The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
Shoichi Rinzaki, Wako, JP;
Kouichi Oka, Wako, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a marine propulsion system comprising: a drive shaft operably connected to an engine and carrying a drive bevel gear; a propeller shaft carrying a propeller; and a pair of driven bevel gears meshing with the drive bevel gear and selectively engageable with the propeller shaft via a clutch member, the propeller shaft is provided with an axially facing annular shoulder surface which faces a corresponding axially facing surface of one of the pair of driven bevel gears to determine an axial position of the propeller shaft, and a rolling thrust bearing is disposed between the mutually facing surfaces of the propeller shaft and the one of the pair of driven bevel gears. The rolling thrust bearing reduces the friction between the mutually facing surfaces of the propeller shaft and the one of the driven bevel gears when they rotate in opposite directions to each other, to thereby improve the durability of these component parts.