US 12,473,878 B2
Vessel propulsion apparatus, vessel, and vessel engine
Shinya Kasai, Shizuoka (JP); and Satoshi Kinowaki, Shizuoka (JP)
Assigned to YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Shizuoka (JP)
Filed by YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Iwata (JP)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/536,327.
Application 18/536,327 is a division of application No. 17/956,898, filed on Sep. 30, 2022, abandoned.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-185986 (JP), filed on Nov. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0102434 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. F02M 35/10 (2006.01); F02B 29/04 (2006.01); F02B 61/04 (2006.01); F02M 35/16 (2006.01)
CPC F02M 35/10078 (2013.01) [F02B 29/0406 (2013.01); F02B 61/045 (2013.01); F02M 35/167 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vessel propulsion apparatus comprising:
an engine including a cylinder head including:
a combustion chamber;
a pair of intake openings to communicate with the combustion chamber;
a pair of inner surfaces respectively extending from peripheral edges of the pair of intake openings, facing each other in an arrangement direction in which the pair of intake openings are arranged, and defining the combustion chamber therebetween; and
a pair of intake ports respectively connected to the pair of intake openings and including tube axes extending through centers of the pair of intake ports; and
a propulsion unit to be driven by the engine; wherein
the pair of inner surfaces include a pair of upstream portions respectively connected to the peripheral edges of the pair of intake openings, and a distance between the pair of upstream portions decreases in a direction moving away from the peripheral edges of the pair of intake openings; and
a distance between the tube axes of the pair of intake ports decreases as the pair of intake ports extend toward the pair of intake openings;
each of the peripheral edges of the pair of intake openings includes a circular arc having an end portion directly connected to a corresponding one of the pair of upstream portions; and
each of the pair of upstream portions extends directly from the end portion of the circular arc of a corresponding one of the peripheral edges of the pair of intake openings.