US 11,655,784 B1
Marine engine assembly having an air pump
George Broughton, Wadsworth, IL (US); Mark J. Skrzypchak, Pleasant Prairie, WI (US); Thomas Whitburn, Burlington, WI (US); and Nathan Blank, Burlington, WI (US)
Assigned to BRP US Inc.
Filed by BRP US INC., Sturtevant, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/164,250.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/968,855, filed on Jan. 31, 2020.
Int. Cl. F02M 35/10 (2006.01); B63H 21/14 (2006.01); F02M 26/14 (2016.01); F02M 26/17 (2016.01); B63H 20/02 (2006.01); F02D 41/00 (2006.01); B63H 23/00 (2006.01); B63H 21/21 (2006.01); B63H 20/14 (2006.01); B63H 20/24 (2006.01); F02M 35/104 (2006.01)
CPC F02M 35/10222 (2013.01) [B63H 20/02 (2013.01); B63H 20/14 (2013.01); B63H 20/24 (2013.01); B63H 21/14 (2013.01); B63H 21/21 (2013.01); B63H 23/00 (2013.01); F02D 41/0077 (2013.01); F02M 26/14 (2016.02); F02M 26/17 (2016.02); F02M 35/104 (2013.01); F02M 35/1015 (2013.01); F02M 35/10255 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A marine engine assembly for mounting to a watercraft, the marine engine assembly comprising:
an engine unit including:
an engine unit housing;
an internal combustion engine disposed in the engine unit housing, the engine defining at least one combustion chamber; and
an air intake assembly disposed in the engine unit housing, the air intake assembly defining an air inlet, the air intake assembly being fluidly connected to the at least one combustion chamber for supplying air to the at least one combustion chamber,
the air intake assembly including a throttle valve;
an exhaust system fluidly communicating with the at least one combustion chamber for supplying exhaust gases from the at least one combustion chamber to an exterior of the marine engine assembly, the exhaust system defines an exhaust outlet,
the air intake assembly, the at least one combustion chamber, and the exhaust system together defining at least in part a gas flow pathway, the air inlet defining an upstream end of the gas flow pathway, the exhaust outlet defining a downstream end of the gas flow pathway;
a sealing valve provided in the gas flow pathway between the air inlet and the exhaust outlet,
the sealing valve having an open position permitting flow of gas therethrough,
the sealing valve having a closed position preventing flow of gas therethrough for sealing a portion of the gas flow pathway downstream of the sealing valve from a portion of the gas flow pathway upstream of the sealing valve,
in the closed position, the sealing valve hermetically sealing the portion of the gas flow pathway downstream of the sealing valve from the portion of the gas flow pathway upstream of the sealing valve,
the sealing valve being disposed upstream of the engine;
an air pump being configured for supplying air to the gas flow pathway downstream of the sealing valve; and
a propulsion device operatively connected to the engine.