Brunswick Corporation

John A Tuchscherer

Wayne M Jaszewski

Randall J Poirier

John O Scherer, Iii

Brett Bielefeld

Kass W Sawyer

Philip Ross Walker

Donald F Harry

David M Foulkes

Mitesh B Sheth

Daniel J Schlagenhaft

Gary C Plonske

Josh S Smith

Richard A Davis

Michael A Karls

John A Groeschel

Roger E Koepsel

Robert B Weronke

Michael P Mihelich

Thomas S Lonnborg

Douglas A Kiesling

A system for rotating a propeller shaft within a gearcase via a driveshaft. A stub shaft is rotatable within the gearcase. A forward gear is rotatably coupled to the stub shaft. The forward gear is rotatable by the driveshaft and is engageable to become rotatably fixed to the stub shaft such that rotating the driveshaft rotates the stub shaft. A shock absorbing coupler is positioned within the gearcase. The shock absorbing coupler couples the stub shaft to the propeller shaft and is torsional such that shock is absorbable between the propeller shaft and the driveshaft.

Systems and methods for absorbing shock with counter-rotating propeller shafts in a marine propulsion device

A system for rotating an inner propeller shaft within a gearcase via a driveshaft. The system includes a stub shaft that extends between forward and aft ends and is rotatable within the gearcase. A forward gear is rotatably coupled to the stub shaft, where the forward gear meshes with the driveshaft and is engageable to become rotatably fixed to the stub shaft such that rotating the driveshaft rotates the stub shaft. A shock absorbing coupler is positioned within the gearcase, where the coupler has forward and aft ends, where the forward end of the coupler is engageable with the aft end of the stub shaft, and where the aft end of the coupler engageable with the inner propeller shaft. The coupler is torsional between the forward and aft ends such that shock is absorbable between the inner propeller shaft and the driveshaft.

An outboard motor having an internal combustion engine that rotates a driveshaft disposed in a driveshaft housing, a transmission that is operatively connected to the driveshaft and is disposed in a transmission housing located below the driveshaft housing, a set of angle gears that operatively connect the transmission to a propulsor for imparting a propulsive force in a body of water, wherein the set of angle gears are located in a lower gearcase located below the transmission housing, and a lubrication system that circulates lubricant to and from the transmission.

Transmission lubricant system for an outboard motor

An outboard motor comprises an engine; an input driveshaft that is caused to rotate by the engine; an output driveshaft that extends parallel to and is laterally spaced apart from the input driveshaft; and a transmission that operatively connects the input driveshaft to the output driveshaft such that rotation of the input driveshaft causes rotation of the output driveshaft. The transmission is positionable into a forward gear in which forward rotation of the input driveshaft causes forward rotation of the output driveshaft, a reverse gear in which forward rotation of the input driveshaft causes reverse rotation of the output driveshaft, and neutral wherein forward rotation of the driveshaft does not cause rotation of the output driveshaft.

Outboard motors having transmissions with laterally offset input and output driveshafts

An outboard marine engine comprises an internal combustion engine; a lower gearcase, a set of gears disposed in the lower gearcase, the set of gears being configured to transfer power from the internal combustion engine to drive a propulsor to generate a thrust on the outboard marine engine, and a dipstick that extends into the lower gearcase. The dipstick is removable from the lower gearcase and configured to indicate a level of lubrication in the lower gearcase.

Apparatuses and methods for servicing lubrication in a lower gearcase of an outboard marine engine

A marine drive has an internal combustion engine that rotates a propulsor shaft that is operatively coupled to a propulsor to impart a propulsive thrust in water. The marine drive has a gearcase housing having an upper portion above a lower portion, the lower portion supporting the propulsor shaft. An exhaust passage in the gearcase housing is configured to convey exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. An exhaust outlet on the upper portion of the gearcase housing is configured to discharge the exhaust gas from the exhaust passage to the water. The exhaust outlet faces the propulsor so that the exhaust gas is discharged into the water and towards the propulsor so as to aerate the water encountered by the propulsor.

Marine drives having exhaust systems that discharge exhaust gas through a gearcase housing

An outboard motor having an internal combustion engine that causes rotation of a driveshaft and a planetary transmission that operatively connects the driveshaft to a transmission output shaft, the planetary transmission being operable in a forward gear in which forward rotation of the driveshaft causes forward rotation of the output shaft, a reverse gear in which forward rotation of the driveshaft causes reverse rotation of the output shaft, and a neutral gear in which rotation of the driveshaft does not cause rotation of the output shaft, a band brake configured to shift the planetary transmission amongst the forward gear, neutral gear, and reverse gear, and a hydraulic actuator configured to actuate the band brake.

Transmission actuator for an outboard motor having a planetary transmission

An outboard motor having an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine, a driveshaft housing located below the upper cowling that covers a driveshaft that is rotated by the internal combustion engine, a transmission housing that is located below the driveshaft housing and covers a transmission that is operably connected to the driveshaft, and a lower gearcase that is located below the transmission housing and covers a set of angle gears that operably connect the transmission to a propulsor for imparting a propulsive force in a body of water.

Transmission housing for mounting a transmission between a driveshaft housing and a lower gearcase in an outboard motor

A marine drive having a lower gearcase with a vertical drive shaft driving a horizontal propeller shaft in a torpedo housing has a vent plug setting the level of lubricant in the lower gearcase to be substantially at the top of the torpedo housing.

Marine drive lower gearcase with efficient lubricant level

A torque transfer mechanism for a marine propulsion system provides a connector mechanism, a first torque transfer mechanism, and a second torque transfer mechanism. A plurality of rods can provide the first torque transfer mechanism and a polymer component is shaped to provide the second torque transfer mechanism. All torque below a preselected magnitude is transferred through the first torque transfer mechanism and, for magnitudes of torque above the threshold, torque is transferred by both the first and second torque transfer mechanisms. The connector mechanism has an outer surface that is not used to transfer torque between it and an inner hub of a propulsor.

Dual rate torque transmitting device for a marine propeller

A shifting apparatus for a marine propulsion device incorporates a magnetoelastic elastic sensor which responds to torque exerted on the shift shaft of the gear shift mechanism. The torque on the shift shaft induces stress which changes the magnetic characteristics of the shift shaft material and, in turn, allows the magnetoelastic sensor to provide appropriate output signals representative of the torque exerted on the shift shaft. This allows a microprocessor to respond to the onset of a shifting procedure rather than having to wait for actual physical movement of the components of the shifting device.

Method for controlling a shift procedure for a marine propulsion system

A clutch mechanism for a marine propulsion system has a cam member that is rotatable about a first axis in coordination with the rotation of a shift shaft. A cam follower is associated with the cam member and supported for axial movement along a second axis. The cam follower is provided with cam follower surface segments that cause the cam follower to move axially in a direction parallel to the second axis in response to rotation of the cam member about the first axis between first and second rotational positions. Further rotation of the cam member from the second rotational position to a third rotational position causes no further movement of the cam follower because of the shape and position of cam follower surface segments that allow continual contact between the cam member and the cam follower while allowing rotation of the cam member without associated axial movement of the cam follower.

Clutch mechanism with overtravel capability

A torque transmitting device for use in conjunction with a marine propulsion system provides an adapter that is attached in torque transmitting relation with a propulsor shaft for rotation about a central axis of rotation. The first insert portion is attached in torque transmitting relation with the adapter and a second insert portion is attached in torque transmitting relation with a hub of the propulsor hub which can be a marine propeller or an impeller. A third insert portion is connected between the first and second insert portions and is resilient in order to allow the first and second insert portions to rotate relative to each other about the central axis of rotation. The adapter is shaped to prevent compression of the first, second, and third insert portions in a direction parallel to the central axis of rotation. The relative shapes of the various components and the resilience of the third insert portion, which can be a plurality of titanium rods, provides significant compliance of the device under low torque magnitudes, but at higher torque magnitudes it provides a significantly decreased compliance to facilitate torque transfer between a propulsor shaft and the propulsor hub.

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Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

John A Tuchscherer