OUTBOARD MOTOR

Abstract

The outboard motor comprises an outer cover defining an outer surface of an upper part of the outboard motor and provided with an opening, a grille member that covers the opening of the outer cover and a garnish member extending along at least a part of an outer periphery of the grille member, wherein the garnish member has an outwardly convex cross-sectional shape, and projects beyond an outer profile of an adjoining part of the outer cover and the grille member.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an outboard motor.

BACKGROUND ART

An outboard motor is mounted to the stern of a boat, and the engine or motor received in the outer cover of the outboard motor is typically cooled by the water drawn from the surrounding body of water. However, the outer cover is provided with openings for ventilating the interior of the outer cover to aid the cooling of various parts of the outboard motor. Such openings are provided with a grille or a louver for preventing intrusion of foreign matters into the outer cover, and such a grille or a louver often creates protrusions that project from the general outer profile of the outer cover.

Such protrusions could snag various objects during operation of the boat. In particular, the boat is often used for fishing purposes, and there is a need to prevent fishing lines from being snagged by protrusions that may exist on the outer surface of the outer cover of the outboard motor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,236A discloses an outboard motor provided with a latch handle which is normally received in a recess on the outer case thereof but can be raised out of the recess when needed. This prior art however does not provide a solution for preventing objects such as fishing lines from being snagged by other possible protrusions existing on the outer surface of the outer cover of the outboard motor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of such a problem of the prior art, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor which is capable of favorable ventilation of the interior thereof without allowing objects such as fishing lines from being snagged by a protrusion on the outer surface of the outer cover of the outboard motor.

To achieve such an object, the present invention provides an outboard motor (1), comprising: an outer cover (6) defining an outer surface of an upper part of the outboard motor and provided with an opening (9); a grille member (10) that covers the opening of the outer cover; and a garnish member (11) extending along at least a part of an outer periphery of the grille member, wherein the garnish member has an outwardly convex cross-sectional shape, and projects beyond an outer profile of an adjoining part of the outer cover and the grille member.

Thereby, an object such as a fishing line is prevented from being snagged by the grille member or any adjacent parts thereof.

Preferably, the garnish member projects beyond an outer profile of the grille member.

Thereby, an object such as a fishing line is prevented from being snagged by the grille member or any adjacent parts thereof in a reliable manner.

Preferably, the garnish member has a triangular cross-section and is attached to an outer surface of a part of the outer cover surrounding the opening at a base of the triangular cross-section.

Thereby, an object such as a fishing line can be favorably raised away from the outer surface of the grille member by the garnish member as the object is slid along the outer surface of the outer cover.

Preferably, a side of the triangular cross-section on an outer peripheral side extends along a line(S) that passes outward of the grille member.

Thereby, an object such as a fishing line can be particularly favorably raised away from the outer surface of the grille member by the garnish member.

Preferably, the grille member includes a louver formed by a plurality of slats (13) extending vertically so as to define a plurality of forwardly facing openings (15) in a rear side part of the outer cover.

Thereby, the grille member allows surrounding air to be scooped into the interior of the outer cover and prevents water splashes from coming into the interior of the outer cover.

Preferably, the garnish member extends along an upper side, a front side, and a lower side of the grille member.

Thereby, the grille member allows surrounding air to be scooped into the interior of the outer cover and prevents water splashes from coming into the interior of the outer cover in a particularly favorable manner.

Preferably, parts of the garnish member extending along an upper side and a lower side of the grille member are inclined upward and downward, respectively, toward rear.

Thereby, the grille member allows surrounding air to be scooped into the interior of the outer cover and prevents water splashes from coming into the interior of the outer cover in a particularly favorable manner.

Preferably, a vertically intermediate part of each slat is offset outward relative to an upper and lower end parts thereof.

Thereby, the grille member allows surrounding air to be scooped into the interior of the outer cover in a particularly favorable manner.

Preferably the outer cover includes a main body (6a) having a rear opening in a rear part thereof, a rear cover part (6b) closing the rear opening of the main body and a pair of frame parts (8) extending from either side edge of the rear cover part and fitted into a pair of cutouts (7) formed on a rear edge of the main body, respectively, each frame part defining the opening.

Thereby, the outer cover having a pair of openings on either side can be manufactured in an aesthetically desirable manner without complicating the manufacturing process.

Preferably, an outer peripheral part (8a) of each frame part extending along an outer peripheral part of an upper side, a front side and a lower side of the frame part is recessed inward relative to an adjacent region of the outer cover, the garnish member being attached to an outer surface of the outer peripheral part of each frame part.

Thereby, the garnish member can be configured to be aesthetically desirable and effective against snagging of an object by the grille member.

Preferably, an inner peripheral part of the main body adjacent to each frame part is bent inward toward an outer surface of the outer peripheral part of the frame part.

Thereby, the outer cover can be configured to be aesthetically desirable and effective against snagging of an object by the grille member.

Preferably, an inner peripheral part (8b) of each frame part is bent outward so as to define an inclined outer surface.

Thereby, a smooth transition from the frame part to the grille member can be accomplished in a favorable manner.

Preferably, a lower side part of each frame part has a width that progressively increases toward rear.

Thereby, water splashes created in the rear part of the boat equipped with this outboard motor are effectively prevented from coming into the interior of the outer cover.

Effect of the Invention

The present invention thus provides an outboard motor which is capable of favorable ventilation of the interior thereof without allowing objects such as fishing lines to be snagged by a protrusion on the outer surface of the outer cover of the outboard motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rear part of a boat fitted with an outboard motor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outboard motor having an outer cover in an upper part thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rear cover part of the outer cover fitted with a grille member and a garnish member;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rear cover part; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 1 shows an outboard motor 1 fitted to the stern of a boat 2. The outboard motor 1 includes an internal combustion engine 3, a power transmission mechanism 5 connected to the output shaft of the engine 3 and a propeller 4 connected to the output shaft of the power transmission mechanism and located at the lower rear end of the outboard motor 1. An electric motor may be used instead of the internal combustion engine 3. The upper part of the outboard motor 1 receiving the engine 3 therein is generally covered by an outer cover 6 which is made of either metal or plastic so that the outer cover 6 defines an outer surface of an upper part of the outboard motor.

Referring to FIG. 2, the outer cover 6 includes a main body 6a having an open rear end and a rear cover part 6b fitted into the open rear end of the main body 6a. The main body 6a is provided with a pair of cutouts 7 on either rear edge thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rear cover part 6b includes a pair of frame parts 8 that extend from either side edge of the rear cover part 6b and are closely fitted into the corresponding cutouts 7 of the main body 6a. Each frame part 8 defines a central opening 9 and a grille member 10 is fitted into the central opening 9 of the frame part 8. Thus, the grille member 10 covers the central opening 9 of the corresponding frame part 8. Thereby, the outer cover 6 having a pair of openings 9 on either side can be manufactured in an aesthetically desirable manner without complicating the manufacturing process. A garnish member 11 extends along the front, upper and lower sides of each frame part 8 so as to surround the corresponding grille member 10 from the three sides.

The central opening 9 has a trapezoidal shape with the short side thereof at the front. The upper side of each central opening 9 inclines upward toward the rear, and the lower side of each central opening 9 inclines downward toward the rear. The front short side and the rear long side both extend substantially vertically. The lower side part of each frame part 8 has a width that progressively increases toward rear. Thereby, water splashes created by the propeller 4 in the rear part of the boat 2 are prevented from reaching the central opening 9 and water is effectively prevented from coming into the interior of the outer cover 6.

Each grille member 10 consists of a peripheral part 12 that extends along the upper, front and lower peripheral sides thereof and a plurality of slats 13 extending vertically between the upper and lower peripheral sides of the peripheral part 12. As used herein, “extending vertically” means extending substantially vertically, and does not mean extending completely vertically. The slats 13 are slanted so as to be displaced inward toward the rear part thereof so that vertically elongated openings 15 facing forward or obliquely forward are defined so that the surrounding air can be scooped into the interior of the outer cover 6 as the boat 2 travels forward. In this embodiment, a vertically intermediate part of each slat 13 is offset outward relative to the upper and lower end parts thereof so that the surrounding air can be particularly favorably scooped into the interior of the outer cover 6. Each grille member 10 is provided with three mounting pieces 14 projecting inward from an intermediate point on the front edge thereof and upper and lower rear ends thereof, and these mounting pieces 14 are attached to the corresponding frame part 8.

The outer peripheral part 8a of each frame part 8 extending along the front, upper and lower sides of thereof is planar and recessed inward relative to the inner peripheral part 8b thereof which is bent outward at an angle so as to define a slanted outer surface which rises outward toward the inner peripheral edge thereof. Thereby, a smooth transition from the frame part 8 to the grille member 10 can be accomplished in a favorable manner. The garnish member 11 is attached to an outer surface of the planar outer peripheral part 8a of the frame part 8 by a bonding agent or a double-sided tape. Thereby, the garnish member 11 can be configured to be aesthetically desirable and effective against snagging of an object by the grille member 10. The garnish member 11 has a triangular outwardly convex cross-section shape having a shape of an inverted letter V so that the pointed end thereof faces outward. As used herein, “triangular” means substantially triangular, and does not mean completely triangular.

As shown in FIG. 5, an inner peripheral part of the main body 6a of the outer cover 6 adjoining each frame part 8 is bent inward toward an outer surface of the outer peripheral part of the frame part 8 and abuts against the planar outer peripheral part 8a of the frame part 8. Thus, the planar outer peripheral part 8a of the frame part 8 is recessed inward relatively to the main body 6a of the outer cover 6 and the inner peripheral part 8b of the frame part 8, and the garnish member 11 projects outward beyond the outer profile of the adjoining part of the main body 6a of the outer cover 6 and the grille member 10. Further, the part of the grille member 10 adjoining the inner peripheral edge of the central opening 9 of each frame part 8 is substantially flush with the inner peripheral edge of the frame part 8 in regard to the outer contour thereof.

In this embodiment, the garnish member 11 has a triangular cross-section and is attached to the outer peripheral part 8a of the frame part 8. The triangular cross-section has two oblique sides in addition to the base, and the outer oblique side of the triangular cross-section extends along a line S which passes above (or outward) of the adjoining parts of the grille member 10 (or above the entire grille member 10). Alternatively, the garnish member 11 may have a rounded triangular cross-section or a semicircular cross-section seated on the outer peripheral part 8a of the frame part 8 at the flat side thereof.

Owing to this positioning and shape of the garnish member 11, an external object such as a fishing line is less likely to be snagged by the grille member 10 or an adjacent part thereof. For instance, when a fishing line is pushed against the outer surface of the outer cover 6 and slid along the side surface thereof from the front to the rear, the fishing line slides along the outer pointed end of the garnish member 11 and is kept away from protrusions of the grille member 10.

Specifically, since the garnish member 11 projects beyond the outer profile of the adjacent part of the outer cover 6 and beyond the grille member 10, an object such as a fishing line is prevented from being snagged by the grille member 10 or any adjacent parts thereof. Also, since the garnish member 11 projects beyond the outer profile of the grille member 10, the fishing line is prevented from being snagged by the grille member 10 or any adjacent parts thereof in a reliable manner. Furthermore, since the garnish member 11 is attached to the outer surface of the part of the outer cover 6 surrounding the central opening 9 at the base of the triangular cross section, an object such as a fishing line can be favorably raised away from the outer surface of the grille member 10 by the garnish member 11 as the object is slid along the outer surface of the outer cover 6.

The present invention has been described in terms of a specific embodiment, but the present invention is not limited by the illustrated embodiment and can be changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For instance, the present invention can be applied not only to boats in general but also to other forms of watercraft such as pontoon boats, V-hull watercraft, and jet ski watercraft. The garnish member 11 is not required to surround the grille member 10 from three sides, but it suffices if the garnish member 11 extends along at least a part of the outer periphery of the grille member 10.

The provisional application for the present application as well as the contents of the prior art reference mentioned in this application are incorporated in this application by reference. In addition, the specific configurations, arrangements, quantities, materials, etc. of various parts can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. Moreover, the above embodiments may be combined with each other in part or all of the configurations. Further, not all of the components shown in the above embodiments are essential and can be selected and substituted as appropriate.

Claims

1. An outboard motor, comprising: an outer cover defining an outer surface of an upper part of the outboard motor and provided with an opening;a grille member that covers the opening of the outer cover; anda garnish member extending along at least a part of an outer periphery of the grille member,wherein the garnish member has an outwardly convex cross-sectional shape, and projects beyond an outer profile of an adjoining part of the outer cover and the grille member.

2. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the garnish member projects beyond an outer profile of the grille member.

3. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the garnish member has a triangular cross-section and is attached to an outer surface of a part of the outer cover surrounding the opening at a base of the triangular cross-section.

4. The outboard motor according to claim 3, wherein a side of the triangular cross-section on an outer peripheral side extends along a line that passes outward of the grille member.

5. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the grille member includes a louver formed by a plurality of slats extending vertically so as to define a plurality of forwardly facing openings in a rear side part of the outer cover.

6. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the garnish member extends along an upper side, a front side, and a lower side of the grille member.

7. The outboard motor according to claim 6, wherein parts of the garnish member extending along an upper side and a lower side of the grille member are inclined upward and downward, respectively, toward rear.

8. The outboard motor according to claim 7, wherein a vertically intermediate part of each slat is offset outward relative to an upper and lower end parts thereof.

9. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the outer cover includes a main body having a rear opening in a rear part thereof, a rear cover part closing the rear opening of the main body and a pair of frame parts extending from either side edge of the rear cover part and fitted into a pair of cutouts formed on a rear edge of the main body, respectively, each frame part defining the opening.

10. The outboard motor according to claim 9, wherein an outer peripheral part of each frame part extending along an outer peripheral part of an upper side, a front side and a lower side of the frame part is recessed inward relative to an adjacent region of the outer cover, the garnish member being attached to an outer surface of the outer peripheral part of each frame part.

11. The outboard motor according to claim 10, wherein an inner peripheral part of the main body adjacent to each frame part is bent inward toward an outer surface of the outer peripheral part of the frame part.

12. The outboard motor according to claim 10, wherein an inner peripheral part of each frame part is bent outward so as to define an inclined outer surface.

13. The outboard motor according to claim 10, wherein a lower side part of each frame part has a width that progressively increases toward rear.