Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/7438614
Timestamp: 2020-01-19 05:28:41
Document Index: 242866128

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 419', 'Application No. 2005', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 310', 'art 310', 'art 310', 'art 310', 'art 310', 'art 310', 'art 331']

US Patent for Cooling system for outboard motor Patent (Patent # 7,438,614 issued October 21, 2008) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents US Patent for Cooling system for outboard motor Patent (Patent # 7,438,614)
Sep 20, 2006 - Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
The present application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 419(a)-(d) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-271657, filed on Sep. 20, 2005, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,629 discloses a structure which inhibits moisture from mixing with the air for combustion. The specification states, “A transom board of the hull has an opening and a cowling of an outboard motor has an air port for taking air for combustion. The opening and the air port are connected to each other through a duct; thereby, air is taken from a location in the hull.” “The air hardly contains moisture in comparison with the case in which the cowling of the outboard motor has an intake opening and air is taken through the intake opening.” With this structure, combustion air enters through an opening in the transom board. The specification discloses drawing combustion air through the transom, not cooling air.
Patent Document JP-A-2004-239156 discloses a structure that ventilates the cowling of an outboard motor. The specification states, “a boat provided with an outboard motor having a cowling including a bottom cowl with a ventilating air inlet opening downward for introducing outside air, a maze-structure ventilation separator with a zigzag flow path for separating and removing foreign objects, such as moisture, from the outside air, and a ventilating fan combined with a flywheel and essentially made up of fins” (see paragraphs [0092] and [0093], and reference numerals 438 and 439 in FIG. 2). The disclosed structure flows air upwards in the engine compartment. However, the ventilating air inlet is formed through the bottom cowl of the cowling of the outboard motor. Since the outboard motor is placed on water, water may enter through the ventilating air inlet. Further, the structure described in Patent Document JP-A-2004-239156 cannot completely prevent entry of water into the engine compartment when the air contains moisture or small water droplets. Such moisture may deteriorate engine function.
The systems and methods of the invention have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the invention as expressed by the claims, its more prominent features have been discussed briefly above. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments,” one will understand how the features of the system and methods provide several advantages over conventional cooling systems.
A ventilating fan box or enclosure 10 is disposed in the hull 2 and includes a ventilating fan 10a. The ventilating fan 10a blows cooling air to the engine 25 and includes a connection part 10c which connects to an upstream end of the ventilating air introducing duct 31. Air enters the fan box 10 through an opening face part 10b. The entering air is routed to a first connection port 31a or “ventilating air inlet.” A connection port 31b or “first air passage port” connects to an outboard motor side first coupler 33 on the bottom cowl 23.
A battery 11 drives the ventilating fan 10a. The battery 11 may be located in the vicinity of the ventilating fan box 10. The ventilating fan 10a may be electric and controlled depending on conditions such as the temperature of the engine 25. The ventilating fan 10a may continue to operate for a predetermined period of time after the engine 25 has been stopped.
A cooling air blower 27 is disposed below the engine 25. In the illustrated embodiment the cooling air blower 27 is a delivery device. However, the device may include a fluid moving device such as a fan or the like. The cooling air blower 27 has one or more air outlets 27a. The cooling air blower 27 introduces the air from the ventilating air introducing duct 31 toward the engine 25. The air exiting the air outlets 27a preferably flows in a direction toward a lower side of the engine 25. As the air near the bottom of the engine 25 is heated by the engine 25, the air flows towards the top of the engine 25. The heated air is then discharged from the motor 3 through a ventilating air outlet 28 formed on the top interior wall of the top cowl 22.
The outboard motor 3 includes an induction system which routes air to the engine 25 for combustion. The induction system includes a duct 51p, 51q which routes air from an air intake enclosure 40 disposed inside the hull 2 to the outboard motor 3. The air intake enclosure 40 may include a body 40b and a cover or lid 40a. Ambient air enters the air intake enclosure 40 through one or more openings 40b-1 in and exits through an opening 40a-1. The air exiting the opening 40a-1 enters the duct via a coupler 52. The duct may be a unitary duct or multiple connected ducts. The duct illustrated in FIG. 1 includes an outer duct section 51p connected to an inner duct section 51q via an outboard side coupler 53.
The air intake enclosure 40 may include one or more blocking nets 42 and one or more water-repellant filters 43. The nets 42 are preferable disposed in the openings 40b-1 and filter foreign substances from the ambient air entering the enclosure 40. The water-repellant filters 43 may be disposed downstream of the nets 42. The filters 43 remove water and moisture from the air by inhibit water or moisture from passing therethrough while allowing air to pass therethrough. Accordingly, foreign substances and/or moisture are inhibited from passing through the enclosure 40 so as to avoid a decrease in engine 25 output caused by foreign substances reaching the engine 25. The water-repellant filters 43 may have a cylindrical and hollow shape.
The lid 40a is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the body 40b. A coupling device, such as a hinge 41, couples the body 40b and the lid 40a. Preferably, the water-repellant filters 43 may be removed and replaced when the lid 40a is in the open position.
The inner duct section 51q may extend between an outer surface of the cowling 21, for example the bottom cowling member 23, and the engine 25. The outer duct section 51p and the inner duct section 51q communicate with each other through the outboard side coupler 53. One or both of the inner and outer sections 51p, 51q may be made of a flexible material so as to allow the outboard motor 3 to move (i.e. pivot, rotate, lift and the like) relative to the hull 2.
The outer duct section 51p has a coupling port 51a and a coupling port 51b. The coupling port 51a is disposed at one end of the outer duct section 51p and connects to the coupler 52. The coupler 52 may be attached to the lid 40a or a surface of the body 40b. The coupling port 51b is disposed at the other end of the outer duct section 51p and connects to a coupler 53. In the illustrated embodiment, the coupler 53 is attached to the bottom cowling 23.
The inner duct section 51q has a coupling port 51c and a coupling port 51d. The coupling port 51c is disposed at one end of the of the inner duct section 51q and connects to the coupler 53. The coupling port 51c provides an opening through the cowling 21. The coupling port 51d is disposed at the other end of the inner duct section 51q. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the coupling port 51d connects to the carburetor 24.
When the engine 25 starts, air enters the front and back of the enclosure 40 through the openings 40b-1 in a direction indicated by arrows A. The entering air is filtered of foreign substances by the blocking nets 42. The filtered air flows through the water-repellant filters 43 to remove moisture from the air. The air then continues through the enclosure 40 as indicated by arrow B.
As indicated by arrow C, the filtered, dry air enters the outer duct section 51p and flows through the inner duct section 51q before entering the carburetor 24. The air passes through the coupling port 51a at one end of the outer duct section 51p. The outer duct section 51p routes the air to the side of the outboard motor 3. The inner duct section 51q routes the air entering the cowling 21 to the outboard motor 3. The coupling port 51d at the end of the inner duct section 51q connects to the carburetor 24.
At the same time, when the ventilating fan 10a operates, cooling air flows from the ventilating fan box 10 to the connection port 31a. The cooling air flows through the ventilating air introducing duct 31 as indicated by an arrow (A) and an arrow (B). Then, the cooling air exits the air outlets 27a of the cooling air blower 27 toward a lower side of the engine 25 as indicated by arrows (C). The air having cooled the engine 25 flows to the upper side of the engine 25 as indicated by an arrow (D). The warmed air is discharged through the ventilating air outlet 28 formed at an upper part of the top cowl 22 as indicated by an arrow (E).
The connection port 31a is located in the hull 2. The connection port 31b is in flow communication with the cooling air blower 27 disposed in the cowling 21. The ventilating air introducing duct 31 extends between the connection port 31a and the connection port 31b. When the ventilating fan 10a is running, the air introduced through the connection port 31a is directed to the cooling air blower 27 via the ventilating air introducing duct 31. The cooling air exits the air outlets 27a of the cooling air blower 27 toward the engine 25. Since the connection port 31a is located in the hull 2, moisture is less likely to be mixed into the air introduced through the connection port 31a than if the air intake were disposed outside the hull 2. Therefore, moisture is less likely to reach the engine 25.
Also, the cooling air blower 27 is preferably located below the engine 25. The cooling air blower 27 includes one or more air outlets 27a. The air outlets 27a preferably open upward toward the engine 25. In this way, the air introduced through the ventilating air introducing duct 31 is blown out through the air outlets 27a toward a lower side of the engine 25. The engine 25 is cooled by the air flowing from the lower side to the upper side of the engine 25. Since warmed air rises, the cooling air is preferably blown toward a lower side of the engine 25. As the air warms up and cools the engine 25, the warm air flows in an upward direction which improves the circulation of the cooling air passing by the engine 25. Thus, the cooling efficiency of the engine 25 is improved over system that flow air from the top to the bottom of the engine 25.
In addition, the ventilating fan box 10 is preferably removable from the hull 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the fan box 10 is connected to the connection port 31a of the ventilating air introducing duct 31. The air entering through the opening face part 10b is routed to the connection port 31a through the ventilating fan box 10. Since the ventilating fan box 10 is removable, any location within the hull 2 may be selected for the ventilating fan box 10 and the associated ventilating air introducing duct 31. Since the ventilating fan 10a is located in the hull 2 and not in the outboard motor 3, the outboard motor 3 may be smaller in size.
The ventilating fan 10a may be continue to operate for a predetermined period of time after stopping the engine 25 which improves the durability of the engine 25.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a boat having a cooling system configured in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The boat 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is different from the boat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the boat 200 includes an air intake funnel 201 disposed in the hull 2 and upstream of the ventilating air introducing duct 31. The air intake funnel 201 includes a connection port 201c which receives an end of the ventilating air introducing duct 31. The air intake funnel 201 is in flow communication with the connection port 31a of the ventilating air introducing duct 31.
The boat 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is further different from the boat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the ventilating fan box 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is located within the cowling 21 of the engine 25 illustrated in FIG. 2. The ventilating fan box 10 houses a ventilating fan 10a and is disposed above the engine 25.
The ventilating fan 10a can be driven by the engine 25 or other source, for example, an electric motor. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the ventilating fan 10a is combined with a flywheel and comprises fins integrally attached to the flywheel. Of course other type of fans may be used. For example, the ventilating fan 10a may be an electric ventilating fan.
The manner of cooling the engine 25 in the boat 200 according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 will now be described. Rotation of the ventilating fan 10a draws air through the air intake funnel 201 as indicated by an arrow (P). The air flows through the ventilating air introducing duct 31 as indicated by arrows (Q) and (R) and to the cooling air blower 27. The air exits the cooling air blower 27 through one or more air outlets 27a and in a direction toward a lower side of the engine 25 as indicated by arrows (S). The air then flows toward the upper side the engine 25 and is discharged from the outboard motor 3 via a ventilating air outlet 28 as indicated by an arrow (T).
The ventilating fan box 10 is disposed above the engine 25 in the cowling 21. Air driven by the ventilating fan 10a exits the outboard motor 3 through the ventilating air outlet 28 in the cowling 21. The ventilating fan 10a is preferably disposed in the vicinity of the engine 25. The air warmed by heat leaving from the engine 25 is drawn to the upper side of the engine 25 and discharged through the ventilating air outlet 28.
As the ventilating fan 10a dissipates waste heat from the engine 25, the engine 25 temperature can be regulated or decreased so as to keep the engine 25 temperature within a desired range.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a boat having a cooling system configured in accordance with an addition preferred embodiment of the present invention. The boat 300 illustrated in FIG. 2 is different from the boat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the boat 300 includes a ventilating air discharging duct 331. The ventilating air discharge duct 331 routes the air having cooled the engine 25 to the outside environment. The ventilating air discharging duct 331 includes a connection port 331a or “ventilating air outlet” located in the hull 2 and a connection port 331b located at the outboard motor 3. After cooling the engine 25, the warm air is routed to the connection port 331b. Air entering the connection port 331b is then routed to the connection port 331a and is discharged through an opening 310e in a ventilating air discharge part 310d.
The boat 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 is further different from the boat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the cooling system includes a guide 318. The guide 318 guides air to the connection port 331b. Other than the differences outlined above, the embodiment of the boat 300 is the same as the embodiment of the boat 1. Accordingly, the description of the boat 1 applies with equal force to the description of the boat 300 and is not hereby repeated.
In the boat 300, the cooing system includes a ventilating fan box 310. The ventilating fan box 310 is preferably located in the hull 2 and includes ventilating fan box body 310b, a ventilating fan 310a, and a ventilating air discharge part 310d. The ventilating fan box body 310b includes a connection part 310c for receiving an end of the ventilating air introducing duct 31. The ventilating air discharge part 310d has an opening 310e for exhausted air returning from the outboard motor 3.
The connection port 331a is connected to the ventilating air discharge part 310d. The connection port 331b or “second air passage port” is formed as an “air passage port” at the other end of the ventilating air discharging duct 331. The connection port 331b is in flow communication with an outboard motor side third coupler 333. The outboard motor side third coupler 333 is preferably disposed on the bottom cowl 23.
The guide 318 guides the air warmed by the engine 25 to the connection port 331b. The guide 318 is preferably disposed on an inner wall of the bottom cowl 23 on the side of the hull 2. The guide 318 preferably extends from a location below an opening of the outboard motor side third coupler 333 and perpendicular to a surface of the bottom cowl 23. The guide 318 may have a curved distal end portion that extends generally parallel to an inner surface of the top cowl 22.
The region between the guide 318 and the cowling 21 forms a ventilating air passage 319. The ventilating air passage 319 is in flow communication with the connection port 331b. Even when the top cowl 22 and the bottom cowl 23 are joined together, the warm air located near the top interior wall of the top cowl 22 flows downward toward the ventilating air discharging duct 331.
The manner of cooling the engine 25 in the boat 300 according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 will now be described. The ventilating fan box 310 draws air in as indicated by an arrow (J) in FIG. 3. The air passes through the ventilating air introducing duct 31 and exits the air outlets 27a of the cooling air blower 27 toward a lower side of the engine 25 as indicated by arrows (K). The air flows to the upper side of the engine 25 and along the top interior wall of the top cowl 22 as indicated by an arrow (L). The air passes through the ventilating air passage 319 between the cowling 21 and the guide 318 as indicated by an arrow (M). The air then passes through the ventilating air discharging duct 331 before being discharged through the opening 310e of the ventilating air discharge part 310d as indicated by an arrow (N).
The ventilating air discharging duct 331 directs the air having cooled the engine 25 to the outside. The connection port 331a at one end of the ventilating air discharging duct 331 is located in the hull 2. The ventilating air discharging duct 331 extends to the outboard motor 3. The connection port 331b at the other end of the ventilating air discharging duct 331 connects to the cowling 21 of the outboard motor 3. After cooling the engine 25, the warmed air passes through the connection port 331b and through the ventilating air discharging duct 331 to the connection port 331a. The air is then discharged through the opening 331e in the ventilating air discharge part 331d.
The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 discharges cooling air from the outboard motor 3 in the hull 2. With this embodiment, there is no need for a ventilating air outlet 28 through the cowling 21 as described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. Without the ventilating air outlet 28, there is less chance that water may enter the outboard motor 3.
The guide 318 is formed in the cowling 21 so that air having passed through the gap between the cowling 21 and the guide 318 is directed to the connection port 331b. The air exiting the air outlets 27a of the cooling air blower 27 and which is subsequently heated by the engine 25 is discharged through the gap between the cowling 21 and the guide 318. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 provides a specific route for the cooling air through the cowling 21 which may improve the efficiency of the engine 25.
16. The boat according to claim 2, wherein the duct connects to a lower portion of the cowling.
3964444 June 22, 1976 Hemmann et al.
4927392 May 22, 1990 Makihara et al.
5078629 January 7, 1992 Mondek
5129847 July 14, 1992 Mondek
5660571 August 26, 1997 Nakayasu et al.
20010027069 October 4, 2001 Mashiko, et al.
401182192 July 1989 JP
2004-239156 August 2004 JP
Translation of JP 401182192A.
Patent number: 7438614
Patent Publication Number: 20070066158
Inventor: Koshiro Inaba (Shizuoka-ken)
Application Number: 11/524,529
Current U.S. Class: 440/88.C; Cowl (440/77); 440/88.0A
International Classification: B63H 21/38 (20060101);