Brunswick Corporation

Mark W Henker

Yana V Foltice

Todd D Dannenberg

Ryan C Abellera

Taj L Puetz

Steven J Andrasko

Matthew W Jaeger

Stephen R Collins

John I S Park

Brad J VanRuiswyk

Walter B Ross

Wade A Loberger

Steven L Van Camp

Jason S Arbuckle

Thomas S Kirchhoff

Michael J Lemancik

Brian J Poirier

Robert M Hackbarth

Andrew S Waisanen

Douglas D Reichardt

Matthew Z Seta

Troy J Kollmann

Ameer B Ambavaram

Gauge faceplate

An outboard motor has a top cowl and a service lid on the top cowl is movable into and between a closed position enclosing the powerhead compartment and an open position providing manual access to the powerhead compartment from above the outboard motor. An engine is in the powerhead compartment, wherein a peripheral gap is defined between the top cowl and the engine. A serviceable engine oil device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position. A serviceable transmission fluid device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position. A serviceable gearcase fluid device is in the peripheral gap and is manually accessible from above the outboard motor when the service lid is in the open position.

Top-down serviceable outboard motors

User input device for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel

Analog gauge needle

Animated responsive display on a joystick

A method includes accepting inputs to a marine vessel's control module, the inputs defining first and second waypoints and a desired heading, and defining a desired track between the first and second waypoints. Ideal steering and thrust commands required to orient the vessel at the desired heading and to maneuver the vessel from the first to the second waypoint are generated and carried out. The method includes measuring a current position and heading of the vessel; calculating a cross-track error based on the current position as compared to the desired track; and calculating a heading error based on the current heading as compared to the desired heading. The method includes generating corrective steering and thrust commands that are required to minimize the cross-track error and the heading error. The propulsion system propels the marine vessel according to the corrective steering and thrust commands, as appropriate.

Vessel maneuvering methods and systems

A method of controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water includes determining, at a control module, a relative heading instruction describing a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun. A target global position for the marine vessel is received, and a position of the sun relative to the target global position is determined based on a current date and a current time. A sun adjusted heading is calculated for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction. A current heading of the marine vessel is determined, and propulsion devices on the marine vessel are controlled to position the marine vessel at the target global position and align the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading.

Sun adjusted station keeping methods and systems

A method for controlling acceleration of a marine vessel having at least one engine includes receiving a ramp value and an overshoot value, and then determining an acceleration curve based on the ramp value and the overshoot value, wherein the acceleration curve visually represents engine RPM values or vessel speed values over time for accelerating a marine vessel from idle to a desired cruising speed. A graph is then displayed containing the acceleration illustration curve on a user interface display, wherein the graph visually correlates the ramp value and the overshoot value to the acceleration illustration curve. A user input is then received adjusting the ramp value and/or the overshoot value, and the acceleration illustration curve is then redetermined based on the adjusted ramp value and the adjusted overshoot value, and the graph is updated to reflect the new acceleration illustration curve.

Method and system for controlling acceleration of a marine vessel

A joystick device for controlling propulsion and steering of a marine vessel has a handle configured to be moveable by an operator to provide propulsion and steering control commands for a marine vessel, and a housing at the base of the handle such that the handle extends out of the housing. The joystick device also has an adjustable display thereon that adjusts based on at least one of a control mode and a movement of the handle.

Systems and methods for controlling a marine vessel having a joystick with adjustable display

Growing community of inventors

Fond du Lac, WI, United States of America

Mark W Henker