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US 11,286,028 B1Granted
Watercraft adjustable shaft spacing apparatus and related method of operation
AssigneePlatinum Marine Inc.
InventorClark M. Woody
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An outdrive for a marine vessel, such as a watercraft having an inboard engine, includes a standoff box configured to continuously provide power to the drive unit as the drive unit vertically moves from a raised mode to a lowered mode, thereby lowering a thrust point produced by a propeller, all while the watercraft is moving through water and while the propeller is producing thrust. The standoff box can include one or more idler gears that move via a system of brackets relative to an input gear and a transfer gear to maintain rotational engagement between the input gear and the transfer gear, which is joined with the drive unit to rotate the propeller. A related method also is provided.
Claims20
An outdrive for a watercraft having an inboard engine, the drive comprising:
- an input shaft extending through a hole defined by a transom of the watercraft,
- a standoff box disposed rearward of the transom and joined with the transom, the input shaft extending into the standoff box;
- an input gear joined with the input shaft and disposed in the standoff box;
- an idler shaft rotatably disposed in the standoff box and configured to move along a curvilinear path;
- a first idler gear joined with the idler shaft and configured to engage the input gear, thereby imparting rotation from the input shaft to the idler shaft;
- a second idler gear joined with the idler shaft distal from the first idler gear, the second idler gear configured to rotate with the idler shaft;
- a transfer gear engaged with the second idler gear such that rotation of the second idler gear is imparted to the transfer gear;
- a transfer shaft rotatable upon rotation of the idler shaft;
- a propeller shaft rotatable upon rotation of the transfer shaft;
- and
- a propeller joined with the propeller shaft and adapted to rotate therewith, thereby producing thrust to propel the watercraft through a body of water;
- wherein the drive unit is operable in a raised mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a first distance from the standoff box, and in a lowered mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the standoff box.
9 more elements
A standoff box for a watercraft having an in board engine, the standoff box comprising:
- an input gear configured to be joined with an input shaft and disposed in the standoff box;
- an idler shaft rotatably disposed in the standoff box;
- a first idler gear joined with the idler shaft and configured to engage the input gear, thereby imparting rotation from the input shaft to the idler shaft, the first idler gear rotatable about an idler gear axis;
- a second idler gear joined with the idler shaft;
- a transfer gear rotationally coupled to the first idler gear such that rotation of the first idler gear is imparted to the transfer gear, the transfer gear rotatable about a transfer gear axis that is offset relative to the idler gear axis, the transfer gear being farther rear than the first idler gear;
- and
- a transfer shaft rotatable upon rotation of the idler shaft;
- wherein the standoff box is configured to be joined with a drive unit having a propeller shaft rotatable upon rotation of the transfer shaft and a propeller joined with the propeller shaft, the drive unit being operable in a raised mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a first distance from the standoff box, and a lowered mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the standoff box.
5 more elements
A standoff box for a watercraft having an in board engine, the standoff box comprising:
- an input gear configured to be joined with an input shaft and disposed in the standoff box;
- an idler shaft rotatably disposed in the standoff box;
- a first idler gear joined with the idler shaft and configured to engage the input gear, thereby imparting rotation from the input shaft to the idler shaft;
- a transfer gear rotationally coupled to the first idler gear such that rotation of the first idler gear is imparted to the transfer gear;
- a transfer shaft rotatable upon rotation of the idler shaft;
- a second idler gear joined with the idler shaft distal from the first idler gear, the second idler gear configured to rotate with the idler shaft;
- a proximal bracket disposed adjacent the input gear and rotatable relative to the input gear;
- and
- an idler bracket disposed between the first idler gear and the second idler gear, the idler bracket fixedly joined with the proximal bracket so the proximal bracket and the idler bracket rotate in unison,
- wherein the standoff box is configured to be joined with a drive unit having a propeller shaft rotatable upon rotation of the transfer shaft and a propeller joined with the propeller shaft, the drive unit being operable in a raised mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a first distance from the standoff box, and a lowered mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the standoff box.
7 more elements
A standoff box for a watercraft having an in board engine, the standoff box comprising:
- an input gear configured to be joined with an input shaft and disposed in the standoff box;
- an idler shaft rotatably disposed in the standoff box;
- a first idler gear joined with the idler shaft and configured to engage the input gear, thereby imparting rotation from the input shaft to the idler shaft;
- a transfer gear rotationally coupled to the first idler gear such that rotation of the first idler gear is imparted to the transfer gear;
- and
- a transfer shaft rotatable upon rotation of the idler shaft,
- wherein the standoff box is configured to be joined with a drive unit having a propeller shaft rotatable upon rotation of the transfer shaft and a propeller joined with the propeller shaft, the drive unit being operable in a raised mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a first distance from the standoff box, and a lowered mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the standoff box,
- wherein the first idler gear rotates about an idler gear axis,
- wherein the input gear rotates about an input gear axis,
- wherein the transfer gear rotates about a transfer gear axis,
- wherein the input gear axis and the transfer gear axis move closer to one another, but wherein the idler gear axis remains at a fixed distance from the input gear axis and from the transfer gear axis, when the drive unit is at least one of lowered and raised.
8 more elements
A standoff box for a watercraft having an in board engine, the standoff box comprising:
- an input gear configured to be joined with an input shaft and disposed in the standoff box;
- an idler shaft rotatably disposed in the standoff box;
- a first idler gear joined with the idler shaft and configured to engage the input gear, thereby imparting rotation from the input shaft to the idler shaft;
- a transfer gear rotationally coupled to the first idler gear such that rotation of the first idler gear is imparted to the transfer gear;
- a transfer shaft rotatable upon rotation of the idler shaft;
- a first guide element oriented relative to the transfer shaft at a fixed distance;
- and
- a second guide element joined with an idler bracket joined with the idler shaft,
- wherein the standoff box is configured to be joined with a drive unit having a propeller shaft rotatable upon rotation of the transfer shaft and a propeller joined with the propeller shaft, the drive unit being operable in a raised mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a first distance from the standoff box, and a lowered mode, in which the propeller shaft is disposed a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the standoff box,
- wherein the first guide element interfaces with the second guide element as the drive unit is lowered, so as to rotate the idler bracket about an idler shaft axis.
7 more elements
A method of operating a watercraft comprising:
- rotating an input shaft and an input gear in a standoff box;
- rotating a first idler gear joined with an idler shaft with the input gear;
- rotating a second idler gear joined with the idler shaft distal from the first idler gear;
- rotating a transfer gear engaged with the second idler gear;
- rotating a transfer shaft with the transfer gear;
- wherein the first and second idler gears rotate about an idler gear axis,
- wherein the input gear rotates about an input gear axis,
- wherein the transfer gear rotates about a transfer gear axis to subsequently rotate a propeller shaft of a drive unit,
- wherein the input gear axis and the transfer gear axis move closer to one another, but wherein the idler gear axis remains at a fixed distance from the input gear axis and from the transfer gear axis, when the drive unit is at least one of lowered and raised.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.