JP2593547Y2 - Air vent structure of universal joint room in outboard propulsion unit - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air vent structure for preventing a boot covering a universal joint chamber of an outboard propulsion machine from being deformed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An outboard propulsion unit and an engine in a ship are connected via a universal joint. The universal joint is covered with a bellows-shaped boot made of rubber or the like, and the input and output shafts before and after are penetrated. The sealing portion is sealed with a sealing member such as an oil seal or an O-ring to prevent water from entering the universal joint chamber. If the sealability of the universal joint chamber is high, the boot expands or contracts due to a change in pressure due to a temperature change in the boot, and if the deformation is large, there is a possibility that the boot comes into contact with the universal joint. Conventionally, however, grease lubrication type bearings are often used for the input shaft bearings, and the input shaft side does not need to have a very high degree of sealing. As a result, air can flow into and out of the universal joint chamber to some extent, so that the boot was not significantly deformed so as to cause a problem in practical use.

[0003]

Generally, oil-lubricated bearings have higher reliability, and it is preferable to use oil-lubricated bearings in outboard propulsion engines. Since the sealability is required, the boot is liable to be deformed due to a temperature change, and it is necessary to solve the problem of the deformation in order to adopt an oil lubricated bearing. In view of this point, the present invention has been made to prevent the boot from being deformed due to a temperature change even if the sealing property of the universal joint chamber is enhanced.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, the outer periphery of a universal joint housed in a universal joint chamber is covered with a flexible boot, and front and rear are sealed with sealing members. By providing an air passage with one end open in the joint chamber,
The other end of the ventilation path is introduced into the ship and opened at a position higher than the water surface. Further, at least a part of the portion of the air passage inside the ship is formed of a transparent pipe.

[0005]

Since the universal joint chamber communicates with the atmosphere through the ventilation path, even if the temperature changes, there is no pressure change in the universal joint chamber, and the boot does not expand or contract. Further, since the ventilation path is opened at a position higher than the water surface, even if the boot is damaged, water does not enter the ship. In addition, when the ventilation path is made of a transparent tube, when the boot is broken and water enters the universal joint chamber, it can be easily visually detected, and it is possible to take measures before it becomes important.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 2 schematically shows a general structure of an outboard propulsion system to which the present invention is applied. 1 is the hull, 2 is the outboard propulsion,
Reference numeral 3 denotes a transom plate provided at a rear portion of the hull 1, and the outboard propulsion device 2 is supported by the transom plate 3 so that the outboard propulsion device 2 can rotate vertically at a fulcrum 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a hydraulic cylinder. The base 5a of the cylinder body is attached to the lower end of the hanger 2a of the outboard propulsion device 2, and the tip 5b of the rod is attached to the rear end of the body 2b of the outboard propulsion device 2. The hydraulic cylinder 5 operates according to the hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic piping 6, and the outboard propulsion device 2 rotates counterclockwise from the state shown in the figure to pull up the propeller 7 provided at the lower part from the water surface, or It is configured to return to the state shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 1, the hanger 2a of the outboard propulsion device 2 has bearing portions 3a and 3 at both upper and lower ends of the transom plate 3.
The steering lever 8 is provided at the upper end of the hanger 2a so as to be rotatable left and right at b. 9 is the engine part, 1
0 is a universal joint room, and the engine output is
The propeller 7 is transmitted to the outboard propulsion device 2 through the universal joint in the position 0. WL indicates a standard position on the water surface.

In FIG. 1, 15 is a cross joint type universal joint, 16 is an input shaft, 17 is an output shaft, and 18 is a bellows-like boot made of rubber, for example. The input shaft 16 is supported on the transom plate 3 via a bearing 21, the output shaft 17 is supported on the main body 2 b of the outboard propulsion device 2 via a bearing 22, and the boot 18 has a front end attached to the transom plate 3. The rear end is fixed to the connection pipe 2c of the outboard propulsion device 2, respectively. 2
Reference numerals 3 and 24 denote oil seals, reference numerals 25 and 26 denote O-rings, and a universal joint chamber 10 in which the universal joint 15 is housed comprises a rubber boot 18, oil seals 23, 24 and an O-ring 2.
5 and 26 constitute a closed air chamber.

Reference numeral 31 denotes an air passage according to the present invention, which includes a passage 31a formed by drilling holes in the axial direction so as to penetrate the transom plate 3 and the connection tube 3c;
b, a bolt 32 having a hole is attached to the side of the universal joint chamber 10 of the pipe line 31a.
The bottom is open. The inboard pipeline 31b is connected to the pipeline 31a via an appropriate joint 33, extends upward along the transom plate 3, and extends to the standard position WL on the water surface.
The opening 34 is provided at a higher position. For example, a transparent vinyl pipe is used for the inboard conduit 31b, and a loop portion 35 is formed on the upper portion, and is fixed to the surface of the transom plate 3 by an appropriate fixing means (not shown).

In the embodiment described above, the universal joint chamber 10 communicates with the atmosphere inside the ship through the ventilation passage 31, so that air can enter and exit the universal joint chamber 10 and the temperature changes. Also, since the pressure in the universal joint chamber 10 does not fluctuate, the boot 18 does not expand or contract. Therefore, the oil seals 23, 24 and the O-rings 25, 26
The boot 1 may cause interference with the universal joint 15 even if the sealing force of the universal joint 15 is increased by increasing the sealing force of the universal joint chamber 10.
8 does not occur, and oil-lubricated bearings 21 and 22 can be used. Further, since the opening 34 is located at a position higher than the water surface, even if the boot 18 is damaged, water does not enter the ship.

[0010] Further, since the inboard conduit 31b is transparent,
If the boot 18 is damaged and water enters the universal joint chamber 10, it can be visually observed that water is present in the tube 31b. For this reason, this can be easily found at the time of daily inspection of the engine room, and it becomes possible to take measures before it becomes important. The configuration of the ventilation passage 31 of the embodiment is an example and can be formed in a mode other than that shown in the drawings.
1b should be arranged at a position where it can be easily seen so that water in the universal joint chamber 10 can be easily found, and the opening into the universal joint chamber 10 is desirably provided at a low position.

[0011]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a universal joint chamber having a vent passage open at one end, introducing the other end of the vent passage into the ship, and opening the vent at a position higher than the water surface. It is a thing. Accordingly, since the boot is not deformed due to a temperature change and the sealing property of the universal joint chamber can be improved, it is easy to increase the reliability by using an oil lubricated bearing for the bearing. In addition, since the ventilation path is opened at a position higher than the water surface, even if the boot is damaged, water does not enter the ship and is safe. In addition, by making at least a part of the part of the ventilation path inside the ship a transparent tube, if the boot breaks and enters the universal joint room, it can be easily visually detected and treated before it becomes important. It becomes.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a general structure of an outboard propulsion device to which the present invention is applied.

[Description of Signs] 1 Hull 2 Outboard Propulsion Machine 3 Transom Plate 9 Engine Unit 10 Universal Joint Chamber 15 Universal Joint 16 Input Shaft 17 Output Shaft 18 Boot 21, 22 Bearing 23, 24 Oil Seal 25, 26 O-Ring 31 Ventilation Path 31a pipeline 31b inboard pipeline 34 opening WL standard position on water surface

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An outer periphery of a universal joint for connecting an outboard propulsion unit and an engine is covered with a flexible boot, and the front and rear of a universal joint chamber in which the universal joint is stored are sealed with sealing members. An air vent structure for a universal joint chamber in an outboard propulsion system, wherein a vent path having one open end is provided, and the other end of the vent path is introduced into the ship and opened at a position higher than the water surface. 2. The air vent structure for a universal joint chamber in an outboard propulsion device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the portion of the air passage inside the ship is formed of a transparent pipe.