Slideable Maritime Stabilizer for Adjacent Members
Stabilizer is provided for joining parallel shafts in a marine environment and including a split bushing to permit one shaft to move rotationally and longitudinally relative to the stabilizer.
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The present invention relates to a stabilizer device adapted to hold a longitudinal shaft or member in a stable fashion based upon a connection to a parallel longitudinal member that must be allowed to rotate and move longitudinally through the stabilizer device in a marine setting. In a preferred configuration, one portion of the stabilizer attaches to the longitudinal shaft of a submersible sonar unit and another end of the stabilizer clamps about the rotating and height adjustable shaft connecting a mounting head to the motor/propeller assembly of a trolling motor on a fishing boat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn boating, it has become common to utilize numerous electronic devices to facilitate navigation, fishing or exploration, and communication. Particularly in the field of small boat fishing, the use of sonar apparatus to detect both sea bottom characteristics and aquatic activity has become widespread. Most sonar apparatus utilized by sport and recreational fishermen on small boats is designed for only temporary deployment in water and may be removed from water when either the boat is removed from the water or in the event that the boat is used in activities other than fishing. Many fishing boats are now equipped with two distinct types of propulsion devices. For example in bass fishing, which has become a popular competitive sport, fishing boats are often 15 to 25 feet long and utilize as a primary means of propulsion outboard engines having about 40 to 250 horsepower. These larger engines can propel boats at speeds greater than 70 mph and enable anglers to quickly reach desired fishing locations.
However, due to their noise and high propeller revolution speeds, outboard motors are not particularly conducive to attracting fish to proximity of the fishing boat so that anglers also equip their fishing boats with electric trolling motors. Typical trolling motors may provide sufficient propulsion to achieve speeds of three to four mph, with minimal noise and are readily operated with lower propeller speeds.
In addition, the electronic controls for trolling motors have become increasingly sophisticated so that both remote operation and automatically controlled operation is possible. Advertising for the Johnson Outdoors' Minn Kota® Ulterra trolling motor shows a single angler untrailering his fishing boat into a lake with no one aboard the boat. The angler then parks his vehicle and returns to the lakeside where he uses remote control of the trolling motor to steer the boat to the dock so that he can board. Various “smart” trolling motor controls also have the capability of automatically adjusting power and direction to maintain a vessel in a relatively stationary location in spite of wind and current, based upon GPS location. Another popular addition, especially for fishing, is sonar apparatus. Although some trolling motors are provided with built-in transducers, many anglers prefer to selectively install trolling motors and sonar, and high-end sonar apparatus is sold separately.
Typical sonar apparatus used by anglers is either directional or 360° coverage. Among the leading brands are Johnson Outdoors' Humminbird 360 and MEGA 360. This imaging sonar apparatus may be installed to a mount attached to the boat, but for convenience it is frequently desirable to be attached to the trolling motor assembly. In this fashion, only one mounting base needs to be fixed to the boat, and both the sonar and the trolling motor are deployed into the water and retracted from the water at the same time. In the case of the Johnson Outdoors' Minn Kota® Ultrex trolling motor, the company's Humminbird Mega 360 for Ultrex can be mounted to the same assembly. However, while the mounting assembly for the trolling motor provides excellent stability for the motor during transport and non-fishing activity, the transducer end of Mega 360° is unsupported. Similar issues arise when separate sonar transducers are mounted on other trolling motors, such as the Lowrance GHOST, Garmin FORCE and Motorglide TOUR. Thus, both when boats are trailered and towed on the road and when boats are being operated at high speed or on choppy water using outboard motor propulsion, the sonar head is in a horizontal withdrawn position out of the water where it is relatively unsupported and more likely to suffer vibratory damage. Anglers have been known to utilize various DIY solutions such as binding the sonar apparatus to the trolling motor apparatus with Styrofoam block spacers and bungee cords. These solutions are neither convenient nor durable.
Joining the shafts of the Mega 360 imaging apparatus and the trolling motor is non-trivial since the shaft of the trolling motor rotates during use according to the orientation of the propeller. In addition, the trolling motor shaft may be adjustable in the longitudinal direction since an angler may prefer relatively deeper deployment of the trolling motor propeller in deep water and a relatively shallow deployment of the propeller for shallow water or close to shore. Furthermore, using some type of joining mechanism that required disassembling the trolling motor to slide over the shaft would be a complication that would hinder the adoption of the mechanism. The use of bearings with circular races in joining the shafts would also require sliding the bearing over the end of the trolling motor shaft after disassembly.
Prior art efforts to secure the sonar apparatus in conjunction with trolling motor suffer from short comings of durability, inadequate vibratory protection, and the requirement of repeated attachment and detachment when the sonar goes into and out of use. A key to the present stabilizing system is the use of split ring connections to encircle each of the adjacent shafts and the use of a split bushing within the ring encircling the trolling motor shaft which permits the trolling motor shaft to both rotate and slide while still maintaining relative position to the shaft of the sonar apparatus. The structure also allows fitting of the stabilizer without disassembling either the trolling motor assembly or the sonar imaging assembly.
The features of the invention will be better understood by referencing the accompanying drawings depicting various applications and embodiments of the invention.
In
More specifically, trolling motor unit defines a first axis 22 about which extension arm 33, which is connected to steering module 44 which holds the motor shaft 48 with head unit 50 and motor power unit 52 at opposite ends, is rotatable in first and second rotational directions 24, 26. Rotation of the arm 33 and these connected components about first axis 22 in first rotational direction 24 and adjustment of the orientation of the shaft 48 will place trolling motor unit in a stowed position as shown in
Trolling motor unit 20 also defines a second axis 28. Motor shaft 48, head unit 50, and motor power unit 52 are rotatable in first and second rotational directions 30, 32 about second axis 28 to effectuate the steering of watercraft 18 by directing thrust provided by motor power unit 52. Motor shaft 48, head unit 50, and motor power unit 52 are also vertically adjustable along the second axis 28 in first and second linear directions 34, 36 to provide for the aforementioned trim adjustment by changing the vertical position of motor power unit 52 relative to base assembly 42.
As can be seen from inspection of
In the configuration of
In
In
The assembled stabilizer 80 is shown in
The stabilizer 80 is designed for marine use and periodic immersion, and to withstand sustained vibration, all without requiring extensive maintenance. The use of the stabilizer permits the creation of a rectangular structure comprised of parallel trolling motor shaft 48 and imager shaft 35 sections, with stabilizer 80 toward the lower ends, and an upper connector such as the mounting plate 60 shown in
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. A marine stabilizer comprising a stabilizer bar with first end having a first split rod connector and a second end having a second split rod connector wherein: the second split rod connector containing within the cover and the Y-joint, a split bushing that permits rotational movement of a shaft passing through the second split rod connector and permits the longitudinal movement of a shaft passing through the second split rod connector; wherein the split bushing is made of two semi-circular matching pieces cut along a diagonal.
- the first split rod connector comprises a Y-joint at the first end of the stabilizer bar releasably fastened to a cover;
- the second split rod connector comprises a Y-joint at the second end of the stabilizer bar releasably fasted to a cover, and
4. The marine stabilizer of claim 3, wherein the bushing pieces have an upper outwardly extending flange received in a recess along the top of the Y-joint and cover of the second split rod connector.
5. The marine stabilizer of claim 4, wherein the outwardly extending flanges are constrained in the recess by at least two cover pieces fastened to the Y-joint and cover.
6. The marine stabilizer of claim 5 wherein the Y-joints and associated connectors are releasably fastened with screws.
7. A stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination having a trolling motor with a base assembly attached to a boat, a trolling motor shaft passing through the base assembly, said trolling motor shaft having a top end with a head and a bottom end with a propulsion assembly; and the transducer assembly having an imager shaft with a transducer at a bottom end, a middle section, and an opposite top end with a fixed connector joining the opposite top end to the trolling motor base assembly, wherein the combination is stabilized by a stabilizer bar with first end having a first split rod connector and a second end having a second split rod connector wherein:
- the first split rod connector comprises a Y-joint at the first end of the stabilizer bar releasably fastened to a cover around the middle section of the imager shaft;
- the second split rod connector comprises a Y-joint at the second end of the stabilizer bar releasably fasted to a cover around the trolling motor shaft above the bottom end, and
- the second split rod connector containing within the cover and the Y-joint, a split bushing that permits rotational movement of the trolling motor shaft.
8. The stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination of claim 7, wherein the second split rod connector further permits the longitudinal movement of the trolling motor shaft.
9. The stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination of claim 7, wherein the split bushing is made of two semi-circular matching pieces cut along a diagonal.
10. The stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination claim 9, wherein the bushing pieces have an upper outwardly extending flange received in a recess along the top of the Y-joint and cover of the second split rod connector.
11. The stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination claim 10, wherein the outwardly extending flanges are constrained in the recess by at least two bushing cover pieces fastened to the Y-joint and cover.
12. The stabilized trolling motor and transducer apparatus combination claim 11 wherein the Y-joints and associated connectors are releasably fastened with screws.
13. A method of stabilizing a trolling motor and separate marine transducer apparatus wherein the trolling motor has a base assembly attached to a boat, a trolling motor shaft passing through the base assembly, said trolling motor shaft having a top end with a head and a bottom end with a propulsion assembly; and the transducer assembly having an imager shaft with a transducer at a bottom end, a middle section, and an opposite top end comprising the steps of:
- joining the trolling motor base assembly to a portion of the imager shaft proximate the top end;
- positioning a stabilizer bar having a first Y-joint at a first end and a second Y-joint at a second end with the first Y-joint on the middle section of the imager shaft and the second Y-joint on the trolling motor shaft above the bottom end;
- fastening a cover to the first Y-joint around the imager shaft;
- positioning pieces of a split bushing around the trolling motor shaft at the second Y-joint and fastening a cover to the second Y-joint about the split bushing pieces and trolling motor shaft.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second split rod connector further permits the longitudinal movement of the trolling motor shaft.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the split bushing is made of two semi-circular matching pieces cut along a diagonal.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the bushing pieces have an upper outwardly extending flange received in a recess along the top of the second Y-joint and its cover.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the outwardly extending flanges are constrained in the recess by at least two bushing cover pieces fastened to the Y-joint and cover.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the Y-joints and associated covers are releasably fastened with screws.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the trolling motor shaft and the imager shaft are rotatable from a vertical deployed position to a horizontal stowed position.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein the trolling motor shaft and the imager shaft are positioned as substantially parallel from top to bottom.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 23, 2020
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2022
Applicant: Boatlogix, LLC (Chattanooga, TN)
Inventors: David A. Craft (Chattanooga, TN), Ronald J. Speicher (Chattanooga, TN)
Application Number: 17/030,102