JP2005239126A - Hydraulic steering device for outboard motor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydraulic steering device for an outboard motor allowing direct mounting of an arm on a bracket part of the outboard motor, regardless of the kind of the outboard motor, easy reduction of size and weight with small load acting the arm and simple and compact structure, and reduction of cost. <P>SOLUTION: A piston rod 3 provided with a hydraulic cylinder main body 5 slidable in a shaft direction is stridden and supported between both side distal end parts of a substantially bowed arm 2. This device is fixed to the front of a swivel bracket 41 of an outboard main body 40 with a bolt 12 passing through a plurality of holes 2B provided in the vicinity of a center part 2A of the arm 2. A distal end part of a steering lever 46 of the outboard main body 40 and the cylinder main body 5 are pivotally supported and connected by a steering link 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is attached via a clamp bracket of an outboard motor that is attached to the stern (transom) of a hull of a small vessel such as a fishing boat, a motor boat, a yacht, etc., and can turn horizontally around a steering shaft. The present invention relates to a hydraulic steering device that is fixed to the swivel bracket in an outboard motor that can tilt in the vertical direction around the tilt axis of the clamp bracket and the swivel bracket located inside thereof, and more particularly to its mounting structure. is there.

  This type of outboard motor steers a small vessel by turning the main body horizontally around the substantially vertical steering shaft of the swivel bracket inside the clamp bracket that is usually located on both sides. In general, this is performed mechanically via a push-pull cable by rotating a steering handle or by hydraulic pressure via a hydraulic cylinder.

  When using the push-pull cable to turn the outboard motor to the left or right, place the outer cable of the push-pull cable on one side of the guide tube (also called through tube) along the tilt axis of the bracket (clamp bracket and swivel bracket). Attach and take out the inner cable from the other side of the guide tube and connect it to the steering lever located at the center of the outboard motor body via the link. Also, when the outboard motor main body is turned left and right with a cantilever hydraulic cylinder device, one end of the hydraulic cylinder device is attached to one side of the guide tube of the bracket portion, and the tip of the piston rod and the outboard motor main body are steered. Connect the lever to the link. However, these (the former and the latter) are applied to an outboard motor having a relatively small horsepower because there is a limitation on the pushing / pulling force by the inner cable and the moment acting on the link.

  On the other hand, when the horsepower of the outboard motor increases, a hydraulic cylinder device of both ends support type is used in which the cylinder body moves left and right along the piston rod that supports both ends between a pair of arms to steer the outboard motor body. It is done. In this case, a pair of left and right arms that support the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder device are attached to both sides of the guide tube of the bracket portion.

  Against this background, in each manufacturer's outboard motor, it is standardized to provide a 7/8 inch thread (outer thread) on the outer peripheral surface of one of the guide tubes of the bracket section (usually starboard side). However, on the other outer peripheral surface of the guide tube, the outer diameter of the threaded portion differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, such as a 7/8 inch threaded portion and a 20 mm threaded portion. Therefore, in the case of a push-pull cable and a cantilever cylinder device, the guide tube can be attached to one side smoothly because a cylindrical nut adapted to a threaded portion of 7/8 inch is provided at one end thereof. On the other hand, in the case of a double-side supported cylinder device, one arm is attached to one of the guide tubes using a mounting bracket having a cylindrical nut adapted to a 7/8 inch threaded portion. To attach the arm to the opposite side of the guide tube, it is necessary to purchase a mounting bracket suitable for each manufacturer in advance, which is very inconvenient, and it takes many days to purchase the mounting bracket. There may be no.

  That is, in the above-described both-side supported cylinder device, as shown in FIG. 7, the piston rod 25 that passes through the cylinder body 26 is provided between the distal ends of the pair of left and right arms 23, and the base end side of the arms 23 is A steering lever 46 of the outboard motor body 40 is attached to both sides of a guide tube 48 penetrating the tilt axis positions of the clamp brackets 42 on both sides and the central swivel bracket 41 fixed to the hull (stern). Is connected to the cylinder body 26 via a steering link 47 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the arm mounting structure shown in FIG. 7, the pivotal support portion 32 that is fitted in the mounting hole (bearing hole) 23 a on the proximal end side of the arm 23, is fastened with a nut 34, and pivotally pivots the arm 23. The arm 23 is attached by screwing into the threaded portions 48a and 48b at the ends of the guide tube 48 using the cylindrical nut 31 provided integrally therewith. Reference numeral 43 in FIG. 7 is a laterally long groove provided at the center of the swivel bracket 41.
JP 2002-331997 A (paragraph numbers 0017 to 0019, FIGS. 1 to 3)

  As described above, when the push-pull cable is connected only to one side of the guide tube or one end of the cylinder device is fixed, the outer diameter of the threaded portion on one side of the guide tube is unified. There is no inconvenience. However, when mounting the arms on both sides of the guide tube, the outer diameter of the thread on the other guide tube differs depending on the manufacturer of the outboard motor. , It takes days to purchase mounting brackets, or there are mistakes in the mounting brackets to be purchased.

  Further, in the above-described conventional steering device, the pair of arms extends toward the hull side around the guide tube at the tilt axis position, and the cylinder body is mounted on the piston rod supported across the tip portions thereof. A large moment acts on the arms on both sides. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the strength of a member such as an arm, the structure becomes complicated, the weight increases, and the weight reduction is hindered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. Regardless of the type of outboard motor, the arm can be directly attached to the bracket portion of the outboard motor, the load acting on the arm is small, and the structure is simple. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic steering device for an outboard motor that is compact, can be easily reduced in size and weight, and can be reduced in cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, a hydraulic steering apparatus for an outboard motor according to the present invention includes: a) a clamp bracket attached to a stern of a hull, capable of turning in a horizontal direction around a steering axis, and the clamp A hydraulic steering device fixed to the swivel bracket of the outboard motor that can tilt in the vertical direction around the tilt axis of the bracket and the inner swivel bracket, and b) steering between the tip portions on both sides of the substantially arcuate arm. The hydraulic cylinder body is supported across a piston rod slidably provided in the axial direction, and c) the swivel with a bolt penetrating a plurality of holes provided in the vicinity of the central portion on the base end side of the arm. D) It is fixed to the front surface of the bracket, and d) a tip end portion of a steering lever of the outboard motor and the cylinder body are pivotally connected by a steering link.

  With this configuration, the center part of the arm can be directly attached to the swivel bracket of the outboard motor with a plurality of bolts, so that the steering device can be easily attached and the length extending forward from both sides of the arm can be shortened. Hard to load. Further, if a plurality of types of bolt holes applicable to the swivel bracket of each company's outboard motor are provided in the central portion of the arm, it can be attached to the outboard motor of each company and is highly versatile. In addition, the distance between the straight lines connecting the rotation center position of the steering lever with respect to the outboard motor and the rotation center position of the steering link with respect to the cylinder body changes due to the change of the angle between the steering lever and the steering link as the cylinder body moves. Respond to changes. That is, when the cylinder body moves along the piston rod, the crossing angle between the steering lever and the steering link changes.

  The guide plate according to claim 2, wherein a laterally long groove or opening is provided in the front center portion of the swivel bracket, and locking pieces that abut against opposing surfaces in the groove or opening are provided on both sides in a perpendicular direction. Is inserted into the groove or opening, and a bolt to be screwed into a screw hole formed in the center of the guide plate is preferably passed through the through hole at the center on the base end side of the arm and tightened.

  With this configuration, the shearing force acting on the bolt that fixes the arm and swivel bracket by the movement of the cylinder body is supported by the guide plate and is greatly reduced. Hateful.

  As described in claim 3, a laterally long groove or opening is provided in the front central portion of the swivel bracket, and the arm is directed outwardly toward the base end side central portion of the arm between the opposing surfaces in the groove or opening. One surface of the projecting portion projecting on the surface is arranged at a predetermined interval so that each surface of the projecting portion is formed in a tapered shape, and a side surface abutting on the opposing surface and the tapered surface of the projecting portion, and the opposite side It is preferable that a pair of locking bodies having a tapered surface is tightened with a bolt that is screwed into a screw hole drilled in the locking body, penetrating the through hole in the center of the base end side of the arm.

  In this way, like the hydraulic steering apparatus for an outboard motor according to claim 2, the shearing force acting on the bolt that fixes the arm and the swivel bracket due to the movement of the cylinder body is greatly increased at the protrusions on both sides. Since it is reduced, the bolt is not easily broken even after long-term use.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, through holes are formed in both end portions of both sides of the arm, both end screw portions of the piston rod project outward from the through holes, and nuts are screwed together and tightened. Preferably, each through hole is formed in a hemispherical shape, and a washer having a hemispherical surface corresponding to the spherical shape is interposed between the nut and the arm tip.

  With this configuration, when the arm is attached to the swivel bracket of the outboard motor, even if the arm is twisted, the torsion of the piston rod that is supported between the arm tips is a hemispherical washer (also known as a spherical nut). The piston rod is difficult to twist. For this reason, the cylinder body moves smoothly.

  The hydraulic steering device for an outboard motor of the present invention having the above configuration has the following excellent effects.

Easy installation of the steering device, less load on the arm, and installation of multiple types of bolt holes applicable to the swivel bracket of each company's outboard motor in the center of the arm Is possible. In addition, the structure is simple, the durability is high, the size and weight can be easily reduced, and it can be manufactured at low cost. That means
1) The arm can be easily and reliably attached to the outboard motors of all manufacturers by simply tightening the swivel brackets of the outboard motors using multiple bolts.

  2) Compared to the conventional case where the user has ordered the mounting bracket after the manufacturer and type of the outboard motor have been determined, the time required for mounting the arm is greatly reduced.

  3) There is no need to manage multiple types of mounting brackets for the manufacturer of the steering device, and the troubles such as purchasing the mounting brackets by mistake are eliminated, and the mounting work of the arm etc. can be performed efficiently, reducing costs. Is planned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of an outboard motor hydraulic steering apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a plan view showing a hydraulic steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of FIG. 1 in an enlarged manner, and a front view of an arm central portion, and FIG. 3 is a direction A in FIG. It is an arrow view. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the hydraulic steering device of FIG. 1 is attached to the swivel bracket 41 of the outboard motor.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the outboard motor main body 40 is attached to the stern transom 50 via the clamp brackets 42 on both sides, and the outboard motor main body 40 is rotated by the swivel bracket 41 at the center. While turning horizontally around the central axis s, it tilts up and down around the tilt axis t of the clamp bracket 42 and swivel bracket 41. When the outboard motor main body 40 tilts up and down, the swivel bracket 41 tilts up and down together with the outboard motor main body 40. The swivel bracket 41 is provided with a U-shaped opening 43 at the front center as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and both side portions 41a of the swivel bracket 41 adjacent to the opening 43 slightly protrude forward. Two screw holes 44 for bolts are formed on the front side of both side portions 41a. In addition, a grease injection hole 45 is formed on the outer front side of both side portions 41a. Note that a horizontally long groove (see FIG. 7) may be provided instead of the opening 43, and this case can be similarly applied.

  The hydraulic steering device 1 of this example includes a substantially bow-shaped arm 2, which is a die-cast molded product or a press-molded product obtained by bending a metal plate of a certain width, and both side portions 2a of the arm 2 are bent in a right angle direction. The piston rod 3 is supported across the tip portions of the side portions 2a. As shown in FIG. 5, a hole 2b is formed at the tip of each arm side 2a with a clearance from the end 3a of the piston rod 3, and a hole 2c having a semispherical cross section is formed continuously from the hole 2b. It has been drilled. The end 3a of the piston rod 3 is connected to a screw rod 3b having a slightly narrow diameter, and a hemispherical washer 4 having a through hole 4a in the center is inserted into the screw rod 3b, and the washer is placed on the hemispherical surface of the hole 2c. The nut 4b is screwed onto the screw rod 3b and tightened with the hemispherical surface 4 in contact. In this state, the piston rod 3 is supported without being deformed against some deformation such as torsion of the arm 2. Further, even when a large external force acts on the outboard motor main body 40 and the swivel bracket 41 during navigation and the arm 2 is deformed, the piston rod 3 is prevented from being twisted or deformed.

  On the piston rod 3, a hydraulic cylinder body 5 is slidably mounted along the axial direction. Although not shown, there are supply and discharge oil ports on both sides of the hydraulic cylinder body 5, and pressure oil is sent from the hydraulic tank via the helm pump to one supply and discharge oil port by the hydraulic hose. Pressure oil in the hydraulic cylinder body is returned from the oil port to the hydraulic tank by a hydraulic hose. As a result, the hydraulic cylinder body 5 moves to one side along the piston rod 3. This operation is usually performed by rotating the steering handle in the wheelhouse.

  The central portion 2A of the arm 2 is bent concavely toward the proximal end, and the central portion 2A has two upper and lower portions at each of the central position and both side positions as shown in FIG. ) Through the bolt hole 2B. The slightly larger holes 2C on both sides are for grease injection.

The upper and lower bolt holes 2B at the center position of the arm central portion 2A are for mounting the guide plate 6 as an anti-shearing force member, and the guide plate 6 includes contact pieces 6a extending in a right angle direction on both sides, and the center portion 6b. Is curved concavely. The guide plate 6 is fitted into the opening 43 with the contact pieces 6 a on both sides coming into contact with the opposing surface 43 a in the opening 43 of the swivel bracket 41. The arm 2 is integrally fixed to the front surface of the swivel bracket 41 by tightening the arm central portion 2A by passing the bolt 11 through the bolt hole 2B and screwing it into the screw hole 44 of the swivel bracket 41. In this state, by passing the bolt 12 through the central bolt hole 2B and tightening the bolt 12, the curved central portion 6b of the guide plate 6 is pulled to the arm 2 side, and both sides of the guide plate 6 are extended linearly. The abutting piece 6 a is pressed against the facing surface 43 a in the opening 43.

  As described above, the steering device 1 of this example is fixed to the front surface of the swivel bracket 41 of the outboard motor (main body) 40. In this state, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering link 7 is inserted into the driving pin hole 5 a drilled near the distal end of the steering lever 46 of the outboard motor (main body) 40 and one end of the hydraulic cylinder body 5. The vertical pin 7a refracted downward from the tip is loosely inserted, and is pivotally connected by screwing the nut 8 into the screw portion 7b at the lower end of the vertical pin 7a. Further, a through hole 7 c is formed at the base end portion of the steering link 7, and a bolt 9 is loosely fitted into the through hole 7 c, and the bolt 9 is screwed into the screw hole 46 a at the distal end portion of the steering lever 46. Thus, the proximal end side of the steering link 7 is pivotally connected to the distal end side of the steering lever 46.

  The operation mode of the above-described steering apparatus 1 of this example will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, for example, rotation of a steering handle (not shown) in the counterclockwise direction supplies pressure oil to one of the supply and discharge oil ports of the hydraulic cylinder body 5. Move from neutral position B to one (left side a). The steering lever 46 turns clockwise, the crossing angle between the steering link 7 and the steering lever 46 approaches a straight line (180 °), and the outboard motor main body 40 rotates clockwise. In this state, the hull is steered to the left.

  Further, by rotating the steering handle clockwise, pressure oil is supplied to the other oil supply / discharge port of the hydraulic cylinder body 5, and the cylinder body 5 moves along the piston rod 3 from the left position a in the figure to the neutral position. And move to the other (right side c in the figure). The steering lever 46 turns counterclockwise, the crossing angle of the steering link 7 and the steering lever 46 gradually approaches a right angle (90 °), and the outboard motor main body 40 rotates counterclockwise. In this state, the hull is steered to the right.

  As described above, when the hydraulic cylinder body 5 moves in the axial direction along the piston rod 3, a force in the shear direction tends to act on the mounting position of the bolt 11 mainly on the arm 2 with respect to the swivel bracket 41. The guide plate 6 fixed to the center portion 2A of the second plate abuts against the opposing surface 43a in the opening 43, and resists shearing force no matter which direction the hydraulic cylinder body 5 moves. For this reason, shearing force does not act on the bolts 11 and 12, and moment acts but is distributed to a plurality of bolts 11 and 12 (6 in total). Moreover, the arm 2 is directly attached to the front surface of the swivel bracket 41, and the distance L between the attachment portion of the arm 2 and the tip of the arm on which the piston rod 3 and the hydraulic cylinder body 5 are supported is as shown in FIG. Therefore, the moment acting on the arm 2 is also small.

  FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the steering device of the present invention and a front view of the central portion of the arm, and corresponds to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the swivel bracket 41 is common, but a pair of a pair of the swivel bracket 41 is spaced apart from the opposing surface in the groove 41 outside the central portion 2A of the arm 2 ′ of the steering device 1 ′. Each of the protrusions 13 protrudes outward. Both sides of each protrusion 13 are formed with tapered surfaces that are inclined outwardly in a mountain shape. The inclination angle of the tapered surface of each protrusion 13 is about 30 ° for the outer tapered surface 13a and about 45 ° for the inner tapered surface 13b.

In this embodiment, a pair of locking bodies 14 and 14 are used in place of one guide plate 6. Each locking body 14 has a right-angled surface 14a that abuts against the facing surface 43a and a tapered surface 14b that abuts against the tapered surface 13a of the projection 13, and two screw holes 14c are formed in the upper and lower sides of the front surface. Yes. The arm 2 'has two upper and lower screw holes 2B on both sides, and two through holes 2D for passing bolts 15 to be screwed into the screw holes 14c of the locking body 14 on the inner side. It is drilled. Then, by tightening the bolt 15 through the through hole 2D and screwing into the screw hole 14c, the arm 2 'is firmly and integrally integrated with the front surface of the swivel bracket 41 via the pair of locking bodies 14 and 14. It is attached. In this way, the steering device 1 ′ is attached to the swivel bracket 41 of the outboard motor (main body) 40. According to this attached state, the protruding amount from the front surface of the swivel bracket 41 is small and fits compactly.

  Although two embodiments of the steering device of the present invention have been described above, they can be implemented as follows.

  Although illustration is omitted, attachment of the piston rod 3 between the distal end portions of the arm 2 can be performed only by the nut 4 b without the hemispherical washer body 4. Conversely, the hemispherical washer 4 can be fixed with a spherical nut integrally provided.

1 is a plan view showing a hydraulic steering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the top view which expands and shows a part of FIG. 1, and the front view of an arm center part. It is an A direction arrow directional view of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the hydraulic steering device of FIG. 1 is attached to a swivel bracket 41 of an outboard motor. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the edge part attachment state of the piston rod with respect to the one end part of an arm. The top view which shows the other Example of the steering device of this invention, and the front view of an arm center part are equivalent to FIG. It is a top view which shows the state which attached the conventional general left-right paired arm to the both ends of the guide tube of an outboard motor.

Explanation of symbols

1.1 'Hydraulic Steering Device 2.2' Arm 3 Piston Rod 4 Hemispherical Washer 5 Hydraulic Cylinder Body 6 Guide Plate 7 Steering Link 9/11/12 Bolt 40 Outboard Motor Body 41 Swivel Bracket 42 Clamp Bracket 43 U Shaped opening 46 Steering lever

Claims (4)

The outboard motor is attached to the stern of the hull via a clamp bracket, can turn in the horizontal direction around the steering shaft, and can be tilted up and down around the tilt axis of the clamp bracket and the inner swivel bracket. A hydraulic steering device fixed to the swivel bracket,
Between the front ends of both sides of the substantially arcuate arm, while supporting the hydraulic cylinder body for steering across the piston rod that is slidable in the axial direction,
With bolts penetrating a plurality of holes provided near the base end side center of the arm, it is fixed to the front of the swivel bracket,
A hydraulic steering apparatus for an outboard motor, wherein a tip end portion of a steering arm of the outboard motor and the cylinder body are pivotally connected by a steering link.   A horizontally long groove or opening is provided at the front center of the swivel bracket, and a guide plate provided with locking pieces on both sides in a right angle direction is fitted into the groove or opening. 2. The hydraulic steering apparatus for an outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein a bolt to be screwed into a screw hole drilled in the center of the guide plate is tightened by penetrating the through hole in the center on the base end side of the arm.   A laterally long groove or opening is provided in the center of the front surface of the swivel bracket, and one surface of a protruding portion that protrudes outwardly from the center on the base end side of the arm is provided between the groove or the opening and the opposing surface. A pair of latches that are arranged with a certain interval and that each surface of the protruding portion is formed in a tapered shape, and each side surface abuts against the opposing surface and the tapered surface of the protruding portion, and an opposite tapered surface. The hydraulic steering apparatus for an outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein a body is tightened with a bolt that is screwed into a screw hole formed in the locking body so as to pass through a through hole in the center on the base end side of the arm. A through hole is drilled in each end portion on both sides of the arm, both ends of the piston rod are protruded outward from the through holes, and nuts are screwed together and tightened.
The outboard motor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the through holes is formed in a hemispherical shape, and a washer body having a hemispherical surface corresponding to the spherical shape is interposed between the nut and the arm tip. Hydraulic steering device.

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