Jet outboard motor nozzle steering assembly
View Patent ↗A steering nozzle assembly for a jet motor of a jet outboard motor includes a mounting frame attachable to the jet motor. The mounting frame is configured to be spaced apart by a gap from the discharge end of a discharge nozzle of the jet motor. The jet motor discharges a water jet that flows through the gap and past the mounting frame into a steering nozzle attached to the mounting frame for relative movement about a steering nozzle pivot axis. A reverse gate is movable from a neutral position away from the water jet to an actuated position in the gap between the discharge nozzle and the mounting frame. When in the actuated position, the reverse gate intercepts and reverses the direction of the water jet to generate reverse thrust before the water jet reaches the steering nozzle.
1 . A nozzle steering assembly for a jet outboard motor comprising:
a mounting frame and at least one mounting arm connected to the mounting frame, the at least one mounting arm being adapted to fixedly attach the mounting frame to a jet motor of the jet outboard motor;
wherein the at least one mounting arm spaces the mounting frame away from a discharge end of a jet motor discharge nozzle and defines an air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor by the at least one mounting arm;
a steering nozzle being connected to the mounting frame and being pivotable with respect to the mounting frame about a steering nozzle pivot axis, the steering nozzle being disposed to receive a flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle into an intake end of the steering nozzle and to discharge the flow of water through a discharge end of the steering nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to jet motor whereby displacement of the steering nozzle about the nozzle pivot axis with respect to the mounting frame causes a change in the flow direction of water discharged from the steering nozzle; and
a reverse gate being connected to the mounting frame, the reverse gate being movable with respect to the mounting frame independently of the steering nozzle about a reverse gate pivot axis between a neutral position and an actuated position;
wherein when the reverse gate is in the neutral position, the reverse gate is disposed to not obstruct the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor; and
wherein when the reverse gate is in the actuated position, the reverse gate is disposed between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle in the air gap and is configured to intercept and substantially reverse the flow direction of the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor.
2 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting frame has a front side that faces the jet motor when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor, the mounting frame being configured to enable the flow of water discharged from the jet motor to flow past the front side of the mounting frame before entering the intake end of the steering nozzle.
3 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 2 wherein the mounting frame defines an opening extending from the front side of the mounting frame in fluid communication with the intake end of the steering nozzle, the mounting frame being configured to enable the flow of water discharged from the jet motor to flow into the opening from the front side of the mounting frame and into the intake end of the steering nozzle.
4 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 3 wherein the opening of the mounting frame extends from the front side of the mounting frame to an opposite rear side of the mounting frame.
5 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 4 wherein the intake end of the steering nozzle is disposed in the mounting frame opening.
6 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one mounting arm comprises a first mounting arm and a second mounting arm, wherein when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor the reverse gate is pivotally attached to the first and second mounting arms with the first and second mounting arms being spaced apart from one another along the reverse gate pivot axis.
7 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 wherein the reverse gate is not in fluid communication with the steering nozzle.
8 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis is defined by a first pair of hinge pins held by the mounting frame, the steering nozzle only movable with respect to the mounting frame about the nozzle pivot axis.
9 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 8 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis extends vertically with respect to the mounting frame when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor for left-right steering of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by displacement of the steering nozzle relative to the mounting frame about the steering nozzle pivot axis.
10 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 8 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis extends horizontally with respect to the mounting frame when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor for trim adjustment of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by movement of the steering nozzle relative to the mounting frame about the steering nozzle pivot axis.
11 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 comprising a tilt frame being pivotally attached to the mounting frame and movable with respect to the mounting frame about a tilt frame pivot axis; and
the steering nozzle being pivotally attached to the tilt frame wherein the tilt frame connects the steering nozzle with the mounting frame, the steering nozzle being movable with respect to the tilt frame about the nozzle pivot axis.
12 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 11 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis extends vertically with respect to the tilt frame when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor for left-right steering of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by movement of the steering nozzle about the nozzle pivot axis relative to the tilt frame;
the tilt frame pivot axis extends horizontally with respect to the mounting frame when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor for trim adjustment of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by movement of the tilt frame about the tilt frame pivot axis relative to the mounting frame.
13 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 11 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis extends horizontally with respect to the tilt frame when the frame is attached to the jet motor for trim adjustment of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by movement of the steering nozzle about the steering nozzle pivot axis relative to the tilt frame; and
the tilt frame pivot axis extends vertically with respect to the mounting frame when the mounting frame is attached to the jet motor for left-right steering of a watercraft driven by the outboard motor by movement of the tilt frame about the tilt frame pivot axis relative to the mounting frame.
14 . The steering nozzle assembly of claim 11 wherein the mounting frame has a front side that is configured to face the jet motor when the steering nozzle assembly is attached to the jet motor;
the tilt frame has a front side that is configured to face the jet motor when the steering nozzle assembly is attached to the jet motor;
the mounting frame being configured to enable the flow of water discharged from the jet motor to flow past the front side of the mounting frame before reaching the front side of the tilt frame; and
the tilt frame being configured to enable the flow of water discharged from the jet motor to flow past the front side of the tilt frame before reaching the intake end of the steering nozzle.
15 . The steering nozzle assembly of claim 14 wherein the mounting frame defines a through-opening surrounded by the mounting frame;
the tilt frame defines a through-opening surrounded by the tilt frame; and
the mounting frame and the tilt frame each being configured so that when the steering nozzle assembly is attached to the jet motor the mounting frame and the tilt frame are each disposed to enable the flow of water discharged from the jet motor to enter the mounting frame through-opening and then enter the tilt frame through opening before entering the steering nozzle intake end.
16 . The steering nozzle assembly of claim 15 wherein the intake end of the steering nozzle is disposed in the tilt frame through-opening.
17 . The nozzle steering assembly of claim 1 wherein the steering nozzle pivot axis is defined by a first pair of hinge pins held by the tilt frame, the steering nozzle only movable with respect to the tilt frame about the steering nozzle pivot axis; and
the tilt frame pivot axis is defined by a second pair of hinge pins held by the mounting frame, the tilt frame only movable with respect to the mounting frame about the tilt frame pivot axis.
18 . The steering nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one mounting arm comprises a first mounting arm and a second mounting arm;
the reverse gate is pivotally mounted to the first mounting arm by a first hinge pin and is pivotally mounted to the second mounting arm by a second hinge pin, the first and second hinge pins defining the reverse gate pivot axis; and
the first mounting arm is attached to the jet motor by the first hinge pin and the second mounting arm is attached to the jet motor by the second hinge pin.
19 . A watercraft comprising:
a jet outboard motor attached to a hull of the watercraft, the jet outboard motor comprising a jet motor and a discharge nozzle being configured to discharge a water jet that provides thrust for driving the watercraft;
a nozzle steering assembly attached to the jet motor, the nozzle steering assembly comprising:
(a) a mounting frame and at least one mounting arm connected to the mounting frame, the at least one mounting arm fixedly attaching the mounting frame to the jet motor;
(b) the at least one mounting arm spacing the mounting frame away from a discharge end of the jet motor discharge nozzle and defining an air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle;
(c) a steering nozzle being connected to the mounting frame and pivotable with respect to the mounting frame about a steering nozzle pivot axis, the steering nozzle being disposed to receive the water jet discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle into an intake end of the steering nozzle and discharging the flow of water through a discharge end of the steering nozzle whereby movement of the steering nozzle about the steering nozzle pivot axis causes a change in the flow direction of water discharged from the steering nozzle; and
(d) a reverse gate being connected to the mounting frame, the reverse gate being movable with respect to the mounting frame independently of the steering nozzle about a reverse gate pivot axis between a neutral position and an actuated position;
wherein when the reverse gate is in the neutral position, the reverse gate is disposed to not obstruct the flow of water discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle; and
wherein when the reverse gate is in the actuated position, the reverse gate is disposed in the air gap between the mounting frame and the jet motor discharge nozzle and is configured to intercept and substantially reverse the flow direction of the water jet discharged from the jet motor discharge nozzle.
20 . The watercraft of claim 19 wherein the steering nozzle assembly comprises a tilt frame pivotally attached to the mounting frame for pivotal movement with respect to the mounting frame about a tilt frame pivot axis;
the steering nozzle is pivotally attached to the tilt frame for pivotal movement with respect to the tilt frame about the steering nozzle pivot axis; and
one of the tilt frame pivot axis and the steering nozzle pivot axis being a horizontal axis and the other of the tilt frame pivot axis and the steering nozzle axis being a vertical axis of the steering nozzle assembly.