JP4170960B2 - Outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjustment device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device, and more particularly to an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device in which a steering angle and a tilt trim angle are adjusted by a hydraulic actuator.

Conventionally, a technique has been proposed in which the steering angle of an outboard motor can be adjusted by a hydraulic actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Similarly, a technique has been proposed in which the tilt trim angle of an outboard motor can be adjusted with a hydraulic cylinder (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 62-125996 (FIG. 2 etc.) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-228296 (FIGS. 2, 3, etc.)

  When adjusting the steering angle of an outboard motor with a hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic oil supply source (hydraulic pump or an electric motor that drives the hydraulic oil supply) that supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator is required. The hydraulic oil pumping ability greatly depends on load factors such as the type of hull, ship speed, and the degree of waves. Therefore, if the pumping capacity of the hydraulic oil supply source is not sufficient, a difference occurs in the driving speed of the hydraulic actuator according to the load fluctuation, and the steering feeling may be lowered.

  Therefore, the hydraulic oil supply source mounted on the outboard motor is usually provided with a pumping capability sufficient to sufficiently cope with the maximum load that can be predicted so that stable steering can be performed even when a load change occurs. However, with such a configuration, there is a problem that an increase in the size of the hydraulic oil supply source and an increase in power consumption are inevitable. The same applies to the hydraulic oil supply source that supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator for adjusting the tilt trim angle.

  Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and to supply hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator for adjusting the steering angle, and to supply hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator for adjusting the tilt trim angle. Is to provide a steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor that can stably adjust the steering angle and the tilt trim angle even when a load fluctuates.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned object, according to claim 1, in the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device, the steering angle and tilt trim angle of the outboard motor can be adjusted by a hydraulic actuator. A first hydraulic actuator that adjusts the steering angle of the vehicle, a first hydraulic oil supply source that supplies hydraulic oil to the first hydraulic actuator, and a second hydraulic actuator that adjusts the tilt trim angle of the outboard motor, A second hydraulic oil supply source for supplying hydraulic oil to the second hydraulic actuator, and at least a part of the hydraulic oil to be supplied to one of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator, And a hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism that supplies the other hydraulic actuator.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism includes a first oil path connecting the first hydraulic oil supply source and the first hydraulic actuator, and the second hydraulic oil. A second oil passage connecting the supply source and the second hydraulic actuator, a third oil passage connecting the first oil passage and the second oil passage, and the third oil passage are arranged. A first diversion valve comprising a second throttle valve disposed downstream of the third oil passage in the first throttle valve and the second oil passage, and a third oil passage in the third oil passage. A third throttle valve arranged and a second diversion valve composed of a fourth throttle valve arranged downstream of the third oil passage in the first oil passage are provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism includes a manual lever that allows the hydraulic oil supply destination to be manually switched.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the operating state detecting means for detecting the operating state of the outboard motor and the hydraulic oil supply destination provided in the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism can be switched. An electromagnetic solenoid and control means for controlling the driving of the electromagnetic solenoid based on the detected operation state of the outboard motor are provided.

  In the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, the first hydraulic actuator for adjusting the outboard motor steering angle, and the first hydraulic actuator for supplying hydraulic oil to the first hydraulic actuator. Hydraulic oil supply source, a second hydraulic actuator for adjusting the tilt trim angle of the outboard motor, a second hydraulic oil supply source for supplying hydraulic oil to the second hydraulic actuator, and a first hydraulic pressure Since the hydraulic fluid supply destination changing mechanism for supplying at least a part of the hydraulic fluid to be supplied to one of the actuator and the second hydraulic actuator to the other hydraulic actuator is provided, the hydraulic actuator having an increased load is provided. On the other hand, hydraulic fluid can be supplied from two hydraulic fluid sources. Therefore, if the pumping capacity of the first hydraulic oil supply source and the second hydraulic oil supply source is set so that the sum of them can correspond to the maximum load, the steering angle and the tilt trim angle can be stabilized even if the load fluctuates. Can be adjusted. Therefore, the pumping capacity of each hydraulic oil supply source can be set smaller than that of the prior art, and thus the hydraulic oil supply source can be reduced in size and power can be saved.

  In the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor according to claim 2, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism connects the first hydraulic oil supply source and the first hydraulic actuator. An oil path, a second oil path connecting the second hydraulic oil supply source and the second hydraulic actuator, a third oil path connecting the first oil path and the second oil path, and a third A first diverter valve comprising a first throttle valve disposed in the oil passage and a second throttle valve disposed downstream of the third oil passage in the second oil passage; and a third oil Since it comprised so that the 3rd throttle valve arrange | positioned in a path and the 2nd branch valve which consists of a 4th throttle valve arrange | positioned downstream from the 3rd oil path in the 1st oil path may be provided. In addition to the effects described above, the hydraulic oil distribution ratio (the supply destination should be changed by adjusting the opening degree of the first to fourth throttle valves) It can be arbitrarily set the amount) of aggressive media, thus supply amount of working oil to the hydraulic actuator, i.e., it is possible to adjust the driving force of the hydraulic actuator in accordance with the load.

  In the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor according to claim 3, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism includes a manual lever that allows manual switching of the hydraulic oil supply destination. Therefore, in addition to the above-described effects, the hydraulic actuator that should increase the supply amount of hydraulic oil can be easily changed according to the intention of the operator.

  The outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device according to claim 4 is further provided in an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of the outboard motor and a hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism. In addition to the above-described effects, the electromagnetic oil solenoid capable of switching the supply destination of hydraulic oil and the control means for controlling the driving of the electromagnetic solenoid based on the detected operation state of the outboard motor are provided. The hydraulic actuator that should increase the supply amount of hydraulic oil can be automatically changed according to the operation state of the outboard motor (specifically, whether the steering angle or tilt trim angle of the outboard motor is adjusted) Therefore, the burden on the operator can be reduced.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The best mode for carrying out an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor according to a first embodiment of the present invention, centering on the outboard motor, and FIG. 2 is a partially explanatory side view of FIG. It is.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 10 indicates an outboard motor. As shown in FIG. 2, the outboard motor 10 is housed in a stern bracket 14 fixed to the rear portion of the hull (ship) 12, a swivel case 16 attached to the stern bracket 14, and a swivel case 16 so as to be rotatable. It is attached to the hull 12 via the swivel shaft 18.

  The swivel shaft 18 is rotatably accommodated in the swivel case 16 and is connected to the frame 10 </ b> A of the outboard motor 10 via a mount frame 20 fixed to the upper part. The swivel case 16 is attached to the stern bracket 14 via the tilting shaft 22. Accordingly, the outboard motor 10 can be steered with respect to the hull 12 and the stern bracket 14 with the swivel shaft 18 as a rotation axis, and can be tilted up / down and trimmed up / down with the tilting shaft 22 as a rotation axis. It is said.

  A first hydraulic actuator for adjusting the steering angle of the outboard motor 10, specifically, a double-acting hydraulic cylinder (hereinafter referred to as “steering hydraulic cylinder”) 26 is arranged on the upper part of the swivel case 16. Is done. A steering angle sensor 28 is disposed near the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 in the upper part of the swivel case 16. Specifically, the steering angle sensor 28 includes a rotary encoder, and outputs a signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the swivel shaft 18 (in other words, the steering angle of the outboard motor 10).

  An internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as “engine”) 30 is mounted on the outboard motor 10. The engine 30 is a spark ignition type in-line four-cylinder engine that is a four-cycle gasoline engine having a displacement of 2200 cc. Further, an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “ECU”) 32 formed of a microcomputer is disposed in the vicinity of the engine 30.

  On the other hand, a propeller 34 and a ladder 36 are provided below the outboard motor 10. The propeller 34 rotates when the power of the engine 30 is transmitted through a crankshaft, a drive shaft, a gear mechanism, and a shift mechanism (not shown) to move the hull 12 forward or backward.

  Further, in the vicinity of the stern bracket 14 and the swivel case 20, a second hydraulic actuator for adjusting the tilt angle and trim angle of the outboard motor 10, specifically, a known power tilt trim unit 40 is provided. Be placed. The steering hydraulic cylinder 26, the steering angle sensor 28, and the power tilt trim unit 40 are connected to the ECU 32 via signal lines 26L, 28L, and 40L, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a steering wheel 42 is disposed near the cockpit of the hull 12. A steering angle sensor 44 is disposed in the vicinity of the steering wheel 42. Specifically, the turning angle sensor 44 includes a rotary encoder, and outputs a signal corresponding to the turning angle (operation amount) of the steering wheel 42 input by the operator.

  A shift lever 46 and a throttle lever 48 are further arranged near the cockpit. The shift lever 46 and the throttle lever 48 are connected to a shift mechanism and a throttle valve (not shown) of the engine 30 via push-pull cables, respectively. That is, when the shift lever 46 is operated, the shift mechanism operates and the traveling direction of the hull 12 is switched. Further, by operating the throttle lever 48, the throttle valve is opened and closed, the engine speed is adjusted, and the boat speed of the hull 12 is adjusted.

  Further, a power tilt switch 50 for inputting an instruction for adjusting the tilt angle of the outboard motor 10 and a power trim switch 52 for inputting an instruction for adjusting the trim angle are disposed near the cockpit. Each of the switches 50 and 52 outputs a signal corresponding to the tilt up / down and trim up / down instructions of the outboard motor 10 input by the operator. The steering angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, and the power trim switch 52 described above are connected to the ECU 32 via signal lines 44L, 50L, and 52L, respectively.

  The ECU 32 drives the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 based on the outputs of the steering angle sensor 28, the turning angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, and the power trim switch 52 that are input via the signal lines 28L, 44L, 50L, and 52L. Then, the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 is adjusted, and the power tilt trim unit 40 is driven to adjust the tilt angle and trim angle of the outboard motor 10. Note that the tilt angle and the trim angle are values indicating the rotation angle of the outboard motor 10 with the tilting shaft 22 as a rotation axis. Collectively referred to as “tilt trim angle”.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the vicinity of the swivel case 16 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the power tilt trim unit 40 includes one tilt angle adjusting hydraulic cylinder (hereinafter referred to as “tilt hydraulic cylinder”) 40 a and two (only one appears in the figure) trim angle. An adjustment hydraulic cylinder (hereinafter referred to as “trim hydraulic cylinder”) 40b is integrally provided. The tilt hydraulic cylinder 40a and the trim hydraulic cylinder 40b are both double-acting hydraulic cylinders.

  The tilt hydraulic cylinder 40 a has a cylinder bottom connected to the stern bracket 14 and a rod head connected to the swivel case 16. The trim hydraulic cylinder 40 b has a cylinder bottom connected to the stern bracket 14 and a rod head abutted against the swivel case 16. As a result, the tilt hydraulic cylinder 40a or the trim hydraulic cylinder 40b is expanded and contracted to rotate the swivel case 16 about the tilting shaft 22 as a rotation axis, and thus the tilt trim angle of the outboard motor 10 is adjusted.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view of the vicinity of the swivel case 16 as viewed from above.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a stay 60 is provided in the mount frame 20 in the vicinity of the position immediately above the swivel shaft 18. The steering hydraulic cylinder 26 has a rod head 26 a rotatably attached to the stay 60 and a cylinder bottom 26 b rotatably attached to the upper part of the swivel case 16. Thus, by extending and retracting the steering hydraulic cylinder 26, the mount frame 20 and the swivel shaft 18 are rotated, so that the outboard motor 10 is steered left and right.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the steering angle sensor 28 is arranged on the upper part of the swivel case 16.

  The steering angle sensor 28 is connected to the stay 60 described above via the sensor rod 62. That is, the rotation angle of the swivel shaft 18, that is, the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 is transmitted to the steering angle sensor 28 through the mount frame 20, the stay 60 and the sensor rod 62 and detected.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the operation of the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the outputs of the steering angle sensor 28, the turning angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, and the power trim switch 52 are input to the ECU 32 via signal lines 28L, 44L, 50L, and 52L, respectively. Based on these input values, the ECU 32 includes a first hydraulic oil supply source 64 that supplies hydraulic oil to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and a second hydraulic oil supply source 66 that supplies hydraulic oil to the power tilt trim unit 40. Make it work.

  More specifically, when the driver turns the steering wheel 42, the turning angle is input to the ECU 32 via the turning angle sensor 44. The ECU 32 operates the first hydraulic oil supply source 64 so that the deviation between the input turning angle and the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 detected by the steering angle sensor 28 becomes zero. Specifically, an electric motor (hereinafter referred to as “steering electric motor”) 70 is driven, and a hydraulic pump (hereinafter referred to as “steering hydraulic pump”) 72 is operated. The steering electric motor 70 and the steering hydraulic pump 72 are mounted at appropriate locations on the outboard motor 10.

  The steering hydraulic pump 72 pressurizes the hydraulic oil stored in a reservoir tank (not shown), and pumps it to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 via the oil passage 74. As a result, the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 is driven, and thus the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 is adjusted.

  In addition, the ECU 32 operates the second hydraulic oil supply source 66 when the power tilt switch 50 or the power trim switch 52 is operated by the operator. Specifically, an electric motor (hereinafter referred to as “tilt trim electric motor”) 80 is driven, and a hydraulic pump (hereinafter referred to as “tilt trim hydraulic pump”) 82 is operated. The steering electric motor 80 and the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 are mounted at appropriate locations in the outboard motor 10.

  The tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 pressurizes hydraulic oil stored in a reservoir tank (not shown), and pumps the hydraulic oil to the power tilt trim unit 40 via the oil passage 84. As a result, the power tilt trim unit 40 is driven, and thus the tilt trim angle of the outboard motor 10 is adjusted.

  Here, what is characteristic of the present invention is that an oil passage 74 connecting the steering hydraulic pump 72 and the steering hydraulic cylinder 26, and an oil passage 84 connecting the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 and the power tilt trim unit 40. A switching valve (operating oil supply destination changing mechanism) 86 is provided between them, and the operating oil to be supplied to one of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40 is supplied to the other. It has been configured to change. As described above, since the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40 are both double-acting hydraulic cylinders, another set of oil passage 74, oil passage 84 and switching valve 86 is actually provided. Although provided, since the configuration is the same, illustration and description are omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the switching valve 86.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the switching valve 86 has three positions indicated by reference signs A, B, and C. The switching valve 86 includes a switching lever 86L connected to a spool (not shown), and the above-described positions A, B, and C can be switched (selected) by manually operating the switching valve 86L.

  The switching valve 86 will be described in detail. The switching valve 86 includes a first oil passage 86a (that is, a part of the oil passage 74 described above) that connects the steering hydraulic pump 72 and the steering hydraulic cylinder 26, and a tilt trim. The second oil passage 86b (that is, a part of the oil passage 84 described above) that connects the hydraulic pump 82 and the power tilt trim unit 40 is provided.

  Of the three positions A, B, and C described above, position B is a neutral position. When the position B is selected, the hydraulic oil pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72 passes through the oil passage 74 and the first oil passage 86a in the switching valve 86 and is supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. The The hydraulic oil pumped from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 passes through the oil passage 84 and the second oil passage 86 b in the switching valve 86 and is supplied to the power tilt trim unit 40.

  On the other hand, when the position A is selected, as shown in FIG. 7, the second oil passage 86b is disconnected from the downstream oil passage 84, and the second oil passage 86b is connected to the first oil passage 86b. To the oil passage 86a. Therefore, in addition to the hydraulic fluid pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72, the hydraulic fluid pumped from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 is supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. As a result, the driving force of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 is increased as compared to when the hydraulic oil is supplied by the steering hydraulic pump 72 alone.

  On the other hand, when the position C is selected, as shown in FIG. 8, the first oil passage 86a is disconnected from the downstream oil passage 74, and the first oil passage 86a is connected to the second oil passage 86a. It communicates with the path 86b. Accordingly, the hydraulic oil fed from the steering hydraulic pump 72 is supplied to the power tilt trim unit 40 in addition to the hydraulic oil fed from the tilt trim hydraulic pump. As a result, the driving force of the power tilt trim unit 40 is increased as compared to when the hydraulic oil is supplied by the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 alone.

  Thus, in the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 for adjusting the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 and the hydraulic oil are supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. The first hydraulic oil supply source 64 (specifically, the steering electric motor 70 and the steering hydraulic pump 72) to be supplied, the power tilt trim unit 40 for adjusting the tilt trim angle of the outboard motor 10, and the hydraulic oil thereto The second hydraulic oil supply source 66 (specifically, the tilt trim electric motor 80 and the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82) is supplied to one of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40. Since the switching valve 86 for supplying the other hydraulic oil to the other is provided, the hydraulic actuator with increased load is made up of two hydraulic oil sources 64 and 66. Oil can be supplied.

  Therefore, if the pumping capacity (the output torque of the electric motor or the capacity of the hydraulic pump) of the first hydraulic oil supply source 64 and the second hydraulic oil supply source 66 is set so that the sum of them can correspond to the maximum load. The steering angle and tilt trim angle can be stably adjusted even when load fluctuation occurs. Therefore, the pumping capacity of each hydraulic oil supply source 64, 66 can be set smaller than that of the prior art, and thus the hydraulic oil supply sources, that is, the electric motors 70, 80 and the hydraulic pumps 72, 82 can be downsized. And power saving.

  In addition, since the switching valve 86 includes the switching lever 86L that allows the hydraulic oil supply destination to be manually switched, a hydraulic actuator that should increase the hydraulic oil supply amount can be easily selected according to the intention of the operator. Can be changed.

  Next, an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the operation of the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of 86 of the switching valve shown in FIG.

  Description will be made focusing on differences from the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the position of the switching valve 86 is automatically switched in accordance with a command from the ECU 32.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the switching valve 86 includes an electromagnetic solenoid 86S instead of the switching lever 86L. The electromagnetic solenoid 86S is connected to the ECU 32 via a signal line 86SL as shown in FIG. The ECU 32 drives the electromagnetic solenoid 86S according to an output indicating the operation state of the outboard motor 10, specifically, output signals from the steering angle sensor 28, the turning angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, and the power trim switch 52. To control.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing drive control of the electromagnetic solenoid 86S in the ECU 32. The illustrated program is executed every 10 msec, for example.

  In the following, first, in S10, it is determined based on the output of the turning angle sensor 44 whether or not the steering wheel 42 is being steered by the driver. When the result in S10 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S12, in which it is determined whether the steering load (in other words, the driving force necessary for adjusting the steering angle) is large. This determination is performed, for example, by determining whether the amount of change per unit time of the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 28 is less than a predetermined value.

  When the result in S12 is negative, the program proceeds to S14, and the electromagnetic solenoid 86S is driven so that the switching valve 86 is in the neutral position B. On the other hand, when the result in S12 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S16, in which the electromagnetic solenoid 86S is driven so that the switching valve 86 is in the position A, and the driving force of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 is increased.

  When the result in S10 is negative, the program proceeds to S18, in which whether the power tilt switch 50 or the power trim switch 52 is outputting an ON signal, that is, the power tilt switch 50 or the power trim switch 52 is operated by the operator. It is judged whether it is done.

  When the result in S18 is negative, the subsequent processing is skipped, while when the result in S18 is positive, the process proceeds to S20 to determine whether or not the driving force required for adjusting the tilt trim angle is large. This determination is made by detecting the amount of change per unit time of the tilt hydraulic cylinder 40a and the trim hydraulic cylinder 40b with a stroke sensor (not shown) and determining whether the detected value is less than a predetermined value.

  When the result in S20 is negative, the program proceeds to S14 where the electromagnetic solenoid 86S is driven so that the switching valve 86 is in the position B. On the other hand, when the result in S20 is affirmative, the routine proceeds to S22, where the electromagnetic solenoid 86S is driven so that the switching valve 86 is in the position C, and the driving force of the power tilt trim unit 40 is increased.

  Thus, in the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the operating state of the outboard motor 10 (the steering angle or tilt trim angle of the outboard motor 10 is adjusted). Based on the output signals from the steering angle sensor 28, the turning angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, the power trim switch 52, and the like. Since the electromagnetic solenoid 86S is driven and the position of the switching valve 86 is changed based on the detection result, the hydraulic actuator that should increase the supply amount of hydraulic oil can be automatically changed. The burden on the user can be reduced.

  The remaining configuration and effects are the same as those of the previous embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  Next, an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the operation of the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor according to the third embodiment.

  The difference from the previous embodiment will be outlined with reference to FIG. 12. In the third embodiment, at least one of the hydraulic oils to be supplied to one of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40. A switching valve 90 is provided between the oil passage 74 and the oil passage 84 to distribute and supply the part to the other.

  FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of the switching valve 90 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the switching valve 90 has three positions indicated by symbols A, B, and C, and these are switched (selected) by manually operating the switching lever 90L to displace a spool (not shown). ) Freedom.

  The switching valve 90 will be specifically described. The switching valve 90 includes a first oil passage 90a (that is, a part of the oil passage 74 described above) that connects the steering hydraulic pump 72 and the steering hydraulic cylinder 26, and a tilt trim. The second oil passage 90b (that is, a part of the oil passage 84 described above) connecting the hydraulic pump 82 and the power tilt trim unit 40, and the first oil passage 90a and the second oil passage 90b are connected. Three oil passages (bypass passages) 90c, a first branch valve 90d that distributes at least part of the hydraulic oil flowing through the second oil passage 90b to the first oil passage 90a, and a first oil passage 90a. A second branch valve 90e that distributes at least part of the flowing hydraulic oil to the second oil passage 90b.

  Of the three positions A, B, and C described above, position B is a neutral position. When the position B is selected, all of the hydraulic fluid pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72 passes through the oil passage 74 and the first oil passage 90a in the switching valve 90, and the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. To be supplied. On the other hand, all of the hydraulic oil pumped from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 passes through the oil passage 84 and the second oil passage 90 b in the switching valve 90 and is supplied to the power tilt trim unit 40.

  On the other hand, when the position A is selected, as shown in FIG. 14, at least a part of the hydraulic oil pumped from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 is transferred to the first diversion valve 90d in the switching valve 90 and the first diversion valve 90d. The oil is distributed to the first oil passage 90 a via the three oil passages 90 c and supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. As a result, the driving force of the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 is increased as compared to when the hydraulic oil is supplied by the steering hydraulic pump 72 alone. Note that all of the hydraulic oil pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72 is supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 in the same manner as when the position B is selected.

  The first diversion valve 90d will be described in detail. The first diversion valve 90d includes a first throttle valve 90d1 disposed in the third oil passage 90c and a third oil passage 90c in the second oil passage 90b. And the second throttle valve 90d2 disposed on the downstream side.

  That is, the hydraulic oil fed from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 is distributed to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40 in accordance with the ratio of the opening areas of the first throttle valve 90d1 and the second throttle valve 90d2. The

  The first throttle valve 90d1 and the second throttle valve 90d2 are both variable throttles, and their throttle amounts can be adjusted steplessly by the operator. Further, the aperture amounts are configured to change in conjunction with each other.

  Specifically, when the throttle amount of the first throttle valve 90d1 is increased (the flow rate is decreased), the second throttle valve 90d2 is decreased in proportion to the throttle amount (the flow rate is increased). ). On the other hand, if the throttle amount of the first throttle valve 90d1 is decreased (the flow rate is increased), the throttle amount of the second throttle valve 90d2 is increased in inverse proportion (the flow rate is decreased). That is, the ratio of the opening areas of the first throttle valve 90d1 and the second throttle valve 90d2, in other words, the distribution ratio of the hydraulic oil to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 is adjustable. Accordingly, when the throttle amount of the second throttle valve 90d2 is maximized (opening area is zero) and the throttle amount of the first throttle valve 90d1 is minimized (opening area is maximized), the hydraulic pressure pump for tilt trim 82 pumps. All of the hydraulic oil can be supplied to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26. From that point of view, it is described above as “at least part of the hydraulic oil”.

  On the other hand, when the position C is selected, as shown in FIG. 15, at least a part of the hydraulic oil pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72 is supplied to the second diversion valve 90e and the third diversion valve 90e. The oil is distributed to the second oil passage 90b through the oil passage 90c and supplied to the power tilt trim unit 40. As a result, the driving force of the power tilt trim unit 40 is increased as compared to when the hydraulic oil is supplied by the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 alone. Note that the hydraulic oil pumped from the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 is all supplied to the power tilt trim unit 40 in the same manner as when the position B is selected.

  The second diversion valve 90e will be described in detail. The second diversion valve 90e includes a third throttle valve 90e1 disposed in the third oil passage 90c and a third oil passage 90c in the first oil passage 90a. And the fourth throttle valve 90e2 disposed on the downstream side.

  That is, the hydraulic oil pumped from the steering hydraulic pump 72 is distributed to the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 and the power tilt trim unit 40 in accordance with the ratio of the opening areas of the third throttle valve 90e1 and the fourth throttle valve 90e2. The

  The third throttle valve 90e1 and the fourth throttle valve 90e2 are also variable throttles, similar to the first and second throttle valves 90d1 and 90d2, and their throttle amounts are adjusted steplessly by the operator. It is made free. The throttle amounts of the third throttle valve 90e1 and the fourth throttle valve 90e2 are also configured to change in conjunction (in inverse proportion) in the same manner as the first and second throttle valves 90d1 and 90d2. That is, the ratio of the opening areas of the third throttle valve 90e1 and the fourth throttle valve 90e2, in other words, the distribution ratio of hydraulic oil to the power tilt trim unit 40 (amount of hydraulic oil whose supply destination is to be changed) Is adjustable.

  Thus, in the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the switching valve 90 connects the steering hydraulic pump 72 and the steering hydraulic cylinder 26 to the first. Oil passage 90a, a second oil passage 90b connecting the tilt trim hydraulic pump 82 and the power tilt trim unit 40, and a third oil passage 90c connecting the first oil passage 90a and the second oil passage 90b. And a first throttle valve 90d1 disposed in the third oil passage 90c and a second throttle valve 90d2 disposed downstream of the third oil passage 90c in the second oil passage 90b. And the third throttle valve 90e1 disposed in the third oil passage 90c, and the fourth throttle valve 90e2 disposed downstream of the third oil passage 90c in the first oil passage 90a. A second diverter valve 90e comprising Therefore, the distribution ratio of the hydraulic oil can be arbitrarily set by adjusting the opening degree of the first to fourth throttle valves, so that the supply amount of hydraulic oil to each hydraulic actuator, in other words, Then, the driving force of each hydraulic actuator can be adjusted according to the load.

  The remaining configuration and effects are the same as those of the previous embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 16, instead of the manual switching lever 90L, an electromagnetic solenoid 90S similar to that of the second embodiment may be provided in the switching valve 90.

  As described above, in the first to third embodiments of the present invention, in the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device, the steering angle and tilt trim angle of the outboard motor (10) can be adjusted by the hydraulic actuator. A first hydraulic actuator (steering hydraulic cylinder 26) for adjusting a steering angle of the outboard motor, a first hydraulic oil supply source (64) for supplying hydraulic oil to the first hydraulic actuator, A second hydraulic actuator (power tilt trim unit 40) for adjusting a tilt trim angle of the outboard motor; a second hydraulic oil supply source (66) for supplying hydraulic oil to the second hydraulic actuator; A hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism (cut-off) that supplies at least a part of the hydraulic oil to be supplied to one of the hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator to the other hydraulic actuator. It was configured with a recombinant valves 86, 90) and.

  Thereby, hydraulic fluid can be supplied from two hydraulic fluid supply sources to the hydraulic actuator with increased load. Therefore, if the pumping capacity of the first hydraulic oil supply source and the second hydraulic oil supply source is set so that the sum of them can correspond to the maximum load, the steering angle and the tilt trim angle can be stabilized even if the load fluctuates. Can be adjusted. Therefore, the pumping capacity of each hydraulic oil supply source can be set smaller than that of the prior art, and thus the hydraulic oil supply source can be reduced in size and power can be saved.

  In the third embodiment, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism (90) connects the first hydraulic oil supply source (64) and the first hydraulic actuator (26). An oil passage (90a), a second oil passage (90b) connecting the second hydraulic oil supply source (66) and the second hydraulic actuator (40), the first oil passage and the first oil passage. The third oil passage (90c) connecting the two oil passages, the first throttle valve (90d1) disposed in the third oil passage, and the second oil passage from the third oil passage. A first diverter valve (90d) composed of a second throttle valve (90d2) disposed on the downstream side, a third throttle valve (90e1) disposed in the third oil passage, and the first Second diversion valve comprising a fourth throttle valve (90e2) disposed downstream of the third oil passage in the oil passage It was configured with a 90e) and.

  Accordingly, the distribution ratio of hydraulic oil (the amount of hydraulic oil whose supply destination is to be changed) can be arbitrarily set by adjusting the opening degree of the first to fourth throttle valves, and thus each hydraulic actuator The amount of hydraulic oil supplied to the vehicle, that is, the driving force of each hydraulic actuator can be adjusted according to the load.

  In the first and third embodiments, the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism (86, 90) allows the hydraulic oil supply destination to be manually switched (manual levers (switching levers 86L, 90L)). It comprised so that it might be equipped with.

  Thereby, the hydraulic actuator which should increase the supply amount of hydraulic fluid can be changed easily according to a driver's intention.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the operation state detecting means for detecting the operation state of the outboard motor (10) (the steering angle sensor 28, the turning angle sensor 44, the power tilt switch 50, the power trim switch 52). And an electromagnetic solenoid (86S) provided in the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism (86), wherein the hydraulic oil supply destination can be switched, and the electromagnetic solenoid based on the detected operation state of the outboard motor. And a control means (ECU 32) for controlling the driving of the motor.

  As a result, the hydraulic actuator whose hydraulic oil supply amount should be increased is automatically changed according to the operation state of the outboard motor (specifically, whether the steering angle or tilt trim angle of the outboard motor is adjusted). Therefore, the burden on the operator can be reduced.

  In the above description, the hydraulic actuator is a hydraulic cylinder, but it may be a hydraulic motor or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention as a whole centering on the outboard motor. It is a partial explanatory side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the vicinity of a swivel case 16 shown in FIG. 2. It is the top view which looked at the swivel case 16 vicinity from upper direction. It is a block diagram showing operation | movement of the apparatus shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram similar to FIG. 6 of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram similar to FIG. 6 of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a block diagram showing operation | movement of the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjustment apparatus of the outboard motor which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the switching valve shown in FIG. 9. 10 is a flowchart showing drive control of the electromagnetic solenoid shown in FIG. 9. It is a block diagram which shows operation | movement of the steering angle / tilt trim angle adjustment apparatus of the outboard motor which concerns on 3rd Example of this invention. It is a circuit diagram of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram similar to FIG. 13 of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram similar to FIG. 13 of the switching valve shown in FIG. It is a circuit diagram which shows the modification of the switching valve shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Outboard motor 26 Steering hydraulic cylinder (first hydraulic actuator)
28 Steering angle sensor (operation state detection means)
32 ECU (control means)
40 Power tilt trim unit (second hydraulic actuator)
44 Steering angle sensor (operation state detection means)
50 Power tilt switch (operation status detection means)
52 Power trim switch (operation state detection means)
64 First hydraulic oil supply source 66 Second hydraulic oil supply source 86 Switching valve (hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism)
86L switching lever (manual lever)
86S Electromagnetic solenoid 90 changeover valve (hydraulic oil supply destination change mechanism)
90L switching lever (manual lever)
90a First oil passage 90b Second oil passage 90c Third oil passage 90d First diverter valve 90d1 First restrictor valve 90d2 Second restrictor valve 90e Second diverter valve 90e1 Third restrictor valve 90e2 First 4 throttle valve

Claims (4)

In the outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjustment device, the steering angle and tilt trim angle of the outboard motor can be adjusted by a hydraulic actuator.
A first hydraulic actuator for adjusting a steering angle of the outboard motor, a first hydraulic oil supply source for supplying hydraulic oil to the first hydraulic actuator, and a second for adjusting a tilt trim angle of the outboard motor. At least of the hydraulic oil to be supplied to one of the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator, a second hydraulic oil supply source that supplies hydraulic oil to the second hydraulic actuator, A steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device for an outboard motor, comprising a hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism for supplying a part of the hydraulic oil to the other hydraulic actuator.   The hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism includes a first oil passage that connects the first hydraulic oil supply source and the first hydraulic actuator, a second hydraulic oil supply source, and the second hydraulic actuator. A second oil passage to be connected; a third oil passage connecting the first oil passage and the second oil passage; a first throttle valve disposed in the third oil passage; A first diverter valve comprising a second throttle valve disposed downstream of the third oil passage in the second oil passage, a third throttle valve disposed in the third oil passage, and the 2. The outboard motor steering according to claim 1, further comprising: a second diverter valve including a fourth throttle valve disposed downstream of the third oil passage in the first oil passage. Angle / tilt trim angle adjustment device.   3. The outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device according to claim 2, wherein the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism includes a manual lever that allows manual switching of the hydraulic oil supply destination. Furthermore, an operation state detecting means for detecting an operation state of the outboard motor, an electromagnetic solenoid provided in the hydraulic oil supply destination changing mechanism, wherein the hydraulic oil supply destination can be switched, and the detected outboard 4. The outboard motor steering angle / tilt trim angle adjusting device according to claim 2, further comprising control means for controlling driving of the electromagnetic solenoid based on an operating state of the machine.

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