An outboard motor includes an outboard motor body, a mount mounted on a boat body, and a support member that supports the outboard motor body so as to be steerable with respect to the mount. The support member includes an upper support that surrounds a drive shaft and supports the outboard motor body, a lower support that is spaced below the upper support, surrounds the drive shaft, and supports the outboard motor body, and a coupler that couples the upper support to the lower support.

The present invention relates to a propulsion and braking system using a clutch, the system comprising: a device that has, embedded therein, a clutch operation pressure-regulating valve, and a clutch and gears for controlling a driven body in the same and opposite rotational direction of a driving body; and a control unit for regulating the rotational speed of the driven body so as to enable a continuous operation at a speed that is lower than a rated rotational speed by using the slip of the clutch, and controlling so that the engagement timing control of the clutch and engagement of same are sustained if the driven body requires operation at the rated rotational speed or higher, wherein, when a braking signal is inputted into the control unit during propulsion of the driven body, the control unit removes the operation pressure of the clutch embedded in the device that is in operation, activates the clutch for controlling the rotational direction of the driven body to the reverse rotational direction, and then regulates the operation pressure of the clutch by means of the valve so as to enable the control of the braking of the propulsive body. The propulsion and braking system using a clutch, according to the present invention, is related to all equipment requiring propulsion and braking.

The present invention relates to a propulsion and braking system using a clutch, the system comprising: a device that has, embedded therein, a clutch operation pressure-regulating valve, and a clutch and gears for controlling a driven body in the same and opposite rotational direction of a driving body; and a control unit for regulating the rotational speed of the driven body so as to enable a continuous operation at a speed that is lower than a rated rotational speed by using the slip of the clutch, and controlling so that the engagement timing control of the clutch and engagement of same are sustained if the driven body requires operation at the rated rotational speed or higher, wherein, when a braking signal is inputted into the control unit during propulsion of the driven body, the control unit removes the operation pressure of the clutch embedded in the device that is in operation, activates the clutch for controlling the rotational direction of the driven body to the reverse rotational direction, and then regulates the operation pressure of the clutch by means of the valve so as to enable the control of the braking of the propulsive body. The propulsion and braking system using a clutch, according to the present invention, is related to all equipment requiring propulsion and braking.

A system for rotating a propeller shaft within a gearcase via a driveshaft. A stub shaft is rotatable within the gearcase. A forward gear is rotatably coupled to the stub shaft. The forward gear is rotatable by the driveshaft and is engageable to become rotatably fixed to the stub shaft such that rotating the driveshaft rotates the stub shaft. A shock absorbing coupler is positioned within the gearcase. The shock absorbing coupler couples the stub shaft to the propeller shaft and is torsional such that shock is absorbable between the propeller shaft and the driveshaft.

A system for rotating a propeller shaft within a gearcase via a driveshaft. A stub shaft is rotatable within the gearcase. A forward gear is rotatably coupled to the stub shaft. The forward gear is rotatable by the driveshaft and is engageable to become rotatably fixed to the stub shaft such that rotating the driveshaft rotates the stub shaft. A shock absorbing coupler is positioned within the gearcase. The shock absorbing coupler couples the stub shaft to the propeller shaft and is torsional such that shock is absorbable between the propeller shaft and the driveshaft.

A first method of protecting an engine and a transmission of a marine vessel during gear shifts and a second method of programming one or more Shift Protection Sequences (SPS) are disclosed. The first method includes receiving a Shift Request (SR) and activating a SPS from among a plurality of enabled SPS. The second method includes configuring a Shift Protection Type (SPT); enabling and configuring a plurality of required and SPS variables; and, optionally, enabling and configuring a plurality of optional SPS variables. The SPT may be a Basic Shift Protection (BSP), which includes time-based SPS; or the SPT may be an Advanced Shift Protection (ASP), which includes alternate time-based and operating-variable based SPS. The SPS of the ASP may be incrementally programmed and added to the BSP.

A first method of protecting an engine and a transmission of a marine vessel during gear shifts and a second method of programming one or more Shift Protection Sequences (SPS) are disclosed. The first method includes receiving a Shift Request (SR) and activating a SPS from among a plurality of enabled SPS. The second method includes configuring a Shift Protection Type (SPT); enabling and configuring a plurality of required and SPS variables; and, optionally, enabling and configuring a plurality of optional SPS variables. The SPT may be a Basic Shift Protection (BSP), which includes time-based SPS; or the SPT may be an Advanced Shift Protection (ASP), which includes alternate time-based and operating-variable based SPS. The SPS of the ASP may be incrementally programmed and added to the BSP.

A propulsion assembly includes an assembly output shaft adapted to drive one or more power receiving devices, a first output driving shaft which is adapted to drive the assembly output shaft, and a second output driving shaft which is adapted to drive the assembly output shaft. The first output driving shaft extends in an angle to the assembly output shaft which is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. The propulsion assembly further includes a first input shaft adapted to drive the first output driving shaft and adapted to be driven by a first power supply unit, wherein the first input shaft extends in an angle to the first output driving shaft which is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 180 degrees, and a second input shaft adapted to drive the first output driving shaft and adapted to be driven by a second power supply unit. The second input shaft extends in an angle to the first output driving shaft which is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. The second output driving shaft is adapted to be driven by a third power supply unit, wherein the second output driving shaft extends in an angle to the assembly output shaft which is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 180 degrees.

A watercraft steering system includes a reverse reduction transmission and an obstacle detector. The reverse reduction transmission is configured to convert power from a main engine into an output for causing a watercraft to make forward travel, neutral, or reverse travel, so as to control navigation of the watercraft. The obstacle detector is disposed at a hull of the watercraft and is configured to detect an obstacle. The watercraft steering system is configured to, based on a location of the obstacle with respect to the hull, a travel direction of the watercraft, a travel speed of the watercraft, and a distance between the hull and the obstacle, select from among the forward travel, the neutral, and the reverse travel, and maintain the travel speed or change the travel speed.

A watercraft steering system includes a reverse reduction transmission and an obstacle detector. The reverse reduction transmission is configured to convert power from a main engine into an output for causing a watercraft to make forward travel, neutral, or reverse travel, so as to control navigation of the watercraft. The obstacle detector is disposed at a hull of the watercraft and is configured to detect an obstacle. The watercraft steering system is configured to, based on a location of the obstacle with respect to the hull, a travel direction of the watercraft, a travel speed of the watercraft, and a distance between the hull and the obstacle, select from among the forward travel, the neutral, and the reverse travel, and maintain the travel speed or change the travel speed.