IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,728,973
Granted Patent B2
US 12,728,973 · App. 18/081,385 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Outboard motor

Inventor: Tomokazu Hikosaka (Hamamatsu, JP)
Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
B63H20/14B63H20/32B63H2005/106
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,728,973
App. No.
18/081,385
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An outboard motor includes an outer propeller shaft extending in a front-rear direction, an inner propeller shaft extending in the front-rear direction and disposed at an inner peripheral side of the outer propeller shaft, a rear driven gear disposed at a rear side of a drive gear, a front driven gear disposed at a front side of the drive gear, and a case covering front portions of the outer propeller shaft and the inner propeller shaft, the drive gear, the rear driven gear, and the front driven gear. A first bearing rotatably supporting the outer propeller shaft on the case and configured to receive an axial load acting on the outer propeller shaft in a front direction is provided at an outer peripheral side of the front portion of the outer propeller shaft.

Claims (22)

1 . An outboard motor for a contra-rotating propeller type, comprising:

an outer propeller shaft extending in a front-rear direction and having a tubular shape, to whose rear portion a first propeller is mounted;

an inner propeller shaft extending in the front-rear direction and disposed at an inner peripheral side of the outer propeller shaft, to whose rear portion a second propeller is mounted;

a rear driven gear disposed at a rear side of a drive gear coupled to a lower end side of a drive shaft extending in an up-down direction, configured to mesh with the drive gear, and coupled to a front end side of the outer propeller shaft;

a front driven gear disposed at a front side of the drive gear, configured to mesh with the drive gear, and coupled to a front end side of the inner propeller shaft; and

a case covering a front portion of the outer propeller shaft, a front portion of the inner propeller shaft, the drive gear, the rear driven gear, and the front driven gear,

wherein a first bearing rotatably supporting the outer propeller shaft on the case and configured to receive an axial load acting on the outer propeller shaft in a front direction from the first bearing toward the rear driven gear is provided at an outer peripheral side of the front portion of the outer propeller shaft, and

wherein the first bearing is disposed at a rear side of a third bearing so as to be adjacent to the third bearing, the third bearing rotatably supporting the rear driven gear on the case.

2 . The outboard motor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first bearing is disposed between the front portion of the outer propeller shaft and the case,

wherein a load transmission mechanism configured to transmit the axial load acting on the outer propeller shaft in the front direction to the first bearing is provided at the outer peripheral side of the front portion of the outer propeller shaft, and

wherein a bearing support mechanism supporting the first bearing so that the first bearing is not displaced in the front direction with respect to the case is provided at the case.

3 . The outboard motor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first bearing is disposed at an outer peripheral side of the rear driven gear or at a rear side of the rear driven gear.

4 . The outboard motor according to claim 1 ,

wherein a second bearing rotatably supporting the outer propeller shaft on the case is provided at an outer peripheral side of the outer propeller shaft and at a rear side of the first bearing.

5 . The outboard motor according to claim 4 ,

wherein the first bearing has a larger load capacity in an axial direction than the second bearing.

6 . The outboard motor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the third bearing is configured to receive an axial load acting on the third bearing in a rear direction from the rear driven gear.

7 . The outboard motor according to claim 4 ,

wherein the second bearing is a double-row needle bearing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2022
From: HIKOSAKA, TOMOKAZU
To: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062093/0418 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-209507 · Dec 23, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230202635A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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