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US 12,116,097 B1Granted
Cowlings and hinge assemblies for cowlings on marine drives
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Amerling, Brad J. VanRuiswyk, Devan R. Faust
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinge assembly is for a cowling on a marine drive. The cowling has a first cowl portion and a second cowl portion which together enclose a cowl interior. The hinge assembly has a first base frame configured for fixed attachment to an interior surface of the first cowl portion and a second base frame configured for fixed attachment to an interior surface of the second cowl portion. The second base frame is pivotally coupled to the first base frame by a connection device that enables manual removal of the second base frame from the intermediate frame without use of a tool, thus facilitating manual removal of the second cowl portion from the first cowl portion without the use of the tool.
Claims20
A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising:
- a top cowl defining a cowling interior,
- a service door that is pivotable relative to the top cowl into an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position which retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position which permits movement pivoting of the service door to the open position, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl so the service door is pivotable from the closed position to the open position, and then further pivotable past the open position,
- wherein the hinge assembly is configured so removal of the service door from the top cowl is prevented as the service door is pivoted from the closed position to the open position, and so further pivoting of the service door past the open position permits toolless removal of the service door from the top cowl.
2 more elements
A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising:
- a top cowl defining a cowling interior,
- a service door that is pivotable relative to the top cowl to an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position which retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position which permits movement pivoting of the service door to the open position, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl so the service door is pivotable from the closed position to the open position and then further pivotable past the open position,
- wherein the hinge assembly comprises a clevis device that facilitates pivoting of the service door relative to the top cowl past the open position and permits toolless removal of the service door from the top cowl.
2 more elements
A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising:
- a top cowl defining a cowling interior,
- a service door that is pivotable relative to the top cowl to an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position which retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position which permits movement pivoting of the service door to the open position, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl so the service door is pivotable from the closed position to the open position and then further pivotable past the open position,
- wherein the hinge assembly comprises a handle that is exposed when service door is removed from the top cowl, the handle facilitating carrying of the top cowl.
2 more elements
A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising:
- a top cowl defining a cowling interior,
- a service door that is pivotable relative to the top cowl to an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position which retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position which permits movement pivoting of the service door to the open position, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl, so the service door is pivotable from the closed position to the open position and then further pivotable past the open position,
- wherein the service door is fulcrumed across a fulcrum device so as to reduce or eliminate rattling of components.
2 more elements
An outboard motor for propelling a marine vessel, the outboard motor comprising:
- a top cowl having a front side that faces the marine vessel and a rear side that faces away from the marine vessel,
- a service door that is pivotable up relative to the top cowl into an open position providing top-down access to a cowling interior defined by the top cowl and down relative to the cowl into a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position in which a front side of the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlatched position in which pivoting of the service door to the open position is permitted, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl so that the service door is pivotable up into the open position and down into the closed position, and then further pivotable past the open position,
- wherein the hinge assembly is configured so removal of the service door from the top cowl is prevented as the service door is pivoted from the closed position to the open position, and so further pivoting of the service door past the open position permits toolless removal of the service door from the top cowl.
2 more elements
A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising:
- a top cowl defining a cowling interior,
- a service door that is pivotable relative to the top cowl to an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowl interior,
- a latching device that is positionable in a latched position which retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position which permits movement pivoting of the service door to the open position, and
- a hinge assembly that couples the service door to the top cowl so the service door is pivotable from the closed position to the open position and then past the open position,
- wherein the hinge assembly is configured so pivoting of the service door past the open position permits toolless removal of the service door from the top cowl.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.