Outboard motors having steerable lower gearcase
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsJeremy L. Alby, Darin C. Uppgard, Wayne M. Jaszewski, Kerry J. Treinen, Randall J. Poirier
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Abstract
An outboard motor has a powerhead that causes rotation of a driveshaft, a steering housing located below the powerhead, wherein the driveshaft extends from the powerhead into the steering housing; and a lower gearcase located below the steering housing and supporting a propeller shaft that is coupled to the driveshaft so that rotation of the driveshaft causes rotation of the propeller shaft. The lower gearcase is steerable about a steering axis with respect to the steering housing and powerhead.
Claims20
An outboard motor comprising:
- a powerhead configured to rotate a driveshaft;
- a steering housing located below the powerhead;
- a lower gearcase located below the steering housing and supporting a propeller shaft that is operably coupled to the driveshaft so that rotation of the driveshaft causes rotation of the propeller shaft, wherein the lower gearcase is steerable about a steering axis with respect to the steering housing;
- a steering column fixed to the lower gearcase and extending upwardly into the steering housing, wherein the driveshaft or an extension thereof extends through the steering column and into the lower gearcase and operably into engagement with the propeller shaft;
- and
- a steering actuator coupled to the steering housing, wherein the steering actuator comprises a piston that is movable back and forth in a cylinder, and wherein the piston is engaged with the steering column via a yoke and a trunnion such that back and forth movement of the piston causes rotation of the steering column and the lower gearcase about the steering axis.
An outboard motor comprising:
- a powerhead configured to rotate a driveshaft;
- a steering housing located below the powerhead;
- a lower gearcase located below the steering housing and supporting a propeller shaft that is operably coupled to the driveshaft or an extension thereof so that rotation of the driveshaft or the extension thereof causes rotation of the propeller shaft, wherein the lower gearcase is steerable about a steering axis with respect to the steering housing;
- a steering column fixed to the lower gearcase and extending upwardly into the steering housing;
- and
- a steering actuator coupled to the steering housing, wherein the steering actuator comprises a piston that is movable back and forth in a cylinder, and wherein the piston is engaged with the steering column such that back and forth movement of the piston causes rotation of the steering column and the lower gearcase about the steering axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.