Electric outboard engine

Abstract

To provide an electric outboard engine capable of preventing an electric outboard engine of an external power supply type from moving around during the sailing of the electric outboard engine of an external power supply type.SOLUTION: In an electric outboard engine of an external power supply type subjected to specific structural constraints, the electric outboard engine actively utilizes the open space defined between two arms biforked from the steering arm mounted on the electric outboard engine and extending to the electric outboard engine body side, and the open space defined by a simple cable pedestal arranged on a swivel bracket inevitably mounted on the electric outboard engine, even if dedicated parts / materials for fixing the connecting cable pulled out from the electric outboard engine body to the electric outboard engine body or the other structures are not furnished, that is, a cost reduction is achieved by reducing the number of parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an externally powered electric outboard motor, specifically an electric outboard motor in which a hull connection cable is routed from the main body of the electric outboard motor through an open space defined by a steering arm, and further passes through an open space defined by the seating surface of a cable base mounted on the upper end surface of a swivel bracket and the inner surfaces of two ribs provided on both ends of the front part of the seating surface. [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 power supplies, while medium to large electric outboard motors are built with external power supplies. In these external power supply types, DC power from a power supply located onboard is supplied to the electric outboard motor via a power cable connected to the power supply. In this case, a power coupler is attached to the end of the power cable, and this power coupler is connected to an outboard motor coupler attached to the end of the electric outboard motor's connecting cable.

[0005] There are various methods for routing the outboard motor's connecting cable in externally powered electric outboard motors, but in the externally powered electric outboard motors that have the problems that the present invention aims to solve, the following special structural circumstances are the background to the emergence of problems caused by the routing of the connecting cable.

[0006] a) Within the outboard motor body, the large-volume electric motor housed in the motor housing is disposed rearward of the swivel bracket at approximately the same height as the swivel bracket. b) The so-called motor controller, which converts DC power received from an external power source into AC power and supplies the converted AC power to the electric motor while controlling it, is located above the rear end of the motor housing of the electric motor and slightly behind the position of the rear side of the motor housing. c) On the other hand, the length of the outboard motor connection cable is not a straight line distance, but is long enough so that when the outboard motor body is detachably attached to the hull via the clamp bracket, the position of the outboard motor coupler at the end of the outboard motor connection cable reaches beyond the transom board to a position where a helmsman standing on the hull floor (the floor of the boat where the helmsman stands) can easily connect the power supply coupler, even when the cable is routed in a tortuous manner as described in detail below. In this case, the height of the outboard motor coupler is between the top of the transom board and the upper surface of the hull floor, and is positioned so that a helmsman of average height can easily grasp the outboard motor coupler and connect it to the power supply coupler at the end of the power supply connection cable drawn from the external power source. d) In its cable routing, the outboard motor side connection cable, after being pulled out from the cable outlet on the upper right side of the outboard motor body, is not fixed to any member, part, or structural part of the outboard motor body, even if it is bundled with a cable tie, and is not routed through any hard pipe (a pipe that is difficult to bend after molding), and is characterized by being freely movable over its entire length, including the outboard motor side coupler, or hanging down freely when not held in place in some way, or when the slight shape retention characteristic dependent on the thickness of the copper wire running through the cable cannot be exhibited. e) The outboard motor side coupler attached to the end of the connection cable is a relatively large and heavy part, and the power supply coupler connected to it is also relatively heavy. Furthermore, the part of the power supply side connection cable connected to it near the power supply coupler is not fixed in any way and is routed in a freely movable state.

[0007] Therefore, in an externally powered electric outboard motor with the special structural background described above, unless the entire outboard motor connection cable (with a thick copper wire running through it), the outboard motor coupler at the end of the cable, the power supply coupler connected to it, and the nearby section of the power supply connection cable (with a thick copper wire running through it) are secured in some way to somewhere on the outboard motor body or hull when the electric outboard motor is being steered or sailed, the outboard motor will swing, causing all of these relatively heavy parts and components to "move around" and pose a safety issue, particularly as it poses a physical risk to the person operating the motor who is forced to be close to the connection coupler.

[0008] Therefore, under the assumption that the basis for solving this problem lies in adding innovation to "cable routing," a search was conducted on the Japan Patent Office's patent information platform, J-PlatPat, using the keywords "electric outboard motor," "cable," and "routing" to see if there were any prior patent documents, and the following four documents were found (based on the search results on the Japan Patent Office's patent information platform, J-PlatPat, at the time of filing this application). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39887 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39888 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-39890 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-86589 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, none of the inventions disclosed in the above prior patent documents propose a solution to the problem that the present invention aims to solve. a) Within the outboard motor body, the large-volume electric motor housed in the motor housing is disposed rearward of the swivel bracket at approximately the same height as the swivel bracket. b) The so-called motor controller, which converts DC power received from an external power source into AC power and supplies the converted AC power to the electric motor while controlling it, is located above the rear end of the motor housing of the electric motor and slightly behind the position of the rear side of the motor housing. c) On the other hand, the length of the outboard motor connection cable is not a straight line distance, but is long enough so that when the outboard motor is detachably attached to the hull via the clamp bracket, even in a winding cable routing as described below, the outboard motor coupler at the end of the outboard motor connection cable will reach a position beyond the transom board. In this case, the height of the outboard motor coupler is between the top of the transom board and the upper surface of the hull floor, and is configured to be at a height that makes it easy for a pilot of average height to grasp the outboard motor coupler by hand and connect it to the power supply coupler at the end of the power supply connection cable drawn from an external power source. d) In its cable routing, the outboard motor side connection cable, after being pulled out from the cable outlet on the upper right side of the outboard motor body, is not fixed to any member, part, or structural part of the outboard motor body, even if it is bundled with a cable tie, and is not routed through any hard pipe (a pipe that is difficult to bend after molding), and is characterized by being freely movable over its entire length, including the outboard motor side coupler, or hanging down freely when not held in place in some way, or when the slight shape retention characteristic dependent on the thickness of the copper wire running through the cable cannot be exhibited. e) The outboard motor side coupler attached to the end of the connection cable is a relatively large and heavy part, and the power supply coupler connected to it is also relatively heavy. Furthermore, the part of the power supply side connection cable connected to it near the power supply coupler is not fixed in any way and is routed in a freely movable state. This does not propose solutions to the problems that arise under these special structural circumstances.

[0011] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its object to provide an externally powered electric outboard motor that has a simple structure and a reduced number of parts, while still giving sufficient consideration to the physical safety of the operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] As a result of extensive research into achieving the above-mentioned object, the inventors discovered that, in an externally powered electric outboard motor that is subject to the above-mentioned special structural constraints, even if no dedicated parts or members are provided 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 or some other structure (i.e., when the number of parts is reduced to reduce costs), it is possible to solve the above-mentioned unique problem by actively utilizing the open space defined between the two arms that branch off from the steering arm section mounted on the electric outboard motor and extend towards the main body of the electric outboard motor, and the open space defined by a simple cable base disposed on a swivel bracket that is also always mounted on electric outboard motors. This led to the development of the present invention.

[0013] That is, the first invention is: An electric outboard motor with an external power source, The steering arm includes at least an outboard motor side connecting cable, a steering arm portion, and one cable base. The outboard motor side connection cable is pulled out from the upper right part of the electric outboard motor body, has an outboard motor side coupler at its end, and is a cable that conducts power from an external power source to the electric outboard motor body via the outboard motor side coupler, the steering arm portion is part of a steering mechanism of the main body of the electric outboard motor, the cable base is a swivel bracket that supports the electric outboard motor body so that it can rotate in a horizontal plane, and is installed on an upper end surface of the swivel bracket that is disposed between two clamp brackets that detachably fix the electric outboard motor body to a transom board; The hull connection cable, pulled out from the upper right portion of the electric outboard motor body, is routed in a freely movable state through the open space defined by the steering arm portion, and further ahead, in a naturally sagging state due to the cable's own weight, at least a portion of the hull connection cable above the seating surface of the one cable base passes in a freely movable state through an open space defined between the upper surface of the front end of the seating surface of the one cable base disposed on the upper end surface of the swivel bracket and the inner side surfaces of two ribs disposed on both the left and right ends of the front end, and the range of horizontal movement of the cable and the outboard motor coupler in a freely movable state due to the cable's own weight is limited to the range between the two ribs. This is an electric outboard motor characterized by the above.

[0014] The second invention is the first invention, The open space defined by the steering arm portion is an open space defined by the steering arm, and is characterized in that it is an open space defined between two arms of the steering arm.

[0015] The third invention is the second invention, the steering arm portion constitutes a part of a steering mechanism that linearly transmits rotation of the tiller handle in a horizontal plane to the main body of the electric outboard motor when steering the main body of the electric outboard motor, One end (front end) of the steering bracket is connected to the rear end of the tiller handle, and the other end (rear end) of each of the two steering arms is mechanically connected to the main body of the electric outboard motor via a corresponding upper mount.

[0016] The fourth invention is the third invention. The cable base is a single continuous body molded in one piece, and is composed of a combination of plate-like parts of different shapes, and has a flat seat surface A and a flat seat surface B that are continuous with each other, The intersection line between the flat seat surface A (front upper surface) and the flat seat surface B (rear upper surface) is straight, and the interior angle of the intersection line is 140 degrees to 180 degrees, The flat seating surface A and the flat seating surface B are both substantially rectangular, and their right ends are connected to a common plate-shaped support member, and their left ends are also connected to a common plate-shaped support member, The seat surface A is characterized in that ribs of the same shape are arranged on both the left and right ends of the front end portion thereof.

[0017] The fifth invention is the fourth invention. Each of the ribs has a flat inner side surface and two vertically extending reinforcing members integrally formed on its outer side surface, the reinforcing members having the shape of one half of a generally vertically extending cone-shaped body split along a vertical plane along the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor, The lower end of the reinforcing member is characterized in that it terminates at the seat surface A.

[0018] The sixth invention is the fifth invention, Of the above-mentioned plate-shaped support members, the right-hand plate-shaped support member is parallel to the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor and is composed of a front section and a rear section that are in the same plane, and both the front and rear sections are triangular in shape with their bases at the upper ends that are continuous with the right ends of the seat surfaces A and B, and of the two sides other than the base, the front side is longer than the rear side.

[0019] The seventh invention is the sixth invention, The longer of the two sides other than the base that make up the triangular shape of the front portion and the longer of the two sides other than the base that make up the triangular shape of the rear portion are approximately parallel to each other.

[0020] The eighth invention is the seventh invention, The front edge of the front part of the right-side plate-shaped support member, the lower end part of the first part excluding the part, and the lower end part of the second part are located in the same plane.

[0021] The ninth invention is the eighth invention, The front edge of the front part of the right-side plate-shaped support member, the lower end part of the first part excluding the part, and the lower end part of the second part are located in the same plane.

[0022] The tenth invention is the ninth invention, The plate-shaped support member on the right side is inclined outward from the connecting portion between the seat surface A and the seat surface B, The first portion on the left side is inclined outward from the continuation of the seat surface A and the seat surface B, The second portion on the left side extends substantially perpendicularly from the lower end of the first portion.

[0023] The eleventh invention is the above-mentioned tenth invention, The rear side of the seat A is characterized in that a protrusion for positioning and locking protrudes downward and has a substantially cross-shaped cross section on a horizontal plane.

[0024] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the eleventh aspect of the present invention, The cable base has a bolt hole for passing a bolt formed in a circular recess formed in approximately the center of the intersection line between the flat seat surface A (front upper surface) and the flat seat surface B (rear upper surface), The swivel bracket is fastened to the upper end surface thereof by a bolt passing through the bolt hole.

[0025] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the twelfth aspect of the present invention, The two ribs are each plate-shaped and are arranged parallel to each other along the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor, each of the side surfaces is substantially trapezoidal in a direction perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor; The upper edge is a flat surface at the upper end surface of the swivel bracket, and is approximately parallel to the flat surface that slopes rearward, and its height from the flat surface is such that at least a portion of the hull side connecting cable passes through the open space defined by the two ribs and the upper surface of the front end of the base seat, following the natural curve formed by the weight of the hull side connecting cable.

[0026] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, The right support member of the cable base forms a slit-shaped open space between the lower end of the rear part and the upper surface of the upper end surface part 64b of the swivel bracket 64, The slit-shaped open space is configured to receive a co-pilot lever that rotates within a horizontal plane.

[0027] A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, The cable base and the two ribs are both made of resin and are integrally molded into a continuous body. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] With the externally powered electric outboard motor according to the present invention, even if no dedicated parts / members are provided 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., if the number of parts is reduced to reduce costs), the following effects can be obtained, for example. 1) Conventionally, when an externally powered electric outboard motor was being operated, the connection cable was pulled out from the side of the electric outboard motor body, crossed the transom board, and ran directly to the hull without being secured in any way along the way. As a result, when the outboard motor body swayed up and down and side to side while the electric outboard motor was being operated, the connection cable, the outboard motor coupler at the end of it, and even the power supply coupler connected to it and part of the power supply connection cable would all move wildly, sometimes posing a physical risk to the person operating the helm. However, it is expected that this movement can be suppressed or prevented without the need for special equipment to prevent or absorb such dangerous situations, thereby ensuring the physical safety of the person operating the helm. 2) It is now possible to arrange the outboard motor connection cable on the axis of the steering shaft, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of sway of the outboard motor connection cable compared to conventional cases, making steering easier. 4) Rigging is easier because there is no need to consider the movement of the isolation cable on the outboard motor side when rigging. 5) Previously, when an electric outboard motor was running, the outboard motor would sway left and right and up and down, causing the connection cable on the outboard motor to swing wildly, raising concerns that the connection cable would be damaged by sheet metal parts, etc. However, by attaching a simple cable base made of resin to the top surface of the swivel bracket, it is now possible to cover the co-pilot lever, making it possible to protect the connection cable on the outboard motor from being damaged by sheet metal parts, etc. 6) In addition, two ribs are installed on a simple cable base to prevent the cable from getting out of hand, like two parallel rails, which allows the connecting cable on the outboard motor to flow more naturally and looks better. 7) Furthermore, the co-pilot lever can now be hidden from view from the left side of the electric outboard motor, improving the overall appearance of the electric outboard motor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view (as viewed from the front right side of the electric outboard motor 10) showing the appearance of an electric outboard motor equipped with a cable base according to an embodiment of the present invention and a cable routing structurally or functionally supported thereby, which is removably 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 cable base according to an embodiment of the present invention and a cable routing structurally or functionally supported thereby, when the electric outboard motor is removably 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 cable base in an electric outboard motor equipped with a cable base according to an embodiment of the present invention and a cable routing structurally or functionally supported thereby. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cable base according to the present invention, as seen from the right side of the front side (the front side of the paper, the front side of the electric outboard motor 10). [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cable base according to the present invention, as seen from the left side of the rear side (the back side of the paper, the rear side of the electric outboard motor 10). [Figure 7] FIG. 7(a) shows a plan view of the cable base according to the present invention, and FIG. 7(b) shows a front view thereof. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom view of a cable pedestal according to the present invention. [Figure 9] 9(a) shows a right side view of the cable base according to the present invention, and FIG. 9(b) shows a left side view thereof. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7(b). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] 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 in the same direction as the propulsion direction 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) The connection cable passing through in a freely movable state means that the connection cable passes through the relevant part (the cable extends) in a state where it can move freely up, down, left, and right (or can be moved) without being fixed in any way. 6) The connection cable being able to move horizontally in a freely movable state means that the connection cable is able to move (or be moved) freely from side to side along a single horizontal plane without being fixed in any way. 7) When a cable and coupler "move wildly," it means that the connecting coupler and the cable connected to it move around uncontrollably, jumping around, etc. beyond a specified range. 8) Being mechanically connected means that, for example, if there is a continuum X consisting of three interconnected structural elements A, B, and C, when structural element A is moved, the movement is transmitted linearly to structural element C via structural element B. 9) Transmitting the rotation of the tiller handle in a horizontal plane linearly to the body of the electric outboard motor means: For example, when the tiller handle is rotated by 10 degrees in a horizontal plane, the main body of the electric outboard motor is also rotated by the same 10 degrees in a horizontal plane. 10) The term "cable base" is used for convenience, and although it looks like a base, it is not intended that the surface of the base will necessarily support the underside of the connecting cable (support the weight of the connecting cable). Rather, it is intended to limit the movement (vibration) of the connecting cable in the horizontal plane between the two ribs on either side of the front end of the cable base, and to protect the copilot lever located on the lower rear side, while preventing the underside of the connecting cable from coming into direct contact with the top surface of this copilot lever. 11) The natural flow of a connecting cable is a metaphorical expression of the state in which the connecting cable extends along a natural curve formed by the combination of the weight of the copper wires contained within the connecting cable and the external force pulling the connecting cable along the line of the connecting cable. 12) Terminate means that any extending or projecting member ends / comes to an end. 13) Integral molding means molding (molding) two or more components together to form one continuous body.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 1 is a partial perspective view of the electric outboard motor 10 as seen from the front right side, showing only a portion of the transom board 70 and the power supply cable 98 that connects to the power supply coupler 97 that is connected to the underside of the outboard motor connection coupler 96. Note that the various mechanisms of the electric outboard motor 10 (for example, the electric motor mechanism and its electronic control mechanism that are the main driving force source for the electric outboard motor) and their components that are mounted inside the cowling covers 21a, 21b are not mechanically or structurally related to the realization of the cable routing according to the present invention, and therefore, for the sake of convenience, at the stage of information disclosure in this figure, the cowling covers are made opaque so that the internal structure inside them cannot be seen.

[0033] 1 is a partial perspective view showing the appearance of an electric outboard motor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, equipped with a cable mount 93 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a cable routing supported by the cable mount 93, and removably attached to a transom board 70. This figure is called a partial perspective view because, while the electric outboard motor 10 itself is shown in its entirety surrounded by cowling covers 21a and 21b, only the transom board 70 and the external power supply connection cable 98, and the vicinity of the power supply coupler 97 connected to the end of the cable, are shown. However, this will not in any way hinder the understanding of those skilled in the art in describing the problem to be solved by the present invention, the cable routing according to the present invention, the support units (specifically, the cable mount 93, etc.) for realizing the cable routing, and the electric outboard motor 10 on which they are mounted. 1, only the right end of the cable base 93, which is one example of an embodiment of the present invention, is visible, with the remaining portion being hidden behind the steering bracket 46, the steering arm 47 connected thereto, and the cable sheath 94, making it difficult to distinguish. However, by referring to the following explanation and combining it with subsequent drawings, it is believed that this difficulty in viewing in FIG. 1 will not hinder a person skilled in the art from understanding the present invention. Furthermore, as will be explained below, the cable base 93 according to the present invention has multiple functions, and its name can vary depending on which of these functions is emphasized. For example, if emphasis is placed on the function of protecting the co-pilot lever 48 (or the function of preventing contact with the underside of the outboard motor connection cable 92a), it could also be called a co-pilot protection member. However, for convenience, the term "cable base" will be used throughout this specification.

[0034] It should be noted that the subject of this invention is an electric outboard motor 10 equipped with a cable routing that actively utilizes the open space formed between the cable base 93 and the steering arms 47a, 47b. Components other than the cable base 93 and components that enjoy the effects obtained by installing such a cable routing, or mechanisms of the electric outboard motor, are outside the scope of this invention, so specific details about these will be omitted and only the names of the parts shown in the figure will be listed together with the reference numbers in the symbol explanation column.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing the appearance of an example of an electric outboard motor 10 of the present invention when the main body (referring to the portion surrounded by cowling covers 21a and 21b and the portion below that including the drive shaft housing 23 and the propeller unit 30; the same applies hereinafter) is removably fixed to a transom board 70 via clamp brackets 62a and 62b. As shown in the figure, the main body of the electric outboard motor 10 is connected to the hull via a swivel bracket 64 (a main body portion 64a (difficult to distinguish in the figure), an upper end surface portion 64b, and arm portions 65a, 65b which are integrally molded by die-casting to form a continuous body) which is journaled between two clamp brackets 62a, 62b which are detachably fixed to a transom board 70 and which is supported by a clamp bracket bolt (sometimes called a tilt axis) (a rod which extends linearly between reference numerals 63a and 63b in the figure: a rod which 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) so as to be rotatable up and down (so that the motor can tilt up and down around the tilt axis as the rotation axis).

[0036] 3 is a partial perspective view of the electric outboard motor 10 as seen from the front right side, showing only a portion of the transom board 70 and the power supply cable 98 connected to the power supply coupler 97 connected to the underside of the outboard motor connection coupler 96. Inside the cowling covers 21a and 21b are mounted a motor housing (reference number 282 in FIG. 3) that houses the electric motor (not visible because it is housed in the motor housing designated by reference number 282 in FIG. 3) and a housing (reference number 221 in FIG. 3) that houses the electronic control circuit mounting components and the like of the motor controller (not visible because it is housed in the first ECU housing designated by reference number 102 in FIG. 3) for the electric motor (not shown) therein. However, these mechanisms and their components are not mechanically or structurally related to the cable base 93 and the embodiment of the cable routing closely related thereto according to the present invention, and therefore, for the sake of convenience, the cowling covers 21a and 21b are not visible at the stage of information disclosure in this figure.

[0037] Although Figure 1 may be somewhat difficult to interpret, the figure illustrates the following as the main structural or functional elements, and the functional relationships and spatial arrangement relationships between these structural elements will become clear when referring to the explanation below. 1) The outboard motor side connection cable 92a that is pulled out from the outboard motor side outlet 91 and extends to the outboard motor side coupler 96; the portion 92b where the individual connection cables 92a are housed in a flexible sheath; the portion where the individual connection cables 92a are bundled at their tip ends and housed in a cable sheath 94; the outboard motor side coupler 96; the power supply side coupler 97 connected from below it; and the portion of the power supply side connection cable 98 connected to that power supply side coupler. 2) A steering arm 47, which is a structural element of the steering mechanism of the main body 20 of the electric outboard motor 10; a steering bracket 46, the right end of which is fastened to the front end of the steering arm 47; a tiller handle 44 fastened to the left end of the steering bracket 46; a throttle grip 42 connected to the front end of the tiller handle 44; and a monitor window 48 located rearward of the tiller handle 44 and near the left end of the steering bracket 46. 3) Furthermore, the following structural elements are shown as surrounding structural elements of the above structural elements: Clamp brackets 62a, 62b; an upper end surface portion 64b and swivel arms 65a, 65b which are continuous components of the swivel bracket 64; and a part of the transom board 70. The clamp brackets 62a, 62b form a pair and hold the swivel bracket 64 between them from both sides, while also detachably securing the main body 20 of the electric outboard motor 10 to the transom board 70. The swivel arms 65a, 65b are molded integrally with the swivel bracket 64 to form a continuous body, which holds the clamp brackets 62a and 62b from both sides and is supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63 so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0038] 4) The following functional elements are arranged within the spatial region surrounded by the cowling covers 21a and 21b and are therefore not visible in FIG. Electric motor; motor housing that houses the electric motor; motor room cover housing; the motor housing houses the drive mechanism, such as the electric motor that is the source of propulsion power for the electric outboard motor 10, and the motor room cover housing is located on top of the motor housing and houses various electronic control mechanisms and electrical components, such as the motor controller for the electric motor. 5) The following structural elements are shown below the spatial region surrounded by cowling covers 21a and 21b. Drive shaft housing 23; cavitation plate 24; seawater strainer 26; gear case housing 25; gear case 27; skeg 28; propeller unit 30; propeller 20 The powertrain for propelling the electric outboard motor (the powertrain from the electric motor to the propeller unit 30) passes through the drive shaft housing 23, the gear case housing 25, and the gear 28, and reaches the propeller unit 30 via the propeller shaft. Along the way, there is a drive shaft connected to the electric motor via a coupler, a drive gear (bevel gear) at its lower end, and a propeller shaft having a driven gear (bevel gear) at its front end that meshes with and interlocks with the drive gear (bevel gear), and a propeller shaft connected to the propeller unit 30 at its rear end. 6) Note that for the components that are given reference numbers in Figure 1 but are not mentioned in the above list, the names of those components can be understood by referring to the explanation of the symbols at the end of this specification, so explanations will be omitted here.

[0039] Furthermore, this figure does not show the entire cable routing according to the present invention, and it is difficult to immediately understand from this figure alone the entire routing of the connection cables in the electric outboard motor 10 according to the present invention (these are connection cables that continue to the outboard motor side coupler 96, and the different reference numbers 92a, 92b, and 94 are assigned for convenience's sake). Therefore, the following description will be given in order, with reference to both Figures 1 and 2.

[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). Looking only at the cable base 93 and cable routing arrangement according to the present invention, the only difference is that the right side of the cable base 93 is slightly easier to distinguish in FIG. 2 than in FIG. 1. On the other hand, the rear side of the cable is more clearly shown in FIG. 2 than in FIG. 1. 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 the 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 the state of the cable routing (reference numeral 543) when the connection cable 92a inside the cowling cover 21a in Figure 2 extends toward the main body. The illustration also shows the portion of the main body of the electric outboard motor 10 excluding the portion surrounded by the cowling covers 21a and 21b and the series of components below that, from the drive shaft housing 23 to the propeller unit 30. The electric motor housing 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 cable base 93 and cable routing according to the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating the main parts of the cable routing according to the present invention. The main structural elements of the main parts are shown below. The functional relationships, spatial arrangement relationships, etc. between these structural elements will be clear by referring to the explanation below. 1) The outboard motor side connection cable 92a that is pulled out and extends from the outboard motor side outlet 91; the portion 92b where the individual connection cables 92a are housed in a flexible sheath; the portion where the individual connection cables 92a are bundled at their tip ends and housed in a cable sheath 94; the outboard motor side coupler 96; the power supply side coupler 97 connected from below it; and the portion of the power supply side connection cable 98 connected to the power supply side coupler. 2) A steering arm 47, which is one of the structural elements of the steering mechanism of the main body 20 of the externally powered electric outboard motor 10 according to the present invention (in FIG. 2, the steering arm 47 is shown without the other structural elements that constitute the steering mechanism together with the steering arm 47, namely, the steering bracket 46, the right end of which is fastened to the front end of the steering arm 47 (the roughly rectangular front end where two bolt holes (47a, 47b) are visible in FIG. 2), the tiller handle 44 fastened to the left end of the steering bracket 46, and the throttle grip 42 connected to the front end (base end) of the tiller handle 44); 3) Clamp brackets 62a, 62b; upper end surface portion 64b and swivel arms 65a, 65b, which are continuous components of the swivel bracket 64; and part of the transom board 70. The clamp brackets 62a, 62b form a pair and hold the swivel bracket 64 between them from both sides, while also detachably securing the main body 20 of the electric outboard motor 10 to the transom board 70. The swivel arms 65a, 65b are molded integrally with the swivel bracket 64 to form a continuous body, which holds the clamp brackets 62a and 62b from both sides and is supported by the clamp bracket bolt 63 so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0043] The single cable base 93 disposed on the upper end surface portion 64b of the steering bracket 46 has two ribs 94a and 94b that limit the free movement range of the connection cable passing over it in the horizontal plane, and also has the function of protecting the co-pilot lever 48 (slit-shaped cutout on the right side of the cable base) and the function of concealing the co-pilot lever 48 (left side of the cable base), as described in 4) below.

[0044] Furthermore, although the co-pilot lever 48 is not a structural element that supports cable routing but is a structural element protected by the cable base 93, it is listed as part of the essential components because it is located below the rear end of the cable base 93. The co-pilot lever 48 is a component known as a "co-pilot" in the technical field of outboard motors. It is pivotally supported on a predetermined shaft (or pin) disposed in the swivel bracket 64 so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 2, it has the shape of a long, narrow plate, and its thickness, vertical length, width, and other dimensions can be selected appropriately depending on the size of the outboard motor main body 20 and the width of the swivel bracket 64. When the co-pilot lever 48 rotates forward, it can slide without resistance in the slit-like open space formed between the lower end of the support member 93c on the right side of the cable base and the upper surface of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64. This allows the co-pilot lever 48 to be protected by the cable base 93.

[0045] FIG. 4 also illustrates the following structural elements surrounding the above structural elements, and the functional relationships and spatial arrangement relationships between these structural elements will become clear with reference to the explanations given below. The motor housing 22; the motor room cover housing 23; the clamp brackets 62a and 62b; and the upper end surface portion 64b and the swivel arms 65a and 65b, which are continuous components of the swivel bracket 64.

[0046] The motor housing 282 houses a drive mechanism (not shown) such as an electric motor that provides the propulsive power for the electric outboard motor 10, and the motor room cover housing 224 houses various electronic control mechanisms and electrical components, such as the motor controller for the electric motor (not visible as it is housed in the first ECU housing 102 in FIG. 3). The clamp brackets 62a, 62b form a pair and hold the swivel bracket 64 between them from both sides, while also removably securing the main body of the electric outboard motor 10 to the transom board. Swivel arms 65a, 65b are molded integrally with swivel bracket 64 to form a continuous body, and while they press clamp brackets 62a and 62b from both sides, they are axially supported so as to be able to rotate up and down by clamp bracket bolt 63 (a rod extending linearly between reference numbers 63a and 63b in the figure: a rod that passes through clamp bracket 62a, swivel bracket 64, and clamp bracket 62b and is therefore not shown in the figure; the same applies below).

[0047] 1 and 2, the outboard motor side connection cables 92a, 92b, which are also extensions of the connection cable 543 inside the main body, are pulled out from the outlet 91 on the right side of the outboard motor main body 20 in accordance with the cable routing according to the present invention, and then curve gently from right to left along the front side surface of the housing 22 inside the outboard motor main body 20, before turning approximately 90 degrees around a vertical plane that passes through the front and rear of approximately the center of the outboard motor main body 20, and then passing through the open space defined by the steering arm 47 in a freely movable state.Further ahead, the one cable base 93 is arranged on the upper end surface of the swivel bracket 64, and passes through the open space defined between the upper surface of the front end of a seat surface 93a of the one cable base 93 and the inner side surfaces of two ribs 94a, 94b arranged on both the left and right ends of the front end. At least a portion of the hull side connecting cable 92b passes above the seat surface 93a of the base 93 in a freely movable state, and is arranged so that the range in which it can move horizontally in this freely movable state is limited to the range between two ribs 94a, 94b arranged on both sides of the forward end of one of the cable bases 93, and from around between these ribs 94a, 94b it is housed in a flexible sheath 94, and the portion housed in this flexible sheath 94, in a freely movable state, changes direction from an approximately horizontal direction to a downward direction by about 90 degrees, following the curved shape of the surface of the clamp bracket bolt 63 (sometimes called the tilt axis, which is not visible as mentioned above), and begins to hang down in this freely movable state.

[0048] In Figure 4, the connection cable near the cable outlet 91 is labeled with reference number 92a, and the connection cable passing through the portion above the cable base 93 is labeled with reference number 92b. However, in the latter case, this merely indicates that each individual connection cable passes through a flexible sheath, and the cable passing through is a continuous unit with connection cable 92a. Similarly, the portion designated by reference number 94 also merely indicates that three connection cables 92a, each covered with a sheath, are bundled and pass through a flexible sheath. Relatively thick copper wires run through this connection cable 92a.

[0049] However, it is also possible to suitably apply the individual connection cables without enclosing the portion above the cable base 93 in a flexible sheath. For convenience, components and parts that are not structurally or functionally relevant to the routing of the connection cable 92a have been omitted from this partial perspective view. This partial perspective view is also a partial perspective view showing the exterior of the outboard motor as viewed from the front to the right.

[0050] In FIG. 4, after being pulled out from the outlet 91, the connection cable 92a curves along the front surface of the outboard motor main body 20 in certain portions, and the shape of this portion gives the impression that the connection cable maintains a rigid shape. However, the shape of the connection cable 92a in these portions, and the shape of the portion further on up to the outboard motor coupler, is merely due to the loose self-maintaining property of the relatively thick copper wire that runs through the cable. The self-maintaining property of copper wire commonly used in externally powered electric outboard motors is not sufficient to resolve the above-mentioned unique problem (movement of the connection cable and connection coupler) that this invention aims to solve.

[0051] 4, among the components and parts shown in the partial perspective view, when attention is focused on the cable base 93, the swivel bracket 64 and the upper end surface 64b constituting a part of it, and the copilot lever 48, the following spatial arrangement relationship can be easily understood. That is, with regard to the height of the plane in which the copilot lever 48 rotates, the height of the bottom surface of the copilot lever 48 is higher than the upper surface of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64, and the height of the position of the position of the upper surface of the copilot lever 48 is lower than the height of the position of the lower end of the right support member portion (rear portion) 95b of the seat surface 93b of the cable base 93. As a result, when the copilot lever 48 rotates counterclockwise and forward, it can slide without resistance in the slit-like open space formed between the lower end of the right support member portion 95b of the cable base 93 and the upper surface of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64.

[0052] As shown in the figure, the connection cable 92a hangs down (in a natural flow) along a natural curve formed by the weight of the connection cable 92a and the tension due to 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 terminated therein (i.e., hanging down in a natural flow due to the relatively thick copper wire (not shown) passing through the inside of the cable), passes above the sheet surfaces 93b, 93a of the cable sheet 93 (at least without coming into contact with the sheet surface 93b), passes over the cable sheet 93 in the forward direction, and then passes through the clamp bracket 93b. The cable 96 hangs down (in a natural flow) along the rounded periphery of the mating bolt 63, following a 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, passes from top to bottom through the space defined by the frame that makes up the carrying handle 80, and terminates 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.

[0053] 5 and 6 are perspective views showing an example of a cable base 93 according to the present invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the right side of the front side (the front side as viewed from the front along the longitudinal direction of the electric outboard motor 10), and Fig. 6 is a perspective view from the left side of the rear side. As shown in these two figures, the cable base 93 has a generally rectangular, flat seating surface 93a on the front side and a generally rectangular, flat seating surface 93b on the rear side. These two seating surfaces 93a and 93b are integrated into a continuous body via a linear intersecting line 92a. Although not shown in these two figures, the interior angle of the intersection of this intersecting line is 150 to 180 degrees, preferably 160 to 180 degrees, and more preferably 170 degrees. However, these values ​​are not limiting, and the interior angle can be selected appropriately depending on the shape and size required for the seating surfaces 93a and 93b of the cable base 93.

[0054] As shown in these two figures, the right ends of the seats 93a and 93b are connected to a single common plate-like support member (the continuation of 95a and 95b) via gently curved transition sections 92b and 92c, respectively, and the left ends are also connected to the single common plate-like support member via transition sections 92d and 92c, which have gently curved surfaces with the same curvature as the transition sections 92b and 92c. Ribs 94a and 94b of the same shape and size are disposed parallel to each other on both left and right ends of the front end of the seat 93a. The height of these ribs 94a and 94b (height from the seat 93a) can be selected appropriately to suit the diameter of the outboard motor connection cable 92a that passes between them (the height when three cables are arranged in parallel on a plane as shown in Figure 2).

[0055] Each of the ribs 94a, 94b has a flat inner side surface and two vertically extending reinforcing members 94a-1, 94b-1 integrally formed on the outer side surface. The reinforcing members 94a-1, 94b-1 have the shape of one half of a generally vertically extending cone-shaped body split along a vertical plane along the longitudinal direction of the electric outboard motor. The lower end of the reinforcing member terminates at the seat surface A.

[0056] Of the support members for the seating surfaces 93a, 93b of the cable base 93, the right-side plate-shaped support members 95a, 95b are parallel to the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor 10 and comprise a front section 95a and a rear section 95b which are in the same plane, and both the front section 95a and the rear section 95b are triangular in shape with their bases at the upper ends which are continuous with the right-side ends 92b, 92c of the seating surfaces 93a and 93b, and of the two sides other than the base, the front sides 95a-1, 95b-1 are longer than the rear sides 95a-2, 95b-2, and the front sides 95a-1, 95b-1 are approximately parallel to each other.

[0057] Of the support members for the seat surfaces 93a, 93b of the cable base 93, the left-hand plate-shaped support member is composed of a first portion 95c and a second portion 95d that are continuous and parallel to each other, and the upper end of the first portion 95c is continuous with the left-hand ends of the seat surfaces 93a, 93b via transition portions 92d, 92e having gently curved surfaces, and the upper end of the second portion 95d is continuous with a portion of the front side of the lower end of the first portion 95c via a transition portion having a gently curved surface, and the lower end of the first portion 95c excluding this portion and the lower end of the second portion 95d are in the same plane.

[0058] Of the support members of the seat surfaces 93a, 93b of the cable base 93, the front edge 95a-1 of the front portion of the right-side plate-shaped support member 95a, 95b, the lower end portion of the first part 95c excluding the above-mentioned portion, and the above-mentioned lower end portion of the second part 95d are in the same plane.

[0059] Of the support members for the seat surfaces 93a, 93b of the cable base 93, the plate-shaped support members 95a, 95b on the right side are inclined outward from the continuation with the seat surfaces 93a, 93b (transition portion having a gently curved surface), the first portion 95c on the left side is inclined outward from the continuation with the seat surfaces 93a, 93b (transition portion having a gently curved surface), and the second portion 95d on the left side extends approximately vertically from the lower end of the first portion 95c via the transition portion having a gently curved surface.

[0060] On the rear side of the seat surface 93a of the cable base 93, a positioning locking projection (reference numeral 82 in FIGS. 5 and 6) having a substantially cross-shaped cross section in the horizontal plane projects downward.

[0061] The cable base 93 has a bolt hole 93c for passing a bolt formed in a circular recess formed approximately in the center of the intersection line 92a between the flat seat surface 93a (front upper surface) and the flat seat surface 93b (rear upper surface), and is configured so that it can be fastened to the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64 with a bolt passing through this bolt hole 93c.

[0062] The two ribs 94a, 94b arranged at both ends of the forward end of the seat surface 93a of the cable base 93 are each plate-shaped and arranged parallel to each other, each with an approximately trapezoidal side, and their height (height from the seat surface 94a) is such that when at least a part of the hull side connection cable 92a passes through the open space defined by the two ribs 94a, 94b and the upper surface of the seat surface 93a along the natural curve formed by the weight of the connection cable 92a, the free horizontal movement of the cable 92a is sufficiently restricted.

[0063] When the cable base 93 is disposed on the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64 of the electric outboard motor 10, the support member on the right side of the cable base 93 is configured so that a slit-like open space is formed between the lower end 95b-1 of its rear part 95b and the upper surface of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64, and the co-pilot lever 48, which rotates in a horizontal plane, is configured to slide into this slit-like open space without any resistance.

[0064] The cable base 93 and the two ribs 94a, 94b are both made of resin and are integrally molded to form a continuous body.

[0065] The underside of the front end of the seating surface 93a is configured to define a slit-like gap between the surface of the upper end surface 64b of the swivel bracket 64 to which the cable base 93 is fastened with bolts, over the entire distance from the inner surfaces of two ribs 94a disposed at both ends of the front end of the seating surface 93a to the inner surfaces of ribs 94b. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4, the underside of the rear end of the seating surface 93b is also configured to define a gap between the surface of the upper end surface 62a of the swivel bracket 64 and the rear end of the support member 95d, over the entire distance from the inner side surface of the rear end of the opposing support member 95b. Providing such a gap is expected to prevent the cable base 93 from blocking the flow of outside air, which serves as a refrigerant for air cooling.

[0066] 7A shows a plan view of the cable base 93, and FIG. 7B shows a front view thereof. FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the cable pedestal 93. Looking at the front view of Figure 7(b) and the bottom view of Figure 8, it can be seen that the recess 93c of the cable base 93 is provided with a protrusion 82 for positioning and locking the cable base 93 from the peripheral edge of the bottom of the recess 93c, forward of the center point of the bottom of the recess 93c.

[0067] 9A shows a right side view of the cable base 93 (the right side when facing the front of the electric outboard motor 10), and FIG. 9B shows a left side view thereof. Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 7(b). Figure 10 shows that near the approximate center of recess 93c, seating surface 93a changes its planar extension direction slightly upward to connect to seating surface 93b. It can also be said that the thicknesses of seating surfaces 93a and 93b of cable base 93 are approximately the same. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] According to the present invention, an electric outboard motor of external power supply type has a simple structure, does not require special rigging, and has a small number of parts, but by devising a way to route the connecting cables on the electric outboard motor main body, the movement of the cables and couplers, which tend to move freely when the electric outboard motor is in a restricted manner while it is running, is kept within a specified range, thereby providing sufficient safety measures for the operator's body, and the electric outboard motor looks good while running, and the connecting cables are easy to handle when the electric outboard motor is removed from the hull and transported.

[0069] The above embodiment illustrates one form of the electric outboard motor according to the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Therefore, 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]

[0070] 20: Propeller 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 35: Upper mount bracket (right) 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 receiving part 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 82: Protrusion for positioning lock 91: Drawer opening 92a: Outboard motor connection cable 93: Cable base 93a: Seat 93b: Seat 93c: Bolt hole 94: Cable sheath 94a: Rib 94a-1: Reinforcement member 94b: Rib 94b-1: Reinforcement member 95a: Support member 95b: Support member 95c: Part 1 95d: 2nd part 96: Outboard motor side connection 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 223: Conductive cable insertion part 224: Motor room cover housing 228: Second ECU housing 282: Motor housing 287: Air cooling fin 528: Steering shaft upper end receiving part 543: Connection cable

Claims

1. An electric outboard motor with an external power source, The steering arm includes at least an outboard motor side connecting cable, a steering arm portion, and one cable base. the outboard motor side connection cable is pulled out from the upper right portion of the electric outboard motor body, has an outboard motor side coupler at its tip, and is a cable that supplies electric power from an external power source to the electric outboard motor body via the outboard motor side coupler; the steering arm is part of a steering mechanism of the main body of the electric outboard motor, the cable base is a swivel bracket that supports the electric outboard motor body so that it can rotate in a horizontal plane, and is installed on an upper end surface of the swivel bracket that is disposed between two clamp brackets that detachably fix the electric outboard motor body to a transom board, The hull connection cable, pulled out from the upper right portion of the electric outboard motor body, is routed in a freely movable state through the open space defined by the steering arm portion, and further ahead, in a naturally sagging state due to the cable's own weight, at least a portion of the hull connection cable above the seating surface of the one cable base passes in a freely movable state through an open space defined between the upper surface of the front end of the seating surface of the one cable base disposed on the upper end surface of the swivel bracket and the inner side surfaces of two ribs disposed on both the left and right ends of the front end, and the range of horizontal movement of the cable and the outboard motor coupler in a freely movable state in a naturally sagging state due to the cable's own weight is limited to the range between the two ribs. An electric outboard motor characterized by:

2. The open space defined by the steering arm portion is an open space defined by the steering arm, and is an open space defined between two arms of the steering arm.

2. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1.

3. the steering arm portion constitutes a part of a steering mechanism that linearly transmits rotation of a tiller handle in a horizontal plane to the electric outboard motor body when steering the electric outboard motor body, One end (front end) of the steering bracket is connected to the rear end of the tiller handle, and the other end (rear end) of the two steering arms is connected mechanically to the main body of the electric outboard motor via a corresponding upper mount.

2. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1.

4. The cable base is a single continuous body molded in one piece, and is composed of a combination of plate-like portions each having a different shape, and has a flat seat surface A and a flat seat surface B that are continuous with each other, The intersection line between the flat seat surface A (front upper surface) and the flat seat surface B (rear upper surface) is straight, and the interior angle of the intersection line is 140 degrees to 180 degrees, The flat seating surface A and the flat seating surface B are both substantially rectangular, and their right ends are connected to a common single plate-shaped support member, and their left ends are also connected to a common single plate-shaped support member, Ribs of the same shape are provided on both the left and right ends of the front end of the seating surface A.

2. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1.

5. Each of the ribs has a flat inner side surface and two vertically extending reinforcing members integrally formed on its outer side surface, the reinforcing members having a shape similar to one half of a generally vertically extending cone-shaped body split along a vertical plane along the longitudinal direction of the electric outboard motor, The lower end of the reinforcing member terminates at the seat surface A.

5. The electric outboard motor according to claim 4.

6. Of the plate-shaped support members, the right-hand plate-shaped support member is parallel to the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor and is composed of a front section and a rear section that are in the same plane, and both the front section and the rear section are triangular in shape with the base being the upper end that is continuous with the right end of the seat surface A and the seat surface B, and of the two sides other than the base, the front side is longer than the rear side.

6. An electric outboard motor according to claim 5.

7. The longer of the two sides other than the base that form the triangular shape of the front portion and the longer of the two sides other than the base that form the triangular shape of the rear portion are substantially parallel to each other.

7. The electric outboard motor according to claim 6.

8. Of the plate-like support members, the left plate-like support member is composed of a continuous first portion and a second portion that are parallel to each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the electric outboard motor, the first portion having an upper end that is continuous with the left ends of the seat surfaces A and B, and the second portion having an upper end that is continuous with a portion forward of the lower end of the first portion, The lower end of the first portion excluding the part is in the same plane as the lower end of the second portion.

8. An electric outboard motor according to claim 7.

9. The front side of the front part of the right plate-shaped support member, the lower end of the first part excluding the part, and the lower end of the second part are in the same plane.

9. The electric outboard motor according to claim 8.

10. The right-side plate-shaped support member is inclined outward from the connecting portion between the seat surface A and the seat surface B, The first portion on the left side is inclined outward from a continuous portion between the seat surface A and the seat surface B, The left second portion extends substantially perpendicularly from the lower end of the first portion.

10. The electric outboard motor according to claim 9.

11. A projection for positioning and locking, which has a substantially cross-shaped cross section on the horizontal plane, projects downward from the back side of the seating surface A.

11. The electric outboard motor according to claim 10.

Images