JP4183209B2 - Oscillator for propulsion unit in outboard motor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a propulsion unit oscillating device in an outboard motor including a compressed gas-filled tilt cylinder that urges a propulsion unit pivotally supported at the rear of a hull to oscillate upward.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a propulsion unit swinging device in an outboard motor has been configured as follows.
[0003]
That is, the outboard motor has a clamp bracket attached to the rear part of the hull, a propulsion unit disposed behind the clamp bracket and pivotally supported by the clamp bracket so as to be swingable up and down, and the shaft center in the vertical direction. And a compressed gas-filled tilt cylinder that urges the propulsion unit to swing upward.
[0004]
A cylinder tube in which the tilt cylinder is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket, a piston fitted into the cylinder tube so as to be slidable in an axial direction, and a protruding end projecting upward from the piston. And a piston rod pivotally supported by the actuator.
[0005]
A gas inlet for supplying compressed gas to the inside of the cylinder tube is formed in the outer peripheral wall in the middle of the cylinder tube in the axial direction. Here, since the outer peripheral wall portion is thin and it is difficult to maintain sufficient strength, a boss portion is formed on the outer peripheral wall, and the gas injection port is formed on the boss portion.
[0006]
Further, a seal body that seals between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube and the outer peripheral surface of the piston is provided, and this seal body is fixed to the piston so that the inner wall of the cylinder tube can be extended when the tilt cylinder is extended or contracted. It is slidable in the axial direction with respect to the peripheral surface. Further, the compressed gas is sealed in a space closed by the lower end portion of the cylinder tube, the piston, and the seal body, and the gas urges the tilt cylinder to extend, that is, the tilt cylinder is The propulsion unit is elastically biased upward.
[0007]
The propulsion unit is provided with a propeller at its swing end, and when the outboard motor is used to propel the ship, the propulsion unit is positioned so that its swing end is below the water surface (hereinafter referred to as this). Is referred to as “use posture”).
[0008]
On the other hand, when the outboard motor is not in use, an occupant applies an external force to the propulsion unit to swing the propulsion unit upward. At this time, the tilt cylinder urges the propulsion unit upward. Therefore, the swinging is performed lightly. This swinging is a posture in which the swinging end of the propulsion unit is located on the water surface (hereinafter referred to as “non-use posture”). Is held by the locking means.
[0009]
Further, when the propulsion unit is changed to the “use posture” from the “non-use posture” of the propulsion unit, the propulsion unit is swung downward against the urging force of the tilt cylinder. Then, the propulsion unit is again set to the “use posture”, and the “use posture” of the propulsion unit is held by its own weight or locking means.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the above prior art, the lower end of the cylinder tube is pivotally supported with respect to the clamp bracket. Therefore, the lower end of the clamp bracket is extended downward until it corresponds to the lower end of the cylinder tube. For this reason, the shape of the clamp bracket is increased, and accordingly, the outboard motor becomes heavier and the configuration is complicated.
[0011]
In addition, as described above, a boss portion is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder tube, and a gas injection port is formed in the boss portion.When the boss portion is formed in this way, the cylinder tube becomes heavy, The configuration becomes complicated, and also in this respect, there is a problem that the outboard motor becomes heavy and the configuration becomes complicated.
[0012]
Further, as the tilt cylinder expands and contracts, the seal body slides on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube, but the seal body tends to wear due to this sliding, so the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube is It is finished smoothly by machining so that the wear is suppressed.
[0013]
However, since the inner hole of the cylinder tube is elongated, it is not easy to machine the inner peripheral surface thereof, and therefore, the molding operation of the outboard motor is complicated.
[0014]
The present invention has been made paying attention to the above circumstances, and is intended to make the outboard motor lightweight, simplify the configuration, and facilitate the outboard motor molding operation. Let it be an issue.
[0015]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The propulsion unit swinging device in the outboard motor of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.
[0016]
The invention of claim 1 includes a clamp bracket 6 attached to the rear portion of the hull 2, a propulsion unit 8 disposed behind the clamp bracket 6 and pivotally supported by the clamp bracket 6 so as to be swingable up and down. And a compressed gas-filled tilt cylinder 23 that urges the shaft center 21 to extend in the vertical direction to swing the propulsion unit 8 upward. The tilt cylinder 23 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket 6. A tube 26, a piston 27 fitted into the cylinder tube 26 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and a piston rod 28 that protrudes upward from the piston 27 and whose protruding end is pivotally supported by the propulsion unit 8. In the swing device of the propulsion unit in the outboard motor equipped with
[0017]
Seal bodies 33 and 34 are provided at the upper end of the cylinder tube 26 to seal between the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 28, while the lower end of the cylinder tube 26 is provided. A gas injection port 41 for compressed gas that can be freely opened and closed is formed, and an axially intermediate portion of the cylinder tube 26 located between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the cylinder tube 26 is formed in the clamp bracket 6. It has been pivoted .
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
1-4, the code | symbol 1 is a ship which floats on the water surface W, The arrow Fr has shown the front of this ship 1. In FIG.
[0020]
An outboard motor 4 is detachably attached to a stern plate 3 constituting the rear part of the hull 2 of the ship 1. The outboard motor 4 includes a clamp bracket 6 that is detachably attached to the upper edge portion of the stern plate 3 by a fastener 5, and is pivoted to the clamp bracket 6 via a first pivot shaft 7 so as to swing up and down. And a propulsion unit 8 to be supported. The clamp bracket 6 is rectangular when viewed from the front, is locked to the upper edge of the stern plate 3 and is attached to the stern plate 3 in surface contact with the rear surface. The propulsion unit 8 is disposed near the rear of the clamp bracket 6.
[0021]
The propulsion unit 8 has a propulsion unit main body 10 constituting the lower portion thereof, and a swing arm 15 is provided to project forward from a middle part in the vertical direction of the propulsion unit main body 10. The end is pivotally supported on the clamp bracket 6 by the first pivot shaft 7.
[0022]
The propulsion unit body 10 is formed of a cylindrical casing 18 having an axial center that constitutes an outer shell thereof, and a cowling 19 is detachably attached to the upper end of the casing 18. The drive source is stored. Further, the propulsion unit 8 includes a propeller 20 at a swinging end portion around the first pivot shaft 7, and the propeller 20 projects from the lower end of the casing 18. The propeller 20 is placed in the casing 18. The drive source is interlocked and connected to the drive source by a provided power transmission mechanism.
[0023]
A steering lever 17 projects from the swing arm 15 toward the hull 2 side. If the steering lever 17 is gripped from the hull 2 side and swung left and right, the propulsion unit 8 can be swung left and right around the axis 16 of the steering shaft 13. Has been.
[0024]
The outboard motor 4 includes a metal tilt cylinder 23 disposed between the clamp bracket 6 and the propulsion unit 8 and having an axis 21 extending in the vertical direction. The tilt cylinder 23 is installed on the clamp bracket 6 and the propulsion unit 8 and can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction thereof. The extension operation urges the propulsion unit 8 to swing upward. The tilt cylinder 23 includes a cylinder tube 26 that is pivotally supported on the clamp bracket 6 by a second pivot shaft 25, a piston 27 that is slidably inserted in the cylinder tube 26 in the axial direction, and a piston 27 A piston rod 28 that protrudes upward and protrudes upward from the upper end of the cylinder tube 26 is provided. The protruding end of the piston rod 28 is connected to the swing arm 15 of the propulsion unit 8 by a third pivot. A pivot 32 is pivotally supported.
[0025]
In the above case, the axially midway portion (substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction) of the cylinder tube 26 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket 6 by the second pivot shaft 25. Further, the second pivot shaft 25 is displaced forward from the shaft center 21 in a side view of the ship 1.
[0026]
Seal bodies 33, 34 are provided for sealing between the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 28. The seal bodies 33, 34 are provided at the upper end portion of the cylinder tube 26. It is fixed.
[0027]
The inside of the cylinder tube 26 is a sealed space 36, and the space 36 is composed of a lower space 37 and an upper space 38 partitioned by the piston 27. A gas injection port 41 for compressed gas is formed in a thick portion at the lower end of the cylinder tube 26, and the gas injection port 41 is closed to be opened and closed. An appropriate amount of compressed gas and lubricating oil are supplied to the space 36 through the gas inlet 41 and sealed in a pressurized state.
[0028]
3 and 4, a seal body such as an O-ring is not provided between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 27. Instead of this seal body, an annular slight gap 42 is provided between the circumferential surfaces of the cylinder tube 26 and the piston 27 facing each other, and only allows sliding of each other, and It is lubricated with the above lubricating oil. If the thickness of the gap 42 is increased too much, rattling occurs between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 27, and the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cylinder tube 26. Between the piston rod 28 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 28. For this reason, the thickness of the gap 42 is reduced.
[0029]
A plurality of (four) communication grooves 44 extending in the axial direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 27, and these communication grooves 44 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the piston 27. . These communication grooves 44 communicate the lower space 37 and the upper space 38 with each other.
[0030]
In the above case, the lower space 37 and the upper space 38 are filled with compressed gas through the gap 42 and the communication groove 44, but the cross-sectional area of the lower space 37 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the upper space 38. As a result, the piston rod 28 does not exist and is enlarged. For this reason, the compressed gas acts to push the piston 27 upward due to the difference in the cross-sectional area, that is, the tilt cylinder 23 is urged to extend, so that the propulsion unit is driven by the tilt cylinder 23. 8 is biased to swing upward.
[0031]
As shown by the solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2, the propulsion unit 8 is in a posture in which the swing end thereof is located below the water surface W including the propeller 20, that is, a “use posture”. At this time, the tilt cylinder 23 is in a contracted state. If the drive source of the propulsion unit 8 is driven from this state, the propeller 20 is interlocked with this and the ship 1 is propelled on the water surface W.
[0032]
When the propulsion unit 8 is to be changed from the “use posture” to the “non-use posture” indicated by a three-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the occupant swings upward by applying an external force to the propulsion unit 8. However, at this time, since the tilt cylinder 23 urges the propulsion unit 8 upward, the swinging is easily performed. This swinging is a posture in which the swinging end portion of the propulsion unit 8 is positioned on the water surface W (hereinafter referred to as “non-use posture”). It is held by the external force or the locking means (not shown).
[0033]
Further, when the propulsion unit 8 is changed to the “use posture” from the “non-use posture” of the propulsion unit 8, the propulsion unit 8 is swung downward against the urging force of the tilt cylinder 23. Let Then, the propulsion unit 8 is again set to the “use posture”, and the “use posture” of the propulsion unit 8 is held by its own weight or locking means.
[0034]
According to the above configuration, the axial middle portion of the cylinder tube 26 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket 6. Therefore, when the cylinder tube 26 is to be pivotally supported by the clamp bracket 6, the clamp bracket 6 It is not necessary to extend to the lower end portion of the cylinder tube 26, and it is sufficient to extend to the midway portion in the axial direction of the cylinder tube 26 and pivotally support the midway portion of the cylinder tube 26.
[0035]
Therefore, the clamp bracket 6 has conventionally been extended to the lower end portion of the cylinder tube 26. However, the clamp bracket 6 is smaller than that, and the outboard motor 4 is lighter and the configuration is simplified. .
[0036]
Further, a gas injection port 41 for compressed gas is formed at the lower end portion of the cylinder tube 26, and each end portion in the axial direction of the cylinder tube 26 is usually a thick portion. When the gas inlet 41 is formed at the lower end portion of the cylinder tube 26, it is not necessary to separately form a boss portion in the cylinder tube 26.
[0037]
Therefore, as described above, the outboard motor 4 is further reduced in weight and the configuration is simplified because the boss portion is not separately formed in the cylinder tube 26.
[0038]
Further, since there is no conventional sealing body that seals between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 27, it is not necessary to pay attention to the suppression of wear of the sealing body.
[0039]
Therefore, since the high accuracy is not required for the smoothness of the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26, the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26 can be easily formed by, for example, drilling. The molding operation of the machine 4 can be easily performed.
[0040]
In addition, when the tilt cylinder 23 is extended and contracted, when the piston 27 moves in the cylinder tube 26, compressed gas and lubricating oil flow through the gap 42 and the communication groove 44 with a large flow resistance. The shocking operation when the propulsion unit 8 swings up and down is mitigated. In other words, the tilt cylinder 23 functions as a shock absorber.
[0041]
5 and 6 show another embodiment.
[0042]
According to this, the communication paths 46 and 47 are formed in the piston 27 and the piston rod 28, respectively, and these communicate the lower space 37 and the upper space 38 with each other, and are similar to the communication groove 44 of the above embodiment. Demonstrate the effect of. Note that only one of the communication paths 46 and 47 may be provided.
[0043]
According to this embodiment, the facing area between the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder tube 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 27 can be increased, and the operation of the tilt cylinder 23 can be made smoother.
[0044]
Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, common reference numerals are given to the drawings, and descriptions thereof are omitted.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
The effects of the present invention are as follows.
[0046]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clamp bracket attached to a rear portion of a hull, a propulsion unit disposed behind the clamp bracket and pivotally supported by the clamp bracket so as to be swingable up and down, and a shaft center in a vertical direction. And a compressed gas-filled tilt cylinder that urges the propulsion unit to swing upward, a cylinder tube pivotally supported by the clamp bracket, and an axial direction of the cylinder tube. In a propulsion unit rocking device in an outboard motor comprising a piston that is slidably inserted, and a piston rod that protrudes upward from the piston and whose protruding end is pivotally supported by the propulsion unit.
[0047]
A seal body is provided at the upper end portion of the cylinder tube to seal between the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cylinder tube and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod, while the lower end portion of the cylinder tube is openable and closable. A gas injection port for compressed gas is formed, and an axial middle portion of the cylinder tube located between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the cylinder tube is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket.
[0048]
Here, as described above, a gas injection port for compressed gas is formed at the lower end of the cylinder tube, and the following effects are produced.
[0049]
That is, since each end of the cylinder tube in the axial direction is usually a thick portion, when a gas inlet is formed at the lower end of the cylinder tube, a boss is separately formed on the cylinder tube. It is not necessary to do.
[0050]
Therefore, as described above, the outboard motor is further reduced in weight and the configuration is simplified because the boss portion is not separately formed on the cylinder tube.
[0051]
In addition, as described above, since the middle part in the axial direction of the cylinder tube is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket, when the cylinder tube is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket, the clamp bracket is attached to the cylinder tube. It is not necessary to extend to the lower end portion of the cylinder tube, and it is sufficient to extend to the midway portion of the cylinder tube in the axial direction and pivot the midway portion of the cylinder tube.
[0052]
Therefore, the clamp bracket has been conventionally extended to the lower end portion of the cylinder tube. However, the clamp bracket is smaller than that, and the outboard motor becomes lighter and the configuration is simplified .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the outboard motor.
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG. 1;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 in another embodiment.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5 according to another embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ship 2 Hull 4 Outboard motor 6 Clamp bracket 7 1st pivot shaft 8 Propulsion unit 15 Oscillation arm 21 Axis center 23 Tilt cylinder 25 Second pivot shaft 26 Cylinder tube 27 Piston 28 Piston rod 32 3rd pivot shaft 36 space 37 lower space 38 upper space 41 gas inlet 42 gap 44 communication groove 46, 47 communication path

Claims (1)

A clamp bracket attached to the rear part of the hull, a propulsion unit disposed behind the clamp bracket and pivotally supported by the clamp bracket so as to be swingable up and down, and a shaft center extending in the vertical direction to extend the propulsion unit. A tilting cylinder filled with compressed gas that urges to swing upward, and the tilt cylinder is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket and is slidably fitted in the cylinder tube in the axial direction. In a propulsion unit swinging device in an outboard motor comprising a piston and a piston rod that protrudes upward from the piston and whose protruding end is pivotally supported by the propulsion unit.
A seal body is provided at the upper end portion of the cylinder tube to seal between the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cylinder tube and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod, while the lower end portion of the cylinder tube is openable and closable. A propulsion unit in an outboard motor that forms a gas injection port for compressed gas and that is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket in the axial middle portion of the cylinder tube located between the upper end and the lower end of the cylinder tube. Swing device .

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