IDLE ADJUSTMENT CONTROL AND SCULPTURED TWIST GRIP THROTTLE CONTROL HANDLE FOR A MARINE PROPULSION DEVICE

摘要

IDLE ADJUSTMENT CONTROL AND SCULPTURED TWIST GRIP THROTTLE CONTROL HANDLE FOR A MARINE PROPULSION DEVICE A marine propulsion device comprises a marine propulsion unit including an engine and a rotatably mounted propeller which is operatively connected with the engine. The engine has a throttle movable between an idle position and an advanced position. A steering tiller is attached to the marine propulsion unit, and a throttle grip having an exterior gripping surface is rotatably attached on the steering tiller. A throttle linkage assembly operatively connects the throttle grip with the throttle for moving the throttle between the idle position and the advanced position in response to rotation of the throttle grip. An idle adjustment assembly is carried by the throttle grip and is operatively connected with the throttle linkage assembly for adjusting the low operational engine speed above the true idle speed of the engine. A portion of the idle adjustment assembly protrudes outwardly from the sides of the exterior gripping surface to permit the operator to operate the idle adjustment assembly without removing his or her hands from the throttle grip. The gripping surface of the throttle grip is contoured to include a first surface area spaced generally at a first radial distance from the rotational axis of the throttle grip and a second surface area which is spaced angularly from the first surface area with respect to the rotational axis and generally at a second radial distance from the rotational axis which is different from the first distance. The operator is thus able to judge the approximate position of the throttle by visual and/or tactile reference to the contoured throttle grip.