Self-aligning universal joint assembly for a stern drive
AssigneeBombardier Motor Corporation of America
InventorsMark Whiteside, Stephen R. Johnson, Arthur R. Ferguson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly and techniques for facilitating assemblage of a drive unit to a gimbal housing in a boat are provided. The assembly uses a universal joint (U-joint) in the gimbal housing for pivotally engaging the drive unit to the gimbal housing. The U-joint includes an input shaft that receives driving power and an output shaft connectable to the drive unit. The assembly further uses an alignment subassembly configured to support the U-joint in an alignment position while its output shaft is being connected to the drive unit.
Claims74
A propulsion system extending through a boat transom and comprising:
- an engine interiorly located relative to the boat transom;
- a gimbal housing connected to the engine and having a U-joint therein, the U-joint having an input shaft that receives power from the engine and an output shaft extending rearwardly therefrom;
- a drive unit pivotally connected to the gimbal housing;
- and
- an alignment assembly configured to support the U-joint and output shaft in an alignment position only during assembly of the drive unit to the gimbal housing.
A propulsion system extending through a boat transom and comprising:
- an engine interiorly located relative to the boat transom;
- a gimbal housing connected to the engine, the gimbal housing supporting a gimbal unit;
- a drive unit pivotally connected to the gimbal housing by a U-joint having an input shaft that receives power from the engine and an output shaft connectable to the drive unit;
- a bellows enclosure supported by the gimbal unit, the bellows enclosure having a distal end relative to the boat transom for supporting an alignment assembly configured to support the U-joint in an alignment position while its output shaft is being connected to the drive unit, the alignment assembly being further configured to avoid interference with the U-joint during operational rotation thereof.
A propulsion system extending through a boat transom and comprising:
- an engine located inside the boat;
- a gimbal housing connected to the engine;
- a drive unit pivotally connected to the gimbal housing by a U-joint including an input shaft that receives power from the engine and an output shaft connectable to the drive unit;
- and
- a single-piece alignment assembly configured to support the U-joint in an alignment position while the output shaft is being connected to the drive unit, the single piece assembly comprising co-axially disposed inner and outer sections wherein the inner section is configured to support the U-joint in the alignment position while being connected to the drive unit and the outer section of the single piece assembly is configured to be axially slidable relative to a bellows enclosure so that the inner section of the single piece assembly is free from interference with the U-joint during operational rotation thereof.
A propulsion system extending through a boat transom and comprising:
- an engine located inside the boat;
- a gimbal housing having a U-joint therein with an input end connected to the engine and an output end extending rearwardly therefrom;
- a drive unit pivotally connected to the gimbal housing and receiving the output end of the U-joint therein;
- and
- a multi-piece alignment assembly configured to support the output end of the U-joint in an alignment position while the output shaft is being connected to the drive unit, the multi-piece assembly comprising a U-joint support piece, and a bellows retainer piece and wherein the U-joint support piece comprises an outer surface supported by a shoulder in a gimbal unit and further comprises an inner surface for supporting the U-joint in the alignment position while being connected to the drive unit.
An alignment assembly for facilitating assemblage of a drive unit to a gimbal housing in a boat using a U-joint for drivingly engaging the drive unit to an engine through the gimbal housing, the U-joint including an input end that receives driving power and an output end connectable to the drive unit, the alignment assembly comprising;
- means for positioning the alignment assembly to support the output end of the U-joint in an alignment position while its output shaft is being inserted into the drive unit;
- and
- means for positioning the alignment assembly to avoid interference with the output end of the U-joint during operational rotation thereof.
Assembly for facilitating assemblage of a drive unit to a gimbal housing in a boat, said assembly comprising:
- a U-joint in the gimbal housing for pivotally transferring drive power from an engine to the drive unit, the U-joint including an input shaft that receives driving power and an output shaft connectable to the drive unit;
- and
- an alignment subassembly configured to support the output shaft of the U-joint in an alignment position until connected to the drive unit.
A method for facilitating assemblage of a drive unit to a gimbal housing in a boat using a U-joint in the gimbal housing for pivotally driving the drive unit to an engine through the gimbal housing, the U-joint including an input shaft that receives driving power and an output shaft connectable to the drive unit, said method comprising:
- providing an alignment assembly;
- and
- positioning the alignment assembly to support the output shaft of the U-joint in an alignment position while the output shaft is being inserted into to the drive unit and repositioning the alignment assembly away from the output shaft after the drive unit is mated to the gimbal housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.