Trim switch with waterproof boot

A trim switch for mounting in an opening in an outboard motor cowl is disclosed. The trim switch includes an outer housing which overlies a rocker assembly. The rocker assembly includes a rocker and a rocker support housing. The rocker support housing defines an interior region in which terminals and a terminal bridging contact are disposed. A cup-shaped waterproof boot overlies the rocker assembly and is sandwiched between the outer housing and the rocker assembly. The boot prevents water from leaking between the rocker and the rocker support housing and provides a positive seal between the outer housing the rocker assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a trim switch for an outboard motor and, 
more particularly, to an improved trim switch having a cup-shaped 
waterproof boot overlying a rocker assembly including a rocker and a 
rocker support housing to prevent water from leaking between the rocker 
and the rocker support housing and entering an interior region of the 
housing. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
An outboard motor trim switch is used in connection with pivoting an 
outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat between an upright operating 
position and an angled trailering position. The trim switch is mounted in 
an opening in a cowl of the outboard motor. The cowl is a cover which 
encloses the top or engine portion of the outboard motor. The trim switch 
is electrically coupled to a battery and a reversible motor. When 
actuated, the trim switch closes the circuit between the battery and the 
reversible motor causing a shaft of the reversible motor to rotate in 
either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The shaft, in turn, is 
mechanically coupled to a gear drive. As the shaft rotates, the gear drive 
pivots the outboard motor to either raise the motor from the operating 
position to the trailering position or lower the motor from the trailering 
position to the operating position. 
In the trailering position, the outboard motor is angled such that a lower 
portion of the motor including a propeller is positioned slightly away 
from the boat stern and vertically above its operating position level. In 
the trailering position, the propeller and lower portion of the motor are 
out of the way as the boat is slid onto or off of a trailer. In addition 
to using the trim switch to raise the outboard motor for trailering, the 
trim switch may be actuated while the boat is in the water to raise the 
propeller to facilitate untangling lines, tree roots, etc. which may 
become wrapped around the motor propeller during operation of the boat. 
Generally, a trim switch comprises a three position momentary rocker switch 
having an actuator or rocker which rocks or pivots between the three 
positions. In the center or neutral rocker position, the trim switch is 
open and the reversible motor is off. In one of the two off center rocker 
positions, the switch is actuated or closed to bridge a set of terminals. 
Bridging the terminals energizes the reversible motor to rotate the shaft 
is a clockwise direction. In the other of the two off center rocker 
positions, the switch is closed to bridge a different set of terminals 
energizing the reversible motor to rotate the shaft in a counterclockwise 
direction. When the shaft rotates in one direction, the gear drive pivots 
the outboard motor upwardly to the trailering position. When the shaft 
rotates in the opposite direction, the gear drive pivots the outboard 
motor downwardly to the operating position. The trim switch additionally 
includes an outer housing, which is secured with a clip to the outboard 
motor cowl to hold the trim switch in position, and a rocker support 
housing which supports the pivoting rocker and defines an interior region 
in which terminals and a terminal bridging contact are disposed. 
A trim switch is susceptible to having water splashed against it because of 
its position on the outboard motor cowl. If water leaks between the rocker 
and the rocker support housing and enters the housing interior region, 
serious problems may result. Water in the rocker support housing interior 
may result in short circuiting two or more terminals possibly burning out 
the trim switch and/or the reversible motor. Even if short circuiting does 
not occur, the water may cause corrosion of the terminals or the terminal 
bridging contact. In either case, the operational life of the trim switch 
may be adversely effected. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An improved trim switch is disclosed. The trim switch includes an outer 
housing and a rocker assembly which fits within an interior region of the 
outer housing. The outer housing is securable to a cowl of an outboard 
motor. The rocker assembly includes a rocker, a rocker support housing, a 
terminal bridging assembly, and a terminal support. The rocker support 
housing supports the rocker for pivoting movement between a center 
position and two off center positions. The rocker support housing defines 
an interior region in which the terminal bridging assembly and the 
terminal assembly are supported. The terminal bridging assembly includes a 
terminal bridging contact while the terminal assembly includes a terminal 
frame and three terminals including a center ground terminal. 
The trim switch of the present invention features a one piece cup-shaped 
waterproof boot that overlies the rocker assembly. The boot is resiliently 
deformable and durable and is preferably made of SANTOPRENE.TM. by 
Monsanto Chemical Company. The boot prevents water leakage between the 
rocker and the rocker support housing. Thus, water cannot enter the rocker 
support housing interior region and corrode or short circuit the terminals 
and/or the terminal bridging contact supported therein. Additionally, the 
boot is sandwiched between the outer housing of the trim switch and the 
rocker assembly thereby providing a positive seal between the outer 
housing and the rocker assembly. 
The terminal bridging assembly of the present invention features the 
terminal bridging contact translating or moving substantially horizontally 
to bridge the center terminal and one of the outer terminals of the 
terminal assembly when the rocker is depressed to one of the two off 
center positions. The terminal assembly includes the center ground 
terminal and two outer terminals flanking opposite sides of the center 
terminal. In the rocker's center position, the terminal bridging contact 
is disposed on an upper surface of the center terminal. When a right end 
portion of the rocker is depressed, the terminal bridging contact moves 
horizontally to the left to contact an upper surface of the outer terminal 
to the left of the center terminal thereby bridging the left of center 
outer terminal and the center terminal. Similarly, when a left end portion 
of the rocker is depressed, the terminal bridging contact moves 
horizontally to the right to contact an upper surface of the outer 
terminal to the right of the center terminal thereby bridging the right of 
center outer terminal and the center terminal. The horizontal movement of 
the terminal bridging contact provides a more positive electrical 
connection between the bridged terminals and, as the terminal contact 
moves across upper contact surfaces of the terminals, it provides a 
cleaning action to the those contact surfaces. 
One object of the present invention is to provide a trim switch for an 
outboard motor which includes a protective boot overlying a rocker 
assembly including a rocker and a rocker support housing to prevent water 
from leaking between the rocker and the rocker support housing and into an 
interior region defined by the rocker support housing. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a trim switch which 
includes a protective boot sandwiched between an outer housing and a 
rocker assembly overlied by the outer housing to prevent water from 
seeping between the outer housing and the rocker assembly. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a trim switch 
which includes a terminal bridging contact which translates substantially 
horizontally to bridge two terminals thereby providing a positive 
electrical connection between the bridged terminals and a cleaning action 
with respect to the contact surfaces of the bridged terminals. 
This and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will 
become better understood from a detailed description of a preferred 
embodiment of the invention which is described in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Turning to the drawings, a trim switch of the present invention is shown 
generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The trim switch 10 is mounted in an opening in 
a cowl 12 of an outboard boat motor 14 and is electrically coupled between 
a battery (not shown) and a reversible electric motor (not shown). The 
outboard boat motor 14 is mounted on a stern 15 of a boat. An output shaft 
of the reversible electric motor is coupled to a gearing assembly (not 
shown) to arcuately move or tilt the outboard motor 14 with respect to the 
stern 15 between an upright operating position (shown in FIG. 1) and an 
upwardly angled trailering position (not shown). 
The tilt switch 10 includes a rocker 32 which pivots between three 
positions; a center position (shown in FIG. 7) and two off center 
positions (one of which is shown in FIG. 8). In the center rocker 
position, the trim switch 10 is open and the reversible motor is off. In 
one of the two off center rocker positions, the trim switch 10 closes one 
circuit path between the battery and the reversible electric motor causing 
the motor shaft to rotate in a clockwise direction. In the other of the 
two off center rocker positions, the trim switch 10 closes a second 
circuit path between the batter and the reversible motor causing the motor 
shaft to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. Clockwise rotation of the 
motor shaft causes the gearing assembly to raise the outboard motor 14 
from the operating position to the trailering position, while 
counterclockwise rotation of the motor shaft causes the gearing assembly 
to lower the outboard motor from the trailering position to the operating 
position. 
The trim switch 10 includes an outer housing 16 (best seen in FIGS. 2-5) 
which includes an upper portion 18 and a central body 20. As can best be 
seen in FIGS. 5 and 5A, the outer housing upper portion 18 extends 
outwardly from the central body 20. An inner surface 21 of the outer 
housing upper portion 18 and the outer housing central body 20 define a 
hollow interior region that is generally rectangular in cross section. The 
central body 20 includes a extending lower portion 22 having three 
longitudinal openings 24 in communication with the interior region. The 
longitudinal openings 24 accommodate three wires (not shown) which are 
appropriately coupled between the battery and the reversible electric 
motor. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, the outwardly extending upper 
portion 18 of the outer housing 16 seats against an outer surface of the 
cowl 12 surrounding the opening. The outer housing 16 is secured to the 
cowl 12 with a copper clip which is disposed between an inner surface of 
the cowl and a pair of arms 26 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) extending outwardly from 
an outer surface of the central body 20. The outer housing 16 is 
preferably comprised of a durable, high impact plastic such as 
polypropylene. 
As can best be seen in FIG. 4, sized to fit within the outer housing 
interior region is a rocker assembly 30. The rocker assembly 30 is 
comprised of the rocker 32, a rocker support housing 34, a terminal 
bridging assembly 36 and a terminal assembly 38. The terminal bridging 
assembly 36 and the terminal assembly 38 are supported within an interior 
region 34a (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) of the rocker support housing 34. The rocker 
support housing 34 and a pair of coil springs 39a, 39b support the rocker 
32 for pivoting movement between the aforementioned three positions. The 
rocker support housing 34 and the rocker 32 are preferably comprised of 
polypropylene plastic. 
As can best be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, overlying the rocker assembly 30 and 
sandwiched between the inner surface 21 of the outer housing 16 and the 
rocker assembly 30 is a cup shaped waterproof boot 40. The boot 40 is 
resiliently deformable and durable and preferably is molded from a 
material sold in pelletized form by Monsanto Chemical Company under the 
brand name SANTOPRENE.TM.. The boot 40 may be fabricated through an 
injection molding process well known to those skilled in the art. The boot 
40 prevents water from entering the interior region 39 of the rocker 
support housing 34. Additionally, there is a snug fit between the boot 40 
and the inner surface 21 of the outer housing 16 which minimizes water 
seepage between the outer housing and the boot. 
As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the boot 40 includes an outwardly stepped 
lower portion 44 which overlies an upper part of a correspondingly 
outwardly stepped lower portion 46 of the rocker support housing 34. When 
the boot 40 and rocker support housing 34 are inserted into the outer 
housing interior region 21 upper surfaces 44a, 46a of the outwardly 
stepped lower portions 44, 46 of the boot 40 and rocker support housing 34 
seat against a corresponding peripheral lip 50 formed in the inner surface 
21 of the outer housing 16. The lip 50 is seen in FIGS. 5 and 5A. 
Furthermore, a pair of wedge shaped sections 51a (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8) 
extending from the upper surface 44a of the boot 40 seat against 
corresponding inclined portions 51b (FIGS. 5, 5A, 7 and 8) of the outer 
housing inner surface. The rocker support housing lower portion 46 
includes four radially outwardly extending securement nubs 52 (FIGS. 4, 6, 
7 and 8). When the rocker support housing 34 is inserted into the outer 
housing 16, the nubs 52 snap fit into corresponding openings 54 (FIGS. 3 
and 4) in a lower portion of the outer housing central body 20 to secure 
the rocker support housing 34 and the boot 40 in place within the outer 
housing interior region. Further, the boot 40 is prevented from moving 
upwardly in the outer housing interior region because of the 
aforementioned seating of the boot upper surface 44a on the outer housing 
peripheral lip 50. 
When the trim switch 10 is assembled, an upper portion 48 of the boot 40 
overlies an upper portion 55 (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8) of the rocker 32. When a 
force F (FIG. 8) that is offset to a central axis L--L of the trim switch 
10 is applied to the boot 40, the boot upper portion 48 deforms and the 
rocker 32 pivots on two arcuate raised portions 56 (FIG. 4) extending from 
an upper surface 56a of the rocker support housing 32 to one of the 
rocker's two off center positions. When the force F is removed, the rocker 
32 returns to the center position (FIG. 7) due to a biasing force applied 
by the coil springs 39a, 39b. The coil springs 39a, 39b are supported in 
respective central longitudinal openings of cylindrically shaped supports 
57a, 57b (FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8) extending inwardly from the rocker support 
housing inner wall 34a. Ends of the coil springs 39a, 39b engage nubs 58a, 
58b (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8) extending downwardly from a lower surface of the 
rocker upper portion 55 and corresponding nubs 59a, 59b (FIGS. 7 and 8) 
extending upwardly into the central openings defined by the cylindrically 
shaped supports 57a, 57b. Although FIG. 8 shows the rocker 32 in one of 
its two off center positions, it should be understood that the force F 
could be applied to the other side of the rocker causing it to pivot to 
the other of the two off center positions. A lower portion 60 (FIG. 4) of 
the rocker 32 is rectangularly shaped and includes a central cavity 61 
(FIGS. 7 and 8) and a pair of rectangularly shaped openings 61a (FIGS. 4, 
7 and 8) in opposite sides of the lower portion. 
Two tapered extensions 62 (only one of which can be seen in FIG. 4) extend 
outwardly from an outer surface of the rocker lower portion 60. During 
assembly of the trim switch 10, the rocker lower portion 60 is pushed into 
an opening in the upper surface 56a of the rocker support housing 34 
between the pair of cylindrically shaped supports 57a, 57b. The two 
tapered extensions 62 of the rocker lower portion 60 slightly deflect the 
rocker support housing 34 as the rocker lower portion 60 is inserted into 
the rocker support housing. As the rocker lower portion 60 continues to be 
inserted into the rocker support housing 34, the two tapered extensions 62 
snap into respective slot shaped indentations 64 (FIGS. 4 and 6) in the 
inner surface 34a of the rocker support housing. Further, flat portions 65 
(only one of which can be seen in FIG. 4) on the bottom surface of the 
rocker upper portion contact the rocker housing arcuate raised portions 
56. As the rocker 34 pivots, the flat portions 65 rock on the rocker 
housing arcuate raised portions 56 and the tapered extensions 62 rotate in 
an upper end of their respective indentations 64. The engagement of the 
tapered extensions 62 in the slot shaped indentations 64 and the contact 
between the flat portions 65 and the arcuate raised portions 56 function 
to pivotably secure the rocker 32 to the rocker support housing 34. 
As can be seen in FIG. 4, the terminal bridging assembly 36 includes a 
terminal contact support 68, a terminal bridging contact 70 and a biasing 
coil spring 72. The terminal assembly 38 includes a terminal frame 74 and 
a copper center ground connection terminal 76 flanked on either side by 
outer terminals 78, 80. Preferably, the terminal frame 74 is comprised of 
polypropylene plastic. The terminal bridging contact 70 is comprised of a 
conductive material preferably copper and includes side extensions 82 
(FIG. 4) which slidingly interfit in square openings defined by U-shaped 
members 84 extending from a bottom end 86 of the terminal contact support 
68. As can best be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the terminal contact support 
bottom end 86 is bullet shaped and pushes downwardly on the terminal 
bridging contact 70. 
As can be seen in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, a pair of tapered extensions 88 extend 
from an outer surface of the terminal contact support 68. The terminal 
contact support 68 includes a central longitudinal opening 90 in which the 
biasing spring 72 is disposed. During assembly, the terminal contact 
support 68 is pushed into the central opening 61 of the rocker lower 
portion 60. As the tapered extensions 88 are pushed against rocker lower 
portion 60, the rocker lower portion deflects slightly outwardly. As the 
terminal contact support 68 is pushed further into the central opening 61 
of the rocker lower portion 60, the tapered extensions 88 snap outwardly 
into respective rocker lower portion side openings 61a. The terminal 
contact support 68 slidingly moves within the rocker lower portion central 
opening 61. A path of travel of the terminal contact support 68 is limited 
to a distance the tapered extensions 88 can move longitudinally within the 
rocker lower portion side openings 61a. Further, the terminal contact 
support 68 is biased away from the rocker 32 by the biasing spring 72. An 
end of the biasing spring 72 overlies a nub 92 (FIGS. 7 and 8) extending 
downwardly from a bottom surface of the rocker upper portion 55. When the 
rocker 32 pivots, the terminal contact support 68 also pivots as seen in 
FIG. 8. 
As the terminal contact support 68 pivots with the rocker 32, the terminal 
bridging contact 70 moves substantially horizontally to bridge the center 
terminal 76 and one of the outer terminals 78, 80 depending on which off 
center position the rocker is pivoted to. In FIG. 8, the center terminal 
76 and the outer terminal 80 are bridged. The biasing spring 72 biases the 
terminal contact support 68 downwardly with respect to the rocker 32. This 
downward biasing, in turn, forces the terminal bridging contact 70 against 
terminal upper surfaces 76a, 78a, 80a and causes the terminal bridging 
contact 70 to translate horizontally across the terminal upper surfaces 
even though the terminal contact support 68 moves in an arcuate path. 
The horizontal movement of the terminal bridging contact 70 provides a more 
positive electrical connection between the bridged terminals 76, 78 or 76, 
80, (depending on the off center position the rocker 32 is pivoted to). 
Additionally, the movement of the terminal bridging contact 70 across the 
terminal upper surfaces 76a, 78a, 80a provides a cleaning action removing 
contaminants from the contact surfaces of the terminals 76, 78, 80 and the 
terminal bridging contact 70. 
Referring to FIG. 8, the application of a force F to the rocker upper 
portion 55 causes the rocker 32 to pivot to the off center position shown. 
The biasing coil spring 39b is compressed. When the force F is removed, 
the coil spring 39b returns the rocker 32 to the center position (FIG. 7) 
where the forces exerted by each spring 39a, 39b are in equilibrium. Of 
course, it should be understood that if the force F is applied to pivot 
the rocker to the other off center position, the coil spring 39a will be 
compressed and will return the rocker to the center position when the 
force F is removed. 
The terminals 76, 78, 80 are press fit into slotted openings 94 (FIG. 4) 
extending through the terminal frame 74. The terminal frame 74 includes 
extensions 96 (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8) which snap fit into corresponding 
openings 98 (FIGS. 4 and 6) to secure the terminal frame to the rocker 
support housing 34. Ends of conductive leads or wires (not shown) are 
soldered near outwardly extending ends 76b, 78b, 80b (FIGS. 7 and 8) of 
the terminals 76, 78, 80. The wires exit the outer housing 16 through the 
longitudinal openings 24. The downwardly facing side 100 (FIGS. 7 and 8) 
of the terminal frame 74 defines a recessed region which is filled with a 
potting compound (not shown). Preferably, the potting compound is 
polyurethane. A lower portion 102 (FIGS. 7 and 8) of the outer housing 
interior region is also filled with potting compound. The potting 
compound, in conjunction with the boot 40, completes the seal of the 
rocker supporting housing 34 preventing contaminants from entering the 
housing interior region 34a and potentially corroding or short circuiting 
the terminal bridging contact 70 and the terminal upper surfaces 76a, 78a, 
80a. The openings 24 are sized to snugly fit the wires. The snug fit 
prevents the potting compound from being forced out of the openings 24 and 
provides support for the wires. 
The present invention has been described with a degree of particularity, 
but it is the intent that the invention include all modifications from the 
disclosed preferred design failing within the spirit or scope of the 
appended claims.