Patents by Inventor Takaji Kawai
Takaji Kawai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6645021Abstract: A cowling assembly for an outboard motor includes an improved construction that can supply relatively cool air containing little water to the induction device and can also supply air to cool engine components without reducing the charging efficiency. The outboard motor has an engine that includes an air induction device and is enclosed within the cowling. The cowling assembly defines a closed cavity in which the engine is contained and has an air intake system. An air intake duct structure introduces air into the cavity. The intake duct structure includes a plurality of relatively narrow connection passages and has an expansion chamber portion disposed on the downstream side of the passages. Intake noise is reduced by this construction. In one preferred form, the cowling assembly additionally has a second intake system. One or more connection passages communicate with the first air intake system and the second air intake system.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Hitoshi Ishida, Masanori Takahashi, Sadato Yoshida, Masaki Okazaki
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Patent number: 6634913Abstract: An outboard motor includes a housing unit and an engine. The engine defines a first exhaust passage and a first lubricant passage. The first exhaust passage generally extends on a first side of the outboard motor. The first lubricant passage generally extends on a second side of the outboard motor opposite to the first side. An exhaust guide member is coupled with the housing unit to support the engine above the housing unit. An exhaust conduit depends from the exhaust guide member within the housing unit. The exhaust guide member defines a second exhaust passage connecting the exhaust conduit with the first exhaust passage. The second exhaust passage generally extends on the first side. A lubricant reservoir depends from the exhaust guide member within the housing unit. The exhaust guide member defines a second lubricant passage connecting the lubricant reservoir with the first lubricant passage. The second lubricant passage generally extends on the second side.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2002Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiko Shibata, Takaji Kawai, Koichi Isozaki
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Publication number: 20020193022Abstract: An outboard motor includes a housing unit and an engine. The engine defines a first exhaust passage and a first lubricant passage. The first exhaust passage generally extends on a first side of the outboard motor. The first lubricant passage generally extends on a second side of the outboard motor opposite to the first side. An exhaust guide member is coupled with the housing unit to support the engine above the housing unit. An exhaust conduit depends from the exhaust guide member within the housing unit. The exhaust guide member defines a second exhaust passage connecting the exhaust conduit with the first exhaust passage. The second exhaust passage generally extends on the first side. A lubricant reservoir depends from the exhaust guide member within the housing unit. The exhaust guide member defines a second lubricant passage connecting the lubricant reservoir with the first lubricant passage. The second lubricant passage generally extends on the second side.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2002Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: Yasuhiko Shibata, Takaji Kawai, Koichi Isozaki
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Patent number: 6406343Abstract: An outboard motor features a compact throttle control and transmission shifting control on a handle connected to a tiller. An interlock is designed to limit the maximum engine speed at which the engine can be operated when in the transmission is in neutral and to lock the transmission in neutral or out of neutral when the engine is operated at a speed greater than a second speed that is less than the maximum speed.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2000Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Hiroyuki Tsunekawa
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Publication number: 20010046819Abstract: An outboard motor features a compact throttle control and transmission shifting control on a handle connected to a tiller. An interlock is designed to limit the maximum engine speed at which the engine can be operated when in the transmission is in neutral and to lock the transmission in neutral or out of neutral when the engine is operated at a speed greater than a second speed that is less than the maximum speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2000Publication date: November 29, 2001Inventors: Takaji Kawai, Hiroyuki Tsunekawa
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Patent number: 6296536Abstract: A cowling assembly for an outboard motor includes an improved construction that can supply relatively cool air containing little if no water to the induction device and that can also supply air to cool engine components without reducing the charging efficiency. The outboard motor has an engine that includes an air induction device and is enclosed by the cowling. The induction device has an air inlet opening. The cowling assembly defines a closed cavity in which the engine is contained and has an air intake duct that introduces air into the cavity. The intake duct adjoins the inlet opening and has an opening opened to the cavity and positioned lower than a lower end of the inlet opening. In one form, the cowling assembly has at least one front air intake opening formed on a side surface of its front portion. A rear air intake opening is also formed on a rear surface of its rear end portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2000Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Goichi Katayama, Takaji Kawai, Masanori Takahashi, Hitoshi Ishida
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Patent number: 6093066Abstract: An outboard motor throttle and transmission control that employs a bowden wire mechanism for transmitting control signals from the tiller handle to the engine throttle and transmission control. The control handle is pivotally mounted on the front end of a tiller arm and the wire actuators exit the control handle and enter the protective cowling on opposite sides of a longitudinal center plane or on opposite sides of the protective cowling so as to increase the length of the wire actuators in this area so as to facilitate their bending without kinking.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Isogawa, Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 6080025Abstract: A cowling latch for an outboard motor having an upper cowling having a lower surface and a lower cowling having an upper surface is disclosed. The cowling latch comprises a first latching member connected to the upper cowling and a second latching member connected to the lower cowling. The second latching member is moveable between a first position in which it engages the first latching member for connecting the upper and lower cowlings and a second position in which it does not engage the first latching member. The second latching member comprises a first latching member engaging part movably mounted with respect to a support, the support positioned below the upper surface of the lower cowling.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1998Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Isogawa, Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 5938491Abstract: A protective cowling arrangement defining an air inlet opening for an outboard motor that facilitates the ingestion of large amounts of air at low velocity. This aids in the assurance that water is not ingested into the engine. The configuration of the inlet opening is such that the water that is separated by the inlet system can easily flow away from the inlet opening and also the water that collects on the housing surfaces can be easily separated and will drain away from the actual inlet openings into the interior of the cowling.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1998Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Atsushi Isogawa
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Patent number: 5937818Abstract: A ventilating system for an outboard motor having a water propulsion device and an internal combustion engine positioned in a cowling, the engine having an output shaft arranged to drive the water propulsion device, is disclosed. The ventilating system includes an air inlet in the cowling which permits air to flow into an engine compartment in which the engine is positioned, and an exhaust port positioned in the cowling. The system also includes a mechanism for drawing air through the inlet into the compartment and expelling air out of the compartment through the exhaust port after the engine has stopped.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Yoshifumi Iwata
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Patent number: 5733157Abstract: Embodiments of four-cycle outboard motors having an improved exhaust system. The exhaust system includes an expansion chamber that is formed in the drive shaft housing of the outboard motor below an oil tank for the engine which is positioned therein. A water chamber is formed around the expansion chamber and the lower portion of the oil tank for cooling them. An above-the-water exhaust gas discharge is provided that communicates with the area above the water jacket.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1996Date of Patent: March 31, 1998Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuhiro Okuzawa, Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 5692931Abstract: An engine of an outboard motor includes an improved engine component layout to minimize the size of the engine and to generally isolate a shift position mechanism from an intake air flow into the engine. The outboard motor includes a shift actuation mechanism that shifts a transmission between three operational states: forward, neutral, and reverse. The shift actuation mechanism includes a shift position mechanism that defines the position of the shift actuation mechanism during each of these three operational states. The shift position mechanism is positioned beneath the engine crankcase and is formed in part by a shift lever of the actuation mechanism. This position and construction simplifies the design of the shift position mechanism and generally isolates the mechanism from any salt water or other contaminates the are entrained in the air flow stream within the cowling.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1996Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 5489227Abstract: A protective cowling arrangement for an outboard motor that provides an atmospheric air inlet having a pair of openings disposed above the engine for permitting atmospheric air to flow into the protective cowling for engine combustion. One of these openings is disposed in part above components of the engine which should not be contacted by water and this opening is substantially smaller than the other opening. An engine cover is also affixed to the engine and obscures the smaller opening to afford further water protection.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 1994Date of Patent: February 6, 1996Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hitoshi Ishida, Kazuhiro Okuzawa, Kenji Kawamukai, Takaji Kawai, Akinori Yamamoto
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Patent number: 5380228Abstract: Two embodiments of water cooled outboard motors having a discharge spray that will provide an indication that coolant is flowing through the cooling jacket of the engine. The outboard motors may be swung through 180.degree. for reverse operation and in the reversed position, the discharge spray is positioned in proximity to the transom of the watercraft. Devices are provided for disabling the discharge spray at operator selection.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 1994Date of Patent: January 10, 1995Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Hitoshi Ishida
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Patent number: 5149284Abstract: This invention is adapted to be embodied in an outboard motor that is comprised of a power head having an internal combustion engine surrounded by a protective cowling. The engine includes an exhaust port in communication with an exhaust pipe for discharging exhaust gases from the engine. A steering shaft is affixed to the drive shaft housing by upper and lower connections which include elastic bushings. An upper reservoir receives cooling water from the engine to cool structures adjacent the exhaust pipe and specifically the elastic bushings. The reservoir is dammed up on the forward side by the bushing and receives cooling from the cooling water.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1991Date of Patent: September 22, 1992Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 5147231Abstract: A marine outboard drive lower unit forward, neutral, reverse transmission including an arrangement for taking forward and reverse thrust directly from the propulsion shaft by pairs of thrust bearings that act on oppositely facing thrust surfaces formed by the propeller shaft. A single coil compression spring preloads both of the bearings.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 1991Date of Patent: September 15, 1992Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Kenichi Handa
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Patent number: 5145423Abstract: A tilting mechanism including a tilt locking mechanism for releasably retaining an outboard drive unit in a tilted down position and a tilt holding mechanism for releasably holding the outboard drive unit in a tilted up position is operable by a single operating lever that is movable between three positions. A detent mechanism is included for fixing each of the three operating lever positions.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 1991Date of Patent: September 8, 1992Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takaji Kawai
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Patent number: 5145427Abstract: A steering mechanism for an outboard motor which comprises a steering bracket having a mounting bore and a steering handle having a mounting shaft at one end that is received for pivotal rotation within the mounting bore. In one embodiment, a wave washer is positioned within a counterbore formed at the upper end of the mounting bore and coaxial therewith so that the wave washer is between the steering bracket and the steering handle. In another embodiment, a pair of rubber members are each positioned within one of a pair of counterbores that are coaxial with the mounting bore, one being formed at the upper end of the mounting bore and the other being formed at the lower end, so that the rubber members are interposed between the steering bracket and the steering handle.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1991Date of Patent: September 8, 1992Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Kouji Abe
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Patent number: 5000708Abstract: A marine outboard drive lower unit forward, neutral, reverse transmission including an arrangement for taking forward and reverse thrust directly from the propulsion shaft by pairs of thrust bearings that act on oppositely facing thrust surfaces formed by the propeller shaft. A single coil compression spring preloads both of the bearings.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 1990Date of Patent: March 19, 1991Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takaji Kawai, Kenichi Handa