Brunswick Corporation

Trevor George

Brandon L Tate

Jason S Arbuckle

Philip Ross Walker

Daniel J Guse

Amir Abou-Zeid

Daniel Rothe

Steven J Gonring

Gregg Donald Langenfeld

Charles H Eichinger

Douglas D Reichardt

Christopher J Taylor

Troy J Kollmann

Thomas F Nickols

Eric S Mueller

George D Idzikowski

Mark J Glodowski

Mark A Kollock

Alexander K Monroe

Jeffrey D Reifsnyder

Nathan C King

Andrew C Gunderson

David M Schmidt

Brian Jon Fregonese

Keith W Gessner

John N Oenick

Vinodh Kumar Balakrishnan

Aadish Dilip Naik

Simon H McFarland

Brennan J Kelly

Raissa Carvalho-Ruehle

Justin D Ericson

Jason Worful

Anna R Chi

Jasmine Snipe

A propulsion system for a marine vessel includes a plurality of marine drives configured to effectuate propulsion on the marine vessel and a control system. The control system is configured to determine a disturbance vector representing an environmental disturbance on the marine vessel and identify a propulsion response capability of the plurality of marine drives to oppose the disturbance vector. When a request is received to perform an autonomous action, the control system determines whether insufficient propulsion authority is available to perform the requested autonomous action based on the disturbance vector and the propulsion response capability and, if so, generates an insufficiency alert on a user interface to advise a user of the insufficient propulsion authority.

Marine propulsion control system, method, and user interface

A system for adjusting a field of view (FOV) of a vision system on a marine vessel is provided, the system comprising: a camera is provided, the camera adjustably mounted to the marine vessel with an associated FOV of an environment of the marine vessel, and wherein the camera is associated with a three-dimensional camera coordinate system; and one or more hardware processors configured to: identify a trigger condition for adjusting the FOV of the camera; adjust a posture of the camera from an initial posture to an adjusted posture based on identification of the trigger condition, such that the camera has an adjusted FOV relative to the marine vessel; and determine three-dimensional location information associated with an object in the adjusted FOV in a three-dimensional global coordinate system associated with the marine vessel based on an adjusted transform between the camera coordinate system and the global coordinate system.

Systems and methods for adjusting a field of view of a vision system on a marine vessel

A method of controlling propulsion of a marine vessel includes receiving an instruction to engage a wake control mode and then automatically effectuating a steering change and/or a propulsion output change. A vessel orientation response to the steering change and/or the propulsion output change is measured and a determination of whether a wake zone requirement is met is made based on the orientation response. If the orientation requirement is met, a current propulsion output that meets the wake zone requirement is maintained. If the orientation requirement is not met, a further steering change and/or further propulsion output change is automatically effectuated until the wake zone requirement is met.

Marine propulsion system and method for wake control

A system for displaying wake surfing locations for a marine vessel includes a memory storing a database of wake surfing rules indexed based on location identifications, a location identification system configured to identify a location of the marine vessel, a display device, and a control system. The control system is configured to identify applicable rules regarding wake surfing based on the location of the marine vessel and identify a surfable area where wake surfing is permitted on a body of water based on the applicable rules. A surfable area display is then generated representing the surfable area on a display.

System and methods for wake surfing zone location identification

A method for assisting a user operating a marine vessel, the marine vessel having an image sensor configured to collect imaging data for an area outside the marine vessel. The method includes collecting imaging data via the image sensor for the area outside the marine vessel and analyzing the imaging data to identify a wave within the area outside the marine vessel. The method further includes determining a size of the wave and/or a location of the wave relative to the marine vessel and determining whether the size and/or the location of the wave is beyond one or more thresholds. The method further includes automatically modifying an operation of the marine vessel when the size and/or location of the wave is beyond the one or more thresholds to thereby assist the user in managing an effect of the wave on the marine vessel.

Systems and methods for detecting waves and controlling a marine vessel based on the detected waves

A livewell system for a marine vessel includes a tank configured to hold water, a fill pump configured to pump water into the tank from a body of water in which the marine vessel is located, and a recirculation pump configured to pump water out of the tank and subsequently back into the tank. A first temperature sensor senses a temperature of the water in the body of water, and a second temperature sensor senses a temperature of the water in the tank. A controller is provided in signal communication with the fill pump, the recirculation pump, and the first and second temperature sensors. The controller operates the fill pump and the recirculation pump based on information from the first and second temperature sensors to maintain the temperature of the water in the tank within a predetermined temperature range. A method for maintaining livewell water temperature is also provided.

Livewell system and method

A propulsion control system for a marine vessel includes at least one image sensor positioned on the marine vessel and configured to image an area behind the marine vessel, and multiple drive units configured to propel the marine vessel. Each of the drive units is steerable about a vertical steering axis. The propulsion control system further includes a controller configured to receive a prompt to perform an obstacle clearance procedure, and in response to the prompt, steer at least one of the drive units about its vertical steering axis to increase visibility of the area behind the marine vessel by the at least one image sensor.

Systems and methods for controlling drive units of a marine vessel to enhance imaging of a marine environment

A marine battery pack including an enclosure defining a cavity, a plurality of cell modules within the cavity, each comprising a plurality of battery cells, and at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of a temperature, a pressure, a presence of water, and a gas content within the cavity. A controller is configured to detect an event warranting decommission of the battery pack based on the temperature, the pressure, the presence of water, and/or the gas content within the cavity, and then to automatically operate a pump to intake water from outside of the enclosure and pump water through the cavity from an inlet port in the enclosure to an outlet port in the enclosure so as to cool the plurality of battery cells.

Marine battery safety system and method

A propeller device has a propeller hub which is elongated along the rotational axis and a propeller blade which radially extends from the propeller hub. The propeller hub and propeller blade are configured so that when the propeller device is forwardly rotated, a first portion of the propeller hub on a first side of the propeller blade encounters a positive pressure and a second portion of the propeller hub on an opposite, second side of the blade encounters a relatively lower pressure or suction, and further so that when the propeller device is reversely rotated, the second portion of the propeller hub encounters a positive pressure and the first portion of the propeller hub encounters a relatively lower pressure or suction. An exhaust vent hole is located in the first portion of the propeller hub and configured to vent exhaust gases from the marine drive via the propeller hub as the propeller device is reversely rotated, thereby enhancing reverse thrust performance of the propeller device.

Marine drives and propeller devices having exhaust venting for enhanced reverse thrust performance

A method of making a propeller includes forming the propeller to have blades coupled to an outer hub, the outer hub coupled to an inner hub via ribs, and the inner hub configured to be coupled to the marine vessel. The ribs each have first and second ends with a midpoint therebetween, an inner end and an outer end that define a width therebetween, and a leading surface and a trailing surface that define a thickness therebetween. The ribs are tapered such that the thickness is greater at the midpoint than at least at one of the first end and the second end, and scalloped such that the width is greater at the midpoint than at least at one of the first end and the second end. Each of the ribs is coupled to the outer hub in radial alignment with one of the blades.

Systems and methods for reducing porosity in propellers

Shock absorbing hub assembly for supporting a propeller on a marine propulsion apparatus

A marine engine has a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinders. A cooling jacket is formed in the cylinder block and is configured to convey cooling fluid alongside the plurality of cylinders. The cooling jacket has a top end and a bottom end. A ledge is formed in the cylinder block. The ledge radially extends into cooling jacket at a location between the top end and the bottom end. A spacer is disposed in the cooling jacket and supported by the ledge so that the spacer remains spaced apart from the bottom end, thereby maintaining a lower cooling passage between the spacer and the bottom end.

Marine engines having cylinder block cooling jacket with spacer

A filter for a water cooling system in a marine drive includes a cavity having an upper side and a lower side, a water inlet that delivers a water flow into the cavity, and a water outlet that delivers water out of the cavity. The flow velocity of water within the cavity is low such that heavy debris sinks toward the lower side of the cavity and buoyant debris floats toward the upper side of the cavity. An upper debris outlet expels the buoyant debris out of the cavity and a lower debris outlet expels the heavy debris out of the cavity.

Water cooling system for marine drive

A cooling system for a marine engine has a cooling jacket disposed in thermal communication with a heat-emitting portion of the marine engine. The cooling jacket has a water inlet, and a water outlet on an upper portion of the cooling jacket. A pump is connected in fluid communication with the water inlet and/or the water outlet that causes water to flow through the cooling jacket in order to cool the heat-emitting portion, wherein a flow velocity of water in the cooling jacket is low such that debris sinks to a lower portion of the cooling jacket. A debris outlet is in the lower portion of the cooling jacket that expels the debris from the cooling jacket.

Cooling system with debris outlet for a marine engine

A system for cooling an engine of a marine propulsion system having an engine and having a cylinder block. An exhaust manifold that conveys hot exhaust gases from the engine and a pump that pumps water from a body of water are also present in the system. A water jacket surrounding the exhaust manifold conveys water from the pump along at least one stream of water having a cross sectional area for cooling the hot exhaust gases in the exhaust manifold. At least one portion of the water jacket includes at least one converging passageway including a wall of the water jacket that tapers inwardly to reduce the cross-sectional area of the stream of water as the water circulates in the water jacket. The pumped water typically has entrained air in the form of air pockets. The converging passageway reduces the air pockets present in the water to provide even cooling of the manifold.

Growing community of inventors

Eldorado, WI, United States of America

Trevor George