초록 ▼

A cooling system for a marine propulsion device provides a transom opening that is sufficiently low with respect to other components of the marine propulsion device to allow automatic draining of all cooling water from the system when the marine vessel is removed from the body of water in which it h

A cooling system for a marine propulsion device provides a transom opening that is sufficiently low with respect to other components of the marine propulsion device to allow automatic draining of all cooling water from the system when the marine vessel is removed from the body of water in which it had been operating. The engine cooling passages and other conduits and passages of the cooling system are all located at positions above the transom opening. The system provides automatic draining for a marine cooling system that is an open system and which contains no closed cooling portions.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A marine propulsion system, comprising: an engine disposed within a marine vessel; a drive unit attached to a transom of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting association with said engine, said drive unit being configured to support a propeller shaft for rotation about

I claim: 1. A marine propulsion system, comprising: an engine disposed within a marine vessel; a drive unit attached to a transom of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting association with said engine, said drive unit being configured to support a propeller shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis; a cooling system comprising at least one engine cooling passage disposed in thermal communication with heat emitting portions of said engine; a water inlet configured to receive water from a body of water in which said marine vessel is operating and to direct said water into said cooling system; and an inlet conduit connected in fluid communication with said water inlet and with said engine cooling passage, said inlet conduit being configured to direct said water from said body of water to and through said engine cooling passage in order to remove heat from said heat emitting portions of said engine, said inlet conduit extending through said transom at a lower position than said cooling system and said engine cooling passage, wherein water which is within said cooling system when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water flows out of said cooling system and through said transom under the force of gravity and without manual intervention, wherein all water within said cooling system flows in a generally downward and rearward direction toward said lower position where said inlet conduit extends through said transom when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a pump disposed within said drive unit, said pump being connected in fluid communication between said water inlet and said inlet conduit. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein: said lower position is lower than an axis of rotation of a crankshaft of said engine. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a check valve disposed in fluid communication between said engine cooling passage and said inlet conduit. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein: said check valve is closed when said engine is operating. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a fuel system module connected in fluid communication with said inlet conduit. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein: said engine cooling passage comprises conduits which extend through a head and block of said engine. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein: said water inlet is an opening formed through a surface of said drive unit. 9. A marine propulsion system, comprising: an engine disposed within a marine vessel; a drive unit attached to a transom of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting association with said engine, said drive unit being configured to support a propeller shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis; a cooling system comprising at least one engine cooling passage disposed in thermal communication with heat emitting portions of said engine; a water inlet configured to receive water from a body of water in which said marine vessel is operating and direct said water into said cooling system; an inlet conduit connected in fluid communication with said water inlet and with said engine cooling passage, said inlet conduit being configured to direct said water from said body of water to said engine cooling passage in order to remove heat from said heat emitting portions of said engine, said inlet conduit extending through a transom opening which is at a lower position than said engine cooling passage, wherein water which is within said cooling system when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water flows out of said cooling system and through said transom opening without manual intervention; and a pump disposed within said drive unit, said pump being connected in fluid communication between said water inlet and said inlet conduit, wherein all water within said cooling system flows in a generally downward and rearward direction toward said transom opening when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein: said transom opening is lower than an axis of rotation of a crankshaft of said engine. 11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a check valve disposed in fluid communication between said engine cooling passage and said inlet conduit. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein: said check valve closes in response to a water pressure within said engine being greater than a predetermined magnitude and opens in response to said water pressure within said engine being less than said predetermined magnitude. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein: water can flow through said check valve, from said engine to said transom opening, when said water pressure within said engine is less than said predetermined magnitude. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein: said engine cooling passage comprises conduits which extend through a head and block of said engine. 15. The system of claim 9, wherein: said water inlet is an opening formed through a surface of said drive unit. 16. A marine propulsion system, comprising: an engine disposed within a marine vessel; a drive unit attached to a transom of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting association with said engine, said drive unit being configured to support a propeller shaft for rotation about a generally horizontal axis; a cooling system comprising at least one engine cooling passage disposed in thermal communication with heat emitting portions of said engine; a water inlet configured to receive water from a body of water in which said marine vessel is operating and to direct said water into said cooling system, said water inlet being an opening formed through a surface of said drive unit; an inlet conduit connected in fluid communication with said water inlet and with said engine cooling passage, said inlet conduit being configured to direct said water from said body of water to said engine cooling passage in order to remove heat from said heat emitting portions of said engine, said inlet conduit extending through a transom opening which is at a lower position than said cooling system and said engine cooling passage, wherein water which is within said cooling system when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water flows out of said cooling system and through said transom under the force of gravity and without manual intervention, said transom opening being lower than an axis of rotation of a crankshaft of said engine; a pump disposed within said drive unit, said pump being connected in fluid communication between said water inlet and said inlet conduit; and a check valve disposed in fluid communication between said engine cooling passage and said inlet conduit, said check valve being closed when said engine is operating, wherein all water within said cooling system when said marine vessel is removed from said body of water flows in a generally downward and rearward direction toward said transom opening. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein: said engine cooling passage comprises conduits which extend through a head and block of said engine.