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  Water cooling system for an outboard jet drive marine propulsion systemUSPTO Application #: 20080026651Title: Water cooling system for an outboard jet drive marine propulsion system Abstract: An outboard jet drive marine system for a boat includes a housing. An engine is disposed within the housing. A jet drive unit is disposed within the housing parallel thereto and operatively coupled to the engine. A cooling system is mounted to the housing, outside the housing, and below the water line when the housing is disposed in water during operation. A fuel line operatively coupled to the engine for providing fuel thereto. The fuel line provides fuel heated by the engine into the cooling system. (end of abstract) Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP - Boston, MA, US Inventor: William Lawson USPTO Applicaton #: 20080026651 - Class: 440038000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Marine Propulsion, Jet Drive The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080026651. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This Application is a Non-Provisional of Provisional of (35 USC 119(e)) patent application No. 60/774,274 filed on Feb. 16, 2006. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to outboard jet drive marine propulsion systems. The present invention relates more particularly to increasing efficiency and horsepower in an outboard jet drive for a boat and especially to a gasoline-fueled outboard jet drive having an engine and jet drive mounted in a housing, which is removably attached to a boat hull. [0003] There have been several proposed types of outboard jet drives for watercraft but most are similar to an outboard motor in which the outboard motor propeller and lower unit have been replaced with a jet drive. The jet drive includes a jet pump in the lower unit that operates to provide propulsion force for a watercraft. There are advantages in employing jet pumps for propulsion units as opposed to propellers. The jet drive permits operation in shallower water, also the propeller is shrouded, and there is less likelihood of injury. There has been a variety of proposed constructions for outboard jet drives for positioning the jet pump in different positions relative to the hull transom and bottom of the transom but in a typical jet drive, the engine and jet drive are located directly in the hull with an opening in the bottom of the hull for capturing water passing under the hull and then utilizing the jet pumps to thrust the water out the rear of the hull to propel the boat. Outboard jet drive units are made similar to typical outboard motors with a motor driving a drive unit, which operates a jet drive unit. [0004] Generally, the engine package includes an internal combustion engine mounted in a thin fiberglass hull. The base plate of the hull includes a water inlet scoop for feeding water to the pump and an exhaust port for exhausting the water. The pumps high-pressure water outlet is pointed in the aft direction above the water line to propel the craft by the reaction force resulting from the high velocity water jet. In the F. C. Clark U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,175, a marine propulsion unit takes a conventional outboard motor and replaces the prop unit with a marine jet motor using a pump to issue a jet of water to propel a boat. The Parker U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,319, is for a boat with a removably inboard jet propulsion unit in which the integral jet power unit is encased in a waterproof housing and positioned in a well located in the hull and is mounted to be removed from the hull. [0005] Many of the shortcomings of the prior art were overcome by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,600 in which an outboard jet propulsion unit is detachably mounted to a boat so that the main fuel tank and controls are mounted within the hull of a boat while the outboard jet drive unit is mounted away from the boat in a housing with an engine and is removably attached to the transom of the boat. The fuel tank and controls are connected between the hull and outboard drive through quick disconnect couplings. The housing is shaped to support an engine on a platform directly over the jet drive unit for actuating the jet drive unit through a clutch mechanism with the engine and jet drive positioned parallel to each other. [0006] The outboard jet unit as designed by Applicant was satisfactory, however, it did not fully realize the efficiencies of jet propulsion. Accordingly, an outboard jet propulsion unit, which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art, is desired. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] An outboard jet drive includes a housing sealed against the intrusion of water, the housing having front and rear sides and a top and bottom. An engine is disposed in the housing, supported generally horizontally within the housing, and a jet drive unit is disposed in said housing generally in parallel with the engine. The efficiency of the engine is increased by providing one or both of a turbocharger and a cooling system for cooling returned fuel. [0008] In one embodiment, the housing includes a heat exchange unit which is disposed outside of the housing. The heat exchange cools fuel which is not combusted by the engine utilizing the water environment in which the housing resides. The cooled fuel is returned to the engine for combustion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which: [0010] FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken through an outboard jet drive as mounted on a boat in accordance with the present invention; [0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an outboard jet drive housing having a jet drive unit mounted therein; [0012] FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the jet drive unit of FIG. 2; [0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the connected fuel tanks; [0014] FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a drive assembly for an outboard jet drive constructed in accordance with the invention; [0015] FIG. 6 a rear elevation view of an outboard jet drive housing constructed without the jet drive housing attached thereto; [0016] FIG. 7 is a drive shaft housing constructed in accordance with the invention; [0017] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a jet drive housing constructed in accordance with the invention; [0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a drive shaft support assembly mounted within said housing in accordance with the invention; [0019] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the invention in which a bucket assembly is mounted on the jet drive unit in accordance with the invention; [0020] FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the bucket assembly in the open position; Continue reading... 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