Brunswick Corporation

Darin C Uppgard

Jeremy L Alby

Wayne M Jaszewski

Randall J Poirier

Kerry J Treinen

Martin E Olson Gunderson

Brian E Healy

Paul A Ekis

Steven J Amerling

David J Waldvogel

Thomas J Walczak

Andrew Tuchscherer

Timothy D Krupp

Donald Anderson, Jr

Daniel P Klawitter

Allen F Swan

Jeffrey A Zarembka

Stuart M Halley

John F Zebley, Jr

Martin E Gunderson

A marine drive comprising a powerhead that causes rotation of a driveshaft, a gearcase that supports a propulsor for propelling the marine drive in a body of water, a steering housing disposed between the powerhead and the gearcase, wherein the driveshaft or an extension thereof extends through the steering housing is operatively coupled to the propulsor, and a steering mechanism configured to steer the gearcase about a steering axis relative to the steering housing. The gearcase and steering housing are connected at a steering joint through which at least one of cooling water from the body of water is conveyed to the powerhead throughout steering movement of the gearcase and exhaust from the powerhead is conveyed to the body of water throughout steering movement of the gearcase.

Marine drives having steerable gearcase

An outboard motor has a powerhead that causes rotation of a driveshaft, a steering housing located below the powerhead, wherein the driveshaft extends from the powerhead into the steering housing; and a lower gearcase located below the steering housing and supporting a propeller shaft that is coupled to the driveshaft so that rotation of the driveshaft causes rotation of the propeller shaft. The lower gearcase is steerable about a steering axis with respect to the steering housing and powerhead.

Outboard motors having steerable lower gearcase

An oil sump housing for an outboard motor of a marine vessel is provided. The oil sump housing includes an upper mounting flange including multiple upper mounting holes, a lower mounting flange including multiple lower mounting holes, and an inner housing wall and an outer housing wall extending between the upper mounting flange and the lower mounting flange. The inner housing wall defines a transmission mounting cavity, and the inner housing wall and the outer housing wall define an oil containment cavity that at least partially surrounds the transmission mounting cavity.

Oil sump housing for outboard motor

A cooling system for an outboard motor of a marine vessel is provided. The cooling system includes an oil sump housing having an inner housing wall and an outer housing wall. The inner housing wall defines a transmission mounting cavity, and the inner housing wall and the outer housing wall defines an oil containment cavity that at least partially surrounds the transmission mounting cavity. The cooling system further includes a first sprayer nozzle and a second sprayer nozzle. Both the first sprayer nozzle and the second sprayer nozzle are coupled to the oil sump housing and configured to spray cooling fluid within the transmission mounting cavity onto an inner surface of the inner housing wall.

An apparatus is for supporting a marine drive relative to a marine vessel. The apparatus has a transom bracket for fixed attachment to the marine vessel; a supporting cradle for supporting a powerhead of the marine drive, the supporting cradle being pivotable relative to the transom bracket such that the marine drive is trimmable up and down relative to the marine vessel; and a seal device disposed between the transom bracket and supporting cradle, the seal device blocking sound and water passage through a fore-aft gap between the transom bracket and supporting cradle. The marine drive is trimmable through a range of trim positions including a fully tucked position and a fully trimmed position and the seal device blocks the sound and water ingress throughout the range of trim positions.

Apparatuses for supporting marine drives with respect to marine vessels

An apparatus is for supporting an outboard motor on a transom of a marine vessel. The apparatus has a transom bracket configured for fixed attachment to the transom; a supporting cradle that supports the outboard motor with respect to the transom bracket, wherein the supporting cradle is pivotable with respect to the transom bracket about a trim axis; and a trim actuator that is pivotally coupled to the transom bracket at a first trim actuator pivot axis and to the supporting cradle at a second trim actuator pivot axis. Extension of the trim actuator pivots the supporting cradle upwardly about the trim axis. Retraction of the trim actuator pivots the supporting cradle downwardly about the trim axis. The trim axis is located aftwardly of the first trim actuator pivot axis.

Apparatuses for supporting outboard motors with respect to marine vessels

A system for mounting an outboard motor propulsion unit to a marine vessel transom is disclosed. The propulsion unit's midsection has an upper end supporting an engine system and a lower end carrying a gear housing. The mounting system includes a support cradle having a head section coupled to a transom bracket, an upper structural support section extending aftward from the head section and along opposite port and starboard sides of the midsection, and a lower structural support section suspended from the upper structural support section and situated on the port and starboard sides of the midsection. A pair of upper mounts couples the upper structural support section to the midsection proximate the engine system. A pair of lower mounts couples the lower structural support section to the midsection proximate the gear housing. At least one of the upper and lower structural support sections comprises an extrusion or a casting.

Mounting systems for outboard motors

A hydraulic valve, such as a rotary valve, is connected in fluid communication with a hydraulic actuator that, in turn, causes a clutch to move between forward, neutral, and reverse gear positions. A marine transmission is caused to shift between these gear positions in response to movement of a spool of the hydraulic valve, which can be a rotary valve. Movement of the valve causes an actuator to move to the selected gear position and maintain that gear position until a subsequent movement of the hydraulic valve.

Marine transmission actuator

A support device for a marine propulsion system, such as an outboard motor, provides a swivel bracket that is rotatable about a tilt axis relative to a transom bracket with a hydraulic cylinder formed as an integral part of the swivel bracket. A vertical plane in which a central axis of the hydraulic cylinder is disposed is positioned between and parallel to vertical planes in which the tilt axis and steering axis are disposed, respectively. The steering axis is rotatable about the tilt axis and a horizontal plane in which the central axis is disposed remains above a horizontal plane in which the tilt axis is disposed.

Hydraulic steering device for a marine propulsion system

An adapter system is provided as a transition structure which allows a relatively conventional outboard motor to be mounted to a pedestal which provides a generally stationary vertical steering axis. An intermediate member is connectable to a transom mount structure having a connector adapted for mounts with central axes generally perpendicular to a plane of symmetry of the marine vessel. Many types of outboard motors have mounts that are generally perpendicular to this configuration. The intermediate member provides a suitable transition structure which accommodates both of these configurations and allows the conventionally mounted outboard motor to be supported, steered, and tilted by a transom mount structure having the stationary vertical steering axis and pedestal-type configuration.

Growing community of inventors

Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

Darin C Uppgard