# US 11,305,857 B1 · Outboard motor with sound absorbing blanket > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,857 B1 - Document ID: US11305857B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/009,184 - Filed: 2020-09-01 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-01 - Assignees: Brunswick Corporation - Applicants: Brunswick Corporation - Inventors: Matthew W. Jaeger; Timothy D. Krupp; Kevin C. Kottke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305857B1 ## CPC - B63H 20/32: Housings {(air intakes for outboard engines F02M35/167)} - F02B 61/045: {for marine engines} - B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) ## Abstract A marine drive is provided. The marine drive includes a propulsion unit, a supporting cradle that couples the propulsion unit to a transom bracket for attachment to a marine vessel, and a cowling system that at least partially covers a portion of the propulsion unit and a portion of the supporting cradle. The cowling system includes upper, middle, and lower cowling components, and the middle and lower cowling components are separated by a dynamic gap. The marine drive further includes a sound blanket positioned between the supporting cradle and the middle and lower cowling components. The sound blanket is configured to span the dynamic gap and block sound that would otherwise emanate from the propulsion unit via the dynamic gap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine drive comprising: a propulsion unit; a supporting cradle that couples the propulsion unit to a transom bracket for attachment to a marine vessel; a cowling system that at least partially covers a portion of the propulsion unit and a portion of the supporting cradle, the cowling system comprising upper, middle, and lower cowling components, wherein the middle and lower cowling components are separated by a dynamic gap; a sound blanket positioned between the supporting cradle and the middle and lower cowling components, the sound blanket configured to span the dynamic gap and block sound that would otherwise emanate from the propulsion unit via the dynamic gap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine drive of claim 1, wherein the sound blanket comprises a non-hygroscopic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The marine drive of claim 1, wherein the sound blanket comprises a fiber layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The marine drive of claim 3, wherein the fiber layer comprises up to 100% post-consumer content. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The marine drive of claim 3, wherein a fabric weight of the fiber layer ranges from 600 to 750 g/m2. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The marine drive of claim 3, wherein the sound blanket further comprises an upper skin layer and a lower skin layer, wherein the fiber layer is positioned between the upper skin layer and the lower skin layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The marine drive of claim 6, wherein the upper skin layer and the lower skin layer are coupled to the fiber layer using a flame lamination process. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The marine drive of claim 6, wherein the upper skin layer, the fiber layer, and the lower skin layer each comprise polyester fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The marine drive of claim 6, wherein a fabric weight of each of the upper skin layer and the lower skin layer ranges from 60 to 80 g/m2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The marine drive of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the sound blanket ranges from 20 to 30 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The marine drive of claim 1, wherein the sound blanket is coupled to the supporting cradle without use of an adhesive. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The marine drive of claim 1, further comprising an engine compartment seal positioned within the cowling system, wherein a region above the engine compartment seal is substantially dry and wherein a region below the engine compartment seal is substantially wetted when the marine drive is in operation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The marine drive of claim 12, further comprising an acoustic blocking member coupled to the middle cowling component in the substantially dry region above the engine compartment seal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The marine drive of claim 13, wherein the acoustic blocking member is fabricated from a semi-closed cell foam. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The marine drive of claim 14, wherein the semi-closed cell foam is a polyvinyl chloride nitrile butadiene rubber blended foam. ### Claim 16 A marine drive comprising: a propulsion unit; a supporting cradle that couples the propulsion unit to a transom bracket for attachment to a marine vessel; a cowling system that at least partially covers a portion of the propulsion unit and a portion of the supporting cradle; a sound blanket positioned between the supporting cradle and the cowling system and configured to block sound emanating from the propulsion unit, wherein the sound blanket comprises a non-hygroscopic material having a non-woven fiber layer; and wherein an upper portion of the sound blanket is coupled to the supporting cradle without use of an adhesive, and wherein a lower portion of the sound blanket is unsecured to any component of the marine drive. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The marine drive of claim 16, wherein the sound blanket comprises an antifouling compound. ### Claim 18 A marine drive, comprising: a propulsion unit; a supporting cradle that couples the propulsion unit to a transom bracket for attachment to a marine vessel; a cowling system that at least partially covers a portion of the propulsion unit and a portion of the supporting cradle; a sound blanket positioned between the supporting cradle and the cowling system and configured to block sound emanating from the propulsion unit, wherein the sound blanket comprises a non-hygroscopic material having a non-woven fiber layer; and wherein the sound blanket is configured to be at least partially immersed in water when the marine drive is in operation in a body of water. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The marine drive of claim 16, wherein the cowling system comprises upper, middle, and lower cowling components, and wherein the sound blanket is positioned between the supporting cradle and the middle and lower cowling components.