Outboard motor that is removable from transom clamp bracket

Abstract

An outboard motor includes a transom clamp bracket configured to be supported on a transom of a marine vessel and a swivel bracket configured to be supported by the transom clamp bracket. A propulsion unit is supported by the swivel bracket, the propulsion unit comprising a head unit, a midsection below the head unit, and a lower unit below the midsection. The head unit, midsection, and lower unit are generally vertically aligned with one another when the outboard motor is in a neutral tilt/trim position. The propulsion unit is detachable from the transom clamp bracket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for coupling a propulsion unit to a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising:
 a transom bracket assembly configured for attachment to the marine vessel; and   a steering assembly configured for attachment to the propulsion unit, the steering assembly being steerable about a steering axis relative to the transom bracket assembly,   wherein the steering assembly and transom bracket assembly are removably coupled together by a hollow tube and a steering tube that extends along the steering axis and is seated in the hollow tube,   wherein steering of the steering assembly relative to the transom bracket assembly rotates the steering tube relative to the hollow tube, and wherein the steering assembly is removable from the transom bracket assembly without use of a tool.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering tube is on the steering assembly and the hollow tube is on the transom bracket assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein steering of the steering assembly rotates the steering tube relative to the hollow tube. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transom bracket assembly includes a transom bracket and a swivel bracket that is pivotably coupled to the transom bracket, and wherein the hollow tube is in the swivel bracket. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the steering assembly includes a steering arm that supports the steering tube, and wherein the steering assembly is coupled to the transom bracket assembly by lowering the steering tube into the hollow tube. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lock that is movable into a locked position to retain the steering assembly coupled to the transom bracket assembly and an unlocked position to permit removal of the steering assembly form the transom bracket assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to retain the steering tube in the hollow tube and thus prevent removal of the steering assembly from the transom bracket assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a copilot configured to frictionally restrain relative rotation between the hollow tube and the steering tube. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the lock includes a notch and a pin that is received in the notch to retain the steering tube in the hollow tube. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the notch is on the steering tube. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein steering of the steering assembly relative to the transom bracket assembly causes the pin to move along the notch. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a handle that is operable to move the pin out of the notch. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a copilot configured to frictionally restrain relative rotation between the hollow tube and the steering tube. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the copilot is operable to vary a frictional force by which the copilot restrains said relative rotation. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the copilot is configured to frictionally engage the steering tube to restrain said relative rotation. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a seat on the hollow tube and a fitting on the steering tube that is seated in the seat on the hollow tube when the steering tube is seated in the hollow tube to couple the steering assembly and transom bracket assembly together. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the fitting has a sloped portion that matches a corresponding sloped portion on the seat to guide the steering tube into the hollow tube in a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the fitting has a cross-sectional shape that matches a cross-sectional shape of the seat to prevent the fitting from rotating within the seat. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering tube includes an outer tube and an inner tube, wherein steering of the steering assembly relative to the transom bracket assembly causes a first one of the outer tube and the inner tube to rotate relative to a second one of the outer tube and the inner tube. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a bearing that facilitates relative rotation between the outer tube and the inner tube.