Abstract:
An outboard engine with a grip recess formed on a part of an engine cover surface. The grip recess can be used as a handle by inserting an operator&#39;s hand thereinto. The outboard engine may be lifted up by using the grip recess as a handle during a tilt-up operation. This allows the outboard engine to be rotated upwardly easily about a tilt axis.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an outboard engine which allows an easy tilt-up operation relative to a boat.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    An outboard engine is attached to a stern of a boat through a stern bracket, so that the outboard engine may be steered and moved up and down (tilt-up operation).  
           [0003]    Tilt-up operation is performed by vertically pivoting or rotating the outboard engine, attached to a stern, about a tilt axis, when, for example, the boat moves through shallow water or needs to avoid driftwood. A conventional outboard engine structure is known from, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-57-27199 and SHO-59-15800 for allowing a tilt-up operation.  
           [0004]    The outboard engine in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO-57-27199 includes a lever for performing the tilt-up operation. Because the structure of the outboard engine is such that the lever comprises a separate unit that juts upward from a top surface of a cover of the outboard engine, the aesthetics of the outboard engine is compromised. Additional components lead to increased costs.  
           [0005]    The outboard engine in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 59-15800 has a recess in the rear portion of an upper engine cover, and the opening of this indentation faces toward the back of the outboard engine and serves as a handle for tilt-up operation. This structure makes the tilt-up operation difficult, when the outboard engine is large, because the distance between the steer of the boat (front portion of the outboard engine) and the lever is too long.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an outboard engine that facilitates easy tilt-up operation while avoiding unnecessary cost increases.  
           [0007]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outboard engine comprising: an engine; an engine cover for covering the engine and its peripheral equipment; an under cover mounted to the bottom of the engine cover; an extension case mounted to the bottom of the under cover; a gear case having a screw and placed in the lower part of the extension case; and a recess formed on a part of the top surface of the engine cover to provide a grip for holding the top portion of the engine cover by hand.  
           [0008]    In the outboard engine thus arranged, it is possible to perform the tilt-up operation by inserting fingers into the grip recess to get a hold on the outboard engine, lift the outboard engine, which includes the engine cover, about a tilt axis. When the outboard engine is large, both hands may be inserted into the grip recess for the tilt-up operation.  
           [0009]    The grip recess is placed in the rear part of the top of the engine cover, thereby allowing easy rotation of the outboard engine with a tilt operation.  
           [0010]    The engine cover comprises an engine cover body and a separate top cover, which is coupled onto the top of the engine cover body to form a single unit. The grip recess is formed on the top cover. When the outboard engine is large, the grip recess can be formed more easily, the engine cover with the grip recess can be manufactured more easily, and the entire structure may be simplified, when the top cover comprises a separate unit from the engine cover, the grip recess is formed on the top cover, and the top cover is coupled to the engine cover.  
           [0011]    The grip recess comprises an opening formed on the top cover, a curved guide surface on the lower part of the opening, and rounded ends at both ends of the opening to ensure easy and sure insertion of a hand into the grip recess. The curved guide surface facilitates smooth hand insertion. The rounded ends enhance the strength of the grip recess. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail herein below, by way of example only, with the reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an outboard engine, as attached to the steer of a boat, embodying the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the cross section of the top part of the outboard engine in FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top cover with the grip recess shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a top plan view illustrating the main engine cover unit with the top cover removed;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a view from an angle in which the top cover, engine cover body, and air intake guide in FIG. 2 have been taken apart;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view illustrating the top cover, engine cover body, and air intake guide, shown in FIG. 6, as assembled. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    Referring to FIG. 1, the outboard engine  1  comprises a top engine cover  2 , an under cover  3  placed in the lower part of the engine cover  2 , an extension case  4  extending from the lower part of the under cover  3 , and a gear case  5  placed in the lower part of the extension case  4 . Screws  6  are placed in the back part of the gear case  5 . This outboard engine  1  is attached to the boat through a stern bracket  7  attached to a steer B. The outboard engine  1  moves up and down about a tilt axis  7   a.    
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 2, the outboard engine  1  includes an engine  8 . The engine  8  includes a cylinder block  9 , a crank case  10  placed in the front part of a skirt  9   c  of the cylinder block  9 , a cylinder head  11  placed in the rear part of the cylinder block  9 , and a cylinder head cover  12  placed in the rear part of the cylinder head  11 . The engine  8  comprises a vertical engine whose crankshaft  13  is disposed vertically. The cylinder block  9  includes a plurality of horizontal cylinders  9   a  (in the illustrated example, three cylinders) horizontally laid in parallel relation to each other. Each cylinder  9   a  has a piston  9   b  in it. Each piston  9   b  is linked to a crankshaft  13  through a connecting rod. Cylinder head  11  has a plurality of combustion chambers  11   a  corresponding to the cylinders  9   a . The engine  8  in this particular example embodiment is a V-shaped 6-cylinder engine.  
         [0022]    In the rear part of the cylinder head  11  is an intake manifold  14  that extends in the up and down directions. An air intake guide  15  is placed at the rear part of the intake manifold  14 .  
         [0023]    Camshaft pulley  16  is placed in the upper part of the cylinder head  11 . Guide pulley  17  is placed in the upper part of the rear of the cylinder block  9 . A first driver pulley  18 , driven by the crankshaft  13 , is placed in the upper part of the skirt  9   c . Timing belt  19  links a camshaft pulley  16  and the first driver pulley  18 . A camshaft not in this FIG. is driven with the rotation of the crankshaft  13  and through the first driver pulley  18 , timing belt  19 , and camshaft pulley  16 .  
         [0024]    Generator (ACG)  20  is attached to the upper front surface of the crank case  10 , which comprises the front part of the engine. Driven pulley  21  for driving the generator is placed on the top surface of the generator  20 . Second driver pulley  22  is placed on the top part of the crankshaft  13 . The second driver pulley  22  and the driven pulley  21  are linked by a driver belt  23 . Generator  20  is driven by the rotation of crankshaft  7  through the second driver pulley  22 , driver belt  23 , and driven pulley  21 .  
         [0025]    A box-shaped intake muffler  24  is placed above the belt pulley structure, which is placed above the engine  8 , in the middle to rear part of the belt pulley structure. Box-shaped front half  24   a  of the intake muffler  24  is placed on the top part of the aforementioned second driver pulley  22 . A front half  24   b  of the intake muffler  24  is shaped like a shelf and is located on the top part of the driven pulley  21  of the generator  20 . The front portion  24   b , in the shape of a shelf, is formed as a separate unit from the box part and joined to the box part.  
         [0026]    The intake muffler  24  includes an intake connector duct  24   c  in the rear. The intake connector duct  24   c  is linked to grommet  26  in the upstream portion of the intake path of a throttle valve  25  placed in the upper rear part of engine  8 .  
         [0027]    In the Figure, reference numeral  27  designates a control cable for controlling the throttle valve. The control cable  27  extends along one side of the top surface of the intake muffler  24  toward the front, goes down from the front portion  24   b  and through the crankcase  10  and extends to the front of the outboard engine  1 . Reference numeral  28  denotes an oil filter, and reference numeral  29  designates an exhaust pipe.  
         [0028]    Engine cover  2  covers the engine  8  and some peripheral equipment. Engine cover  2  includes a plurality of slit  30  for intake which are formed in the front and lower part of the engine cover  2 . Intake through the slit  30  passes through an intake opening  31  and passes through cooling paths  32  and  33  to cool the generator  20 . The cooling paths  32  and  33  comprise a moisture separator.  
         [0029]    Top cover  40  is placed in the upper rear part of engine cover  2 . Grip recess  43  is formed toward the front part of the top cover  40 , as shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.  
         [0030]    When viewed from the top, the top cover  40  forms a long plate that extends from front to back in FIGS. 3 and 4. A rear part  40   a  of the top cover  40  is wide in the right-left directions, while a front part  40   b  of the top cover  40  is narrow, and a front edge part  40   c  of the top cover  40  is cylindrically shaped.  
         [0031]    Top cover  40  includes a shallow recess  40   d  at the midpoint with respect to the front and back of the top cover  40 . The recess  40   d  is wider in the back half with respect to the midpoint of top cover  40  and narrower in the front part with respect to the midpoint. Two rear intake slits  41  and  42 , which penetrate in the up and down directions, are formed in the rear part of the recess  40   d . These rear slits  41  and  42  extend along the width of the top cover  40  and are separated from each other in the front and back directions. Front intake slits  42  and  42 , which penetrate in the front/back direction, are formed in the front part  40   b  of the top cover  40 . These front slits  42  and  42  extend along the width of the top cover  40  and are separated from each other in the back and front direction.  
         [0032]    The rear slits  41  and  41  include a border  41   a  that hangs down as shown in FIG. 4. The front slits  42  and  42  include a border  42   a  that hangs slightly below to enhance strength around the slits.  
         [0033]    Top cover  40  includes a grip recess  43  provided at a longitudinally central part and extending laterally thereof. The recess  43  is sized in length and width such that it allows operator&#39;s four fingers from a pointing finger to a little finger pulled together to be fitted thereinto.  
         [0034]    Grip recess  43  includes a back edge part  43   a  at the same level as the surface of the recess  40   d , as shown in FIG. 4. The grip recess  43  also includes a bottom surface  40   b  (which acts as a guide when a person inserts his or her fingers), which curves from the front edge  43   a  down toward the front. Both ends of the bottom surface  43   b  are connected to the surface of the recess  40   d  through right and left sidewalls  43   c.    
         [0035]    The front edge part of the bottom surface  43   b  of the grip recess  43  includes a cut-out slit  43   d , which opens in the front and back direction. This slit  43   d  is where the fingers go in. The upper edge of the slit  43   d  continues to a front part  40   e  of the recess  40   d . Beading  44  is formed at the top edge of the slit  43   d . The beading  44  extends across the entire front edge of the grip recess  43  to enhance its toughness.  
         [0036]    An attachment boss  45  is formed on the lower surface of the front edge part  40   c  of the top cover  40 . Two attachment bosses  46  and  46  are formed at right and left of the lower surface in the front part of the grip recess  43 . Support ribs  47  and  47  hang down and extend in the front-back directions where the bosses  46  and  46  are. Attachment bosses  48  are placed at right and left and at the center of the back lower surface of the top cover  40 . A support rib  49  hangs down and extends in the front and back direction where this boss  48  is.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 5 shows a top view of the engine cover  2 , when the top cover is removed.  
         [0038]    A cover main unit  50  of the engine cover  2  includes a rear part  50   a , which is wider in width, and a front part  50   b , which is narrower. The cover main unit  50  also includes a top surface  50   c  and a recess  51  (see FIG. 6), which is lower than the top surface  50   c  and is formed between the center point of the top surface  50   c  and the rear part  50   a.    
         [0039]    The recess  51  has two openings  52  on right and left of a bridge  52   a , which extends in the front and back directions. Each of the stays  52   b  and  52   b  links the bridge  52   a  and the inner perimeter of the right and left openings  52  and  52 , respectively. Attachment bosses  53  are formed on the rear part of the bridge  52   a  and the right and left stays  52   b  and  52   b , respectively. A hole  54  is formed at the center of the bridge  52   a  to position the rubber bush  58 , as shown in FIG. 7. The rubber bush  58  supports the top cover  40 . Two attachment bosses  55  and  55  are placed in the front part of the recess  51 . An attachment boss  56  is placed in the front edge part.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 6 shows an exploded view at an angle on how the intake guide  15  in FIG. 2, top cover  40 , engine cover  2 , and the cover main unit  50  are attached.  
         [0041]    Intake guide  15  is coupled to the top cover  40  through the cover main unit  50 . The intake guide  15  forms a thin, reverse-L shaped box when seen from the side, as in FIG. 2. The frame  50   b  is formed around the opening  50   a  of the top shelf part  50   a  that extends toward the front. Three attachment bosses  15   c  are placed in the rear inside of the frame  50   b  at the center and right and left. An attachment boss  15   d  is placed at the center in the front part.  
         [0042]    The shelf part  15   a  of the intake guide  15  is aligned to the lower surface of the recess  51  of the engine cover body  50 , while the top cover  40  is placed on top of the recess  51 .  
         [0043]    The three attachment bosses  48  on top cover  40  are aligned with the three attachment bosses  53  on the engine cover body  50 . At the same time, the attachment bosses  53  are aligned to the three attachment bosses  15   c  on the intake guide  15 . Screws  60  couple the top cover  40 , engine cover body  50 , and the shelf part  15   a  of the intake guide  15 . Intake guide  15  is attached to the engine cover body  50  by coupling the rubber bush  58  to the opening  54  in the engine cover body  50 , and attaching the attachment boss  57  of the engine cover body  50  to the attachment boss  15   d  of the intake guide  15  with screws  60 .  
         [0044]    Top cover  40  is attached to the engine cover body  50  by attaching the three attachment bosses  45 ,  46  and  46 , which are placed between the front part and the front edge of the top cover  40 , to the attachment bosses  56 ,  55  and  55  placed in the recess  51  of the engine cover body  50 .  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 shows the top cover for the intake guide  15  attached to the engine cover main until  50 .  
         [0046]    Top cover  40  is attached to the rear top surface of the engine cover body  50  through the six attachment bosses  45 ,  46  and  48 , as in FIG. 3. Ribs  47  and  49  around these attachment bosses ensure strong attachment to the engine cover body  50 . Engine cover body  50  is strong, because the top cover  40  is attached in the recess  51 , the opening  52  is surrounded by the frame  51   a , and the attachment is to the shelf part  15   a  of the intake guide  15 , which includes the frame  15   b.    
         [0047]    In order to move the outboard engine  1  up and down about the tilt axis  7   a , a person inserts fingers of his or her hand H into the grip recess  43  and pushes the fingertips into the slit  43   b , as FIG. 7 shows. Because the lower surface  43   b  is curved, the person can insert the fingers smoothly. The beaded top edge  44  of the slit  43   d  protects the fingers and enhances strength.  
         [0048]    Thus shown, a person can rotate the outboard engine  1  about the tilt axis  7   a  as though he or she is lifting the outboard engine, by using as a handle the grip recess  43 , formed at middle to front half of the top cover  40 , by inserting his or her fingers into the recess  43  and holding onto it.  
         [0049]    Space S is left between the rear part of the top cover  40  and the rear part of the engine cover body  50 , as well as between the peripheral of the top cover  40  and the engine cover body  50 , if needed. The space S allows air intake into the intake guide  15 . The air coming in from this guide is introduced into the combustion chambers  11   a  through the intake muffler  24 , throttle valve  25 , and intake manifold  14 , as FIG. 2 shows.  
         [0050]    In addition to this embodiment, the grip recess  43  can also be formed directly on the top surface of the engine cover  2 . It is also possible to place a handle across the width of the grip recess  43 .  
         [0051]    The present disclosure relates to the subject matter of Japanese Patent Application, No. 2001- 035209 , filed Feb. 13, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.