Patent ID: 9481439
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: B63H

Claim Text:
1. A stern drive for a marine vessel, the stern drive comprising: a gimbal housing that is configured for connection to the marine vessel, a gimbal ring that is steerable with respect to the gimbal housing about a vertical steering axis; a driveshaft housing that is connected to the gimbal ring; a trim actuator that is configured to trim the driveshaft housing about a horizontal trim axis, wherein the trim actuator has a first end that is pivotably connected to the gimbal ring at a horizontal first pivot axis and a second end that is pivotably connected to the driveshaft housing at a horizontal second pivot axis; a resilient driveshaft housing vibration isolator located along the horizontal second pivot axis, wherein the resilient vibration isolator isolates vibration forces on the driveshaft housing; a resilient gimbal ring vibration isolator located along the trim axis, wherein the gimbal ring vibration isolator isolates vibration forces on the gimbal ring; wherein the horizontal first pivot axis is located vertically below the trim axis and wherein the horizontal second pivot axis is located aftwardly of the trim axis; wherein the stern drive has a center of gravity that is located between the driveshaft housing vibration isolator and the gimbal ring vibration isolator; wherein the trim actuator is one of a port and a starboard trim actuator, which are located on opposite sides of the driveshaft housing, wherein each of the port and starboard trim actuators having a first end that is pivotably connected to the gimbal ring at the horizontal first pivot axis and a second end that is pivotably connected to the driveshaft housing at the horizontal second pivot axis; a pivot shaft that extends along the horizontal second pivot axis between the second ends of the port and starboard trim actuators; and wherein the driveshaft housing vibration isolator comprises a rubber cylinder disposed on the pivot shaft; and a metal sleeve disposed between the pivot shaft and the rubber cylinder.