Marine propulsion – Screw propeller – With vibration dampening
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-13
2002-07-16
Avila, Stephen (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Screw propeller
With vibration dampening
C440S012610
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419534
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a support system for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a support system that uses a plurality of elastomeric connectors, or mounts, arranged in a common plane of a finite thickness that is generally perpendicular to a driveshaft of the outboard motor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of outboard motors are well known to those skilled in the art. All known outboard motor attach to a marine vessel in the region of the transom. Typically, a transom bracket which is attached to the outboard motor can be attached to the transom to allow the outboard motor to rotate about a vertical steering axis and trim or tilt about a horizontal tilt axis. Most support structures incorporate four or more elastomeric connectors that are used to mount the outboard motor to the transom bracket in such a way so as to isolate vibration generated by the outboard motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,197, which issued to Koishikawa et al on Oct. 12, 1999, describes an outboard motor and engine. The outboard motor body case is supported on a swivel shaft though a connecting member. The swivel shaft is vertically swingable about a tilting axis. An engine is mounted at an upper portion of the outboard motor body case with a crankshaft thereof being oriented vertically and a flywheel is mounted at a lower end of the crankshaft and disposed between an engine block and the connecting member. A dynamo is mounted within the flywheel and a starter motor is engaged with a ring gear which is formed around an outer periphery of the flywheel. Thus, since the flywheel having a large weight is mounted at the lower end of the crankshaft, the position of the center of gravity of the outboard motor is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform a tilting-up about the tilting shaft with a small force. Moreover, since the flywheel is mounted on a power taking-off side of the crankshaft, the torsional vibration of the crankshaft can be reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,537, which issued to Hall on Jan. 27, 1976, describes a vibration isolating mount for an outboard motor. The vibration isolating arrangement for an outboard motor having a propulsion unit mounted rearwardly of the steering axis of the outboard motor includes a powerhead, a driveshaft housing having a driveshaft, and a lower unit carrying a propeller. The mounting arrangement includes an upper mount and a pair of lower mounts secured to the propulsion unit in vertically spaced relation and rearwardly of or behind the driveshaft. The top mount includes a cross bar which has a wedged-shaped cross section with the upper and lower surfaces thereof converging in the direction of propeller thrust, which is supported by a resilient bushing within a casing, and which has outer ends extending from the casing transversely to the direction of propeller thrust for connection to a swivel bracket. The lower mounts are mounted in laterally spaced recesses provided in the driveshaft housing. Each of the lower mounting units includes an insert which has a wedge-shaped cross section with the upper and lower surfaces thereof diverging in the direction of forward propeller thrust and which is supported by a pair of resilient pads disposed between a pair of spacer members which fit snugly into opposed grooves provided in each drive shaft housing recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,856, which issued to Hall et al on May 24, 1983, describes a lateral support arrangement for an outboard motor with separate tilt and trim axes. The outboard motor comprises a transom bracket adapted to be connected to a boat transom, a propulsion unit which is mounted to the transom bracket for pivotal steering movement of the propulsion unit in a horizontal plane and for pivotal movement of the propulsion unit in a vertical plane between a lowermost running position and a full tilt position, in which the propulsion unit includes a first pivot connecting an intermediate bracket to the transom bracket for pivotal movement of the intermediate bracket relative to the transom bracket about a first pivot axis which is horizontal when the transom bracket is boat mounted, whereby movement of the propulsion unit through a tilt range is enabled. A second pivot connects a swivel bracket to the intermediate bracket for pivotal movement of the swivel bracket with the intermediate bracket and relative to the intermediate bracket about a second pivot axis parallel to the first pivot axis, whereby movement of the propulsion unit through a trim range is enabled. A king pin pivotally connecting the propulsion unit to the swivel bracket for steering movement for steering movement of the propulsion unit relative to the steering bracket about a generally vertical axis and for common pivotal movement with the swivel bracket in a vertical plane about the first and second horizontal axis is provided along with hydraulic cylinders for sequentially displacing the propulsion unit from the lowermost position through the trim range and then through the tilt range to the full tilt position. A support is provided on the transom bracket for providing side support to the intermediate bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,238, which issued to Payne on Jul. 26, 1983, describes an outboard motor mounting means affording upward tilting without travel of the motor forward of the boat transom. The marine propulsion device comprises a bracket adapted to be fixed to the transom of a boat and including a generally planar mounting surface engaged with the boat transom when the bracket is boat mounted. The bracket also includes a lower part having a lower bearing with a steering axis which extends generally vertical when the bracket is boat mounted. A member includes a lower portion extending in the lower bearing and a pair of laterally spaced arms connected to the lower portion and respectively including upper horizontal bearings having a common axis located in spaced relation above the lower bearing. It also comprises a steering arm fixed to the member for steerably rotating the member within the lower bearing about the generally vertical axis. The propulsion unit includes a powerhead and a lower unit extending fixedly downwardly from the powerhead and including a rotatably mounted propeller. Trunions on the powerhead adjacent to the top thereof and received in the upper horizontal bearings for pivotally connecting the propulsion unit to the member for movement about the horizontal axis between a running position with the propeller submerged in water and with the propulsion unit located wholly aft of the bracket mounting surface are disclosed. An elevated position with the propeller substantially out of the water and with the propulsion unit located wholly aft of the bracket mounting surface is also described
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,770, which issued to Ferguson on Oct. 8, 1985, described an outboard motor mounting arrangement. A marine propulsion installation comprises a marine propulsion device which includes a transom bracket having a mounting portion fixed to the rear of a boat transom below the upper edge thereof. It also includes a pair of laterally spaced arms extending upwardly from the mounting portion and including respective upper ends located rearwardly of the boat transom and above the upper edge thereof. A swivel bracket comprises a mounting portion and a pair of laterally spaced arms extending upwardly from the swivel bracket mounting portion and including respective upper ends. It also includes a tilt pin connecting the upper ends of the transom bracket and swivel bracket arms to provide for pivotal movement of the swivel bracket relative to the transom bracket upon the tilt axis which is horizontally located rearwardly of the transom and above the upper edge thereof. A propulsion unit includes an internal combustion engine and a propeller mounted for rotation and driven by the engine along with a king pin which connects the propulsion unit to the swivel bracket mounting portion for pivotal steering movement of the propulsion
Gunderson Martin E. Olson
Helsel Rock J.
Polakowski Stephen E.
Avila Stephen
Brunswick Corporation
Lanyi William D.
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