Marine Drive Steering Arm Guide Passages for Rigging Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rigging connectors extending from marine drives to vessels are prone to bending and abrasion due to repetitive movement, leading to damage and affecting the styling and convenience of marine drives.

Innovation Solution

A steering arm with a guide passage supports flexible rigging connectors, routing them away from rubbing surfaces and allowing for adjustable positioning to accommodate different connector lengths and sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If rigging connectors extend from marine drive to vessel through conventional routing, then connectivity is achieved, but the connectors are prone to bending and abrasion due to repetitive movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector durabilityVSAvoidabrasion and bending

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a guide passage as an intermediary structure within the steering arm that routes the rigging connector away from harmful rubbing surfaces. The guide passage acts as a mediator between the connector and the transom/transom bracket, directing the connector through a controlled path that prevents direct contact and reduces abrasion while maintaining connectivity functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If rigging connectors are routed away from rubbing surfaces, then wear is reduced, but the routing becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector durabilityVSAvoidrouting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the routing function into the existing steering arm structure by integrating a guide passage within it. Instead of adding a separate routing system, the guide passage is incorporated into the steering arm itself, combining the steering function and connector routing function into a single integrated component, thereby reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If conventional routing is used without guide passages, then device simplicity is maintained, but connector wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidabrasion

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the steering arm into functional zones, creating a dedicated guide passage section that isolates the rigging connector from harmful rubbing surfaces. This segmentation allows the connector to be routed through a protected path while the rest of the steering arm maintains its structural simplicity and steering functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12459621B1Marine drives and apparatuses for steering marine drives and for routing flexible rigging connectors on marine drives

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 BRUNSWICK CORP

AI summary

A marine drive may include a frame configured to support the marine drive with respect to the marine vessel, a cowling enclosing a portion of the frame in a cowling interior, a steering arm configured such that movement of the steering arm causes rotation of the marine drive with respect to the steering axis, and a flexible rigging connector extending from the cowling interior to a location in the marine vessel. The flexible rigging connector may extend through a guide passage in the steering arm. Additionally or alternatively, the steering arm may include a base member and a mounting member selectively movable relative to the base member to adjust the length of the steering arm.