Outboard motors and exhaust systems for outboard motors having an exhaust conduit supported inside the V-shape

An outboard motor comprising:

• an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along a longitudinal axis, the first and second banks of cylinders extending transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley there between;
• an exhaust manifold that conveys exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust manifold comprising a first inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the first bank of cylinders, a second inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the second bank of cylinders, and an exhaust conduit that merges and longitudinally conveys the exhaust gas from the first and second inlet ports, wherein the exhaust conduit is at least partially disposed in the valley;
• and
• a supporting mechanism that supports the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine, the supporting mechanism configured to allow the exhaust conduit to laterally move towards and away from the internal combustion engine along a lateral axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, thereby facilitating assembly of the exhaust manifold and the internal combustion engine despite positional tolerance differences there between;
• wherein the supporting mechanism comprises a first slip joint that couples the exhaust conduit to the internal combustion engine;
• and
• wherein the supporting mechanism further comprises a second slip joint that couples the exhaust conduit to the internal combustion engine, wherein the first and second slip joints are disposed on opposite sides of the exhaust conduit with respect to a transverse axis that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the lateral axis.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along a longitudinal axis, the first and second banks of cylinders extending transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley there between;
• an exhaust manifold that conveys exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust manifold comprising a first inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the first bank of cylinders, a second inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the second bank of cylinders, and an exhaust conduit that merges and longitudinally conveys the exhaust gas from the first and second inlet ports, wherein the exhaust conduit is at least partially disposed in the valley;
• and
• a supporting mechanism that supports the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine, the supporting mechanism configured to allow the exhaust conduit to laterally move towards and away from the internal combustion engine along a lateral axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, thereby facilitating assembly of the exhaust manifold and the internal combustion engine despite positional tolerance differences there between;
• wherein the exhaust conduit comprises a 180-degree bend that reverses the exhaust gas from an upstream, longitudinally upward directional flow to a downstream, longitudinally downward directional flow, and wherein the supporting mechanism supports the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine at a location downstream of the 180-degree bend.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an internal combustion engine that longitudinally extends with respect to a longitudinal axis, laterally extends with respect to a lateral axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and transversely extends with respect to a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the lateral axis;
• the internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along the longitudinal axis, the first and second banks of cylinders extending transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley there between;
• an exhaust manifold that conveys exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust manifold comprising a first inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the first bank of cylinders, a second inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the second bank of cylinders, and an exhaust conduit that merges and longitudinally conveys the exhaust gas from the first and second inlet ports, wherein the exhaust conduit is at least partially disposed in the valley;
• and
• wherein the exhaust is coupled to the first and second inlet ports at a sealing interface having a planar sealing surface that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis, and
• a supporting mechanism that supports the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine, the supporting mechanism configured to allow the exhaust conduit to move with respect to the internal combustion engine in 360 degrees in a plane defined by the lateral and transverse axes, thereby facilitating assembly of the exhaust manifold and the internal combustion engine despite positional tolerance differences there between.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an internal combustion engine that longitudinally extends with respect to a longitudinal axis, laterally extends with respect to a lateral axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and transversely extends with respect to a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the lateral axis;
• the internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along a longitudinal axis, the first and second banks of cylinders extending transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley there between;
• an exhaust manifold that conveys exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust manifold comprising a first inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the first bank of cylinders, a second inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the second bank of cylinders, and an exhaust conduit that merges and longitudinally conveys the exhaust gas from the first and second inlet ports, wherein the exhaust conduit is at least partially disposed in the valley;
• and
• wherein the exhaust conduit is coupled to the first and second inlet ports at a sealing interface having a planar sealing surface that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis, and
• a slip joint that is configured to allow the exhaust conduit to move 360 degrees in a plane defined by the lateral and transverse axes and laterally towards and away from the internal combustion engine, thereby facilitating assembly of the exhaust manifold and the internal combustion engine despite positional tolerance differences there between.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an internal combustion engine that longitudinally extends with respect to a longitudinal axis, laterally extends with respect to a lateral axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and transversely extends with respect to a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the lateral axis;
• the internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block having first and second banks of cylinders that are disposed along a longitudinal axis, the first and second banks of cylinders extending transversely with respect to each other in a V-shape so as to define a valley there between;
• an exhaust manifold that conveys exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust manifold comprising a first inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the first bank of cylinders, a second inlet port that receives the exhaust gas from the second bank of cylinders, and an exhaust conduit that merges and longitudinally conveys the exhaust gas from the first and second inlet ports, wherein the exhaust conduit is at least partially disposed in the valley;
• and
• a slip joint that is configured to allow the exhaust conduit to move 360 degrees in a plane defined by the lateral and transverse axes and laterally towards and away from the internal combustion engine, thereby facilitating assembly of the exhaust manifold and the internal combustion engine despite positional tolerance differences there between;
• wherein the first slip joint further comprises fastener having a shank, a bushing on the shank, and a boss on the other of the exhaust conduit and internal combustion engine, wherein the boss is axially slide-able back and forth along the bushing, thereby allowing the lateral movement of the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine;
• wherein a first end of the first slip joint is fixed with respect to one of the exhaust conduit and the internal combustion engine and wherein an opposite, second end of the slip joint is axially slide-able back and forth with respect to the other of the exhaust conduit and the internal combustion engine, thereby allowing lateral movement of the exhaust conduit with respect to the internal combustion engine;
• and
• wherein the bushing has an inner diameter and wherein the shank has an outer diameter that is sized smaller than the inner diameter of the bushing so that a radial gap exists between the shank and the bushing, wherein the elongated fastener is 360 degree radially movable in the radial gap, thereby the exhaust conduit to move with respect to the internal combustion engine in 360 degrees in a plane defined by the lateral and transverse axes.