Variable trolling motor steering control

Abstract

A trolling motor for a boat includes a motor tube, a steering control, a propulsion unit, a support assembly, and a coupling mechanism. The propulsion unit is coupled to a lower end of the motor tube. The support assembly is coupled to the motor tube and is configured to connect the trolling motor to the boat. The coupling mechanism is coupled to the support, the motor tube and the steering control and is configured to provide a non-uniform steering ratio between the steering control and the motor tube in response to angular displacement of the steering control.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A trolling motor for a boat, the trolling motor comprising: 
 a motor tube;    a steering control;    a propulsion unit coupled to a lower end of the motor tube;    a support assembly coupled to the motor tube and configured to connect the trolling motor to the boat; and    a coupling mechanism coupled to the support, the motor tube and the steering control, the coupling mechanism configured to provide a non-uniform steering ratio between the steering control and the motor tube in response to angular displacement of the steering control.    
     
     
         2 . The trolling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion unit is a trolling motor having a propeller.  
     
     
         3 . The trolling motor of  claim 1  further including a control head connected to the upper end of the motor tube.  
     
     
         4 . The trolling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the support assembly includes at least one bracket for connecting the trolling motor to the boat.  
     
     
         5 . The trolling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism is rotatably and slidably coupled to the motor tube.  
     
     
         6 . The trolling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the steering control includes: 
 a housing pivotally coupled to the support assembly about a first axis; and    a steering member coupled to the housing.    
     
     
         7 . The trolling motor of  claim 6 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes: 
 a tube extension; and    a steering control extension positioned between the housing and the support, coupled to the tube extension and pivotally coupled to the support about the first axis.    
     
     
         8 . The trolling motor of  claim 7 , wherein the tube extension includes at least two projections, and wherein the steering control extension has a main opening and at least two slots interconnected to the main opening, each slot is configured to slidably and removably receive one of the projections.  
     
     
         9 . The trolling motor of  claim 7 , wherein the housing has a groove configured to receive the motor tube and to allow for movement of the housing about the tube within the groove during the angular translation of the housing about the first axis.  
     
     
         10 . The trolling motor of  claim 8 , wherein the motor tube extends through and removably couples to the tube extension, wherein the motor tube extends through and rotatably couples to the support, and wherein the motor tube and at least one of the projections extends through the main opening of the steering control extension.  
     
     
         11 . The trolling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a tube extension having an opening for receiving the motor tube and at least one slot, and further includes a motor tube sleeve, wherein the motor tube includes at least one projection and is configured to slidably extend over and removably couple to the motor tube, and wherein the at least one projection is configured to slidably and removably engage the at least one slot of the tube extension.  
     
     
         12 . The trolling motor of  claim 11 , wherein the tube extension includes two opposing slots, wherein the sleeve includes two opposing projections and is configured to slidably and removably insert into the two slots of the tube extension in two separate positions.  
     
     
         13 . A steering control device for a trolling motor of a boat having a motor tube supporting a propulsion unit and a support coupled to the motor tube, the device comprising: 
 a tube extension having a tube opening configured to couple to the motor tube of the trolling motor, the tube extension including at least two projections; and    a steering control extension pivotally coupled to the support about a first axis, the steering control extension having a main opening and at least two slots interconnected to the main opening, the main opening sized to receive the motor tube and at least one projection of the tube extension, each slot configured to slidably and removably receive one of the projections, thereby providing a non-uniform steering ratio between the steering member and the motor tube in response to movement of the steering member.    
     
     
         14 . The steering control device of  claim 13 , further including: 
 a housing pivotally coupled to the support of the trolling motor about a first axis, the housing having a groove configured to receive the motor tube and to allow for movement of the tube within the groove during the angular translation of the housing about the first axis; and    a steering member coupled to the housing.    
     
     
         15 . The steering control device of  claim 13 , wherein the tube extension includes at least one notch and the motor tube of the trolling motor includes at least one projection, and the at least one projection of the motor tube is configured to removably engage the tube extension at the at least one notch, whereby the tube extension rotates with the motor tube in response to movement of the steering member.  
     
     
         16 . The steering control device of  claim 13 , wherein the motor tube includes two opposing projections and wherein the tube extension includes two opposing notches configured to removably receive the projections in one of a first position, in which the propulsion unit is positioned for substantially forward trolling, and a second position, in which the propulsion unit is positioned for substantially rearward trolling.  
     
     
         17 . The steering control device of  claim 14 , wherein the steering member is a steering arm.  
     
     
         18 . The steering control device of  claim 14 , wherein the groove of the housing is an arcuate elongate groove.  
     
     
         19 . The steering control device of  claim 13 , wherein the tube extension is triangular and the at least two projections of the tube extension are first, second and third pins extending from the tube extension in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis, and wherein the steering control extension contains three slots.  
     
     
         20 . The steering control device of  claim 13 , wherein the tube extension includes first, second and third pins and wherein the first and third pins are spaced at a radial distance from an axis of the motor tube that is less than the radial distance of the second pin to the axis of the motor tube.  
     
     
         21 . The steering control device of  claim 14 , wherein the steering control device provides a non-uniform and increasing steering ratio between the steering member and the motor tube in response to movement of the steering member from a position substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the boat to a position away from the longitudinal centerline.  
     
     
         22 . A steering control device for a trolling motor having a support coupled to a motor tube and configured to couple to a boat, the device comprising: 
 a steering control; and    a coupling mechanism coupled to the steering control about a first axis and to the support and the motor tube of the trolling motor, the coupling mechanism forming a variable steering control mechanism having a first steering range in which the coupling mechanism has lesser steering sensitivity and a second steering range in which the coupling mechanism has greater steering sensitivity.    
     
     
         23 . The steering control device of  claim 22 , wherein the coupling assembly is rotatably and slidably coupled to the motor tube.  
     
     
         24 . The steering control device of  claim 22 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes: 
 a tube extension having at least two projections;    a steering control extension having a main opening and at least two slots interconnected to the main opening, each slot is configured to slidably and removably receive one of the projections, wherein the housing has a groove configured to receive the motor tube and to allow for movement of the tube within the groove during the angular translation of the housing about the first axis.    
     
     
         25 . The steering control device of  claim 24 , wherein the motor tube extends through and removably couples to the tube extension, wherein the motor tube extends through and rotatably couples to the support, and wherein the motor tube and at least one of the projections extends through the main opening of the steering control extension.  
     
     
         26 . The steering control device of  claim 24 , wherein the tube extension is triangular and the at least two projections of the tube extension are first, second and third pins extending from the tube extension in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis, and wherein the steering control extension contains three slots.  
     
     
         27 . The steering control device of  claim 26 , wherein the first and third pins are spaced at a radial distance from an axis of the motor tube that is less than the radial distance of the second pin to an axis of the motor tube.  
     
     
         28 . A steering control device for a trolling motor having a support, a propulsion unit, and a motor tube that is coupled to the propulsion unit and the support, the device comprising: 
 a steering control having an angular displacement operating range about a first axis; and    a coupling mechanism including: 
 a steering control extension coupled to the steering control and to the support of the trolling motor, and  
 a motor tube extension coupled to the motor tube, the steering control extension having at least one slot and the motor tube extension having at least one pin, the at least one pin configured to slidably engage the steering control extension such that the differential between the angular translation of the steering control about the first axis and the resultant angular translation of the propulsion unit about a motor tube axis non-uniformly varies over the angular operating range of the steering control.  
   
     
     
         29 . The steering control device of  claim 28 , wherein an angular translation of the steering control causes an angular translation of the propulsion unit that is greater than the angular translation of the steering control.  
     
     
         30 . The steering control device of  claim 28 , wherein the tube extension includes at least three pins, wherein the steering control extension has a main opening and at least three slots interconnected to the main opening, each slot is configured to slidably and removably receive one of the pins, and wherein the steering control includes a housing having a groove configured to receive the motor tube and to allow for movement of the tube within the groove during the angular translation of the housing about the first axis.  
     
     
         31 . The steering control device of  claim 29 , wherein the motor tube extends through and removably couples to the tube extension, the motor tube extends through and rotatably couples to the support, and the motor tube and at least one of the projections extends through the main opening of the steering control extension.  
     
     
         32 . The steering control device of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one pin of the tube extension includes first, second and third pins extending from the tube extension in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis, and wherein the steering control extension includes three slots.  
     
     
         33 . The steering control device of  claim 32 , wherein the first and third pins are spaced at a radial distance from an axis of the motor tube that is less than the radial distance of the second pin to the axis of the motor tube.  
     
     
         34 . A steering control device for a boat motor having a support, a propulsion unit, and a motor tube that is coupled to the propulsion unit and the support, the device comprising: 
 a steering control;    a steering control extension coupled to the steering control about a first axis and to the support of the motor; and    a motor tube extension coupled to the motor tube, the inter-engagement of the steering control extension and the motor tube extension non-uniformly rotates the tube in response to angular displacement of the steering control about the first axis.    
     
     
         35 . The steering control device of  claim 34 , wherein the motor tube extension includes at least two projections, wherein the steering control extension has a main opening and at least two slots interconnected to the main opening, wherein each slot is configured to slidably and removably receive one of the projections, and wherein the steering control includes a housing having a groove configured to receive the motor tube and to allow for movement of the tube within the groove during the angular translation of the housing about the first axis.  
     
     
         36 . The steering control device of  claim 35 , wherein the motor tube extends through and removably couples to the tube extension, the motor tube extends through and rotatably couples to the support, and the motor tube and at least one of the projections extends through the main opening of the steering control extension.  
     
     
         37 . The steering control device of  claim 34 , wherein the tube extension includes first, second and third pins extending from the tube extension in a direction substantially parallel to the tube, and wherein the steering control extension contains three slots.  
     
     
         38 . The steering control device of  claim 37 , wherein the first and third pins are spaced at a radial distance from an axis of the motor tube that is less than the radial distance of the second pin to an axis of the motor tube.  
     
     
         39 . A trolling motor for a boat, the trolling motor comprising: 
 a lower propulsion unit;    a motor support coupled to the propulsion unit and configured to rotate about a first axis;    a steering control member coupled to the motor support and pivotable about a second axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the control member is coupled to the motor support at a first radial distance from the first axis when in the first position and wherein the control member is coupled to the motor support at a second radial distance from the first axis when in the second position; and    means for rotating the steering control member about the second axis between the first and second positions.    
     
     
         40 . The trolling motor of  claim 39 , wherein the means for rotating the steering control member includes a control arm coupled to the steering control member.  
     
     
         41 . The trolling motor of  claim 39 , wherein the trolling motor includes first and second projecting members coupled to the motor support and spaced from the first axis by the first and second radial distances and wherein the steering control member comprises an extension having first and second slots adapted to receive the first and second projecting members, respectively.  
     
     
         42 . The trolling motor of  claim 39 , wherein the steering control member is coupled to the motor support at a third radial distance from the second axis in the first position and wherein the steering control member is coupled to the motor support at a fourth radial distance from the second axis when in the second position.  
     
     
         43 . The trolling motor of  claim 39 , wherein the boat has a longitudinal center line and wherein the propulsion unit and the motor support rotate about the first axis by a first angular extent in response to the angular rotation of the steering control member about the second axis by a second angular extent when the propulsion unit is in near alignment with the longitudinal center line of the boat and wherein the propulsion unit and the motor support rotate about the first axis by a second larger angular extent in response to rotation of the steering control member about the second axis by the second angular extent when the propulsion unit is further out of alignment with the longitudinal center line of the boat.