Patent Grant
7997946
N/A
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an outboard motor flushing assembly, and more particularly to a telescopically adjustable motor flushing assembly with an ear muff flushing accessory supported completely by the flushing tube allowing for quick attachment and detachment of the device.
2. Description of Related Art
Most outboard motors use the surrounding water, whether salt or fresh water, to cool the engine during operation. By using the surrounding water as a cooling source, the need for complex cooling systems that recirculate refrigerant or fresh water is eliminated, thereby allowing for outboard motors that are both compact and efficient. The cooling water is pumped from the water source through all inlet port and into the engine. The inlet port is typically adjacent to the propeller to ensure that the intake valve remains submerged during the operation of the motor.
For boats with outboard motors that are operated in salt water environments, salt water is pumped in to cool the engine. The salt from the salt water can cause many problems associated with the maintenance of the outboard motor. These problems stem from the corrosive ability of aqueous salt solutions. As the salt water is pumped into the cooling system, the metallic walls of the cooling jacket naturally corrode. If the salt water remains in the engine cooling system, while the motor is not being operated, the metallic walls of the cooling jackets, and the hoses of the cooling system corrode even more. Eventually, the salt water can leak into the engine leading to corrosion within the combustion chambers and other parts the engine that are not suitable for contact with salt water. The order to solve this problem and avoid engine failure due to corrosion, onboard motors are routinely flushed with fresh or salt free water after every use, thereby removing substantially all of the salt water and salt residue from the cooling system.
Devices and assemblies for flushing outboard motors are detailed extensively throughout the prior art. Usually the flushing devices include a hose for carrying fresh water to the inlet port and a means of attaching The hose so that fresh water can circulate through the engine cooling system. Due to the positioning of the intake valve at the bottom of the outboard motor near the propeller, and the fact that outboard motors extends out from the side of the boat, it is difficult to connect the fresh water hose to the inlet port. Furthermore, since the inlet port is difficult to reach, the fresh water hose must be connected and sealed to the inlet port through a quick and easy means. U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,828 (1976) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,104 (1991) both describe a device that is used to attach the fresh water hose to the inlet port of an outboard motor. The device includes two rubber cups that are supported on a U-shaped steel spring to form an “earmuff” shape. The earmuffs wrap around the outboard motor and cover and seal opposing inlet ports. While the earmuffs provide an effective means of coupling a water hose to the inlet ports of an outboard motor, they require that a user be located in close proximity to the inlet ports in order to Install the earmuff flushing device. Since the inlet ports are located at the bottom of the onboard motor, it can be extremely difficult to achieve the necessary position that is required for installing the earmuffs, particularly when the boat is disposed on a lift or on an elevated dry dock rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,863 (1981) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,276 (1990) disclose a device that allows the earmuff system to be attached from a distant position. Both Inventions accomplish this by mounting the earmuffs on to the end of the pole. The invention described in '863 utilizes a second extending pole to operate a clamp that is used to tighten the earmuff. While both inventions do solve the problem of being able to attach the earmuffs from a remote distance, the inventions use heavy extension members that are rigidly secured to the earmuff, so that it becomes extremely difficult to operate the device and place the earmuff in a desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,703 (1995) describes a tubular hollow pole that supports the U shaped coupling between the earmuffs and a water outlet, through which salt free water can flow. Furthermore, the invention includes a mechanism for controlling the flow of the water through the hollow pole, so that the device can be operated quickly. The disadvantage of that invention is that it still requires a separate water hose that connects the hollow support pipe to the cup of the earmuff, thus making the support system overly complex and burdensome to manipulate. Furthermore, the support structure is attached at a forty five degree angle with respect to the plane formed around the perimeter of the distal end of the sealing cups. By creating a forty five degree angle, the earmuffs are not designed for attachment from a position directly behind or directly to the side of the inlet ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,973 (2001) also describes a pole assembly that is designed to install an earmuff flushing device from within the boat. That device, as with the invention of '703 patent, includes a separate flow hose that separates from the hollow support member, through which water flows, and into the sealing cup of the earmuff flushing device. The disadvantages are similar to the '703 invention in that the invention described in '973 describes all invention that uses an overcomplicated support system. Furthermore, the invention is not bent and therefore does not accommodate for installation from a position directly to the side of the inlet ports on the outboard motor.
There therefore exists a need for a flushing system that provides a means for attaching the earmuff shaped flushing system used in outboard motors, that is not only simple in design and operation, but that allows for installation from a variety of positions. Unfortunately, the aforementioned attempts fail to solve this problem by providing designs that arc overly complicated, are difficult to operate, and can not be installed from a variety of positions. The present invention fills this void in the prior art by creating a support assembly through a simple design that is easily controllable, and attachable from various positions.
The present invention provides a flushing system for flushing salt water from an outboard motor cooling system. The flushing system includes two separate sealing members that are mounted so as to completely cover and form a seal around opposing inlet ports, to allow for a continuous flow of fresh water into the cooling system. These rubber sealing members are coupled together through a connection member that extends around the outer surface of the outboard motor. The rubber cups in combination with the connection member are referred to as the earmuff flushing accessory of the flushing system. The earmuff flushing accessory is attached to a tubular elongate member, which provides structure for positioning the earmuff flushing accessory around the inlet ports, and supporting the earmuff in a fixed position while the flushing operation is performed. The tubular elongate member is hollow, and provides an enclosed channel through which fresh water or any other suitable flushing liquid flows through and is supplied directly to the earmuff flushing accessory. The tubular elongate member is preferably telescopically adjustable, enabling the adaptation of the elongate support member for precise and easy positioning of the earmuff flushing accessory. In addition, the elongate member is coupled to the earmuff forming a single piece, so that fresh water flows directly from the tubular elongate member into the earmuff without the use of separate components, such as flow tubes or hoses.
A significant aspect of the present invention involves providing alternate tubular end connectors, including a straight connector and a 90-degree connector, for use with the elongate tubular member. Using the straight connector allows the elongate member to be attached to the earmuff so that the elongate member is transversely disposed relative to the earmuff flushing device thereby enabling the user to easily attach the earmuff flushing device when positioned generally to the side of the outboard motor. Using the 90-degree connector allows the elongate member to be attached to the earmuff so that the elongate member is generally perpendicular to the transverse axis between the cups of the earmuff flushing device thereby enabling the user to easily attach the earmuff flushing device when positioned generally in front or behind the outboard motor, such as when the user is standing inside the boat near the transom or on a swim platform.
It is an object of the present invention to provide all onboard motor flushing system that allows a user to supply pressurized water to an onboard motor from a distance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system with a support system that is adjustable.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system that can be operated from a position directly to the side of the onboard motor.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide all onboard motor flushing system that is adaptable for use with a separate attachment that allows for the operation of the device from a position directly in front of or behind the onboard motor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system that includes a simple design that uses a minimal number of components in order to reduce the chances of device failure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system that is compact, light and easy to maneuver.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system that is easy to operate.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an onboard motor flushing system that is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
In accordance with these and other objects, which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
With reference to the drawings,
The one embodiment of the present invention, the elongate member 14 is directly coupled to the earmuff flushing accessory 16 so that the elongate member 14 is either generally parallel to, or an extension of, the transverse axis that connects the inlet ports that are located on opposing sides of the outboard motor 12 and covered by the earmuff flushing accessory 16. By being generally parallel to the axis formed between the opposing inlet ports, the elongate member 14 projects perpendicularly outward from the earmuff flushing accessory 16 creating a configuration that allows for the attachment and operation of the flushing device 10 from a position directly to the side of the outboard motor. By enabling the mounting and operation of the flushing device 10 from a side position, the device is perfectly adapted for use from a remote location that is outside of the boat, such as a dock or a seawall, thereby increasing the ease by which the flushing device 10 is operated.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in
The elongate member 14 is coupled to the earmuff flushing accessory 16 through any suitable means that prevents the leaking of the flushing liquid. For example, the end of the elongate member 14 can be threaded allowing for attachment by engaging threads that form a male or female mating connection on the end of the elongate member 14 with the threads of the earmuff flushing accessory 16 that form a male or female mating connection. In the alternate embodiment of the present invention, the end of the elongate member 14 is connected to a elbow extension member 18 (preferably a 90-degree radius elbow) which is coupled to the earmuff flushing accessory 16 as illustrated in
In both embodiments of the present invention, the elongate member 14 is either directly coupled to the earmuff flushing accessory 16 or connected through an elbow extension member 18, thus eliminating the need for separate components, such as separate flow tubes, that transport flushing liquid from the elongate member 14 to the earmuff flushing accessory. By eliminating the need for separate components, the design of the device 10 is simplified, leading to lowered manufacturing costs and fewer potential sources of failure.
The earmuff flushing accessory 16 is the component of the outboard motor flushing device 10 that is mounted directly onto the sides of the outboard motor to completely cover the inlet ports. The earmuff flushing accessory 16 includes a first sealing member 20 which is made from a flexible material and is generally shaped with a concave side and a second sealing member 22, which is also made from a flexible material and is generally shaped with a concave side. Both first and second sealing members 20 and 22 are positioned directly next to each other so that the concave sides of the sealing members 20 and 22 are facing each other. Through this configuration, the first and second sealing members 20 and 22 simultaneously cover and create a seal around both inlet ports so that the flushing operation can be performed. The sealing members 20 and 22 are generally of the same shape so that through the positioning, the plane located at an equal distance between the sealing members 20 and 22 is a mirror symmetry plane.
A generally V-shaped spring retaining member 24 is used to connect and subsequently affix the left and right sealing members 20 and 22 in the above mentioned position. The V-shaped spring retaining member 24 can be made of any suitable material that not only provides the necessary support required to hold the sealing members 20 and 22 in a specific position, but also is resistant to corrosion. The ends of the V-shaped spring retaining member 24 are coupled to first and second stubs 26 and 28 that protrude from the convex side of the first and second sealing members 20 and 22. One of the stubs 26 and 28 is simply a solid block of material that merely serves as a point of attachment for the V-shaped spring 24. The stub 26 located on the opposing sealing member 20 is hollow and serves as the point of connection to either the bent extension member 18 or the elongate member 14. The hollow connecting stub 26 supports any design that allows for a leak free connection including the use of threads to create a mated coupling. The hollow connecting stub 26 and the opposing stub 28 can be located on either first or second sealing member 20 and 22.
Referring now to both embodiments of the invention, as shown in
The flushing fluid is supplied to the elongate member 14 through a fluid supply. The flushing fluid can be supplied to the elongate member through any suitable means, such as a tube or supply hose 32. This tube or supply hose 32 is either coupled directly to the elongated member 14 or coupled to the flow valve 30 through any suitable connecting means including but not limited to a threaded mating connection.
In operation of both embodiments of the present invention, a user operates the device 10 from a position that is either to the side, front, or behind the outboard motor depending on the configuration that is created by the specific embodiment. The user adjusts the telescopic elongated member 14 to a suitable length and positions the earmuff flushing assembly 16 so that the sealing members 20 and 22 maintain contact with the outside of the outboard motor and completely cover the inlet ports. Due to the flexibility of the sealing members 20 and 22, a seal is created between the members and the side of the outboard motor. Once the flow valve 30 is opened, flushing liquid flows from a source, into the elongated member 14. Once in the elongated member 14, the fluid either flows directly through a hollow connecting stub 26, or into a bent extension member 18, before finally flowing through a hollow connecting stub 26 and into the empty chamber formed between the side of the motor and the concave walls of the sealing member 20.
Due to the seal formed by the sealing members 20 and 22, the fluid that enters into the chamber defined between sealing members 20 and 22 is forced into the inlet port of the outboard motor. The fluid flows through the entire cooling system of the outboard motor, including the cooling Jacket and out through a discharge line. The flow of liquid though the cooling system causes the expulsion of salt water and other particles, including corrosive agents, through the discharge line. The flushing operation is stopped by either closing the control valve 30 or disconnecting the flushing fluid supply source. The device 10 is removed from the outboard motor by simply rupturing the seals formed by the sealing members 20 and 22, and displacing the earmuff flushing accessory 16 away from the outboard motor.
The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/896,734, filed on Mar. 23, 2007.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3931828 | Lawler | Jan 1976 | A |
| 4246863 | Reese | Jan 1981 | A |
| 4359063 | Carlson | Nov 1982 | A |
| 4540009 | Karls | Sep 1985 | A |
| 4973276 | Mavrelis | Nov 1990 | A |
| 5051104 | Guhlin | Sep 1991 | A |
| 5336012 | Newville | Aug 1994 | A |
| 5362265 | Gervais | Nov 1994 | A |
| 5397256 | Bidwell | Mar 1995 | A |
| 5423703 | Lorenzen | Jun 1995 | A |
| 5823836 | Anderson | Oct 1998 | A |
| 6165033 | Cugini | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6314973 | Vellines | Nov 2001 | B1 |
| 7150665 | Soreide et al. | Dec 2006 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080233816 A1 | Sep 2008 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60896734 | Mar 2007 | US |
