JP2010164015A - Vertical engine and outboard motor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vertical engine having improved durability by improving the lubrication of a timing chain, etc. installed substantially horizontally. <P>SOLUTION: An inner chain case 51 having an almost closed oil-tight space inside stores the timing chain 34 and sprockets 32, 35, 36. The bottom face of the inner chain case 51 is opposed in proximity to the timing chain 34. Lubricating oil is poured into the inner chain case 51 to keep the timing chain 34, etc. lubricated, resulting in improved durability. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vertical engine and an outboard motor, and more particularly to a means for lubricating horizontally installed chains and sprockets.

  In an outboard motor attached to the rear part of the hull, a vertical engine in which a crankshaft is installed vertically is generally used. In this case, a timing chain for transmitting the driving force of the crankshaft to the camshaft is used. And a sprocket is installed substantially horizontally on the upper part of the engine. The chain can be improved in wear resistance by increasing the contact time with the engine oil. However, since the vertical engine timing chain is installed horizontally, it is difficult to achieve good contact with engine oil.

  Therefore, a vertical engine having an oil guide means provided with a horizontal wall facing the lower surface of the chain and a vertical wall facing the outer peripheral surface of the chain has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). The oil guide means captures oil scattered from the chain by centrifugal force with the vertical wall, and holds the oil with the horizontal wall to bring the oil into contact with the chain.

JP 2004-346890 A

  However, in the vertical engine described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to add an oil jet to inject oil into the chain in order to compensate for the amount of oil falling from the horizontal wall, which complicates the structure and moves to other parts. Subtle tuning was needed to balance the oil supply.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a vertical engine in which the chain can be in contact with the lubricating oil for a long time with a simple structure and the durability of the chain is improved.

  A vertical engine according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket, a chain that spans the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket, and a case that houses the drive sprocket, the driven sprocket, and the chain. The case is characterized in that it is an oil-tight space whose inside is substantially closed, and has a bottom face that is close to and faces the chain.

  The vertical engine according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the case includes a concave groove extending along a traveling locus of the chain.

  An outboard motor according to a third aspect of the present invention is an outboard motor including a vertical engine, wherein the vertical engine includes a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket, a chain spanned between the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket, The drive sprocket, the driven sprocket, and a case for housing the chain, wherein the case is an oil-tight space that is substantially closed inside, and has a bottom face that is close to and faces the chain. And

  An outboard motor according to a fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the outboard motor body is attached to the hull so as to be tilted up via an attachment device, and a discharge hole is disposed on the attachment device side of the case. Tilt-up means that the outboard motor attached to the hull is tilted so that the lower portion of the outboard motor main body is disposed on the upper and rear sides with respect to the arrangement in the use state. Since the mounting device includes a hinge structure, tilting up is possible.

  An outboard motor according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the discharge hole is disposed on an upper surface or a side surface of the case.

  According to the first and third inventions, since the case has a substantially closed oil-tight space, the lubricating oil injected into the case remains in the case. And since the chain accommodated in the case faces the bottom surface of the case close to the chain, the contact time with the lubricating oil becomes longer and the durability is improved.

  According to the second invention, since the shape of the case is a concave groove along the traveling locus of the chain, the chain can easily come into contact with the lubricating oil, and the amount of the lubricating oil can be reduced, so that the durability of the chain Improvements and reductions in operating costs can be achieved.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the discharge hole is disposed on the mounting device side, when the outboard motor body is tilted up, the discharge hole is positioned on the lower side with respect to the case, and the lubricating oil can be easily discharged. .

  According to the fifth invention, since the discharge hole is arranged on the upper surface or the side surface, even when a large crank chamber is in the vicinity, it is possible to easily attach and detach a member (such as a drain bolt) that closes the discharge hole. Can do.

It is a side view showing the whole outboard motor concerning the present invention. 1 is a side view showing a vertical engine according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing in the III-III cutting line of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the IV-IV cutting line of FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the forward direction of the hull is the front, the front / rear, left / right, and up / down directions of the outboard motor are in use, that is, the outboard motor is attached to the hull and the propeller is placed below the draft surface. Direction.

  FIG. 1 is a side view of an outboard motor 1 according to the embodiment. The outboard motor 1 includes an outboard motor main body 2 and an attachment device 3 for attaching the outboard motor main body 2 to a transom board T of the hull.

  The attachment device 3 includes a pair of left and right brackets 20 and 21 fixed to the transom board T, a substantially horizontal tilt shaft 22 passed between the brackets 20 and 21, and a swivel case 23 that is rotatably attached to the tilt shaft 22. And a mount shaft 24 and a pair of left and right mount frames 25, 26.

  The swivel case 23 is provided with a cylindrical portion extending in the vertical direction, and this cylindrical portion rotatably supports the mount shaft 24 arranged in the vertical direction. Both mount frames 25, 26 protrude rearward from the upper end side of the mount shaft 24, and the outboard motor main body 2 is fixed to the mount shaft 24 by bolts.

  In the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the swivel case 23 is rotatably attached to the tilt shaft 22 so that the outboard motor main body 2 can swing up and down around the tilt shaft 22. Therefore, when the ship is anchored, the outboard motor main body 2 can be tilted up and pulled out of the water, and corrosion of the outboard motor main body 2 can be prevented. Further, since the swivel case 23 and the outboard motor main body 2 are attached so as to be rotatable about the mount shaft 24, the outboard motor main body 2 can be steered by swinging left and right.

  The outboard motor main body 2 includes a vertical engine (hereinafter abbreviated as an engine) 4, a drive shaft 5, a propeller shaft 6, and a propeller 7. The drive shaft 5 is disposed substantially vertically and is connected to a crankshaft 31 (not shown in FIG. 1) of the engine 4 and rotates integrally with the crankshaft 31. The propeller shaft 6 is disposed substantially horizontally and is rotationally driven by the drive shaft 5 via the bevel gear mechanism 8. The propeller 7 is attached to the rear end side of the propeller shaft 6 and rotates integrally with the propeller shaft.

  The outer shell of the outboard motor main body 2 is formed by an upper engine cover 9, a central extension case 10, and a lower gear case 11, and has a watertight structure. An engine mount 12 is attached in the extension case 10, and the engine 4 is installed on the engine mount 12. The drive shaft 5 is disposed from the extension case 10 to the gear case 11. The propeller shaft 6 has a front end side in the gear case 11, and a propeller 7 is attached to the rear end side protruding from the gear case 11. Further, a skeg 13 which is a rectifying plate is formed at the lower end of the gear case 11.

  FIG. 2 is a side view showing the engine 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. The engine 4 includes a crankcase 14, a cylinder block 15, a cylinder head 16, and a head cover 17 from the front side to the rear side, and an outer chain case 50 is provided above these.

  In the engine 4, a crankshaft 31 is vertically installed in the crankcase 14. The drive shaft 5 is connected to the lower end side of the crankshaft 31, and the first crank sprocket 32 and the second crank sprocket 33 are coaxially fixed to the upper end of the crankshaft 31.

  The timing chain 34 is stretched over the first crank sprocket 32 and the cam sprockets 35 and 36, and transmits the rotation of the first crank sprocket 32 to the cam sprockets 35 and 36. Since the number of teeth of the cam sprockets 35, 36 is twice the number of teeth of the first crank sprocket 32, the cam sprockets 35, 36 rotate at half the rotational speed of the first crank sprocket 32. The cam shafts 37 and 38 are coaxially fixed to the cam sprockets 35 and 36 at their upper ends, respectively, and rotate as the cam sprockets 35 and 36 rotate. The camshafts 37 and 38 are generally held in the cylinder head 16. In the cylinder head 16, the intake valve 40 and the exhaust valve 41 are opened and closed by cams 39 formed on the camshafts 37 and 38.

  The balancer chain 42 is stretched over the second crank sprocket 33 and the balancer sprocket 43, and transmits the rotation of the second crank sprocket 33 to the balancer sprocket 43. The timing chain 34 is guided by chain guides 44 and 45, and the balancer chain 42 is guided by chain guides 46 and 47.

  The outer chain case 50 includes an upper case 50a and a lower case 50b (see FIG. 4), and the upper case 50a is fastened to the lower case 50b. The lower case 50b may be integrally formed on the upper surfaces of the crankcase 14, the cylinder block 15, the cylinder head 16, and the head cover 17.

  Inside the outer chain case 50, an inner chain case 51 having a substantially closed oil-tight inner space is attached. The inner chain case 51 is supported by a protrusion 52 that protrudes inward from the upper and lower surfaces of the outer chain case 50, and is fastened to the outer chain case 50 by bolts 53 (see FIG. 4).

  The inner chain case 51 accommodates the first crank sprocket 32, the second crank sprocket 33, the timing chain 34, the cam sprockets 35 and 36, the balancer chain 42, the balancer sprocket 43 and the chain guides 44, 45, 46 and 47. Has been. The chain guides 44, 45, 46, 47 are fixed to the inner chain case 51 and the lower case 50 b of the outer chain case 50.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the inner chain case 51 forms a passage for the timing chain 34 and the balancer chain 42, and this passage has a substantially rectangular cross section. The circumferential passage of the timing chain 34 and the circumferential passage of the balancer chain 42 are connected around the drive sprockets 32 and 33. That is, the side surface of the inner chain case 51 includes one outer peripheral side surface 51a and two inner peripheral side surfaces 51b and 51c.

  The upper surface and the bottom surface of the inner chain case 51 are close to and opposed to the chains 34 and 42. The outer peripheral side surface 51a of the inner chain case 51 is formed along the sprockets 33, 35, 36, 43 and the chain guides 44, 45, 46, 47, and the inner peripheral side surfaces 51b, 51c of the inner chain case 51 are It is formed along the inner surface of 42 and the sprockets 33, 35, 36, 43. A discharge hole 54 is provided on the side of the upper surface of the inner chain case 51 close to the attachment device 3 (that is, the front side), and the discharge hole 54 is closed by a drain bolt 55.

  The inner chain case 51 is formed of a case upper member 56 and a case lower member 57. The case upper member 56 and the case lower member 57 are each provided with a recess and are substantially vertically symmetrical with each other. After the case lower member 57 is disposed, the sprockets 32, 33, 35, 36, 43, the chains 34, 42, the chain guides 44, 45, 46, 47 are attached, and the case upper member 56 is attached and fixed with the bolts 53. As a result, the inner chain case 51 is installed in the outer chain case 50.

  The effect of this embodiment will be described. Since the inner chain case 51 is a substantially closed oil-tight space, the lubricating oil injected into the inner chain case 51 remains in the inner chain case 51. Therefore, the chains 34 and 42 are immersed in the lubricating oil. Accordingly, the frictional resistance of the chains 34, 42 and the sprockets 32, 33, 35, 36, 43 is reduced, the life of the chains 34, 42 is extended, and the wear resistance and durability are improved. Further, since the passage shape is substantially rectangular, the lubricating oil can easily come into contact with the chains 34 and 42 and the amount of the lubricating oil can be saved. Therefore, the wear resistance and durability of the chain are further improved and economical.

  Further, since the lubricating oil discharge hole 54 is provided on the front side, when the outboard motor main body 2 is tilted up, the discharge hole 54 is positioned below the inner chain case 51, so that the lubricating oil can be easily removed. Can be discharged. Further, in the state where the outboard motor main body 2 is tilted down, since the discharge hole 54 is on the upper side of the inner chain case 51, the lubricating oil can be easily injected. Compared with the case where the drain bolt 55 is provided on the bottom surface, the attaching / detaching operation can be easily performed without obstructing the large crankcase.

  Further, the lubrication system of the chains 34 and 42 is independent from the lubrication system of the engine body. In the case of the same lubrication system, fine tuning such as adjustment of the supply amount of the lubricating oil is necessary, but such adjustment is not necessary in the embodiment according to the present invention. Engine oil that lubricates the engine body is contained in blow-by gas, and carbon sludge in the blow-by gas causes wear on the link pins of the chain. However, since the lubrication system of the chains 34 and 42 of this embodiment is independent of the lubrication system of the engine body, it is possible to supply the lubricating oil that is not affected by blow-by gas. As a result, the durability of the chains 34 and 42 can be improved.

  This is the end of the description of the embodiment according to the present invention, but the present invention can be widely modified. For example, the discharge hole may be disposed on the front side of the side surface of the inner chain case. In this case, it is possible to easily remove the lubricating oil and to easily remove and remove the drain bolt. In this case, the lubricating oil is injected by providing a separate injection hole. Alternatively, the outboard motor main body can be tilted down until the lower side from the vertical side is tilted forward, and lubricating oil can be injected from the discharge hole. Further, an oil pump, an oil filler, and an oil filter may be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outboard motor 2 Outboard motor main body 3 Mounting apparatus 4 Vertical engine 22 Swivel shaft 31 Crankshaft 32 1st crank sprocket (drive sprocket)
33 Second crank sprocket (drive sprocket)
34 Timing Chain (Chain)
35, 36 Cam sprocket (driven sprocket)
42 Balancer chain (chain)
43 Balancer sprocket (driven sprocket)
50 Outer chain case 51 Inner chain case (case)
54 Discharge hole

Claims (5)

A drive sprocket,
A driven sprocket,
A chain spanning the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket;
A case housing the drive sprocket, the driven sprocket and the chain;
The case is
It is an oil-tight space where the inside is almost closed,
A vertical engine comprising a bottom face facing the chain close to the chain.   The vertical engine according to claim 1, wherein the case includes a concave groove extending along a travel locus of the chain. An outboard motor equipped with a vertical engine,
The vertical engine
A drive sprocket,
A driven sprocket,
A chain spanning the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket;
A case housing the drive sprocket, the driven sprocket and the chain;
The case is
It is an oil-tight space where the inside is almost closed,
An outboard motor comprising a bottom surface that is close to and faces the chain. The outboard motor body is attached to the hull so that it can be tilted up via an attachment device having a hinge mechanism.
The outboard motor according to claim 3, wherein a discharge hole is disposed on the attachment device side of the case.   The outboard motor according to claim 4, wherein the discharge hole is disposed on an upper surface or a side surface of the case.

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