Marine propulsion – With indicator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-09
2001-08-21
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3677)
Marine propulsion
With indicator
C440S006000, C440S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276975
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The disclosure relates to a battery gauge for a battery-powered electric trolling motor of the type which is commonly mounted to the bow of a fishing boat. Further, the disclosure relates to a battery gauge for an electric trolling motor which displays the amount of running time remaining at the current speed setting of the motor before the battery loses its charge, thereby allowing the user to adjust the speed setting accordingly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fishing boats and vessels are often equipped with a trolling motor for providing a relatively small amount of thrust to slowly and quietly propel the boat or vessel while the operator is fishing. The motor is typically mounted to the bow of the boat (alternatively the motor may be mounted at other locations in the boat, for example the motor may be transom mounted at the stern of the boat) so that the thrust pulls the boat through the water. The power source for the trolling motor is usually a lead-acid marine battery having a limited capacity measured by the amount of amp-hours that the battery is capable of providing. The limited battery capacity limits the combination of trolling motor speed and time available to the fisherman. For a predetermined state of charge on the battery, the fisherman can troll for a relatively long amount of time at low speed (i.e., low-power usage), or for a relatively short amount of time at high speed (i.e., high-power usage). When the battery is discharged, the fisherman needs to stop his trolling operations until such time that the battery can be charged. Unfortunately, prior art trolling motors do not provide these fisherman with a reliable way of determining how long the battery will last until it needs to be recharged. Thus, the fisherman may find that the battery power is depleted well before the end of the fishing day.
Some trolling motors provide information related to the trolling motor battery condition, to the operator, by measuring and displaying the percentage charge of the battery. The display may be in the form of a bar graph having a number of segments corresponding to the percentage of charge (e.g., four out of ten segments may be lighted to indicate a 40 percent charge), or alternatively the display may be in a numerical percentage charge of the battery. Based on the display, an operator may attempt to roughly estimate the amount of running t me remaining based on his prior experience with the boat and trolling motor at different operating speed conditions. The display, however, does not provide an accurate indication of the amount of running time remaining before the battery will be discharged. This defect results from the fact that the amount of current drawn from the battery will depend on the speed settings of the trolling motor. As the speed setting, and thus propeller speed, changes, the current usage will vary in a very wide range (e.g., from 1 amp to 50 amps). Thus, for example, a 40 percent charge may last two hours with the motor operating at its maximum speed, but may last for eight hours if the speed is cut back to a slower trolling speed. Therefore, even an experienced operator will be able to make only a very inaccurate estimate of the amount of running time left using existing battery gauges, and will only be able to guess what speed setting will correspond to the amount of time that he wishes to continue trolling.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved battery gauge for an electric trolling motor which determines the amount of running time remaining at the current speed setting of the trolling motor before the battery loses its charge, and displays this running time. Further, there is a need for a battery gauge in which the operator will know how much longer he may continue to troll at the current speed setting. Further still, there is a need for a battery gauge for an electric trolling motor which provides information of which the user can use to adjust the speed setting to decrease the current draw and conserve battery power if insufficient running time is available at the current speed setting, avoiding the possibility of running out of battery power too early.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment relates to a battery gauge for an electric trolling motor. The battery gauge includes a battery configured to supply power to the trolling motor. The battery gauge also includes a motor speed setting switch configured to supply a signal representative of the motor speed setting. Further, the battery gauge includes an electronic circuit configured to sense at least one battery parameter representative of the battery charge. The electronic circuit is configured to receive an electrical signal representative of the speed setting. The electronic circuit is configured to determine the remaining battery charge time based on the at least one battery parameter and the speed setting.
Another exemplary embodiment relates to an electric trolling motor. The electric trolling motor includes a propulsion unit configured to provide thrust and having a motor. The electrical trolling motor includes a steering unit, coupled to the propulsion unit for steering the propulsion unit. The electric trolling motor further includes a battery configured to supply power to the propulsion unit. Further still, the electric trolling motor includes a motor speed setting switch coupled to the motor and configured to supply a signal representative of the motor speed setting. Yet further still, the electric trolling motor includes an electronic circuit configured to sense at least one battery parameter representative of the battery charge, and the electronic circuit is configured to receive an electrical signal representative of the speed setting. The electronic circuit is configured to determine the remaining battery charge time based on the at least one battery parameter and the speed setting.
Yet another exemplary embodiment relates to a method of providing an indication of battery charge for a trolling motor. The method includes sensing at least one battery parameter of a trolling motor battery. The battery parameter is representative of battery charge. The method also includes receiving, by a processing circuit, the at least one battery parameter. The method further includes, receiving, by the processing circuit, a signal representative of a trolling motor speed setting. Further still, the method includes computing, by the processing circuit, a battery charge time based on the at least one battery parameter and the trolling motor speed setting.
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Bass Pro Shops 1997 Catalog, pp. 319-328, Expiration Date: Feb. 1, 1998.
JWA Informational Brochure, pp. 1-52, ©1996.
Motor Guide 2000 Catalog, pp. 1-24, ©1999.
Basinger Sherman
Foley & Lardner
Johnson Outdoors Inc.
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