Cowls and latching assemblies for cowls on outboard marine propulsion devices
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B63H-020/32
E05C-019/12
E05C-003/12
E05C-003/00
출원번호
US-0200421
(2016-07-01)
등록번호
US-9580947
(2017-02-28)
발명자
/ 주소
Amerling, Steven J.
Eddy, Timothy J.
Van Ruiswyk, Brad J.
Skroski, John D.
Griep, David B.
Foulkes, David M.
Walters, Timothy R.
출원인 / 주소
Brunswick Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Andrus Intellectual Property Law, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
4인용 특허 :
22
초록▼
A cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine. The cowl comprises a first cowl portion; a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion to enclose the internal combustion engine; a service door on the second cowl portion, wherein the service door i
A cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine. The cowl comprises a first cowl portion; a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion to enclose the internal combustion engine; a service door on the second cowl portion, wherein the service door is positionable in an open position and in a closed position; and a carrying handle on the second cowl portion, wherein the carrying handle is accessible when the service door is in the open position and inaccessible when the service door is in the closed position. A plurality of latches are spaced apart around the perimeter. The latches latch the second cowl portion to the first cowl portion. An actuator assembly actuates each of the plurality of latches. The actuator assembly can be actuated by movement of the carrying handle.
대표청구항▼
1. A cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device, the cowl comprising: a first cowl portion;a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion;a service door on the second cowl portion, wherein the service door is positionable in an open position and in a closed position; anda carrying h
1. A cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device, the cowl comprising: a first cowl portion;a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion;a service door on the second cowl portion, wherein the service door is positionable in an open position and in a closed position; anda carrying handle on the second cowl portion, wherein the carrying handle is accessible when the service door is in the open position and inaccessible when the service door is in the closed position. 2. The cowl according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism associated with the service door, wherein pressing on the service door causes the locking mechanism to lock the service door in the closed position and wherein subsequently pressing on the service door causes the locking mechanism to unlock the service door from the closed position. 3. The cowl according to claim 1, wherein the carrying handle is disposed in a pocket formed in the second cowl portion and wherein in the closed position, the service door closes the pocket to enclose the carrying handle. 4. The cowl according to claim 3, wherein the carrying handle is movable between a retracted position wherein the carrying handle is retracted into the pocket and an extended position wherein the carrying handle extends from the pocket for manual grasping by a user. 5. The cowl according to claim 4, wherein in the extended position, the carrying handle is positioned over the center of gravity of the second cowl portion to thereby facilitate manual lifting of the second cowl portion via the carrying handle. 6. The cowl according to claim 5, wherein the second cowl portion extends along an axis from a forward side to an aftward side, wherein the carrying handle comprises a handle bar and opposing arms that support the handle bar with respect to the second cowl portion, and wherein the handle bar extends transversely to the axis. 7. The cowl according to claim 6, wherein the service door is pivotable into and out of the open position about a pivot axis, and wherein the service door is configured to pivot past perpendicular with respect to the second cowl portion so that the service door does not obstruct manual grasping of the carrying handle by a user. 8. The cowl according to claim 3, further comprising an oil dipstick having a dipstick handle and an oil fill tube having a plug, wherein the dipstick handle and plug are disposed in the pocket and are exposed by the service door being in the open position for manual grasping by the user, facilitating a check of an amount of oil and fill of oil in an internal combustion engine of the outboard marine propulsion device. 9. The cowl according to claim 4, wherein the carrying handle is pivotable into and out of the retracted position and the extended position. 10. The cowl according to claim 9, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the carrying handle in at least one of the extended position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the retracted position to the extended position and the retracted position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position. 11. The cowl according to claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a pawl that engages a ratchet gear under force from a spring. 12. The cowl according to claim 11, further comprising a manual pushbutton that releases the pawl from the ratchet gear and thus allows the carrying handle to pivot into and out of said at least one of the retracted position and the extended position. 13. A cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device, the cowl comprising: a first cowl portion;a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion; anda carrying handle on the second cowl portion, wherein the carrying handle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the carrying handle is located for manual grasping by a user; andwherein in the extended position, the carrying handle is located over the center of gravity of the second cowl portion to thereby facilitate manual lifting of the second cowl portion via the carrying handle. 14. The cowl according to claim 13, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the carrying handle in at least one of the extended position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the retracted position to the extended position and the retracted position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position. 15. The cowl according to claim 14, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pawl that engages a ratchet gear under force from a spring. 16. The cowl according to claim 15, further comprising a manual pushbutton that releases the pawl from the ratchet gear and thus allows the carrying handle to pivot into and out of said at least one of the retracted position and the extended position. 17. A latching assembly for a cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device that has a first cowl portion and a second cowl portion that mates with the first cowl portion along a perimeter, the latching assembly comprising: a plurality of latching devices that are spaced apart around the perimeter and that latch the second cowl portion to the first cowl portion; and an actuator assembly that actuates each of the plurality of latching devices; further comprising a carrying handle that is movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the carrying handle is positioned for manual grasping by a user; wherein the actuator assembly is connected to the carrying handle such that moving of the carrying handle actuates the plurality of latches. 18. The latching assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a service door that is positionable in an open position and a closed position; and wherein the carrying handle is hidden by the service door in the closed position and exposed by the service door being in the open position. 19. The latching assembly according to claim 17, wherein the carrying handle is pivotable between the retracted position and the extended position, wherein pivoting of the carrying handle into and out of the retracted position and the extended position actuates the actuator assembly. 20. The latching assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the carrying handle in at least one of the extended position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the retracted position to the extended position and the retracted position when the carrying handle is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position. 21. The latching assembly according to claim 20, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pawl that engages a ratchet gear under force from a spring. 22. The latching assembly according to claim 21, further comprising a manual pushbutton that releases the pawl from the ratchet gear and thus allows the carrying handle to pivot into and out of said at least one of the retracted position and the extended position. 23. A latching assembly for a cowl for an outboard marine propulsion device, wherein each of the plurality of latching devices comprises: a retainer on the first cowl portion; and a latch on the second cowl portion, wherein the latch is movable into a latched position in which the latch is latched to the retainer and into an unlatched position in which the latch is unlatched from the retainer; wherein the actuator assembly comprises a plurality of flexible connectors, wherein actuation of the actuator assembly pulls on the plurality of flexible connectors to thereby actuate the plurality of latching devices. 24. The latching assembly according to claim 23, wherein the actuator assembly is a rotary actuator assembly that comprises a plurality of pulleys, wherein each latching device in the plurality of latching devices is connected to a pulley of the plurality of pulleys, wherein each pulley of the plurality of pulleys is connected to the plurality of flexible connectors, and wherein the plurality of flexible connectors together form a loop that extends from an outgoing side of the rotary actuator assembly to an incoming side of the rotary actuator assembly. 25. The latching assembly according to claim 24, wherein rotation of the rotary actuator assembly pulls on a first flexible connector of the plurality of flexible connectors, which causes rotation of a first pulley of the plurality of pulleys on a first latching device of the plurality of latching devices, which thereby causes movement of the first latching device from one of the latched position and unlatched position to the other of the latched position and unlatched position. 26. The latching assembly according to claim 25, wherein said rotation of the first pulley pulls on a second flexible connector of the plurality of flexible connectors, which causes rotation of a second pulley of the plurality of pulleys on a second latching device of the plurality of latching devices, which thereby causes movement of the second latching device from one of the latched position and unlatched position to the other of the latched position and unlatched position. 27. The latching assembly according to claim 26, wherein said rotation of the second pulley pulls on a third flexible connector of the plurality of flexible connectors, which causes rotation of a third pulley of the plurality of pulleys on a third latching device of the plurality of latching devices, which thereby causes movement of the third latching device from said one of the latched position and unlatched position to the other of the latched position and unlatched position. 28. A latching device for a cowl on an outboard marine engine, the cowl having first and second cowl portions that are separated from each other in an open cowl position and that are latched together by the latching device in a closed cowl position, the latching device comprising: a retainer adapted to be fixed to the first cowl portion;a latch adapted to be fixed to the second cowl portion;wherein the latch is movable into and between a latched position in which the latch is latched to the retainer and an unlatched position in which the latch is unlatched from the retainer;wherein the latch comprises an engagement member, a bell crank, and a spring that is coupled to the bell crank and the engagement member;wherein movement of the latch towards the latched position causes the engagement member to engage the retainer, and wherein further movement of the latch towards the latched position causes the bell crank to move with respect to the engagement member, which causes the engagement member to latch to the retainer;wherein movement of the latch away from the latched position causes the bell crank to move the engagement member, which causes the engagement member to unlatch from the retainer, and wherein further movement of the latch away from the latched position causes the engagement member to separate from the retainer;wherein the bell crank rotates about a bell crank axis of rotation, wherein the engagement member rotates about an engagement member axis of rotation, and wherein the engagement member axis of rotation and the bell crank axis of rotation are parallel to each other and are laterally spaced apart from each other;wherein movement of the bell crank with respect to the engagement member generates an overcenter force on the engagement member that facilitates latching and unlatching of the engagement member and the retainer; anda rotary actuator assembly connected to the bell crank on the bell crank axis of rotation, wherein rotation of the rotary actuator assembly causes said rotation of the bell crank about the bell crank axis of rotation. 29. The latching device according to claim 28, wherein movement of the bell crank with respect to the engagement member acts against the spring as the bell crank passes by a centered position to an overcenter position in which separating forces between the first and second cowl portions retain the latch in the latched position. 30. The latching device according to claim 29, wherein the spring acts to retain the bell crank and engagement member in a rotational position with respect to each other when the latch is in the unlatched position. 31. The latching device according to claim 30, wherein the spring is a torsion spring that has a first end coupled to the bell crank and a second end coupled to the engagement member, wherein movement of the bell crank with respect to the engagement member torsions the spring as the bell crank passes by the centered position. 32. The latching device according to claim 28, wherein the bell crank comprises a first engagement portion that engages with the engagement member and retains the engagement member against the retainer when the bell crank is rotated into the latched position and wherein the bell crank comprises a second engagement portion that engages with and causes rotation of the engagement member about the bell crank axis of rotation as the bell crank is rotated about the bell crank axis of rotation away from the latched position. 33. The latching device according to claim 32, wherein the bell crank comprises a plate and wherein the first engagement portion comprises a first side of an engagement flange that transversely extends relative to the plate and wherein the second engagement portion comprises an opposite, second side of the engagement flange, and wherein the engagement flange extends towards and engages with opposite first and second engagement surfaces of the engagement member, respectively. 34. The latching device according to claim 28, wherein the engagement member further comprises an elongated engagement arm and a transverse end that transversely extends with respect to the elongated engagement arm. 35. The latching device according to claim 34, wherein the transverse end of the engagement member comprises an inner engagement surface that transversely extends relative to the elongated engagement arm and wherein rotation of the bell crank away from the latched position initially causes the inner engagement surface to separate from the retainer as the elongated engagement arm slides along and continues to abut the retainer and thereafter allows the engagement member to rotate away from the retainer towards the unlatched position. 36. The latching device according to claim 35, wherein rotation of the bell crank towards the latched position initially causes the engagement member to translate about the bell crank axis of rotation towards the retainer until the engagement member abuts the retainer and thereafter move towards and engages with the retainer. 37. The latching device according to claim 28, further comprising an alignment member on one of the latch and the retainer and an alignment recess on the other of the latch and retainer, wherein the alignment member is received in the alignment recess when the latch is properly aligned with the retainer. 38. The latching device according to claim 37, wherein the alignment member comprises a pin and wherein the alignment recess comprises a funnel. 39. The latching device according to claim 28, wherein the rotary actuator assembly comprises at least two pulleys and a plurality of flexible connectors. 40. The latching device according to claim 28, wherein movement of the latch away from the latched position causes the engagement member to engage the retainer and force the first and second cowl portions apart from each other.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (22)
Daleiden James G. (Fond du Lac WI) Idzikowski George D. (Oshkosh WI), Cam-type latching mechanism for securing cowl sections together.
Binversie Gregory L. (Grayslake IL) Petersen H. Norman (Kenosha WI) Macier James E. (Beach Park IL) Daniels John M. (Round Lake Park IL), Marine propulsion device with trailing mechanism including positive mechanical latch.
Alby, Jeremy L.; Gunderson, Martin E. Olson; Halley, Stuart M.; Krupp, Timothy D.; Uppgard, Darin C.; Walczak, Thomas J.; Zebley, Jr., John F., Multiple part cowl structure for an outboard motor.
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