# US 12,595,037 B1 · Marine drive assembly having exterior mounted heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,595,037 B1 - Document ID: US12595037B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/210,897 - Filed: 2023-06-16 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2023-06-16 - Assignees: Brunswick Corporation - Applicants: Brunswick Corporation - Inventors: Chetan Avinash Dharmadhikari; John A. Groeschel; George D. Idzikowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595037B1 ## CPC - B63H 21/383: {for handling cooling-water (in outboard drives B63H20/28; in machines or engines in general F01P3/00)} - B63H 20/28: {Arrangements, apparatus and methods for handling cooling-water in outboard drives, e.g.} cooling-water intakes {(cooling circuits for outboard marine engines F01P3/202)} - 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) ## Abstract A marine drive assembly is configured for propelling a marine vessel in a body of water. The marine drive assembly may include a drive unit having a propulsor for generating a thrust force in the body of water, a mounting bracket for mounting the drive unit to the marine vessel, the mounting bracket having an exterior facing portion outside the marine vessel and an interior facing portion inside the marine vessel, and a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water from the body of water and a cooling fluid for cooling a component of the marine drive assembly, wherein the heat exchanger is coupled to the exterior of the mounting bracket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine drive assembly for propelling a marine vessel in a body of water, the marine drive assembly comprising: a drive unit having a propulsor for generating a thrust force in the body of water; a mounting bracket configured to mount the drive unit to the marine vessel, the mounting bracket having an exterior facing outside the marine vessel and an interior facing inside the marine vessel; and a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water from the body of water and a cooling fluid for cooling a component of the marine drive assembly, wherein the heat exchanger is coupled to the exterior of the mounting bracket and accessible from the exterior of the marine vessel for servicing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is located at least partially outside of the marine vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a stern drive which extends through the mounting bracket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is located completely above the drive unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to remain completely above the body of water during operation of the marine vessel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to drain the water back to the body of water automatically by gravity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a gimbal housing and wherein the heat exchanger is mounted into an exterior surface of the gimbal housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The marine drive assembly according to claim 7, wherein the drive unit comprises a driveshaft assembly that extends through the gimbal housing, and wherein the heat exchanger is located completely above the driveshaft assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The marine drive assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a cooling water pump that pumps the water from the body of water to the heat exchanger, the cooling water pump being coupled to the marine drive assembly outside of the marine vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the marine drive assembly has a center of gravity and wherein the heat exchanger is located vertically directly above the center of gravity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration isolator for coupling the mounting bracket to the marine vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is removable from the mounting bracket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The marine drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises an inlet for receiving the water from the body of water and an outlet for discharging the water back to the body of water, wherein the inlet and outlet are both located outside of the marine vessel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A marine vessel comprising: a hull; and a marine drive assembly according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The marine vessel according to claim 14, wherein the drive unit comprises a stern drive that extends through the mounting bracket. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The marine vessel according to claim 14, wherein the heat exchanger is located entirely above the drive unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The marine vessel according to claim 14, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to remain entirely above the body of water during operation of the marine vessel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The marine vessel according to claim 14, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to drain the water back to the body of water automatically by gravity. ### Claim 19 A marine drive assembly for propelling a marine vessel in a body of water, the marine drive assembly comprising: a drive unit having a propulsor for generating a thrust force in the body of water; a mounting bracket for mounting the drive unit to the marine vessel, the mounting bracket having an exterior facing outside the marine vessel and an interior facing inside the marine vessel; and a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water from the body of water and a cooling fluid for cooling a component of the marine drive assembly, wherein the heat exchanger is coupled to the exterior of the mounting bracket; and a cooling water pump that pumps the water from the body of water to the heat exchanger wherein the cooling water pump is coupled to the mounting bracket outside the marine vessel.