Suzuki Motor Corporation will allow royalty-free use of 34 patents related to its outboard motor micro-plastic collecting device, including pre-grant phase applications, as part of its commitment to promoting marine environmental conservation and contributing to the realisation of a sustainable society. This is the first time Suzuki has offered its patents royalty-free. Suzuki aims to further accelerate efforts to improve the marine environment in collaboration with companies and organisations in Japan and overseas that share the same commitment.
Plastic waste flowing into the ocean has become a significant environmental issue worldwide. They are broken down into micro-plastics in the natural environment, which are feared to have serious impacts on ecosystems, including ingestion by ocean life. To address these issues, Suzuki developed the world’s first micro-plastic collecting device that can be installed on outboard motors and began production of outboard motors equipped with this device as standard equipment on select models in July 2022. By installing this device on outboard motors, micro-plastics near the water surface can be collected just by running the boat, without affecting engine performance.
Since obtaining Suzuki’s first patent related to its micro-plastic collecting device in November 2021, Suzuki has acquired various patents in major markets for outboard motors subsequently.
Suzuki currently offers 5 models (DF140BG, DF115BG, DF140B, DF115B, and DF100C) equipped with the micro-plastic collecting device as standard equipment. In the course of advancing these initiatives, Suzuki concluded that further expanding the use of micro-plastic collecting devices would promote the protection and improvement of the marine environment. Based on this determination, Suzuki has decided to make these patents available on a royalty‑free basis.
Suzuki will continue its efforts to protect the ocean through initiatives such as the “SUZUKI CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT,” working together with companies, organizations, and partners around the world to contribute to the creation of a cleaner and more sustainable future for the oceans.
Details of the Patent
The patent portfolio focuses on the engine‑cooling system of outboard motors that pump up seawater while running and enables the collection and removal of micro-plastics through a simple configuration by installing a micro-plastic collecting device in the cooling‑water passage after the engine has been cooled, maintaining the existing cooling function without compromise. The portfolio also includes improvement patents that arrange a parallel bypass channel to divert flow when the device’s filter becomes clogged in order to prevent a decline in cooling performance, and suppress the occurrence in which, under specific operating conditions, backflow of cooling water within the passage forces collected materials upstream, leading to microplastics flow through the bypass passage and to be discharged back into the ocean.
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