Brunswick Corporation

Andrew J Przybyl

Steven J Andrasko

Steven M Anschuetz

Jason S Arbuckle

Kenneth G Gable

William P O'Brien

Justin R Poirier

Wayne M Jaszewski

David M Van Buren

Kyle F Karnick

Robert Raymond Osthelder

Matthew W Snyder

Stephen R Collins

John A Groeschel

Michael J Lemancik

Daniel J Balogh

Jeffrey D Reifsnyder

Thomas S Kirchhoff

Robert A Podell

Scott George Ahlswede

Brad E Taylor

Ronald L Hall

Keith W Schmidt

Gene A Smedema

Matthew S Dawes

Mark A Graf

Gary D Needham

David Brian Griep

Matthew Z Seta

Thomas F Nickols

Jason F Pugh

William R Robertson

Derek J Fletcher

Christopher J Luckett

Kenneth E Peterson

David G Camp

Ryan A Fergus

Tyler J Nackers

Kasser A Jaffri

John A Voit

Daniel B Slanker

Colin M Huffer

Wayne T Terry

Clint Szumal

William Wayne McEathron

Phillip J Niemann

Sunil K R Patil

Scott C Morton

Mark A Frank

Chuck E Welles

A method for making a marine propulsion device. The method includes providing a drive housing that extends between a first end and a second end, whereby drive housing has a cavity that extends inwardly from the second end. The method further includes positioning a conductor within the drive housing, whereby the conductor is configured to conduct power for the marine propulsion device. The method further includes inserting a motor assembly into the cavity and electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor while the motor assembly is positioned in the cavity and without entering the cavity via the first end of the drive housing.

Marine propulsion devices having electric motors and methods for making marine propulsion devices having electric motors

A marine drive is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The marine drive has a cowling defining a cowling interior, a steering arm extending forwardly from the marine drive, the steering arm configured for steering of the marine drive about a steering axis, a flexible rigging connector extending forwardly from the cowling interior to a location in the marine vessel, and a retainer on the steering arm which retains the flexible rigging connector in position relative to the steering arm such that steering of the marine drive about the steering axis also steers the retainer and the flexible rigging connector about the steering axis.

Marine drives having a retainer for flexible rigging connectors

A tiller is for controlling a marine drive. The tiller has a base bracket assembly and a tiller arm which is extends outwardly from the base bracket assembly. The base bracket assembly is configured to facilitate yaw adjustment of the tiller arm, in particular into and between a variety of yaw positions relative to the base bracket assembly. The tiller arm has a grip restraining device which is located on the bottom of the middle portion of the tiller arm and is manually accessible from both sides of the tiller arm. The grip restraining device is specially configured to selectively restrain rotation of a hand grip on the outer end of the tiller arm. The tiller arm also has a tilt mechanism which facilitates tilting of the tiller arm relative to the base bracket assembly into and between a variety of tilt positions, including a straight upward tilt position and a straight downward tilt position.

Tillers for marine drives having tilt mechanism

Tillers for marine drives having yaw adjustment device

A marine drive is for propelling a marine vessel. The marine drive has a propulsor configured to generate a thrust force in a body of water; a battery that powers the propulsor; and a supporting frame which supports the marine drive relative to marine vessel. The supporting frame has a monolithic body defining a frame interior, and further has a support leg extending downwardly from the monolithic body and a steering arm extending forwardly from monolithic body. A cowling is fixed to the supporting frame via at least one hidden fastener that extends from the frame interior, through the supporting frame, and into engagement with the cowl body, wherein hidden fastener being accessible during installation.

Marine drives having supporting frame and cowling

An outboard motor includes a transom clamp bracket configured to be supported on a transom of a marine vessel and a swivel bracket configured to be supported by the transom clamp bracket. A propulsion unit is supported by the swivel bracket, the propulsion unit comprising a head unit, a midsection below the head unit, and a lower unit below the midsection. The head unit, midsection, and lower unit are generally vertically aligned with one another when the outboard motor is in a neutral tilt/trim position. The propulsion unit is detachable from the transom clamp bracket.

Outboard motor that is removable from transom clamp bracket

A marine drive is for propelling a marine vessel. The marine drive has a propulsor configured to generate a thrust force in a body of water, an electric motor that powers the propulsor, a battery having a battery port for outputting battery power, a supporting frame that supports the marine drive relative to marine vessel, the supporting frame having a frame interior that retains the battery, and a motor port in the frame interior, wherein inserting the battery into the frame interior engages the battery port with the motor port so that the battery provides electric power to the electric motor. A removable cover is provided on the motor port.

Marine drives having accessible cowling interior and protective cover

A marine drive is for propelling a marine vessel. The marine drive has a propulsor configured to generate a thrust force in a body of water, an electric motor which powers the propulsor, a battery having a battery port for outputting battery power, a supporting frame which supports the marine drive relative to marine vessel, the supporting frame having a frame interior which retains the batter, and a cowling on the supporting frame. The cowling has a first cowl portion and a second cowl portion which is movable relative to the first cowl portion into a closed position enclosing the supporting frame and the battery in a cowling interior and alternately into an open position providing access to the cowling interior enabling insertion and removal of the battery.

Marine drives having accessible cowling interior and battery

An outboard marine propulsion assembly includes a marine drive having a supporting frame and a steering arm extending from the supporting frame, a transom bracket assembly, a swivel member seated in the transom bracket assembly, the swivel member being configured so that rotation of the steering arm relative to the transom bracket assembly rotates the swivel member relative to the transom bracket assembly to thereby steer the marine drive, an upper vibration isolating joint which couples the steering arm to the supporting frame, and a lower vibration isolating joint which couples the swivel member to the supporting frame.

Transom bracket assembly having vibration isolation

A method of automatically controlling trim position of a marine drive with a control system on a marine vessel includes receiving a user-selected command to enter a launch control mode and then controlling a trim actuator to automatically position the marine drive in a tucked position, tucked position is between a vertical trim position and a minimum running trim position. Once a vessel condition of the marine vessel reaches a first threshold vessel condition the trim actuator is controlled to trim up the marine drive to a predetermined target trim position to generate wave behind the marine vessel.

Methods and systems for controlling trim rate of trimmable marine devices with respect to a marine vessel

A method of controlling a steering system on a marine vessel includes, in response to receiving input to engage a quick steer mode, employing a reduced steering ratio to translate a change in position of a steering wheel to a desired change in steering angle of a marine drive. A vessel speed of the marine vessel is compared to a threshold vessel speed. Upon determining that the vessel speed exceeds the threshold vessel speed, an output limit in a direction of travel of the marine vessel is determined and the marine drive is controlled based on the output limit. A steering actuator associated with the marine drive is controlled based on the reduced steering ratio and the change in position of the steering wheel.

Systems and methods for steering a marine vessel

A method of automatically controlling trim position of a marine drive with a control system on a marine vessel includes receiving a user-selected command associated with wake surfing and then controlling a trim actuator to automatically position the marine drive in a tucked position, tucked position is between a vertical trim position and a minimum running trim position. Once a vessel condition of the marine vessel reaches a first threshold vessel condition the trim actuator is controlled to trim up the marine drive to a predetermined target trim position to generate wave behind the marine vessel. The first threshold vessel condition is at least one of a threshold vessel speed, a threshold engine speed, a threshold engine load, and a threshold vessel pitch.

Methods and systems for controlling trim position of a marine drive

A method of controlling a steering system on a marine vessel includes, in response to receiving a user input to engage a quick steer mode, employing a reduced steering ratio to translate positions of a steering wheel to desired steering angles of a marine drive. A vessel speed of a marine vessel is determined and then compared to a threshold vessel speed. An output limit is determined to prevent the marine vessel from further exceeding the threshold vessel speed while the quick steer mode is engaged. The marine drive is automatically controlled based on the output limit and a steering actuator associated with the marine drive is controlled based on the reduced steering ratio.

A marine propulsion system includes an engine-powered propulsion device coupled in torque-transmitting relationship with an engine. A non-engine-powered propulsion device is coupled to a source of electric or hydraulic power. A control module is provided in signal communication with the engine-powered propulsion device and the non-engine-powered propulsion device. A user-operated input device is in signal communication with the control module. The marine propulsion system operates in a non-engine-powered propulsion mode in response to the control module determining the following: the engine was previously running; a speed of the engine is below an engine-stopped speed threshold; the marine propulsion system is on; and a request for movement of the vessel has been input via the user-operated input device. While the marine propulsion system operates in the non-engine-powered propulsion mode, the control module controls the non-engine-powered propulsion device to generate thrust to maneuver the vessel according to the request for movement.

System and method for maneuvering marine vessel with non-engine-powered propulsion device

A method for controlling marine vessel speed includes determining a setpoint vessel speed, which is constant while the system is operating in a cruise control mode. The method includes using vessel speed feedback control to adjust operational characteristics of the engine so as to achieve the setpoint vessel speed. The method also includes determining a measured vessel speed and filtering the measured vessel speed. In response to determining that the measured vessel speed is within a given range of the constant setpoint vessel speed, the method includes transitioning to the cruise control mode and comparing the filtered measured vessel speed to the constant setpoint vessel speed for purposes of the feedback control.

Systems and methods for controlling vessel speed when transitioning from launch to cruise

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, WI, United States of America

Andrew J Przybyl