Marine propulsion – Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids – Cooling for engine
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-14
2001-09-25
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids
Cooling for engine
C123S179280
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293839
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an outboard engine system including an engine and a generator which are accommodated in an engine room covered with an engine cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In general, an engine of an outboard engine system is accommodated within an engine room covered with an engine cover for waterproof. The engine cover is provided with an air intake port, and air introduced into the engine room through the air intake port is supplied to an auxiliary of an intake system of the engine such as an intake chamber. At this time, if the inside of the engine room is brought into a high temperature, the following problem is encountered: the temperature of the intake air rises to reduce the engine output.
There are outboard engine systems which are known from Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No.60-95142 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos.62-153528 and 6-33790, in which a generator which is belt-driven by a crankshaft is disposed in an engine room.
In the outboard engine system described in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.6-33790, an intake opening in the intake system auxiliary and the generator are disposed in a separated manner within the engine room in order to prevent the generator from drawing water thereinto with air. In this outboard engine system, however, the cooling and ventilation of the generator its surroundings are not taken into consideration and for this reason, there is a possibility that the surroundings around the generator may be brought into a high temperature to raise the temperature of the intake air.
In general, the generators driven by the engine of the outboard engine system include a generator which is accommodated within a flywheel mounted on a crankshaft, and a generator which is disposed on an axis different from that of the crankshaft and is belt-driven by the crankshaft, as described in the above Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.6-33790. If the generator is disposed on the axis different from that of the crankshaft, as described above, it is possible to easily replace the generator by any generator having different performance and size in accordance with the object.
In the outboard engine system described in the above Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.6-33790, the generator is disposed on a side of an engine block, and for this reason, the following problem arises: the lateral dimension of the outboard engine system is increased, which is disadvantageous, when the outboard engine system is steered so that it is turned to the left or right, or when two outboard engine systems are used in a tandem manner. Especially, when the cylinders are arranged In series or in line, the outboard engine system is of such a shape that the generator protrudes ore largely than the width dimension of the engine block.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished with the above circumstances in view, and it is a first object of the present invention to ensure that the generator accommodated in the engine room is cooled effectively to prevent the rising of the temperature of intake air.
It is a second object of the present invention to reduce the lateral dimension of the outboard engine system by disposing the generator in a reasonable layout within the engine room.
To achieve the first object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an outboard engine system comprising an engine, an intake system auxiliary and a generator which are accommodated within an engine room covered with an engine cover having an air intake port, characterized in that the generator is disposed in an intermediate portion of a path of air flow from the air intake port to an intake opening in the intake system auxiliary.
With the above arrangement, the generator is disposed in the intermediate portion of the path of air flow from the air intake port provided in the engine cover covering the engine room to the intake opening in the intake system auxiliary. Therefore, the generator can be cooled by air having a low temperature to lower the temperature of the inside of the engine room and to prevent the rising of the temperature of intake air.
To achieve the first object, according to a second aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an outboard engine system comprising an engine, an intake system auxiliary and a generator which are accommodated within an engine room covered with an engine cover having an air intake port and a ventilation port, characterized in that the generator is disposed in an intermediate portion of a path of air flow from the air intake port to the ventilation port.
With the above arrangement, the generator is disposed in the intermediate portion of the path of air flow from the air intake port to the ventilation port provided in the engine cover covering the engine room. Therefore, the generator can be cooled by air having a low temperature, and the warmed air can be discharged from the ventilation port to lower the temperature of the inside of the engine room and to prevent the rising of the temperature of intake air.
To achieve the first object, according to a third aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an outboard engine system comprising an engine, an intake system auxiliary and a generator which are accommodated within an engine room covered with an engine cover having an air intake port and a ventilation port, characterized in that the generator is disposed in an intermediate portion of a path of air flow from the air intake port to an intake opening in the intake system auxiliary and in an intermediate portion of a path of air flow from the air intake port to the ventilation port.
With the above arrangement, the generator is disposed in he intermediate portion of the path of air flow from the air intake port provided in the engine cover covering the engine room to the intake opening in the intake system auxiliary and in the intermediate portion of the path of air flow from the air intake port to the ventilation port. Therefore, the generator can be cooled effectively by air having a low temperature, and the warmed air can be discharged from the ventilation port to lower the temperature of the inside of the engine room and to prevent the rising of the temperature of intake air.
To achieve the second object, according to a fourth aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an outboard engine system comprising an engine accommodated within an engine room covered with an engine cover, and a generator disposed on an axis different from that of a crankshaft of the engine and driven by the crankshaft, characterized in that the generator is disposed between a front or rear surface of an engine block and an inner surface of the engine cover.
With the above arrangement, the generator is disposed between the front or rear surface of the engine block and the inner surface of the engine cover. Therefore, the generator can be accommodated compactly within the engine room, while maintaining the increase in lateral dimension of the outboard engine system to the minimum. The terms “longitudinal” and “lateral” used herein are defined to indicate the longitudinal and lateral directions of the outboard engine system (the side of a s tern bracket mounted to a stern is front).
In addition to the fourth feature, if any one of the following arrangements is employed, the increase in lateral dimension of the outboard engine system can be maintained to the minimum: an arrangement in which an intake passage is disposed longitudinally along a side of the engine block; an arrangement in which an intake passage is disposed longitudinally along one of left and right sides of the engine block, and an exhaust passage is vertically defined on the other side; an arrangement in which an electric equipment box is disposed along a side of the engine block, the lateral dimension of the electric equipment box being smaller than the longitudinal and vertical dimensions of the electri
Tawa Hiroki
Tsunoda Masaki
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Basinger Sherman
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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