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US 6,319,081 B1Granted
Marine propulsion apparatus with a heat shield to protect its seals
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorRichard A. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealing member for a propeller shaft is provided with a heat shield to prevent damage from occurring to an elastomeric portion of the sealing member when exposed to hot exhaust gases. The exhaust gases can flow in thermal communication with the elastomeric portion of the sealing member when the marine propulsion unit is operated in reverse gear. A heat shield is provided by extending a metallic portion of the sealing structure toward the outer cylindrical surface of the propeller shaft and rounding the edge to avoid direct contact between the heat shield and the propeller shaft.
Claims20
A marine propulsion apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported about a centerline within said housing and extending rearwardly from said housing when said propulsion apparatus is operated to move a watercraft in a forward direction, said propeller shaft being shaped to receive a propeller in attachment thereto;
- a sealing device supported in stationary relation with said housing, said sealing device having an elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion having a sealing surface disposed in close proximity with an external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft;
- and
- a heat shield attached to said sealing device and disposed between said elastomeric portion and a rearwardly distal end of said propeller shaft, said heat shield having a generally circular edge surrounding said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft, said generally circular edge being spaced apart from said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft by a gap which is preselected to avoid contact between said heat shield and said propeller shaft when said propeller shaft deviates from said centerline by its maximum possible magnitude.
2 more elements
A marine propulsion apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported about a centerline within said housing and extending rearwardly from said housing when said propulsion apparatus is operated to move a watercraft in a forward direction, said propeller shaft being shaped to receive a propeller in attachment thereto;
- a sealing device supported in stationary relation with said housing, said sealing device having an elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion having a sealing surface disposed in close proximity with an external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft;
- and
- a metal heat shield attached to said sealing device and disposed between said elastomeric portion and a rearwardly distal end of said propeller shaft, said metal heat shield having a generally circular edge surrounding said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft, said generally circular edge being spaced apart from said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft by a gap which is preselected to avoid contact between said metal heat shield and said propeller shaft when said propeller shaft deviates from said centerline by its maximum possible magnitude.
2 more elements
A marine propulsion apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a propeller shaft rotatably supported about a centerline within said housing and extending rearwardly from said housing when said propulsion apparatus is operated to move a watercraft in a forward direction, said propeller shaft being shaped to receive a propeller in attachment thereto;
- a sealing device supported in stationary relation with said housing, said sealing device having an elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion having a sealing surface disposed in close proximity with an external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft;
- and
- a metal heat shield attached to said sealing device and disposed between said elastomeric portion and a rearwardly distal end of said propeller shaft, said metal heat shield having a generally circular edge surrounding said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft, said generally circular edge being spaced apart from said external cylindrical surface of said propeller shaft by a gap which is preselected to avoid contact between said metal heat shield and said propeller shaft when said propeller shaft deviates from said centerline by its maximum possible magnitude, said gap being between 0.010 inches and 0.050 inches in radial clearance.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.