Outboard motor

Abstract

This mechanism prevents the cables connected to the propulsion system from being displaced in conjunction with the propulsion system when the propulsion system rotates relative to the ship. [Solution] In the outboard motor 1, a propulsion device 2 is fixed to the lower end portion of a cylindrical shaft 21 that is rotatably attached to the ship by a mounting mechanism 25, and a steering handle 15 is fixed to the upper end portion of the shaft 21. The shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate together when the steering handle 15 is operated. A busbar 75 is fixed to the upper case 35, the rear end of an external power cable 61 provided outside the shaft 21 is fixed to the rear end of the busbar 75, and the upper end of an internal power cable 62 provided inside the shaft 21 is pulled out of the shaft 21 through an opening on the upper side of the shaft 21 and fixed to the front end of the busbar 75. When the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate, the external power cable 61 does not displace, and the internal power cable 62 displaces in a twisting manner inside the shaft 21.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an outboard motor for propelling a ship.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, an outboard motor has a propulsion device that generates a propulsive force for a ship, and a mounting mechanism that mounts the propulsion device to the ship. The propulsion device has a propeller and a power source that rotates the propeller. The mounting mechanism has a clamp bracket that fixes the propulsion device to the transom of the ship, and a swivel bracket that enables the propulsion device to rotate in the left-right direction with respect to the ship.

[0003] The swivel bracket is connected to the clamp bracket. When the clamp bracket is fixed to the ship, the swivel bracket is supported by the ship via the clamp bracket. Further, a shaft extending in the vertical direction is rotatably supported by the swivel bracket. That shaft is generally called a pilot shaft or a steering shaft or the like. The propulsion device is connected to that shaft, and thus the propulsion device can rotate in the left-right direction with respect to the ship. By rotating the propulsion device in the left-right direction, the direction of the propeller can be changed in the left-right direction, and the ship can be steered.

[0004] Further, a cable is connected to the propulsion device. For example, in order to supply power to the propulsion device, an electric cable may be used to connect between a battery provided on the ship and the propulsion device. Also, in order to transmit a control signal to the propulsion device, an electric cable may be used to connect between a control device provided on the ship and the propulsion device. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-153240 (Patent Document 1) describes an outboard motor in which a battery provided on a ship and an outboard motor main body (propulsion device) are connected by an electric signal line (electric cable).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-153240 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In some conventional outboard motors, when the propulsion system rotates laterally relative to the vessel, the cables connected to the propulsion system are displaced significantly in conjunction with the propulsion system.

[0007] For example, in the outboard motor described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-153240, as shown in Figure 1 of the publication, an extension pipe (16) is rotatably supported on the vessel via a stern bracket (66). The lower end of the extension pipe (16) is connected to the outboard motor body (12). A bar handle (18) is connected to the upper end of the extension pipe (16). The operator can rotate the extension pipe (16) and the outboard motor body (12) together in the left-right direction by operating the bar handle (18) in the left-right direction, thereby steering the vessel. The outboard motor is also provided with an electrical signal line (52) that connects the battery (50) installed on the vessel to the outboard motor body (12). One end of the electrical signal line (52) is connected to the battery (50), and the other end of the electrical signal line (52) is connected to the outboard motor body (12). The other end of the electrical signal wire (52) is located inside the extension pipe (16). One end of the electrical signal wire (52) is drawn out from inside the extension pipe (16) to outside the extension pipe (16) through a hole formed in the peripheral wall of the upper end portion of the extension pipe (16). Since one end of the electrical signal wire (52) is drawn out to outside the extension pipe (16) through a hole formed in the peripheral wall of the upper end portion of the extension pipe (16), when the operator rotates the extension pipe (16) and the outboard motor body (12) by operating the bar handle (18) in the left and right directions, one end of the electrical signal wire (52) is displaced significantly in the left and right directions in conjunction with the extension pipe (16) and the outboard motor body (12). The symbols in parentheses in the above description are symbols from Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-153240.

[0008] When a cable connected to the propulsion system is displaced significantly, the cable may strike an object or the hull of the vessel, potentially damaging the object, the hull, or the cable.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the problems described above, for example, and the object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor that can suppress the displacement of a cable connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an outboard motor for propelling a ship, comprising: a propulsion device having a propeller and a motor for rotating the propeller; a steering handle for changing the orientation of the propulsion device in the left-right direction; a shaft portion formed in a cylindrical shape, extending in the vertical direction, with the propulsion device fixed to the lower end portion and the steering handle fixed to the upper end portion; a mounting mechanism for attaching the shaft portion to the ship so as to be rotatable about the axis of the shaft portion; a cable passing through the shaft portion, with its lower end fixed to the propulsion device, and its upper part extending out of the shaft portion through an upper opening, for sending power or electrical signals to drive the motor to the propulsion device; and a cable support portion that supports a part of the cable that extends out of the shaft portion through an upper opening, a part of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft portion, or a part of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft portion, so as to prevent rotation in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, when the propulsion device rotates in the left-right direction relative to the ship, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cables connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is an external view showing an outboard motor according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the outboard motor of the first embodiment of the present invention, cut in half horizontally along the axis of the shaft. [Figure 3]Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the portion of the outboard motor that rotates in the left-right direction relative to the vessel. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing a magnified view of the upper part of the outboard motor in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of the outboard motor, cut along the cutting line AA in Figure 4, as seen from above. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing a top view of the outboard motor of the first embodiment of the present invention with the top cover removed. [Figure 7] (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the top of the outboard motor as seen from the front, cut along the cutting line BB in Figure 6, and (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the busbars, etc., as seen from the left, cut along the cutting line CC in Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing the busbar of an outboard motor according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] (A) is an explanatory diagram showing the lower bush of an outboard motor according to a first embodiment of the present invention, (B) is an explanatory diagram showing the upper bush of the same outboard motor, and (C) is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the upper bush of the same outboard motor. [Figure 10] (A) is a cross-sectional view showing an outboard motor according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is an explanatory diagram showing the outboard motor with the top cover removed, viewed from above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] An outboard motor according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a propulsion device, a steering handle, a shaft, a mounting mechanism, a cable, and a cable support. In the outboard motor of this embodiment, the propulsion system is a device that generates the propulsion force of the ship. The propulsion system has a propeller and a motor that rotates the propeller.

[0014] The steering wheel is a wheel for changing the direction of the propulsion device in the left - right direction, and is, for example, a bar - shaped wheel. When the direction of the propulsion device in the left - right direction changes, the direction of the propeller in the left - right direction also changes. The operator can steer the ship by operating the steering wheel.

[0015] The shaft part is formed in a cylindrical shape and extends in the vertical direction. Also, a propulsion device is fixed to the lower - end side part of the shaft part, and a steering wheel is fixed to the upper - end side part of the shaft part.

[0016] The mounting mechanism is a mechanism for mounting the shaft part to the ship so that it can rotate about the axis of the shaft part. Since the shaft part is rotatably mounted to the ship by the mounting mechanism, the propulsion device and the steering wheel fixed to the shaft part are rotatably supported by the ship. When the operator rotates the steering wheel in the left - right direction, the shaft part rotates about the axis, and the propulsion device integrated with the shaft part rotates in the left - right direction.

[0017] The cable is an electric cable for sending electric power or an electric signal for driving a motor to the propulsion device. The lower part of the cable passes through the shaft part. Also, the lower - end part of the cable is fixed to the propulsion device. Also, the upper part of the cable is drawn out of the shaft part from the upper opening of the shaft part. In the cable, the end part on the side drawn out of the shaft part from the upper opening of the shaft part is connected to, for example, a battery provided on the ship or a control device provided on the ship.

[0018] The cable support part is a member or mechanism that supports a part of the cable drawn out of the shaft part from the upper opening of the shaft part, a part of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft part, or a part of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft part so as not to be rotatable in the left - right direction with respect to the mounting mechanism.

[0019] The outboard motor of this embodiment includes the following three aspects. [1] A configuration in which a portion of the cable that is pulled out of the shaft from the upper opening of the shaft is supported by the cable support portion so that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism. [2] A configuration in which the cable support portion supports the portion of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft portion so that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism. [3] A configuration in which the cable support portion supports the portion of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft portion so that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism. The embodiment described in [2] above is a subordinate embodiment of the embodiment described in [1] above, and is included in the embodiment described in [1] above.

[0020] In the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion supports a portion of the cable that extends outside the shaft from the upper opening of the shaft, excluding the portion located above the upper opening of the shaft, in such a manner that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism (this is the embodiment of [1] above excluding the embodiment of [2] above), the outboard motor of this embodiment will have the following effects.

[0021] The lower part of the cable passes through the shaft and extends vertically. The lower end of the cable is fixed to the propulsion device. The upper part of the cable is pulled out from the upper opening of the shaft. Of the portion of the cable that is pulled out from the upper opening of the shaft, a portion other than the part located above the upper opening of the shaft is supported by a cable support so as to be unable to rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism. In this configuration, when the operator turns the steering wheel left or right, causing the propulsion device to rotate left or right together with the shaft, the portion of the cable passing through the shaft is displaced so as to twist approximately around the axis of the shaft. At the same time, the portion of the cable from the part supported by the cable support to the part located at the upper opening of the shaft is displaced laterally. However, even when the shaft and propulsion device rotate left or right due to the operator turning the steering wheel left or right, the portion of the cable from the end connected to a battery or control device installed on the ship to the portion supported by the cable support does not displace.

[0022] Thus, in the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion is used to support a portion of the cable that extends outside the shaft from the upper opening of the shaft, excluding the portion located above the upper opening of the shaft, in such a manner that it cannot rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism, then when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the ship, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cable connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device. Specifically, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the ship, the portion of the cable connected to the propulsion device from the end connected to a battery or control device provided on the ship to the portion supported by the cable support portion can be prevented from displacing in conjunction with the propulsion device. Therefore, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the ship, it is possible to suppress the cable connected to the propulsion device from hitting an object provided on the ship or the hull.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the lower part of the cable passes inside the shaft and the upper part of the cable is pulled out from the upper opening of the shaft, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the ship in conjunction with the shaft, the lower part of the cable is displaced in a twisting manner, roughly around the axis of the shaft. As a result, the amount of displacement of the portion of the cable from the part supported by the cable support to the portion located at the upper opening of the shaft can be reduced. Therefore, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the ship and the portion of the cable from the part supported by the cable support to the portion located at the upper opening of the shaft is displaced, the force applied from the cable to the cable support can be reduced. Consequently, even if the strength with which the cable is supported by the cable support is reduced, it is still possible to adequately support the cable with the cable support, thus simplifying the structure of the cable support.

[0024] Furthermore, in the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion is used to support the portion of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft portion so that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism, the outboard motor of this embodiment will have the following effects.

[0025] The lower part of the cable passes through the shaft and extends vertically. The lower end of the cable is fixed to the propulsion device. The upper part of the cable is pulled out of the shaft through an opening on the upper side of the shaft. The portion of the cable located above the opening on the upper side of the shaft is supported by a cable support so as not to rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism. In this configuration, when the operator rotates the steering wheel left or right, causing the propulsion device to rotate left or right together with the shaft, the portion of the cable from above the opening on the upper side of the shaft to the lower end is displaced in a twisting manner, roughly around the axis of the shaft. However, even when the shaft and propulsion device rotate left or right due to the operator rotating the steering wheel left or right, the portion of the cable from the end connected to a battery or control device installed on the ship to the portion located above the opening on the upper side of the shaft does not displace.

[0026] Thus, in the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion is used to support the portion of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft so that it cannot rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cable connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel. Specifically, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel, the portion of the cable connected to the propulsion device from the end connected to a battery or control device provided on the vessel to the portion located above the upper opening of the shaft can be prevented from being displaced in conjunction with the propulsion device. Therefore, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel, it is possible to prevent the cable connected to the propulsion device from hitting an object provided on the vessel or the hull.

[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the propulsion device rotates in the left-right direction, the portion of the cable that is displaced is the portion from above the upper opening of the shaft to the lower end. When the propulsion device rotates in the left-right direction, this portion is displaced in a twisting manner, roughly around the axis of the shaft. Therefore, it is sufficient to secure space above the upper opening of the shaft and space within the shaft to accommodate the cable displacement accompanying the rotation of the propulsion device. Thus, the space required to accommodate the cable displacement accompanying the rotation of the propulsion device can be reduced. As a result, a compact outboard motor can be realized.

[0028] In the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion is used to support the portion of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft so that it cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism, the outboard motor of this embodiment will have the following effects.

[0029] The lower part of the cable passes through the shaft and extends vertically. The lower end of the cable is fixed to the propulsion device. The upper part of the cable is pulled out of the shaft through an opening on the upper side of the shaft. The portion of the cable located inside the opening on the upper side of the shaft is supported by a cable support so as not to rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism. In this configuration, when the operator rotates the steering wheel left or right, causing the propulsion device to rotate left or right together with the shaft, the portion of the cable from the part inside the opening on the upper side of the shaft to the lower end is displaced in a twisting manner, roughly around the axis of the shaft. However, even when the shaft and propulsion device rotate left or right due to the operator rotating the steering wheel left or right, the portion of the cable from the end connected to a battery or control device installed on the ship to the portion located inside the opening on the upper side of the shaft does not displace.

[0030] Thus, in the outboard motor of this embodiment, if the cable support portion is used to support the portion of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft so that it cannot rotate laterally relative to the mounting mechanism, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cable connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel. Specifically, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel, the portion of the cable connected to the propulsion device from the end connected to a battery or control device provided on the vessel to the portion located inside the upper opening of the shaft can be prevented from being displaced in conjunction with the propulsion device. Therefore, when the propulsion device rotates laterally relative to the vessel, it is possible to prevent the cable connected to the propulsion device from hitting an object provided on the vessel or the hull.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the propulsion device rotates in the left-right direction, the portion of the cable that is displaced is the portion located inside the upper opening of the shaft and extending to the lower end. When the propulsion device rotates in the left-right direction, this portion is displaced in a twisting manner, roughly around the axis of the shaft. Therefore, it is sufficient to secure space within the shaft to accommodate the displacement of the cable accompanying the rotation of the propulsion device. Consequently, the space required to accommodate the displacement of the cable accompanying the rotation of the propulsion device can be reduced. Thus, a compact outboard motor can be realized. [Examples]

[0032] Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the embodiments, when referring to the directions up (Ud), down (Dd), front (Fd), back (Bd), left (Ld), and right (Rd), for the sake of explanation, we will follow the arrows drawn in the lower left of each figure.

[0033] (Basic configuration of an outboard motor) Figure 1 shows an outboard motor 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention viewed from the left. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the outboard motor 1, cut in half along the axis K of the shaft portion 21, viewed from the left. Figure 3 shows the portion of the outboard motor 1 that rotates in the left-right direction relative to the vessel. Figure 4 shows a magnified view of the upper part of the outboard motor 1 in Figure 2.

[0034] The outboard motor 1 is a device that propels a ship and is attached to the ship. As shown in Figure 1, the outboard motor 1 comprises a propulsion device 2 that generates thrust for the ship, a steering handle 15 for steering the ship, a shaft 21 that connects the propulsion device 2 and the steering handle 15 to each other, and a mounting mechanism 25 that attaches the propulsion device 2, the steering handle 15, and the shaft 21 to the ship.

[0035] The propulsion system 2 is located below the outboard motor 1. When the outboard motor 1 is mounted on the vessel, the propulsion system 2 is located below the waterline. As shown in Figure 2, the propulsion system 2 includes a propeller 3, a motor (electric motor) 4 that rotates the propeller 3, an inverter 6 that controls the drive of the motor 4, a propeller shaft 7 that supports the propeller 3, a reduction gear 8 that reduces the rotation of the output shaft 5 of the motor 4 and transmits it to the propeller shaft 7, and a lower case 9 that houses the motor 4, inverter 6, reduction gear 8, etc. The inverter 6 is located at the front of the lower case 9. The inverter 6 is also located below the shaft portion 21. The motor 4 is located behind the inverter 6, and the reduction gear 8 is located behind the motor 4. The output shaft 5 of the motor 4 extends in the longitudinal direction, and the rear end portion of the output shaft 5 is connected to the reduction gear 8. The propeller shaft 7 extends in the longitudinal direction, and the front end portion of the propeller shaft 7 is connected to the reduction gear 8, with the propeller 3 attached to the rear of the propeller shaft 7. Furthermore, a middle case 11 is provided above the lower case 9. The middle case 11 is fixed to the lower case 9.

[0036] The steering handle 15 is a bar handle and extends in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the steering handle 15 is connected to the upper end of the shaft 21 via a handle connecting member 16 and a handle bracket 18. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the shaft 21 is inserted into a mounting hole 17 provided at the rear of the handle connecting member 16. The handle connecting member 16 is non-rotatably coupled to the shaft 21, for example, via a key or spline. A handle bracket 18 is attached to the front end of the handle connecting member 16. The rear end of the steering handle 15 is attached to the handle bracket 18. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 1, a grip 19 is provided at the front end of the steering handle 15. The grip 19 is rotatably attached to the steering handle 15 in the direction indicated by arrow F in Figure 1. By gripping the grip 19 and moving the steering handle 15 to the left or right, the operator can change the left-right direction of the propulsion system 2, thereby changing the left-right direction of the propeller 3 and steering the ship. Furthermore, the operator can change the rotation speed of the motor 4 by rotating the grip 19 in the direction of arrow F, thereby changing the rotation speed of the propeller 3 and thus the speed of the vessel.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the shaft portion 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape and extends in the vertical direction. As described above, a steering handle 15 is connected to the upper end portion of the shaft portion 21. The steering handle 15 is fixed to the shaft portion 21 and cannot rotate relative to the shaft portion 21. A propulsion device 2 is connected to the lower end portion of the shaft portion 21. The propulsion device 2 is fixed to the shaft portion 21 and cannot rotate relative to the shaft portion 21. Specifically, the lower part of the shaft portion 21 passes through the middle case 11. The lower end portion of the shaft portion 21 is inserted into a mounting hole 10 provided in the lower case 9 and fixed to the lower case 9.

[0038] The mounting mechanism 25 is a mechanism for mounting the shaft portion 21 to the ship so that it can rotate around the axis K of the shaft portion 21. By mounting the shaft portion 21 to the ship so that it can rotate, the propulsion device 2 and steering handle 15 fixed to the shaft portion 21 are rotatably supported on the ship. As shown in Figure 1, the mounting mechanism 25 includes a clamp bracket 26 for attaching and fixing the shaft portion 21 to the transom of the ship, a swivel bracket 27 for supporting the shaft portion 21 so that it can rotate around the axis K of the shaft portion 21 relative to the ship, and a tilt shaft 30 that connects the clamp bracket 26 and the swivel bracket 27 to each other. The swivel bracket 27 has a front bracket portion 28 and a rear bracket portion 29. The swivel bracket 27 is formed by connecting the front bracket portion 28 and the rear bracket portion 29 to each other with a connecting member such as a bolt. As shown in Figure 2, the shaft portion 21 is sandwiched between the front bracket portion 28 and the rear bracket portion 29.

[0039] Furthermore, the shaft portion 21 is supported by the swivel bracket 27 via two mounts 31 and 32. One mount 31 is positioned on the upper part of the shaft portion 21, and the other mount 32 is positioned in the middle or lower part of the shaft portion 21 in the vertical direction. Each mount 31 and 32 has an elastic support portion that elastically supports the shaft portion 21. The elastic support portion suppresses vibrations transmitted from the shaft portion 21 to the ship. The elastic support portion is not rotatable relative to the swivel bracket 27, while the shaft portion 21 is rotatable relative to the elastic support portion.

[0040] Furthermore, the outboard motor 1 is equipped with an upper case 35. The upper case 35 is fixed to the mounting mechanism 25 and covers the upper end portion of the shaft 21. As shown in Figure 4, the upper case 35 has a case body 36, a top cover 40 that covers the case body 36 from above, and a rear cover 41 that covers the case body 36 from behind.

[0041] The case body 36 is formed in a box shape with an open top. The lower wall at the rear of the case body 36 is lower than the lower wall at the front of the case body 36. A shaft insertion portion 37 is provided in the lower wall at the front of the case body 36. The shaft insertion portion 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21 is rotatably inserted into the inside of the shaft insertion portion 37 relative to the case body 36. A sealing member 38 is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21 and the shaft insertion portion 37 to provide a liquid-tight seal between them.

[0042] The top cover 40 is attached to the case body 36 so as to liquid-tightly seal the upper opening of the case body 36. A monitor 44 is also provided at the front of the top cover 40. The monitor 44 displays information regarding the status or operation of the outboard motor 1, such as the rotational speed of the motor 4.

[0043] The rear cover 41 has the function of protecting the case body 36 from the rear, as well as the function of fixing the case body 36 to the mounting mechanism 25 (specifically, the swivel bracket 27). The lower part of the rear cover 41 is provided with a connecting part 42 that connects the rear cover 41 to the upper part of the rear bracket portion 29 of the swivel bracket 27. The connecting part 42 is connected to the upper part of the rear bracket portion 29 using a connecting member such as a bolt. In addition, the upper part of the rear cover 41 is provided with a connecting part 43 that connects the case body 36 to the rear cover 41. The rear part of the case body 36 is connected to the connecting part 43 using a connecting member such as a bolt. In this way, the case body 36 is fixed to the swivel bracket 27 via the rear cover 41. The rear cover 41 has sufficient strength to firmly support the case body 36, top cover 40, monitor 44, etc., to the swivel bracket 27.

[0044] (Configuration related to cable wiring) Figure 5 shows a top view of the cross-section of the outboard motor 1 cut along the cutting line AA in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a top view of the outboard motor 1 with the top cover 40 of the upper case 35 removed. Figure 7(A) shows a front view (left in Figure 6) of the outboard motor 1 cut along the cutting line BB in Figure 6. Figure 7(B) shows a left view (bottom in Figure 6) of the cross-section of the busbar 75, etc., cut along the cutting line CC in Figure 6.

[0045] As shown in Figures 4-6, 7(A), and 7(B), the outboard motor 1 has two external power cables 61 and 63, two internal power cables 62 and 64, two terminal connection members 69 (only one is shown in Figure 7(B)), and two busbars 75 and 76 as components for supplying power to the propulsion system 2. The outboard motor 1 also has an external signal cable 85 and an internal signal cable 86 as components for transmitting electrical signals to the propulsion system 2. Note that the external power cables 61 and 63 are specific examples of the "first cable section", the internal power cables 62 and 64 are specific examples of the "second cable section", and the busbars 75 and 76 are specific examples of the "cable support section".

[0046] The two external power cables 61 and 63 and the two internal power cables 62 and 64 are electrical cables that supply power to drive the motor 4 of the propulsion system 2 from, for example, a battery installed on the vessel to which the outboard motor 1 is attached. Specifically, of the two external power cables 61 and 63 and the two internal power cables 62 and 64, the external power cable 61 and the internal power cable 62 are electrical cables that connect, for example, the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion system 2. The external power cable 63 and the internal power cable 64 are electrical cables that connect, for example, the negative terminal of the battery to the negative terminal (or ground terminal) of the inverter 6. Furthermore, the external power cables 61 and 63 and the internal power cables 62 and 64 are all single-core cables, having a core wire made of a conductive material and a sheath made of an insulating material that covers the outer circumference of the core wire.

[0047] From an electrical standpoint, when supplying power from the battery to the inverter 6, one cable is sufficient to connect the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of the inverter 6, and one cable is sufficient to connect the negative terminal of the battery to the negative terminal of the inverter 6. However, in this embodiment, the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of the inverter 6 is divided into an external power cable 61 and an internal power cable 62, and the cable connecting the negative terminal of the battery to the negative terminal of the inverter 6 is divided into an external power cable 63 and an internal power cable 64. From an electrical standpoint, the external power cable 61 and the internal power cable 62 are connected in series between the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6, and the external power cable 63 and the internal power cable 64 are connected in series between the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the inverter 6.

[0048] The front end of the external power cable 61 is connected to the positive terminal of a battery provided on the vessel to which the outboard motor 1 is attached. The external power cable 61 extends rearward from the vessel toward the outboard motor 1, passing, for example, above the transom to reach the outboard motor 1. Furthermore, in the outboard motor 1, as shown in Figure 4, the external power cable 61 extends rearward through a portion above the swivel bracket 27 and below the steering handle 15, and then extends rearward to the right of the shaft portion 21 and away from the shaft portion 21, as shown in Figure 5, and then reaches the lower right rear portion of the case body 36 of the upper case 35, as shown in Figure 4. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a terminal 65 made of a conductive material such as metal is attached to the rear end of the external power cable 61. The terminal 65 is electrically connected to the core wire of the external power cable 61. Also, as shown in Figure 7(B), a connecting member insertion portion 39 is provided on the lower wall of the right rear portion of the case body 36. The connecting member insertion portion 39 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a terminal connecting member 69 is inserted inside the connecting member insertion portion 39. The terminal connecting member 69 is a cylindrical member made of a conductive material such as metal. A sealing member 70 is provided between the terminal connecting member 69 and the connecting member insertion portion 39 to create a liquid-tight seal between them. The terminal 65 is connected to the lower end of the terminal connecting member 69. As a result, the core wire of the external power cable 61 is electrically connected to the terminal connecting member 69.

[0049] Furthermore, the front end of the external power cable 63 is connected to the negative terminal of a battery provided on the vessel to which the outboard motor 1 is attached. Like the external power cable 61, the external power cable 63 extends rearward from the vessel to the outboard motor 1. In addition, the external power cable 63 extends rearward through the part of the outboard motor 1 that is above the swivel bracket 27 and below the steering handle 15, and then extends rearward through a position to the left of the shaft portion 21 and away from the shaft portion 21, as shown in Figure 5, and then reaches the lower left part of the rear of the case body 36 of the upper case 35. A terminal 66 made of a conductive material such as metal is attached to the rear end of the external power cable 63. The terminal 66 is electrically connected to the core wire of the external power cable 63. Although not shown in the diagram, the lower left rear wall of the case body 36 is provided with a connecting member insertion section similar to the connecting member insertion section 39 provided on the right rear rear of the case body 36, and a terminal connecting member similar to the terminal connecting member 69 is inserted inside this connecting member insertion section. The terminal 66 is connected to the lower end of the terminal connecting member. As a result, the core wire of the external power cable 63 is electrically connected to the terminal connecting member.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outboard motor 1 is provided with a cable cover 71 that covers the portions of the external power cables 61 and 63 located above the swivel bracket 27 and below the steering handle 15, and the portions located to the side of the shaft 21. A cable holding member 72 is provided at the front end of the cable cover 71 to hold the external power cables 61 and 63 to the front end of the cable cover 71. The outboard motor 1 is also provided with a terminal cover 73 that covers the terminals 65 of the external power cable 61 and 66 of the external power cable 63, which are connected to the lower ends of two terminal connecting members 69, respectively. The terminal cover 73 is attached to the lower surface of the rear lower wall of the case body 36 using fixing members such as bolts. In addition, to prevent each terminal 65, 66 and each terminal connecting member 69 from coming into contact with water, the terminal cover 73 is attached to the lower surface of the rear lower wall of the case body 36 via a sealing member, and covers each terminal 65, 66 and each terminal connecting member 69 in a liquid-tight manner.

[0051] As shown in Figure 6, two busbars 75 and 76 are provided inside the case body 36. One busbar 75 is located on the right side of the case body 36, and the other busbar 76 is located on the left side of the case body 36. Each busbar 75 and 76 is made of a conductive material such as metal. For example, each busbar 75 and 76 is formed by cutting a copper plate with a thickness of approximately 1 mm to 5 mm into a predetermined shape and then bending it. As shown in Figure 8, the busbar 75 has an L-shaped form in side view, having a plate portion 77 that extends in the vertical direction and a plate portion 78 that extends in the front-rear direction. A first connecting portion 79 is provided at the rear end of the busbar 75. The first connecting portion 79 extends rearward from the lower end of the plate portion 77. A second connecting portion 80 is provided at the front end of the busbar 75. The second connecting portion 80 extends upward from the left end of the front of the plate portion 78. Furthermore, the second connecting portion 80 has a connecting surface 81 parallel to the axis K of the shaft portion 21. In addition, a fixing portion 82 is provided at the front end of the bus bar 75 for fixing the bus bar 75 to the case body 36. The fixing portion 82 is located at the right front corner of the plate portion 78. The bus bar 76 has a shape symmetrical to the bus bar 75 and is formed in the same way as the bus bar 75.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the busbar 75 is positioned on the right side of the case body 36 such that its second connecting portion 80 is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. The fixing portion 82 of the busbar 75 is fixed to the front right side of the case body 36 using a fixing member such as a bolt, as shown in Figures 6 and 7(A). Furthermore, the busbar 76 is positioned on the left side of the case body 36 such that its second connecting portion 80 is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. The fixing portion 82 of the busbar 76 is fixed to the front left side of the case body 36 using a fixing member such as a bolt.

[0053] Furthermore, the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 75 is located in the lower right rear of the case body 36, as shown in Figure 4. The first connection portion 79 of the busbar 75 is connected to the upper end of a terminal connection member 69 located in the lower right rear of the case body 36, as shown in Figure 7(B). This electrically connects the core wire of the external power cable 61 to the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 75. The first connection portion 79 of the busbar 75 is also fixed to a connection member insertion portion 39 provided on the right rear of the case body 36. Furthermore, the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 76 is located in the lower left rear of the case body 36. The first connection portion 79 of the busbar 76 is connected to the upper end of a terminal connection member located in the lower left rear of the case body 36. This electrically connects the core wire of the external power cable 63 to the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 76. The first connection portion 79 of the busbar 76 is also fixed to a connection member insertion portion provided on the left rear of the case body 36.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the internal power cable 62 is inserted into the shaft portion 21. The internal power cable 62 passes through the shaft portion 21. The lower end of the internal power cable 62 is connected to and fixed to the positive terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2. The upper end of the internal power cable 62 is pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22, as shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7(A). A terminal 67 made of a conductive material such as metal is attached to the upper end of the internal power cable 62. The terminal 67 is electrically connected to the core wire of the internal power cable 62. The terminal 67 is also connected to the connection surface 81 of the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75, which is located in the right part of the case body 36. As a result, the core wire of the internal power cable 62 is electrically connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75, and consequently, the core wire of the internal power cable 62 is electrically connected to the core wire of the external power cable 61 via the busbar 75 and the terminal connection member 69 located in the lower right part of the case body 36. Furthermore, the terminal 67 to which the internal power cable 62 is connected is connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75, so that the portion of the internal power cable 62 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21, i.e., the upper end of the internal power cable 62, is fixed to the case body 36 by the busbar 75. As a result, the portion of the internal power cable 62 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 is supported in such a way that it cannot rotate left or right relative to the mounting mechanism 25.

[0055] The internal power cable 64 is inserted into the shaft portion 21 and passes through the shaft portion 21. The lower end of the internal power cable 64 is connected to and fixed to the negative terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2. The upper end of the internal power cable 64 is pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. A terminal 68 made of a conductive material such as metal is attached to the upper end of the internal power cable 64. The terminal 68 is electrically connected to the core wire of the internal power cable 64. The terminal 68 is also connected to the connection surface of the second connection portion 80 of the bus bar 76 located on the left side inside the case body 36. As a result, the core wire of the internal power cable 64 is electrically connected to the second connection portion 80 of the bus bar 76, and consequently, the core wire of the internal power cable 64 is electrically connected to the core wire of the external power cable 63 via the bus bar 76 and the terminal connection member located on the lower left side of the case body 36. Furthermore, the terminal 68 to which the internal power cable 64 is connected is connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 76, so that the portion of the internal power cable 64 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21, i.e., the upper end of the internal power cable 64, is fixed to the case body 36 by the busbar 76. As a result, the portion of the internal power cable 64 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 is supported so that it cannot rotate left or right relative to the mounting mechanism 25.

[0056] The external signal cable 85 and the internal signal cable 86 are electrical cables for transmitting electrical signals to the propulsion device 2 to drive the motor 4 of the propulsion device 2. For example, the external signal cable 85 and the internal signal cable 86 are electrical cables that transmit control signals from the steering handle 15 to the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2 to control the rotation speed of the motor 4 of the propulsion device 2 in accordance with the amount of operation (rotation) of the grip 19 of the steering handle 15.

[0057] The steering wheel 15 is equipped with a sensor that detects the amount of movement of the grip 19, and the front end of the external signal cable 85 is connected to this sensor. The external signal cable 85 extends rearward from the sensor, passes through the inside of the steering wheel 15, the handle bracket 18, and the handle connecting member 16, and as shown in Figure 4, is pulled out from the rear end of the handle connecting member 16 into the inside of the rear cover 41 of the upper case 35. Subsequently, the external signal cable 85 extends upward from the rear of the case body 36, passes over the top cover 40, and then enters the top cover 40. The rear end of the external signal cable 85 is then connected to the rear of the monitor 44.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4, the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 is connected to the rear of the monitor 44. The control signal transmitted from the sensor provided on the steering wheel 15 via the external signal cable 85 is transmitted to the internal signal cable 86 via the electrical circuit in the monitor 44. The internal signal cable 86 extends downward and rearward from the rear of the monitor 44 and enters the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. Subsequently, the internal signal cable 86 extends downward within the shaft portion 21, passes through the shaft portion 21, and reaches the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2. The lower end of the internal signal cable 86 is then connected, for example, to the control terminal of the inverter 6.

[0059] Thus, in the outboard motor 1, the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 pass through the shaft 21. The internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 are also routed out of the shaft 21 through the upper opening 22. The upper end of the internal power cable 62 is fixed to the second connection 80 of the busbar 75 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21, the upper end of the internal power cable 64 is fixed to the second connection 80 of the busbar 76 located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21, and the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 is fixed to the rear of the monitor 44 located above and in front of the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21, near the opening 22. On the other hand, the lower end of the internal power cable 62 is fixed to the positive terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2, the lower end of the internal power cable 64 is fixed to the negative terminal of the inverter 6, and the lower end of the internal signal cable 86 is fixed to the control terminal of the inverter 6. Therefore, when the steering handle 15 is operated and rotates to the left, causing the shaft 21 and propulsion device 2 to rotate to the left, the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cable 86 are displaced within the shaft 21 such that, when viewed from above, they twist to the left about the axis K of the shaft 21. Also, when the steering handle 15 is operated and rotates to the right, causing the shaft 21 and propulsion device 2 to rotate to the right, the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cable 86 are displaced within the shaft 21 such that, when viewed from above, they twist to the right about the axis K of the shaft 21.

[0060] Considering that the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 will twist within the shaft 21 due to the rotation of the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2, it is preferable that each of the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 has sufficient strength to withstand repeated twisting. It is also preferable that the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 be inserted into the shaft 21 with a moderate amount of slack so that they can easily twist within the shaft 21. Furthermore, it is preferable that the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 be made of a material with moderate flexibility so that they can easily twist within the shaft 21. Additionally, when the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 are displaced within the shaft 21, the internal power cables 62, 64 or internal signal cables 86 may come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the shaft 21. Considering this, it is preferable to set the surface roughness of the inner circumferential surface of the shaft portion 21 to such an extent that even if the internal power cables 62, 64 or the internal signal cables 86 come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the shaft portion 21, there will be almost no wear on the insulation of the internal power cables 62, 64 or the internal signal cables 86. Also, when the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cables 86 are displaced within the shaft portion 21, they may come into contact with each other. Considering this, it is preferable to set the strength of the insulation of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cables 86 so that even if these cables come into contact with each other, there will be almost no wear on the insulation of the cables (protective members may be provided for each cable). Furthermore, in order to prevent the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cables 86 from twisting excessively, the rotation angle of the steering handle 15 may be limited to, for example, about 90 degrees to the left and right.

[0061] On the other hand, the external power cables 61 and 63 are located outside the shaft 21, with the rear end of the external power cable 61 fixed to the first connection part 79 of the busbar 75, and the rear end of the external power cable 63 fixed to the first connection part 79 of the busbar 76. Therefore, even if the steering handle 15 is operated and the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate to the left or right, neither the external power cable 61 nor the external power cable 63 is displaced. However, when the steering handle 15 is operated, the external signal cable 85 is displaced.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a lower bush 90 is provided at the lower end of the shaft portion 21. The lower bush 90 is inserted into the lower end of the shaft portion 21 and is fixed to the lower end of the shaft portion 21 so as not to rotate relative to the shaft portion 21. Figure 9(A) shows the lower bush 90. As shown in Figure 9(A), the lower bush 90 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The lower bush 90 is also provided with three cable insertion holes 91, 92, and 93. The lower end of the internal power cable 62 is inserted into cable insertion hole 91, the lower end of the internal power cable 64 is inserted into cable insertion hole 92, and the lower end of the internal signal cable 86 is inserted into cable insertion hole 93. The cable insertion holes 91, 92, and 93 are each positioned at a distance from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft portion 21. Therefore, within the lower end of the shaft portion 21, the lower ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 are positioned so as to be separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft portion 21. Since the lower bush 90 is fixed to the shaft portion 21 so as not to rotate, when the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2 are rotated left or right by the operation of the steering handle 15, the lower bush 90 rotates together with the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2. By providing the lower bush 90 at the lower end of the shaft portion 21, when the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 twist within the shaft portion 21 due to the rotation of the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2, displacement of the lower ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 relative to the propulsion device 2 can be suppressed. This reduces the force applied from the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 to the terminals of the inverter 6 when they twist within the shaft 21 due to the rotation of the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2. Furthermore, the lower bush 90 positions the lower ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 so that they are separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft 21. This makes the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 more prone to twisting when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 are rotated left or right by the operation of the steering handle 15. The lower bush 90 is a specific example of a "cable positioning member".

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, an upper bush 95 is provided at the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21. Figure 9(B) shows the upper bush 95. As shown in Figure 9(B), the upper bush 95 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The upper bush 95 also has a pair of left and right fixing parts 96. As shown in Figure 7(A), the upper bush 95 is rotatably inserted into the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21 relative to the shaft portion 21. Each fixing part 96 of the upper bush 95 is fixed to the left front and right front of the case body 36 using fixing members such as bolts (fastened together with the busbars 75 and 76). In this way, the upper bush 95 is fixed to the case body 36. The internal power cables 62 and 64 and the internal signal cable 86 pass inside the upper bush 95. The upper bush 95 prevents the upper end of the internal power cable 62, the upper end of the external power cable 63, or the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 from contacting the inner circumferential surface of the uppermost end of the shaft 21 when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 are rotated left or right by the operation of the steering handle 15. This prevents the upper end of the internal power cable 62, the upper end of the external power cable 63, or the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 from contacting the inner circumferential surface of the uppermost end of the shaft 21 when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 are rotated left or right by the operation of the steering handle 15, and prevents the upper end of the internal power cable 62, the upper end of the external power cable 63, or the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 from contacting the inner circumferential surface of the uppermost end of the shaft 21, and prevents a large force from being applied to the second connection part 80 of the busbar 75, the second connection part 80 of the busbar 76, or the rear of the monitor 44 by friction between the two.

[0064] Alternatively, instead of the upper bush 95 shown in Figure 9(B), an upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C) may be provided at the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21. The upper bush 95 shown in Figure 9(B) has a structure into which the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 are inserted together into a single hole in its center, and the diameter of this hole is large. Therefore, the upper bush 95 cannot precisely position the upper ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86. In contrast, the upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C) has the function of precisely positioning the upper ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86. That is, the upper bush 100 is provided with three cable insertion holes 101, 102, and 103. The upper ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86 can be inserted individually into these three cable insertion holes 101, 102, and 103, respectively. The cable insertion holes 101, 102, and 103 are each positioned apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft portion 21. Therefore, the upper bush 100 can position the upper ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and the internal signal cable 86, respectively, inside the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21, so as to be separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft portion 21. The upper bush 100 is also fixed to the case body 36 via a pair of left and right fixing parts 104, similar to the upper bush 95. As a result, even when the steering handle 15 is operated and the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate in the left and right directions, the upper bush 100 does not rotate. By providing the upper bush 100 at the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21, when the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cable 86 twist within the shaft portion 21 due to the rotation of the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the upper end of the internal power cable 62 relative to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75, the upper end of the internal power cable 64 relative to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 76, and the upper end of the internal signal cable 86 relative to the monitor 44.This reduces the force applied from the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 to the second connection points 80 of the busbars 75, 76 and the rear of the monitor 44 when the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 twist within the shaft 21 as the shaft 21 and propulsion device 2 rotate. Furthermore, the upper bush 100 positions the upper ends of the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 so that they are separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis K of the shaft 21. This makes the internal power cables 62, 64 and internal signal cables 86 more prone to twisting when the shaft 21 and propulsion device 2 rotate left or right due to the operation of the steering handle 15. The upper bush 100 is a specific example of a "cable positioning member".

[0065] As described above, in the outboard motor 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the busbar 75 is fixed to the case body 36 of the upper case 35 such that its second connection portion 80 is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. The cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2 is divided into an external power cable 61 and an internal power cable 62. The external power cable 61 is located outside the shaft portion 21, and the rear end of the external power cable 61 is connected to the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 75. The internal power cable 62 passes inside the shaft portion 21, and the lower end of the internal power cable 62 is fixed to the positive terminal of the inverter 6. The upper end of the internal power cable 62 is pulled out from the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 and connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75. Furthermore, the busbar 76 is fixed to the case body 36 of the upper case 35 such that its second connection portion 80 is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. The cable connecting the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the inverter 6 of the propulsion device 2 is divided into an external power cable 63 and an internal power cable 64. The external power cable 63 is located outside the shaft portion 21, and its rear end is connected to the first connection portion 79 of the busbar 76. The internal power cable 64 passes inside the shaft portion 21, and its lower end is fixed to the negative terminal of the inverter 6. The upper end of the internal power cable 64 is pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22 and connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 76. In this configuration, when the shaft portion 21 and the propulsion device 2 are rotated left or right by the operation of the steering handle 15, the internal power cables 62 and 64 are displaced inside the shaft portion 21 so as to twist approximately around the axis K of the shaft portion 21. On the other hand, even if the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate left or right due to the operation of the steering handle 15, neither the external power cables 61 nor 63 are displaced. Since neither the external power cables 61 nor 63 are displaced even when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate left or right, the rotation of the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 will cause either the external power cable 61 or the external power cable 63 to strike any object on the ship or the hull.Furthermore, when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 rotate in the left-right direction, the internal power cables 62 and 64 are only displaced in a twisting manner within the shaft 21. Therefore, the rotation of the shaft 21 and the propulsion device 2 does not cause the internal power cable 62 or internal power cable 64 to strike any objects on the ship or the hull. Thus, according to the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, when the propulsion device 2 rotates in the left-right direction relative to the ship, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cables 61 to 64 connected to the propulsion device 2 in conjunction with the propulsion device 2. This prevents the cables 61 to 64 connected to the propulsion device 2 from striking any objects on the ship or the hull when the propulsion device 2 rotates in the left-right direction relative to the ship.

[0066] Furthermore, in the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, when the propulsion device 2 rotates in the left-right direction, the internal power cables 62 and 64 are displaced within the shaft 21 in a twisting manner about the axis K of the shaft 21, while the external power cables 61 and 63 do not displace. Therefore, in the outboard motor 1, it is sufficient to secure the space above the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21 and the space within the shaft 21 as space to accommodate the displacement of cables 61-64 due to the rotation of the propulsion device 2. Thus, the space required to accommodate the displacement of cables 61-64 due to the rotation of the propulsion device 2 can be reduced. As a result, a compact outboard motor 1 can be realized.

[0067] Furthermore, when supplying power from the battery to the inverter 6, electrically speaking, only one cable is needed to connect the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6. However, in the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the cable is divided into an external power cable 61 and an internal power cable 62. The external power cable 61 is routed outside the shaft portion 21 to extend in the front-rear direction, and the internal power cable 62 is routed inside the shaft portion 21 to extend in the up-down direction. The external power cable 61 and the internal power cable 62 are electrically connected via a busbar 75. This configuration reduces the space required for routing the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6.

[0068] To explain in more detail, the current required to drive the motor is large, and a large current flows through the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6. Therefore, this cable is thick and rigid. Consequently, when routing this cable, if the cable is bent to change its direction of extension by, for example, 90 degrees, the radius of curvature of the bent portion of the cable becomes large. As a result, if there is only one cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6, the space required to route the cable after bending it by 90 degrees becomes large. In contrast, in the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6 is divided into an external power cable 61 and an internal power cable 62, and the external power cable 61, which extends in the front-to-back direction, and the internal power cable 62, which extends in the up-and-down direction, are connected via a busbar 75. With this configuration, the extension direction of the internal power cable 64 can be changed by 90 degrees relative to the extension direction of the external power cable 61 without bending either the external power cable 61 or the internal power cable 64. Therefore, the space required for routing the external power cable 61 and the internal power cable 62 connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6, as well as for arranging the busbar 75, is smaller than the space required to route a single cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6, bending it by 90 degrees. Thus, with the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the space required for routing the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6 can be reduced.

[0069] Furthermore, in the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the cable connecting the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the inverter 6 is divided into an external power cable 63 and an internal power cable 64. The external power cable 63 is routed outside the shaft portion 21 so as to extend in the front-rear direction, and the internal power cable 64 is routed inside the shaft portion 21 so as to extend in the up-down direction. The external power cable 63 and the internal power cable 64 are electrically connected via a busbar 76. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the space required for routing the cable connecting the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the inverter 6.

[0070] Thus, with the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the space required for routing the cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery and the positive terminal of the inverter 6, and the space required for routing the cable connecting the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the inverter 6 can be reduced, thereby enabling the outboard motor 1 to be made smaller.

[0071] Furthermore, in the outboard motor 1 of this embodiment, the busbars 75 and 76 are arranged such that their second connection portions 80 are located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21. Each of the second connection portions 80 of the busbars 75 and 76 has a connection surface 81 parallel to the axis K of the shaft portion 21. The upper end of the internal power cable 62 is connected to the connection surface 81 of the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75, and the upper end of the internal power cable 64 is connected to the connection surface 81 of the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 76. With this configuration, the upper end of the internal power cable 62, which extends vertically, can be connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 75 with almost no bending, and the upper end of the internal power cable 64, which extends vertically, can be connected to the second connection portion 80 of the busbar 76 with almost no bending. Therefore, bending of the upper end portions of the internal power cables 62 and 64 within the shaft portion 21 can be suppressed, and strong contact between the upper end portion of the internal power cable 62 or 64 and the inner circumferential surface of the shaft portion 21 can be suppressed. [Examples]

[0072] Figure 10(A) shows a cross-section of the upper part of the outboard motor 121 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10(B) shows the outboard motor 121 with the top cover 123 removed, viewed from above. In the outboard motor 121 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the outboard motor 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and their descriptions are simplified or omitted.

[0073] As shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B), the outboard motor 121 is equipped with a power cable 125 that connects the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of the propulsion system inverter. The lower part of the power cable 125 extends vertically through the shaft 21, and the lower end of the power cable 125 is connected to and fixed to the positive terminal of the propulsion system inverter. The upper part of the power cable 125 is pulled out of the shaft 21 through an upper opening 22. The portion of the power cable 125 that is pulled out from the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21 is bent to form an arc with a central angle of 270 degrees, and then extends forward toward the vessel. The front end of the power cable 125 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery provided on the vessel to which the outboard motor 121 is attached. The outboard motor 121 is also equipped with a power cable 126 that connects the negative terminal of the battery to the negative terminal of the propulsion system inverter. As shown in Figure 10(B), the power cable 126 is routed in the same manner as the power cable 125. The lower end of the power cable 126 is connected to and fixed to the negative terminal of the propulsion system inverter. The front end of the power cable 126 is connected to the negative terminal of a battery provided on the vessel to which the outboard motor 121 is attached.

[0074] Furthermore, the outboard motor 121 is equipped with an upper bush 130 that supports the portion of the power cable 125 located from inside the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 to above the opening 22, and the portion of the power cable 126 located from inside the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 to above the opening 22, so as to prevent rotation in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism 25. The upper bush 130 is rotatably inserted into the uppermost end of the shaft portion 21. The upper bush 130 also has a pair of left and right fixing parts 134, similar to the upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C). As shown in Figure 10(B), the upper bush 130 is fixed to the case body 36 of the upper case 122 by fixing these fixing parts 134 to the right front and left front parts of the case body 36 of the upper case 122 using fixing members such as bolts. The upper bush 130 is also provided with cable insertion holes 131, 132, and 133. A power cable 125 is inserted into cable insertion hole 131, a power cable 126 is inserted into cable insertion hole 132, and an internal signal cable 86 is inserted into cable insertion hole 133. The upper bush 130 is larger in the vertical direction than the upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C), and is made of a material with higher strength than the upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C), so that it can firmly support the portion of the power cable 125 located from the inside of the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 to above the opening 22, and the portion of the power cable 126 located from the inside of the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 to above the opening 22, with respect to the mounting mechanism 25 in a way that prevents rotation. Furthermore, the upper bush 130, similar to the upper bush 100 shown in Figure 9(C), has the function of positioning the power cables 125, 126 and the internal signal cable 86 such that their respective upper ends are separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of the shaft portion 21. The upper bush 130 is a specific example of a "cable support portion" and a "cable positioning member".

[0075] In the outboard motor 121 of the second embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration, when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device are rotated left and right by operating the steering handle 15, the portion of the power cables 125 and 126 from the part located inside the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21 to the lower end is displaced in a twisting manner about the axis of the shaft 21. However, even when the shaft 21 and the propulsion device are rotated left and right by operating the steering handle 15, the portion of the power cables 125 and 126 from the front end connected to the battery provided on the ship to the portion located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21 is not displaced. Thus, according to the outboard motor 121 of the second embodiment of the present invention, when the propulsion device is rotated left and right relative to the ship, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the cables 125 and 126 connected to the propulsion device in conjunction with the propulsion device. Therefore, when the propulsion device is rotated left and right relative to the ship, it is possible to prevent the cables 125 and 126 connected to the propulsion device from hitting an object provided on the ship or the hull.

[0076] In the first embodiment described above, the external power cables 61 and 63 only need to be routed outside the shaft portion 21 so as not to be displaced by the rotation of the steering handle 15, the shaft portion 21, and the propulsion device 2. As long as they are routed in this manner, the specific routing path of the external power cables 61 and 63 is not limited. The same applies to the routing of the portions of the power cables 125 and 126 that are pulled out from the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 in the second embodiment described above.

[0077] Furthermore, in the outboard motor 1 of the first embodiment described above, busbars 75 (76) are used as cable support parts. However, instead of busbars 75 (76), other members that are conductive and have sufficient strength to support the rear end of the external power cable 61 (63) and the upper end of the internal power cable 62 (64) so ​​that they cannot rotate in the left-right direction relative to the case body 36 may be used.

[0078] Furthermore, the outboard motor 1 of the first embodiment described above has a configuration in which the busbar 75(76) is fixed to the case body 36 of the upper case 35 such that the second connection part 80 is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21, the cable that supplies power to drive the motor 4 to the propulsion device 2 is divided into an external power cable 61(63) and an internal power cable 62(64), the external power cable 61(63) is placed outside the shaft 21 and the rear end of the external power cable 61(63) is connected to the first connection part 79 of the busbar 75(76), the internal power cable 62(64) is inserted inside the shaft 21 and the lower end of the internal power cable 62(64) is fixed to the propulsion device 2, and the upper end of the internal power cable 62(64) is pulled out outside the shaft 21 through the upper opening 22 of the shaft 21 and connected to the second connection part 80 of the busbar 75(76). However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the busbar may be fixed to the case body 36 of the upper case 35 such that its second connection point is located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21, and the cable that transmits the control signal output from the remote control device for the outboard motor installed on the ship to the propulsion device 2 may be divided into an external remote control signal cable and an internal remote control signal cable, the external remote control signal cable may be placed outside the shaft portion 21, the rear end of the external remote control signal cable may be connected to the first connection point of the busbar, the internal remote control signal cable may be inserted into the shaft portion 21, the lower end of the internal remote control signal cable may be fixed to the propulsion device 2, and the upper end of the internal remote control signal cable may be pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 and connected to the second connection point of the busbar.

[0079] Furthermore, the outboard motor 121 of the second embodiment described above has a configuration in which the lower part of the power cable 125 (126) is inserted into the shaft portion 21, the lower end of the power cable 125 (126) is fixed to the propulsion device, the upper part of the power cable 125 (126) is pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21, the portion of the power cable 125 (126) pulled out from the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 is routed to extend forward toward the vessel, and the portion of the power cable 125 (126) located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 from the inside of the opening 22 is supported by the upper bush 130 so as to be unable to rotate in the left-right direction relative to the mounting mechanism 25. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the lower part of a remote control signal cable that transmits a control signal output from a remote control device for an outboard motor installed on a ship to the propulsion device 2 may be inserted into the shaft portion 21, the lower end of the remote control signal cable may be fixed to the propulsion device, the upper part of the remote control signal cable may be pulled out of the shaft portion 21 through the upper opening 22, the portion of the remote control signal cable pulled out from the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 may be routed to extend forward toward the ship, and the portion of the remote control signal cable located above the upper opening 22 of the shaft portion 21 from the inside of the opening 22 may be supported by the upper bush 130 so that it cannot rotate left or right relative to the mounting mechanism 25.

[0080] Furthermore, the present invention may be modified as appropriate, provided that it does not contradict the gist or idea of ​​the invention as can be read from the claims and the specification as a whole, and outboard motors with such modifications are also included in the technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 1,121 Outboard motor 2 Propulsion device 3 propellers 4 motors 15 Steering wheel 21 Shaft 22 Opening 25 Mounting mechanism 35, 122 Upper Case 61, 63 External power cable (first cable section) 62, 64 Internal power cable (second cable section) 75, 76 Busbar (cable support section) 79 First connection part 80 Second connection section 81 Connection surface 90 Lower bushing (cable positioning member) 100 Upper bushing (cable positioning member) 125, 126 Power Cables 130 Upper bushing (cable support part, cable positioning member)

Claims

1. An outboard motor used to propel a ship, A propulsion system having a propeller and a motor for rotating the propeller, A steering handle for changing the direction of the propulsion system in the left-right direction, A shaft portion formed in a cylindrical shape, extending vertically, with the propulsion device fixed to the lower end portion and the steering handle fixed to the upper end portion, A mounting mechanism for attaching the shaft portion to the ship so as to be rotatable about the axis of the shaft portion, A cable that passes through the shaft portion, has its lower end fixed to the propulsion device, and its upper end is pulled out of the shaft portion through an opening on the upper side of the shaft portion, and sends power or electrical signals to the propulsion device to drive the motor, An outboard motor characterized by comprising a cable support portion that supports a portion of the cable that is pulled out from the upper opening of the shaft portion to the outside of the shaft portion, a portion of the cable located above the upper opening of the shaft portion, or a portion of the cable located inside the upper opening of the shaft portion, so as to prevent rotation in the left-right direction with respect to the mounting mechanism.

2. It is fixed to the aforementioned mounting mechanism and includes an upper case that covers the upper end portion of the shaft, The outboard motor according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable support portion is fixed to the upper case.

3. It is fixed to the aforementioned mounting mechanism and includes an upper case that covers the upper end portion of the shaft, The cable support portion is formed of a conductive material and has a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, and is fixed to the upper case such that the second connecting portion is located above the upper opening of the shaft portion. The cable is divided into a first cable section and a second cable section. The first cable portion is located outside the shaft portion, and one end of the first cable portion is connected to the first connection portion. The outboard motor according to claim 1, characterized in that the second cable portion passes through the shaft portion, the lower end of the second cable portion is fixed to the propulsion device, and the upper end of the second cable portion is pulled out of the shaft portion from the upper opening of the shaft portion and connected to the second connection portion.

4. The outboard motor according to claim 3, characterized in that the second connection portion has a connection surface parallel to the axis of the shaft portion, and the upper end of the second cable portion is connected to the connection surface.

5. Equipped with multiple of the aforementioned cables, The outboard motor according to claim 1, characterized in that a cable positioning member is provided at the lower or upper end of the shaft portion for positioning the plurality of cables within the shaft portion such that each of the plurality of cables is separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of the shaft portion.

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