US-12623765-B1 - Service door and latching assembly for cowls on marine propulsion devices

Abstract

A cowling may be configured for an outboard marine drive. The cowling may include a top cowl defining a cowling interior, a service door on the top cowl, and a latching mechanism. The service door may be pivotable into and between an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior. The latching mechanism may include a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed and open positions and an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position. The actuator assembly may be remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the top cowl.

Inventors

• Bradley R. Stafford
• Devan R. Faust
• Steven J. Amerling

Assignees

• BRUNSWICK CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230515

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising: a top cowl defining a cowling interior and an air inlet configured to direct air into the cowling interior; a service door that is movable into an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior; and a latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position, and an actuator assembly configured to remotely actuate the lock assembly, wherein the actuator assembly is located in the air inlet and is accessible from outside the top cowl.
2. 2 . The cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a button configured to actuate the lock assembly.
3. 3 . A cowling for a marine drive, the cowling comprising: a top cowl defining a cowling interior; a service door that is movable into an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior; and a latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position, and an actuator assembly comprising a rocker button that is pivotable about a pivot axis to actuate the lock assembly, the actuator assembly being remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the top cowl, wherein the rocker button has a center of gravity located along the pivot axis.
4. 4 . The cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the service door is on a top side of the top cowl and the actuator assembly is on a lateral side of the top cowl.
5. 5 . The cowling according to claim 1 , wherein the lock assembly comprises a latch member and a lock member configured to retain the latch member in a latched position prior to actuation of the lock member by the actuator assembly.
6. 6 . The cowling according to claim 5 , further comprising a biasing device configured to bias the latch member into an unlatched position.
7. 7 . The cowling according to claim 5 , wherein the lock member is movable into an unactuated position in which the latch member is retained in the latched position and an actuated position in which the latching member is movable from the latched position to an unlatched position; and further comprising a biasing device configured to bias the lock member into the unactuated position.
8. 8 . The cowling according to claim 5 , wherein the lock member is movable into an unactuated position in which the latch member is retained in the latched position and an actuated position in which the latching member is movable from the latched position to an unlatched position; and further comprising a biasing device configured to bias the lock member into the unactuated position and the latch member into the unlatched position.
9. 9 . The cowling according to claim 1 , further comprising a flexible connector having a first end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second end coupled to the lock assembly.
10. 10 . A cowling for a marine drive the cowling comprising: a top cowl defining a cowling interior; a service door that is movable into an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior; and a latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position, and; an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position; wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the top cowl; a flexible connector comprising a sleeve and a cable extending through the sleeve from a first cable end coupled to the actuator assembly to a second end coupled to the lock assembly, the cable being slidable in the sleeve, and wherein the actuation assembly is configured to pull the first cable end to actuate the lock assembly.
11. 11 . The cowling according to claim 10 , wherein the cable extends through a biasing device at an end of the flexible connector, the biasing device being configured to tension the cable.
12. 12 . The cowling according to claim 9 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a button pivotably mounted on an actuator bracket, and wherein the flexible connector extends through a through-bore in the actuator bracket and is coupled to the button.
13. 13 . The cowling according to claim 1 , further comprising a biasing device configured to bias the service door into the open position.
14. 14 . A latching mechanism for a service door on a cowling for a marine drive the service door movable into an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position; an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the cowling; and a flexible connector operatively connecting the actuator assembly to the lock assembly the flexible connector having a first end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second end coupled to the lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly is located proximate the service door on a top side of the cowling and wherein the actuator assembly is located in an air inlet on a lateral side of the cowling.
15. 15 . A latching mechanism for a service door on a cowling for a marine drive, the service door movable into an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position; an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the cowling; and a flexible connector operatively connecting the actuator assembly to the lock assembly the flexible connector having a first end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second end coupled to the lock assembly, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a rocker button that is pivotable about a pivot axis between an unpressed position and a pressed position; and wherein the rocker button is balanced so that a center of gravity of the rocker button is located along the pivot axis.
16. 16 . The latching mechanism according to claim 14 , wherein the lock assembly comprises a latch member movable into a latched position in which the latch member retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open positions; and a lock member configured to retain the latch member in the latched position prior to actuation of the lock member by the actuator assembly.
17. 17 . The latching mechanism according to claim 16 , wherein the lock member is movable, via the actuator assembly, into an unactuated position in which the latch member is retained in the latched position and an actuated position in which the latching member is movable from the latched position to the unlatched position.
18. 18 . A latching mechanism for a service door on a cowling for a marine drive, the service door movable into an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position; an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the cowling; a flexible connector operatively connecting the actuator assembly to the lock assembly, the flexible connector having a first end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second end coupled to the lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly comprises a latch member movable into a latched position in which the latch member retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position; a lock member configured to retain the latch member in the latched position prior to actuation of the lock member by the actuator assembly, wherein the lock member is movable into an unactuated position in which the latch member is retained in the latched position and an actuated position in which the latching member is movable from the latched position to the unlatched position; and a first biasing device configured to bias the lock member into the unactuated position and a second biasing device configured to bias the latch member into the unlatched position.
19. 19 . The latching mechanism according to claim 18 , wherein the first biasing device and the second biasing device are part of a unitary double coil torsion spring.
20. 20 . A latching mechanism for a service door on a cowling for a marine drive, the service door movable into an open position and a closed position, the latching mechanism comprising: a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed position and the open position; an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the cowling; and a flexible connector operatively connecting the actuator assembly to the lock assembly the flexible connector having a first end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second end coupled to the lock assembly, wherein the flexible connector comprises a sleeve and a cable extending through the sleeve from a first cable end coupled to the actuator assembly and a second cable end coupled to the lock assembly, the cable being slidable within the sleeve, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to pull the first cable end of the cable to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/424,997, filed Nov. 14, 2022, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates to marine propulsion devices, and more particularly to service doors and latching assemblies for cowls on marine propulsion devices. BACKGROUND The following U.S. Patent is incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 11,312,462 discloses a cowling for a marine drive. The cowling has first and second cowl portions for enclosing a powerhead, and a latching device which is movable into a latched position in which the powerhead is enclosed by the first cowl and second cowl portions and an unlatched position in which the second cowl portion is movable with respect to the first cowl portion so that the powerhead is accessible. The latching device has an electric actuator configured to automatically move the latching device from the latched position to the unlatched position and a manually-operable input device which is accessible from outside of the cowling and is configured to actuate the electric actuator to thereby automatically move the latching device from the latched position to the unlatched position. SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described herein below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting scope of the claimed subject matter. In non-limiting examples disclosed herein, a cowling may be configured for a marine drive. The cowling may include a top cowl defining a cowling interior, a service door on the top cowl, and a latching mechanism. The service door may be pivotable into and between an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior. The latching mechanism may include a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed and open positions and an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position. The actuator assembly may be remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the top cowl. The top cowl may include an air inlet configured to direct air into the cowling interior, and the actuator may be positioned in the air inlet. The actuator assembly may comprise a button movable between an unpressed position and a pressed position to actuate the lock assembly to move into the unlocked position. The actuator assembly may comprise a rocker button pivotable about a pivot axis between the unpressed position and the pressed position, and the rocker button may be balanced so that a center of gravity of the rocker button is located along the pivot axis. The service door may be located on a top side of the top cowl and the actuator assembly may be located on a lateral side of the top cowl. The lock assembly may comprise a latch member movable between a latched position in which the latch member retains the service door in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the service door is movable between the closed and open positions, and a lock member configured to retain the latch member in the latched position prior to actuation of the lock member by the actuator assembly. The cowling may further comprise a biasing device configured to bias the latch member into the unlatched position, and/or a flexible connector having a first end coupled to the lock assembly and a second end coupled to the actuator assembly. In non-limiting examples, a cowling is for a marine drive. The cowling comprises a top cowl defining a cowling interior, a service door on the top cowl, the service door being pivotable into and between an open position providing access to the cowling interior and a closed position enclosing the cowling interior, and a latching mechanism. The latching mechanism comprises a lock assembly movable into a locked position in which the service door is retained in the closed position and an unlocked position in which the service door is movable between the closed and open positions and an actuator assembly configured to actuate the lock assembly to move from the locked position to the unlocked position, wherein the actuator assembly is remote from the lock assembly and accessible from outside the top cowl. Optionally, the top cowl comprises an air inlet configured to direct air into the cowling interior, and wherein the actuator is positioned in the air inlet. Optionally, the actuator assembly comprises a button movable between an unpressed position and a pressed position to actuate the lock assembly to move into the unlocked position. Optionally, the button is a rocker button pivotable about a pivot ax