Abstract: A two-speed transmission (30) with reverse gearing for a watercraft (10). The transmission is disposed in the gimbal housing (25) passing through the transom (14) of the watercraft. A pair of planetary gears (46,80) share a common ring gear (40) to provide both forward-reverse and first-second gearing in a very compact package. The transmission housing may be formed in two portions, a first housing (32) containing the forward-reverse gear mechanisms and a second housing (62) containing the first-second gear mechanism. The transmission output shaft (64) is connected to the drive shaft (122) of a vertical drive unit (24) by a double universal joint (74) that may be replaced without disassembling the transmission components.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection internal combustion engine configured to reduce engine knock during high speed operation of the engine is provided. The engine comprises a cylinder head including a lower surface portion closing an upper end of a cylinder to define a combustion chamber between a piston upper surface and the cylinder head lower surface portion. The lower surface portion has therein an upwardly extending recess. The recess has a lower end which is complementary with the piston surface and an upper end. The lower end of said recess has an area in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cylinder and that area comprises a range from more than 20% to about 65% of the cross-sectional area of the cylinder.

Abstract: A vent control system having a closed biased vent valve is used to separate vapor and/or air from a liquid in an enclosed chamber. The closed biased vent valve has a float having an upwardly extending float arm which cooperates with a lever arm of the closed biased vent valve to prevent unintended release of vapor or liquid from the enclosed chamber. The upwardly extending float arm and the lever arm are coupled to one another when the float is located beneath a designated level in the enclosed chamber and are decoupled from one another when the float rises above the designated level. The vent control system is much less susceptible to vibration induced vent opening than a traditional vent valve. The vent control system is well suited for use in a fuel vapor separator that includes a housing having the enclosed chamber formed within it.

Abstract: A boat having a propulsion system and a station containing throttle, shift and cruise controls at some distance from the propulsion system. The throttle, shift and cruise control elements generate electrical signals which are transmitted to a electronic control unit in the propulsion system. The electronic control unit controls the fuel injection and the ignition of fuel for the propulsion system and also signals the throttle and the transmission in response to an operator's manipulation of the throttle, shift or cruise control elements. There are no mechanical links or cables between the throttle, shift and cruise control elements and the propulsion system.

Abstract: A water jet apparatus for a boat has a reverse gate optimized for braking. The reverse gate has a pair of flow-reversing passages for providing reverse thrust when the reverse gate is deployed and a lateral steering passage for directing flow, discharged to one side by the steering nozzle, to the opposite side. The flow-reversing passages start on opposite sides of a deflector body and curve outward and forward. The lateral steering passage is located aft of the deflector body and reversing passages and has discharge openings on opposite ends thereof, i.e., on the port and starboard sides of the reverse gate. The center of the aft wall of the reversing passages has an aperture, which allows water discharged from the steering nozzle to enter the steering passages. The deflector is situated in front of the aperture to deflect the pump discharge to the sides. The deflector takes the form of a flat body having an oval cross section with rounded side edges and having an hourglass shape when viewed from the front.

Abstract: A jet-powered watercraft has a water jet propulsion unit driven by a powerhead and a rudder pivotably mounted to the water jet propulsion unit. The rudder is pivotable between a retracted position, where the rudder extends out of the water, and a down position, where the rudder extends in the water. Means are provided for changing the position of the rudder when the revolutions per unit time of the powerhead reaches a predetermined threshold, e.g., pivoting the rudder from the down position to the retracted position when the powerhead rpm level exceeds a predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, the revolutions per unit time of the drive shaft are detected. In another embodiment, the control position of the operator throttle control device is detected. Pivoting of the rudder may be actuated by a solenoid, a hydraulic cylinder or any other functionally equivalent electrical, mechanical or electromechanical device.

Abstract: A jet-propelled boat having an inboard motor and a hull which incorporates an inlet ramp penetrated by a driven shaft. The driven shaft couples a drive shaft of the inboard motor to an impeller of a water jet propulsion assembly which is mounted in cantilever fashion to the hull transom. The hull penetration is accomplished by a through-hull housing which is installed in an opening formed in the hull inlet ramp. Preferably the through-hull housing is made of thick metal plate with a transverse linear bore for shaft penetration and a peripheral flange which seats in a peripheral recess formed along the edge of the opening in the inlet ramp. The through-hull housing is clamped to the recessed hull edge, which forms the opening in the inlet ramp, by an annular clamp plate. An inlet grate extending from the outboard surface of the through-hull housing. A through-hull housing and inlet grate assembly is installed in the hull opening as a module.

Abstract: A piston for a two-stroke direct fuel injection internal combustion engine coupled to drive a marine propulsion unit is provided. The piston has a generally cylindrical body with one or more grooves formed therein. Each groove defines an opening to receive a respective piston ring. A thermal-protection coating is applied by anodizing the interior of the grooves. The respective region of the piston cylindrical body surrounding the respective groove openings is free of the coating.

Abstract: A fuel vapor separator is disclosed having a fuel distribution network, a damper chamber, and a closed biased vent valve. The fuel vapor separator has a housing having two opposed ends enclosed by top and bottom covers. The housing is formed by extrusion and the top and bottom covers are molded identically. An integral fuel distribution network is provided to supply fuel to each fuel injector of an engine and to receive fuel return from each fuel injector. A fuel damper chamber communicates with the fuel inlet port to absorb pressure surges. A fuel float having an upwardly extending float arm is located in an enclosed fuel chamber and connected to a closed biased vent valve mounted in the housing. The float is arranged to decouple from the closed biased vent valve to present “engine spit.

Abstract: A reciprocating fluid pump includes a drive section and a pump section. The drive section has a pair of coils which may be energized to cause displacement of a reciprocating assembly. Each coil is a reluctance gap arrangement in which a magnetic circuit is interrupted by a gap towards which an armature of the reciprocating assembly is drawn when energizing current is applied to the coil. The reciprocating assembly includes an element which is extended into and retracted from a pump chamber during its reciprocating motion, causing fluid to be drawn into and expelled from the pump chamber. The pump is particularly well suited for use in cyclic pumping applications, such as internal combustion engine fuel injection. Cycle times in such applications may be reduced by appropriate control of the current waveforms applied to the coils.

Abstract: A multi-function pressure relief valve having a moveable seat and a needle is mounted on a fuel vapor separator. The needle is connected to a float assembly for opening and closing the pressure relief valve for venting an internal chamber of the fuel vapor separator. The moveable seat is biased to engage the needle for relieving excess pressure when vapor pressure in the internal chamber exceeds a biasing force on the movable seat. The valve opens in response to at least one of (1) changing fluid level in the fuel vapor separator, and (2) excess vapor pressure within the vapor fuel separator. During operation, the valve vents an internal chamber of the fuel vapor separator by disengaging the needle from the movable seat using a float attached to the needle. The valve closes when the float reaches a desired position to pressurize the internal chamber by engaging the needle to the movable seat.

Abstract: The escape of acoustic energy via an opening in a motor housing penetrated by a steering arm is reduced by installing a pair of acoustic seals. The seals have respective membranes which extend across respective portions of the opening in the housing. These membranes are flexible, self-supporting and substantially block the transmission therethrough of acoustic wave energy in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 hertz. The acoustic seals installed in the housing opening, in combination with a vibro-acoustic treatment applied on the inner surface of the motor housing, suppress noise produced by the motor.

Abstract: Computerized system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided. The system includes a speed-setting device operable to supply a signal indicative of a desired engine speed. A speed sensor is coupled to the engine to supply a signal indicative of the actual speed of the engine. An electronic control unit is coupled to receive the respective signals indicative of desired engine speed and actual engine speed. The control unit in turn includes a comparator configured to compare the respective signals indicative of desired and actual engine speed relative to one another and supply a comparator output signal based on the magnitude of any differences therebetween. A processor is responsive to the comparator output signal to adjust one or more engine operational parameters of the engine.

Abstract: A common fluid pressure supply apparatus (40) for a watercraft (10). A fluid interconnection apparatus interconnects the hydraulic fluid circuits operating the hydraulic transmission (18), power steering (30), and tilt-trim function (34) for an inboard/outboard stem drive (20) watercraft. A single fill vessel (104), oil cooler (82), and filter (126) are utilized for the common fluid pressure supply apparatus. The fluid interconnection apparatus may include the transmission housing reservoir (42).

Abstract: A shift linkage has a linkage bracket that transmits motion from a drive linkage to a driven linkage. The linkage bracket has a slot that operably engages with a guide to facilitate during an outboard marine engine operation. The slot has an upper and a lower portion such that the lower portion is configured with a lost-motion channel. A guide is disposed in the slot and is configured to ride along the lost motion channel. The drive linkage is connected to the guide to displace initial motion and the driven linkage is connected to the tongue to receive linear motion from the drive linkage. The drive linkage is connected to the guide such that the lost motion channel and the guide are engaged to produce a force having vertical and horizontal components. The vertical component engages a switch and the horizontal component transmits motion to the driven linkage.

Abstract: The invention includes an oil system vent that is remote from an oil reservoir so that the oil reservoir can be stored in the bilge section of a boat. The oil reservoir has an oil supply outlet and an oil supply return. The oil reservoir is constructed without a ventilation means attached thereto. The oil system vent includes an oil return port having an oil input and an oil output. The oil input receives pressurized lubricant and the oil output returns the pressurized lubricant to the oil supply return of the oil reservoir. The oil return port has a vent port in communication with atmospheric pressure so that when lubricant is drawn and used from the oil reservoir, the vent port allows air to displace the used lubricant in the oil reservoir. The oil reservoir is positioned at a relatively low elevation, in the bilge section of the boat, and the vent port is positioned at a relatively high elevation with respect to the outboard motor.

Abstract: An electric propulsion system for watercraft, such as fishing boats, includes an electric motor disposed within a dry cavity of the craft hull, and a prop disposed outboard, below a waterline of the craft. The prop is driven by the motor via a support and power transmission assembly. The motor and prop may be supported by the support and power transmission assembly. A seal assembly is provided at the location where the support and power transmission assembly passes through the hull. A pair of similar propulsion systems may be provided at symmetrical locations with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the hull. Control circuitry permits navigational commands to be input by an operator and translated to speed commands for the propulsion system or systems. The system may remain deployed at all times without the need to retract and stow the prop or motor during transport.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an electronic control unit for an internal combustion engine. The electronic control unit may have multiple channels with each channel being adapted to provide an input drive signal to a fuel delivery apparatus. A first channel is selected for calibration. A reference signal of desired and known parameters is also defined. The reference signal is defined such that it is indicative of the cyclical performance of a fuel delivery apparatus such as a fuel injection device. A command signal is generated and passed through the circuitry of the selected channel. The channel circuitry generates a drive signal in response to the command signal. A desired parameter of the drive signal is measured for comparison with the known parameter of the reference signal. If necessary, the command signal is then adjusted so as to produce a modified drive signal which has a parameter with reduced variation from the known reference parameter.