US 12,454,342 B1
Adaptable throttle units for marine drives and methods for installing them
Ryan Abellera, Fond du Lac, WI (US); Todd Dannenberg, Fond du Lac, WI (US); Suresh Venigalla, Sun Prairie, WI (US); and Bruce Heidel, Fond du Lac, WI (US)
Assigned to Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed by Brunswick Corporation, Mettawa, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/985,452.
Int. Cl. B63H 21/21 (2006.01); B63H 25/02 (2006.01)
CPC B63H 21/213 (2013.01) [B63H 25/02 (2013.01); B63H 2021/216 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adaptable throttle unit for controlling a marine drive of a marine vessel, the adaptable throttle unit comprising:
a housing having a first side and an opposite second side, wherein the housing is coupleable to one portion of the marine vessel in a first orientation with the first side above the second side and to another portion of the marine vessel in a second orientation with the first side below the second side;
a throttle lever with an inside and an opposite outside each extending from a handle to a second end that is rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the handle is above the second end and the inside faces the housing both when the housing is in the first orientation and in the second orientation, wherein each of the inside and the outside has an opening therein;
a switch configured to be coupled within the opening in the outside of the throttle lever when the housing is in the first orientation and within the opening in the inside of the throttle lever when the housing is in the second orientation;
a sensor configured to measure rotation of the throttle lever relative to the housing; and
a controller operatively coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to request forward propulsion of the marine drive when the throttle lever is rotated in a first direction and the housing is in the first orientation, and alternately to request reverse propulsion of the marine drive when the throttle lever is rotated in the first direction when the housing is in the second orientation such that the adaptable throttle unit accommodates different configurations for the marine vessel.