Automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor

A automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor for an effective and efficient alternative to cable steering. The automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor includes a housing, an electric motor, gears, an elongate drive member connected to a steering arm which is swivelly attached to an outboard motor, mounting brackets for attaching the housing to a boat, and a control unit connected with wires to the electric motor for energizing and controlling the direction of the electric motor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a mechanical outboard motor steering
 mechanism and more particularly pertains to a new automated steering
 mechanism for an outboard motor for an effective and efficient alternative
 to cable steering.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 The use of a mechanical outboard motor steering mechanism is known in the
 prior art. More specifically, a mechanical outboard motor steering
 mechanism heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically
 of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations,
 notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art
 which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and
 requirements.
 Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,415,062; 4,419,084; 3,121,415;
 5,355,821; 4,565,529; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 396,046.
 While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and
 requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new automated
 steering mechanism for an outboard motor. The inventive device includes a
 housing, an electric motor, gears, an elongate drive member connected to a
 steering arm which is swivelly attached to an outboard motor, mounting
 brackets for attaching the housing to a boat, and a control unit connected
 with wires to the electric motor for energizing and controlling the
 direction of the electric motor.
 In these respects, the automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor
 according to the present invention substantially departs from the
 conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing
 provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of an effective
 and efficient alternative to cable steering.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of a
 mechanical outboard motor steering mechanism now present in the prior art,
 the present invention provides a new automated steering mechanism for an
 outboard motor construction wherein the same can be utilized for an
 effective and efficient alternative to cable steering.
 The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described
 subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new automated steering
 mechanism for an outboard motor which has many of the advantages of the a
 mechanical outboard motor steering mechanism mentioned heretofore and many
 novel features that result in a new automated steering mechanism for an
 outboard motor which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or
 even implied by any of the prior art a mechanical outboard motor steering
 mechanism, either alone or in any combination thereof.
 To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing, an
 electric motor, gears, an elongate drive member connected to a steering
 arm which is swivelly attached to an outboard motor, mounting brackets for
 attaching the housing to a boat, and a control unit connected with wires
 to the electric motor for energizing and controlling the direction of the
 electric motor.
 There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features
 of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that
 follows may be better understood, and in order that the present
 contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional
 features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which
 will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
 In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention
 in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
 application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the
 components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
 drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
 practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood
 that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose
 of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
 As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
 which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the
 designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the
 several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore,
 that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions
 insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
 invention.
 Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent
 and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the
 scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar
 with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a
 cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of
 the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention
 of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to
 be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new
 automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor which has many of the
 advantages of the a mechanical outboard motor steering mechanism mentioned
 heretofore and many novel features that result in a new automated steering
 mechanism for an outboard motor which is not anticipated, rendered
 obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art a mechanical
 outboard motor steering mechanism, either alone or in any combination
 thereof.
 It is another object of the present invention to provide a new automated
 steering mechanism for an outboard motor which may be easily and
 efficiently manufactured and marketed.
 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new automated
 steering mechanism for an outboard motor which is of a durable and
 reliable construction.
 An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new
 automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor which is susceptible of
 a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and
 which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the
 consuming public, thereby making such automated steering mechanism for an
 outboard motor economically available to the buying public.
 Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new
 automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor which provides in the
 apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof,
 while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally
 associated therewith.
 Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new automated
 steering mechanism for an outboard motor for an effective and efficient
 alternative to cable steering.
 Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new automated
 steering mechanism for an outboard motor which includes a housing, an
 electric motor, gears, an elongate drive member connected to a steering
 arm which is swivelly attached to an outboard motor, mounting brackets for
 attaching the housing to a boat, and a control unit connected with wires
 to the electric motor for energizing and controlling the direction of the
 electric motor.
 Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new
 automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor that allows the user to
 mechanically steer a boat.
 Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
 automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor that substantially
 reduces arm fatigue caused by the user having to steer the boat.
 These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various
 features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with
 particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this
 disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating
 advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should
 be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there
 are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4
 thereof, a new automated steering mechanism for an outboard motor
 embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and
 generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
 As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the automated steering mechanism
 for an outboard motor 10 generally comprises a steering actuator means
 which includes an elongate drive member 16 having a first end 18 and a
 second end 17. The steering actuator means also includes a housing 11, a
 two-directional electric motor 12 securely and conventionally disposed in
 the housing 11. A first gear 13 is conventionally disposed near to and
 driven by the electric motor 12. A second gear 14 is conventionally
 disposed near to and driven by the first gear 13. A third gear 15 is
 disposed near to and driven by the second gear 14 and is securely attached
 with a bolt to near the first end 18 of the elongate drive member 16 which
 has a middle portion 19 pivotally attached with a bolt to the housing 1.
 The second end 17 of the elongate drive member 16 is disposed outside of
 the housing 11. The third gear 15 is essentially a flared or triangular
 member having an arcuate edge 20 which includes a plurality of teeth
 extending along the arcuate edge 20 which is engageable to said second
 gear 14. Mounting brackets 21 for supporting the steering actuator means
 upon a boat 29 are conventionally attached to a boat 29 near the outboard
 motor 28. The housing 11 is securely and conventionally attached to the
 mounting brackets 21. A control unit 22 is connected with wires 24 to the
 steering actuator means for steering a boat 29. The control unit 29
 includes a switch 23 for energizing the electric motor 12. The switch 23
 is connected with wires 24 to the electric motor 12 and is a
 two-directional switch capable of energizing the electrical motor 12 in
 two directions, right and left which moves the outboard motor 28 left and
 right. A steering arm 25 has a first end 26 and a second end 27 with the
 first end 26 being conventionally connected to the elongate drive member
 16, and the second end 27 being swivelly and conventionally connected to
 an outboard motor 28.
 In use, the user, instead of having to steer the outboard motor 28 by hand
 which can quickly fatigue the user, moves the two-directional switch 23
 either to the left which energizes the electric motor 12 which, in turn,
 actuates the first gear 13 to rotate in one direction. The first gear 13
 engages the second gear 14 which engages the third gear 15 which moves the
 second end 17 of the elongate drive member 16 to the left thus urging the
 steering arm 25 also to the left which, in turn, turns the outboard motor
 28 so that the boat 29 will go in the left direction. To turn the boat 29
 in the right direction, the user would move the two-directional switch 23
 to the right.
 As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the
 present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description.
 Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and
 operation will be provided.
 With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the
 optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to
 include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of
 operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to
 one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those
 illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are
 intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
 Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
 principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and
 changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
 to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and
 described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may
 be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.