Control device for a marine drive unit

Abstract

A control device for a marine drive unit, the device comprising a first mounting plate ( 10 ) for mounting said control device to a marine vessel, a second mounting plate ( 12 ) for mounting said control device to a marine drive unit, said first and second mounting plates ( 10, 12 ) being spatially separated and being communicably coupled by first and second pivotal mechanical links ( 20, 22 ) connected therebetween such that rotational movement of said mechanical links causes corresponding planar linear motion of said second mounting plate between a first, fully lowered position and a second, fully raised position, the control device further comprising a spring member ( 24 ) communicably coupled to said second mounting plate ( 12 ) and configured to exert an upward force thereon, said second mounting plate being configured, in use, to move toward said fully raised position in response to a further upward force applied thereto by thrust generated by said marine drive unit.

1 . A control device for a marine drive unit, the device comprising a first mounting plate for mounting said control device to a marine vessel, a second mounting plate for mounting said control device to a marine drive unit, said first and second mounting plates being spatially separated and being communicably coupled by first and second pivotal mechanical links connected therebetween such that rotational movement of said mechanical links causes corresponding planar linear motion of said second mounting plate between a first, fully lowered position and a second, fully raised position, the control device further comprising a spring member communicably coupled to said second mounting plate and configured to exert an upward force thereon, said second mounting plate being configured, in use, to move toward said fully raised position in response to a further upward force applied thereto by thrust generated by said marine drive unit. 
     
     
         2 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said spring member comprises one or more torsion springs or torsion bars coupled between said first mounting plate and at least one of said first and second pivotal mechanical links. 
     
     
         3 . The control device of  claim 2 , wherein said spring member comprises one or more helically wound torsion springs or torsion bars. 
     
     
         4 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said spring member is connected diagonally between said first and second mounting plates across the space therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The control device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lower stop member for defining and limiting said fully lowered position. 
     
     
         6 . The control device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one upper stop member for defining and limiting said fully raised position. 
     
     
         7 . The control device of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one lower stop member comprises an elongate rod, the longitudinal axis of which extends along the operational axis of the spring member, the rod having an elongate longitudinal channel therein, wherein the rod is communicably coupled at the lower end of the second fixing plate by means of a pin provided thereon which is slideably received within said channel. 
     
     
         8 . The control device of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one upper stop member comprises a block mounted on the inner surface of the first and/or second fixing plate. 
     
     
         9 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said spring member is an extension spring mounted diagonally between an upper end of the first fixing plate and a lower end of the second fixing plate. 
     
     
         10 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fixing plates are substantially parallel to each other and the pivotal mechanical links are arranged and configured therebetween to maintain said fixing plates substantially parallel to each other between said fully lowered position and said fully raised position. 
     
     
         11 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said spring member is a compression spring mounted diagonally between an upper end of the second fixing plate and a lower end of the first fixing plate. 
     
     
         12 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said pivotal mechanical links are arranged and configured to cause the angle of the plane of the second fixing plate to change relative to the plane of the first fixing plate as the second fixing plate moves from said fully lowered position to said fully raised position. 
     
     
         13 . The control device of  claim 12 , wherein said angle of the plane of the second fixing plate relative to the plane of the first fixing device increases as the second fixing plate moves from said fully lowered position to said fully raised position, so as to increase the hull angle of said marine drive unit relative to said marine vessel, in use. 
     
     
         14 . The control device of  claim 1 , wherein said spring member is provided with damping or dashpot means. 
     
     
         15 . The control device of  claim 14 , wherein the bump and/or rebound settings of said damping or dashpot means are selected to set the speed at which said second fixing plate moves between said fully raised position to said fully lowered position, and/or between said fully lowered position to said fully raised position. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The control device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lower stop member for defining and limiting said fully lowered position.