JP5844668B2 - Suspension device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a suspension device for attaching an outboard motor to a hull.

  A suspension device having an electric steering mechanism and a suspension device having a hydraulic steering mechanism are known. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose a suspension device including an electric steering mechanism. The electric steering mechanisms of Patent Documents 1 to 4 are attached to a swivel bracket that supports an outboard motor. A part of the electric steering mechanism is integral with the swivel bracket.

JP 2010-173446 A JP 2010-162999 A JP 2010-162992 A JP 2009-83596 A

  When a hydraulic steering mechanism is used, an electric steering mechanism is not necessary. Similarly, when an electric steering mechanism is used, a hydraulic steering mechanism is not necessary. However, in Patent Documents 1 to 4, since a part of the electric steering mechanism is integrated with the swivel bracket, the electric steering mechanism cannot be removed and the hydraulic steering mechanism cannot be attached to the swivel bracket. Therefore, the swivel bracket for the electric steering mechanism and the swivel bracket for the hydraulic steering mechanism are necessary, and it is not possible to make the parts common.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a suspension device capable of sharing parts.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a suspension system for an outboard motor that includes a clamp bracket, a tilting shaft, a swivel bracket, and a steering shaft. The clamp bracket is attached to the hull. The tilting shaft is connected to the clamp bracket. The swivel bracket includes a first support portion that can support the first steering mechanism, and a second support portion that can support the second steering mechanism at a position different from the first steering mechanism. The swivel bracket is connected to the tilting shaft. The swivel bracket is rotatable about a central axis of the tilting shaft with respect to the clamp bracket. The swivel bracket supports one of the first steering mechanism and the second steering mechanism. The steering shaft is held by the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable about a central axis of the steering shaft. The steering shaft is driven around the central axis of the steering shaft by one of the first steering mechanism and the second steering mechanism. The steering shaft is connected to the outboard motor.

  According to this configuration, the steering shaft coupled to the outboard motor is held by the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable around the central axis (hereinafter referred to as “steering axis”) of the steering shaft. The swivel bracket is connected to a tilting shaft, and the tilting shaft is connected to a clamp bracket attached to the hull. The swivel bracket includes a first support portion that can support the first steering mechanism, and a second support portion that can support the second steering mechanism at a position different from the first steering mechanism. The first steering mechanism and the second steering mechanism rotate the steering shaft about the steering axis. The swivel bracket can support any one steering mechanism selected from the first steering mechanism and the second steering mechanism. Therefore, a common swivel bracket can be used when using either the first steering mechanism or the second steering mechanism. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare swivel brackets having a plurality of specifications. As a result, the parts can be shared. Further, the user can select one of the steering mechanisms, and after installing one steering mechanism, it is possible to replace it with the other steering mechanism.

  The swivel bracket includes a placement portion as the first support portion on which the first steering mechanism is placed, and a pair of wall portions as the second support portions disposed on the left and right sides of the placement portion. May be included. The swivel bracket may be open at the front and above by the mounting portion and the pair of wall portions, and may form a concave arrangement space in which the first steering mechanism is arranged.

The tilting shaft may include two split shafts arranged on the same axis. In this case, the split shaft is disposed between the shaft portion inserted into the insertion hole provided in the pair of wall portions and the pair of wall portions, and has an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the insertion hole. And a flange portion having the same.
The suspension device may further include a first steering arm that is coupled to the steering shaft and rotates around a central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. In this case, the swivel bracket may further include a concave arm accommodating portion that accommodates the first steering arm.

The suspension device may further include an arm cover that is attached to the swivel bracket and covers the arm housing portion. In this case, the suspension device may further include a seal disposed between the arm cover and the swivel bracket. The seal may be a gasket or an O-ring.
The suspension device may further include an arm attachment portion to which the second steering arm is detachably attached. The arm mounting portion may be configured to rotate around a central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. Furthermore, the arm attachment portion may be configured to support the second steering arm attached to the arm attachment portion above the first steering arm.

  The suspension device may further include an electric steering mechanism as the first steering mechanism that is supported by the first support portion and rotates the steering shaft around a central axis of the steering shaft. . In this case, the suspension device may further include a first steering arm that rotates around the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. The first steering arm may include one end connected to the steering shaft and the other end connected to the first steering mechanism. In this case, the one end portion of the first steering arm may be fixed to the steering shaft by at least one of press fitting, bolts, and welding. Specifically, one end of the first steering arm may be fixed to the steering shaft by spline press-fitting.

  The suspension device may further include the second steering mechanism that is supported by the second support portion and rotates the steering shaft about a central axis of the steering shaft. In this case, the suspension device may further include a second steering arm that rotates around the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. The second steering arm may include one end connected to the steering shaft and the other end connected to the second steering mechanism.

The tilting shaft may be supported by the second support part. In this case, the second steering mechanism may be supported by the second support portion via the tilting shaft. Of course, the second steering mechanism may be directly supported by the second support portion.
In addition, the suspension device may further include an arm attachment portion to which one end portion of the second steering arm is detachably attached. The arm mounting portion may be configured to rotate around a central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. One end portion of the second steering arm may be detachably attached to the arm attachment portion with a bolt.

Further, the second steering mechanism may be a hydraulic steering mechanism. Of course, the steering mechanism other than the hydraulic steering mechanism may be the second steering mechanism.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a marine vessel propulsion device including the suspension device and an outboard motor coupled to the steering shaft of the suspension device.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a suspension system for an outboard motor that includes a clamp bracket, a tilting shaft, a swivel bracket, and a steering shaft. The clamp bracket is attached to the hull. The tilting shaft is connected to the clamp bracket. The swivel bracket is connected to the tilting shaft, and is rotatable about a central axis of the tilting shaft with respect to the clamp bracket. The steering shaft is held by the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable about a central axis of the steering shaft. The steering shaft includes a first connecting portion that can connect the first steering mechanism, and a second connecting portion that can connect the second steering mechanism at a position different from the first steering mechanism. The steering shaft is driven around the central axis of the steering shaft by one of the first steering mechanism connected to the first connecting portion and the second steering mechanism connected to the second connecting portion. . The steering shaft is connected to the outboard motor.

The first steering mechanism may be an electric steering mechanism. The first connecting portion may be a first steering arm that is connected to the steering shaft and rotates around the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft.
Further, the second steering mechanism may be a hydraulic steering mechanism. The second connecting portion may be connectable to the second steering mechanism via a second steering arm that rotates about the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. The second steering arm may include one end connected to the second connecting portion and the other end connected to the hydraulic steering mechanism.

  Still another embodiment of the present invention provides a marine vessel propulsion device including the suspension device and an outboard motor coupled to the steering shaft of the suspension device.

It is a side view of the propulsion device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the propulsion device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the suspension apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view of a suspension device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of a suspension apparatus. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the suspension apparatus in a state where the electric steering mechanism is removed. It is a top view of the suspension apparatus of the state from which the electric steering mechanism was removed. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in which the steering shaft is attached to the swivel bracket. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the state before a steering shaft is attached to a swivel bracket. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the state before a steering arm and an arm cover are attached to a steering shaft. It is the figure which expanded the upper part of FIG. It is the figure which expanded the lower part of FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view of an upper bearing and a lower bearing. It is a perspective view of a suspension device in a full tilt up state. It is a side view of the suspension apparatus of a full tilt up state. It is a top view of the suspension apparatus of the state to which the electric steering mechanism was attached. It is a perspective view which shows the state before an electric steering mechanism is attached to a swivel bracket. It is a disassembled perspective view of the electric steering mechanism seen from the top. It is a perspective view of the electric steering mechanism seen from the bottom. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the attachment state of the electric steering mechanism with respect to a swivel bracket. It is the schematic diagram which looked at the inside of a housing | casing from the top. It is the schematic diagram which looked at the inside of a housing | casing from the top. It is a top view of the suspension apparatus of the state to which the hydraulic steering mechanism was attached. It is a perspective view which shows the state before a hydraulic steering mechanism is attached to a swivel bracket.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 and 2 are side views of a ship propulsion apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the suspension device 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the suspension device 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows the marine vessel propulsion apparatus 1 in the reference state, and FIG. 2 shows the marine vessel propulsion apparatus 1 in the full tilt-up state by a solid line. 3 and 4 show the suspension device 3 in the reference state. The reference state is a state in which the rotation axis (crank axis A1) of the crankshaft 12 extends in the vertical direction and the rotation axis (propeller axis A2) of the propeller 8 extends in the front-rear direction. In the following description, “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction” are directions of the ship propulsion device 1 in the reference state. Below, unless otherwise indicated, the ship propulsion apparatus 1 in the reference state will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the marine vessel propulsion apparatus 1 includes an outboard motor 2 that generates thrust and a suspension device 3 that supports the outboard motor 2. The suspension device 3 can be attached to the rear part of the hull H1. The outboard motor 2 is attached to the rear portion of the hull H <b> 1 via the suspension device 3. As will be described later, the suspension device 3 includes one of an electric steering mechanism St1 and a hydraulic steering mechanism St2. First, the case where the suspension device 3 includes the electric steering mechanism St1 will be described, and then the case where the suspension device 3 includes the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the outboard motor 2 is coupled to an engine 4 that generates power, a drive shaft 5 coupled to the engine 4, a gear device 6 coupled to the drive shaft 5, and a gear device 6. And a propeller shaft 7. The outboard motor 2 further includes an engine cover 9 that houses the engine 4, an upper case 10 disposed below the engine cover 9, and a lower case 11 disposed below the upper case 10.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the engine 4 is an internal combustion engine including a crankshaft 12 that can rotate around a crank axis A <b> 1 that extends in the vertical direction. The drive shaft 5 extends vertically below the engine 4. The gear device 6 is connected to the lower end portion of the drive shaft 5. A front end portion of the propeller shaft 7 is connected to the gear device 6. The propeller shaft 7 extends in the front-rear direction within the lower case 11. The propeller shaft 7 is rotatable with respect to the lower case 11 around a propeller axis A2 (a central axis of the propeller shaft 7) extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end portion of the propeller shaft 7 protrudes rearward from the lower case 11. The propeller 8 is attached to the rear end portion of the propeller shaft 7. The propeller 8 rotates around the propeller axis A2 together with the propeller shaft 7. The rotation of the crankshaft 12 is transmitted to the propeller 8 through the drive shaft 5, the gear device 6, and the propeller shaft 7 in this order. When the engine 4 rotates the propeller 8 in the normal rotation direction (for example, clockwise when viewed from the rear of the propeller 8), a thrust force that moves the hull H1 forward is generated, and the engine 4 rotates in the reverse direction (the direction opposite to the normal rotation direction). ), When the propeller 8 is rotationally driven, thrust for moving the hull H1 backward is generated.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the suspension device 3 is connected to a pair of clamp brackets 13 that can be attached to the rear part of the hull H <b> 1, a tilting shaft 14 that is connected to the pair of clamp brackets 13, and the tilting shaft 14. A swivel bracket 15 and a steering shaft 16 held by the swivel bracket 15 are included. The suspension device 3 further includes an upper mount support portion 17 fixed to the upper end portion of the steering shaft 16 and a lower mount support portion 18 fixed to the lower end portion of the steering shaft 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the outboard motor 2 includes an upper mount Mt1 and a lower mount Mt2 arranged inside the outboard motor 2. The upper mount Mt1 and the lower mount Mt2 are arranged at different heights. The upper mount Mt1 is fixed to the upper mount support portion 17 by bolts, and the lower mount Mt2 is fixed to the lower mount support portion 18 by bolts. Therefore, the outboard motor 2 is fixed to the steering shaft 16 at two locations, upper and lower.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the suspension device 3 is narrower than the outboard motor 2. The pair of clamp brackets 13 are detachably attached to a transom provided at the stern. The pair of clamp brackets 13 are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction. The pair of clamp brackets 13 are arranged on the center side in the width direction from the right end and the left end of the outboard motor 2. The tilting shaft 14 is connected to the upper part of each clamp bracket 13. The tilting shaft 14 is disposed above the transom. The tilting shaft 14 extends in the left-right direction. The tilting shaft 14 includes two split shafts 19 arranged on a tilt axis A3 (a central axis of the tilting shaft 14) extending in the left-right direction (see FIG. 5). The two split shafts 19 are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction. The two split shafts 19 are fixed to the swivel bracket 15.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the swivel bracket 15 is disposed between the pair of clamp brackets 13. The swivel bracket 15 is connected to the clamp bracket 13 via two split shafts 19. The swivel bracket 15 is rotatable up and down with respect to the clamp bracket 13 around the tilt axis A3. The steering shaft 16 is rotatably held by the swivel bracket 15. The steering shaft 16 extends in the vertical direction. The steering shaft 16 is rotatable with respect to the swivel bracket 15 around a steering axis A4 (a central axis of the steering shaft 16) extending in the vertical direction. As described above, the outboard motor 2 is connected to the steering shaft 16 via the upper mount Mt1 and the lower mount Mt2. Accordingly, the outboard motor 2 rotates left and right around the steering axis A4 with respect to the swivel bracket 15 together with the steering shaft 16. The outboard motor 2 rotates up and down around the tilt axis A3 with respect to the clamp bracket 13 together with the swivel bracket 15 and the steering shaft 16.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the suspension device 3 includes a power trim / tilt mechanism (hereinafter referred to as “PTT20”) that rotates the outboard motor 2 up and down around the tilt axis A3. The PTT 20 is disposed between the pair of clamp brackets 13. The PTT 20 is connected to the clamp bracket 13 and the swivel bracket 15. The PTT 20 rotates the swivel bracket 15 up and down around the tilt axis A3 with respect to the clamp bracket 13. As a result, the outboard motor 2 rotates up and down around the tilt axis A3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the PTT 20 rotates the outboard motor 2 up and down within a predetermined area including a trim area and a tilt area. The trim area is an area continuous with the tilt area where the tilt angle of the outboard motor 2 to the front and rear is smaller than the tilt area. The trim area is an area between the full trim-in angle and the full trim-out angle, and the tilt area is an area between the full trim-out angle and the full tilt-up angle. In FIG. 2, the outboard motor 2 in the full trim up state (the tilt angle is in the full trim out angle state) is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the outboard motor in the full tilt up state (the tilt angle is in the full tilt up angle state). Machine 2 is shown in solid lines. The PTT 20 can hold the outboard motor 2 at an arbitrary position within the trim area and the tilt area.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the suspension device 3 further includes an electric steering mechanism St1 that rotates the outboard motor 2 left and right around the steering axis A4. The electric steering mechanism St <b> 1 is held by the swivel bracket 15. The electric steering mechanism St1 is connected to the steering shaft 16. The electric steering mechanism St1 rotates the steering shaft 16 left and right around the steering axis A4 with respect to the swivel bracket 15. As a result, the outboard motor 2 rotates left and right around the steering axis A4.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the outboard motor 2 can turn left and right between the right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position. In FIG. 3, the outline of the engine cover 9 at the right maximum turning position is indicated by a one-dot chain line, and the outline of the engine cover 9 at the left maximum turning position is indicated by a two-dot chain line. The right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position are positions where the outboard motor 2 tilts to the left and right. The right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position are in a symmetrical relationship. The electric steering mechanism St1 rotates the outboard motor 2 to the left and right around a central position between the right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position. The center position is a position where the propeller axis A2 is orthogonal to the tilt axis A3 and extends in the front-rear direction in plan view. In FIG. 3, the outline of the engine cover 9 in the straight traveling position is shown by a solid line. The electric steering mechanism St1 can hold the outboard motor 2 at an arbitrary position between the right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the suspension device 3. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the suspension device 3 with the electric steering mechanism St1 removed, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the suspension device 3 with the electric steering mechanism St1 removed. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the steering shaft 16 is attached to the swivel bracket 15, and FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a state before the steering shaft 16 is attached to the swivel bracket 15. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a state before the first steering arm 32 and the arm cover 34 are attached to the steering shaft 16.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the swivel bracket 15 includes a plate-like mounting portion 22 that is held in a horizontal posture, and a pair of wall portions 23 that are disposed on both the left and right sides of the mounting portion 22. The right wall portion 23 extends upward from the right end portion of the placement portion 22, and the left wall portion 23 extends upward from the left end portion of the placement portion 22. The right wall portion 23 extends in the front-rear direction along the right end portion of the placement portion 22, and the left wall portion 23 extends in the front-rear direction along the left end portion of the placement portion 22. As shown in FIG. 7, the front end part of the mounting part 22 and the front end part of the wall part 23 are arrange | positioned above the transom. The pair of wall portions 23 face each other in parallel with an interval in the left-right direction. The right wall portion 23 is disposed inside the right clamp bracket 13, and the left wall portion 23 is disposed inside the left clamp bracket 13. The right wall 23 and the right clamp bracket 13 are adjacent in the left-right direction, and the left wall 23 and the left clamp bracket 13 are adjacent in the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the wall portion 23 includes a shaft support portion 24 that supports the split shaft 19 and a housing attachment portion 25 to which the electric steering mechanism St1 is attached. The right split shaft 19 penetrates the right shaft support 24 and the right clamp bracket 13 in the left-right direction. Similarly, the left split shaft 19 penetrates the left shaft support 24 and the left clamp bracket 13 in the left-right direction. The split shaft 19 has a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction. The split shaft 19 includes a screw portion 19a, a shaft portion 19b having a larger diameter than the screw portion 19a, and a flange portion 19c having a larger diameter than the shaft portion 19b. The screw part 19a, the shaft part 19b, and the flange part 19c are arranged in this order from the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the shaft portion 19 b is inserted into an inner insertion hole 26 that penetrates the wall portion 23 in the left-right direction. Further, the shaft portion 19b is inserted into an outer insertion hole 27 that penetrates the clamp bracket 13 in the left-right direction. The shaft portion 19b is fixed to the wall portion 23 by press-fitting, for example. Therefore, the tilting shaft 14 is fixed to the swivel bracket 15. The shaft portion 19b is not limited to press fitting, and may be fixed to the wall portion 23 by bolts or welding, or may be fixed to the wall portion 23 by other fixing methods. The shaft portion 19 b is inserted into a cylindrical tilt bush 28 that is press-fitted into the outer insertion hole 27. The shaft portion 19b is rotatable around the tilt axis A3 with respect to the tilt bush 28. Therefore, the clamp bracket 13 rotatably supports the tilting shaft 14 via the tilt bush 28.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the flange portion 19 c is disposed inside the wall portion 23. The flange portion 19c extends outward from the end portion of the shaft portion 19b. The outer diameter of the flange portion 19 c is larger than the diameter of the inner insertion hole 26. The flange portion 19 c is in contact with the inner surface of the wall portion 23. The outward movement of the split shaft 19 with respect to the wall portion 23 is regulated by the contact between the wall portion 23 and the flange portion 19c. Further, the screw portion 19 a is disposed outside the clamp bracket 13. The clamp bracket 13 is prevented from dropping from the split shaft 19 by a nut 29 attached to the screw portion 19a.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the swivel bracket 15 includes a shaft accommodating portion 30 that accommodates the steering shaft 16 so as to be rotatable around the steering axis A4. The shaft accommodating portion 30 extends downward from the rear end portion of the placement portion 22. The steering shaft 16 is inserted into a shaft insertion hole 31 that penetrates the shaft housing 30 in the vertical direction. The steering shaft 16 protrudes upward from the upper end of the shaft insertion hole 31 and protrudes downward from the lower end of the shaft insertion hole 31. The upper mount support portion 17 is disposed above the shaft housing portion 30, and the lower mount support portion 18 is disposed below the shaft housing portion 30. The upper mount support portion 17 is fixed to the upper end portion of the steering shaft 16, and the lower mount support portion 18 is fixed to the lower end portion of the steering shaft 16.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the suspension device 3 includes a first steering arm 32 coupled to the steering shaft 16 below the upper mount Mt1. The first steering arm 32 extends forward from the upper portion of the steering shaft 16. The first steering arm 32 is fixed to the steering shaft 16. Accordingly, the first steering arm 32 rotates around the steering axis A4 together with the steering shaft 16. The swivel bracket 15 includes a concave arm accommodating portion 33 that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the placement portion 22. The first steering arm 32 is accommodated in the arm accommodating portion 33. Accordingly, the first steering arm 32 is disposed inside the swivel bracket 15. The suspension device 3 includes a plate-shaped arm cover 34 that covers the arm accommodating portion 33. The arm cover 34 is disposed above the first steering arm 32. As shown in FIG. 9, the arm cover 34 and the swivel bracket 15 are connected via a second seal 35 (gasket) disposed between the arm cover 34 and the swivel bracket 15. The second seal 35 seals between the periphery of the arm cover 34 and the swivel bracket 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the first steering arm 32 includes an arm annular portion 36 into which the steering shaft 16 is inserted, and a fork-shaped (bifurcated) arm portion 37 extending outward from the arm annular portion 36. Including. The arm cover 34 includes a cover annular portion 38 into which the steering shaft 16 is inserted, and a plate portion 39 extending outward from the cover annular portion 38. The arm annular portion 36 is fixed to the steering shaft 16. The arm annular portion 36 may be fixed to the steering shaft 16 by at least one fixing method of press-fitting, bolts, and welding, or may be fixed to the arm annular portion 36 by other fixing methods. . The arm annular portion 36 rotates around the steering axis A4 together with the steering shaft 16. The arm portion 37 is disposed in front of the arm annular portion 36. The cover annular portion 38 is disposed between the upper mount support portion 17 and the arm annular portion 36. The plate portion 39 is disposed in front of the cover annular portion 38. As shown in FIG. 7, the plate portion 39 is fixed to the swivel bracket 15 by a plurality of bolts. The arm accommodating portion 33 is covered with a plate portion 39. The arm portion 37 is disposed below the second opening 40 that penetrates the plate portion 39 in the vertical direction. The arm accommodating portion 33 communicates with the upper portion of the arm cover 34 via the second opening 40.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG. 6, and FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the lower part of FIG. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42.
As shown in FIG. 11, the suspension device 3 includes a cylindrical upper bearing 41 disposed in the shaft insertion hole 31. As shown in FIG. 12, the suspension device 3 includes a cylindrical lower bearing 42 disposed in the shaft insertion hole 31 below the upper bearing 41. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the steering shaft 16 is inserted into the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42. The upper bearing 41 supports the upper end portion of the steering shaft 16, and the lower bearing 42 supports the lower end portion of the steering shaft 16. The upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 are held by the swivel bracket 15. Therefore, the steering shaft 16 is connected to the swivel bracket 15 via the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42. The upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 are sliding bearings. The steering shaft 16 is rotatable around the steering axis A4 with respect to the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 include a cylindrical metal portion M1 and a resin layer R1 that surround the steering shaft 16. The metal part M1 includes a cylindrical part T1 extending along the steering axis A4, and a flange part F1 extending radially outward from the end of the cylindrical part T1. The cylindrical portion T1 is continuous over the entire circumference. The tubular portion T1 is press-fitted into the shaft insertion hole 31. Therefore, the metal part M <b> 1 is held by the swivel bracket 15. The metal part M <b> 1 is positioned in the axial direction of the steering shaft 16 by contact between the flange part F <b> 1 and the swivel bracket 15. As shown in FIG. 11, the upper bearing 41 is held by the swivel bracket 15 with the flange portion F1 facing upward, and as shown in FIG. 12, the lower bearing 42 is swivel with the flange portion F1 facing downward. It is held by the bracket 15. As shown in FIG. 13, the resin layer R1 is coupled to the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion T1. The resin layer R1 is a coating layer that covers the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion T1, and the thickness of the coating layer (resin layer R1) is thinner than the thickness of the cylindrical portion T1 (metal portion M1). The resin layer R1 constitutes a sliding surface that slides on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 16.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the resin layer R <b> 1 is formed of a resin material having a strength lower than that of the steering shaft 16. The resin material may be a fluororesin (preferably PTFE (tetrafluoroethylene resin)). Of course, the resin layer R1 may be formed of a resin material other than the fluororesin. Further, the metal part M1 is formed of a metal material having a higher strength than the resin layer R1. The metal material may be a material mainly composed of aluminum such as an aluminum alloy, or may be a material mainly composed of iron such as cast iron or carbon steel. Naturally, the metal part M1 may be formed of a metal material other than these materials. The swivel bracket 15 is preferably made of the same metal material as that of the metal part M1. In this case, the contact portion between the swivel bracket 15 and the metal portion M1 can be prevented from being deteriorated by electric contact.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the suspension device 3 includes an annular upper seal 43 disposed in the cover annular portion 38. As shown in FIG. 12, the suspension device 3 includes an annular lower seal 44 disposed in the shaft insertion hole 31. The upper seal 43 may be an oil seal or an O-ring. The same applies to the lower seal 44. The upper seal 43 is press-fitted into the cover annular portion 38. The lower seal 44 is press-fitted into the shaft housing portion 30. Therefore, the upper seal 43 is held by the arm cover 34, and the lower seal 44 is held by the swivel bracket 15. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the steering shaft 16 is inserted into the upper seal 43 and the lower seal 44. The upper seal 43 is attached to the steering shaft 16 above the upper bearing 41, and the lower seal 44 is attached to the steering shaft 16 below the lower bearing 42. The upper mount support portion 17 is disposed above the upper seal 43, and the lower mount support portion 18 is disposed below the lower seal 44. The cylindrical upper washer W1 is disposed between the upper seal 43 and the upper mount support portion 17, and the cylindrical lower washer W2 is disposed between the lower seal 44 and the lower mount support portion 18. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the upper seal 43 seals between the inner peripheral surface of the cover annular portion 38 and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 16. Accordingly, the upper seal 43 prevents water from entering the shaft insertion hole 31 from above. Further, the lower seal 44 seals between the inner peripheral surface of the shaft housing 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 16. Therefore, the lower seal 44 prevents water from entering the shaft insertion hole 31 from below. The arm accommodating portion 33 communicates with the shaft insertion hole 31 (see FIG. 6). The periphery of the arm cover 34 that covers the arm accommodating portion 33 and the swivel bracket 15 are sealed with a second seal 35. Therefore, the second seal 35 prevents water from entering the arm accommodating portion 33. Therefore, the entry of water from the arm accommodating portion 33 into the shaft insertion hole 31 is prevented.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the suspension device 3 in the full tilt up state, and FIG. 15 is a side view of the suspension device 3 in the full tilt up state. In FIG. 15, the outboard motor 2 and the swivel bracket 15 in the full trim-out state are indicated by a two-dot chain line.
As shown in FIG. 14, the PTT 20 includes a plurality of cylinders (two trim cylinders 45 and a tilt cylinder 46) that rotate the outboard motor 2 up and down. The trim cylinder 45 and the tilt cylinder 46 are hydraulic cylinders. The PTT 20 includes an oil tank 47 (see FIG. 5) that stores hydraulic oil, a hydraulic pump 48 that sends hydraulic oil to the trim cylinder 45 and the tilt cylinder 46, and an electric motor 49 that drives the hydraulic pump 48. The trim cylinder 45, the tilt cylinder 46, the oil tank 47, the hydraulic pump 48, and the electric motor 49 are held by a frame 50 disposed between the pair of clamp brackets 13.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the two trim cylinders 45 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction with a space therebetween. Each trim cylinder 45 is inclined forward and backward so that the upper end of the trim cylinder 45 is located rearward of the lower end of the trim cylinder 45. The tilt cylinder 46 is disposed so that the tilt cylinder 46 is positioned between the two trim cylinders 45 when viewed from the front-rear direction. The upper end portion of the tilt cylinder 46 is disposed above each trim cylinder 45. The hydraulic pump 48 and the electric motor 49 are disposed above one trim cylinder 45, and the oil tank 47 is disposed above the other trim cylinder 45. The electric motor 49 is disposed above the hydraulic pump 48.

  As shown in FIG. 14, each trim cylinder 45 includes a cylinder body 45 a and a trim rod 45 b extending along the central axis of the trim cylinder 45. Similarly, the tilt cylinder 46 includes a cylinder body 46 a and a tilt rod 46 b that extend along the central axis of the tilt cylinder 46. Each trim rod 45b protrudes upward from the upper end of the cylinder body 45a. Each cylinder body 45 a is fixed to the frame 50. As shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 15, in the full trim-out state, the contact portion 51 provided on the swivel bracket 15 is supported at the tip of each trim rod 45b. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 14, the tilt rod 46b protrudes upward from the upper end of the cylinder body 46a. The upper end of the tilt rod 46b is connected to the swivel bracket 15 via an upper pin 52 extending in the left-right direction. The lower end portion of the cylinder body 46a is connected to the frame 50 via a lower pin (not shown) extending in the left-right direction. The tilt rod 46 b can rotate around the upper pin 52 with respect to the swivel bracket 15, and the cylinder body 46 a can rotate around the lower pin with respect to the frame 50.

  When the hydraulic pump 48 is driven by the electric motor 49, hydraulic oil is supplied from the hydraulic pump 48 to at least one of the trim cylinder 45 and the tilt cylinder 46. When hydraulic oil is supplied from the hydraulic pump 48 to the cylinder body 45a of each trim cylinder 45, the protruding amount of each trim rod 45b changes. Similarly, when hydraulic oil is supplied from the hydraulic pump 48 to the cylinder body 46a of the tilt cylinder 46, the protrusion amount of the tilt rod 46b changes.

  As shown in FIG. 15, when the protruding amount of the tilt rod 46b increases, the swivel bracket 15 is pushed up by the tilt rod 46b, and the outboard motor 2 rotates upward around the tilt axis A3. Further, when the protruding amount of the trim rod 45b increases while the outboard motor 2 is located in the trim area, the swivel bracket 15 is pushed up by the trim rod 45b, and the outboard motor 2 rotates upward around the tilt axis A3. To do. The tilt cylinder 46 supports the outboard motor 2 in the trim area and the tilt area. Further, the two trim cylinders 45 support the outboard motor 2 in the trim area. That is, when the inclination angle of the outboard motor 2 exceeds the full trim-out angle, the tip of each trim rod 45 b is separated from the contact portion 51 of the swivel bracket 15. Accordingly, the outboard motor 2 is supported by the tilt cylinder 46 in the tilt range.

  FIG. 16 is a plan view of the suspension device 3 in a state where the electric steering mechanism St1 is attached. In FIG. 16, the illustration of the upper cover 58 is omitted. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a state before the electric steering mechanism St <b> 1 is attached to the swivel bracket 15. FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the electric steering mechanism St1 as viewed from above, and FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the electric steering mechanism St1 as viewed from below. FIG. 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the electric steering mechanism St1 is attached to the swivel bracket 15.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the electric steering mechanism St1 includes a casing 53, an electric motor 54 accommodated in the casing 53, a transmission device 55 that transmits power from the electric motor 54 to the steering shaft 16, and a ship. And a turning angle detection device 56 that detects the turning angle of the outer unit 2. The electric motor 54, the transmission device 55, and the turning angle detection device 56 are held in the housing 53. The casing 53 is detachably attached to the swivel bracket 15. Therefore, the electric motor 54, the transmission device 55, and the turning angle detection device 56 are detachably attached to the swivel bracket 15 via the housing 53. When the housing 53 is removed from the swivel bracket 15, the electric motor 54, the transmission device 55, and the turning angle detection device 56 are also removed from the swivel bracket 15.

  As shown in FIG. 16, at least a part of the housing 53 is disposed between the pair of wall portions 23 of the swivel bracket 15. The housing 53 is placed on the placement portion 22 of the swivel bracket 15. As shown in FIG. 17, the mounting portion 22 and the pair of wall portions 23 form a concave arrangement space S1 that is recessed downward. The arrangement space S1 is open upward and is also open forward and backward. As shown in FIG. 16, at least a part of the casing 53 is arranged in the arrangement space S1. The upper mount support portion 17 is disposed behind the housing 53. The two split shafts 19 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the front end portion of the housing 53. Therefore, the tilt axis A3 intersects the housing 53. The casing 53 is disposed below the engine cover 9 (see FIG. 3).

  As shown in FIG. 18, the housing 53 includes a box-shaped housing 57 having an opening in the upper portion, an upper cover 58 that covers the upper portion of the housing 57, and a pair of side covers that are disposed on both the left and right sides of the housing 57. 59. The housing 57 includes a front wall 57a and a rear wall 57b that face in the front-rear direction, a pair of left and right side walls 57c (a right side wall 57c and a left side wall 57c) that face in the left-right direction, and a bottom wall 57d that forms the bottom of the housing 57. including. The right side cover 59 is attached to the right side wall 57c with a plurality of bolts, and the left side cover 59 is attached to the left side wall 57c with a plurality of bolts. The opening provided in the side wall 57 c is covered with a side cover 59. The right side wall 57c of the housing 57 and the right side cover 59 constitute the right side of the casing 53, and the left side wall 57c of the housing 57 and the left side cover 59 constitute the left side of the casing 53. Yes. As shown in FIG. 16, the right wall portion 23 faces the right side portion of the housing 53, and the left wall portion 23 faces the left side portion of the housing 53. The side cover 59 is disposed between the housing 57 and the wall portion 23. The side cover 59 is opposed to the inner surface of the wall portion 23 with an interval in the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the housing 53 includes a pair of left and right projections 60 that project laterally from the right and left sides of the housing 53 and a plurality of lateral projections that project laterally from the right and left sides of the housing 53. 1st boss | hub part 61 is included. The pair of protrusions 60 are disposed in front of the plurality of first boss portions 61. As shown in FIG. 16, the right protrusion 60 is disposed on the right wall 23, and the left protrusion 60 is disposed on the left wall 23. As shown in FIG. 17, the upper and lower bolts B <b> 1 are attached to the wall portion 23 from above via an upper and lower attachment hole 62 that penetrates the protrusion 60 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the protrusion 60 is detachably fixed to the wall portion 23.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the plurality of first boss portions 61 are interposed between the side portion of the housing 53 and the wall portion 23. The first boss portion 61 extends in the left-right direction. The end surface of the first boss portion 61 is flat, and the inner surface of the wall portion 23 facing the end surface of the first boss portion 61 is also flat. The end surface of the first boss portion 61 is in surface contact with the inner surface of the wall portion 23. As shown in FIG. 17, the left and right bolts B <b> 2 are attached to the first boss portion 61 from the side via left and right attachment holes 63 that penetrate the wall portion 23 in the left and right direction. Therefore, the plurality of first boss portions 61 are detachably fixed to the wall portion 23 in a state where the end surface of the first boss portion 61 and the inner surface of the wall portion 23 are in surface contact. Therefore, the wall portion 23 is supported from the inside by the housing 53. The wall portion 23 is connected to the side portion of the housing 53 in a state of facing the side wall 57c of the housing 57 with a space in the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the housing 53 includes an annular opening 57 e provided in the bottom wall 57 d of the housing 57. The opening 57e protrudes downward from the lower surface of the bottom wall 57d. The opening 57e forms a first opening 64 that penetrates the bottom wall 57d of the housing 57 in the vertical direction. The first opening 64 is a long hole that is long in the left-right direction. The first opening 64 communicates the inside of the housing 53 and the outside of the housing 53. A part of the transmission device 55 (a transmission shaft 79 described later) projects from the inside of the housing 53 to the outside of the housing 53 through the first opening 64. As shown in FIG. 20, the suspension device 3 includes an annular first seal 65 attached to the opening 57 e. The first seal 65 surrounds the first opening 64. The first opening 64 faces the second opening 40 formed in the arm cover 34. The housing 53 is fixed to the swivel bracket 15 with the first opening 64 and the second opening 40 facing each other. The first opening 64 communicates with the arm accommodating portion 33 through the second opening 40. Therefore, the inside of the housing 53 communicates with the arm accommodating portion 33 via the first opening 64 and the second opening 40.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the first seal 65 is disposed between the housing 53 and the arm cover 34. The protrusion 60 and the first boss portion 61 are fixed to the swivel bracket 15 by the upper and lower bolts B1 and the left and right bolts B2 at a position where the first seal 65 is vertically sandwiched between the housing 53 and the swivel bracket 15. Therefore, the casing 53 is fastened to the swivel bracket 15 with the first seal 65 sandwiched between the casing 53 and the swivel bracket 15. Thereby, the space between the housing 53 and the arm cover 34 is sealed.

  The space between the upper cover 58 and the housing 57 and the space between the side cover 59 and the housing 57 are hermetically sealed to prevent water from entering the housing 53 from locations other than the first opening 64. Yes. The interior of the housing 53 communicates with the arm accommodating portion 33 via the first opening 64 and the second opening 40. The arm accommodating portion 33 communicates with the shaft insertion hole 31. As described above, the ingress of water into the shaft insertion hole 31 is prevented by the upper seal 43 and the lower seal 44, and the ingress of water from the peripheral edge of the arm cover 34 into the arm accommodating portion 33 is This is prevented by two seals 35. This prevents water from entering the housing 53. This prevents water from adhering to the components in the casing 53 such as the electric motor 54.

  21 and 22 are schematic views of the inside of the housing 53 as viewed from above. FIG. 21 shows a state before the steering shaft 16 and the first steering arm 32 are steered, and FIG. 22 shows a state after the steering shaft 16 and the first steering arm 32 are steered. Yes. Hereinafter, the electric steering mechanism St1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 18, 20, 21, and 22. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the electric motor 54 is disposed in the casing 53 with the rotation shaft 66 extending in the left-right direction. A plurality of wires 67 including electric wires extend from the electric motor 54 to the outside of the housing 53 through wiring holes that penetrate the housing 53. The electric motor 54 generates power (torque) that rotates the steering shaft 16 about the steering axis A4. The power of the electric motor 54 is transmitted to the steering shaft 16 through a transmission path that connects the electric motor 54 and the first steering arm 32. Since the electric motor 54 is disposed inside the housing 53 and the first steering arm 32 is disposed outside the housing 53, the transmission path passes from the inside of the housing 53 through the first opening 64. It extends outside the body 53. The transmission device 55 is disposed on the transmission path. The transmission device 55 includes a clutch 68, a joint 69, a speed reduction device 70, and a motion conversion device 71 arranged on the transmission path. The clutch 68, the joint 69, the speed reduction device 70, and the motion conversion device 71 are held by the housing 53 inside the housing 53.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the clutch 68 and the joint 69 are disposed on the rotation axis of the electric motor 54 (on the center axis of the rotation shaft 66). The clutch 68 is disposed between the electric motor 54 and the joint 69. The clutch 68 transmits the torque in the forward direction and the reverse direction from the electric motor 54 side to the steering shaft 16 side, and interrupts the transmission of torque from the steering shaft 16 side to the electric motor 54 side. shutoff clutch). The joint 69 is disposed closer to the steering shaft 16 than the clutch 68 (downstream of the transmission path). As shown in FIG. 18, the joint 69 is an elastic coupling including a pair of meshing members 69b that mesh via an elastic body 69a. Therefore, the joint 69 functions as a damper that absorbs vibrations in the forward direction and the reverse direction. Therefore, the reverse input input to the joint 69 from the downstream side of the joint 69 is transmitted to the clutch 68 while being weakened by the joint 69. Thereby, a large reverse input is prevented from being input to the clutch 68.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the reduction gear device 70 is disposed on the left side of the housing 53. The reduction gear device 70 is disposed between the joint 69 and the motion conversion device 71 with respect to the power transmission direction. The reduction device 70 reduces the rotation from the joint 69 and transmits the reduced rotation to the motion conversion device 71 side. Reduction device 70 includes a plurality of reduction gears. FIG. 21 shows a case where the reduction gear 70 includes four reduction gears (a first reduction gear 72, a second reduction gear 73, a third reduction gear 74, and a fourth reduction gear 75).

  As shown in FIG. 21, the four reduction gears are held in the casing 53 so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. The first reduction gear 72, the second reduction gear 73, the third reduction gear 74, and the fourth reduction gear 75 are arranged along the transmission path in this order from the upstream side. The most upstream first reduction gear 72 is disposed on the rotation axis of the electric motor 54, and the most downstream fourth reduction gear 75 is disposed on the rotation axis of a ball screw 77 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the first reduction gear 72, the third reduction gear 74, and the fourth reduction gear 75 are rotatably supported by the casing 53 via bearings. The second reduction gear 73 is rotatably supported by the lock release shaft 76 via a bearing. The unlocking shaft 76 is attached to the side cover 59 from the side. The lock release shaft 76 extends in the left-right direction. The lock release shaft 76 is attached to the side cover 59 so as to be movable in the axial direction with respect to the side cover 59. The second reduction gear 73 moves in the axial direction together with the lock release shaft 76.

  The second reduction gear 73 is movable in the housing 53 between the meshing position and the meshing release position. The meshing position is a position where the first reduction gear 72 and the second reduction gear 73 are engaged, and the second reduction gear 73 and the third reduction gear 74 are engaged. In the mesh release position, the second reduction gear 73 is retracted to the side of the first reduction gear 72 and the third reduction gear 74, the engagement between the first reduction gear 72 and the second reduction gear 73, and the second reduction gear. This is the position where the meshing between the gear 73 and the third reduction gear 74 is released. 21 and 22 show a state in which the second reduction gear 73 is disposed at the meshing position. The second reduction gear 73 is disposed at either the meshing position or the meshing release position by the operation of the lock release shaft 76 by the operator.

  In the state where the second reduction gear 73 is disposed at the meshing position, the torque transmitted from the joint 69 to the first reduction gear 72 is transmitted to the third reduction gear 74 via the second reduction gear 73. Then, the torque transmitted to the third reduction gear 74 is transmitted from the third reduction gear 74 to the fourth reduction gear 75. Further, in this state, the clutch 68 that cuts off the reverse input is connected to the second reduction gear 73 via the first reduction gear 72 and the joint 69, so that the reverse input (torque) is the third reduction gear 74. The second reduction gear 73 does not rotate even if it is input to the second reduction gear 73.

  On the other hand, in the state where the second reduction gear 73 is disposed at the meshing release position, the first reduction gear 72 is not engaged with the second reduction gear 73, so the torque transmitted from the joint 69 to the first reduction gear 72. However, the first reduction gear 72 is idled without being transmitted to the second reduction gear 73. Similarly, in this state, the third reduction gear 74 is not engaged with the second reduction gear 73, so that the torque transmitted from the fourth reduction gear 75 to the third reduction gear 74 is transmitted to the second reduction gear 73. Instead, the third reduction gear 74 idles. Therefore, in this state, rotation is not transmitted from the upstream side of the second reduction gear 73 to the downstream side, and rotation is not transmitted from the downstream side of the second reduction gear 73 to the upstream side.

  The outboard motor 2 is connected to the transmission device 55 via the steering shaft 16 and the first steering arm 32. When the operator pushes the outboard motor 2 left and right, this force (reverse input) is transmitted to the fourth reduction gear 75, and torque is transmitted from the fourth reduction gear 75 to the third reduction gear 74. In the state where the second reduction gear 73 is disposed at the meshing position, the rotation of the second reduction gear 73 is prevented by the clutch 68. Therefore, even if the operator pushes the outboard motor 2 left and right in this state, the outboard Machine 2 does not move. On the other hand, in the state where the second reduction gear 73 is disposed at the mesh release position, the second reduction gear 73 is not engaged with the third reduction gear 74. Therefore, when the operator pushes the outboard motor 2 left and right in this state. The outboard motor 2 rotates left and right around the steering axis A4.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the motion conversion device 71 includes a ball screw 77 that is rotationally driven by the electric motor 54 and a ball nut 78 that is attached to the ball screw 77 via a plurality of balls. The ball screw 77 and the ball nut 78 are disposed behind the electric motor 54 in the housing 53. The ball screw 77 extends in the left-right direction behind the electric motor 54. Both ends of the ball screw 77 are supported by the housing 53 via bearings. The ball screw 77 is rotatable with respect to the housing 53 around the central axis of the ball screw 77. The rotation axis of the ball screw 77 and the rotation axis of the electric motor 54 are parallel to each other. The ball screw 77 is connected to the electric motor 54 via the clutch 68, the joint 69, and the speed reducer 70. The ball screw 77 rotates together with the fourth reduction gear 75 of the reduction device 70. When the ball screw 77 rotates around the central axis of the ball screw 77, the ball nut 78 moves along the ball screw 77 in the axial direction of the ball screw 77. Thereby, the rotation of the ball screw 77 is converted into a linear motion of the ball nut 78.

  The transmission device 55 includes a transmission shaft 79 that transmits power from the motion conversion device 71 side to the first steering arm 32 side. As shown in FIG. 20, the transmission shaft 79 extends downward from the ball nut 78. The transmission shaft 79 protrudes from the inside of the housing 53 to the outside of the housing 53 through an opening 57 e provided in the bottom wall 57 d of the housing 57. The transmission shaft 79 is disposed on the transmission path. The transmission shaft 79 moves in the axial direction (left-right direction) of the ball screw 77 together with the ball nut 78. The transmission shaft 79 may be integrated with the ball nut 78 or may be a member different from the ball nut 78 fixed to the ball nut 78.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the suspension device 3 includes a cylindrical first bush 80 and a second bush 81 into which the transmission shaft 79 is inserted. The first bush 80 is disposed above the second bush 81. The first bush 80 surrounds the transmission shaft 79 inside the housing 53. The first bush 80 is disposed in the opening 57 e of the housing 57. The second bush 81 surrounds the transmission shaft 79 outside the housing 53. The second bush 81 is disposed in the arm accommodating portion 33. The arm portion 37 of the first steering arm 32 is disposed around the second bush 81. Therefore, the second bush 81 is disposed between the first steering arm 32 and the transmission shaft 79.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the first bush 80 includes an outer peripheral surface having a polygonal cross section and a cylindrical inner peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface of the first bush 80 includes two first flat portions 82 that are parallel to each other. One first flat portion 82 is provided on the front surface of the first bush 80, and the other first flat portion 82 is provided on the rear surface of the first bush 80. As shown in FIG. 20, the two first flat portions 82 face the inner surface of the opening 57e extending in the left-right direction in the front-rear direction. The rotation of the ball nut 78 around the central axis of the ball screw 77 is restricted by the contact between the first flat portion 82 and the opening 57e. Further, the two first flat portions 82 guide the ball nut 78 and the transmission shaft 79 in the left-right direction along the opening 57e while sliding on the inner surface of the opening 57e. Therefore, the first bush 80 is preferably formed of a material having lower strength than the first steering arm 32 and the transmission shaft 79 such as a resin material.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the second bush 81 includes an outer peripheral surface having a polygonal cross section and a cylindrical inner peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface of the second bush 81 includes two second flat portions 83 that are parallel to each other. As shown in FIG. 21, the arm portion 37 of the first steering arm 32 is disposed around the second bush 81. The second flat portion 83 faces the inner surface of the arm portion 37. The rotation of the first steering arm 32 with respect to the second bush 81 is restricted by the contact between the second flat portion 83 and the inner surface of the arm portion 37. The second bush 81 rotates about the central axis of the transmission shaft 79 with respect to the transmission shaft 79 together with the first steering arm 32 while sliding on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission shaft 79. Therefore, the second bush 81 is preferably formed of a material having a lower strength than the first steering arm 32 and the transmission shaft 79, such as a resin material.

  As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, when the electric motor 54 rotates the rotary shaft 66, the rotation of the electric motor 54 is transmitted to the ball screw 77 via the clutch 68, the joint 69, and the speed reducer 70, and the ball nut 78 and the transmission shaft 79 move in the left-right direction. As a result, the first bush 80 and the second bush 81 move in the left-right direction, and the first steering arm 32 is pushed in the left-right direction by the second bush 81. Therefore, the first steering arm 32 rotates to the left and right around the steering axis A4, and the second bush 81 rotates about the central axis of the transmission shaft 79 with respect to the transmission shaft 79. As a result, the outboard motor 2 and the steering shaft 16 rotate left and right around the steering axis A4. When the electric motor 54 rotates the rotation shaft 66 in the forward rotation direction, the outboard motor 2 rotates to the right, and the electric motor 54 rotates the rotation shaft 66 in the reverse rotation direction (the direction opposite to the normal rotation direction). Then, the outboard motor 2 rotates to the left. Thereby, the outboard motor 2 is disposed at any position between the right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position.

  The turning angle of the outboard motor 2 is detected by the turning angle detection device 56. As shown in FIG. 21, the turning angle detection device 56 is arranged on the right side of the housing 53. The turning angle detection device 56 is a rotation angle detection device that detects the rotation angle (rotation position) of the steering shaft 16 by detecting the rotation angle (rotation position) of the ball screw 77. The turning angle detection device 56 may be a linear sensor that detects the rotation angle of the steering shaft 16 by detecting the amount of movement of the ball nut 78 in the axial direction. The turning angle detection device 56 includes a plurality of gears 84 and a sensor 85. The plurality of gears 84 are disposed between the right side cover 59 and the right side wall 57 c of the housing 57. The plurality of gears 84 rotate as the ball screw 77 rotates. The rotation of the ball screw 77 is sequentially decelerated by the plurality of gears 84. The sensor 85 detects the rotation angle of the ball screw 77 based on the rotation angle of the most downstream gear 84. Thereby, the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 is detected.

Next, the case where the suspension device 3 includes the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 will be described.
FIG. 23 is a plan view of the suspension device 3 with the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 attached thereto. FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a state before the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 is attached to the swivel bracket 15. FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, when the suspension device 3 includes the hydraulic steering mechanism St2, the spacer 86 and the second steering arm 87 are included in the suspension device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 24, the spacer 86 is a block extending in the left-right direction in a triangular shape in a side view. As shown in FIG. 23, the spacer 86 is disposed between the pair of wall portions 23. The spacer 86 is placed on the placement unit 22. The spacer 86 is arranged in the arrangement space S1. The spacer 86 is disposed above the second opening 40 formed in the arm cover 34. The second opening 40 is closed by a spacer 86. The space between the spacer 86 and the arm cover 34 is sealed. This prevents water from entering the arm accommodating portion 33.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the spacer 86 includes a plurality of second boss portions 88 that protrude laterally from the right side portion and the left side portion of the spacer 86. The second boss portion 88 extends in the left-right direction. The end surface of the second boss portion 88 is flat, and the end surface of the second boss portion 88 is in surface contact with the inner surface of the wall portion 23. The positional relationship between the plurality of second boss portions 88 is the same as the positional relationship between the plurality of first boss portions 61 provided in the housing 53 of the electric steering mechanism St1. Therefore, the second boss portion 88 faces the left and right attachment holes 63 (see FIG. 17) that penetrate the wall portion 23 in the left-right direction. The spacer 86 is fixed to the pair of wall portions 23 by a plurality of left and right bolts B2. Accordingly, the plurality of second boss portions 88 are detachably fixed to the wall portion 23 in a state where the end surface of the second boss portion 88 and the inner surface of the wall portion 23 are in surface contact. Therefore, the wall portion 23 is supported from the inside by the spacer 86.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the second steering arm 87 extends from above the spacer 86 to the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 through the upper portion of the spacer 86. The upper mount support portion 17 includes an arm attachment portion 89 to which one end portion of the second steering arm 87 is detachably attached. The second steering arm 87 is detachably attached to the arm attachment portion 89 by an arm bolt B3. The second steering arm 87 is supported by the arm mounting portion 89 above the swivel bracket 15. The first steering arm 32 coupled to the electric steering mechanism St1 is disposed inside the swivel bracket 15. Accordingly, the second steering arm 87 is supported by the arm attachment portion 89 above the first steering arm 32. The second steering arm 87 rotates around the steering axis A4 together with the steering shaft 16. The other end of the second steering arm 87 is connected to the hydraulic steering mechanism St2.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 includes a hydraulic cylinder 90 that generates power, a pair of attachment arms 91 attached to the hydraulic cylinder 90, and an attachment shaft 92 attached to the pair of attachment arms 91. Including. The hydraulic cylinder 90 is a double rod type double acting cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder 90 includes a cylinder tube 90a to which hydraulic oil is supplied and a piston rod 90b that penetrates the cylinder tube 90a in the left-right direction. The attachment shaft 92 extends in the left-right direction behind the hydraulic cylinder 90. The right mounting arm 91 connects the right end of the piston rod 90b and the right end of the mounting shaft 92, and the left mounting arm 91 connects the left end of the piston rod 90b and the left end of the mounting shaft 92. doing. The pair of mounting arms 91 are arranged in parallel.

  As shown in FIG. 24, the attachment shaft 92 extends in the left-right direction along the tilt axis A3. As shown in FIG. 23, the attachment shaft 92 penetrates the two split shafts 19 in the left-right direction. The right end portion of the mounting shaft 92 is disposed on the side of the right clamp bracket 13, and the left end portion of the mounting shaft 92 is disposed on the side of the left clamp bracket 13. The attachment shaft 92 is detachably attached to the tilting shaft 14 by two bolts B4. The attachment shaft 92 is supported by the tilting shaft 14. Accordingly, the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 is supported by the pair of wall portions 23 via the tilting shaft 14. The hydraulic steering mechanism St2 is supported by the swivel bracket 15 in front of the arrangement space S1 in which the electric steering mechanism St1 is arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the other end portion of the second steering arm 87 is connected to the cylinder tube 90 a via a rotation shaft 93. The other end portion of the second steering arm 87 is rotatable with respect to the cylinder tube 90 a around the central axis of the rotation shaft 93. When the hydraulic oil is supplied into the cylinder tube 90a, the cylinder tube 90a moves in the left-right direction with respect to the piston rod 90b. The piston rod 90 b is restricted from moving in the left-right direction by the mounting arm 91 and the mounting shaft 92. Therefore, when hydraulic oil is supplied into the cylinder tube 90 a, the cylinder tube 90 a moves in the left-right direction with respect to the clamp bracket 13 and the swivel bracket 15.

  When the cylinder tube 90a moves in the left-right direction, the other end of the second steering arm 87 moves in the left-right direction while rotating with respect to the cylinder tube 90a around the central axis of the rotation shaft 93. As a result, the second steering arm 87 rotates left and right around the steering axis A4. As a result, the outboard motor 2 and the steering shaft 16 rotate left and right around the steering axis A4. The outboard motor 2 is disposed at any position between the right maximum steering position and the left maximum steering position by the hydraulic steering mechanism St2.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the swivel bracket 15 can support the mounting portion 22 as the first support portion that can support the electric steering mechanism St1 and the hydraulic steering mechanism St2 at a position different from the electric steering mechanism St1. And a pair of wall portions 23 as second support portions. The swivel bracket 15 can support any one steering mechanism selected from the electric steering mechanism St1 and the hydraulic steering mechanism St2. Therefore, the common swivel bracket 15 can be used regardless of which of the electric steering mechanism St1 and the hydraulic steering mechanism St2. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare the swivel bracket 15 having a plurality of specifications. As a result, the parts can be shared.

  The electric steering mechanism St1 transmits a casing 53 as a holding member mounted on the mounting portion 22, an electric motor 54 that generates power, and power from the electric motor 54 to the steering shaft 16 side. Transmission device 55. The casing 53 is detachably attached to the swivel bracket 15. The electric motor 54 and the transmission device 55 are held by the housing 53. Therefore, by removing the housing 53 from the swivel bracket 15, the housing 53, the electric motor 54, and the transmission device 55 can be removed from the swivel bracket 15 at once. Therefore, the electric steering mechanism St1 can be maintained with the swivel bracket 15 removed. Therefore, maintenance can be performed more efficiently than when the electric steering mechanism St1 is integrated with the swivel bracket 15. Furthermore, when the electric steering mechanism St1 is unnecessary, the weight of the suspension device 3 can be significantly reduced. Moreover, the swivel bracket 15 need not be replaced when the electric steering mechanism St1 is damaged.

  The upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 that rotatably support the steering shaft 16 include a cylindrical metal portion M1 held by the swivel bracket 15 and a resin layer R1 coupled to the inner periphery of the metal portion M1. Including. The resin layer R1 constitutes a sliding surface that slides on the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 16. The metal part M1 is formed of a metal material having higher strength than the resin material. Therefore, the amount of elastic deformation of the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 is suppressed, and the backlash of the steering shaft 16 with respect to the swivel bracket 15 is reduced. Further, since the metal material has higher dimensional accuracy than the resin, the clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft 16 and the sliding surface can be precisely controlled. Thereby, the manufacturing variation of the steering shaft 16 can be further reduced, and the wear of the upper bearing 41 and the lower bearing 42 can be reduced. In addition, since the resin layer R1 is layered and thinner than the metal portion M1, variation due to elastic deformation of the resin layer R1 of the steering shaft 16 is small. Therefore, the steering operation of the outboard motor 2 can be controlled with high accuracy.

Although the description of the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the contents of the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the electric motor of the electric steering mechanism is arranged inside the casing has been described. However, when a motor having a waterproof structure that prevents water from entering the interior is used as an electric motor, the electric motor may be disposed outside the housing.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the first boss portion extends from the housing to the wall portion side has been described. However, the 1st boss | hub part may be provided only in the wall part and may be extended from the inner surface of the wall part to the housing | casing side. Furthermore, the 1st boss | hub part may be provided in both the housing | casing and the wall part. Moreover, the 1st boss | hub part may not be provided in a housing | casing and a wall part, but the side surface of a housing | casing and the inner surface of a wall part may be in surface contact.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the hydraulic steering mechanism is connected to the wall portion of the swivel bracket via the tilting shaft has been described. However, the hydraulic steering mechanism may be directly connected to the wall portion. Further, the steering mechanism coupled to the wall portion is not limited to the hydraulic steering mechanism, and may be an electric steering mechanism.
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the tilting shaft is divided into two has been described. However, the tilting shaft may be divided into three or more, or may be an integral member that penetrates the pair of clamp brackets in the left-right direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the steering shaft is held by the swivel bracket via the two bearings (upper bearing and lower bearing) has been described. However, the number of bearings that support the steering shaft may be one or three or more.
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the steering shaft is held by the swivel bracket and is rotated up and down with the rotation of the outboard motor around the tilt axis has been described. However, the steering shaft may be held by a transom bracket that can be attached to the transom, and may be configured not to rotate even if the outboard motor rotates up and down around the tilt axis.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the speed reduction device 70 is disposed on the left side of the housing 53 and the turning angle detection device 56 is disposed on the right side of the housing 53 has been described. However, the speed reduction device 70 may be disposed on the right side of the housing 53, and the turning angle detection device 56 may be disposed on the left side of the housing 53.
In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1: Ship propulsion device 2: Outboard motor 3: Suspension device 13: Clamp bracket 14: Tilting shaft 15: Swivel bracket 16: Steering shaft 17: Upper mount support portion 18: Lower mount support portion 19: Split shaft 19b: Shaft Part 19c: Flange part 22: Placement part 23: Wall part 26: Inner insertion hole 31: Shaft insertion hole 32: First steering arm 33: Arm accommodating part 34: Arm cover 35: Second seal 36: Arm annular part 37 : Arm portion 40: Second opening 41: Upper bearing 42: Lower bearing 43: Upper seal 44: Lower seal 53: Housing 54: Electric motor 55: Transmission device 56: Steering angle detection device 61: First boss portion 64 : First opening 65: First seal 68: Clutch 69: Joint 77: Ball screw 78: Ball nut 79 Transmission shaft 81: 2nd bush 87: 2nd steering arm 89: Arm attachment part H1: Hull M1: Metal part Mt1: Upper mount Mt2: Lower mount R1: Resin layer S1: Arrangement space St1: Electric steering mechanism St2: Hydraulic steering mechanism

Claims (19)

A clamp bracket attached to the hull;
A tilting shaft connected to the clamp bracket;
Including a first support portion capable of supporting the first steering mechanism and a second support portion capable of supporting the second steering mechanism at a position different from the first steering mechanism, and is coupled to the tilting shaft; A swivel bracket that is rotatable about a central axis of the tilting shaft with respect to the clamp bracket, and supports either the first steering mechanism or the second steering mechanism;
A steering shaft which is held by the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable around a central axis, is driven around the central axis by one of the first steering mechanism and the second steering mechanism, and is connected to an outboard motor. Including suspension for outboard motors.   The swivel bracket includes a placement portion as the first support portion on which the first steering mechanism is placed, and a pair of wall portions as the second support portions disposed on the left and right sides of the placement portion. The ship according to claim 1, wherein the front portion and the upper portion are opened by the mounting portion and the pair of wall portions, and form a concave arrangement space in which the first steering mechanism is arranged. Suspension device for external machine.   The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 2, wherein the tilting shaft includes two split shafts arranged on the same axis.   The split shaft is disposed between a shaft portion inserted in an insertion hole provided in the pair of wall portions and the pair of wall portions, and has a flange having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the insertion hole. The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 3, further comprising: a portion. A first steering arm connected to the steering shaft and rotating together with the steering shaft about a central axis of the steering shaft;
The suspension device for an outboard motor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the swivel bracket further includes a concave arm accommodating portion that accommodates the first steering arm.   The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 5, further comprising an arm cover attached to the swivel bracket and covering the arm housing portion.   The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 6, further comprising a seal disposed between the arm cover and the swivel bracket.   An arm mounting portion that rotates about the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft, the second steering arm is detachably mounted, and the mounted second steering arm is supported above the first steering arm; Furthermore, the suspension apparatus for outboard motors as described in any one of Claims 5-7 further included. An electric steering mechanism as the first steering mechanism, which is supported by the first support portion and rotates the steering shaft around a central axis of the steering shaft;
A first steering arm including one end connected to the steering shaft and the other end connected to the first steering mechanism and rotating around the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft; The suspension device for an outboard motor according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The second steering mechanism, which is supported by the second support portion, and rotates the steering shaft around a central axis of the steering shaft;
A second steering arm that includes one end connected to the steering shaft and the other end connected to the second steering mechanism and rotates around the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft; The suspension device for an outboard motor according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The tilting shaft is supported by the second support part,
The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 10 , wherein the second steering mechanism is supported by the second support portion via the tilting shaft. The outboard motor for an outboard motor according to claim 10 or 11 , further comprising an arm attachment portion that rotates about the central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft and to which one end portion of the second steering arm is detachably attached. Suspension device. The suspension device for an outboard motor according to any one of claims 10 to 12 , wherein one end portion of the second steering arm is detachably attached to the arm attachment portion by a bolt. The suspension device for an outboard motor according to any one of claims 10 to 13 , wherein the second steering mechanism is a hydraulic steering mechanism. The suspension device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 ,
A marine vessel propulsion apparatus including an outboard motor coupled to the steering shaft. A clamp bracket attached to the hull;
A tilting shaft connected to the clamp bracket;
A swivel bracket coupled to the tilting shaft and rotatable about a central axis of the tilting shaft with respect to the clamp bracket;
A first connecting portion that is held by the swivel bracket so as to be rotatable around a central axis, and that can connect the first steering mechanism, and a second that can connect the second steering mechanism at a position different from the first steering mechanism. And is driven around the center axis by either one of the first steering mechanism connected to the first connecting part and the second steering mechanism connected to the second connecting part, and A suspension for an outboard motor, including a steering shaft coupled to the aircraft. The first steering mechanism is an electric steering mechanism;
The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 16 , wherein the first connecting portion is a first steering arm that is connected to the steering shaft and rotates around a central axis of the steering shaft together with the steering shaft. . The second steering mechanism is a hydraulic steering mechanism;
The second connecting part is
The second connecting part includes one end connected to the second connecting part and the other end connected to the hydraulic steering mechanism, and the second steering arm rotates together with the steering shaft around a central axis of the steering shaft. The suspension device for an outboard motor according to claim 16 or 17 , which is connectable to the second steering mechanism. The suspension device according to any one of claims 16 to 18 ,
A marine vessel propulsion apparatus including an outboard motor coupled to the steering shaft.

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