Marine propulsion – Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids – Cooling for engine
Utility Patent
1998-06-08
2001-01-02
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids
Cooling for engine
C123S184210
Utility Patent
active
06168484
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an intake apparatus of an outboard motor.
In general, since an outboard motor is used in a relatively clean environment, open air is usually directly drawn into an engine of the outboard motor without passing through an air cleaner. Therefore, the outboard motor requires a silencer (intake noise silencing device) for lowering noise generated during the air drawing.
Conventionally, the outboard motor utilizes an intake apparatus in which a fuel is atomized and mixed by means of a carburetor in many cases. A silencer is generally disposed by utilizing a space along a side of the engine body.
However, there is a tendency in recent years that an outboard motor of a fuel injection type has been employed instead of a carburetor. In this type, most of space on the side of the engine body is occupied by an intake manifold, a surge tank and the like, and a space for disposing the silencer hence becomes small.
A conventional fuel injection type engine does not include the silencer as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No.HEI 6-129316, or includes a small-sized silencer as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No.HEI 8-93581 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No.HEI 4-1661. As a result, according to the structures mentioned above, the intake noise cannot be sufficiently lowered.
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 intake apparatus of an outboard motor having an improved structure capable of reducing an intake noise with a compact structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an intake apparatus of an outboard motor capable of improving intake performance and reliability.
These and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing, in one aspect, an intake apparatus of an outboard motor which includes an engine holder, an engine disposed above the engine holder in an installed state of the outboard motor, an intake apparatus disposed on one side of the engine, and an electric equipment box and an exhaust apparatus both disposed on another one side of the engine, the intake apparatus comprising:
a throttle body disposed to a front portion of the engine in an installed state of the outboard motor;
a silencer means operatively connected to an upstream side of the throttle body;
a surge tank disposed at a side portion of the engine; and
an intake manifold operatively connected to the surge tank,
wherein the silencer means extends so as to round a front side of the engine towards the exhaust apparatus and the silencer means is provided with an upstream end portion to which an intake port is formed so as to open rearward.
The intake port is opened toward a front side of the electric equipment box. The silencer means is formed in a manner such that the silencer means once extends diagonally upward to form an inclining portion and then extends substantially horizontally, and the intake port is disposed at a position higher than the throttle body.
In another aspect, there is provided an intake apparatus of an outboard motor which includes an engine holder, an engine disposed above the engine holder in an installed state of the outboard motor, an intake apparatus disposed on one side of the engine, and an electric equipment box and an exhaust apparatus both disposed on another one side of the engine, the intake apparatus comprising:
a throttle body disposed to a front portion of the engine in an installed state of the outboard motor;
a silencer means operatively connected to an upstream side of the throttle body;
a surge tank disposed at a side portion of the engine; and
an intake manifold operatively connected to the surge tank,
wherein the silencer means extends so as to round a front side of the engine towards the exhaust apparatus, the silencer means is provided with an upstream end portion which is fixed to a wall portion of the electric equipment box and the upstream end portion of the silencer means has a lower surface to which an intake port is formed so as to open downward.
In this aspect, the silencer means may be also formed in a manner such that the silencer means once extends diagonally upward to form an inclining portion and then extends substantially horizontally and the intake port is disposed at a position higher than the throttle body.
The engine is provided with a cylinder head covered by a cylinder head cover in which breather chamber is formed, and a breather hose for introducing blowby gas from the breather chamber and an evaporation hose for introducing vaporized fuel are connected to the inclining portion of the silencer means.
An intake temperature sensor is disposed at a portion to which these hoses are attached.
According to the preferred embodiments of the intake apparatus of an outboard motor mentioned above, the silencer can be formed with an increased inner volume and has an improved structure capable of reducing the silencing noise effectively, being comfortable for an operator.
These and other advantageous effects can be attained with an improved compact structure of the intake apparatus.
The nature and further features of the present invention will be made more clear from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5438963 (1995-08-01), Tsunoda et al.
patent: 5445547 (1995-08-01), Furukawa
patent: 5489227 (1996-02-01), Ishida et al.
patent: 5501202 (1996-03-01), Watanabe
patent: 5683277 (1997-11-01), Tsunoda et al.
patent: 5915363 (1999-06-01), Iwata et al.
patent: 4-1661 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 6-129316 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 8-93581 (1996-04-01), None
Fukuda Katsuhiro
Hagino Shuichi
Itoh Jun
Mishima Shuichi
Shimada Hidetsugu
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Morano S. Joseph
Muldoon Patrick Craig
Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
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