Outboard marine drive including an engine lower cowling made of plastic material

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(11)

EP 1 225 125 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	14.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/03

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	24.07.2002 Bulletin 2002/30

(21)	Application number: 02250335.3

(22)	Date of filing: 18.01.2002

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B63H 20/00, B63H 20/32, F02B 61/04

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

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Priority:

19.01.2001 JP 2001011836

(71)	Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
	Minato-ku, Tokyo (JP)

(72)	Inventors:
	Yoshigasaki, Tsuyoshi, c/o KK Honda Gijutsu Wako-shi, Saitama-ken (JP) Ide, Shinichi, c/o KK Honda Gijutsu Kenkyusho Wako-shi, Saitama-ken (JP) Rinzaki, Shoichi,c/o KK Honda Gijutsu Kenkyusho Wako-shi, Saitama-ken (JP)

(74)	Representative: Cheyne, John Robert Alexander Mackenzie et al
	Haseltine Lake & Co., Imperial House, 15-19 Kingsway London WC2B 6UD London WC2B 6UD (GB)

(54)	Outboard marine drive including an engine lower cowling made of plastic material

(57) In an outboard marine drive, an engine (E) is supported on an engine mount case (5), and an under cover (10) made of plastic material having a lower end attached to the engine mount case defines an open upper end which engages an open lower end of an engine cover (11) also made of plastic material. A metallic stay member (14) having a lower end fixedly attached to the engine mount case which is typically made of cast aluminum alloy and an upper end fixedly supporting a support rail (15) reinforces the open upper end of the under cover. Thus, the essential part is reinforced by a metallic member, and the required mechanical strength can be achieved while minimizing the increase in weight. The upper end of the stay member may be used for attaching a latch unit (17) for securing the engine cover to the under cover or the engine mount case.

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