Marine propulsion – Screw propeller – Propulsion unit casing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-01-23
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3612)
Marine propulsion
Screw propeller
Propulsion unit casing
C440S076000, C123S1950HC
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176751
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an engine cover unit of an outboard motor particularly having a height adjusting device.
An outboard motor is provided with an engine which is disposed to an upper portion thereof in a state of the outboard motor mounted, for example, to a hull and is covered by an engine cover. The engine cover is generally composed of upper and lower two cover sections in a manner such that the lower cover section is secured to the outboard motor body and the upper cover section is constructed to be detachable therefrom for easy maintenance operation thereof.
The upper cover section has a rib member formed inside the upper cover section, the rib member being arranged so as to abut against a cushioning member arranged to an upper surface of the lower cover section thereby to adjust the vertical (height) position of the engine cover. A sealing member such as rubber is disposed at a mating portion of the upper and lower cover sections to keep water-tight structure of the engine cover.
However, because the sealing rubber has deteriorated as time elapses and, hence, its elastic property has been degraded, a gap is caused at the mating portion between the upper and lower cover sections, lowering the water-tight performance. In order to obviate such defect, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI 9-156592 provides a following solution. That is, a screw insertion hole is formed to a lower cover section so as to penetrate from the outside portion towards the inside portion thereof, and a cushioning member is provided to an upper end of an adjusting bolt screw engaged with the insertion hole. In this arrangement, when the adjusting bolt is rotated (screwed) so as to vertically move the cushioning member thereby to adjust the height of the upper cover section to absorb (eliminate) a gap caused between the upper and lower cover sections.
However, in this arrangement, the operation of the adjusting bolt requires a tool for operating the same and it is also necessary to form the insertion hole to the engine cover, providing a problem and damaging an outer appearance of the engine cover. Furthermore, it is necessary to pay attention to the sealing performance of the screw insertion hole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to substantially eliminate defects or drawbacks encountered in the prior art mentioned above and to provide an engine cover unit of an outboard motor capable of adjusting a height of a cushioning member with a simple tool or like.
This and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing an engine cover unit of an outboard motor in which a surrounding of an engine is covered by an engine cover, the engine cover unit comprising:
a lower cover section covering a surrounding of a lower portion of an engine in a usable state of an outboard motor arranged vertically;
an upper cover section covering a surrounding of an upper portion of the engine, the upper cover section being mounted to be detachable to the lower cover section so as to provide an engine cover when mounted; and
a height adjusting means provided to an inside surface of the lower cover section and adapted to adjust a height of the engine cover,
the height adjusting means comprising:
a holder mounting member integrally mounted to the inside portion of the lower cover section and formed with a holder insertion groove;
a cushion holder to be inserted into the holder insertion groove;
an elastic member mounted to the cushion holder to be movable in an axial direction thereof; and
a rib member provided to the upper cover section, the rib member having an end portion abutting against the elastic member in a state that the upper cover section is closed.
In a preferred embodiment, the cushion holder is formed with a circular insertion hole into which the cylindrical elastic member is fitted, the insertion hole being formed with a screw portion and the elastic member is formed with a thread to be engaged with the screw portion thereby to be movable in an axial direction thereof when engaged and rotated, the screw portion having a width corresponding to one pitch of the thread.
The cushion holder is detachably fitted to the holder insertion hole in shape of slit.
The elastic member is a cushioning member made of rubber.
The lower cover section is composed of a bilateral pair of side cover members and the height adjusting means is mounted to each of the side cover members to the same horizontal level.
According to the structures of the engine cover unit of the outboard motor according to the present invention mentioned above, the height of the elastic member, i.e. the upper cover section can be adjusted with a simple tool or manually and other specific functions and advantageous effects will be made clear from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5921827 (1999-07-01), Ichihashi
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
Swinehart Ed
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