Electrical Housing for an Outboard Motor

This invention relates to an outboard marine propulsion system, and more particularly to mounting of electrical components to the engine associated with an outboard motor.

An internal combustion engine employed in the powerhead of an outboard motor typically includes a number of electrical or electronic components, which must be mounted to the engine. In the past, it has been known to mount electrical or electronic components at various locations on the engine, as space allowed and as required by the desired location of the component. This resulted in many components being scattered throughout various locations on the engine. During assembly, each component would be separately mounted to the engine, and appropriate leads connected to the component. Accordingly, such assembly entailed a multi-step process for each component.

In addition, water is always present in the operating environment of an outboard motor, and it is important that the electrical and the electronic components be guarded against exposure to excessive moisture.

Boede, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,809 discloses a modular assembly of electrical components within a box, with leads extending from the box. The box is adapted for mounting to the engine by means of mounting bosses.

It is an object of the present invention to address the concerns noted above, namely mounting the electrical components in various locations on the engine, and shielding the components from moisture. It is a further object of the invention to contain the majority of the electrical components within a single housing, and to efficiently locate the housing on the engine. It is another object of the invention to simplify assembly of electrical components to the engine.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, in which the engine is provided with a pair of oppositely slanted cylinder banks forming a V-shaped engine, a modular electrical component housing is mounted to the engine and located within the valley of the V-shape between the cylinder banks. A majority of the engine electrical components are contained within the housing. The housing is in the form of a box having walls defining a housing interior within which the electrical components are secured, and a cover is mounted to the box for enclosing the housing interior. In an outboard motor including an adaptor plate mounted between the engine and the upper end of a driveshaft housing, the electrical component housing is interconnected with the adaptor plate. The interconnection of the electrical housing with the adaptor plate is accomplished by forming upwardly facing recesses or pockets in the upper surface of the adaptor plate, and providing projections extending from the lower wall of the housing, which are adapted for placement within the recesses formed in the adaptor plate. Resilient material, such as rubber, is provided on the projections for isolating the electrical component housing from vibrations. A mounting flange is provided on the electrical housing toward its upper end, and is adapted for connection to a mounting surface provided on the engine.

The invention further contemplates a method of mounting electrical components to an internal combustion engine, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an internal combustion engine comprising the powerhead of an outboard motor, incorporating the electrical component housing of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of the engine of FIG. 1, reference being made to line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the electrical component housing of the invention, reference being made to line 3--3 of FIG. 1 and;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the electrical component housing with the cover mounted thereto.

FIG. 1 illustrates an outboard motor 10. An internal combustion engine 12 comprises the powerhead of outboard motor 10, and includes an engine block 14 to which a crankcase 16 is mounted. An air intake assembly 18 is mounted to the upper end of engine 12, and supplies intake air through an intake opening 20 to an air intake box 22. Intake air is supplied from air intake box 22 to crankcase 16, and from crankcase 16 to the engine cylinders, in accordance with known 2-stroke cycle engine operation.

A vapor separator assembly 24 is mounted to the side of air intake box 22, for separating vapors out of the fuel, and for filtering water and containments from the fuel. Fuel injectors (not shown) are mounted to engine 12 for injecting fuel into crankcase 16 to provide an air-fuel mixture, as is known.

Engine block 14 defines a pair of oppositely slanted, vertically oriented cylinder banks, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at 26, 28. Cylinder banks 26, 28 each include three horizontally oriented cylinders, to define a vertical, axis V-6 engine.

The lower end of engine block 14 and crankcase 16 are mounted to an adaptor plate 30 (FIG. 1), which is connected to the upper end of a driveshaft housing (not shown), in accordance with known construction of an outboard motor. Adaptor plate 30 includes openings for accommodating passage of a driveshaft 32 therethrough, which is rotatably driven by the crank shaft of engine 12. Adaptor plate 30 further includes openings for allowing passage of exhaust gases into an exhaust cavity provided in the driveshaft housing as well as for providing flow of cooling water into and out of engine 12.

An electrical component housing 34 is mounted to engine 12, and is located between cylinder banks 26, 28 within the valley of the V-shape defined by banks 26, 28. As will be explained, electrical component housing 34 houses within its interior a majority of the electrical components associated with outboard motor 10.

Electrical component housing 34 includes a body portion or box 36 and a cover 38. Box 36 and cover 38 are preferably formed from a die cast aluminum material, which is desirable for its light weight and corrosion resistance. Box 36 includes a front wall 40 (FIG. 3) facing engine 12, a top wall 42, a bottom wall 44, and a pair of side walls 46, 48. Walls 40-48 cooperate to define the interior of electrical component housing 34, within which the various electrical components associated with engine 12 are contained. FIG. 3 illustrates the electrical components housed within the interior of box 36 in one illustrative application. As shown, a series of ignition coil assemblies 50 are mounted in the central portion of box 36 adjacent side walls 46 and 48. External leads 52 are connected to starter coils 50 and are secured to side walls 46 and 48 of box 36. Leads 52 are adapted for connection to the engine spark plugs, shown at 54 in FIGS. 1 and 2. An electric starter solenoid 56 is mounted within the interior of box 36 adjacent sidewall 46. Wires 58 are connected to starter solenoid 56, and are contained within an external cable 60 which is secured to box sidewall 48. A pair of solenoids 62, 64 are contained within the interior of box 36 adjacent bottom wall 34. An external cable 66 is connected to side wall 48, and houses a series of wires 68, which are adapted for interconnection with solenoids 62, 64. An idle control module 70 is mounted in the uppermost portion of box 36. A cable 72 is connected to side wall 48, and houses a series of wires 74 adapted for interconnection with idle control module 70. Finally, a switch-box module 76 is mounted within box 36 immediately below idle control module 70.

Other electrical components as necessary could be contained within box 36 as required to control the components of engine 12 and outboard motor 10. Also, some of the components illustrated in FIG. 3 may be eliminated.

A pair of projections 78 extend downwardly from a pair of disk-like members 80 mounted to the outer surface of lower wall 44. A pair of rubber feet 82 are mounted to projections 78 below disk-like members 80. Projections 78 are provided with a bulge, and feet 82 each include a recess with an inner portion adapted to accept the bulge of projections 78 for securely engaging feet 82 with projections 78.

Referring to FIG. 4, adaptor plate 30 is provided with a pair of upwardly facing recesses 84. Recesses 84 receive the lower portions of feet 82, with the downwardly facing shoulders of feet 82 engaging the upper surface of adaptor plate 30 adjacent the openings into recesses 84. With this arrangement, rubber feet 82 are received within recesses 84 and isolate electrical component housing 34 from vibrations experienced by adaptor plate 30 during operation of outboard motor 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, front wall 40 of box 36 is provided with a pair of mounting flanges 86 extending exteriorly of front wall 40 toward engine 12. Flanges 86 are adapted for placement adjacent mounting shoulders 88, provided on engine block 12. Vertical openings are formed in mounting flanges 86 and upwardly facing threaded openings are provided in mounting shoulders 88. A pair of threaded bolts 90 extend through the vertical openings formed in mounting flanges 86 and into the threaded openings formed in mounting shoulders 88, for securing the upper portion of box 36 to engine 12 at a point spaced above the interconnection of lower wall 44 with adaptor plate 30 through feet 82 and recesses 84. A pair of rubber washer 92, 94 are placed one on either side of mounting flanges 86, for isolating box 36 from vibrations during operation of engine 12.

Electrical component housing 34, with electrical components 50, 56, 62, 64, 70 and 76, and the leads connected to the components and the walls of box 36, is mounted to outboard motor 10 by first placing feet 82 into recesses 84 after engine 12 is mounted to adaptor plate 30. Box 36 is then tipped forwardly until the openings in mounting flanges 86 are located over the threaded openings in mounting shoulders 88. Rubber washers 92, 94 are then position adjacent mounting flanges 86, and bolts 90 inserted through washers 92, 94, and mounting flanges 86 and threaded into the threaded openings in mounting shoulders 88. Either before or after mounting of box 36 to engine 12, cover 38 is connected to box 36 by threading screws 96 through openings formed in the outer edges of cover 38 and into threaded openings 98 provided at corresponding locations in walls 42-48 of box 36. A gasket is positioned between box 36 and cover 38 for providing a water-tight seal therebetween, to protect the electrical components contained within electrical component housing 34.

Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.