Power damping mechanism for input shaft of auxiliary machine

1. A power damping mechanism for an input shaft of an auxiliary machine of an engine that is configured to be driven by the engine via a power transmission mechanism, the power damping mechanism comprising:

a retainer plate that is fastened to the input shaft of the auxiliary machine and is rotatable with the input shaft, the retainer plate having a plurality of tubular retainer portions arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction;

a damping member having a damping portion that is fitted to each of the retainer portions and is made of an elastic material, and a fastening portion by which the damping portion is fastened to the power transmission mechanism;

an intermediate plate that is disposed between the retainer plate and the power transmission mechanism to fasten the fastening portion of the damping member to the power transmission mechanism; and

an end cap configured to fasten the retainer plate to the input shaft;

wherein the input shaft of the auxiliary machine is coupled to the power transmission mechanism via the damping member and is configured to operate in association with the power transmission mechanism; and

wherein the end cap, the retainer plate, the damping member, and the intermediate plate are removably mountable as a unitary component to the power transmission mechanism and the input shaft.

2. The power damping mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening portion of the damping member includes a metal pin.

3. The power damping mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary machine is a supercharger.

4. The power damping mechanism according to claim 3 ,

wherein the power transmission mechanism includes:

a belt and pulley mechanism including a drive pulley coupled cooperatively with the engine and a driven pulley rotatable relative to the input shaft of the supercharger, and the fastening portion of the damping member is fastened to the driven pulley.

5. The power damping mechanism according to claim 4 ,

wherein the retainer plate is disposed with a predetermined gap to be in non-contact with the driven pulley of the power transmission mechanism.

6. The power damping mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the intermediate plate has an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of a circle circumscribing a plurality of damping members arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.

7. A personal watercraft comprising:

an engine;

an auxiliary machine of the engine that is configured to be driven by the engine via a power transmission mechanism; and

a power damping mechanism for the input shaft of the auxiliary machine, the power damping mechanism including:

a retainer plate that is fastened to the input shaft of the auxiliary machine and is rotatable with the input shaft, the retainer plate having a plurality of tubular retainer portions arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction; and

a damping member having a damping portion that is fitted to each of the retainer portions and is made of an elastic material, and a fastening portion by which the damping portion is fastened to the power transmission mechanism;

an intermediate plate that is disposed between the retainer plate and the power transmission mechanism to fasten the fastening portion of the damping member to the power transmission mechanism; and

an end cap configured to fasten the retainer plate to the input shaft;

wherein the input shaft of the auxiliary machine is coupled to the power transmission mechanism via the damping member and is configured to operate in association with the power transmission mechanism; and

wherein the end cap, the retainer plate, the damping member, and the intermediate plate are removably mountable as a unitary component to the power transmission mechanism and the input shaft.

8. A power damping mechanism for an input shaft of an auxiliary machine of an engine that is configured to be driven by the engine via a power transmission mechanism, the power damping mechanism comprising:

a retainer plate that is fastened to the input shaft of the auxiliary machine and is rotatable with the input shaft, the retainer plate having a plurality of tubular retainer portions arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction;

a damping member fitted to each of the retainer portions, the damping member having a damping portion made of elastic material and a fastening portion by which the damping portion is fastened to the power transmission mechanism;

wherein the input shaft of the auxiliary machine is coupled to the power transmission mechanism via the damping member and is configured to operate in association with the power transmission mechanism;

wherein the power damping mechanism further comprises an intermediate plate that is disposed between the retainer plate and the power transmission mechanism to fasten the fastening portion of the damping member to the power transmission mechanism; and

wherein the intermediate plate has an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of a circle circumscribing a plurality of damping members arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.