JP2004106736A - Outboard motor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lay out an antenna of a communication device mounted in an outboard motor so that it does not damage handling property of the outboard motor or pick up noise. <P>SOLUTION: An operating state of the outboard motor 1 is detected by an ECU 29, and transmitted to a base station 30 by a communication machine 283 via a communication unit 228. The antenna 32 and a cable 33 for communication are mounted along the inner surface of an engine cover 12 of the outboard motor 1. The cable 33 is provided with a connector 34 for connecting the antenna 32 to the communication unit 28 and a GPS receiving circuit 31. The distance from the antenna 32 to the communication unit 28 or the GPS receiving circuit 31 is shortened to prevent noise pick up. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an outboard motor, and more particularly, to an outboard motor including a wireless communication device capable of transmitting data such as an operating state to the outside.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle such as an automobile, it is known to monitor a driving state of the vehicle at a remote position. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-315272 discloses a vehicle in which a failure diagnosis device with a transmitter is mounted on a vehicle and the result of diagnosis is transmitted to a base station. In a vehicle equipped with a transmitter, data is transmitted to a base station using an antenna for radio reception or a dedicated antenna protruding outside the vehicle.
[0003]
An outboard motor used in a ship is also required to continue operating under severe conditions for a long time, so it is conceivable to transmit information for appropriate maintenance to a maintenance management facility. In the case of a small boat using an outboard motor, the outboard motor may be attached separately to the hull, so antennas for transmission and reception are provided near the steering position such as in the cabin .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When attempting to incorporate a communication device into the outboard motor itself, the antennas are located far away from the outboard motor, so wiring is time-consuming and noise measures must be taken for long wiring. There are many.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to provide an outboard motor equipped with a communication device that does not require wiring work, is less affected by vibration and impact, and is capable of avoiding noise and water. I do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a control device for controlling the operation of the internal combustion engine in an outboard motor having a main body composed of a propulsion device and an internal combustion engine for driving the propulsion device, and a cover that detachably covers the internal combustion engine. A first feature is that a wireless communication device connected to a control device is accommodated in the cover, and an antenna of the wireless communication device is attached to the outboard motor.
[0007]
According to the first feature, since the wireless communication device and the antenna can be arranged close to each other in the control device, the wiring path can be extremely short. Since the positional relationship with the internal combustion engine as the noise source is fixed, the magnitude of the noise can be predicted, and a countermeasure can be taken in advance.
[0008]
Further, the present invention has a second feature in that the antenna is fixed to the cover surface. According to the second feature, since the antenna is fixed to the surface of the cover, unlike the case where the antenna protrudes to the outside from the outboard motor, it is easy to withstand vibration.
[0009]
Further, the present invention has a third feature in that the antenna is disposed along the surface of the cover. According to the third feature, unlike an antenna protruding outside or being wired in the air, interference with other components is eliminated, and handleability of the outboard motor is improved.
[0010]
The present invention has a fourth feature in that the cover is made of resin and the antenna is attached to an inner surface of the cover. By making the antenna invisible from the outside, the appearance of the outboard motor is not impaired and radio waves can be sufficiently received. Further, since the antenna is housed inside the cover, it can be protected from a severe use environment such as being wet.
[0011]
The present invention has a fifth feature in that a cable extending from the antenna to the wireless communication device is provided, and the cable is wired along a surface of the cover. According to the fifth feature, the wiring does not interfere with other components, and the handleability of the outboard motor is improved.
[0012]
Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the control device and the wireless communication device are attached to the main body side, and a connector that allows the wireless communication device and the antenna to be attached and detached with the cover removed from the main body is provided. There are six features.
[0013]
According to the sixth feature, it is possible to make the connector detachable with the cover removed, thereby improving operability. The combination of the main body and the communication device, and the combination of the cover and the antenna can be handled separately, and maintenance is easy. In addition, the wiring between the wireless communication device and the antenna naturally has a sufficient length, and it is possible to absorb the difference in the vibration system between the communication device and the antenna.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the outboard motor according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of the outboard motor. The outboard motor 1 has a multi-cylinder four-cycle internal combustion engine (engine) 2 mounted thereon. The engine 2 is a vertical type in which a crankshaft 3 extends vertically, and a drive shaft 4 extends downward from the crankshaft 3. The lower end of the drive shaft 4 is connected to a propeller shaft 6 via a gear device 5, and a propeller 7 as a propulsion device is attached to the propeller shaft 6.
[0015]
The lower portion of the engine 2 is housed in an under case 8, an under cover 9, and an extension case 10, and the gear device 5 and the propeller shaft 6 are housed in a gear case 11. On the other hand, a main body portion, that is, an upper portion of the engine 2 is covered with a detachable engine cover 12. The under case 8, the under cover 9, and the extension case 10 are formed of metal, and the engine cover 12 is formed of resin.
[0016]
The engine 2 has four cylinders 21 and pistons 22 arranged so that the cylinder axis is horizontal. The cylinder 21 is formed by a cylinder block 23 and a cylinder head 24, and the cylinder head 24 is covered with a cylinder cover 25. The intake manifold 13 extending from the cylinder head 24 is connected to the silencer 14. A camshaft 26 projecting from the cylinder head 24 is connected to the crankshaft 3 via the belt 15. Further, the crankshaft 3 is connected to a shaft 18 of a generator 17 via a belt 16. The belts 15 and 16 are covered with a belt cover 19.
[0017]
An intake port 20 is provided above the engine cover 12. In addition, an antenna (to be described later with reference to FIG. 1) of the communication device is arranged on an inner surface of an upper portion of the engine cover 12.
[0018]
The outboard motor 1 is provided with an outboard motor attachment 27. The outboard motor mounting fixture 27 includes a first bracket 272 coupled to a substantially vertically extending left and right swing shaft 271, and a second bracket 274 provided to the bracket 272 so as to be vertically swingable by a vertically swinging shaft 273. And The outboard motor 1 is fixed to the boat S by the second bracket 274.
[0019]
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication system mounted on the outboard motor. The communication unit 28 includes a CPU 281, an EEPROM 282, a communication interface circuit 284, and a power supply unit 285. The ECU 29 is a control device that controls the operation of the engine 2, and detects an operating state of the engine, for example, an engine oil amount, an engine temperature, and the like. The communication interface circuit 284 is connected to the ECU 29, reads information indicating the operating state of the engine 2 detected by the ECU 29, and communicates the information and the like to the base station 30 from the communication device 283 via radio.
[0020]
A unit dedicated to data communication is provided as the communication device 283, and communicates with the outside according to an instruction from the communication unit 28. Thus, the communication unit 28 and the communication device 283 constitute a wireless communication device housed in the engine cover 12 of the outboard motor main body.
[0021]
The ECU 29 transmits detection data from various sensors provided in the outboard motor 1 to the communication unit 28, and the communication unit 28 transmits the status data of the outboard motor 1 to the general public network 100 through the communication device 283. Note that a mobile phone can be used instead of the unit dedicated to data communication.
[0022]
The outboard motor 1 can be equipped with a GPS receiving circuit 31 for receiving GPS (Global Positioning System) signals. In this case, the position of the ship (self-position) is calculated based on the position information detected by the CPU 281 of the communication unit 28 and the GPS receiving circuit 31.
[0023]
The arrangement of the communication unit 28 and the antenna for the GPS receiving circuit 31 will be described. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an engine cover 12 of the outboard motor. The antenna 32 of the communication device 283 is fixed to the left of the upper inner surface of the engine cover 12, that is, to the front of the ship. The antennas 32 are provided for the communication unit 28 and the GPS receiving circuit 31, respectively. The antenna 32 can be formed, for example, as an antenna module obtained by sintering an antenna element with ceramic, and is secured on the inner surface of the engine cover 12 with an adhesive or the like. A cable 33 drawn from the antenna 32 is wired along the inner surface of the engine cover 12, and its end is connected to the communication unit 28 and the GPS receiving circuit 31 via the connector 34. By installing the antenna 32 above the engine cover 12, the satellite can be easily captured in all directions.
The communication unit 28 and the GPS receiving circuit 31 can be provided in an electric box (not shown) provided on the engine 2 side, for example, on the side of the cylinder block 23. Preferably, the cable 33 has a sufficient length so that the cable 33 can be connected to the communication unit 28 and the GPS receiving circuit 31 with the engine cover 12 removed from the outboard motor 1 main body. By providing the cable 33 with a sufficient length, the set of the engine cover 12 and the antenna 32 and the set of the communication unit 28, the GPS receiving circuit 31, and the main body of the outboard motor 1 can be handled separately. is there. In addition, by providing the cable with a margin, the difference between the vibration system of the communication unit 28 and the like and the vibration system of the antenna 32 can be absorbed.
[0024]
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the engine cover 12 showing another example of the arrangement of the antennas, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts. In the figure, an antenna 32A is a printed antenna formed in a sheet shape. The above-described antennas 32 and 32A may be wrapped with a cushioning material and fixed to the inner surface of the engine cover 12 via the cushioning material.
[0025]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another arrangement example of the antenna, and is an upper sectional view of the engine cover viewed from the front of the outboard motor, that is, from the side of the boat. A concave portion (a convex portion when viewed from the outer surface) 35 is provided in an upper portion of the engine cover 12, and the antenna 32 </ b> B is fixed in the concave portion 35. The antenna 32 </ b> B is arranged in the recess 35, and a resin 36 also serving as an adhesive is injected into the recess 35. By doing so, the antenna 32B can be held in the recess 32 by the resin 36, and at the same time, the impact applied to the antenna 32B from the engine cover 12 can be reduced by the resin 36.
[0026]
In addition, the antenna is not limited to being arranged along the inner surface of the engine cover 12, but the antenna is arranged on the upper and outer surfaces of the engine cover 12, and the cable 33 is wired along the side surface. The side may be drawn inside through a hole formed in the engine cover 12. In this case, the antenna and the cable 33 may be covered with a partial cover from the outside. In addition, it is a matter of course that a waterproof means such as a rubber bush is provided in the hole through which the cable 33 passes.
[0027]
As described above, since the communication device is provided inside the engine cover and the antenna is attached to the outboard motor itself, even if the outboard motor is retrofitted to the ship, the cable can be routed on the deck of the ship. It becomes difficult to pick up noise. Also, there is no problem in working on the deck. The positional relationship between the communication device and the antenna and the positional relationship between these and the outboard motor can be determined in advance. Therefore, it is possible to confirm in advance and take countermeasures for interference between the outboard motor including the engine and the communication device or the antenna, or malfunction in operation. In addition, since the communication device and the antenna are housed in the engine cover, they can be protected from being wet and have a good appearance.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) It can withstand severe vibration of the outboard motor.
{Circle around (2)} Since the control device, the wireless communication device, and the antenna can be arranged close to each other inside the outboard motor to shorten the wiring route of each other, noise on the wiring route is reduced.
{Circle around (3)} Since the positional relationship with the engine, which is likely to be a noise source, is fixed, it is possible to investigate the influence of noise in advance and take measures before installing it on a ship.
{Circle around (4)} Since the antenna is arranged along the surface of the cover, it does not interfere with other components and the handling is improved.
{Circle around (5)} Since the antenna is mounted on the inner surface of the cover, the appearance is good and the antenna can be protected from a harsh use environment with water and the like.
{Circle around (6)} Since the communication device and the antenna can be connected by the connector with the cover 12 removed, the outboard motor main body and the communication device, and the cover and the antenna can be separately handled. Further, since the wiring is set long with a margin, the difference in the vibration system between the communication device and the antenna can be absorbed. That is, one vibration hardly affects the other.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an engine cover showing an example of an antenna arrangement.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the outboard motor according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of the outboard motor according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a communication device mounted on the outboard motor.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an engine cover showing another example of arrangement of the antenna.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an engine cover showing still another arrangement example of the antenna.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Outboard motor, 2 ... Engine, 12 ... Engine cover, 28 ... Communication unit, 32 ... Antenna, 33 ... Cable, 34 ... Connector

Claims (6)

In an outboard motor having a main body composed of a propulsion unit and an internal combustion engine for driving a propulsion unit, and a cover that detachably covers the internal combustion engine,
A control device for controlling the operation of the internal combustion engine and a wireless communication device connected to the control device are accommodated in the cover,
An outboard motor, wherein the antenna of the wireless communication device is attached to the outboard motor. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is fixed to a surface of the cover. The outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is arranged along a surface of the cover. The outboard motor according to claim 2, wherein the cover is made of resin, and the antenna is attached to an inner surface of the cover. The outboard motor according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a cable extending from the antenna to the wireless communication device is provided, and the cable is wired along a surface of the cover. Attaching the control device and the wireless communication device to the main body side,
The outboard motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a connector capable of attaching and detaching the wireless communication device and the antenna with the cover removed from the main body.

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