Back to results
US 6,146,223 AGranted
Marine propulsion unit with water inlets in all quadrants of the front portion of its torpedo-shape gearcase
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsMichael A. Karls, Robert B. Weronke, Jeffrey J. Andrews
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A marine propulsion device is provided with a water inlet system that comprises at least a plurality of frontal inlet openings at the tapered forward end of a gearcase portion of a housing structure. The water inlet system can be provided for an outboard motor or a stern drive unit. Additional water flow can be provided through side inlet formed in the housing structure of the marine propulsion device where both the frontal inlet openings and side inlet openings are connected with fluid communication with the water pump mounted within the housing structure.
Claims20
A marine propulsion device for a watercraft, comprising:
- an engine having a cooling system through which water can flow in thermal communication with heat producing components of said engine;
- an output shaft of said engine;
- a housing structure, said output shaft of said engine being rotatably supported and at least partially contained within said housing structure;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported and at least partially contained within a gear case portion of said housing structure, said propeller shaft being in torque transmitting relation with said output shaft of said engine, said gear case portion of said housing structure having a tapered forward end;
- and
- a water inlet system comprising a first conduit formed within said housing structure, said first conduit being connected in fluid communication with a plurality of frontal inlet openings formed through a wall thickness of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a first of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above a horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of a vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a second of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a third of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a fourth of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, each of said four frontal inlet openings having a forward facing area, said water inlet system being connected in fluid communication with said cooling system of said engine.
3 more elements
A marine propulsion device for a watercraft, comprising:
- an engine having a cooling system through which water can flow in thermal communication with heat producing components of said engine;
- an output shaft of said engine;
- a housing structure, said output shaft of said engine being rotatably supported and at least partially contained within said housing structure;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported and at least partially contained within a gear case portion of said housing structure, said propeller shaft being in torque transmitting relation with said output shaft of said engine, said gear case portion of said housing structure having a tapered forward end;
- a water inlet system comprising a first conduit formed within said housing structure, said first conduit being connected in fluid communication with a plurality of frontal inlet openings formed through a wall thickness of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a first of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above a horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of a vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a second of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a third of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a fourth of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, each of said four frontal inlet openings having a forward facing area, said water inlet system being connected in fluid communication with said cooling system of said engine;
- and
- a first chamber formed within said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and connected in fluid communication between said first conduit and said plurality of frontal inlet openings formed through said wall thickness of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, the effective diameter of said forward facing area of each of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being greater than said wall thickness.
4 more elements
A marine propulsion device for a watercraft, comprising:
- an engine having a cooling system through which water can flow in thermal communication with heat producing components of said engine;
- an output shaft of said engine;
- a housing structure, said output shaft of said engine being rotatably supported and at least partially contained within said housing structure;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported and at least partially contained within a gear case portion of said housing structure, said propeller shaft being in torque transmitting relation with said output shaft of said engine, said gear case portion of said housing structure having a tapered forward end;
- a water inlet system comprising a first conduit formed within said housing structure, said first conduit being connected in fluid communication with a plurality of frontal inlet openings formed through a wall thickness of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a first of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above a horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of a vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a second of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located above said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a third of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the left side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, a fourth of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being located below said horizontal centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and to the right side of said vertical centerline of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, each of said four frontal inlet openings having a forward facing area, said water inlet system being connected in fluid communication with said cooling system of said engine;
- a first chamber formed within said tapered forward end of said gear case portion and connected in fluid communication between said first conduit and said plurality of frontal inlet openings formed through said wall thickness of said tapered forward end of said gear case portion, the effective diameter of said forward facing area of each of said plurality of frontal inlet openings being greater than said wall thickness;
- a plurality of side inlet openings formed through a side of said housing structure;
- and
- a second conduit formed within said housing structure in fluid communication with said plurality of side inlet openings, said first and second conduits being connected in fluid communication with each other and with said cooling system of said engine.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.