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.

Date of Patent:
Nov. 01, 2016

Filed:

Apr. 01, 2015
Applicant:

Brunswick Corporation, Lake Forest, IL (US);

Inventor:

Andrew Tuchscherer, Wauwatosa, WI (US);

Assignee:

Brunswick Corporation, Lake Forest, IL (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B63H 20/32 (2006.01); B63H 21/36 (2006.01); F16H 57/029 (2012.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B63H 20/32 (2013.01); F16H 57/029 (2013.01); B63H 2020/323 (2013.01);
Abstract

A cowl assembly for an outboard motor includes first and second cowl members. A fastening assembly includes a latch coupled to one of the cowl members, and a retaining mechanism coupled to the other of the cowl members. The latch and the retaining mechanism engage one another to fasten the first and second cowl members together. A seal is configured to form a fluid tight joint between the cowl members. A shape memory alloy wire is coupled to at least one of the latch and the seal. A switch is configured to selectively provide electrical current to the shape memory alloy wire to activate the shape memory alloy wire. Activation of the shape memory alloy wire causes at least one of disengagement of the latch from the retaining mechanism and disengagement of the seal from one of the first and second cowl members, enabling separation of the cowl members.


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