US 10,647,400 B2Granted

Large outboard motor including variable gear transfer case

AssigneeAB Volvo Penta

InventorsEric A. Davis, Richard A. Davis

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Abstract

An outboard motor for a marine vessel application, transmission devices for such an outboard motor, and related methods of making, operating, and modifying attributes of same, are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the motor includes a horizontal-crankshaft engine in an upper portion of the motor, positioned substantially above a trimming axis of the motor. In at least another embodiment, first, second and third transmission devices are employed to transmit rotational power from the engine to propeller(s). In at least a further embodiment, the motor is made to include a rigid interior assembly formed by the engine, multiple transmission devices, and a further structural component. In further embodiments, the motor includes numerous cooling, exhaust, and/or oil system components, and/or other transmission features. In at least some additional embodiments, a transmission device of the motor is configured to facilitate gear ratio variation and/or includes an integrated oil pump.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An outboard motor configured to be mounted on a marine vessel, the outboard motor comprising:

a housing including an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein at least one output shaft extends outward from the lower portion upon which at least one propeller is supported;
an engine configured to provide first torque at a first shaft extending outward from the engine, the engine being substantially situated within the housing;
a first transmission device that is in communication with the first shaft so as to receive the first torque and configured to cause second torque including at least some of the first torque to be communicated to a first location beneath the engine;
at least one additional transmission device configured to receive the second torque and to cause third torque including at least some of the second torque to be at least indirectly communicated to the at least one output shaft, and
a water pump,
wherein the first transmission device additionally includes:
a plurality of power train components including a plurality of gears;
a primary housing structure within which the power train components are supported and also including an access orifice;
and
a cover structure configured to cover over the access orifice when attached to the primary housing structure,
wherein the first transmission device is configured so that, when the cover structure is removed from the primary housing structure, one or more of the power train components are accessible by way of the access orifice,
whereby accessing and modification of one or more of the power train components is facilitated so as to facilitate modification of a gear ratio of the first transmission device.

9 more elements

A method of modifying a gear ratio of a first transmission device on an outboard motor, the method comprising:

removing a cover from a primary housing of the first transmission device so as to reveal a plurality of power train components supported within the primary housing, the power train components including first and second gears that are respectively supported within the primary housing by first and second shafts, respectively, so as to be rotatable about first and second axes of the first and second shafts, respectively, wherein each of the first and second axes is horizontal or substantially-horizontal;
removing first and second fastening components by which the first and second gears are respectively affixed to first and second shafts respectively extending within the first transmission device;
removing the first and second gears from the first transmission device via an orifice within the primary housing;
providing third and fourth gears respectively as replacements for the first and second gears, respectively;
affixing the third and fourth gears with respect to the first and second shafts;
and
attaching the cover to the primary housing.

4 more elements

A transmission device for implementation in an outboard motor configured to be mounted on a marine vessel, the transmission device comprising:

a plurality of power train components including a plurality of gears and a plurality of shafts, the plurality of shafts including an input shaft and an output shaft, the plurality of gears supported, respectively, so as to be rotatable about first and second axes of the input and output shafts, respectively, wherein each of the first and second axes is horizontal or substantially-horizontal,
wherein the power train components are arranged so that input rotation of the input shaft results in output rotation of the output shaft;
a primary housing portion within which the plurality of power train components are at least partly positioned;
a secondary housing portion that is configured to be affixable to and removable from the primary housing portion, and
wherein the primary housing portion and the secondary housing portion are configured so that the secondary housing when affixed to the primary housing covers over an opening with the secondary housing portion, the opening being proximate to an end of the input shaft, on which a first of the gears is supported.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/027,613Filed 5 Jul 2018 · continuation
Priority: 11 Feb 2010
Published: US 2019/0135398 A19 May 2019
Granted: 12 May 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B63H 20/14
Outboard propulsion units, e.g. outboard motors or Z-drives; Arrangements thereof on vessels: transmission between propulsion power unit and…
B63H 20/002
Arrangements, apparatus and methods for handling fluids used in outboard drives: for handling lubrication liquids
B63H 20/32
Outboard propulsion units, e.g. outboard motors or Z-drives; Arrangements thereof on vessels: housings
F16H 57/031
Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein: characterised by covers or lids for gearboxes

Family

Application61/303,518Us provisional application · filed 11 Feb 2010
Application13/026,203Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2011
Application61/623,530Us provisional application · filed 12 Apr 2012
Application13/831,070Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Mar 2013
Application13/861,918Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Apr 2013
Application14/831,508Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Aug 2015
Application14/831,508Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Aug 2015
US 2019/0135398 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 May 2019
US 10,023,283 B2Parent of this continuation
US 9,126,666 B2Parent of this continuation
US 9,126,665 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 8,460,041 B2Parent of this continuation
Application13/831,070Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0195620 A1Published application
US 2013/0267134 A1Published application
US 2013/0273792 A1Published application
US 2015/0353176 A1Published application
US 10,647,400 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.