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:
Nov. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2004
Hiroshi Mizuguchi, Wako, JP;
Hideaki Takada, Wako, JP;
Yoshinori Masubuchi, Wako, JP;
Koji Kasai, Wako, JP;
Hajime Yoshimura, Wako, JP;
Hiroshi Mizuguchi, Wako, JP;
Hideaki Takada, Wako, JP;
Yoshinori Masubuchi, Wako, JP;
Koji Kasai, Wako, JP;
Hajime Yoshimura, Wako, JP;
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a shift mechanism for an outboard motor mounted on a stem of a boat and having an internal combustion engine at its upper portion and a propeller at its lower portion that is powered by the engine to propel the boat, having an electric motor installed in the outboard motor, a shift rod rotatably connected to the electric motor, a shifter clutch connected to the shift rod, the shifter clutch being movable by the shift rod from a neutral position to engage with at least one of a forward gear and a reverse gear, and a controller controlling the electric motor to rotate the shift rod such that the shifter clutch engages with the forward gear or the reverse gear, corresponding to an inputted shift instruction made by the operator, there is provided a shock mitigator mitigating shock generated during the shift. The shock mitigator comprises projections formed on the clutch and the forward/reverse gear. Alternatively, the electric motor and its reduction-gear mechanism are accommodated in a case to be located above the shift rod. Further, there is provided an emergency gear that allows the shift rod to be rotated manually to effect shift.