Adjustable position steering

Abstract

A position-adjustable steering control assembly for a personal watercraft includes a handlebar pivotally attached to a steering shaft which is operatively supported on the watercraft. The handlebar can be pivotally adjusted about a substantially horizontal axis which is normal to the axis of the steering shaft. The handlebar can be selectively locked into a plurality of angular positions within an angular range of more than 180 degrees, and the angular position of the steering axis of the handlebar will be unchanged regardless of the angular steering positions, which is advantageous, particularly when being used with a watercraft which accommodates more than one riding position of the driver.

1 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       2 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the steering member comprises a handlebar rotatably mounted on the steering axis at a middle portion thereof, an axis of the middle portion forming the adjustment axis, and opposed end portions of the handlebar thereby being selectively positioned among the limited number of predetermined angular positions when the handlebar pivots about the adjustment axis.  
   
   
       3 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a positioning element and a locking element, the positioning element being affixed to the middle portion of the handlebar in order to rotate together therewith about the adjustment axis, the positioning element including a plurality of radial recesses in a circumferentially spaced relationship, the locking element being operatively attached to the end of the steering shaft and being moveable between a first position to engage a selected one of the radial recesses in the positioning element and a second position to disengage the positioning element.  
   
   
       4 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the steering shaft comprises a plate affixed to the end thereof to rotate together therewith, and a pair of spaced-apart sleeve members affixed to the plate, the middle portion of the handlebar being rotatably supported by the sleeve members and the positioning element being disposed between the sleeve members.  
   
   
       5 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the locking element comprises a locking pin operatively supported at opposed ends thereof by a pair of guiding members in order to allow the lock pin to move between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       6 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the guiding members are attached to the respective sleeve members.  
   
   
       7 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the locking element comprises a trigger mechanism coupled with the locking pin, the trigger mechanism moves the locking pin between the first and second positions when the trigger mechanism is actuated.  
   
   
       8 . A personal watercraft adapted for more than one riding position, comprising: 
 a hull;    a deck supported by the hull;    a power source supported by the hull;    a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull, including an inlet for taking in water, an impeller assembly for generating a pressurized stream of water, an outlet for discharging the pressurized stream of water, and a movable element positioned at the outlet for selectively directing the pressurized stream of water, wherein the movable element is operatively connected to a steering member and directs the pressurized stream of water based on signals from the steering member; and    the steering member disposed on the deck of the watercraft and operatively connected to the movable element of the jet propulsion unit for steering the watercraft, the steering mechanism rotatable about a steering axis and pivotable about an adjustment axis the adjustment axis being substantially normal to the steering axis, such that the steering mechanism is selectively positionable in one of a limited number of predetermined angular positions.    
   
   
       9 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising a throttle lever disposed on the steering mechanism so as to be actuatable by a user of the watercraft irrespective of in which of the predetermined angular position the steering mechanism is positioned.  
   
   
       10 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising a stop button disposed on the steering mechanism so as to be actuatable by a user of the watercraft irrespective of in which of the predetermined angular position the steering mechanism is positioned.  
   
   
       11 - 15 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       16 . The personal watercraft as claimed in  claim 9  wherein when the steering mechanism is positioned in at least a first one of the predetermined angular position, the throttle lever is disposed so as to be thumb-actuated and when the steering mechanism is positioned in at least a second one of the predetermined angular positions, the throttle lever is disposed so as to be finger actuated.