Brunswick Corporation

Leco Corporation

Robert S Tate

Brian C Scott

Sean Whelan

John Witte

Eric Sean Deuel

Donald J Olsen

Philip Wetzel

Anuj Maloo

Peter Markel Willis

Gordon C Ford

Larry S O'Brien

Michael D Gyorog

Dwight F Warren

Matthew D Cox

A trolling motor has a steering motor transmitting torque to a steering shaft, which is coupled to a lower propulsion unit such that rotation of the steering shaft rotates the propulsion unit about a steering axis. A controller is in signal communication with the steering motor. A foot pedal in signal communication with the controller has a foot pad pivotable about a pivot axis and sends electrical steering signals to the controller (and thus steering motor) in response to pivoting of the foot pad. A variable resistance device is coupled to the foot pedal and controllable to vary resistance to pivoting of the foot pad about the pivot axis based on a position, velocity, acceleration, and/or jerk of the steering shaft. Additionally or alternatively, the variable resistance device provides haptic feedback to a user via the foot pad to inform the user about information related to the trolling motor system.

Trolling motor and foot pedal for trolling motor

A marine navigational light fixture includes a light source and a cutoff sub-housing holding the light source. The cutoff sub-housing has a main frame having first and second laterally opposite sides; first and second sidewalls projecting from the first and second sides of the main frame, respectively; and first and second cutoff surfaces located on the first and second sidewalls, respectively. The first and second cutoff surfaces are configured to provide practical cutoff of light emitted from the light source outside of a specified arc of visibility. The marine navigational light fixture also includes a main housing holding the cutoff sub-housing. A luminaire subassembly for the marine navigational light fixture includes a colored component having a color that is in the same color family as a color of light emitted from the luminaire subassembly. The colored component can be a lens, a filter cap, a PCB, and/or a telltale.

Marine navigational light fixture having sub-housing with built-in cutoffs

A trolling motor system for a watercraft includes a trolling motor assembly coupled to the watercraft. A foot pedal is mechanically coupled to the trolling motor assembly such that mechanical inputs to the foot pedal cause movement of a moveable component of the trolling motor assembly. A steering motor is configured to steer the trolling motor assembly. The movement of the moveable component of the trolling motor assembly generates electrical inputs to the steering motor, thereby activating the steering motor to steer the trolling motor assembly.

Trolling motor system with manual/electric steering

Pressure relief apparatus for use with fuel delivery systems are described herein. An example pressure relief apparatus includes a body defining a cavity and an annular wall projecting from a lower surface of the cavity. A first valve includes a first valve body defining a first flow passage between a first inlet to be oriented toward atmospheric pressure and a first outlet to be oriented toward a fuel tank. The first valve body houses a first flow control member to control fluid flow through the first flow passage between the first inlet and the first outlet. The first valve body projects from the lower surface of the cavity and toward an upper surface of the annular wall a distance substantially equal to a depth between the lower surface and the upper surface of the annular wall.

Pressure relief apparatus for use with fuel delivery systems

Pressure relief apparatus for use with fuel delivery systems are described herein. An example pressure relief apparatus includes a pressure relief system coupled to a body of a fuel cap to define a first side of the body and a second side of the body. The pressure relief system comprises a plurality of fluid valves to enable fluid flow from the first side of the body to the second side of the body when a first pressure differential across the pressure relief system from the first side to the second side is greater than a first reference pressure and to enable fluid flow from the second side of the body to the first side of the body when a second pressure differential across the pressure relief system from the second side to the first side is greater than a second reference pressure.

Apparatus and methods for mounting fuel delivery system components to fuel tanks are described herein. An example fuel tank includes a housing having a cavity to store a liquid fuel and a boss integrally formed with and protruding from a surface of the housing to receive a fuel delivery system component. The boss receives a threaded fastener to couple the fuel delivery system component to the surface of the fuel tank.

Apparatus and methods for mounting fuel delivery system components to fuel tanks

Apparatus and methods to permanently attach fuel delivery system components to fuel tanks are described herein. An example apparatus includes an insert material integrally formed with at least a portion of the fuel tank. The insert material includes a first layer material having a low permeation characteristic and a second layer material adjacent the first layer material having a relatively lower melting point than a melting point of the first layer material to enable permanent attachment of a coupling apparatus to a surface of the fuel tank by melting at least a portion of the second layer material.

Apparatus and methods for permanently attaching fuel delivery system components to fuel tanks

A hydraulic sample mounting press utilizes a face seal against the top face of a molding cylinder. The face seal employs a hydraulic cylinder to press a disk-shaped surface of a cap piece against the top annular face of the mold cylinder for a metallographic mounting press. The face seal cylinder is mounted to a hydraulic fluid column that allows the face seal to rotate away from the mold cylinder for access to the molding cylinder and to rotate into place when a metallographic mount is to be molded.

Sample mounting press

An electrical resistance heated oven is used to heat a crucible to melt a sample and to simultaneously heat a casting dish into which the molten sample can be poured. The oven is cooled with the crucible and casting dish within the oven in order to prepare a sample bead for analysis. In another embodiment of the invention the sample is again melted in a crucible and after melting the crucible is moved out of the oven and turned to pour the molten sample into an acid solution positioned external to the oven. The crucible and sample can be moved while in the oven to mix the sample. The method of preparing an analytical sample using the electrical resistance heated oven is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Lowell, MI, United States of America

Robert S Tate