Marine propulsion – Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids – Cooling for engine
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-10
2001-06-12
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids
Cooling for engine
C114S055530
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244916
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal watercraft. More particularly, the present invention relates to an oil feeding structure formed on a deck for feeding oil to a fuel tank provided in the personal watercraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many personal watercrafts have a structure in which an engine is provided in a central portion of the personal watercraft, a propulsion mechanism and an exhaust mechanism such as a propeller shaft, an impeller, a nozzle and the like are provided behind the engine, and a fuel tank and a lubricating oil tank are provided ahead of the engine. As a result, the fuel tank and the lubricating oil tank are positioned slightly ahead of a portion just below a steering mechanism including a steering handlebar.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view showing a conventional personal watercraft.
FIG. 7
is a exploded perspective view showing a deck, a hatch cover and a deck cover of the personal watercraft of FIG.
6
.
FIG. 8
is a cross sectional view taken on line VIII—VIII in FIG.
6
.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, a deck
52
of a personal watercraft
51
has an opening
53
formed in a front portion of an upper surface
52
a
thereof. The opening
53
serves to house a storage box
64
therein. In order to cover the opening
53
, an openable hatch cover
54
is provided. A deck cover
56
is provided between a steering handlebar
55
and the cover
54
. A seat
57
where a driver and a fellow passenger are to sit astride is fixed to a central portion of the deck
52
behind the deck cover
56
. A flat deck floor
59
for enabling the driver and the fellow passenger to put their feet thereon is formed on both sides of and below a seat fixing portion
58
on the deck
52
. An oil feeding port
61
is formed on the side of a portion
60
in the deck
52
where the hatch cover
54
is to be provided. An arrow F in
FIG. 7
indicates a forward direction of the personal watercraft
51
.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 8
, an oil feeding pipe member
63
for feeding fuel into a fuel tank
62
is connected from the oil feeding port
61
to the fuel tank
62
provided behind and below the oil feeding port
61
. The fuel tank
62
is provided behind the storage box
64
. Recently, a storage box B is required to be larger. Therefore, a space where the fuel tank
62
is to be provided is restricted.
As shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, the upper surface
52
a
of the deck
52
is formed comparatively flatly. In order to enhance appearance design and to decrease an air resistance when running, the deck cover
56
is inclined upward from a front end thereof to a steering handlebar
55
portion on a rear end thereof. Accordingly, when the deck cover
56
is fixed, a space is formed between the upper surface
52
a
of the deck
52
and a lower surface of the deck cover
56
(see FIG.
8
). Japanese Utility Model Publications Nos. Hei 6-25438 and Hei 7-55199 have disclosed the related arts as mentioned above.
In the conventional personal watercraft, the fuel tank
62
needs to be provided further rearward because the large-sized storage box is introduced as described above. Accordingly, if a position where the oil feeding port
61
is to be provided is taken onto the side of the hatch cover
54
in the deck
52
, the distance between the oil feeding port
61
and the fuel tank
62
is increased. As a result, it is necessary to incline the oil feeding pipe member
63
from the oil feeding port
61
to the fuel tank
62
(see
FIG. 8
) and to extend the oil feeding pipe member
63
backwardly in a horizontal direction in the personal watercraft (see FIG.
6
). Consequently, the effects of letting air out of the fuel tank
62
are deteriorated and an oil feeding speed is also reduced when the fuel is fed to the fuel tank.
If the oil feeding port
61
is to be provided further behind the above-mentioned position on the surface of the deck
52
, the oil feeding port
61
is positioned in the vicinity of the deck floor
59
. Thus, it becomes difficult to determine an appropriate position for the oil feeding port
61
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oil feeding structure capable of easily performing an oil feeding work without damaging the appearance design of a personal watercraft. The oil feeding work means the working of feeding fuel and lubricating oil.
The present invention provides an oil feeding structure of a personal watercraft having a steering handlebar, a fuel tank provided in the personal watercraft and an openable hatch cover provided on an upper surface of a deck, comprising a first oil feeding port for feeding fuel to the fuel tank being formed in a portion of the deck, the portion being located in front of and close to the steering handlebar, the first oil feeding port being covered with the hatch cover which is shut off.
According to such a structure, the first oil feeding port is hidden by the hatch cover. Therefore, the appearance design of the personal watercraft is enhanced. Furthermore, the portion of the deck in front of and close to the steering handlebar is a high portion on the deck, since the front portion of the deck is generally inclined rearward and upward. Thus, the first oil feeding port is formed in the high portion. In addition, the first oil feeding port approaches and is closer to the fuel tank so that fuel can be fed smoothly.
The present invention provides another oil feeding structure of a personal watercraft having a fuel tank provided in the personal watercraft and an openable hatch cover provided on an upper surface of a deck, comprising an first oil feeding port for feeding fuel to the fuel tank being formed in a portion on the deck, the portion being located above the fuel tank, the first oil feeding port being covered with the hatch cover which is shut off.
According to such a structure, the first oil feeding port is hidden by the hatch cover. Consequently, the appearance design is enhanced. In addition, the fuel can be fed from directly above the tank, and the fuel feeding path is shortened. Therefore, the fuel oil can be fed smoothly.
The deck is formed to swell out upward in such a manner that a vicinity of a portion provided with the first oil feeding port is to be located at the top of the upper surface of the deck. Consequently, the first oil feeding port can be provided in a high position, and it is possible to keep an almost rectilinear fuel feeding path from the first oil feeding port to the fuel tank. Therefore, air can be readily let out of the tank so that the oil can be fed smoothly.
Furthermore, surfaces positioned on both sides of the top provided on the upper surface of the deck are inclined, one of the inclined surfaces being provided with the first oil feeding port for feeding fuel to a fuel tank, and the other inclined surface being provided with a second oil feeding port for feeding lubricating oil to a lubricating oil tank. Consequently, the two oil feeding ports necessary for the personal watercraft can be provided efficiently. More specifically, each oil feeding port is provided on each inclined surface. Therefore, although the portion is easily subjected to restriction on a space, it is possible to keep a sufficient surface where each oil feeding port is to be provided.
In addition, a cap is provided on the first oil feeding port. The cap includes a shut-off member for shutting off the first oil feeding port. A guide drum member projects onto the shut-off member for being inserted into the first oil feeding port to guide the cap. Consequently, the cap can easily be attached to the first oil feeding port.
These objects as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4640126 (1987-02-01), Jansch
patent: 5390621 (1995-02-01), Hattori et al.
patent: 5537948 (1996-07-01), Kobayashi
patent: 558692
Asakura Yukio
Nakashima Takehiro
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
Morano S. Joseph
Wright Andrew
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