Patent ID: 8205732
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: F16D,F16H

Abstract:
1. A clutch detent mechanism for an outboard motor including a clutch dog member slidably mounted on a propeller shaft for undergoing axial sliding movement on the propeller shaft to move into meshing engagement with one, the other or neither of a forward gear and a reverse gear that are rotatably mounted on the propeller shaft on opposite sides of the clutch dog member, the clutch detent mechanism being configured to hold clutch dog member in one shift position selected from among a forward shift position in which the clutch dog member is engaged with the forward gear, a reverse shift position in which the clutch dog member is engaged with the reverse gear, and a neutral position in which the clutch dog member is engaged with neither of the forward and reverse gears, the clutch detent mechanism comprising: at least one ball movable with the clutch dog member; a ball retainer member provided in the propeller shaft for retaining the ball; and urging means for urging the ball against the ball retainer, wherein the ball retainer member has a recessed portion for holding therein the ball to thereby keep the clutch dog member in the neutral position, a first sloped portion provided on one side of the recessed portion for retaining the ball in a first position to keep the clutch dog member in the forward shift position, and a second sloped portion provided on the other side of the recessed portion for retaining the ball in a second position to keep the clutch dog in the reverse shift position, wherein when the ball is disposed in the recessed portion, the clutch dog member blocks transmission of power from the forward or reverse gear to the propeller shaft, wherein when the ball is disposed in the first position, the ball is urged by the urging means against the first sloped portion of the ball retainer member and creates a first axial pressing force tending to force the clutch dog member against the forward gear while the clutch dog member and the forward gear are in meshing engagement with each other, and wherein when the ball is disposed in the second position, the ball is urged by the urging means against the second sloped portion of the ball retainer member and creates a second axial pressing force tending to force the clutch dog member against the reverse gear while the clutch dog member and the reverse gear are in meshing engagement with each other.