With respect to large dual motor devices and in particular dual motor marine craft, it is important that the speed of the motors be synchronized in order to greatly enhance the smoothness and comfort of the ride and also reduce maintenance and ensure longevity with respect to the craft. Significant vibrations can occur with unsynchronized dual motors on a marine craft. These vibrations in addition to causing annoying noises, reduce the overall efficiency of the craft and cause the hull and engines and other devices and fittings on the craft to vibrate resulting in an increased maintenance requirement.
With respect to the synchronizing of two motors in a marine or other environment, there are a number of synchronizers commercially available. In particular, With respect to marine craft, the synchronizers adjust the speed of a slave motor with respect to the reference speed of a master motor. Both the slave and master motor are controlled by dual throttle levers or controls which are designed in such a way that the throttle levers can be moved in unison with one hand. Each of the throttle levers is connected by a control cable to a throttle arm located directly on the motor, which throttle arm is responsible for throttling the speed of the motor. The prior art synchronizers place a synchronizing unit in association with the cable to the slave motor. In effect, the slave cable has a first portion which provides an association between an electromechanical device of the synchronizers and the throttle lever and a second portion which provides an association between the electromechanical device and the slave motor. Such synchronizers are generally quite complex including a variety of springs, levers and gears and the movement of each portion of the slave cable is not directly linked to the movement of the other portion of the slave cable. In fact instrumentation for at least one of these devices directs the user to position the throttle lever for the slave motor to a maximum speed position and then to drive both motors using solely the throttle lever for the master motor. Such an arrangement has a disadvantage in that it requires that the synchronizer be continually synchronizing the motors. Further, these prior art devices have cumbersome engagement and disengagement procedures which can be inadvertently overlooked in environments such as docking and in traversing narrow or congested channels.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds