Marine propulsion – Screw propeller – With means effecting or facilitating movement of propulsion...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-23
2002-06-11
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Screw propeller
With means effecting or facilitating movement of propulsion...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402577
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a steering device for a marine propulsion system and, more particularly, to an integrated steering system that is disposed within a support structure of the marine propulsion unit to minimize the movement of components of the steering actuator relative to support structure when the marine propulsion system is rotated either about its steering axis or its tilting axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known to those skilled in the art of marine propulsion systems, As hydraulically actuated steering systems or power steering systems typically incorporate hydraulic cylinders that are mounted on the marine propulsion system in a way that requires portions of the hydraulic actuator to move with the marine propulsion system as it is tilted about its tilting axis or rotated about its steering axis. This arrangement causes interference between associated components of the marine propulsion system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,370, which issued to Fetchko et al on Dec. 7, 1999, describes an outboard hydraulic steering assembly with reduced support bracket rotation. The hydraulic steering assembly applies a force to a tiller arm of a marine, outboard propulsion unit and rotates the propulsion unit about a steering axis between a center position and hard over positions to each side of the center position. The propulsion unit is supported for arcuate movement about a tilt axis which is generally perpendicular to the steering axis. The steering assembly includes a hydraulic steering cylinder with an elongated piston rod reciprocatingly mounted within the cylinder for movement along a piston rod axis. A pair of support arms are pivotable about the tilt axis and are connected to the piston rod, allowing arcuate movement of the rod about the tilt axis, while maintaining the rod axis parallel to the tilt axis. A member is pivotally mounted on the tiller arm for pivoting about a first axis which is parallel to the steering axis. The cylinder arm is connected to the cylinder and extends radially outwards from the piston rod axis. The cylinder arm is pivotally connected to the member for pivoting about the second link axis which is parallel to the piston rod axis. The cylinder arm moves through a partially rotated position when the propulsion unit rotates from the center position to either hard over position. The second link axis and the rod axes are on a plane parallel to the steering axis at the partially rotated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,084, which issued to Borst on Dec. 6, 1983, describes a power assisted steering mechanism for a marine propulsion device. An outboard motor for a boat includes a support adapted to be fixed relative to the boat hull, and a propulsion assembly including a rotatably mounted propeller. It is connected to the support for pivotal steering movement about a steering axis. The outboard motor also includes a pair of elongated members, coupled together for linear extension and retraction upon rotation of one of the elongated members with respect to the other of the elongated members, with the end of one of the members being connected to the propulsion assembly for causing pivotal movement of the propulsion assembly about the steering axis. It further comprises an assembly for fixing the other of the elongated members against longitudinal movement and a push pull cable assembly for selectively causing rotation of one of the elongated members with respect to the other of the elongated members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,470, which issued to Rump on May 22, 1984, describes an hydraulic control package for a marine steering system. The package is intended for use in a marine steering system which has a steering helm pump with port and starboard fluid outlets and a return inlet for hydraulically actuating a piston in a hydraulic cylinder having port and starboard inlets for moving the piston back and forth in the cylinder in response to fluid delivered from the helm pump. A fluid reservoir is closed and pressurized with air and is defined by an open ended tube having a cap sealing the top end of the tube and a valve body sealing the bottom end of the tube. The valve body houses the control valve means for controlling the fluid flow in the system between the helm pump and the actuating cylinder. The cap and valve body are held against the respective ends of the tube by tie rods. The assembly may also include a plurality of steering pumps connected in parallel and through shuttle-tee check valves to the control valve means with a restrictive bypass extending about each shuttle-tee check valve for preventing the nonactive pump from motoring in response to steering fluid output of the active pump while allowing a limited amount of the steering fluid output to flow to the nonactive steering pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,882, which issued to Rump on Sep. 27, 1988, describes a hydraulic steering assembly for outboard engines. The assembly is secured to a tiller arm of a variety of outboard propulsion units for a boat so as to rotate a propulsion unit about a steering axis. The assembly comprises a hydraulic cylinder having a hydraulically actuated rod member extending therefrom and being rotatably secured to the tiller arm of an outboard propulsion unit about an axis of rotation parallel to the steering axis. The hydraulic cylinder also includes a pivotal connection for attachment to the boat to define a pivot axis generally parallel to the steering axis and nonrotatable about the steering axis. The force exerted by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder against the pivotal connection rotates the outboard propulsion unit about the steering axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,757, which issued to Wood on Oct. 21, 1980, describes a boat steering assembly. The assembly has a tiller lever for providing a steering input upon being pivoted about a first pivot axis and an actuating lever supported for pivotal movement about a second pivot axis. The ends of the levers are interconnected in order to pivot the tiller lever upon pivoting movement of the actuating lever and for positioning the levers in parallel relationship with one another in a neutral position. The length of the tiller lever from its first pivot is longer than the length of the actuating lever from its second pivot to their respective ends. There is also an actuator assembly comprising a reciprocating member having a hydraulically operated piston at each end which is slidably disposed for movement between two cylinders which are defined by a housing. A first end of a actuating member is operatively connected to the housing and a second end extends out of the housing and is adapted for connection to a steering means. A drive member supported by the reciprocating member provides a driving connection between the actuating lever and the reciprocating member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,732, which issued to Ferguson on Jun. 3, 1986, describes a marine propulsion device power steering system. A marine propulsion device is adapted for mounting to a boat transom and comprises a propulsion unit, a swivel bracket connecting the propulsion unit to the boat transom for pivotal movement of the propulsion unit relative to the boat transom about its steering axis and an extendable and contractable steering link which is pivotally connected to the boat transom and to the propulsion unit for rotating the propulsion unit about the steering axis. The device further comprises an operator actuated extendable and contractable control link connected to the boat transom and to the propulsion unit and operably connected to the steering link for selectively effecting extension and contraction of the steering link in response to operator actuation of the control link.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,856, which issued to Kabuto et al on Jul. 7, 1992, describes a power steering system for an outboard motor. The system is capable of permitting an electric motor to be driven only when the driving of the electric motor is required and automatically controlling the steering force of a steering w
Treinen Kerry J.
Uppgard Darin C.
Brunswick Corporation
Lanyi William D.
Morano S. Joseph
Olson Lars A.
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