AN OUTBOARD FOR WATERCRAFT
The present disclosure relates to an outboard for a watercraft. The outboard has a body comprising a motor housing portion for housing an electric motor and a controller, and a closed cooling loop for cooling fluid to cool the electric motor and the controller when 5 housed in the motor housing portion. The outboard is configured such that a portion of the cooling loop is submerged when the outboard is in use.
1 . An outboard for a watercraft, the outboard having a body comprising:
a motor housing portion for housing an axial flux electrical machine and a controller; and
a closed cooling loop, for cooling fluid, configured to cool the axial flux electrical machine and the controller when housed in the motor housing portion, wherein the cooling loop is configured such that a portion thereof is submerged in water when the outboard is in use.
2 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cooling loop is situated adjacent an outer surface of the outboard, said outer surface being submerged in water when the outboard is in use.
3 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling loop extends through a mid-section of the outboard, the cooling loop in the mid-section having a cool side and a hot side, wherein the hot side is situated adjacent to a front surface of the mid-section when the outboard is in use.
4 . The outboard according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling loop is configured such that when the controller and axial flux electrical machine are housed within the motor housing portion the cool side of the cooling loop is configured to cool the controller before cooling the axial flux electrical machine.
5 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling loop comprises a heat exchanger.
6 . The outboard according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is provided in a portion of the outboard body which is configured to be submerged in water when the outboard is in use.
7 . The outboard according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent to a front surface of the body of the outboard when in use.
8 . The outboard according to claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a larger effective cross-sectional area than the cooling loop portions which put the motor housing portion in fluid communication with the heat exchanger.
9 - 10 . (canceled)
11 . The outboard according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmission housing, wherein the cooling loop at least partially surrounds the transmission housing.
12 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling loop comprises a coolant pump configured to pump cooling fluid around the cooling loop.
13 . The outboard according to claim 10 , wherein the coolant pump is configured to be driven by an axial flux electrical machine housed within the motor housing portion.
14 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling loop further comprises an expansion vessel for controlling coolant pressure and/or coolant fill-level.
15 . (canceled)
16 . The outboard according to claim 1 , wherein the motor housing portion comprises a stator housing for receiving a stator of the axial flux electrical machine.
17 - 44 . (canceled)
45 . An outboard assembly comprising:
an outboard according to claim 1 ;
an axial flux electrical machine housed within the motor housing portion;
a propeller coupled to a lower section of the outboard; and
a drive coupling extending between the axial flux electrical machine and the propeller.
46 . The outboard assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the propeller comprises a plurality of blades, wherein at least one of the plurality of blades comprises a cutting portion for cutting fouling.
47 . The outboard assembly according to claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of blades comprise a cutting portion.
48 . The outboard assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the cutting portion comprises a sharper edge than other edges of the at least one blade.
49 . The outboard assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the cutting portion is made from a more durable material than other portions of the blade.
50 . (canceled)
51 . The outboard according to claim 14 , further comprising a skeg extending beneath the lower section of the outboard, wherein skeg is made from a less durable material than the lower section.
52 - 54 . (canceled)
55 . A watercraft comprising the outboard assembly of claim 1 .