Brp US Inc.

Darrell Wiatrowski

George Broughton

Mark Whiteside

Mark C Noble

Samuel McGinley

Benjamin Jones

Peter E Lucier

Kenneth J Chung

Ivan Brousseau

Pierre Vignau

Richard M McChesney

Mark J Skrzypchak

Dale A Wiegele

Roger Raetzman

John Charles Scott

Vincent Groleau

Gregry Remmers

Jeremiah Gillis

Glendon Chesser, Jr

A stern and swivel bracket assembly for mounting a drive unit to a watercraft has a stern bracket having first and second laterally spaced portions, a swivel bracket pivotally connected to the stern bracket about a tilt/trim axis, and a hydraulic linear tilt-trim actuator operatively connected between the stern and swivel brackets. The swivel bracket includes a hydraulic steering actuator, and defines first and second hydraulic steer ports facing outward in a first lateral direction. The swivel bracket further includes at least one drive unit mounting bracket connected to the hydraulic steering actuator for connecting the drive unit to the swivel bracket. The hydraulic linear tilt-trim actuator is located laterally between the first and second portions of the stern bracket, and defines trim-up and trim-down hydraulic ports facing outward in a second lateral direction opposite the first lateral direction.

Stern and swivel bracket assembly for mounting a drive unit to a watercraft

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.

Marine outboard engine cowling

A tiller assembly includes a base and a tiller arm pivotably connected to the base. One of the base and the tiller arm defines a recess. The recess is at least partially defined by a female tapered surface. A shaft extends through the base and the tiller arm and has a first threaded portion. A clamping fitting is connected to the shaft and received in the recess. The clamping fitting is rotationally fixed relative to another one of the base and the tiller arm and has a male tapered surface. One of a handle and the clamping fitting has a second threaded portion engaged with the first threaded portion. Rotation of the first threaded portion relative to the second threaded portion in a pre-determined direction causes the male tapered surface to press against the female tapered surface. A marine outboard engine and a tiller assembly kit are also provided.

Tiller assembly for a marine outboard engine

A bracket assembly for a marine outboard motor has a stern bracket, a swivel bracket pivotably connected to the stern bracket to pivot relative to the stern bracket about a tilt axis, a motor mount pivotably connected to the swivel bracket to pivot relative to the swivel bracket about a steering axis, a steering lock bracket operatively connected to the motor mount and being pivotable with the motor mount relative to the swivel bracket about the steering axis, and a locking member. The locking member is one of: a) movably connected to the swivel bracket to move between a locked and an unlocked positions, and b) removably connected to both the swivel bracket and the steering lock bracket to prevent or limit pivoting of the motor mount about the steering axis.

Bracket assembly for a marine outboard motor

A tiller system has a tiller adapted for steering at least one of a bracket assembly and a motor assembly of a marine outboard motor having a power steering system, a throttle control mounted to the tiller, an electronic torque sensor, and a tiller system control module (TSCM) in electronic communication with the electronic torque sensor. The electronic torque sensor senses torque applied to the tiller and outputs an electronic steering signal as a function of the torque. The TSCM receives the electronic steering signal and controls an operation of the power steering system in response to the electronic steering signal. A method for steering a marine outboard motor, and a marine outboard motor having a tiller system are also described.

Power steering system for marine outboard motor

A steering system for a watercraft has steering position sensors sensing a steering position of first and second outboard motors, hydraulic steering actuators for steering the outboard motors, a hydraulic helm selectively supplying hydraulic fluid to the steering actuators, at least one valve for reversing a direction of flow of hydraulic fluid into the steering actuators, and a steering controller. The steering controller executes a realignment process including: receiving signals indicative of the steering positions of the outboard motors from the steering position sensors; based at least in part on the signals, determining if the outboard motors are misaligned; and, if the outboard motors are misaligned, actuating the at least one valve to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid into a corresponding steering actuator in a direction opposite to that corresponding to an active steering direction set by the hydraulic helm so as to reduce misalignment of the outboard motors.

Hydraulic steering system for a watercraft

A hydraulic steering system for a watercraft has first and second hydraulic steering actuators for steering first and second outdrives respectively, at least one hydraulic pump selectively supplying hydraulic pressure to at least one of the first and second actuators, a steering controller operatively connected to the at least one pump, a hydraulic helm selectively supplying hydraulic pressure to the first and second actuators, an auxiliary steering input device connected to the controller, and at least one mode selection valve having first and second mode positions for steering the watercraft in first and second steering modes respectively. In the first steering mode, the hydraulic helm is hydraulically connected to the first and second actuators. In the second steering mode, the hydraulic helm is hydraulically disconnected from the first and second actuators. A watercraft having the steering system and a method for steering a watercraft are also disclosed.

A marine outboard engine for a watercraft has a stern bracket for mounting the marine outboard engine to the watercraft, a swivel bracket pivotally connected to the stern bracket about a generally horizontal tilt/trim axis, and a drive unit pivotally connected to the swivel bracket about a steering axis. The steering axis is generally perpendicular to the tilt/trim axis. A hydraulic actuator is operatively connected to the stern bracket and the swivel bracket for pivoting the swivel bracket and the drive unit relative to the stern bracket about the tilt/trim axis. A pump is mounted to the swivel bracket. The pump is pivotable about the tilt/trim axis together with the swivel bracket. The pump is fluidly connected to the hydraulic actuator to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator.

Marine outboard engine having a tilt/trim and steering bracket assembly

A marine engine for propelling a watercraft has a drive unit adapted to be pivotally connected about a steering axis to the watercraft, and a steering position sensing system. The steering position sensing system has a magnet housing operatively connected to the drive unit and having an arcuate portion, a magnet disposed in the magnet housing, a sensor housing adapted to be operatively connected to the watercraft and a sensor disposed in the sensor housing. The magnet housing and the magnet are pivotable about the steering axis with the drive unit and relative to the sensor housing. The arcuate portion of the magnet housing is spaced from the sensor housing. The sensor senses a magnetic field of the magnet to determine an angular position of the drive unit relative to the watercraft. A bracket assembly for mounting an outboard engine to a watercraft is also disclosed.

Steering position sensing system for a marine engine

A gear case assembly for a marine propulsion system has a gear case, a driveshaft, a propeller shaft, and a transmission chamber. A driveshaft passage fluidly connects to the transmission chamber. A lubricant return passage fluidly connects to the transmission chamber and the driveshaft passage. A pump is driven by the driveshaft. A first lubricant filling port fluidly communicates one of the lubricant return passage and the driveshaft passage with an exterior of the gear case. A second lubricant filling port fluidly communicates one of the lubricant return passage and the transmission chamber with the exterior of the gear case. First and second plugs are selectively disposed in the first and second lubricant filling ports respectively. A check valve is disposed in the lubricant return passage between the first and second lubricant filling ports. The check valve prevents lubricant to flow through the check valve away from the transmission chamber.

Marine propulsion system gear case assembly

A bracket assembly for mounting a marine outboard engine to a watercraft has a stern bracket, a swivel bracket pivotally connected to the stern bracket about a generally horizontal tilt/trim axis, and at least one linear actuator connected to the swivel bracket. The at least one linear actuator includes a fixed portion connected to the swivel bracket, a movable portion being extendable and retractable linearly relative to the fixed portion, and a roller rotationally connected to the movable portion. At least one ramp is connected to the stern bracket. The roller of the at least one linear actuator abuts a surface of the at least one ramp over at least a range of angles between the stern bracket and the swivel bracket as the swivel bracket pivots about the generally horizontal tilt/trim axis. A marine outboard engine having the bracket assembly is also disclosed.

Tilt/trim and steering bracket assembly for a marine outboard engine

A hydraulic system for a marine engine has a fluid reservoir, a bi-directional pump, a valve assembly, and a hydraulic actuator. The valve assembly includes: first and fourth apertures fluidly communicating with the pump, second and third apertures fluidly communicating with the actuator, and a fifth aperture fluidly communicating with the fluid reservoir. Operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the first aperture causes hydraulic fluid to flow from the pump to the actuator and from the actuator to the fluid reservoir, and causes the actuator to move in a first actuator direction. Operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the fourth aperture causes hydraulic fluid to flow from the pump to the actuator and from the actuator to the pump, and causes the actuator to move in a second actuator direction opposite the first actuator direction.

Marine engine hydraulic system

An independent hydraulic system for operating at least one first system used in the operation of a watercraft and adapted to be fluidly connected to one other independent hydraulic system for operating at least one second system used in the operation of the watercraft, so that actuating a driving actuator part of the independent hydraulic system, causes a flow of fluid to flow from the independent hydraulic system to the other independent hydraulic system.

Hydraulic system for a watercraft

A marine outboard engine for a watercraft has a stern bracket for mounting the marine outboard engine to the watercraft, a swivel bracket pivotally connected to the stern bracket about a generally horizontal tiltitrim axis, and a drive unit pivotally connected to the swivel bracket about a steering axis. The steering axis is generally perpendicular to the tilt/trim axis. An actuator is operatively connected to the stern bracket and the swivel bracket for pivoting the swivel bracket and the drive unit relative to the stern bracket about the tilt/trim axis. A pump is mounted to the swivel bracket. The pump is pivotable about the tilt/trim axis together with the swivel bracket. The pump is fluidly connected to the actuator to supply hydraulic fluid to the actuator.

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Libertyville, IL, United States of America

Darrell Wiatrowski