Outboard motor and sealing structure for divisible engine cover used therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286990-B2
Application number	US-201815964137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An outboard motor includes a mount on which an engine is mounted, an engine cover, and a sealing structure. The engine cover is divisible into a top portion, a front bottom portion, and a side bottom portion. A first seal in the sealing structure integrally includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion seals the boundary between the top portion, the front bottom portion, and the side bottom portion. The second portion seals the boundary between the front bottom portion, the mount, and the side bottom portion. The third portion seals the boundary between the front bottom portion and the side bottom portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outboard motor comprising:
an engine;
a mount on which the engine is mounted;
an engine cover including a top portion opposing the engine from above, a front bottom portion located at a position lower than a position of the top portion and opposing the engine from a front of the engine, and a side bottom portion located at a position lower than the position of the top portion and rearward of the front bottom portion and opposing the engine from a side of the engine, the engine cover being coupled to the mount through the front bottom portion and the side bottom portion; and
a sealing structure including a first seal integrally including a first portion that seals a boundary between the top portion, the front bottom portion, and the side bottom portion; a second portion that seals a boundary between the front bottom portion, the mount, and the side bottom portion; and a third portion extending from the first portion to the second portion and that seals a boundary between the front bottom portion and the side bottom portion.

2. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first portion is located at a position higher than a position of the second portion;
an upper end of the front bottom portion includes an opposing portion that opposes an upper end of the side bottom portion from within the engine cover;
the first portion integrally includes an inner portion at least partially located between the opposing portion and the upper end of the side bottom portion, and an outer portion extending through a boundary between an outer surface of the upper end of the front bottom portion and an outer surface of the upper end of the side bottom portion and located on the outer surface of the upper end of the front bottom portion; and
the inner portion includes a water storage groove adjacent to the outer portion and opposed to the side bottom portion.

3. The outboard motor according to claim 2 , wherein the inner portion includes an upper rib protruding toward the upper end of the side bottom portion and extending rearward from an upper end of the water storage groove.

4. The outboard motor according to claim 3 , wherein
a drainage hole is provided in a lower portion of the engine cover or the mount; and
the inner portion includes a guide extending rearward from a lower end of the water storage groove to guide water within the water storage groove to the drainage hole.

5. The outboard motor according to claim 4 , wherein an insertion hole, through which a fastening member is inserted to couple the opposing portion and the side bottom portion, penetrates a portion of the inner portion that is between the upper rib and the guide.

6. The outboard motor according to claim 2 , wherein
the sealing structure further includes a second seal that seals a boundary between the top portion and the front bottom portion and a boundary between the top portion and the side bottom portion; and
the second seal surrounds a portion of the outer portion between the second seal and the front bottom portion.

7. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the sealing structure further includes a third seal that seals a boundary between the mount and the front bottom portion and a boundary between the mount and the side bottom portion; and
the second portion includes a sealing surface adhered to the third seal from the front of the engine at the boundary between the front bottom portion, the mount, and the side bottom portion.

8. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the second portion includes a longitudinally extending positioning groove; and
the front bottom portion includes a positioning portion fitted into the positioning groove.

9. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are molded, and the third portion is extrusion molded.

10. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the side bottom portion includes a left side bottom portion and a right side bottom portion opposing the engine from a left and a right of the engine, respectively;
the sealing structure includes a left first seal and a right first seal; and
the sealing structure further includes a fourth seal that seals a boundary between the left side bottom portion and the right side bottom portion.

11. A sealing structure for an engine cover of an outboard motor including an engine and a mount on which the engine is mounted, wherein the engine cover covers the engine and includes a top portion opposing the engine from above, a front bottom portion located at a position lower than a position of the top portion and opposing the engine from a front of the engine, and a side bottom portion located at a position lower than the position of the top portion and rearward of the front bottom portion and opposing the engine from a side of the engine, and the engine cover is coupled to the mount through the front bottom portion and the side bottom portion, the sealing structure comprising:
a first seal integrally including:
a first portion that seals a boundary between the top portion, the front bottom portion, and the side bottom portion;
a second portion that seals a boundary between the front bottom portion, the mount, and the side bottom portion; and
a third portion extending from the first portion to the second portion and that seals a boundary between the front bottom portion and the side bottom portion.

12. The sealing structure according to claim 11 , wherein
the first portion is located at a position higher than a position of the second portion;
the first portion integrally includes an inner portion at least partially located between an opposing portion opposing an upper end of the side bottom portion from within the engine cover in an upper end of the front bottom portion and the upper end of the side bottom portion, and an outer portion extending through a boundary between an outer surface of the upper end of the front bottom portion and an outer surface of the upper end of the side bottom portion and located on the outer surface of the upper end of the front bottom portion, and
the inner portion includes a water storage groove adjacent to the outer portion and opposing the side bottom portion.

13. The sealing structure according to claim 12 , wherein the inner portion includes an upper rib protruding toward the upper end of the side bottom portion and extending rearward from an upper end of the water storage groove.

14. The sealing structure according to claim 13 , wherein the inner portion includes a guide extending rearward from a lower end of the water storage groove to guide water within the water storage groove to a drainage hole in a lower portion of the engine cover or the mount.

15. The sealing structure according to claim 14 , wherein an insertion hole, through which a fastening member is inserted to couple the opposing portion and the side bottom portion, penetrates a portion of the inner portion located between the upper rib and the guide.

16. The sealing structure according to claim 12 , further comprising a second seal that seals a boundary between the top portion and the front bottom portion and a boundary between the top portion and the side bottom portion, wherein the second seal surrounds a portion of the outer portion located between the second seal and the front bottom portion.

17. The sealing structure according to claim 11 , further comprising a third seal that seals a boundary between the mount and the front bottom portion and a boundary between the mount and the side bottom portion; wherein
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Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Hiroyuki
• Oishi Kyoji

Classifications

• F02B61/045

  for marine engines · CPC title

• B63H2020/323

  Gear cases · CPC title

• B63H20/245

  Exhaust gas outlets (B63H20/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M35/168

  with means, e.g. valves, to prevent water entry · CPC title

• B63H20/32 Primary

  Housings {(air intakes for outboard engines F02M35/167)} · CPC title