Electric outboard engine

Abstract

To provide a low cost electric outboard engine formed of less number of parts and capable of suppressing or preventing that the connecting cable pulled out from the electric outboard engine body jumps around in all directions, left and right, up and down when the electric outboard engine body shakes violently from side to side and up and down during sailing in the electric outboard engine of an external power supply type.SOLUTION: An electric outboard engine of an external power supply type has a steering bracket arranged between two clamp brackets 62a, 62b fixing detachably the electric outboard engine body to the hull and a carrying handle 80 pivotally supported to be vertically rotatable at the central part of interlocking clamp bolts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an externally powered electric outboard motor, and more particularly to an electric outboard motor having a foldable carrying handle on the front side of the main body of the electric outboard motor. [Background technology]

[0002] With the increasing focus on environmental issues in recent years, electric outboard motors, which use electric motors as their power source, have been proposed and are now in use in many places to fundamentally solve the problems inherent to gasoline-powered outboard motors, such as gasoline and lubricating oil leaks and exhaust gas discharge into the water.

[0003] Electric outboard motors are broadly divided into two types depending on the location of their power supply: those with a built-in power supply in the main body of the electric outboard motor (built-in power supply types), and those with a power supply installed outside the electric outboard motor (generally inside the hull on which the electric outboard motor is mounted) (external power supply types). In recent years, electric outboard motors equipped with hydrogen fuel cells have also become available, but these can also be divided into these two types. Of these, the present invention is directed to electric outboard motors with an external power supply type.

[0004] In terms of horsepower, most small electric outboard motors are built-in, while external power supply types are the norm for medium to large models. In these external power supply types (when the power supply and electric outboard motor are separate), the power supply is installed inside the boat and power is drawn from it to the electric outboard motor itself using a power supply connection cable, but it is common to connect the power supply coupler to the electric outboard motor coupler along the way to supply power from the external power supply to the electric outboard motor.

[0005] In this case, there are two types: one in which the electric outboard motor coupler is routed so that it is exposed to the outside from somewhere on the body of the electric outboard motor, and another in which the electric outboard motor connection cable (hereinafter referred to as the "connection cable"), which has the electric outboard motor coupler (hereinafter referred to as the "connection coupler") at its tip, is pulled out from somewhere on the body of the electric outboard motor and then routed appropriately. Even within this latter type, the cable routing is further divided into one in which the connection cable is fixed somewhere on the body of the electric outboard motor (directly or via some kind of hard plastic piping) and one in which the cable hangs down freely. The present invention, which will be described in detail below, solves the unique problems that arise or are particularly apparent in this latter type of electric outboard motor.

[0006] Therefore, in order to find out whether there are any prior patent documents disclosing inventions that solve the unique problems that the inventor first recognized in electric outboard motors in which the connection cable and the connection coupler at the end of the cable hang down freely after being pulled out from somewhere on the body of the electric outboard motor, a search was conducted on the Japan Patent Office's patent information platform, J-PlatPat, using the keywords "electric outboard motor," "cable," and "carrying handle," resulting in 18 hits. Of these, the following 11 were deemed to be related to the routing of the connection cable on the electric outboard motor side. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213217 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213220 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213239 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213240 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-213241 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39887 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39888 [Patent Document 8] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39890 [Patent Document 9] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-86589 [Patent Document 10] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-172481 [Patent Document 11] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-184824 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, neither of these relates to an externally powered electric outboard motor, which has a connection coupler at the end of a connection cable that hangs freely after being pulled out from the electric outboard motor body, and this connection coupler is connected to a coupler on the external power supply side.

[0009] In addition, in the drawings of Patent Documents 6 and 11, the power unit appears to be located near the outboard motor, making the power cable between the electric outboard motor and the external power source appear short. However, because both the outboard motor and the power unit are heavy, placing them close to each other on the boat is undesirable from the perspective of the boat's weight balance. From this perspective, it is preferable to locate the power unit as far inside the boat as possible from the outboard motor. However, if the power coupler is only located at the end of the power cable connected to the outboard motor, the power cable becomes longer, which poses a potential problem of cumbersome handling when the outboard motor is removed from the boat for storage.

[0010] Considering this, it can be seen that it is preferable to route the power cable so that the power coupler of the power cable connected to the outboard motor body is as close to the outboard motor body as possible. From various perspectives, including consideration of not interfering with the natural body movements of the person piloting the boat, consideration of appearance, consideration of ensuring ease of handling when the outboard motor is removed from the hull, and consideration of reducing costs by simplifying the power cable routing and reducing the number of parts while still taking safety into account, it was concluded that it is preferable to shorten the distance between the outboard motor body and the power coupler (i.e., while shortening the connection cable), while positioning the connection coupler that connects to the power coupler inside the hull (forward of the transom board) where it is relatively less susceptible to the effects of seawater spray, and to adopt a routing strategy in which the power coupler is not fixed to the exposed side of the hull or outboard motor body.

[0011] In the case of an external power source type electric outboard motor, which is the subject of this invention, the connection coupler provided at the end of the connection cable is a relatively large and heavy component. No part of the connection cable between the connection coupler and the cable outlet of the electric outboard motor body is fixed to the electric outboard motor body itself or any other mechanical parts or equipment, and the connection coupler itself is not fixed to the electric outboard motor body itself or any other mechanical parts or equipment. Furthermore, the power supply side coupler connected to the outboard motor side connection coupler and the power supply side connection cable connected thereto are not fixed to the hull anywhere along the way. Therefore, when the external power source type electric outboard motor, which is the subject of this invention, is being driven, a portion of the power supply side connection cable and the power supply side coupler at its end are connected to the outboard motor side connection coupler from below, and these two couplers and the portions of both cables connected to them are forced to hang down naturally, pulled downward by their own weight. As a result, when an electric outboard motor is steered or operated, the outboard motor body swings left and right, up and down, causing these multiple components to bounce around in all directions (known as "violent movement"), which inevitably causes problems.

[0012] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances. That is, in an externally powered electric outboard motor, the carrying handle provided for ease of handling during transport is made foldable (a type that can be rotated up and down on the clamp bracket bolt), and even if no special parts / members are provided for fastening the connection cable drawn out from the main body of the electric outboard motor to the main body of the electric outboard motor, the carrying handle can be folded (a state in which the carrying handle, which is pivotally supported on the clamp bracket bolt so as to be rotatable downward to its limit and then comes to a rest) ), even if the electric outboard motor body sways significantly left and right and up and down while sailing (i.e., when the outboard motor side coupler is connected to the power supply side coupler), the above-mentioned multiple components are suppressed or prevented from jumping around ("violating") in all directions left and right and up and down, ensuring the physical safety of the person operating the helm, while also providing a good appearance while sailing, and improving ease of handling when the electric outboard motor is removed from the hull and transported when not in use, while also providing an electric outboard motor with a reduced number of parts and at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] As a result of extensive research by the inventors to achieve the above-mentioned object, it has been found that even in an external power supply type electric outboard motor that does not have a dedicated part / member for fastening the connection cable pulled out from the main body of the electric outboard motor to the main body of the electric outboard motor (i.e., when the number of parts is reduced to reduce costs), the carrying handle provided for ease of handling when transporting the electric outboard motor can be made foldable, and when this carrying handle is in the folded position, the hull side connection cable and its end can be easily secured to the hull side connection cable even when the electric outboard motor main body is swaying significantly up and down and left and right while sailing (i.e., when the outboard motor side coupler is connected to the power supply side coupler). The present invention was made based on the finding that it is possible to provide an electric outboard motor that has a reduced number of parts and is low cost, while ensuring the physical safety of the helmsman by preventing these couplers and the cables connected to them from moving wildly, even when the part where the hull connection coupler and the power supply connection coupler are connected remains connected to the coupler, and the part where the hull connection coupler and the power supply connection coupler are connected hangs freely beyond the transom board in the open space of the frame of the carrying handle, while also providing a good appearance when sailing and improving ease of handling when the outboard motor is removed from the hull and transported when not in use.

[0014] That is, the first invention is: An electric outboard motor, The electric outboard motor has two clamp brackets that detachably fasten the main body to the hull of the boat, and a swivel bracket is disposed between them. The clamp bracket bolts fasten the two clamp brackets together, and the foldable carrying handle is pivotally supported in the center of the clamp bracket bolts so that it can rotate up and down. This is an electric outboard motor characterized by the above.

[0015] The second invention is the first invention, The folding carrying handle has a substantially rectangular block portion, a substantially U-shaped frame portion, and a substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion, all of which are integrated to form a closed loop of a continuous frame, and the substantially rectangular block portion is journaled to the center of the clamp bracket bolt so as to be rotatable up and down.

[0016] A third aspect of the present invention is the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the folding carrying handle has a closed loop made of a continuous frame, The closed loop of the continuous frame provides an open space; a) When the folding carrying handle is rotated downward and stationary, the hull side connection cable and the hull side connection coupler at the tip thereof hang down freely in the open space, and the hull side connection coupler can maintain a state in which it is detachably connected to the power supply side connection coupler at the tip of the external power supply side connection cable; b) When the folding carrying handle is rotated upward and placed at rest, the power supply side connection coupler is disconnected from the hull side coupler, and the hull side connection cable and the hull side connection coupler at its tip hang freely in the open space, allowing the user to grasp a part of the continuum frame. It is characterized by:

[0017] The fourth invention is the third invention. The substantially rectangular block portion has a plurality of triangular protrusions of the same shape on its upper surface, a majority of an upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion forms a continuous surface via a smooth curved surface of an upper surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion and an upper surface of a first transition portion inserted between the substantially rectangular block portion and the substantially U-shaped frame portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the bottom side of the first transition portion. It is characterized by:

[0018] The fifth invention is the fourth invention, The substantially rectangular block portion has a plurality of arc-shaped protrusions of the same shape on its lower surface, The arc-shaped protrusions are parallel to each other and are arranged along the front-rear direction of the folding carrying handle. 5. The electric outboard motor according to claim 4.

[0019] The sixth invention is the fifth invention, a bottom surface of the substantially rectangular block portion and a bottom surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion are connected to each other via a smooth curved surface of the bottom surface of the first transition portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the bottom side of the first transition portion. It is characterized by:

[0020] The seventh invention is the sixth invention, a lower surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion forms a continuous surface via a smooth curved surface of the lower surface of the substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion and a bottom surface of a first transition portion inserted between the substantially U-shaped frame portion and the substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the lower surface side of the first transition portion.

[0021] The eighth invention is the seventh invention, The upper surface of the approximately U-shaped frame portion is characterized in that one end forms a continuous surface with the corresponding end of the upper surface of the first transition portion via a smoothly curved surface, and the other end forms a continuous surface with the corresponding end of the upper surface of the second transition portion via a smoothly curved surface.

[0022] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the eighth aspect of the present invention, A first plane passing through the upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion is parallel to a second plane passing through the lower surface of the substantially rectangular block portion.

[0023] A tenth aspect of the present invention is the ninth aspect of the present invention, The substantially rectangular block portion has a round hole penetrating along the entire length of one side opposite the substantially U-shaped frame portion.

[0024] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the tenth aspect of the present invention, The above-mentioned approximately rectangular U-shaped frame portion is composed of a linear grip portion and two linear frame portions perpendicular to the grip portion, and is characterized in that the upper surfaces of the grip portion and the upper surfaces of the frame portions are in the same plane.

[0025] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the eleventh aspect of the present invention, The bottom surface of the grip portion and the bottom surface of the frame portion are in the same plane.

[0026] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the generally U-shaped frame portion has a generally rectangular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction throughout the entire range except for the portion integrated with the generally rectangular block portion, The grip portion has flat top and bottom surfaces, and one end of the top surface forms a smooth, continuous surface with one end of the bottom surface via a convex curved surface on the front side of the grip portion; The frame portion is characterized in that it has a substantially rectangular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the frame portion from the point where it joins the grip portion to the point where it joins the second transition portion.

[0027] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the substantially rectangular block portion has a rectangular cross section in both a first vertical plane extending forward and backward and a second vertical plane extending left and right; a plurality of identical triangular protrusions having the same thickness are provided on an upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion, and each protrusion has the same thickness in a direction perpendicular to the first vertical plane; The plurality of triangular protrusions are characterized in that the triangular side surfaces of each protrusion are parallel to each other and are arranged at equal intervals along a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the hole provided in the approximately rectangular block portion.

[0028] A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, The triangular protrusion has a flat side facing away from the grip portion, the flat side being perpendicular to the top surface of the substantially rectangular block portion, and the flat sides of the plurality of triangular protrusions are arranged on the same plane perpendicular to the first vertical plane.

[0029] A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, The flat sides of the plurality of triangular protrusions function as rotation stop protrusions when the folding carrying handle is rotated upward.

[0030] A seventeenth aspect of the present invention is the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, The number of the triangular protrusions is at least one.

[0031] An eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, The number of the arc-shaped protrusions is at least one. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] In an external power source type electric outboard motor according to one embodiment of the present invention, even if a dedicated part / member for fastening the connection cable pulled out from the main body of the electric outboard motor to the main body of the electric outboard motor is not provided (i.e., the number of parts is reduced to reduce costs), the carrying handle provided for ease of handling when transporting the electric outboard motor is made foldable, and when this carrying handle is in the folded position, the hull side connection cable and the end thereof can be easily secured even if the electric outboard motor main body sways significantly up and down and left and right while sailing (i.e., when the outboard motor side coupler is connected to the power source side coupler). Even when the hull-side connection coupler at the end remains connected to the power supply-side connection coupler and the connecting cable at the end, and the connected portion of the hull-side connection coupler and the power supply-side connection coupler hangs freely beyond the transom board in the open space of the carrying handle frame, these couplers and the connected cables do not "move out of control," thereby ensuring the physical safety of the operator, improving ease of handling when removing the outboard motor from the hull and transporting it when not in use, and making it possible to provide an electric outboard motor with a reduced number of parts and at low cost.

[0033] Even in cases where an externally powered electric outboard motor does not include a dedicated part / member for fastening the connection cable pulled out from the main body of the electric outboard motor to the main body of the electric outboard motor, the carrying handle provided for ease of handling when transporting the electric outboard motor can be made foldable, and when this carrying handle is in a folded position, even if the electric outboard motor main body moves left and right and up and down, even when the hull side connection cable and the hull side connection coupler at its end hang freely beyond the transom board in the open space of the carrying handle, and even when the hull side connection coupler is detachably connected to the power supply side connection coupler at the end of the external power supply side connection cable, these couplers and the cable connected thereto do not "move out of control," thereby ensuring the physical safety of the operator, while also providing a good appearance when sailing, improving ease of handling when the outboard motor is removed from the hull and transported when not in use, and making it possible to provide an electric outboard motor with a reduced number of parts and at low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view (as seen from the front right side of the electric outboard motor 10) showing the appearance of an electric outboard motor equipped with a foldable carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention, when it is detachably fixed to a transom board (only a portion of which is shown) and connected to an external power cable. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial right side view showing the appearance of an electric outboard motor equipped with a foldable carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention when it is detachably fixed to a transom board (only a portion of which is shown) and connected to an external power cable. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial right side view seen through the cowling cover in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view (as seen from the front right side of the electric outboard motor 10) showing the main components of the configuration around the foldable carrying handle of an electric outboard motor equipped with a foldable carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view (partial perspective view seen from the front right side of the electric outboard motor 10) of a folding carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention when removed from the outboard motor and placed on a flat floor. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of a folding carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention when removed from the outboard motor (the front side of the paper is the front side of the electric outboard motor 10). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a right side view of a folding carrying handle according to an embodiment of the present invention when removed from the outboard motor (the right side of the paper is the front side of the electric outboard motor 10). [Figure 8] 8(a) shows a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) along line AA in FIG. 6, FIG. 8(b) shows a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) along line BB in FIG. 7, and FIG. 8(c) shows a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) along line CC in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Definition of Terms 1)Top, upper side, lower, lower side: With regard to the components and units mounted on the electric outboard motor of the present invention, the term "upper" or "upper side" refers to the upper or upper side when the electric outboard motor is stood upright (the side farthest from the water surface when the electric outboard motor body is fastened upward along the transom board at the stern), and the term "lower" or "lower side" refers to the directly opposite lower or lower side. 2) Tip, front, Fr (Front), base, rear, Rr (Rear): The direction of thrust of the electric outboard motor body is called the tip side (forward side, Fr (Front)), and the opposite side is called the base side (rear side, Rr (Rear)). Additionally, when the electric outboard motor body is fastened facing upward along the transom board at the stern of a boat, the line or plane that passes through the center point of the electric outboard motor body and is perpendicular to the water surface is called the vertical line or vertical plane of the electric outboard motor body, and the line or plane that is perpendicular to this is called the horizontal line or horizontal plane. 3) Right side and left side refer to the right and left sides when facing the direction of propulsion of the electric outboard motor. 4) The top face of parts, components, units, etc. shown in the drawings refers to the front side of the drawings, and the back face refers to the opposite side. 5) Having a closed loop made up of continuum frames means that the individual frames are interconnected to form a single continuum, that the continuum is looped, and the space enclosed by the loop (planar space) is closed. 6) The folded state of the carrying handle refers to the state in which the carrying handle, which is supported by the clamp bracket bolt, has rotated downward and reached its limit of rotation, or has rotated downward and is stationary. 7) The unfolded carrying handle state refers to the opposite state of the "folded carrying handle state" described above, and in this context, specifically refers to the state when the carrying handle, which is journaled on the clamp bracket bolt, has rotated upward and reached its limit of rotation, or when it has rotated upward and is stationary. 8) When a cable or coupler "moves wild," it means that the connecting coupler and the cable connected to it jump around uncontrollably beyond a specified range.

[0036] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements. Note that the following embodiment is merely an example, and various design modifications can be made as long as the configuration can achieve the object of the present invention.

[0037] 1 is a partial perspective view showing the exterior of an electric outboard motor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, equipped with a carrying handle 80 according to an embodiment of the present invention and removably secured to a transom board 70, with an external power cable 98 connected from below to an outboard motor coupler 96 via an external power coupler 97. This figure is called a partial perspective view because, while the electric outboard motor 10 itself is shown in its entirety, enclosed by cowling covers 21a and 21b, only the transom board 70 and the external power connection cable 98 near the power coupler 97 to which it is connected are shown. However, this will not in any way hinder understanding by those skilled in the art in describing the problem to be solved by the present invention, and in describing the carrying handle 80 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the electric outboard motor 10 equipped with it. As will be explained below, this carrying handle 80 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63 so as to be able to rotate up and down within a vertical plane, and therefore can also be said to be foldable, and therefore hereinafter it may also be referred to as a folding carrying handle.

[0038] 1 shows a carrying handle 80 according to an embodiment of the present invention mounted on an electric outboard motor 10 in a folded state. That is, the carrying handle 80 is shown in use. As shown in the figure, when the carrying handle 80 is in use (i.e., when an external power cable 98 is connected to the electric outboard motor 10), an outboard motor side coupler 96 and an external power supply side coupler 97 are connected, and the external power supply cable connected to the external power supply side coupler 97 also hangs down from the coupler, with both the outboard motor side coupler 96 and the external power supply side coupler 97 positioned below and beyond the free space inside the carrying handle 80.

[0039] The carrying handle 80 according to one embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the outside of the main body of the electric outboard motor 10 (referring to the part surrounded by the cowling covers 21a and 21b and the series of parts below that, including the drive shaft housing 23 and the propeller unit 30; the same applies below), so specific details about the main body will be omitted here, and only the names of the parts shown in the figure will be listed together with the reference numbers in the symbol explanation column.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows an overall side view of the electric outboard motor 10 shown in FIG. 1 (however, the lanyard 45 shown in FIG. 1 has been omitted for clarity). Focusing solely on the carrying handle 80, the main differences between FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 are the vertical position of the folded carrying handle 80 (i.e., the carrying handle 80, which is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63 for vertical rotation, has reached the limit of its downward rotational range) and the fact that the outboard motor coupler 96 and the external power supply coupler 97 are both positioned below the free space inside the carrying handle 80 when connected. It can also be seen that the outboard motor connection cable 92a passes through the open space between the two steering arms 47a, 47b and extends to the outboard motor coupler 96 (note that the cable passes through a cable sheath 94 near the outboard motor coupler 96). This spatial arrangement is more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which will be described later.

[0041] Figure 3 shows, through the cowling cover 21a in Figure 2, the state of cable routing (reference numeral 543) when the connection cable 92a inside extends toward the main body. The illustration also shows the portion of the main body of the electric outboard motor 10 excluding the portion enclosed by the cowling covers 21a and 21b and the entire section below that, from the drive shaft housing 23 to the propeller unit 30. The electric motor case 282 that houses the electric motor can be seen, but the electric motor housed therein is not visible. Also visible are air-cooling fins 287, which were not visible in Figure 2, although they are not included in the structural elements that make up the carrying handle 80 according to the present invention.

[0042] Figure 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the main components surrounding the carrying handle 80 mounted on the electric outboard motor 10 in Figure 1, viewed diagonally from the upper right front of the outboard motor 10. This figure is a partially enlarged perspective view of the outboard motor 10, with the steering bracket 46, the tiller handle 44 (facing the front of the electric outboard motor 10), and other components, all of which are structural elements mechanically unrelated to the carrying handle 80 of the present invention, removed. As shown in this figure, the carrying handle 80 is located between swivel arms 64ca and 64cb, each of which is journaled on a clamp bracket bolt 63, and is journaled at the center of the same clamp bracket bolt 63. The carrying handle 80 shown in this figure has been rotated downward to the limit of its rotational range. The limits of this rotation range are defined by the lower surfaces of three arcuate projections 89b (protruding portions that bulge out in an arc) formed on the back side (lower side) of a substantially rectangular block portion 82, which is a structural element of a carrying handle 80 (described later), abutting against a lower end portion (64a: not shown) that is integral with the swivel bracket main body 64 and formed parallel to the plane of the upper end surface 64b. Note that, although the swivel arms are given two separate reference numerals, 64ca and 64cb, this is merely for convenience; these two swivel arms, the swivel upper end surface indicated by reference numeral 64b in Figure 4, as well as the lower end portion 64a (not shown in the figure) provided below and parallel to the upper end surface 64b, and the swivel main body 64 (not shown in the figure) are all integrally molded and form a single, continuous unit.

[0043] As shown in the figure, an outboard motor side connection cable 92a (an outboard motor side connection cable that is pulled out from the right side of the outboard motor main body 20 to the outside of the main body 20 and continues to the outboard motor side coupler 96) housed in a cable sheath designated by reference number 94 is pulled out from a pull-out opening 91 (formed by a grommet) on the upper right side of the outboard motor main body 20, passes between the two steering arms (47a, 47b), and then hangs down (in a natural flow) toward the seat surface 93b of the cable base 93 or the upper surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64 located below it, along a natural curve formed by the weight of the outboard motor side connection cable 92a and the tension due to the weight of the outboard motor side coupler 96, the power supply side coupler 97 connected thereto, and the power supply side connection cable 98 that terminates therein (i.e., hangs down in a natural flow due to the relatively thick copper wire (not shown) that passes through the inside of the cable), and then hangs down (in a natural flow) toward the seat surface 93b of the cable base 93. The cable passes above the seat surfaces 93b, 93a (at least without coming into contact with the seat surface 93b), passes forward over the cable seat 93, and then hangs down (in a natural flow) along the natural curve formed by the weight of the outboard motor side coupler 96, the power supply side coupler 97 connected from below, and the power supply side connection cable 98 terminating therein, along the rounded edge of the clamp bracket bolt 63 (a rod extending linearly between reference numbers 63a and 63b in the figure: a rod that passes through the clamp bracket 62a, swivel bracket 64, and clamp bracket 62b, and is therefore not visible in the figure; the same applies below). The cable then hangs down (in a natural flow) along the natural curve formed by the weight of the outboard motor side coupler 96, the power supply side coupler 97 connected from below, and the power supply side connection cable 98 terminating therein, passing from top to bottom through the space defined by the frame that constitutes the carrying handle 80, and terminating at the outboard motor side coupler 96 which is also hanging down in a natural state, and the outboard motor side connection coupler 96 hangs down while being pulled downward by the weight of the power supply side coupler 97 connected from below and the power supply side connection cable 98 terminating therein.

[0044] Note that, from a position before passing forward over the clamp bracket bolt 63 (also called the tilt axis), the three outboard motor side connection cables 92a are bundled together and housed in a flexible plastic sheath (inside the cable sheath in the area indicated by reference number 94). However, the outboard motor side coupler 96 is a heavy member, and the power supply side connection cables 98 are connected to and hang down from this heavy coupler 96 together with the power supply side coupler 97. Due to this weight, the flexible plastic sheath 94 cannot be expected to have enough restraining power to prevent the heavy outboard motor side coupler 96 and power supply side coupler 97, together with the connection cables connected thereto, from "wriggling" (meaning the phenomenon of moving around in all directions or jumping up and down when the electric outboard motor 10 is swayed widely up and down and side to side while sailing). As a result, there is a concern that the pilot nearby may be put in physical danger or that the transom board 70 may be damaged. However, as shown in the same figure, a carrying handle 80 according to an example embodiment of the present invention can be used to prevent this. In the case of an electric outboard motor 10 equipped with the above, the space in which the heavy outboard motor coupler 96 and power supply coupler 97, the connection cables 92 and 98 terminating therein, and the outboard motor connection cable 94 housed in a cable sheath, which would otherwise be prone to "thrashing about" if in a completely free state, can be confined within a specified space defined by the frame that constitutes the carrying handle 80, thereby preventing such "thrashing" and preventing the pilot nearby from being exposed to bodily danger or from damaging the transom board 70.

[0045] One point worth noting about the above explanation is as follows. That is, when the carrying handle 80 is said to prevent the outboard motor side coupler 96, power supply side coupler 96, and other components from "moving wild," the connection cable 92 (which passes through the cable sheath 94 and continues to the outboard motor side coupler 96) pulled out from the outlet 91 of the connection cable 92a is prevented from "moving wild," so it can be said to be fixed, but on the other hand, it can also be said to be fixed at the outlet 91. In other words, the connection cable 92a is fixed at both ends, and can "move wild" freely between them. Therefore, in order to prevent "moving wild" in the portion of the connection cable 92a between the fixed ends, or to limit its free movement within a predetermined range, the connection cable 92a is configured to pass through the space between the steering arms 47a and 47b.

[0046] Furthermore, the length of the connection cable 92a from the outlet 91 to the outboard motor side coupler 96 is preferably such that, before the power supply side coupler 96 is connected to the outboard motor side coupler 96, when the connection cable 92a is passed through the space between the steering arms 47a and 47b and the outboard motor side coupler 96 is in a state where it can move freely, its height position is below the height of the carrying handle 80 and above the hull floor (the floor on which the helmsman stands when steering; not shown) so that it is in a position where it is easy for the helmsman to connect the power supply side coupler 96 to the outboard motor side coupler 96.

[0047] 5 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a carrying handle 80, an example of a carrying handle with such a safety function, when removed from the electric outboard motor 10 and placed on a flat surface. This perspective view is a perspective view of the carrying handle 80 when it is attached to the electric outboard motor 10, with the directional relationship maintained, but here the right side of the page is the front, the left side is the rear, the near side is the left side, and the far side is the right side (i.e., the left-right relationship is when viewed from the front to the rear).

[0048] As shown in the figure, carrying handle 80 has a generally rectangular block portion 82, a generally U-shaped frame portion 83, and a generally rectangular U-shaped frame portion 84. These portions (82, 83, 84) are a plane along the front-to-rear direction of carrying handle 80 and are symmetrical with respect to a plane passing through the center of carrying handle 80. They are all integrated to form a closed loop made of a continuous frame, and this closed loop leaves an open space inside, forming a space to prevent the above-mentioned "wiggle." Note that the interior of each portion forming this closed loop is all the same honeycomb shape, but the size, shape, and thickness of the cell walls can be selected appropriately depending on the strength (bending strength, compressive strength) required of carrying handle 80. Similarly, the sizes of each part (sizes when viewed in longitudinal and transverse cross sections) can be selected appropriately, taking into consideration the relationship between the size of the outboard motor coupler 96, which is the object of prevention of movement, and the spatial size of the closed loop when viewed from above (the outboard motor coupler 96 must be large enough to pass from top to bottom through the carrying handle 80). Furthermore, although plastic is preferably used as the material for the carrying handle 80, the material can also be selected appropriately from the perspective of the durability required of the carrying handle 80.

[0049] As shown in the figure, the approximately rectangular block portion 82 has three triangular protrusions 89a of the same shape on its upper surface, and most of the upper surface of the approximately rectangular block portion 82 (this means excluding the surface formed by the base surfaces of the triangular protrusions 89a) forms a continuous surface via the upper surface of the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83 and the upper surface of the first transition portion 85 inserted between the approximately rectangular block portion 82 and the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83. The center of the radius of curvature of this curved surface is located on the bottom side of the first transition portion 85, and the central angle of the arc described by the curved surface is approximately 20 to 40 degrees, preferably 25 to 35 degrees, and more preferably 30 degrees. However, these numerical values ​​are not limitative and can be selected appropriately depending on the size of the free space required for the closed loop. The bottom surface of the approximately rectangular block portion 82 has three identical, arc-shaped protrusions 89b, each located directly below the three triangular protrusions 89a on the top surface. Since the approximately rectangular block portion 82 is the portion where the carrying handle 80 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket bolts 63, it can also be called the head portion of the carrying handle 80, and in the following description, this will also be called the head portion 82 as appropriate to make the characteristics of the carrying handle 80 easier to understand.

[0050] It can also be seen that the majority of the bottom surface of the approximately rectangular block portion 82 (excluding the surface formed by the base surface of the arc-shaped bulging protrusion 89b) forms a continuous surface via the bottom surface of the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83 and the smoothly curved surface of the bottom surface of the first transition portion 85, and that the center of the radius of curvature of this curved surface is located on the bottom surface side of the first transition portion 85. Note that the curved surface in this case describes an arc, and the central angle of the arc is 20 to 40 degrees, preferably 25 to 35 degrees, and more preferably 30 degrees, but these numerical values ​​are not limiting and can be selected appropriately depending on the size of the free space required for the closed loop. Furthermore, the lower surface of the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83 forms a continuous surface via the lower surface of the approximately rectangular U-shaped frame portion 84 and the smoothly curved surface of the bottom surface of the first transition portion 85 inserted between the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83 and the approximately rectangular U-shaped frame portion 84, and the center of the radius of curvature of this curved surface is located on the underside of the first transition portion 85. Furthermore, one end (rear end) of the upper surface of the approximately U-shaped frame portion 83 forms a continuous surface via the smoothly curved surface with the corresponding end of the upper surface of the first transition portion 85, and the other end (front end) forms a continuous surface via the smoothly curved surface with the corresponding end of the upper surface of the second transition portion 86. In this case, the curved surface describes a circular arc, and the central angle of the arc is 120 to 160 degrees, preferably 130 to 150 degrees, and more preferably 140 degrees, but these numerical values ​​are not limiting and can be selected appropriately depending on the required size of the free space of the closed loop.

[0051] In the figure, a first plane passing through the upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion 82 is substantially parallel to a second plane passing through the lower surface of the substantially rectangular block portion 82 (i.e., the thickness in a direction perpendicular to this plane is substantially constant). Furthermore, a round hole 81 is formed in the substantially rectangular block portion 82, penetrating the entire length (from left to right) of one side (the rear side) of the opposite side of the substantially U-shaped frame portion 83. This hole 81 is configured to receive the clamp bracket bolt 63 therein, so that the entire carrying handle 80 is pivotally supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63 so as to be rotatable up and down about the central axis of this hole 81 within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the clamp bracket bolt 63. The diameter of the hole 81 can be appropriately selected as needed, taking into consideration the rotational characteristics of the carrying handle 80 when pivotally supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63. The thickness of the wall of the hole 81, particularly the thickness of the wall near the rear, can be set appropriately taking into consideration the strength required for the carrying handle 80.

[0052] The substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion 84 is composed of a linear grip portion 88 and two linear frame portions 87 that intersect at right angles to the grip portion 88, and one of its features is that the top surfaces of the grip portions 88 and the frame portions 87 are flush with each other. This makes it possible to improve the appearance. Another feature is that the bottom surfaces of the grip portions 88 and the frame portions 87 are flush with each other. A round hole 81 is formed in the grip portion 88, penetrating the entire length (from left to right).

[0053] 5 is a perspective view, it can be seen that the generally U-shaped frame portion 83 has a generally rectangular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction throughout the entire range except for the portion integrated with the generally rectangular block portion 82. The grip portion 88 has flat top and bottom surfaces, and one end of the top surface forms a smooth continuous surface with a corresponding end of the bottom surface via a convex curved surface on the front side of the grip portion 88. The frame portion 87 has a generally rectangular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the frame portion 87 from the point where it joins the grip portion 88 to the point where it joins the second transition portion 86.

[0054] The substantially rectangular block portion 82 has a rectangular cross section in both a first vertical plane extending in the front-rear direction and a second vertical plane extending in the left-right direction, and the substantially rectangular block portion 82 has three identical triangular protrusions 89 on its upper surface, each having the same thickness, and each protrusion 89 has the same thickness in the left-right direction; The three triangular protrusions 89 have their triangular sides parallel to one another and are arranged at equal intervals along a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the hole 81 formed in the substantially rectangular block portion 82. Note that the number of triangular protrusions 89 in this case is not limited to three, and the shape of the protrusions 89 is not limited to a triangle either; any protrusion that can limit the upward rotation of the carrying handle can be selected as appropriate.

[0055] Each triangular protrusion 89 has a flat side that faces away from the grip portion 88 (i.e., rearward), and this flat side is perpendicular to the upper surface of the approximately rectangular block portion 82. The flat sides of the three triangular protrusions 89 are arranged on the same plane along the left-right direction, and when the carrying handle 80 is rotated upward while journaled on the clamp bracket bolt 63 between the swivel bracket arms 65a and 65b of the electric outboard motor 10, the flat side of the triangular protrusion 89 abuts against (comes into contact with) the front end of the upper surface of the swivel bracket 64, thereby limiting the upward rotation range of the carrying handle 80.

[0056] In addition, the electric outboard motor 10 of the present invention has a gripping rod (not shown) that extends horizontally to the left and right and is molded integrally with the motor basement 56 as a continuous body behind the motor basement 56 (a part of the motor basement 56 is visible near the lower end of the front right side of the cowling cover 21b), and is formed in a form that is exposed below the lower rear end of the cowling cover 21a.Therefore, when manually moving the electric outboard motor 10, it can be carried by grasping the carrying handle 80 described above.

[0057] Furthermore, the electric outboard motor according to the present invention is characterized by being equipped with a foldable carrying handle 80 that has the two functions described above, and the effects of the present invention can be achieved with any electric outboard motor in which the carrying handle 80 is rotatably supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63. Therefore, it goes without saying that the configuration of the electric outboard motor itself is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1 etc.

[0058] 6 shows a front view of the carrying handle 80 when it has been removed from the electric outboard motor 10 and placed on a flat surface. This front view may not add anything to the information provided above about the features of the carrying handle 80, but it is included to allow a longitudinal cross-section of the carrying handle 80 taken along line AA to be shown in FIG.

[0059] 7 is a side view of the right side of the carrying handle 80. In this view, the arc-shaped bulge 89b can be seen partially on the lower surface of the substantially rectangular block portion 82. The presence of this arc-shaped bulge 89b means that when the carrying handle 80 mounted on the electric outboard motor 10 is rotated downward, this arc-shaped bulge 89b comes into contact with the front end of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64, which is formed directly below and parallel to the upper end surface 64a of the swivel bracket 64. This defines the limit of downward rotation of the carrying handle 80, and allows the carrying handle 80 to be folded up.

[0060] It can be seen from Figure 7 that the frame of the carrying handle 80 has a honeycomb structure, but the specific numerical values ​​of the shape and size of each cell of this honeycomb structure, the thickness of the walls between the cells, etc. are not limited and can be set appropriately depending on the case, taking into account the bending strength required of the carrying handle 80, etc.

[0061] 8A shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 6, FIG. 8B shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 7, and FIG. 8C shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 7. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electric outboard motor with an external power source that has a simple structure, a small number of parts, sufficient safety measures for the operator's body, looks good when sailing, and is easy to handle when removed from the hull and transported.

[0063] The above embodiment illustrates one form of an electric outboard motor according to an example embodiment of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 21a: Cowling cover 21b: Cowling cover 23: Drive shaft housing 24: Cavitation plate 25: Gear case housing 27: Gear case 28: Skeg 30: Screw propeller unit 41: Friction knob 42: Throttle grip 43: Stopper 44: Tiller handle 45: Lanyard 46: Steering bracket 47: Steering arm (main body) 47a: Steering arm (right) 47b: Steering arm (left) 48: Copilot lever 52: Mounting bracket 52f: Steering shaft upper end housing 54: Mounting boss 56: Motor basement side bracket 62: Trim lock lever 62a: Clamp bracket (right) 62b: Clamp bracket (left) 63a: Clamp bracket bolt knob (right) 63b: Clamp bracket bolt knob (left) 64: Swivel bracket 64b: Upper end surface of swivel bracket 64ca: Swivel bracket arm (right) 64cb: Swivel bracket arm (left) 67d: Mounting washer 70: Transom board 80: Carrying handle 81: Round hole (through hole) 82: Rectangular block part 83: Roughly U-shaped frame part 84: Roughly rectangular U-shaped frame part 85: First transition part 86: Second transition part 87: Frame part 88: Grip part 88a: Through hole in grip 89a: Triangular protrusion 89b: Arc-shaped bulge 91: Connection cable outlet 92a: Outboard motor connection cable 93: Cable base 94: Cable sheath 96: Outboard motor coupler 97: Power supply coupler 98: Power supply connection cable 102: 1st ECU housing 106: 1st ECU housing cover 108: Side cover (grommet) of first ECU housing cover 221: Second ECU housing 223: Conductive cable insertion hole 224: Motor room cover housing 282: Motor room housing 528: Steering shaft upper end receiving part 543: Internal connection cable

Claims

1. An electric outboard motor with an external power source, The electric outboard motor has two clamp brackets that detachably fasten the main body of the electric outboard motor to the hull, and a steering bracket disposed between the clamp brackets. The clamp bracket bolts fasten the two clamp brackets together, and the carrying handle is pivotally supported in the vertical direction at the center of the clamp bracket bolts. An electric outboard motor characterized by:

2. The carrying handle has a substantially rectangular block portion, a substantially U-shaped frame portion, and a substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion, all of which are integrated to form a closed loop made of a continuous frame, and the substantially rectangular block portion is pivotally supported on the center portion of the clamp bracket bolt so as to be rotatable up and down.

2. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1.

3. The carrying handle has a closed loop made of a continuous frame; The closed loop of the continuous frame provides an open space; a) When the carrying handle is rotated downward and stationary, the hull side connection cable and the hull side connection coupler at the tip thereof hang down freely in the open space, and the hull side connection coupler can maintain a state in which it is detachably connected to the power supply side connection coupler at the tip of the external power supply side connection cable; b) When the carrying handle is rotated upward and placed at a standstill, the power supply side connection coupler is disconnected from the hull side coupler, and the hull side connection cable and the hull side connection coupler at its tip hang freely in the open space, allowing the user to grasp a part of the continuum frame.

3. The electric outboard motor according to claim 2.

4. The substantially rectangular block portion has a plurality of triangular protrusions of the same shape on its upper surface, a majority of an upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion forms a continuous surface via a smooth curved surface of an upper surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion and an upper surface of a first transition portion inserted between the substantially rectangular block portion and the substantially U-shaped frame portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the bottom side of the first transition portion.

4. The electric outboard motor according to claim 3.

5. the substantially rectangular block portion has a plurality of arcuate projections of the same shape on its underside; The arc-shaped protrusions are parallel to each other and are arranged along the front-rear direction of the folding carrying handle.

5. The electric outboard motor according to claim 4.

6. a bottom surface of the substantially rectangular block portion and a bottom surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion are connected to each other via a smooth curved surface of the bottom surface of the first transition portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the bottom side of the first transition portion.

6. An electric outboard motor according to claim 5.

7. a lower surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion forms a continuous surface via a smooth curved surface of the lower surface of the substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion and a bottom surface of a first transition portion inserted between the substantially U-shaped frame portion and the substantially rectangular U-shaped frame portion; The center of the radius of curvature of the curved surface is located on the lower surface side of the first transition portion.

7. The electric outboard motor according to claim 6.

8. One end of the upper surface of the substantially U-shaped frame portion forms a continuous surface with a corresponding end of the upper surface of the first transition portion via a smooth curved surface, and the other end forms a continuous surface with a corresponding end of the upper surface of the second transition portion via a smooth curved surface.

8. An electric outboard motor according to claim 7.

9. A first plane passing through the upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion is parallel to a second plane passing through the lower surface of the substantially rectangular block portion.

9. The electric outboard motor according to claim 8.

10. The generally rectangular block portion has a circular hole extending through it along the entire length of one side opposite the generally U-shaped frame portion.

10. The electric outboard motor according to claim 9.

11. The approximately rectangular U-shaped frame portion is composed of a linear grip portion and two linear frame portions perpendicular to the grip portion, and the upper surfaces of the grip portions and the upper surfaces of the frame portions are in the same plane.

11. The electric outboard motor according to claim 10.

12. The bottom surface of the grip portion and the bottom surface of the frame portion are in the same plane.

12. The electric outboard motor according to claim 11.

13. the generally U-shaped frame portion has a generally rectangular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, except for a portion integral with the generally rectangular block portion; the grip portion has flat top and bottom surfaces, and one end of the top surface forms a smooth, continuous surface with one end of the bottom surface, via a convex curved surface on the front side of the grip portion; The frame portion has a generally rectangular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the frame portion from a point where the frame portion is continuous with the grip portion to a point where the frame portion is continuous with the second transition portion.

13. The electric outboard motor according to claim 12.

14. the substantially rectangular block portion has a rectangular cross section in both a first vertical plane extending forward and backward and a second vertical plane extending left and right; a plurality of identical triangular protrusions having the same thickness are provided on an upper surface of the substantially rectangular block portion, each protrusion having the same thickness in a direction perpendicular to the first vertical plane; The triangular protrusions have their triangular side surfaces parallel to each other, and are arranged at equal intervals along a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the hole formed in the substantially rectangular block portion.

14. An electric outboard motor according to claim 13.

15. The triangular projection has a flat side facing away from the grip portion, the flat side being perpendicular to the top surface of the substantially rectangular block portion, and the flat sides of the plurality of triangular projections are arranged on the same plane perpendicular to the first vertical plane.

15. An electric outboard motor according to claim 14.

16. The flat sides of the triangular projections act as rotation stop projections when the carrying handle is rotated upward.

16. An electric outboard motor according to claim 15.

17. The number of the triangular protrusions is at least one.

17. An electric outboard motor according to claim 16.

18. The number of the arc-shaped protrusions is at least one.

18. An electric outboard motor according to claim 17.

Images