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:
Jul. 25, 2017
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2014
Applicant:
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Inventors:
Patrick J. McDonald, Simpsonville, SC (US);
John Schlintz, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Bryan Danner, Oshkosh, WI (US);
Assignee:
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B63B 43/18 (2006.01); B63H 5/16 (2006.01); B63H 5/125 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B63B 43/18 (2013.01); B63H 5/165 (2013.01); B63H 5/125 (2013.01);
Abstract
A drive pod of a watercraft such as a boat may be designed to break off the hull of the boat in the event of an underwater collision involving the drive pod. A shaft assembly that transmits power from the engine in the hull to blades or a jet in the drive pod is designed to break at a precise point so that seals in the hull and seals in the drive pod are protected from damage. The shaft assembly may include an axial blind hole with an undercut at a bottom of the blind hole. A pin may be inserted to reinforce the shaft above the undercut.