Shock absorbing arrangement for marine outboard drive

Abstract

A shock absorbing arrangement integrates in a compact manner into a fluid motor of a tilt cylinder, and consequently is particularly well suited for a small outboard drive that may only have a slimed tilt cylinder. The shock absorbing arrangement is provided in a piston for permitting flow from the first chamber to the second chamber upon the application of a predetermined force tending to cause the outboard drive to tilt-up. The shock-absorbing mechanism comprises a check valve assembly accommodated in a hollow space that is formed in the piston and is closed by a plug attached to the piston. A piston rod extends through the first chamber from the piston and is separately formed with the piston. The piston rod includes a passage that communicates with the hollow formed in the piston. A diameter of the passage provided in the piston rod is larger than the diameter of a valve seat for the check valve assembly in order to reduce fluid friction loss across the shock-absorbing valve assembly.

1. A positioning mechanism for an outboard drive supported for tilting movement relative to a hull of an associated watercraft about a substantially horizontally disposed tilt axis, the positioning mechanism comprising a fluid motor assembly having a cylinder, a piston slidably supported in the cylinder and defining first and second chambers, a piston rod extending from the piston through one of the chambers, and a shock-absorbing mechanism arranged to permit fluid to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber upon the application of a preset force tending to cause the outboard drive to tilt up about the tilt axis, the shock-absorbing mechanism including a check valve assembly principally accommodated in a hollow that is formed in the piston and is closed with a plug attached to the piston. 
     
     
       2. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the check valve assembly is substantially aligned with the axis of the piston rod. 
     
     
       3. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the damping  shock- absorbing  mechanism further comprises a passage connecting the first chamber and the hollow, and the check valve assembly comprises a valve seat located between the passage and the hollow. 
     
     
       4. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the passage has a larger diameter than the diameter of the valve seat. 
     
     
       5. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the piston rod and the piston are formed separately, and at least a part of the passage passes through a portion of the piston rod. 
     
     
       6. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the check valve assembly comprises a ball disposed within the hollow and a retainer for retaining the ball, and a spring for urging the retainer toward the valve seat, the spring being arranged between the retainer and the plug. 
     
     
       7. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the damping  shock- absorbing  mechanism further comprises a passage passing through the piston rod and opening to the first chamber. 
     
     
       8. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the damping  shock- absorbing  mechanism further comprises a passage passing through the piston and opening to the first chamber. 
     
     
       9. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the damping  shock- absorbing  mechanism further comprises a passage passing through the piston and opening to the second chamber. 
     
     
       10. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is formed separately with the piston and the piston has a recess mating with an end portion of the piston rod, and the piston rod and the piston being jointed with each other so that the piston rod is affixed to the piston. 
     
     
       11. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the piston rod has a male threaded end and the piston has a female threaded recess. 
     
     
       12. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the second chamber has a free piston. 
     
     
       13. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston includes at least one return check valve for returning fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber after pop-up. 
     
     
       14. A positioning mechanism for an outboard drive supported for tilting movement relative to a hull of an associated watercraft about a substantially horizontally disposed tilt axis, the positioning mechanism comprising a fluid motor assembly having a cylinder, a piston slidably supported in the cylinder and defining first and second chambers, a piston rod being formed separately from the piston and affixed to the piston, the piston rod  extending from the piston through one of the chambers, and a shock absorbing mechanism that permits fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber upon the application of a preset force tending to cause the outboard drive to tilt up about the tilt axis, the shock-absorbing mechanism including a passage connecting the first chamber and to a hollow formed in the piston, and a check valve assembly principally accommodated in the hollow, the check valve assembly including a valve seat that is located between the hollow and the passage and that has a smaller cross-sectional flow area than a cross-sectional flow area of the passage. 
     
     
       15. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein at least a part of the passage passes through the piston rod. 
     
     
       16. A positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the valve assembly additionally comprises a ball disposed in the hollow and is positioned against the valve seat, a retainer, and a spring arranged to urge the retainer toward the valve seat with the retainer acting against the valve. 
     
     
       17. In an outboard drive supported for tilting movement relative to a hull of an associated watercraft about a substantially horizontally disposed tilt axis, a positioning mechanism comprising a fluid motor including a cylinder, a piston slidably supported in the cylinder and defining first and second chambers, a piston rod extending from the piston through one of the chambers, and means for allowing the drive unit to pop-up when an underwater obstacle is struck by the outboard drive, the pop-up allowing means including a check valve assembly accommodated in a hollow being formed in the piston and closed with a plug attached to the piston. 
     
     
       18. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod extends generally vertically through the first chamber, a portion of the piston rod extends out of the first chamber larger when the fluid flows to the second chamber from the first chamber than when the fluid flows to the first chamber from the second chamber. 
     
     
       19. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the piston rod extends generally vertically through the first chamber, a portion of the piston rod extends out of the first chamber larger when the fluid flows to the second chamber from the first chamber than when the fluid flows to the first chamber from the second chamber. 
     
     
       20. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 19  additionally comprising a return valve arranged at the piston, the return valve allowing the fluid in the second chamber to return to the first chamber. 
     
     
       21. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein a size of the return valve is smaller than a size of the check valve assembly. 
     
     
       22. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the piston rod is formed separately from the piston and is affixed to the piston. 
     
     
       23. The positioning mechanism as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the piston rod extends generally vertically through the first chamber, a portion of the piston rod extends out of the first chamber larger when the fluid flows to the second chamber from the first chamber than when the fluid flows to the first chamber from the second chamber. 
     
     
       24. An outboard drive for a watercraft comprising a housing unit, a bracket assembly arranged to support the housing unit to the watercraft for pivotal movement about a generally horizontally extending tilt axis, and a fluid motor arranged to pivotally move the housing unit relative to the watercraft about the tilt axis, the fluid motor comprising a cylinder defining an internal cavity, a piston slidably supported within the cavity, the piston dividing the cavity into first and second chambers, a piston rod extending from the piston generally vertically through the first chamber, and a damping mechanism configured to allow fluid in the first chamber to flow toward the second chamber upon the application of a preset force tending to cause the housing unit to pivot about the tilt axis, the damping mechanism comprising a shock absorbing valve disposed in a hollow defined at the piston, the hollow being closed by a plug. 
     
     
       25. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the hollow communicates with the second chamber. 
     
     
       26. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the piston additionally defining a flow path communicating with the first chamber and the hollow. 
     
     
       27. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 24  additionally comprising a return valve arranged at the piston, the return valve allowing the fluid in the second chamber to return to the first chamber. 
     
     
       28. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein a size of the return valve is smaller than a size of the shock absorbing valve. 
     
     
       29. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the size of the return valve is less than a third of the size of the shock absorbing valve. 
     
     
       30. The outboard drive as set forth in  claim 28  additionally comprising a second piston slidably supported within the second chamber.