Marine propulsion devices having electric motors and methods for making marine propulsion devices having electric motors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428117-B2
Application number	US-202217966335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2022
Priority date	Oct 25, 2021
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A method for making a marine propulsion device. The method includes providing a drive housing that extends between a first end and a second end, whereby drive housing has a cavity that extends inwardly from the second end. The method further includes positioning a conductor within the drive housing, whereby the conductor is configured to conduct power for the marine propulsion device. The method further includes inserting a motor assembly into the cavity and electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor while the motor assembly is positioned in the cavity and without entering the cavity via the first end of the drive housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a marine propulsion device, the method comprising:
providing a drive housing that extends between a first end and a second end, the drive housing having a cavity that extends inwardly from the second end;
positioning a conductor within the drive housing, the conductor being configured to conduct power for the marine propulsion device;
inserting a motor assembly into the cavity; and
electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor while the motor assembly is positioned in the cavity and without entering the cavity via the first end of the drive housing.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drive housing extends between the first end and the second end in a longitudinal direction, wherein the motor assembly comprises a connector for electrically coupling the motor assembly, and wherein electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor comprises moving the conductor in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction into engagement with the connector of the motor assembly.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor further comprises threading a first end of the conductor into a threaded opening in the connector of the motor assembly.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the conductor is a rigid member extending between the first end and a second end, and wherein electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor further comprises rotating the conductor at a position closer to the second end of the conductor than to the first end of the conductor to thread the first end of the conductor into the threaded opening in the conductor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the marine propulsion device is configured to be electrically coupled to a power source to power the motor assembly, further comprising electrically coupling the conductor to the power source via threads at the second end of the conductor.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductor is a first conductor, further comprising positioning a second conductor within the drive housing, the second conductor being electrically isolated from the first conductor, and further comprising electrically coupling the motor assembly and the second conductor while the motor assembly is positioned in the cavity and without entering the cavity via the first end of the drive housing.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor-side connector for electrically coupling the motor assembly, further comprising positioning a housing-side connector in the drive housing and electrically coupling the conductor to the housing-side connector, the housing-side connector being positioned such inserting the motor assembly into the cavity until the motor-side connector and the housing-side connector mate electrically couples the motor assembly and the conductor.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the housing-side connector is part of a connector body comprising two shells, the housing-side connector extending through one of the two shells, and wherein electrically coupling the conductor and the housing-side connector comprises sandwiching the conductor between the two shells such that the conductor is held in contact with the housing-side connector.

9. A marine propulsion device comprising:
a drive housing extending between a first end and a second end in a longitudinal direction, wherein a cavity extends inwardly from the second end, and wherein a conduit extends away from the cavity in a substantially vertical direction within the drive housing, the vertical direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;
a motor assembly positioned within the cavity; and
a conductor comprising a rigid member that extends within the conduit and is electrically coupled to the motor assembly and is configured to provide power to the motor assembly;
wherein the motor assembly and the conductor are configured to be electrically coupled from outside the cavity while the motor assembly is positioned within the cavity by virtue of the rigid member extending within the conduit that extends away from the cavity.

10. The marine propulsion device according to claim 9 , wherein the conduit has a first end that opens into the cavity, wherein the motor assembly comprises a connector for electrically coupling the motor assembly, and wherein the connector is aligned in the longitudinal direction with the first end of the conduit when the motor assembly is positioned within the cavity.

11. The marine propulsion device according to claim 10 , wherein the connector and the conductor are electrically coupled via threaded engagement therebetween.

12. The marine propulsion device according to claim 9 , wherein the first end and the second end of the drive housing are separated by a first distance in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the cavity extends into the drive housing in the longitudinal direction by a second distance that is less than the first distance between the first end and the second end of the drive housing.

13. The marine propulsion device according to claim 9 , wherein electrically coupling the motor assembly and the conductor prevents the motor assembly from being removed from the cavity.

14. The marine propulsion device according to claim 9 , wherein the conductor is a first conductor, further comprising a second conductor comprising a rigid member that extends through the conduit and is electrically coupled at one end with the motor assembly, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically isolated from each other.

15. The marine propulsion device according to claim 14 , further comprising a power source that provides power to the motor assembly via the first conductor and the second conductor.

16. A marine propulsion device configured to be powered by a power source, the marine propulsion device comprising:
a drive housing extending between a first end and a second end, wherein a cavity extends inwardly from the second end;
a housing-side connector positioned within the cavity;
a conductor having a first end electrically coupled to the housing-side connector and an opposite second end configured to be electrically coupled to the power source; and
a motor assembly positioned within the cavity, the motor having a motor-side connector configured to mate with the housing-side connector when the motor assembly is moved towards the housing-side connector within the cavity;
wherein the motor assembly is electrically coupled to the power source by mating the motor-side connector and the housing-side connector.

17. The marine propulsion device according to claim 16 , wherein the motor-side connector comprises a pin and the housing-side connector comprises a socket configured to receive the pin therein.

18. The marine propulsion device according to claim 16 , further comprising a member that extends away from the motor assembly to prevent rotational misalignment between the motor assembly and the drive housing to thereby ensure that the motor-side connector and the housing-side connector mate when the motor assembly is positioned within the cavity.

19. The marine propulsion device according to claim 16 , wherein the housing-side connector is part of a connector body comprising two shells, the housing-side connector extending through one of the two shells, and wherein the first end of the conductor is sandwiched between the two shells so as to electrically couple the f

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Przybyl Andrew
• Taylor Brad
• Szumal Clint
• Mceathron William Wayne
• Jaszewski Wayne M

Classifications

• B63H21/30

  Mounting of propulsion plant or unit, e.g. for anti-vibration purposes (hull reinforcements therefor B63B3/70) · CPC title

• B63H21/17

  by electric motor · CPC title

• H02K7/14

  Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06) · CPC title

• H02K5/225

  Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132) · CPC title

• B63H20/32 Primary

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