Integrated intake plenum and crankcase cover for an outboard marine engine
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsDaniel P. Hoffman, Jeffrey A. Vandenabeele, George D. Idzikowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An outboard marine engine comprises a crankcase; a crankshaft disposed in the crankcase and being rotatable about a crankshaft axis; a crankcase cover on the crankcase, the crankcase cover enclosing the crankshaft in the crankcase; and an air intake plenum that is integrally formed with the crankcase cover. The air intake plenum conveys intake air for combustion in the outboard marine engine.
Claims16
An outboard marine engine comprising:
- a crankcase;
- a crankshaft disposed in the crankcase and being rotatable about a crankshaft axis;
- a crankcase cover on the crankcase, the crankcase cover enclosing the crankshaft in the crankcase;
- and
- an air intake plenum that is integrally formed with the crankcase cover, wherein the air intake plenum conveys intake air for combustion in the outboard marine engine;
- and
- a plurality of ribs that are integrally formed with and join the crankcase cover and the air intake plenum;
- wherein the crankcase cover and air intake plenum are a monolithic component having an interior surface that encloses the crankshaft in the crankcase, and wherein the crankcase cover, plurality of ribs, and air intake plenum are made of plastic.
An air intake and crankcase apparatus for outboard marine engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft disposed in the crankcase for rotation about a crankshaft axis, wherein the air intake and crankcase apparatus comprises an integrated, monolithic crankcase cover for enclosing a crankcase volume and an air intake plenum for conveying air for combustion in the outboard marine engine;
- and a plurality of ribs that are integrally formed with the crankcase cover and the air intake plenum and define a plurality of gaps between the crankcase cover and air intake plenum, the plurality of gaps providing thermal separation between the crankcase cover and the air intake plenum;
- wherein the crankcase cover, plurality of ribs, and air intake plenum are made of plastic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.