Patent ID: 7901258

Claim:
A marine outboard engine comprising: an upper engine cover; a lower engine cover disposed vertically below the upper motor cover; a swivel bracket operatively connected to at least one of the upper and lower engine covers; a stern bracket connected to the swivel bracket; an engine disposed at least part in the upper motor cover; a driveshaft disposed generally vertically in the lower engine cover, the driveshaft having a first end and a second end, the first end of the driveshaft being operatively connected to the engine; a gear case connected to the lower engine cover; a propeller shaft disposed at least in part in the gear case generally perpendicular to the driveshaft, the propeller shaft being operatively connected to the second end of the driveshaft; a propeller connected to the propeller shaft, the propeller having a hub and a plurality of propeller blades disposed on the hub, the plurality of propeller blades being rotatable relative to the hub to adjust a pitch of the plurality of propeller blades; a hydraulic system including: a hydraulic steering actuator operatively connected to the swivel bracket for steering the marine outboard engine about a generally vertical steering axis; a hydraulic trim actuator operatively connected to the swivel bracket for trimming the marine outboard engine about a generally horizontal trim axis; a hydraulic propeller pitch actuator operatively connected to the plurality of propeller blades for adjusting the pitch of the plurality of propeller blades; at least one valve having at least one inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a third outlet, the first outlet fluidly communicating with the hydraulic steering actuator, the second outlet fluidly communicating with the hydraulic trim actuator, and the third outlet fluidly communicating with the hydraulic propeller pitch actuator; a pump fluidly communicating with the at least one inlet of the at least one valve for pumping hydraulic fluid to the at least one valve; and a reservoir for storing hydraulic fluid, the reservoir fluidly communicating with the pump for supplying hydraulic fluid to the pump; a pressure sensor associated with the hydraulic system for sensing a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic system; and a control unit electronically communicating with the pressure sensor and with the at least one valve, the control unit controlling the at least one valve to control a flow of hydraulic fluid through each of the first, second, and third outlets based at least in part on a signal received from the pressure sensor.