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US 11,603,179 B2Granted
Marine propulsion device and methods of making marine propulsion device having impact protection
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsRandall J. Poirier, Wayne M. Jaszewski, Jeremy J. Kraus, Derek J. Fletcher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A propulsion device for a marine vessel. A base is configured to be coupled to the marine vessel. A shaft includes an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base. A propulsor is coupled to the lower segment, where the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water. A shock absorber includes a resilient member that resiliently couples the upper segment and the lower segment together, where the resilient member dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment.
Claims20
A propulsion device for a marine vessel, the propulsion device comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the marine vessel;
- a shaft comprised of an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base;
- a propulsor coupled to the lower segment, wherein the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water;
- a shock absorber comprising a resilient member that resiliently couples the upper segment and the lower segment together, wherein the resilient member dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment;
- and
- a pair of clamps that clamp together to sandwich the resilient member between the pair of clamps and one of the upper segment and the lower segment of the shaft to thereby couple the resilient member thereto.
3 more elements
A propulsion device for a marine vessel, the propulsion device comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the marine vessel;
- a shaft comprised of an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base;
- a propulsor coupled to the lower segment, wherein the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water;
- and
- a shock absorber comprising a resilient member that resiliently couples the upper segment and the lower segment together, wherein the resilient member dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment;
- wherein the shock absorber further comprises a breakaway sleeve extending between an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of the breakaway sleeve is coupled to the upper segment and the lower end of the breakaway sleeve is coupled to the lower segment, wherein the breakaway sleeve is configured to break when impact forces received by the lower segment exceed a predetermined limit.
3 more elements
A method for making a propulsion device for a marine vessel, the method comprising:
- configuring a base for coupling to the marine vessel;
- coupling a shaft to the base, the shaft comprising an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base;
- coupling a propulsor to the lower segment, wherein the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water;
- and
- coupling the upper segment to the lower segment via a resilient member of a shock absorber, wherein the resilient member dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment, and wherein at least one of the upper segment and the lower segment is coupled to the resilient member by clamping a pair of clamps together to sandwich the resilient member between the pair of clamps and the at least one of the upper segment and the lower segment to thereby couple the resilient member thereto.
2 more elements
A method for making a propulsion device for a marine vessel, the method comprising:
- configuring a base for coupling to the marine vessel;
- coupling a shaft to the base, the shaft comprising an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base;
- coupling a propulsor to the lower segment, wherein the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water;
- coupling the upper segment to the lower segment via a resilient member of a shock absorber, wherein the resilient member dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment;
- and
- coupling a breakaway sleeve of the shock absorber to the upper segment and the lower segment, wherein the breakaway sleeve is configured to break when impact forces received by the lower segment exceed a predetermined limit.
3 more elements
A propulsion device for a marine vessel, the propulsion device comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to the marine vessel;
- a shaft comprised of an upper segment and a lower segment each extending along a length axis, wherein the upper segment is coupled to the base;
- a propulsor coupled to the lower segment, wherein the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in water;
- a helical spring that resiliently couples the upper segment and the lower segment together, wherein the resilient member resists the length axes of the upper segment and the lower segment being non-parallel to each other, resists rotation of the lower segment relative to the upper segment, and dampens impact forces received at the lower segment and reduces transfer of the impact forces to the upper segment;
- and
- a breakaway sleeve that rigidly couples the upper segment and the lower segment, wherein the breakaway sleeve is configured to break when the impact forces received by the lower segment exceed a predetermined limit;
- wherein the upper segment and the lower segment remain coupled together by the helical spring after the breakaway sleeve breaks.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.