Navigation controllers for a vehicle including watercraft

Abstract

A navigation controller for a vehicle comprises a grip member configured and dimensioned to be grabbed by a hand of a user. A mount is provided for mounting the grip member to a steering wheel of the vehicle. The grip member is mounted to be engagable by the hand of the user for rotating the steering wheel by the user to steer the vehicle. The control switches generating control output signals for controlling at least the speed of the vehicle. A control plate supports the control switches and is disposed near to the grip member and positioned, configured and dimensioned relative to the grip member to enable a thumb or finger of the user to engage with one or more of the control switches while the hand remains engaged with the grip member. The hand remains engaged with the grip member so that the steering of the vehicle is controlled by rotating the steering wheel through movement of the grip member by the user while simultaneous activation of the control switches by the thumb or finger of hand of the user remains available. A tactile location indicator may be disposed on the control plate to provide easy and rapid location indication by haptic feedback.

1 . A navigation controller for a vehicle, comprising:
 a grip member configured and dimensioned to be grabbed by a hand of a user;   a mount for mounting the grip member to a steering wheel of the vehicle, the grip member being mounted to be engagable by the hand of the user for rotating the steering wheel by the user to steer the vehicle;   control switches for generating control output signals for controlling at least the speed of the vehicle; and   a control plate supporting the control switches and disposed near to the grip member and positioned, configured and dimensioned relative to the grip member to enable a thumb or finger of the user to engage with one or more of the control switches while the hand remains engaged with the grip member so that the steering of the vehicle is controlled by rotating the steering wheel through movement of the grip member by the user while simultaneous activation of the control switches by the thumb or finger of hand of the user remains available.   
     
     
         2 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , where the mount comprises a clamp for removably clamping the grip member, control switches and control plate to the steering wheel. 
     
     
         3 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip member is rotationally mounted on the mount. 
     
     
         4 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the grip member is pivotally mounted on the mount to accommodate an angle of the steering wheel relative to a position of the user. 
     
     
         5 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 ; further comprising a tactile location indicator positioned on the control plate so that when not activating a control switch, the thumb or finger of the user can locate and rest on the tactile location indicator to facilitate quick locating of a particular control switch by the thumb or finger while the fingers remain engaged with the grip member. 
     
     
         6 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 ; wherein the mount includes position adjustment means for adjusting at least one of the angle, location and rotation of the grip member. 
     
     
         7 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 ; wherein the control switches include a first set of control switches located on the control plate, the first set of control switches comprising at least a throttle up switch and a throttle down switch. 
     
     
         8 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 7 ; wherein the control switches further include a second set of secondary control switches located on a switch support plate, the second set of control switches including at least one of a forward switch, a neutral switch, a reverse switch, a kill switch and a warm up switch. 
     
     
         9 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 7 ; further comprising a switch activation sensitivity switch for controlling a rate of change of the navigation control of the vehicle associated with at least one of the control switches. 
     
     
         10 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 1 ; wherein the control switches include at least one rocker control switch positioned on the control plate for generating control output signals for controlling turning of the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A navigation controller for a watercraft according to  claim 12 ; wherein one or more of the control switches are piezoelectric switches. 
     
     
         12 . A navigation controller for a watercraft, comprising: control switches for generating control output signals for controlling the navigation of the watercraft, wherein the navigation of the watercraft controlled by the control switches comprises steering the watercraft by actuating the control switches using at least one of one or more fingers and a thumb of a hand of a user;
 a control plate supporting the first set of control switches wherein the control plate is mountable to a lever arm on a set of standard boat controls, the lever arm being pivotally mounted for providing throttle control and gear shifting depending on a pivoted position of the lever arm, wherein the navigation of the watercraft is controlled by actuating the control switches using at least one of one or more fingers and a thumb of the hand of a user, wherein one-handed control of the navigation of the watercraft is achieved by actuating the control switches for controlling the steering of the watercraft while changing the pivoted position of the lever am to provide throttle control and gear shifting.   
     
     
         13 . The navigation controller according to  claim 12 ; further comprising a detent pin and grille mechanism, for preventing an unintended change in the pivot position of the lever arm wherein the detent pin is removably engagable with the grille, the detent pin is so affixed to the lever arm, so that when engaged with the grille the lever arm is prevented from changing the pivoted position. 
     
     
         14 . A navigation controller for a watercraft according to  claim 12 ; further comprising a tactile location indicator positioned on the control plate so that when not activating the control switches, the thumb of the hand rests on the tactile location indicator to facilitate quick locating of the control switches by the thumb. 
     
     
         15 . A navigation controller for a watercraft according to  claim 12 ; further comprising a switch activation sensitivity switch for controlling a rate of change of the steering navigation control of the watercraft associated with the control switches. 
     
     
         16 . A navigation controller for a vehicle, comprising:
 a grip member configured and dimensioned to be grabbed by a hand of a user;   control switches for generating control output signals for controlling at least the speed of the vehicle;   a control plate supporting the control switches and disposed near to the grip member and positioned, configured and dimensioned relative to the grip member to enable a thumb or finger of the user to engage with one or more of the control switches while the hand remains engaged with the grip member so that the steering of the vehicle is controlled by rotating the steering wheel through movement of the grip member by the user while simultaneous activation of the control switches by the thumb of hand of the user remains available; and a mount bed attachable to a steering wheel of the vehicle, the mount bed being configured for retrofittably mounting the grip member to the steering wheel so that the grip member is engagable by the hand of the user for rotating the steering wheel by the user to steer the vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 16 ; wherein the control switches include a first set of control switches located on the control plate, the first set of control switches comprising at least a throttle up switch and a throttle down switch. 
     
     
         18 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 17 ; further comprising a second set of control switches located on a switch support plate, the second set of control switches may include at least one of a forward switch, a neutral switch, a reverse switch, a kill switch, engine tilt switch and a warm up switch, wherein the switch support plate is mountable at a location on the steering wheel different from a location of the mount bed, wherein the control switches supported on the control plate maintain a constant orientation relative to the hand of the user. 
     
     
         19 . A navigation controller for a vehicle according to  claim 18 ; further comprising a third set of control switches located on a second switch support plate, the third set of control switches including at least one of a forward switch, a neutral switch, a reverse switch, a kill switch, engine tilt switch and a warm up switch, wherein the second switch support plate is mountable at a location on the steering wheel different from the location of the switch support plate and the location of the mount bed.