JP4576099B2 - Outboard motor shift operation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shift operation device for an outboard motor for remotely operating a shift mechanism of an engine of the outboard motor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An engine control device for remotely controlling a shift operation of an engine of a small ship has been proposed. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below)
A conventional engine control device includes a remote control box installed in a cockpit or the like, a drive unit incorporating a motor and a gear mechanism that operate based on a signal output from the remote control box, and a drive force generated by the motor. A push-pull cable or the like for transmitting to the operated portion of the engine-side shift mechanism is provided.
This drive unit is housed inside the hull.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
US Pat. No. 5,080,619
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-4-94431
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional engine control device, it is necessary to connect a drive unit provided on the hull side and an operated portion of the shift mechanism of the outboard motor with a push-pull cable for shift operation. For this reason, there are large restrictions on the layout of push-pull cables, and there is a problem in versatility.
[0006]
Further, a sensor for detecting the position of the shift mechanism (shift neutral, shift forward, shift reverse) is incorporated in the drive unit located at a position considerably away from the engine. Moreover, a long push-pull cable exists between the drive unit on the hull side and the shift mechanism on the outboard motor side. For this reason, there is a concern that a slight deviation may occur between the actual position of the shift mechanism and the shift position signal detected by the sensor. For this reason, it has been desired to accurately detect the shift position with a sensor near the engine.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a shift operation device for an outboard motor that does not require a push-pull cable for shift operation between the outboard motor and the hull, and can detect the position of the shift mechanism more accurately. Is to provide.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The shift operation device for an outboard motor according to the present invention includes a waterproof structure case disposed inside the top cover of the outboard motor, a waterproof motor provided outside the case, and the case accommodated in the case. A worm gear that is rotated by a motor, a worm wheel that is housed in the case and meshes with the worm gear, an output shaft that is rotatably provided in the case, and a waterproofing device in which the output shaft is provided in a portion that penetrates the case And a gear mechanism that transmits the rotation of the worm wheel to the output shaft, and an output that is attached to the output shaft outside the case and moves between a shift forward position and a shift reverse position with a neutral position as a boundary. an arm, located on the opposite side of the output shaft across the housed and the worm gear to the case, in conjunction with the rotation of the output shaft A sensor for outputting a signal relating to the shift position of the output arm to the control circuit by rotating in the same direction as the output shaft via a spur gear for rotation, one end connected to the output arm, the other end of the shift mechanism And a force transmission member connected to the operated portion.
[0009]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a potentiometer is used as a sensor that detects the shift neutral position, shift forward position, and shift reverse position of the output arm. Alternatively, a Hall IC may be used as a sensor for detecting the shift neutral position, the shift forward position, and the shift reverse position of the output arm.
[0010]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the force transmission member is a link rod or a push-pull cable. In this invention, you may further provide the arm adjustment mechanism which can adjust the relative position of the rotation direction of the said output arm with respect to the said output shaft.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The outboard motor shift operating device 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a waterproof case 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the case 11 has a case main body 12 and a lid member 13.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting hole 15 is formed in the case body 12. The case 11 includes an outboard motor 20 (see FIG. 3) by a bolt 16 inserted into the mounting hole 15 and a bolt 19 inserted into the mounting hole 18 of the mounting bracket 17 (shown in FIG. 3) to be mounted on the motor 30 as necessary. 4 (partly shown in FIG. 4).
[0013]
The case 11 is provided with a waterproof DC motor 30. The motor 30 can rotate in the first direction and the opposite second direction by switching the direction of the current. A worm gear 31 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 30. The worm gear 31 is accommodated in the case 11.
[0014]
A worm wheel 32 and a first spur gear 33 that rotates integrally with the worm wheel 32 are housed inside the case 11. The worm wheel 32 is engaged with the worm gear 31.
[0015]
An output shaft 40 is rotatably provided in the case 11. Bearings 41 and 42 are provided between the case 11 and the output shaft 40. A waterproof seal member 43 is provided in the vicinity of the bearing 41.
[0016]
A second spur gear 50 is attached to the output shaft 40. The second spur gear 50 meshes with the first spur gear 33. Since the second spur gear 50 has more teeth than the first spur gear 33, the rotation of the first spur gear 33 is decelerated and transmitted to the second spur gear 50. These spur gears 33 and 50 constitute a gear mechanism 51 for transmitting the rotation of the worm wheel 32 to the output shaft 40.
[0017]
An adjustment plate 55 and an output arm 56 are attached to the output shaft 40. The adjusting plate 55 and the output arm 56 are located outside the case 11 and are prevented from being detached from the output shaft 40 by bolts 57. The output arm 56 can reciprocate between a shift forward position F and a shift reverse position R with a neutral position N shown in FIG. 1 as an example.
[0018]
The hole 60 formed in the center of the adjustment plate 55 is fitted to the output shaft 40 so as not to be relatively rotatable. A plurality of tap holes 61 are formed in the adjustment plate 55. These tap holes 61 are formed at an equal pitch on the same circle centered on the output shaft 40, and the output arm 56 is attached to the adjustment plate 55 by screwing bolts 62 into the selected pair of tap holes 61. It is fixed.
[0019]
When the bolt 62 is removed from the tap hole 61, the output arm 56 can be rotated with respect to the adjustment plate 55. When the direction of the output arm 56 is to be changed according to the model of the outboard motor 20, the bolt 62 is removed from the tap hole 61, the output arm 56 is directed in a desired direction, and then the bolt 62 is screwed into the tap hole 61. Thus, the output arm 56 is fixed to the adjustment plate 55.
[0020]
By doing so, the output arm 56 can be directed in a desired direction with respect to the case 11. An arm adjustment mechanism is configured by the adjustment plate 55 having the tap hole 61 and the bolt 62 screwed into the tap hole 61. As another example of the arm adjustment mechanism, a spline may be formed on the output shaft 40 and a spline groove that fits the spline may be formed on the output arm 56. Even with such a structure, the relative position in the rotational direction of the output arm 56 with respect to the output shaft 40 can be adjusted.
[0021]
Inside the case 11, a third spur gear 65 is engaged with the second spur gear 50. The fourth spur gear 66 is engaged with the third spur gear 65. The fourth spur gear 66 rotates integrally with the following potentiometer 71.
[0022]
Inside the case 11, a micro switch 70 for permitting engine start and a potentiometer 71 (shown in FIG. 2) functioning as a shift position detection sensor are accommodated. The tip of the detection lever 72 of the micro switch 70 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fourth spur gear 66.
[0023]
When the output arm 56 is in the neutral position N, the tip of the detection lever 72 enters the recess 73 formed in the fourth spur gear 66, so that the micro switch 70 is turned on. When the micro switch 70 is turned on, the signal is output to the control circuit 80 (shown in FIG. 5), whereby the start of the engine 82 by the starter switch 81 is permitted. The control circuit 80 and the shift operation device 10 are connected to each other by an electric cable 83. The electric cable 84 connected to the control circuit 80 is routed between the hull (not shown) and the outboard motor 20.
[0024]
The potentiometer 71 detects the amount of rotation of the spur gear 66 when the output arm 56 moves from the neutral position N to the shift forward position F. Further, the rotation amount of the spur gear 66 when the output arm 56 moves from the neutral position N to the reverse shift position R is also detected. These detection signals are output to the control circuit 80.
[0025]
When the potentiometer 71 detects that the output arm 56 has moved to the shift forward position F, the motor 30 is stopped by the control circuit 80. The motor 30 is also stopped when the potentiometer 71 detects that the output arm 56 has moved to the reverse shift position R.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 3, one end 92 of the link rod 91 is connected to a pin 90 provided on the output arm 56. The other end 93 of the link rod 91 is connected by a pin 97 to an end portion 96 of a shift lever 95 as an operated portion. The end portion 96 of the shift lever 95 can move along the shift rail 98 in the directions indicated by arrows A and B in FIG. 3, and when the shift lever 95 moves in the arrow A direction, the shift mechanism 100 ( schematically shown in FIG. 5 ) . Is shifted to the forward position, and the shift mechanism 100 is switched to the reverse position when moving in the arrow B direction.
[0027]
An operation lever 111 of a remote control box 110 (shown in FIG. 5) provided in a cockpit or the like can be moved from a neutral position N to a forward full throttle position via a shift forward position F. The operation lever 111 can be moved from the neutral position N to the reverse full throttle position via the shift reverse position R.
[0028]
The position of the operation lever 111 is detected by a potentiometer 112. The motor 30 of the shift operating device 10 rotates in the first direction by a signal output to the control circuit 80 when the operating lever 111 moves to the shift forward position F. As a result, the output arm 56 moves to the forward position F. When the operation lever 111 moves to the shift reverse position R, the motor 30 rotates in the second direction, and the output arm 56 moves to the reverse position R.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the shift operation device 10 configured as described above will be described.
When the operation lever 111 of the remote control box 110 is in the neutral position N, the motor 30 of the shift operation device 10 is stopped. At this time, the output arm 56 is in the neutral position N.
[0030]
When the operating lever 111 of the remote control box 110 is moved to the shift forward position F, the motor 30 of the shift operating device 10 rotates in the first direction based on the signal output from the potentiometer 112, and the first spur gear 33 and The output arm 56 moves to the shift forward position F via the second spur gear 50.
[0031]
As a result, the end 96 of the shift lever 95 moves in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3 via the link rod 91, and the shift mechanism 100 enters the forward position. When the output arm 56 finishes moving to the forward position F, the motor 30 is stopped based on a signal output from the potentiometer 71, so that the shift mechanism 100 is held at the forward position.
[0032]
When the control lever 111 of the remote control box 110 is moved further forward from the shift forward position F, the throttle mechanism (not shown) of the engine 82 is accelerated on the basis of a signal output from the potentiometer 112 to the control circuit 80. Operates on.
[0033]
When the operation lever 111 of the remote control box 110 is moved to the shift reverse position R, the motor 30 is rotated in the second direction based on the signal output from the potentiometer 112, and the first spur gear 33 and the second spur gear are rotated. The output arm 56 is moved to the reverse shift position R through 50.
[0034]
As a result, the end 96 of the shift lever 95 moves in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3 via the link rod 91, and the shift mechanism 100 enters the reverse drive position. When the output arm 56 finishes moving to the reverse position R, the motor 30 is stopped based on the signal output from the potentiometer 71, so that the shift mechanism 100 is held at the reverse position.
[0035]
When the control lever 111 of the remote control box 110 is moved further rearward from the shift reverse position R, the throttle mechanism (not shown) of the engine 82 is accelerated on the basis of the signal output from the potentiometer 112 to the control circuit 80. Operates on.
[0036]
If a quick release type ball joint that can be attached to and detached from the connecting portion between the output arm 56 and the link rod 91 is employed, the ball joint is removed and the link rod 91 is manually operated when the motor 30 fails. It is possible to perform a shift operation.
[0037]
In the embodiment described above, the microswitch 70 and the potentiometer 71 are used as sensors for detecting the position of the output arm 56. However, in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, Hall ICs 120 to 123 are used as sensors. Yes. Other basic configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS.
[0038]
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the power supply VCC is connected to the power supply terminals of the Hall ICs 120 to 123 via the resistor R1. The ground terminals of the Hall ICs 120 to 123 are connected to the ground terminal GND via capacitors C1 to C5, respectively.
[0039]
The Hall IC 120 for detecting the number of revolutions of the motor 30 is connected to the output terminal Out1 via the resistor R2. The Hall IC 120 is disposed around the motor 30.
[0040]
The Hall IC 121 that detects the neutral position N of the output arm 56 is connected to the output terminal Out2 via the resistor R3. The Hall IC 121 is disposed at a position corresponding to the neutral position N of the output arm 56.
[0041]
The Hall IC 122 indicating the forward shift position is connected to the output terminal Out3 via the resistor R4. The Hall IC 122 is disposed at a position corresponding to the shift advance position F of the output arm 56.
[0042]
The Hall IC 123 indicating the reverse shift position is connected to the output terminal Out4 via the resistor R5. The Hall IC 123 is disposed at a position corresponding to the shift reverse position R of the output arm 56.
[0043]
Since the position sensors using these Hall ICs 120 to 123 are more compact than the case of using the potentiometer 71 as in the first embodiment, the shift operation device 10 can be configured more compactly. Incorporation into the external unit 20 is further facilitated.
[0044]
7 and 8 show an outboard motor shift operating device 10 'according to a third embodiment of the present invention. This shift operation device 10 ′ is also attached to the engine 82 inside the top cover 21 of the outboard motor 20. The shift operating device 10 ′ and the end 96 of the shift lever 95 are connected to each other by a push-pull cable 130. The push-pull cable 130 is routed inside the top cover 21 of the outboard motor 20.
[0045]
The push-pull cable 130 includes an outer tube 131, an inner cable (not shown) inserted inside the outer tube 131, and cable rods 132 and 133 connected to both ends of the inner cable. A cable end 134 provided on one cable rod 132 is connected to the output arm 56. The outer tube 131 is supported by a holding portion 136 of a bracket member 135 fixed to the motor 30. The output arm 56 is directly fixed to the output shaft 40.
[0046]
If a detachable quick release type ball joint is employed at the connection between the output arm 56 and the cable end 134, the ball joint is removed when the motor 30 fails, and the cable end 134 is manually operated. It is possible to perform a shift operation.
[0047]
A cable end 140 provided on the other cable rod 133 is connected to an end portion 96 of the shift lever 95. In this embodiment, the relative position of the cable end 140 with respect to the outer tube 131 can be adjusted by rotating the cable end 140 with respect to the threaded portion 141 of the push-pull cable 130.
[0048]
Since the shift operation device 10 ′ of the second embodiment is the same as the shift operation device 10 of the first embodiment with respect to the configuration and operation other than those described above, the same reference numerals are given to the common parts of both. Description is omitted.
[0049]
In carrying out the present invention including these embodiments, various constituent elements of the present invention such as a case, a motor, a worm gear and a worm wheel, an arm, a sensor, a force transmission member, and the like can be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Needless to say, it can be implemented with changes.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a shift operation device that is operated by an electrical signal is disposed in the vicinity of the engine inside the outboard motor, and the shift mechanism of the engine is operated by the shift operation device. There is no need to route a push-pull cable between them. In addition, since the shift position detection sensor is built in the shift operation device disposed in the vicinity of the engine, the actual shift position of the shift mechanism can be accurately detected.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a shift operation device for an outboard motor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the outboard motor shift operating device taken along line II-II in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view when a link rod is attached to the outboard motor shift operating device shown in FIG. 1;
4 is a plan view of a part of the outboard motor in which the outboard motor shift operating device shown in FIG. 3 is incorporated. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing a small marine remote control box and an outboard motor.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram when a sensor Hall IC is used in the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view of an outboard motor shift operating device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a side view of a part of the outboard motor in which the outboard motor shift operation device shown in FIG. 7 is incorporated;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,10 '... Outboard motor shift operating device 20 ... Outboard motor 30 ... Motor 31 ... Worm gear 32 ... Worm wheel 40 ... Output shaft 51 ... Gear mechanism 56 ... Output arm 70 ... Micro switch (sensor)
71 ... Potentiometer (sensor)
80 ... Control circuit 91 ... Link rod (force transmission member)
120 to 123 ... Hall IC (sensor)
130 ... push-pull cable (force transmission member)

Claims (6)

A waterproof case placed inside the top cover of the outboard motor,
A waterproof motor provided outside the case;
A worm gear housed in the case and rotated by the motor;
A worm wheel housed in the case and meshing with the worm gear;
An output shaft rotatably provided in the case;
A waterproof seal member provided at a portion where the output shaft passes through the case;
A gear mechanism for transmitting rotation of the worm wheel to the output shaft;
An output arm attached to the output shaft outside the case and moving between a shift forward position and a shift reverse position with a neutral position as a boundary;
The output is achieved by rotating in the same direction as the output shaft via a spur gear housed in the case and disposed on the opposite side of the output shaft across the worm gear and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the output shaft. A sensor that outputs a signal related to the shift position of the arm to the control circuit;
A force transmission member having one end connected to the output arm and the other end connected to the operated portion of the shift mechanism;
A shift operation device for an outboard motor, comprising:   The outboard motor shift operating device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor for detecting the shift neutral position, the shift forward position, and the shift reverse position of the output arm is a potentiometer.   The outboard motor shift operating device according to claim 1, wherein a Hall IC is used as a sensor for detecting a shift neutral position, a shift forward position, and a shift reverse position of the output arm.   The outboard motor shift operating device according to claim 1, wherein the force transmission member is a link rod.   The outboard motor shift operating device according to claim 1, wherein the force transmission member is a push-pull cable.   The outboard motor shift operating device according to claim 4, further comprising an arm adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting a relative position of the output arm in the rotation direction with respect to the output shaft.

Images