Patent ID: 6523655
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
A marine drive unit, comprising:a housing structure; a shifter shaft supported within said housing structure, said shifter shaft being rotatable about an axis and axially movable along said axis; a shift linkage having a depression formed in a surface of said shift linkage, said shift linkage being rigidly attached to said shifter shaft, whereby rotation of said shift linkage relative to said axis causes said shifter shaft to rotate about said axis into at least three alternative rotational positions about said axis; a detent assembly mounted in said housing, said detent assembly comprising an insert member and a biasing member, said insert member being urged into engagement with said depression by said biasing member in order to center said shift linkage into a preselected one of said at least three alternative rotational positions about said axis, said insert member being inhibited from moving in a direction parallel with said axis; a groove formed in said surface of said shift linkage, said groove extending along a path in said surface which intersects said depression and is nonperpendicular to said axis, said groove being shaped to receive said insert member in sliding relation within said groove when said shift linkage is rotated about said axis away from said preselected one of said at least three alternative rotational positions about said axis, said nonperpendicular relationship between said groove and said axis permitting said insert member to remain within said groove as said shift linkage rotates about said axis and moves axially along said axis in coordination with said shifter shaft.