to the rear side 110 of the housing 108 (not shown) and can be rotated about an axis of rotation 555 with respect to the housing 108. As before, the lever 500 is located such that the operator can rotate and pivot the lever 500 without having to remove his hands from the steering wheel 36. Operation of the lever 500 to control the speed of the watercraft 10 is similar to that described with respect to the lever 150 and need not be described again here.

The lever 500 includes a body 570 on which are disposed several switches and buttons, as described below. The body 570 includes a neck portion 572 and a head portion 574. The neck portion 572 is narrower than the head portion 574, and a transition region 573 between the portions 572, 574 is curved to fit generally ergonomically into the hand of the operator. It is contemplated that portions of the body 570 to the left of the neck portion 572 and the neck portion 572 could be of similarly sized, with the head portion 574 being larger than remaining portions of the body 570 of the lever 500. It is also contemplated that the body 570 of the lever 500 could be differently shaped, depending on the specific implementation.

Three buttons 158 are provided on the lever 500 for entering key codes as described with respect to the lever 150 above. An ignition switch 582 is also provided on the lever 500 for keyless ignition. As with the ignition switch 182, the ignition switch 582 is pivotable with respect to the remainder of the lever 500 about a longitudinal axis of the lever 500 between a start position, an off position and a rest position therebetween in which the ignition switch 582 is inactive. The ignition switch 582 includes two grasping portions 585 which the operator grasps with his fingers in order to twist the ignition switch 582. After having entered the security code using the key code buttons 158, the operator twists and holds the ignition switch 582 to the start position to start up the outboard engine 50. When the operator is ready to shut down the outboard engine 50, the ignition switch 582 is twisted in an opposite direction to the off position to turn off the engine 50. The ignition switch 582 is biased to return to the rest position, from either the start or off positions, when released by the operator. It is contemplated that the ignition switch 582 could include more or less grasping portions 585.

The lever 500 also includes a trim switch 520. The trim switch 520 is disposed on an end face 510 of the lever 500, such that the trim switch 520 is disposed on an outward facing surface of the head portion 574. As can be seen in FIGS. 25 and 26, the trim switch 520 is embedded in and rotates with the ignition switch 582, but it is contemplated that the two switches 520, 582 could be separated. “Trimming in” and “trimming out”, as described above, are controlled by pushing one of two ends of the trim switch 520 for the lever 500, in contrast to the trim adjustment by lever rotation of the lever 150. It is contemplated that the lever 500 could also include some structure for trim adjustment by rotation as well in some implementations. It is also contemplated that the trim switch 520 could be disposed on a different place on the lever 500.

Modifications and improvements to the above-described implementations of the present technology may become apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. The scope of the present technology is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control assembly for a watercraft comprising:

an assembly housing defining at least one passage for selectively receiving a steering column therethrough, the assembly housing being disposed between a steering wheel of the watercraft and a dashboard of the watercraft when the control assembly is installed on the watercraft,
the assembly housing being selectively connected to a steering column housing between the steering column housing and the steering wheel when the control assembly is installed on the watercraft, the steering column housing being disposed around the steering column;
a lever being pivotally connected to the assembly housing about a first axis, the first axis being offset from the at least one passage, the lever being disposed between the steering wheel and the dashboard when the control assembly is installed on the watercraft; and
an electronic motor control system operatively connected to the lever, the electronic motor control system producing signals operative to control a speed of a motor in response to the lever being rotated about the first axis.

2. The control assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the motor is an engine; and
the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control at least one of a throttle valve, a fuel injector, and a spark timing of the engine.

3. The control assembly of claim 1, wherein:

rotating the lever in a first direction about the first axis from a neutral position causes the motor to produce forward motion of the watercraft; and
rotating the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position causes the motor to produce reverse motion of the watercraft.

4. The control assembly of claim 3, wherein the lever is rotatable in the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position to a plurality of forward positions, a first plurality of angles of rotation being defined between the neutral position and the plurality of forward positions, each one of the first plurality of angles of rotation corresponding to a desired speed of the motor in a forward direction, larger angles of rotation corresponding to higher desired speeds of the motor.

5. The control assembly of claim 4, wherein the lever is rotatable in the second direction about the first axis from the neutral position to a plurality of reverse positions, a second plurality of angles of rotation being defined between the neutral position and the plurality of reverse positions, each one of the second plurality of angles of rotation corresponding to a desired speed of the motor in a reverse direction, larger angles of rotation corresponding to higher desired speeds of the motor.

6. The control assembly of claim 5, wherein a maximum angle of rotation of the first plurality of angles of rotation is larger than a maximum angle of rotation of the second plurality of angles of rotation.

7. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

an ignition switch disposed on the lever; and
buttons adapted for receiving a start-up key code, the buttons being disposed on the lever.

8. The control assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the lever is pivotable about a second axis, the second axis being skewed relative to the first axis; and
the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a trim of the watercraft in response to the lever being pivoted about the second axis.

9. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising a resistance adjustment screw disposed on the assembly housing, the resistance adjustment screw adapted to modify a resistance to rotation of the lever about the first axis.

10. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising a display connected to the assembly housing.

11. The control assembly of claim 1, wherein the lever is a first lever and the motor is a first motor, the control assembly further comprising:

a second lever being pivotally connected to the assembly housing about a second axis, the second axis being offset from the at least one passage, the second lever being operatively connected to the electronic motor control system, the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a speed of a second motor in response to the second lever being rotated about the second axis.

12. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising a trim switch disposed on the lever.

13. The control assembly of claim 12, wherein the trim switch is disposed on an end face of the lever.

14. The control assembly of claim 1, wherein the lever includes at least a neck portion and a head portion, the neck portion being narrower than the head portion.

15. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tuning switch disposed on the lever, the tuning switch producing signals operative to change at least one of a position of a throttle valve, fuel injection and spark timing of the engine in steps.

16. A watercraft comprising:

a hull;
a deck disposed on the hull;
a dashboard connected to the deck;
a steering assembly disposed on the deck, including a steering wheel, a steering column, and a steering column housing disposed around the steering column, the steering wheel being pivotally connected to the steering column about a steering axis, the steering column being operatively connected to the dashboard;
a motor connected to the hull; and
a speed control assembly disposed between the dashboard and the steering wheel, the speed control assembly comprising: an assembly housing, the assembly housing defining at least one passage, the steering column extending through the at least one passage, the assembly housing being selectively connected to the steering column housing between the steering column housing and the steering wheel; a lever being pivotally connected to the assembly housing about a first axis, the first axis being offset from the at least one passage, the lever being disposed between the steering wheel and the dashboard; and an electronic motor control system operatively connected to the lever, the electronic motor control system producing signals operative to control a speed of a motor in response to the lever being rotated about the first axis.

17. The watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the first axis is parallel to a steering axis; and
the first axis is disposed below and to a side of the steering axis.

18. The watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

rotating the lever in a first direction about the first axis from a neutral position causes the motor to produce forward motion of the watercraft; and
rotating the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction about the first axis from the neutral position causes the motor to produce reverse motion of the watercraft.

19. The watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the steering column is adapted to tilt with respect to the dashboard about a horizontal axis; and
the assembly housing is adapted to tilt with the steering column.

20. The watercraft of claim 16, wherein the lever is a first lever and the motor is a first motor, the watercraft further comprising:

a second lever being pivotally connected to the assembly housing about a second axis, the second axis being offset from the at least one passage, the second lever being operatively connected to the electronic motor control system, the electronic motor control system produces signals operative to control a speed of a second motor in response to the second lever being rotated about the second axis.
Patent History
Publication number: 20190322344
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 28, 2016
Publication Date: Oct 24, 2019
Inventors: George BROUGHTON (Wadsworth, IL), Richard MCCHESNEY (Waukegan, IL)
Application Number: 15/362,432
Classifications
International Classification: B63H 21/21 (20060101); B63H 21/14 (20060101); B63B 39/06 (20060101); B63H 25/02 (20060101);