Abstract:
A trim operating lever device is disclosed which can downwardly or vertically swing a nozzle capable of adjusting the jet direction of jet water. When the trim operating lever is gripped with a finger of the hand which is gripping the steering handle, a lever of the lever lock means can be substantially simultaneously operated with the finger, to effect locking. Therefore, the number of operations by the left hand necessary for swinging the nozzle is reduced. Also, because the trim operating lever makes it possible to enlarge the operating force, the nozzle can be swung quickly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a trim operating lever device for a personal watercraft.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In the conventional trim operating lever device, a handle grip attached to a left portion of a steering handle is turned by hand (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-281132 (JP 9-281132) (p. 5; FIG. 16)).  
           [0003]    [0003]FIG. 9 is an illustration of a conventional left-side grip portion (a copy from FIG. 16 of JP 9-281132).  
           [0004]    The conventional left-side grip  8   b  is for vertically oscillating a nozzle deflector provided at a jet port (for obtaining a trim angle) by being turned to a predetermined angle position, and comprises a trigger lever  91  for locking the left-side grip  8   b  in the predetermined angle position. With the left-side grip  8   b  turned to the predetermined angle position, the trim angle of the nozzle deflector can be set to any one of a neutral position (horizontal), an up position (upwards) and a down position (downwards). In the turning operation, first, the trigger lever  91  is pulled in, the left-side grip  8   b  is turned to the predetermined angle position, and the trigger lever  91  is released, upon which the left-side grip  8   b  is locked.  
           [0005]    In the conventional left-side grip  8   b  as above-mentioned, it takes labor for the action of hand at the time of turning thereof. Specifically, first, the trigger lever  91  is pulled by an index finger (first action), subsequently the left-side grip  8   b  is turned to the predetermined angle position (second action), and finally the index finger is released from the trigger lever  91  (third action). Thus, three operations are necessary, which takes labor, and results in poor operability.  
           [0006]    In addition, in the turning of the left-side grip  8   b , it is difficult to enlarge the operating force, so that it is difficult to vertically oscillate (rotate) the nozzle deflector quickly.  
           [0007]    Therefore, a need exists for a trim operating lever device for a personal watercraft that reduces the number of operations by the left hand that are necessary for swinging a nozzle and that allows the nozzle to be swung quickly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a personal watercraft is provided comprising a jet propeller for ejecting jet water, a nozzle capable of adjusting the jet direction of the jet water, the nozzle being arranged for the jet propeller, and a trim operating lever provided additionally to a steering handle. The nozzle being vertically swingable (rotatable) from a first ordinary direction when the trim operating lever is gripped, and the nozzle returning to the first ordinary direction when the grip on the trim operating lever is released, a lever lock means capable of locking the trim operating lever in a particular grip position is provided additionally to the steering handle.  
           [0009]    When the trim operating lever is gripped by a finger of the left hand which is gripping the steering handle, a lever of the lever lock means can be substantially simultaneously operated by the finger, to effect locking. Therefore, the number of operations by the left hand necessary for swinging the nozzle is only two.  
           [0010]    Furthermore, the trim operating lever makes it possible to enlarge the operating force, so that the nozzle can be swung quickly. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of a personal watercraft using a trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a steering nozzle according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a side view of a trim operating wire according to the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the trim operating lever device and the trim operating wire according to the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an elongation adjusting means according to the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a first function view of the trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a second function view of the trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is an illustration of a conventional left-side grip portion. 
     
    
       [0020]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example and drawings, and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings. The drawings are to be looked at according to the posture of symbols.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a side view of a personal watercraft using a trim operating lever device according to the present invention. The personal watercraft  10  comprises a craft body  11  composed of a hull  12  and a deck  13  joined to the upper side of the hull  12 , a steering handle  14  disposed roughly at the center of the deck  13 , a seat  15  provided on the rear side of the steering handle  14  and mounted on the deck  13 , a fuel tank  16  and an engine  17  mounted on the center of the hull  12 , a water jet propeller  18  connected to the engine  17 , a steering nozzle  21  as a nozzle provided on the rear side of the water jet propeller  18 , a trim operating wire  22  connected to the steering nozzle  21 , and a trim operating lever device  23  provided additionally to the steering handle  14  for connection of the trim operating wire  22 . Symbol  24  denotes a bow, and  25  denotes an axis located directly under the steering handle  14 .  
         [0023]    The water jet propeller  18  ejects jet water.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the steering nozzle according to the present invention, and shows the condition where the steering nozzle  21  is directed in a first ordinary direction.  
         [0025]    The steering nozzle  21  comprises a ring member  26  mounted onto the water jet propeller  18  so as to be oscillatable (rotatable) in the downward or vertical direction (the direction of arrow {circle over (1)}), and a nozzle main body  27  mounted onto the ring member  26  so as to be oscillatable in the left-right direction (the directions of arrows {circle over (2)}), and has the function of adjusting the jet direction of jet water.  
         [0026]    The ring member  26  has a structure in which first receiving portions  31  are provided on the left and right sides (the front and back sides of the figure) of the ring main body  28  so as to be in connection with the water jet propeller  18 , and second receiving portions  32  and  33  are provided on the upper and lower sides so as to be in connection with the nozzle main body  27 . Symbol  34  denotes a connection member between push wire  57  and the second receiving portion  32 , and θ denotes the trim swing angle at the time when the nozzle main body  27  is swung downwards from the first ordinary direction together with the ring member  26 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the trim operating lever device according to the present invention, and shows the condition where the trim operating lever device  23  is not being operated. The ring member  26  (see FIG. 2) and the nozzle main body  27  (see FIG. 2) of the water jet propeller with the trim operating wire  22  connected thereto are directed in the first ordinary direction indicated by the solid line.  
         [0028]    The trim operating lever device  23  is comprised of a support member  42  attached to the steering handle  14 , a trim lever main body  43  as a trim operating lever oscillatably mounted onto the support member  42 , and a lever lock means  44  for locking the trim lever main body  43 .  
         [0029]    The lever lock means  44  is for locking the trim lever main body  43  in a specific grip position, and is comprised of a lock lever  47  oscillatably mounted onto the trim lever main body  43 , a spring plate  48  fixed to the trim lever main body  43  so as to latch the lock lever  47  therewith, an origin stopper  49  formed on the trim lever main body  43 , and an latch projected portion  51  formed on the support member  42 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a side view of the trim operating wire according to the present invention. The trim operating wire  22  has a structure in which one end  54  of the pull wire  53  which is thin and highly flexible is connected to the trim operating lever device  23  (see FIG. 3), the other end  55  of the pull wire  53  is connected to one end  61  of a push wire  57  which is thick and poorly flexible through a push-pull converter  56 , and the other end  62  (see FIG. 2) of the push wire  57  is connected to the steering nozzle  21  (see FIG. 2) as the nozzle, and has the function of transmitting a force for operating the steering nozzle.  
         [0031]    The pull wire  53  is comprised of a wire cable outer  65  and an inner wire  66 . The diameter of the inner wire  66  has been set to be Df.  
         [0032]    As the material of the inner wire  66 , for example, stainless steel is used.  
         [0033]    The push wire  57  is comprised of a wire cable outer  67  and an inner wire  68 . The diameter of the inner wire  68  has been set to be Dr. The diameter Dr satisfies the relation Dr&gt;Df.  
         [0034]    As the material of the inner wire  68 , for example, stainless steel is used.  
         [0035]    The push-pull converter  56  has a structure in which a conversion link lever  72  is oscillatably mounted in a box  71 , a tension spring  73  is hooked on the conversion link lever  72 , the inner wire  66  of the pull wire  53  is connected to one end of the conversion link lever  72 , and the inner wire  68  of the push wire  57  is connected to the other end of the conversion link lever  72 , whereby a pulling force of the pull wire  53  is converted into a pushing force acting on the push wire  57 . Incidentally, the wire cable outer  65  of the pull wire  53  is fixed to one side of the box  71 , whereas the wire cable outer  67  of the push wire  57  is connected to the other side of the box  71 , and the respective inner wires  66  and  68  are slid, within the respective cable outers.  
         [0036]    As shown in FIG. 1, the push-pull converter  56  is disposed in the craft body on the bow  24  side of the axis  25  located directly under the steering handle  14  of the personal watercraft  10 , at a position spaced from the axis  25  by a distance L. However, the position of arrangement of the push-pull converter  56  may also be directly under the steering handle  14 , namely, on the axis  25 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the trim operating lever device and the trim operating wire according to the present invention, and shows the support member  42  of the trim operating lever device  23 , and the trim lever main body  43  oscillatably mounted onto the support member  42 , and also shows the lock lever  47 , the spring plate  48 , and the origin stopper  49  formed on the trim lever main body  43 , of the lever lock means  44 .  
         [0038]    The trim lever main body  43  is provided with a female screw  75  for a small screw  74  for mounting the lock lever  47 , and is provided with a female screw  77  for a small screw  76  for mounting the spring plate  48 .  
         [0039]    The lock lever  47  is provided on its one side with a finger hook portion  78  for hooking of a finger, is provided at its center with a projected portion  79 , and is provided on its other side with a latch end portion  81  to be latched on the latch projected portion  51  (see FIG. 3).  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 5 further shows the pull wire  53  of the trim operating wire  22 , the push-pull converter  56  (the box  71 , the conversion link lever  72 , and the tension spring  73 ), the push wire  57 , and an elongation adjusting means  82  provided at the center of the pull wire  53 .  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the elongation adjusting means according to the present invention. The elongation adjusting means  82  has a structure in which the wire cable outer  65  of the pull wire  53  is divided into two portions, an adjusting nut  84  is attached to a first wire cable outer  83  located on the side of the trim operating lever device  23  (see FIG. 5), an adjusting bolt  86  is attached to a second wire cable outer  85  located on the side of the push-pull converter  56  (see FIG. 5), and a jam nut  87  is used. Symbol S denotes an adjustment margin.  
         [0042]    Functions of the trim operating lever device for the personal watercraft as described above will be described below.  
         [0043]    In the trim operating lever device  23  which is not being used as shown in FIG. 3, the lock lever  47  is in an unlocking condition, and the spring plate  48  presses a projected portion  79  of the lock lever  47  as indicated by arrow {fraction (3)}, whereby the lock lever  47  is stopped by the origin stopper  49 , and maintains the condition of integral close contact.  
         [0044]    From the position of the trim lever main body  43  shown in FIG. 3, gripping of the trim lever main body  43  by a left-hand finger as indicated by arrow {fraction (7)} is started.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 is a first function view of the trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0046]    The trim lever main body  43  is gripped, and when the trim lever main body  43  has reached a specific grip position (the condition shown in FIG. 7), the lock lever  47  is pushed out with a finger as indicated by arrow {circle over (4)} and against the spring plate  48 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 8 is a second function view of the trim operating lever device according to the present invention.  
         [0048]    With the lock lever  47  pushed out as indicated by arrow {circle over (6)}, a latch end portion  81  of the lock lever  47  makes contact with a latch projected portion  51 , and the spring force of the spring plate  48  acts on the projected portion  79  at the center of the lock lever  47  as indicated by arrow {circle over (5)}, so that the lock lever  47  is stopped even when the finger is released from the lock lever  47 , and the trim lever main body  43  can be locked in the specific grip position. Therefore, the number of operations by the left hand necessary for swinging the steering nozzle  21  (see FIG. 2) is only two.  
         [0049]    In the case of unlocking, the lock lever  47  is gripped. Specifically, the lock lever  47  is gripped with a finger as indicated by arrow {circle over (6)}, upon which the latch end portion  81  of the lock lever  47  is disengaged from the latch projected portion  51 , so that the unlocking can be achieved.  
         [0050]    Furthermore, the trim operating lever makes it possible to enlarge the operating force, so that the nozzle can be swung quickly.  
         [0051]    The construction of the lever lock means  44  for locking the trim lever main body  43  of the trim operating lever device  23  shown in the embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and other mechanisms may be used for locking. For example, a pin inserting/drawing-out mechanism or a hook engaging/disengaging mechanism may be used, or a lock member may be inserted between the support member  42  and the trim lever main body  43 .