Status indicators for use with a watercraft propulsion system

• US 7,753,745 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Suhre, Karen, Schey, Tyson
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US11/835,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20090042460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 114/151, 701/21, 440/1, 440/2, 440/6
• US Class Current: 440/2
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/42 Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements by jets B63H25/46; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

Status indicators for use with a watercraft propulsion system are described. An example indicator includes a light operatively coupled to a propulsion system of a watercraft, wherein an operation of the light indicates a status of a thruster system of the propulsion system.

Claims

1. An indicator for use with a watercraft propulsion system comprising:

a first light operatively coupled to a thruster system having at least two thrusters, wherein an operation of the first light indicates a temperature status of the thruster system;

a second light operatively coupled to a thruster battery of the thruster system, wherein operation of the second light indicates a voltage level of the thruster battery relative to a voltage capacity level of the thruster battery; and

a control system to disable the thruster system when the control system detects that the first light and the second light have been active for a predetermined amount of time.

2. An indicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the first light or the second light is disposed on a thruster system control mechanism.

3. An indicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the second light flashes to warn a user when the voltage level of the thruster battery decreases below a threshold voltage level.

4. An indicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the first light illuminates to indicate a condition in which at least one of the thrusters is approaching a temperature greater than a threshold temperature.

5. An indicator as defined in claim 4, wherein the first light remains illuminated until the condition is no longer present.

6. An indicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the second light illuminates to indicate a condition in which the voltage level of the thruster battery is approaching a voltage level that is insufficient to operate the thruster system.

7. An indicator as defined in claim 4, wherein the at least one of the thrusters is disabled in response to the thruster having a temperature greater than the threshold temperature.

8. An indicator of claim 4, wherein the threshold temperature is a temperature at which the thrusters are disabled.

9. An indicator as defined in claim 6, wherein the second light remains illuminated until the condition is no longer present.

10. An indicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the first light flashes to warn a user when the temperature of one of the at least two thrusters is greater than a threshold temperature.

11. A method of to detect a status of a thruster system of a watercraft comprising:

operatively coupling a light to the thruster system of a propulsion system, the thruster system having at least two thrusters;

detecting a temperature of one of the at least two thrusters to determine a temperature status of the thruster system;

detecting a voltage level of a battery operatively coupled to the thruster system; and

operating the light in response to a temperature of the thruster system being greater than a threshold temperature value and the voltage level of the battery being less than a threshold voltage level.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the light is disposed on a thruster system control mechanism.

13. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising detecting a condition of the thruster system based on the temperature of the thruster system and the voltage level of the battery.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising flashing the light in response to detection of a condition in which the voltage level of the battery is insufficient to power the thruster system and a temperature of the thruster system is greater than the threshold temperature.

15. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising illuminating the light in response to detection of a condition that requires the thruster system to be disabled.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the light remains illuminated until the condition is no longer present.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising disabling the thruster system in response to detecting that the light has been illuminated for a predetermined amount of time.

18. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising disabling the thruster system in response to detecting the condition in which both the temperature of the thruster system is greater than the threshold temperature value and the voltage level of the battery is less than the threshold voltage level.

19. A watercraft comprising:

a propulsion system including at least two thrusters;

a first sensor to detect a temperature of at least one of the thrusters;

a second sensor to detect a voltage level of a thruster battery operatively coupled to the thrusters;

a light operatively coupled to the at least two thrusters and the thruster battery; and

a means for determining a capacity level of the thrusters based on the voltage level of the battery and the temperature of the at least one of the thrusters, and wherein the means for determining a capacity level causes the light to operate to indicate the capacity level of the thrusters to a user based on the voltage level of the battery and the temperature of the at least one of the thrusters.

20. A watercraft as defined in claim 19, wherein the light flashes to indicate a warning level of thruster capacity and illuminates to indicate a condition to disable the thrusters.

21. A watercraft as defined in claim 19, further comprising a control system to disable the thruster system when the control system detects that the capacity level of the thrusters is below a threshold capacity level.

22. A watercraft as defined in claim 19, wherein the threshold capacity level comprises a capacity level at which the temperature of the thrusters is approaching a temperature at which the thrusters malfunction and the voltage level of the battery bank is approaching a voltage level that is insufficient to operate the thrusters.