Marine drive grommet seal

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 7,294,031
App. No.: 11/586,191
Granted: Nov 13, 2007
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A marine vessel and drive combination has upper and lower mounting plates mounting a marine propulsion device to a hull at an opening with a sealing grommet.

Claims (103)

1. A marine vessel and drive combination comprising a marine vessel comprising a hull extending longitudinally fore-aft between a bow and a stern, a marine propulsion device extending downwardly along a steering axis through said hull and steerable about said steering axis, said hull having an opening receiving said marine propulsion device extending therethrough, said opening having an inner perimeteral edge facing laterally radially inwardly toward said steering axis and having distally opposite upper and lower surfaces, a pair of mounting plates comprising upper and lower mounting plates mounting said marine propulsion device to said hull at said opening, a grommet having a C-shape in cross-section, which C-shaped cross-section has first, second and third resiliently compressible segments, said first segment being compressed between and sealing said upper surface of said opening to said upper mounting plate, said second segment being compressed between and sealing said inner perimeteral edge of said opening to each of said mounting plates, said third segment being compressed between and sealing said lower surface of said opening to said lower mounting plate, wherein said upper mounting plate has first and second sealing surfaces respectively engaging said first and second segments of said grommet, said lower mounting plate has third and fourth sealing surfaces respectively engaging said second and third segments of said grommet.

2. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 1 wherein said second segment of said grommet has an upper span sealingly engaging said upper mounting plate at said second sealing surface, and has a lower span sealingly engaging said lower mounting plate at said third sealing surface.

3. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 2 wherein:

said inner perimeteral edge faces laterally radially inwardly along a first lateral plane;

said first sealing surface and said first segment of said grommet lie in a second lateral plane parallel to said first lateral plane and spaced thereabove;

said fourth sealing surface and said third segment of said grommet lie in a third lateral plane parallel to said first lateral plane and spaced therebelow.

4. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 2 wherein:

said upper and lower mounting plates are clamped to each other at respective first and second facing surfaces;

said upper mounting plate has a first divergent surface diverging upwardly from said first facing surface;

said lower mounting plate has a second divergent surface diverging downwardly from said second facing surface;

said second sealing surface is constituted by at least a portion of said first divergent surface;

said third sealing surface is constituted by at least a portion of said second divergent surface.

5. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 4 wherein:

said first divergent surface has an upper portion extending upwardly to meet said first sealing surface;

said first divergent surface has a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion of said first divergent surface to meet said first facing surface;

said second divergent surface has a lower portion extending downwardly to meet said fourth sealing surface;

said second divergent surface has an upper portion extending upwardly from said lower portion of said second divergent surface to meet said second facing surface;

said second sealing surface extends along at least a portion of said upper portion of said first divergent surface;

said third sealing surface extends along at least a portion of said lower portion of said second divergent surface.

6. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 5 wherein said lower portion of said first divergent surface and said upper portion of said second divergent surface are each laterally spaced from said second segment of said grommet by a gap permitting excess bulging of said grommet upon clamping of said mounting plates to each other.

7. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 2 wherein:

said upper and lower mounting plates are clamped together at a junction;

said upper mounting plate has a first divergent surface diverging upwardly from said junction;

said lower mounting plate has a second divergent surface diverging downwardly from said junction;

said second sealing surface is constituted by at least a portion of said first divergent surface;

said third sealing surface is constituted by at least a portion of said second divergent surface;

said first divergent surface has an upper portion extending upwardly to meet said first sealing surface;

said first divergent surface has a lower portion extending downwardly from said upper portion of said first divergent surface to meet said junction;

said second divergent surface has a lower portion extending downwardly to meet said fourth sealing surface;

said second divergent surface has an upper portion extending upwardly from said lower portion of said second divergent surface to meet said junction;

said second sealing surface extends along at least said upper portion of said first divergent surface;

said third sealing surface extends along at least said lower portion of said second divergent surface;

said second segment of said grommet is laterally between said inner perimeteral edge and said first and second divergent surfaces.

8. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 7 wherein said inner perimeteral edge faces laterally radially inwardly along a lateral plane, and wherein said inner perimeteral edge and said second segment of said grommet and said junction are co-planar along said lateral plane.

9. A marine vessel and drive combination comprising a marine vessel comprising a hull extending longitudinally fore-aft between a bow and a stern, said hull having a lower hull surface, a tunnel formed in said lower hull surface, said tunnel having a top spaced above an open bottom, a marine propulsion device extending downwardly along a steering axis through said hull and downwardly in said tunnel and steerable about said steering axis, said hull at said top of said tunnel having an opening receiving said marine propulsion device extending therethrough, said opening having an inner perimeteral edge facing laterally radially inwardly toward said steering axis and having distally opposite upper and lower surfaces, a pair of mounting plates comprising upper and lower mounting plates mounting said marine propulsion device to said hull at said opening, a grommet having a C-shape in cross-section, which C-shaped cross-section has first, second and third resiliently compressible segments, said first segment being compressed between and sealing said upper surface of said opening to said upper mounting plate, said second segment being compressed between and sealing said inner perimeteral edge of said opening to each of said mounting plates, said third segment being compressed between and sealing said lower surface of said opening to said lower mounting plate.

10. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 9 wherein said tunnel opens aft at said stern and extends forwardly therefrom and has a closed forward end aft of said bow.

11. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 10 wherein said marine propulsion device comprises a driveshaft housing extending downwardly in said tunnel to a lower gearcase supporting at least one propeller shaft driving at least one propeller, and at least a portion of said driveshaft housing is in said tunnel and above said open bottom of said tunnel at said lower hull surface, and at least a portion of said lower gearcase is outside of said tunnel and below said open bottom of said tunnel at said lower hull surface.

12. The marine vessel and drive combination according to claim 9 wherein:

said upper mounting plate has first and second sealing surfaces respectively engaging said first and second segments of said grommet;

said lower mounting plate has third and fourth sealing surfaces respectively engaging said second and third segments of said grommet;

said second segment of said grommet has an upper span sealingly engaging said upper mounting plate at said second sealing surface, and has a lower span sealingly engaging said lower mounting plate at said third sealing surface;