Marine instrument

• US 4,644,787 A
• Filed: 08/16/1985
• Issued: 02/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airmar Technology Corporation (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airmar Technology Corporation (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeffers, Robert K., Boucher, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodiel, Donald O.
• Application Number:
  US06/766,875
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 73/187, 73/185, 73/189, 73/272 R, 374/142, 324/173, 324/174, 324/167
• US Class Current: 73/157
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/07 with electrical coupling to the indicating device

Abstract

A marine speed sensor mounted in a housing which may also include a temperature sensor and a sonic transducer. The speed sensor includes a paddlewheel for producing an electromagnetic field. The paddlewheel is rotatably mounted adjacent the housing and exposed at top and bottom and mounted between support members extending from the housing.

Claims

1. A marine transducer device adapted for mounting to the exterior transom of marine vessels comprising:

(a) a housing in which an electromagnetic sensor is mounted;

(b) a pair of support members attached to said housing and extending laterally therefrom adjacent said electromagnetic sensor;

(c) a paddlewheel rotatably mounted in a vertically unenclosed position between said support members for generating a patterned electromagnetic field which extends from the paddlewheel to the sensor;

(d) lead wires coupled to said sensor for coupling pulsed electrical signals to display devices on said marine vessel said signals being linearly proportional to the rotational speed of said paddlewheel as said paddewheel rotates.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the electromagnetic sensor is a Hall-effect device and the signal is a voltage pulse, the pulse rate of which varies in accordance with the rotational speed of the paddlewheel.

3. The device of claim 1, said paddlewheel comprising a wheel with a plurality of paddles on the periphery of the wheel, said paddlewheel being vertically located between the support members in a position such that only a portion of the paddlewheel is immersed in water when the device is mounted on the vessel and the vessel is operated at planing speeds.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the support members are struts extending from the housing.

5. A combination temperature sensor and speed sensor for transom mounting on marine vessels as a unitary structure comprising:

(a) a sensor housing in which are housed;

(i) a temperature sensor device, and

(ii) an electromagnetic sensor means for generating pulsed electric signals in response to changes in electromagnetic fields;

(b) paddlewheel for generating a patterned electromagnetic field rotatably mounted on struts affixed to an external surface of said housing laterally adjacent said electromagnetic sensor and vertically unenclosed, the paddles of said paddlewheel being disposed to partially extend into water when said sensor housing is mounted on said vessel.

6. A sensor device for external mounting on the transom of marine vessels comprising:

(a) a sensor housing adapted to be mounted on said transom and in which is mounted an electro-magnetic sensor;

(b) struts externally attached to said housing adjacent said electromagnetic sensor;

(c) a paddlewheel rotatably mounted between said struts and vertically unenclosed for generating an electromagnetic field extending to said electromagnetic sensor;

(d) lead wires coupled to said sensor for coupling electrical signals generated by said sensor to display devices on said marine vessel.

7. The device of claim 6 including a temperature sensor mounted in said housing with lead wires coupled to a display device on said vessel.

8. A sensor device for marine vessels comprising:

(a) a housing in which are mounted a temperature sensor and an electromagnetic sensor;

(b) support members externally attached to said housing adjacent said electromagnetic sensor;

(c) a paddlewheel rotatably mounted on said members and exposed on all sides except for sides adjacent said members and wherein in operation said paddlewheel is adapted to be partially submerged in the water when said vessel is planing, the paddles of said paddlewheel generate electromagnetic signals proportional to the planing speed which are sensed by said electromagnetic sensor and converted to voltage pulses;

(d) lead wires coupled to said sensors and extending through wall of said housing for coupling electrical signals from said sensors to display devices on said marine vessel.