Depth finding-trolling system
First Claim
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1. A depth finding-trolling system, comprising:
- a motor housing;
an electric propulsion motor disposed in said housing;
a control box;
means for operatively connecting said housing to said control box;
means for steering and speed controlling said motor;
a sonic transducer disposed in said motor housing;
a main circuit electrically connected to said transducer for electrically developing a transmitted sonic signal and processing a received sonic echo signal into a signal corresponding to a depth distance;
an electrical cable operatively connecting said transducer to said main circuit, said cable extending from said housing and through said support means to said control box;
a gain control circuit operatively associated with said main circuit for automatically amplifying the sonic echo signal;
a display board circuit operatively associated with said main circuit for translating said signal corresponding to a depth distance into visual information operatives; and
a display including a plurality of light emitting diodes, said diodes being arranged in rectilinear descent from left to right to illustrate numbers in ascending order of a set of ten numbers, said display comprising four arrays of said diodes, each said array illustrating ten feet of depth.
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Abstract
A depth finding-trolling system for measuring the water depth and operating a trolling motor. The depth finder and trolling motor are configured within a unitary structure having dimensions of a conventional trolling motor. The depth finder includes an automatic gain circuit and a display including one or more arrays of information operatives representing depth measurement.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A depth finding-trolling system, comprising:
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a motor housing; an electric propulsion motor disposed in said housing; a control box; means for operatively connecting said housing to said control box; means for steering and speed controlling said motor; a sonic transducer disposed in said motor housing; a main circuit electrically connected to said transducer for electrically developing a transmitted sonic signal and processing a received sonic echo signal into a signal corresponding to a depth distance; an electrical cable operatively connecting said transducer to said main circuit, said cable extending from said housing and through said support means to said control box; a gain control circuit operatively associated with said main circuit for automatically amplifying the sonic echo signal; a display board circuit operatively associated with said main circuit for translating said signal corresponding to a depth distance into visual information operatives; and a display including a plurality of light emitting diodes, said diodes being arranged in rectilinear descent from left to right to illustrate numbers in ascending order of a set of ten numbers, said display comprising four arrays of said diodes, each said array illustrating ten feet of depth.
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2. A depth finding and trolling system, comprising:
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a trolling motor; a sonic transducer for transmitting and receiving sonic signals; circuit means electrically coupled to said transducer for electrically developing a transmitted sonic signal and processing a received sonic echo signal into a signal corresponding to a depth distance; and display means operatively associated with said circuit for translating said signal corresponding to a depth distance into visual information, said display means including a plurality of light emitting diodes, said diodes being arranged in rectilinear descent from left to right to illustrate numbers in ascending order of a set of ten numbers.
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3. A depth finder, comprising:
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a sonic transducer for transmitting and receiving sonic signals; a main circuit electrically coupled to said transducer for electrically developing a transmitted sonic signal and processing a received sonic echo signal into a signal corresponding to a depth distance; a display board assembly operatively associated with said circuit for translating said signal corresponding to a depth distance into display drive signals; and a display responsive to said display drive signals for providing a visual display of said depth distance, said display including a plurality of light emitting diodes, said diodes being arranged in rectilinear descent from left to right to illustrate numbers in ascending order of a set of ten numbers. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A depth finding and trolling system, comprising a unitary structure including
a trolling motor, said trolling motor including a motor housing, a control box having a cover with a window, and means for operatively connecting said housing to said control box; - and
a depth finder, said depth finder including a sonic transducer for transmitting and receiving sonic signals disposed in said motor housing, circuit means for depth finding and for displaying visually depth measurements disposed in said control box, and display means disposed in said window of said cover of said control box for visually representing depth measurements. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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- 7. A depth finder display responsive to water depth indicative signals for indicating the depth of water, comprising an array of display elements, said display elements being vertically and horizontally displaced with respect to each other, said display elements comprising light emitting diodes, said diodes being arranged in rectilinear descent from left to right to illustrate numbers in ascending order of a set of ten numbers.
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9. A method of manufacturing a depth finding-trolling system, comprising the steps of:
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disposing a sonic transducer for transmitting and receiving sonic signals and an electric propulsion motor in a housing having external dimensions approximately equal to a conventional trolling motor housing; disposing electric circuits for depth finding and displaying visually depth measurements in a control box having external dimensions approximately equal to a conventional trolling motor control box; securing said housing to said control box by means of a support shaft; securing a cover having a window to said control box; securing a display means for visually representing depth measurements in said window; and establishing an electrically conductive path between said transducer and said electrical circuits.
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Specification