Marine outboard engine cowling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046409-B2
Application number	US-201916723245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A marine outboard engine includes an internal combustion engine assembly that includes an internal combustion engine, a fuse assembly, a fuel filter, a spark plug, a gearcase including one of a propeller and an impeller, a swivel bracket, and a cowling. The cowling includes a service panel disposed on a first lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly, and an affixed panel disposed on a second lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly. The service and affixed panels define a split line therebetween and are removably attached to each other. The fuse assembly, the fuel filter, and the spark plug are mounted to one of the first lateral side and the affixed panel proximate to the split line and are at least in part accessible from the first lateral side when the service panel is detached and removed from the affixed panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A marine outboard engine comprising:
an internal combustion engine assembly comprising an internal combustion engine and having a front, a back, a top, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side;
an electrical system operatively connected to the internal combustion engine to operate the internal combustion engine, the electrical system comprising a fuse assembly;
a fuel filter operatively connected to the internal combustion engine to supply fuel to the internal combustion engine from an external fuel tank;
a spark plug connected to the internal combustion engine;
a gearcase including one of a propeller and an impeller operatively connected to the internal combustion engine assembly;
a swivel bracket operatively connected to the internal combustion engine assembly; and
a cowling at least partially covering the internal combustion engine assembly, the cowling including:
a service panel disposed on the first lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly and engaging the first lateral side via at least one first damping member that positions the service panel relative to the first lateral side, and
an affixed panel disposed on the second lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly and engaging the second lateral side via at least one second damping member that positions the affixed panel relative to the second lateral side, the service and affixed panels defining a split line therebetween and being removably attached to each other by a panel-to-panel connector,

the fuse assembly, the fuel filter, and the spark plug all being mounted to one of:
the first lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly, and
the affixed panel proximate to the split line,

so as to be at least in part accessible from the first lateral side of the internal combustion engine when the service panel is detached and removed from the affixed panel with the affixed panel remaining on the second lateral side of the internal combustion engine.

2. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , wherein the fuse assembly comprises fuses and relays.

3. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , wherein the internal combustion engine assembly further comprises an exhaust housing attached to and extending downward from the internal combustion engine to the gearcase.

4. The marine outboard engine of claim 3 , wherein the affixed panel is further connected to the internal combustion engine assembly via a panel-to-engine-assembly connector.

5. The marine outboard engine of claim 4 , wherein:
the panel-to-engine-assembly connector is a resilient connector;
the internal combustion engine includes an engine block; and
the resilient connector is removably attached to one of: a component of the internal combustion engine, the engine block, the exhaust housing, and the gearcase.

6. The marine outboard engine of claim 5 , wherein:
the resilient connector is a rubber cord having first and second end portions and a mid portion extending between the first and second end portions;
part of the second end portion has a first diameter;
the mid portion has a second diameter;
the first diameter is larger than the second diameter;
the first end portion is fixed to the affixed panel;
the second end portion is removably received in one of a recess and an aperture defined in the one of: the component of the internal combustion engine, the engine block, the exhaust housing, and the gearcase;
the first diameter is larger than a diameter of the recess; and
the resilient connector is in tension.

7. The marine outboard engine of claim 5 , wherein:
the resilient connector is a first resilient connector of a plurality of resilient connectors;
the plurality of resilient connectors includes:
a first resilient connector attached to the front of the internal combustion engine assembly, and
a second resilient connector attached to the back of the internal combustion engine assembly.

8. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the internal combustion engine further includes:
a cylinder block, and
a cylinder head connected to the cylinder block, the cylinder head and the cylinder block defining a cylinder therebetween;

the spark plug is received in a corresponding aperture defined in the cylinder head and extends in part into the cylinder;
a vertical bank plane defines a bank angle of the cylinder block relative to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the marine outboard engine, the vertical bank plane passing through a central axis of the cylinder; and
the spark plug is disposed at least in part between the vertical bank plane and the service panel.

9. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , further comprising an ignition coil operatively connected to the spark plug, wherein the ignition coil is mounted to one of the first lateral side of the internal combustion engine assembly, and the affixed panel proximate to the split line.

10. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the service panel and the affixed panel each include an air intake aperture in a top portion thereof and a baffle;
the internal combustion engine has an air intake; and
the baffles define a tortuous air path between each baffle and the respective service panel and the affixed panel, the tortuous air path guiding air from the air intake aperture downward along the back of the internal combustion engine assembly.

11. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , further comprising a first baffle attached to the service panel and a second baffle attached to the affixed panel, wherein:
the first and second baffles are disposed on opposite sides of a vertical longitudinal center plane of the internal combustion engine and extend from the top of the internal combustion engine to the back of the internal combustion engine;
the service panel defines a first air intake aperture in a top portion thereof;
the affixed panel defines a second air intake aperture in a top portion thereof;
the internal combustion engine has an air intake;
the first baffle defines a first portion of a tortuous air path between the first baffle and the service panel, the first portion of the tortuous air path guiding air from the first air intake aperture toward the air intake of the internal combustion engine; and
the second baffle defines a second portion of the tortuous air path between the second baffle and the affixed panel, the second portion of tortuous air path guiding air from the second air intake aperture toward the air intake of the internal combustion engine.

12. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the internal combustion engine further includes:
a cylinder block, and
a cylinder head connected to the cylinder block, the cylinder head and the cylinder block defining a cylinder therebetween;

the spark plug is received in a corresponding aperture defined in the cylinder head and extends in part into the cylinder;
the cylinder head is angularly offset from a vertical longitudinal center plane of the marine outboard engine by a bank angle; and
the bank angle is selected such that a majority of the cylinder head is disposed on a same side of the vertical longitudinal center plane as the service panel.

13. The marine outboard engine of claim 1 , further comprising an engine cooling circuit thermostat, an engine cooling circuit blow off valve, an ignition coil, a starter motor, and a vapor separator, wherein the engine cooling circuit thermostat, the engine cooling circuit blow off valve, the ignition coil, the starter motor, and the vapor separator are operatively connected to the internal combustion engine and mounted to one of the first l

Assignees

• Brp Us Inc

Inventors

• Wiegele Dale A
• Wiatrowski Darrell
• Scott John Charles
• Groleau Vincent
• Brousseau Ivan

Classifications

• F01P3/202

  for outboard marine engines · CPC title

• B63H20/32 Primary

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

• F01P7/16

  by thermostatic control · CPC title

• B63H20/28

  Arrangements, apparatus and methods for handling cooling-water in outboard drives, e.g.} cooling-water intakes {(cooling circuits for outboard marine engines F01P3/202) · CPC title

• F02B23/08

  with positive ignition · CPC title