Shipping container for outboard motor

Claim 2

A container for supporting a large outboard motor during shipment, comprising: a bottom box to enclose the powerhead end of the motor; a frame connected to the lower end of the bottom box; a motor mount frame connected to the upper end of the bottom box, adapted to receive and support the motor; a gear case pad having a pair of depending side wings which connect the gear case pad to the motor mount frame; an exhaust housing pad extending at an angle upwardly from the motor mount frame towards the gear case pad; and a top box to cover the gear case pad, the top box connected at its lower end to the upper end of the bottom box.

Claim 3

A container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cleat rigidly attached to each vertical corner of the bottom box.

Claim 4

A container as recited in claim 2, further comprising a pair of side cleats vertically disposed on laterally opposed sides of the bottom box.

Claim 5

The container as recited in claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a latticework.

Claim 6

A container as recited in claim 1, wherein the motor mount frame comprises: a pair of side rails; a front rail connected to the side rails; a rear rail connected to the side rails; and a crossbar on which the motor mounts, the crossbar connected to the side rails.

Claim 7

A container as recited in claim 5, wherein the crossbar is angularly disposed between the side rails.

Claim 8

A container as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cleat rigidly attached to each vertical corner of the top box.

Claim 9

A container as recited in claim 7, further comprising a pair of side cleats vertically disposed on laterally opposed sides of the top box.

Claim 10

A container for enclosing and supporting an outboard motor for shipment or warehouse storage, comprising: a bottom box to enclose the powerhead end of the motor, the bottom box having a first longitudinally extending corner cleat adjacent each interior vertical corner of the bottom box and a first side cleat on laterally opposite sides of the box; a frame having a plurality of spaced apart members connected at their ends by a a pair of transverse members, the lower ends of the first corner and the first side cleats contacting the transverse members; a motor frame connected to the upper ends of the first corner and the first side cleats, the frame adapted to receive and support the motor in a powerhead down position; a gear case pad having a pair of side wings depending from the gear case pad, the distal end of each wing adjacent and connected to the motor frame; an exhaust housing pad extending at an angle upwardly from the motor frame towards the gear case pad; and a top box to cover the gear case pad, having a second longitudinally extending corner cleat adjacent each interior vertical corner of the top box and a second side cleat on laterally opposite sides of the box, the lower ends of the second corner and the second side cleats contacting the motor frame, the top box connected at its lower end to the upper end of the bottom box adjacent the motor frame.

Claim 11

A container for enclosing and supporting an outboard motor for shipment or warehouse storage, comprising: a bottom box to enclose the powerhead end of the motor, the bottom box having a first longitudinally extending corner cleat adjacent each interior vertical corner of the bottom box and a first side cleat on laterally opposite sides of the box; a frame having a plurality of spaced apart members connected at their ends by a a pair of transverse members, the lower ends of the first corner and the first side cleats contacting the transverse members; a motor frame connected to the upper ends of the first corner and the first side cleats, the frame adapted to receive and support the motor in a powerhead down position; a gear case pad having a pair of side wings depending from the gear case pad, the distal end of each wing adjacent and connected to the motor frame; an exhaust housing pad extending at an angle upwardly from the motor frame towards the gear case pad; and a top box to cover the gear case pad, having a second longitudinally extending corner cleat adjacent each interior vertical corner of the top box and a second side cleat on laterally opposite sides of the box, the lower ends of the second corner and the second side cleats contacting the motor frame, the top box connected at its lower end to the upper end of the bottom box adjacent the motor frame.

Claim 12

A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the motor frame angularly supports the motor such that the longitudinal axis of the motor is off vertical.

Claim 13

A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the longitudinal axis of the motor supported by the motor frame is about 13 degrees off vertical.

Claim 14

A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the motor frame comprises: a pair of side rails; a front rail; and a rear rail, wherein the front, rear and side rails rigidly connect at their ends to define a rectangular frame; and a crossbar connected between the side rails.

Claim 15

A container as recited in claim 12, wherein the crossbar is angularly disposed between the side rails.

Claim 16

A container as recited in claim 12, wherein the interior surface of each side rail includes a groove extending angularly from the lower surface of the side rail to the upper surface of the side rail.

Claim 17

A container as recited in claim 14, wherein the lateral edges of the crossbar mate with the groove in the side rails.

Claim 18

A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the longitudinal ends of the transverse members are beveled; and the lower ends of the first corner cleats are beveled to mate with the beveled ends of the transverse members.

Claim 19

A container as recited in claim 9, further comprising: a leg extending from the longitudinal ends of each first side cleat to define a notch; a pocket in the upper surface of each transverse member to receive the lower leg of a side cleat; and a pocket in the lower surface of the motor frame to receive the upper leg of a side cleat.

Claim 20

A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the motor frame corners are beveled; and the upper end of each first corner cleat and the lower end of each second corner cleat are beveled to mate with the beveled corners of the motor frame.

Claim 21

A container as recited in claim 18, further comprising: a leg extending from the lower end of each second side cleat to define a notch; and a pocket in the motor frame to receive the leg of the second cleat.

Claim 22

A container as recited in claim 18, wherein the upper end of each first corner cleat is tapered; and the lower end of each second corner cleat is tapered.