The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 15, 2002
James M. Hundertmark, Fond du Lac, WI (US);
Mark X Steering Systems, LLC, Oshkosh, WI (US);
Abstract
A tiller is preferably coupled to the outboard motor or other steered element of a watercraft such that movement of the tiller in a first manner imposes manually-generated steering forces on the steered element and that operation of the tiller in a second manner imposes power assist steering forces on the steered element. The first manner preferably involves movement of the tiller as a whole, in which case tiller movement drives the steered element mechanically. The second manner preferably involves movement of an actuator portion of the tiller relative to the remainder of the tiller, in which case movement of the tiller actuator portion causes a steering cylinder assembly, an electric stepper motor, or other drive mechanism to impose power assist steering forces on the steered element. The actuator portion of the tiller may, for example, comprise an articulating end of the tiller's arm or a throttle grip supported on the tiller.