| US 7,497,748 B2 | ||
| Boat control system with return to center steering command | ||
| Paul D. Salmon, North Mankato, Minn. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Johnson Outdoors Inc., Mankato, Minn. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 23, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/656,781. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0176463 A1, Jul. 24, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. B60L 11/00 (2006.01); B63H 21/17 (2006.01); B63B 1/22 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 440—6 [114/285; 114/286] | 33 Claims |
| 1. A trim tab system comprising:
left and right trim tabs;
left and right trolling motors mounted on the left and right trim tabs, respectively;
left and right actuators for positioning the left and right trim tabs, respectively, within a trim range and within a troll
range;
a tab controller for controlling positioning of the left and right trim tabs by the left and right actuators;
a motor controller for controlling operation of the left and right trolling motors; and
a user control for providing commands to the tab controller and the motor controller, the user control including;
steer left and steer right inputs for generating left and right steering commands, respectively, that cause the left and right
trolling motors to be driven at different speeds, in different propeller directions, or both so that a difference in thrust
of the left and right trolling motors is produced; and
a return-to-center input for generating a return-to-center command that immediately adjusts steering to neutral by causing
the left and right trolling motors to be driven at a same speed and in a same direction so that both motors apply a same thrust
in a same direction.
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