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US 6,554,663 B2Granted
Marine stern drive two-speed transmission
AssigneeBombardier Motor Corporation of America
InventorGerald F. Neisen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inboard/outboard powered watercraft (10) incorporating a transmission (30, 80) in its vertical drive unit (24) for providing two forward speeds plus reverse. The transmission is packaged to fit within the vertical drive unit (24) by incorporating a bevel gear apparatus (44, 120). In one embodiment, the transmission (30) also includes a planetary gear apparatus (46) together with two hydraulic clutches (70, 72) and a ring gear brake (56). In a second embodiment, three hydraulic clutches (98, 100, 114) are utilized with bevel gears (94,96,106,110,112) alone to provide the two forward and reverse speeds.
Claims19
A transmission for a stern drive watercraft, the stern drive having a vertical drive unit housing disposed rearward of a transom of the watercraft, the transmission comprising:
- a generally horizontal input shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit housing and adapted for coupling to an engine output shaft of the watercraft;
- a generally vertical output shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit housing and adapted for coupling to a propeller gear apparatus;
- a bevel gear apparatus selectively connectable between the input shaft and the output shaft for alternatively providing a first forward gear ratio connection, a second forward gear ratio connection, a reverse gear ratio connection, and a neutral connection between the input shaft and the output shaft.
A transmission comprising:
- an input shaft;
- an output shaft;
- a first output bevel gear connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith;
- a first forward bevel gear engaged with a forward portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a first forward clutch connected between the first forward bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the first forward bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a first forward direction;
- a reverse bevel gear engaged with a reverse portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a reverse clutch connected between the reverse bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the reverse bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a reverse direction;
- a second forward bevel gear connected to the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- a second output bevel gear engaged with the second forward bevel gear for rotation therewith;
- a second forward clutch connected between the second output bevel gear and the output shaft for selectively connecting the output shaft with the second output bevel gear for rotation of the output shaft in a second forward direction.
7 more elements
A marine propulsion apparatus comprising:
- an engine having an output shaft;
- a gimbal housing connected to the engine and rotatably supporting a drive shaft connected to the engine output shaft, the gimbal housing adapted for passing through the transom of a watercraft;
- a vertical drive unit rotatably and pivotally connected to the gimbal housing;
- an input shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit and connected to the drive shaft;
- an output shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit;
- a propeller attached to the output shaft;
- a first output bevel gear connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith;
- a first forward bevel gear engaged with a forward portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a first forward clutch connected between the first forward bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the first forward bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a first forward direction;
- a reverse bevel gear engaged with a reverse portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a reverse clutch connected between the reverse bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the reverse bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a reverse direction;
- a second forward bevel gear connected to the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- a second output bevel gear engaged with the second forward bevel gear for rotation therewith;
- a second forward clutch connected between the second output bevel gear and the output shaft for selectively connecting the output shaft with the second output bevel gear for rotation of the output shaft in a second forward direction.
11 more elements
A watercraft comprising:
- a hull including a transom;
- an engine disposed within the hull and having an output shaft;
- a gimbal housing connected to the engine and rotatably supporting a drive shaft connected to the engine output shaft, the gimbal housing adapted for passing through the transom of a watercraft;
- a vertical drive unit rotatably and pivotally connected to the gimbal housing;
- an input shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit and connected to the drive shaft;
- an output shaft rotatably supported by the vertical drive unit;
- a propeller attached to the output shaft;
- a first output bevel gear connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith;
- a first forward bevel gear engaged with a forward portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a first forward clutch connected between the first forward bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the first forward bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a first forward direction;
- a reverse bevel gear engaged with a reverse portion of the first output bevel gear;
- a reverse clutch connected between the reverse bevel gear and the input shaft for selectively connecting the reverse bevel gear for rotation with the input shaft to cause rotation of the first output bevel gear and the output shaft in a reverse direction;
- a second forward bevel gear connected to the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- a second output bevel gear engaged with the second forward bevel gear for rotation therewith;
- a second forward clutch connected between the second output bevel gear and the output shaft for selectively connecting the output shaft with the second output bevel gear for rotation of the output shaft in a second forward direction.
12 more elements
A two-forward speed transmission assembly for a stem drive watercraft, the transmission assembly comprising:
- an input shaft capable of receiving driving power from an engine;
- an output shaft generally perpendicular to the input shaft and capable of translating driving power to a marine propulsion unit;
- a first gear assembly configured concentric to the output shaft and capable of forward and reverse rotation;
- a second gear assembly configured concentric to the output shaft and capable of forward rotation;
- and
- a multi-clutch assembly disposed in a volume defined between the first gear assembly and the second gear assembly.
3 more elements
A two-forward speed transmission assembly for a stem drive watercraft, the transmission assembly comprising:
- an input shaft capable of receiving driving power from an engine;
- an output shaft generally perpendicular to the input shaft and capable of translating driving power to a marine propulsion unit;
- a first gear assembly configured concentric to the input shaft, the first gear assembly having a forward bevel gear, a first output bevel gear, and a second output bevel gear positioned below the first output bevel gear and concentrically supported with the output shaft;
- a second gear assembly configured concentric to the output shaft and having a reverse bevel gear;
- and
- a clutch assembly disposed in a volume defined between the first gear assembly and the second gear assembly, wherein the clutch assembly comprises a first forward clutch and a reverse clutch located between the forward bevel gear and the reverse bevel gear.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.