Trolling motor with sonar transducer

• US 4,737,940 A
• Filed: 08/28/1986
• Issued: 04/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pace Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Pace Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Arringotn, Tracy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEINBERGER, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US06/901,435
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 367/104, 367/106, 367/109, 367/120, 367/130, 367/131, 367/141, 367/157, 367/165, 367/173, 367/155, 367/910, 181/139, 181/140, 181/142, 310/337, D10/46, 440/2, 440/113, 114/20-25, 114/242, 114/312
• US Class Current: 367/173
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/007 Trolling propulsion units trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/006 Transducer mounting in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/91 Portable sonar devices

Abstract

An assembly is provided for mounting a sonar depth sounder transducer on an electric trolling motor such that the transducer is protected from entaglement with vegetation and from being knocked out of a predetermined orientation relative to the boat. The conventional bearing cap connected to the nose of a trolling motor is replaced by a bearing cap having a sonar tranducer integrally mounted therein such that the power cable, extending from the depth sounder in the boat to the transducer, is routed through the inside of the trolling motor housing and through the hollow tubular trolling motor support shaft. A power cable guide is mounted inside the trolling motor housing and is supported by a guide ring for positioning the power cable along a path preventing engagement with the armature, rotor and other moving parts in the trolling motor.

Claims

1. A motor for propelling a boat comprising:

an electric propulsion motor and a substantially cylindrical motor housing therefor and having an opening formed in one end of said housing;

a support shaft supporting said motor housing;

a bearing cap including a thrust bearing therein secured to said housing and closing said opening;

said bearing cap further including a receptacle therein and a sonar transducer secured in said receptacle;

said bearing cap having a cylindrical lip formed on the periphery thereof and extending into said opening in said housing, a power cable operably connected to said transducer and extending through said opening in said motor housing to said support shaft;

through bolts extending from said motor housing and threadedly secured to said bearing cap;

cable guide means supported by one of said bolts and being adapted to maintain a central portion of said power cable adjacent said one of said through bolts.

2. An electric trolling motor bearing cap for integrally mounting and protecting from damage while in use a sonar transducer therein comprising:

a body portion having a recess integrally formed internally therein;

a cylindrical lip protruding from said body portion;

a sonar transducer;

means securing said transducer in said integral recess;

a power cable secured to said transducer and extending internally through said bearing;

threaded aperatures adapted to receive bearing cap securing bolts and a thrust bearing secured to said body portion, said cylindrical lip being so configured as to sealingly engage a trolling motor housing to position said thrust bearing and support a trolling motor drive shaft therein.

3. An integral transducer mounting for an electric trolling motor having an armature and field coil mounted to operate a propeller driven shaft extending through a motor housing which is suspended from a hollow support shaft, the improvement comprising:

a cap;

a sonar transducer having a power cable;

means securing said sonar transducer in said cap;

means to secure said cap to the motor housing;

cable guide means adapted to be installed in the motor housing to maintain said power cable spaced from the armature of the motor; and

a cable guide ring adapted to be installed in the motor housing to route said power cable from the inside of the motor housing into the hollow support shaft.