Service doors for cowls on outboard marine propulsion devices

A service door for a cowl for a marine propulsion device, the service door comprising:

• a door panel that is positionable in an open position and in a closed position;
• a first hinge and a second hinge configured for rotatably coupling the door panel to the cowl;
• wherein the first hinge comprises a first hinge base and a first hinge axle about which the door panel is rotatable, wherein the first hinge axle has a base end coupled to the first hinge base and a distal end that is opposite the base end;
• a biasing device operatively coupled to the door panel and the cowl about the second hinge so as to impact a force that biases the door panel towards the open position;
• a damper having a fixed end and a rotating end opposite the fixed end and being configured to resist rotation therebetween about the first hinge;
• a damper pin that extends from the distal end of the first hinge axle;
• and
• a damper disc that defines a central opening and a slot, wherein the first hinge axle is receivable in the central opening in the damper disc, wherein the damper disc is configured to non-rotatably engage with the fixed end of the damper, wherein the rotating end of the damper rotates with the door panel, and wherein the damper pin is receivable in the slot of the damper disc to rotationally fix the damper disc and the first hinge axle such that the damper resist rotation of the door panel.

A method for providing access inside a cowl for a marine propulsion device, the method comprising:

• rotatably coupling a door panel to the cowl with a first hinge, the first hinge comprising a first hinge base configured for coupling to the cowl and a first hinge axle about which the door panel pivots, the door panel being positionable in an open position and in a closed position, wherein the first hinge axle extends from the first hinge base to a distal end having a spring slot;
• rotatably coupling the door panel to the cowl with a second hinge, the second hinge comprising a second hinge axle about which the door panel pivots, the second hinge being coupled between the door panel and the cowl;
• positioning a coil spring between the door panel and the cowl that biases the door panel towards the open position, wherein the coil spring has a fixed end positioned in the spring slot of the first hinge axle and a rotating end that is opposite the fixed end, wherein the rotating end is configured to impart a spring force on the door panel;
• and
• positioning a damper between the door panel and the cowl about the second hinge axle, the damper having a fixed end that remains rotatably fixed when the door panel rotates and an opposite rotating end that rotates when the door panel rotates, and wherein the damper is configured to resist rotation between the fixed end and the rotating end thereof to thereby resist rotation of the door panel towards the open position.