Marine propulsion – Means to control the supply of energy responsive to a sensed...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-05-29
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Means to control the supply of energy responsive to a sensed...
C440S086000, C440S087000, C477S099000, C477S101000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238255
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marine propulsion system and, in particular, to an improved shifting mechanism.
2. Background of the Invention
Some conventional outboards motor include the following basic components: an engine, a crankshaft, a power transmission, a propeller, and a shifting mechanism. The engine may be contained within a protective cowling that includes an upper cover and a lower tray. Extending below the tray is a drive shaft housing that supports the engine and houses the drive shaft. Below the drive shaft housing is a lower unit that carries the transmission and the propeller. The transmission is located inside the lower unit and transmits power from the drive shaft to the propeller. Rotation of a shift rod, which depends into the transmission, shifts the transmission between gears.
The shift rod may be controlled by an operator. For instance, an actuator controlled by the operator may be coupled together with the shift mechanism and a shift lever. The shift lever, in turn, may be coupled to the shift rod such that circular rotation of the shift lever rotates the shift rod. Thus, the watercraft operator uses the actuator and the shift mechanism to selectively determine the gear of the transmission.
Shift mechanisms often include a shift position detection sensor to detect the circular motion of the shift lever. The sensor may be used to determine when the shift lever is in the neutral position. In such instances, the engine may be designed to start only when it receives a signal from the shift position sensor that the shift lever is in a neutral position. This helps to reduce abrupt movement upon ignition start-up. In addition, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,461, the shift mechanism may also be configured to temporarily reduce the engine speed during shifting. This type of engine control aids shifting between gears.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Earlier shift mechanisms, however, suffer from several drawbacks. For example, the shift position sensor may be located in a space within the lower tray, between the engine and the drive shaft housing. This space is very narrow, making assembly and maintenance of the shift position detection sensor difficult. Furthermore, the recent trend in the industry is to reduce the size of the outboard motor by compacting the cowling. This exacerbates the cramped space in the lower tray. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the size and complexity of the shift mechanism and to reposition the shift mechanism such that it can be assembled and maintained easier.
In addition, the shift position sensor is preferably positioned at a right-angle relative to the motion of the shift lever in order to detect more accurately the position of the shift lever. However, due to the arcuate paths of many shift levers, properly configuring such a right-angle relationship has proven difficult.
Thus, one object of the present invention is to overcome some or all of the aforementioned limitations of the prior art and to provide an improved shift control mechanism
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention involves a marine propulsion system comprising a transmission with at least two operating states. A shift mechanism is coupled to the transmission and establishes the operating state of the transmission. The shift mechanism moves between at least a first shift position and a second shift position with the first shift position corresponding to the first operating state of the transmission and the second shift position corresponding to the second operating state of the transmission. An operator unit is disposed remotely relative to the shift mechanism and is adapted to move between at least a first and second control position. The operator unit is coupled to the shift mechanism such that movement of the operator unit to the first control position positions the shift mechanism in the first shift position, and movement of the operator unit to the second control position positions the shift mechanism in the second shift position. The shift mechanism includes a member that moves along a substantially linear path. A shift position sensor is arranged to cooperate with the member so as to detect at least one of the shift positions.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a marine propulsion system comprising an engine and a transmission that is coupled to the engine and has at least two operating states. A shift mechanism is coupled to the transmission and establishes the operating state of the transmission. The shift mechanism is capable of moving between at least a first shift position and a second shift position with the first shift position corresponding to the first operating state of the transmission and the second shift position corresponding to the second operating state of the transmission. An operator unit is disposed remotely relative to the shift mechanism. The operator unit is adapted to move between at least first and second control positions and is coupled to the shift mechanism. Movement of the operator unit to the first control position positions the shift mechanism in the first shift position, and movement of the operator unit to the second control position positions the shift mechanism in the second shift position. A shift position sensor is arranged to detect at least one of the shift positions. The sensor is arranged on a side of the engine and to an outer side of the shift mechanism.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain features, aspects, objects and advantages of the invention have been described above. Of course, none of these features, aspects, objects or advantages should be considered essential. Also, any one embodiment of the present invention may employ one or more of these features, aspects, objects or advantages. Thus, for example, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other features, aspects, objects or advantages, as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4439163 (1984-03-01), Burmeister et al.
patent: 4726798 (1988-02-01), Davis
patent: 4986776 (1991-01-01), Hensel et al.
patent: 5050461 (1991-09-01), Onoue et al.
patent: 5692931 (1997-12-01), Kawai
patent: 5910191 (1999-06-01), Okamoto
Basinger Sherman
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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