US3906887A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric outboard motor
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-03-29
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1994-03-29
Abstract
Abstract An electric outboard motor has speed control unit mounted on a metal U-shaped bracket which is releasably clamped within a forward cup-shaped housing of the lower motor and propeller unit. The bracket includes a cantilevered plate with a power transistor riveted to the back side thereof. The power transistor is connected in series with a dc motor and having a control input connected in a series of input circuits with a limiting resistor and a diode also mounted on the bracket. The cup-shaped housing is formed with oppositely located flat walls resiliently engaged by the side arms of the bracket. The cantilevered plate locates the transistor in firm pressure engagement with an adjacent outer wall of the housing with a thermal conducting grease therebetween for efficient cooling. An insulating plate is securely mounted to the open end of the housing to clamp the bracket in place and locate motor contact brushes within an adjacent motor housing of the propeller unit. Power and control leads extend upwardly through a hub in the cup-shaped housing and a vertical mounting pipe to an upper housing having a steering handle. Battery leads terminate within the upper housing and are connected to the power and connecting leads. A small variable potentiometer mounted in the handle is connected to the control lead to supply bias current to the control input circuit. A reversing switch connects to the dc motor a power lead in series to a battery lead. A speed selection switch connects the second battery lead to the opposite side of the reversing switch for high speed operation or to the power transistor to complete the variable low speed circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Chris S Kappas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:38
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H20/00; B63H20/007; F; F02; F02B; F02B61/00; F02B61/04; F02B61/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit, comprising a drive motor, a lower propeller drive housing enclosing said motor and having a control housing section with an access opening and having an outer wall portion, a motor control bracket, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch and interrelated control elements mounted on said bracket, releasable mounting means connected to the control housing section and to the bracket, said bracket including a mounting portion releasably clamped within the housing section and having a flat cantilevered plate extending therefrom, said solid state switch being mounted to the back side of said plate and bending said plate relative to the channel portion with the switch engaging the wall portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit, comprising a drive motor, a lower propeller drive housing enclosing said motor and having a control housing section with an access opening and having an outer wall portion, a motor control bracket, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch and interrelated control elements mounted on said bracket, releasable mounting means connected to the control housing section and to the bracket, said bracket including a mounting portion releasably clamped within the housing section and having a flat cantilevered plate extending therefrom, said solid state switch being mounted to the back side of said plate and bending said plate relative to the channel portion with the switch engaging the wall portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 1 wherein said switch is a power transistor affixed to the back side of the plate with a flat outer enclosure wall engaging said outer wall portion of said control housing section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electric outboard of claim 2 having a vertical mounting member and upper control unit, said motor control circuit including a variable current control member connected to the control unit with leads extending through the vertical mounting member and connected to said transistor to control the energization of the motor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 3 wherein said motor control circuit includes a current limiting resistor, said resistor being releasably mounted on said bracket, a diode, supporting and conducting leads connected between said resistor, said switch, and said diode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
The electric motor of claim 1 having a hollow vertical mounting member and including an upper terminal housing, power supply leads terminated in said terminal housing, said motor control circuit includes a plurality of connecting leads extending upwardly through said motor vertical mounting member, said plurality of connecting leads including a pair of motor leads, a control signal lead and a pair of power leads connected to said switch, switch means within said housing to selectively connect said motor leads to said plurality of connection leads to control the direction and level of energization of said motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
141 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit connected to an upper control unit by a tubular support member, comprising a lower propeller drive housing having a motor housing section and a control housing section releasably interconnected, said control housing section having an outer wall portion, a motor controll bracket including an integral U-shaped channel portion having a base and a pair of side arms, said channel portion being of resilient material, said base including a flat cantilevered plate extending therefrom, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch mounted to the back side of said plate, and securement means releasably mounting said bracket within the control housing section with said solid state switch positively releasably clamped against said outer wall portion and establishing good thermal conductivity from said switch means to said outer wall portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit connected to an upper control unit by a tubular support member, comprising a lower propeller drive housing having a motor housing section and a control housing section releasably interconnected, said control housing section having an outer wall portion, a motor controll bracket including an integral U-shaped channel portion having a base and a pair of side arms, said channel portion being of resilient material, said base including a flat cantilevered plate extending therefrom, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch mounted to the back side of said plate, and securement means releasably mounting said bracket within the control housing section with said solid state switch positively releasably clamped against said outer wall portion and establishing good thermal conductivity from said switch means to said outer wall portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 6 wherein said switch is a power transistor having a mounting flange and an opposite flat outer enclosure wall, said transistor mounting flange being affixed to the back side of the plate, said flat outer enclosure wall engaging said outer wall of said control housing section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 6 wherein said motor control circuit includes a signal limiting resistor connected to said switch, means releasably mounting said resistor on said bracket, a diode, supporting and conducting leads connected between said resistor, said switch and said diode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 8 including an upper terminal housing, a pair of power supply leads terminated in said terminal housing, said motor control circuit includes a plurality of connecting leads extending upwardly through said tubular support member, said plurality of connecting leads including a pair of motor leads, a control signal lead and a pair of power leads connected to said switch, a reversing switch connected to said motor leads, a speed selection switch connected to said power connecting lead and selectively to said reversing switch and to said second power lEad.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The electric outboard motor of claim 9 wherein said switch is a power transistor having an input terminal connected to said signal lead and a pair of main terminals connected to said power leads, said speed selection switch having a common movable contact connected to one of said supply leads and a high speed contact connected to said reversing switch and a low speed contact connected to said second power lead.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit, comprising a drive motor, a lower propeller drive housing enclosing said motor and having a cup-shaped housing member defining the forward end of the propeller unit and opening horizontally to define an access opening and having an outer wall portion, a motor control bracket releasably clamped within the outer end of said cup-shaped housing member and having a flat cantilevered plate extending inwardly therefrom, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch and interrelated control elements mounted on said bracket, said solid state switch being mounted to the back side of said plate in engagement with said outer wall portion and bending said plate relative to the wall portion and establishing good thermal conductivity from said switch means to said outer wall portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electric outboard motor having a lower submergible propeller unit, comprising a drive motor, a lower propeller drive housing enclosing said motor and having a cup-shaped housing member defining the forward end of the propeller unit and opening horizontally to define an access opening and having an outer wall portion, a motor control bracket releasably clamped within the outer end of said cup-shaped housing member and having a flat cantilevered plate extending inwardly therefrom, a multiple element motor control circuit including a solid state switch and interrelated control elements mounted on said bracket, said solid state switch being mounted to the back side of said plate in engagement with said outer wall portion and bending said plate relative to the wall portion and establishing good thermal conductivity from said switch means to said outer wall portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |