Johnson Outdoors Inc.

Steven J Knight

Ronald P Hansen

Craig M Saunders

Darrel A Bernloehr

Jeffrey Kalman

Shawn Showcatally

Dennis L Starner

Dale Eugene Simonson

Trolling motor foot pad base

Trolling motor propulsion unit support shaft

A bow mount for a trolling motor and a method for releasably mounting a trolling motor to a bow of a boat are disclosed. The bow mount includes a base, a chassis, an actuation mechanism between the chassis and the base and a retaining mechanism. The base is adapted to be mounted to a bow of a boat and includes a pair of longitudinally extending spaced side channels. The chassis is adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor and includes a pair of spaced longitudinally extending side projections. The actuation mechanism is positioned between the chassis and the base and is configured to move at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a transverse direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels. The retaining mechanism is configured to removably retain the projections in the channels. The method includes providing a base on the bow of the boat and having a pair of spaced side channels, providing a trolling motor assembly having a pair of spaced projections, lowering the trolling motor assembly onto the base such that at least one of the side projections extends between the pair of spaced side channels, moving at least one of the side projections and the side channels in a sideways direction relative to one another such that the projections extend into the channels and releasably retaining the projections in the channels to releasably mount the trolling motor to the bow of the boat.

Trolling motor bow mount

A bow mount trolling motor for a boat is disclosed. The bow mount trolling motor includes a chassis adapted to be mounted to a bow of the boat, a lower propulsion unit and at least one shaft supporting the lower propulsion unit and pivotally coupled to the chassis about a first axis. The at least one shaft pivots in a first direction about the first axis from a deployed position to a stowed position. The at least one shaft pivots in an opposite second direction about the first-axis when the at least one shaft of the lower propulsion unit encounters an obstruction while the boat is moving in a forward direction.

Trolling motor bow mount impact protection system

Trolling motor foot pad pedal

A trolling motor foot control for use with a trolling motor is disclosed. The trolling motor foot control includes a pad adapted to receive an operator's foot, a first operating interface coupled to the pad and adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor and a second operator interface coupled to the pad and adapted to be coupled to the trolling motor. The first operator interface is configured to adjust a speed of the trolling motor at a first rate in response to input from the operator's foot. The second operator interface is configured to adjust the speed of the trolling motor at a second smaller rate in response to input from the operator's foot.

Trolling motor foot control with fine speed adjustment

A steering control system for an electric trolling motor is disclosed. The system includes a steering actuator assembly with at least one open loop actuator. The system also includes at least one steering mode switch that is configured to communicate changes between steering modes. The steering modes include at least one closed loop steering mode and at least one manual steering mode. The system further includes a controller that is configured to receive signals from the open loop actuator, is configured to receive signals from at least one steering mode switch, and is configured to generate control signals based on the states of the open loop actuator and the steering mode switch.

Trolling motor steering control

The trolling motor system includes a chassis adapted to be coupled to a boat, a housing pivotally coupled to the chassis, a lower propulsion unit, at least one shaft supported by the housing and coupled to the lower propulsion unit at a first end and a drive system including at least one actuator. The at least one shaft extends along a first axis. The first end is movable relative to the housing along the first axis. The drive system includes at least one actuator, a linear drive, a pivot drive and a coupler. The linear drive moves the first end of the first shaft along the first axis while the pivot drive pivots the housing about a second axis. The coupler connects the actuator and the pivot drive to pivot the housing. In one embodiment, the coupler connects the actuator and the pivot drive based upon the position of the at least one shaft along the first axis. In one embodiment, the system includes a foot control operator interface and a control circuit coupled to the operator interface and the linear drive. The control circuit generates control signals based upon input from the operator's foot which cause the linear drive to linearly move the at least one shaft. In one embodiment, the at least one shaft includes an inner shaft coupled to the lower propulsion unit and an outer shaft receiving the inner shaft.

Trolling motor system

A battery gauge for an electric trolling motor is disclosed. The battery gauge includes a battery that is configured to supply power to the trolling motor. The battery gauge also includes a motor speed setting switch that is configured to supply a signal representative of the motor speed setting. The battery gauge also includes an electronic circuit configured to sense at least one battery parameter that is representative of the battery charge. The electronic circuit is also configured to receive an electrical signal that is representative of the speed setting. The electronic circuit further is configured to determine the remaining battery charge time based on the at least one battery parameter and the speed setting.

Trolling motor battery gauge

A trolling motor system is disclosed. The trolling motor system includes a lower propulsion unit, a mounting mechanism adapted to be coupled to the boat and a first shaft fitting at least partially between the mounting mechanism and the lower propulsion unit. The first shaft has a non-circular cross-sectional shape. In one exemplary embodiment, the mounting mechanism is configured to mount to a boat having a longitudinal axis extending from a bow to a stern of the boat, wherein the first shaft has a longitudinal length and smaller transverse width. According to another exemplary embodiment, the first shaft has a hollow interior which receives a second shaft. A passageway is formed between the exterior of the first shaft and the exterior of the second shaft to receive the signal or power transmitting line of an underwater sonar system.

Growing community of inventors

Madison Lake, MN, United States of America

Steven J Knight