Trolling Motor Direction Guide with Elevated Visual Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fishermen operating a trolling motor from the rear of a fishing boat often have obstructed views of the trolling motor, making it difficult to determine the direction of propulsion, especially in low visibility conditions or when obstructed by other people or structures.
Innovation Solution
A visual direction guide comprising an elongated indicator support shaft with a visual indicator, such as a vane or lights, mounted on the trolling motor to provide a clear indication of the propulsion direction, which can be secured to the trolling motor using various mounting apparatuses like brackets, clamps, or sockets, allowing the operator to determine the direction even when obstructed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the trolling motor is mounted at the bow and controlled remotely from the stern, then the operator can control the trolling motor, but the view of the trolling motor is obstructed by fishermen or structures near the bow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the visual indicator vertically upward from the trolling motor shaft into the third dimension (height), creating a tall shaft with visible indicators at elevated positions. This vertical extension allows the operator at the stern to see the motor orientation over the heads of fishermen and above bow structures, resolving the visibility problem while maintaining remote control capability
2Ease of manufacture
If a visual indicator is placed close to the trolling motor for easy attachment, then the mounting is simple, but the indicator cannot be seen above visual obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a tall vertical shaft that extends the indicator into the height dimension, allowing the visual indicator to be seen above obstructions while maintaining straightforward attachment to the motor shaft through mounting brackets or clamps at the base of the shaft
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a separate visual indicator element (such as a vane, arrow, or colored marker) mounted on the shaft as an intermediary that provides visible orientation information without interfering with the trolling motor's operation or requiring modification of the motor itself
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the visual indicator is made tall to be visible above obstructions, then the visibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the visual indicator system into separate functional segments: a support shaft for height, mounting brackets for attachment, and the visual indicator element itself. This modular segmentation allows each component to be simple and independent, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the visibility goal
Data Source
AI summary
A visual direction guide for a fishing boat trolling motor to enable a fisherman or other operator positioned remotely in the boat from the trolling motor to visually determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor so the operator can steer the motor even when the view from the operator of the trolling motor is visually obstructed by another fisherman, chair, or other object. The visual direction guide has a support shaft, a visual indicator located at the top of the support shaft, and mounting apparatus to secure the support shaft to the trolling motor, so that the visual indicator can be seen by the operator above any visual obstruction to determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor to remotely steer the trolling motor. The visual indicator can include a vane, and can include lights. The support shaft can telescope, fold down, or be removed for storage.