Outboard motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12391352-B2
Application number	US-202217994425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2022
Priority date	May 2, 2022
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

An outboard motor includes an upper case, a lower case, a transmission, a clutch, a cooling water passage, a first pump, and a second pump. The transmission is operable to transmit the driving force of the engine. The clutch is connected to the transmission. The cooling water passage is connected to the engine. The cooling water passage is located in the upper case and the lower case. The first pump is connected to the transmission via the clutch. The first pump is driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage. The second pump is connected to the transmission. The second pump is driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outboard motor comprising:
a bracket to mount the outboard motor on a watercraft;
an engine;
an upper case below the engine;
a lower case below the upper case;
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine;
a clutch connected to the transmission;
a cooling water passage connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case;
a first pump connected to the transmission via the clutch and driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine via the cooling water passage; and
a second pump connected to the transmission and driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage.

2. An outboard motor comprising:
a bracket to mount the outboard motor on a watercraft;
an engine;
an upper case below the engine;
a lower case below the upper case;
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine;
a clutch connected to the transmission;
a cooling water passage connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case;
a first pump connected to the transmission via the clutch and driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine via the cooling water passage; and
a second pump connected to the transmission and driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage; wherein
the first pump and the second pump are positive displacement pumps;
when a rotation speed of the engine is in a lower speed range, the clutch disconnects the first pump and the transmission and the second pump is driven; and
when the rotation speed of the engine is in a higher speed range, the clutch connects the first pump and the transmission and the first pump and the second pump are driven.

3. An outboard motor comprising:
a bracket to mount the outboard motor on a watercraft;
an engine;
an upper case below the engine;
a lower case below the upper case;
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine;
a clutch connected to the transmission;
a cooling water passage connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case;
a first pump connected to the transmission via the clutch and driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine via the cooling water passage; and
a second pump connected to the transmission and driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage; wherein
the first pump is a positive displacement pump;
the second pump is a non-positive displacement pump;
when a rotational speed of the engine is in a lower speed range, the clutch connects the first pump and the transmission and the first pump and the second pump are driven; and
when the rotation speed of the engine is in a higher speed range, the clutch disconnects the first pump and the transmission and the second pump is driven.

4. An outboard motor comprising:
a bracket to mount the outboard motor on a watercraft;
an engine;
an upper case below the engine;
a lower case below the upper case;
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine;
a clutch connected to the transmission;
a cooling water passage connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case;
a first pump connected to the transmission via the clutch and driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine via the cooling water passage; and
a second pump connected to the transmission and driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage; wherein
the transmission includes:
a first shaft connected to the engine;
a shifter connected to the first shaft; and
a second shaft connected to the shifter;

the shifter is switchable between a driving state in which the first shaft and the second shaft are connected and a neutral state in which the first shaft and the second shaft are disconnected;
the first pump is connected to the first shaft; and
the second pump is connected to the second shaft.

5. The outboard motor according to claim 4 , wherein
the first shaft is a drive shaft extending downward from the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case; and
the second shaft is a propeller shaft connected to the drive shaft via the shifter, extends in a front-rear direction of the outboard motor, and is located in the lower case.

6. The outboard motor according to claim 4 , wherein
the transmission includes:
a drive shaft extending downward from the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case; and
a propeller shaft connected to the drive shaft, extends in a front-rear direction of the outboard motor, and is located in the lower case;

the drive shaft includes:
a first drive shaft connected to the engine; and
a second drive shaft connected to the first drive shaft via the shifter;

the first shaft is the first drive shaft; and
the second shaft is the second drive shaft.

7. The outboard motor according to claim 4 , wherein
the first pump is a positive displacement pump;
the second pump is a non-positive displacement pump;
when the shifter is in the driving state and a rotational speed of the engine is in a lower speed range, the clutch connects the first pump and the first shaft and the first pump and the second pump are driven;
when the shifter is in the driving state and the rotational of the engine is in a higher speed range, the clutch disconnects the first pump and the first shaft and the second pump is driven; and
when the shifter is in the neutral state, the clutch connects the first pump and the first shaft and the first pump is driven.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Onoue Junya
• Koga Hiroki
• Kadobayashi Yoshiyuki
• Saruwatari Kimitaka
• Noma Akihiro

Classifications

• B63H20/02

  Mounting of propulsion units (B63H20/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63H20/32 Primary

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

• B63H20/14

  Transmission between propulsion power unit and propulsion element · 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

• B63H20/285 Primary

  Cooling-water intakes · CPC title