Electric outboard motor and vessel

Abstract

The present invention increases the design quality and a field of rear vision of a vessel. An electric outboard motor 70 comprises an outboard motor main body 60 and a mounting portion 50. The outboard motor main body 60 comprises a propeller 66, an electric motor 62 that drives the propeller 66, and a control unit 61 that controls the motor 62. The mounting portion 50 mounts the outboard motor main body 60 to the rear of a hull 10. The upper end of the motor 62 and the upper end of the control unit 61 are positioned below the upper end Z of the rear surface of a portion of the hull 10 to which the mounting portion 50 is mounted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an outboard motor attached to the rear part of a hull.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Outboard motors generally include engines that use gasoline or the like as fuel.CITATION LISTPatent DocumentPatent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2021-146932DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONProblems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in recent years, from the viewpoint of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide to reduce adverse effects on the global environment, it is desired to use an electric motor instead of an engine. The present inventors have focused on the fact that there is room for further improvement in terms of design and visibility of a vessel including an electric outboard motor, which is an outboard motor including an electric motor.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to improve the design and visibility of a vessel.Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present inventors have found that the design and visibility of a vessel can be improved by arranging the upper end of a motor and the upper end of a controller below the upper end of the rear surface of the portion of a hull to which an electric outboard motor is attached, and have reached the present invention. The present invention relates to an electric outboard motor of aspects (1) to (14), and a vessel of aspect (15).

[0007] (1) An electric outboard motor includes:

[0008] an outboard motor body including a propeller, an electric motor configured to drive the propeller, and a controller configured to control the motor; and

[0009] an attachment configured to attach the outboard motor body to a rear part of a hull. An upper end of the motor and an upper end of the controller are located below an upper end of a rear surface of a portion of the hull to which the attachment is attached.

[0010] According to this aspect, the upper end of the outboard motor body can be lowered by arranging the upper end of the motor and the upper end of the controller at low positions. This can improve the design of the vessel. In addition, since the outboard motor body is difficult to see from the hull side, the rear view opens up. As described above, according to this aspect, the design and visibility of the vessel can be improved. Furthermore, since the motor and the controller are easier to downsize than an engine, the upper end of the motor and the upper end of the controller are easier to be arranged at low positions.

[0011] (2) In the electric outboard motor according to aspect (1), the controller does not overlap the motor in top view.

[0012] According to this aspect, the controller and the motor are not aligned on a common line in a vertical direction. This makes it easier to reduce the dimension of the outboard motor body in the vertical direction, and in this respect, it is also easier to lower the upper end of the outboard motor body.

[0013] (3) In the electric outboard motor according to aspect (2), the controller is arranged behind the motor.

[0014] According to this aspect, it is possible to suppress the weight balance from being biased toward one side in the vessel width direction, compared to the case where the controller is arranged on the side of the motor.

[0015] (4) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (3), the outboard motor body includes a cover that houses the motor and the controller. The controller is located behind the motor. There is a space between a ceiling surface of the cover and an upper surface of the motor. The hull is equipped with a battery. A DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

[0016] According to this aspect, by using the space between the ceiling surface of the cover and the upper end of the motor to route the DC cable, it is possible to efficiently route the DC cable from the battery to the motor as short a distance as possible. Further, by allowing the DC cable to pass through the space, it becomes easier to route the DC cable in a straight line without, as far as possible, bending the DC cable. Therefore, even when the DC cable is stiff and difficult to bend, it becomes easier to route the DC cable.

[0017] (5) In the electric outboard motor according to aspect (4), an upper end surface of the motor is positioned lower than an upper end surface of the controller.

[0018] The space is formed above the motor by the height difference between the upper end surface of the motor and the upper end surface of the controller, making it easier to secure the space.

[0019] (6) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (3), the outboard motor body includes a cover that houses the motor and the controller. The controller is located behind the motor. There is a space between an inner surface of the cover and a side surface of the motor. The hull is equipped with a battery. A DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

[0020] According to this aspect, since the DC cable passes through the space on the side of the motor, it is not necessary to form a space above the motor. Therefore, the upper end surface of the motor can be arranged at a position higher than the upper end surface of the controller, and the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the motor in the vertical direction is increased.

[0021] (7) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (6), the outboard motor body includes a cover that houses the motor and the controller. The cover has an upper part having a bulge protruding upward. The bulge has an inner side forming a space. The hull is equipped with a battery. A DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

[0022] According to this aspect, by routing the DC cable using the space inside the bulge, it is possible to efficiently route the DC cable from the battery to the controller as short a distance as possible. Further, by allowing the DC cable to pass through the space, it becomes easier to route the DC cable in a straight line without, as far as possible, bending the DC cable. Therefore, even when the DC cable is stiff and difficult to bend, it becomes easier to route the DC cable.

[0023] (8) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (7), the attachment supports a portion of the outboard motor body above a center of gravity of the motor, and a portion of the outboard motor body below the center of gravity of the motor.

[0024] According to this aspect, by supporting both upper and lower sides of the outboard motor body relative to the motor, the outboard motor body can be stably supported.

[0025] (9) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (7), the attachment includes an L-shaped bracket in side view including a vertical part extending in a vertical direction and a horizontal part extending rearward from a lower end of the vertical part. The bracket supports the outboard motor body.

[0026] When, for example, a support protruding rearward is provided in the attachment and the outboard motor body is supported by the rear end of the support, the entire electric outboard motor becomes larger in the front-rear direction by the support. In this regard, according to this aspect, the entire electric outboard motor can be downsized in the front-rear direction by supporting the outboard motor body by the L-shaped bracket.

[0027] (10) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (9), the outboard motor body includes a cover that houses the motor and the controller. The cover has an upper end located above the upper end of the rear surface of the portion of the hull to which the attachment is attached.

[0028] If the outboard motor body is positioned too low, it will have the adverse effect of making it difficult to access the outboard motor body from the hull. In this regard, according to this aspect, since the upper end of the cover is located above the upper end of the rear surface of the portion of the hull to which the attachment is attached, the outboard motor body will not be positioned too low. Therefore, this adverse effect can be avoided.

[0029] (11) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (10), at least one of the motor or the controller is provided so that an upper end surface thereof is horizontal.

[0030] According to this aspect, the height of the upper end of the upper end surface can be reduced compared to the case where it is provided so that the upper end surface thereof is inclined.

[0031] (12) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (11), the controller includes a control circuit configured to control the motor, a controller case that houses the control circuit, and a controller connector provided in the controller case. The motor includes a rotor, a stator configured to rotate the rotor, a motor case that houses the rotor and the stator, and a motor connector provided in the motor case. The controller connector and the motor connector engage with each other to electrically connect the controller and the motor.

[0032] According to this aspect, since the controller case and the motor case can be electrically coupled by the connectors, the controller and the motor can be arranged close to each other. This can downsize the outboard motor body.

[0033] (13) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (12), the electric outboard motor further includes a heat exchanger extending below a water surface on which the hull floats. The heat exchanger cools a cooling target by discharging heat generated in the cooling target including at least one of the motor or the controller to water below the water surface.

[0034] According to this aspect, it is necessary to extend the heat exchanger from the vicinity of the cooling target, that is, the vicinity of the motor or the controller to a position below the water surface. In this regard, according to aspect (1) which this aspect refers to, since the upper end of the motor and the upper end of the controller are arranged at low positions, the distance from the cooling target to the water surface can be reduced. This can downsize the heat exchanger in the vertical direction.

[0035] (14) In the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (13), the electric outboard motor further includes a drive shaft for transmitting power of the motor to the propeller. The outboard motor body includes an upper unit including the controller and the motor, and a lower unit including the propeller. The lower unit rotates about an axis of the drive shaft relative to the upper unit at a time of turning to change a traveling direction of the hull.

[0036] According to this aspect, when turning the vessel, the lower unit rotates relative to the upper unit. Therefore, the controller and the motor do not rotate, and the cable that supplies power to them also does not rotate. This can suppress damage to the cable. Moreover, the space for bending the cable when turning the vessel and the extra length of the cable for bending when turning the vessel are not needed, which leads to downsizing of the outboard motor body.

[0037] (15) A vessel includes the electric outboard motor according to any one of aspects (1) to (14),

[0038] the hull,

[0039] a hull deck overlapping at least a portion of a rear part of the hull in top view, and

[0040] an outboard motor deck provided above the outboard motor body and overlapping at least a portion of the outboard motor body in top view.

[0041] According to this aspect, since the space directly above the outboard motor can be used as an outboard motor deck, the utilization of space is improved.Effects of the Invention

[0042] As described above, aspect (1) can improve the design and visibility of the electric outboard motor. Further, aspects (2) to (15) referring to aspect (1) provide additional effects.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a vessel according to a first embodiment;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the vessel;

[0045] FIG. 3 is a side view showing an electric outboard motor;

[0046] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which an outboard motor deck is raised;

[0047] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which an outboard motor body is tilted up;

[0048] FIG. 6 is a sectional side view showing a tilt device of an attachment;

[0049] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a connection between the attachment and the outboard motor body;

[0050] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the connection;

[0051] FIG. 9 is a sectional side view showing a damper of the connection;

[0052] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the electric outboard motor;

[0053] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a modification of FIG. 10;

[0054] FIG. 12 is an exploded plan view showing a motor and a controller;

[0055] FIG. 13 is a side view showing an electric outboard motor according to a second embodiment;

[0056] FIG. 14 is a plan view showing an electric outboard motor according to a third embodiment; and

[0057] FIG. 15 is a side view showing an electric outboard motor according to a fourth embodiment.PREFERRED MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0058] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.First Embodiment

[0059] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vessel 100 according to a first embodiment as viewed from above. Hereinafter, the front side of the vessel 100 will be referred to as the “front Fr”, the rear side of the vessel 100 as the “rear Rr”, the left side of the vessel when facing the front Fr as the “left L”, and the right side of the vessel when facing the front Fr as the “right R”. The “left” and “right” mentioned below may be read as sides, and the “left-right direction” may be read as “vessel width direction”.

[0060] The vessel 100 includes a hull 10, two electric outboard motors 70, a hull deck 21, and two outboard motor decks 27. The hull 10 includes a steering station 12. The hull 10 is equipped with a battery 15. A DC cable 16 is routed between the battery 15 and the electric outboard motor 70 to supply the power of the battery 15 to the electric outboard motor 70.

[0061] One electric outboard motor 70 is provided at each end of the left and right sides L and R at the rear part of the vessel 100. The electric outboard motor 70 includes an outboard motor body 60 and an attachment 50. The attachment 50 attaches the outboard motor body 60 to the rear part of the hull 10.

[0062] The hull deck 21 extends in a horizontal direction directly above the rear part of the hull 10. In the present embodiment, the hull deck 21 overlaps the entire rear part of the hull 10 in top view, but there may be a portion that does not overlap. That is, the hull deck 21 may overlap at least a portion of the rear part of the hull 10 in top view. In the present embodiment, the hull deck 21 is separate from the hull 10, but may be integral with the hull 10.

[0063] The outboard motor deck 27 is provided for each electric outboard motor 70. Each outboard motor deck 27 extends in the horizontal direction directly above the outboard motor body 60 corresponding thereto. In the present embodiment, each outboard motor deck 27 overlaps the entire outboard motor body 60 corresponding thereto, but there may be a portion that does not overlap. That is, the outboard motor deck 27 may overlap at least a portion of the outboard motor body 60 in top view.

[0064] A front side 27x of the outboard motor deck 27 is attached to the hull deck 21 with a hinge or the like. Accordingly, the outboard motor deck 27 is configured to be rotatable about its front side 27x, that is, to be capable of being raised about its front side 27x. The hull deck 21 extends to the rear, past the front sides 27x of the outboard motor decks 27 and between the outboard motor decks 27.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a side view of the vessel 100 as viewed from the left L. The hull deck 21 and the outboard motor deck 27 are continuously adjacent to each other without interposing an obstacle such as a seat provided in the hull 10, that is, without interposing an obstacle protruding upward above the upper surface of the hull deck 21 between the two decks. The upper surface of the hull deck 21 and the upper surface of the outboard motor deck 27 are flush with each other.

[0066] The outboard motor deck 27 includes side walls 27a at the left and right outer ends and a rear wall 27b at the rear end. The side wall 27a protrudes along the side of the outboard motor body 60 from above the side of the outboard motor body 60 and covers at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 from the side. Therefore, the side wall portion 27a overlaps at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 in side view as viewed in a left-right direction.

[0067] The rear wall 27b protrudes to the rear of the outboard motor body 60 from above the rear of the outboard motor body 60 and covers at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 from the rear Rr side. Therefore, the side wall 27a overlaps at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 in rear view.

[0068] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the electric outboard motor 70 in FIG. 2. The attachment 50 includes a fixing part 51, a swivel 57, and a tilt device 54. The fixing part 51 is, for example, a clamping mechanism, and is fixed to a transom 19 in the rear part of the hull 10. The upper end of the swivel 57 is rotatably attached to the upper end of the fixing part 51 via a tilt shaft 56 extending in the left-right direction L-R. The swivel 57 supports the front end of the outboard motor body 60. The tilt device 54 allows the swivel 57 to rotate about the tilt shaft 56 relative to the fixing part 51 to tilt the outboard motor body 60. The tilt device 54 will be described in detail later.

[0069] The outboard machine body 60 includes a controller 61, a motor 62, a reduction gear 63, a drive shaft 64, a bevel gear 65, a propeller 66, a housing 67, a cover 68, and a heat exchanger 69. The housing 67 houses the controller 61, the motor 62, and the reduction gear 63. The cover 68 is divided into an upper cover and a lower cover (not shown). The cover 68 covers the housing 67 from the outside to house the housing 67, the controller 61, the motor 62, and the reduction gear 63 inside. The cover 68 is configured so that the upper cover can be removed from the lower cover so as to allow maintenance of the interior.

[0070] The motor 62 is an electric motor, and more specifically, is an AC motor operated by AC power. The controller 61 is a device for controlling the motor 62, and is provided at the rear Rr of the motor 62. The controller 61 and the motor 62 are arranged so that the upper end surfaces thereof are horizontal. The upper end surface of the motor 62 is lower than the upper end surface of the controller 61. Here, the “upper end surface of the controller 61” is the upper end surface of a controller case 61a described later, and the “upper end surface of the motor 62” is the upper end surface of a motor case 62a described later.

[0071] There is a first space S1 between the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27 and the attachment 50. The upper part of the front part of the cover 68 has a bulge 68a protruding upward, and the inner side of the bulge 68a forms a second space S2. A third space S3 is provided between the ceiling surface of the cover 68 and the upper surface of the motor 62, between the ceiling surface of the cover 68 and the upper surface of the housing 67. The DC cable 16 extends from the battery 15 to the controller 61 through the first space S1, the second space S2, and the third space S3 in this order.

[0072] The controller 61 includes a controller case 61a, a control circuit 61b, an inverter 61c, and a controller connector 61d. The controller case 61a houses the control circuit 61b and the inverter 61c. The control circuit 61b and the inverter 61c are electrically connected to the battery 15 via the DC cable 16, and are supplied with power from the battery 15. The inverter 61c converts DC power supplied from the battery 15 to AC power. The controller connector 61d is an output terminal from which the converted AC power is outputted, and is arranged on the front surface of the controller case 61a. The control circuit 61b controls the inverter 61c based on a command from the steering station 12 to control the motor 62.

[0073] The motor 62 includes a motor case 62a, a motor connector 62b, a stator 62c, a rotor 62d, and a motor shaft 62e. The motor connector 62b is an input terminal from which the AC power is inputted, and is arranged on the rear surface of the motor case 62a. The controller connector 61d and the motor connector 62b engage with each other to electrically connect the inverter 61c and the motor 62.

[0074] The motor shaft 62e extends in a vertical direction. The rotor 62d is fixed to the motor shaft 62e and rotates together with the motor shaft 62e. The stator 62c allows the rotor 62d to rotate by the AC power supplied from the inverter 61c to cause the motor shaft 62e to rotate.

[0075] The drive shaft 64 extends in the vertical direction. The upper end of the drive shaft 64 meshes with the lower end of the motor shaft 62e via the reduction gear 63.

[0076] The propeller 66 includes a propeller shaft 66a extending in the front-rear direction Fr-Rr and a propeller body 66b that is fixed to the propeller shaft 66a and rotates together with the propeller shaft 66a. The front end of the propeller shaft 66a meshes with the lower end of the drive shaft 64 via the bevel gear 65. The bevel gear 65 may simply change the direction of rotation of the shaft, or may change the direction of rotation and reduce the rotation speed of the shaft.

[0077] The above-described configuration allows the motor 62 to drive the propeller 66. An upper unit 60a, which is the upper part of the outboard motor body 60, includes the controller 61, the motor 62, the reduction gear 63, the housing 67, and the cover 68. A lower unit 60b, which is the lower part of the outboard motor body 60, includes the bevel gear 65 and the propeller 66. The lower unit 60b is attached to be rotatable about the axis of the drive shaft 64 relative to the upper unit 60a.

[0078] The upper unit 60a includes a rotation device 60c in the housing 67. The rotation device 60c allows the lower unit 60b to rotate about the axis of the drive shaft 64 relative to the upper unit 60a based on a command from the steering station 12 to change the propelling direction by the propeller 66 so that the traveling direction of the hull 10 changes. Specifically, the rotation device 60c includes, for example, another motor (not shown) different from the motor 62. The rotation device 60c transmits the rotatory power of the motor to the lower unit 60b via, for example, a worm gear set, so that the lower unit 60b rotates about the axis of the drive shaft 64.

[0079] Hereinafter, the upper end of the rear surface of the portion of the transom 19 to which the fixing part 51 is attached is referred to as an “attached part upper end Z”. Both the upper end of the controller 61 and the upper end of the motor 62 are located below the attached part upper end Z. The “upper end of the controller 61” is the upper end of the controller case 61a, and the “upper end of the motor 62” is the upper end of the motor case 62a. On the other hand, the upper end of the cover 68 may be located above the attached part upper end Z.

[0080] The heat exchanger 69 extends below a water surface Ws on which the hull 10 floats. The heat exchanger 69 cools the cooling target by discharging heat generated in the cooling target including at least one of the motor 62 or the controller 61 to the water below the water surface Ws. Specifically, the heat exchanger 69 cools the cooling target by repeating the following steps: in the vicinity of the cooling target, guiding the heat transfer medium, which has exchanged heat with the cooling target, below the water surface Ws to exchange heat with the water below the water surface, and then returning the heat transfer medium to the vicinity of the cooling target. The heat transfer medium may be, for example, water circulating in the heat exchanger 69, air circulating in the heat exchanger 69, or oil circulating in the heat exchanger 69.

[0081] When the outboard motor body 60 is not tilted up, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27 and the cover 68 of the outboard motor body 60.

[0082] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the outboard motor deck 27 is raised about the front side 27x from the state shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the outboard motor body 60 is exposed upward.

[0083] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the outboard motor body 60 is tilted up from the state shown in FIG. 3. When the outboard motor body 60 is tilted up by the gap G or more by the tilt device 54, the outboard motor body 60 contacts the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27. Specifically, for example, at the timing when the upper end of the propeller 66 appears above the water surface Ws, the gap G becomes zero, and the outboard motor body 60 contacts the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27. After the contact, the outboard motor body 60 presses the outboard motor deck 27, whereby the outboard motor deck 27 rotates in conjunction with the tilt up of the outboard motor body 60.

[0084] FIG. 6 is a sectional side view showing the tilt device 54. The tilt device 54 includes an actuator 54a. The actuator 54a allows the swivel 57 to rotate about the tilt shaft 56 relative to the fixing part 51 to tilt the outboard motor body 60. The actuator 54a may be, for example, a cylinder such as a hydraulic cylinder as shown in FIG. 6, or may be another motor different from the motor 62. The tilt device 54 tilts up the outboard motor body 60 based on a command from the steering station 12 or the like, for example, during berthing, thereby pulling up the outboard motor body 60 from the water surface Ws. The tilt device 54 tilts the outboard motor body 60 for trimming based on a command from the steering station 12 or the like during navigation.

[0085] The tilt device 54 includes a detector 54b that detects a load applied to the outboard motor deck 27. When the detected load is equal to or greater than a threshold, the tilt device 54 provides a warning and stops the tilt up. Instead of this, only one of providing the warning and stopping the tilt up may be performed. The detector 54b may detect the load applied to the outboard motor deck 27 based on the magnitude of the output of the actuator 54a, or may detect the load applied to the outboard motor deck 27 based on information from a strain gauge attached to the outboard motor deck 27 or the like. The warning may be an auditory warning by, for example, a warning sound, or a visual warning by, for example, a warning lamp.

[0086] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a connection between the attachment 50 and the outboard motor body 60. The swivel 57 includes an upper arm 57a and a lower arm 57b that protrude rearward. The upper arm 57a supports the front upper end part of the housing 67 above the motor 62 via a damper 58, and the lower arm 57b supports the front lower end part of the housing 67 below the motor 62 via a damper 58. Accordingly, the upper arm 57a supports the portion above the center of gravity of the motor 62, and the lower arm 57b supports the portion below the center of gravity of the motor 62.

[0087] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the connection between the attachment 50 and the outboard motor body 60 as viewed from above. There are two upper arms 57a and two lower arms 57b. The upper arms 57a support two locations spaced from each other in the left-right direction L-R, at the upper part of the front end of the housing 67. The lower arms 57b support two locations spaced from each other in the left-right direction L-R, at the lower part of the front end of the housing 67.

[0088] FIG. 9 is a sectional side view of the damper 58 of the upper arm 57a as viewed from the left L. The damper 58 includes an insertion member 58c, an elastic member 58d, a front regulating part 58a, and a rear regulating part 58b. The insertion member 58c is a shaft member extending in the front-rear direction Fr-Rr and is attached to the rear end of the upper arm 57a to protrude to the rear Rr from the rear end of the upper arm 57a. The insertion member 58c is inserted in an insertion hole 67h that penetrates the housing 67 in the front-rear direction Fr-Rr. The elastic member 58d is, for example, a rubber member, and is joined to the outer peripheral surface of the insertion member 58c and the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 67h.

[0089] The front regulating part 58a is arranged on the insertion member 58c on the front Fr of the insertion hole 67h to regulate a forward stroke for the damper 58 to absorb impact. The rear regulating part 58b is arranged on the insertion member 58c on the rear Rr of the insertion hole 67h to regulate a rearward stroke for the damper 58 to absorb impact.

[0090] The damper 58 of the lower arm 57b is also configured in the same manner as the damper 58 of the upper arm 57a described above.

[0091] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the electric outboard motor 70 as viewed from above. As described above, the controller 61 is arranged on the rear Rr side of the motor 62. Therefore, the controller 61 does not overlap the motor 62 in top view. As described above, the DC cable 16 passes through the first space S1, the second space S2, and the third space S3 in this order.

[0092] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a modification of FIG. 10. When the gap is insufficient to allow the DC cable 16 to pass through between the upper surface of the controller 61 and the ceiling surface of the cover 68, between the upper surface of the housing 67 and the ceiling surface of the cover 68, the DC cable 16 may be bypassed to the side of the controller 61 and then connected to the rear surface of the controller 61, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0093] FIG. 12 is an exploded plan view showing the controller 61 and the motor 62. The DC cable 16 and the like are shown in the case of the above-described modification. As described above, the controller connector 61d in the controller case 61a and the motor connector 62b in the motor case 62a engage with each other to electrically connect the controller 61 and the motor 62.

[0094] The configuration and effects of the outboard motor body 60 will be summarized below.

[0095] The upper end of the motor 62 and the upper end of the controller 61 are located below the attached part upper end Z. Therefore, the upper end of the outboard motor body 60 can be lowered. Thus, the design of the vessel 100 can be improved. Moreover, since the outboard motor body 60 is difficult to see from the hull 10 side, the rear Rr view opens up. As described above, the design and visibility of the vessel 100 can be improved. In addition, since the motor 62 and the controller 61 are easier to downsize than an engine, the upper end of the motor 62 and the upper end of the controller 61 are easier to be arranged at low positions.

[0096] Since the motor 62 and the controller 61 can be made smaller than an engine, the cover 68 that houses them can also be made smaller. Therefore, the upper cover of the cover 68 can also be made smaller, and attachment and detachment of the upper cover at the time of maintenance are facilitated, thereby improving maintainability. Further, since the upper cover can be made smaller, it is possible to suppress rattling of the cover 68 and noise caused by the rattling, which may occur when the upper cover is heavy.

[0097] The controller 61 is arranged at a position not overlapping the motor 62 in top view. Therefore, the controller 61 and the motor 62 are not aligned on a common line in the vertical direction. This makes it easier to reduce the dimension of the outboard motor body 60 in the vertical direction, and in this respect, it is also easier to lower the upper end of the outboard motor body 60.

[0098] The controller 61 is arranged at the rear Rr of the motor 62. This can suppress the weight balance of the outboard motor body 60 from being biased to one of the left and right sides, compared to the case where the controller 61 is arranged on the side of the motor 62.

[0099] The attachment 50 supports the part of the outboard motor body 60 above the motor 62 and the part of the outboard motor body 60 below the motor 62. That is, the attachment 50 supports both upper and lower sides of the outboard motor body 60 relative to the motor 62. This enables the outboard motor body 60 to be stably supported.

[0100] If the outboard motor body 60 is positioned too low, it will have the adverse effect of making it difficult to access the electric outboard motor 70 from the hull. In this regard, since the upper end of the cover 68 may be located above the attached part upper end Z, the outboard motor body 60 will not be positioned too low. Therefore, this adverse effect can be avoided.

[0101] The motor 62 and the controller 61 are provided so that their upper end surfaces are horizontal. Therefore, the heights of the upper ends of the upper end surfaces can be reduced compared to the case where they are arranged so that the upper end surfaces are inclined.

[0102] The outboard motor body 60 includes the heat exchanger 69 extending below the water surface Ws on which the hull 10 floats. The heat exchanger 69 cools the cooling target by discharging heat generated in the cooling target including at least one of the motor 62 or the controller 61 to the water below the water surface Ws. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the heat exchanger 69 from the vicinity of the cooling target, that is, the vicinity of the motor 62 and the controller 61 to a position below the water surface. In this regard, as described above, since the upper end of the motor 62 and the upper end of the controller 61 are arranged at low positions, the distance from the cooling target to the water surface can be reduced. This can downsize the heat exchanger 69 in the vertical direction.

[0103] Next, the configuration and effects of the outboard motor deck 27 will be summarized.

[0104] The vessel 100 includes the outboard motor deck 27 directly above the outboard motor body 60. Therefore, the space directly above the outboard motor body 60 can be effectively used as a deck. This can improve space utilization on the vessel 100. Further, since the outboard motor deck 27 is provided directly above the outboard motor body 60, the crew can board the hull 10 from the rear of the hull 10 via the outboard motor deck 27. Therefore, accessibility to the hull 10 from the rear is also improved. In addition, since the outboard motor body 60 includes the electric motor 62, it is easier to downsize the outboard motor body 60 and to reduce the height of the upper end of the outboard motor body 60, compared to the case where an engine is included. This makes it easier to provide the outboard motor deck 27 directly above the outboard motor body 60.

[0105] The hull deck 21 and the outboard motor deck 27 are continuously adjacent to each other without an obstacle protruding, between the two decks, upward above the upper surface of the hull deck 21. This makes it easier for the crew to move between the hull deck 21 and the outboard motor deck 27, improving convenience.

[0106] The upper surface of the hull deck 21 and the upper surface of the outboard motor deck 27 are flush with each other. This increases the flush deck area including the hull deck 21 and the outboard motor deck 27, and improves the convenience of the deck.

[0107] The outboard motor deck 27 is attached to be rotatable about the front side 27x. Therefore, the outboard motor deck 27 can be raised about the front side 27x. This facilitates maintenance of the outboard motor body 60 under the outboard motor deck 27.

[0108] When the electric outboard motor 70 is tilted up by the actuator 54a, the electric outboard motor 70 presses the outboard motor deck 27, whereby the outboard motor deck 27 rotates in conjunction with the tilt up of the outboard motor body 60. Therefore, the outboard motor deck 27 does not interfere with the tilt up of the outboard motor body 60.

[0109] The tilt device 54 includes the detector 54b that detects a load applied to the outboard motor deck 27, and when the detected load is equal to or greater than a threshold, provides a warning and stops tilt up. Therefore, when tilt up is attempted while the crew is on the outboard motor deck 27, a warning can be provided or the tilt up can be stopped.

[0110] In a state where the outboard motor body 60 is not tilted up, there is the gap G between the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27 and the outboard motor body 60, and when the outboard motor body 60 tilts up by a predetermined amount, the outboard motor body 60 contacts the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27. Therefore, if the crew is on the outboard motor deck 27 in a state where the outboard motor body 60 is not tilted up, vibration is not transmitted from the outboard motor deck 27 to the outboard motor body 60. In addition, when the outboard motor body 60 is tilted up for trimming during navigation of the vessel 100, the outboard motor body 60 does not contact the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27 within the range of the gap G. This suppresses the outboard motor deck 27 from rotating in conjunction with the trim.

[0111] The outboard motor deck 27 includes the side wall 27a that overlaps at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 in side view as viewed in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the rear part of the vessel 100 is viewed from the side, at least a portion of the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 is hidden by the side wall 27a. Therefore, the design of the vessel 100 is improved, and the upper part of the outboard motor body 60 can be protected.

[0112] The hull deck 21 extends to the rear of the front side 27x of the outboard motor deck 27 along the side of the outboard motor deck 27. Therefore, when the outboard motor deck 27 is raised about the front side 27x, the crew can access the electric outboard motor 70 from the side, so that the electric outboard motor 70 can be easily maintained.

[0113] Next, wiring and the like and effects thereof will be summarized.

[0114] The DC cable 16 passes through the first space S1 between the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27 and the attachment 50. This enables the DC cable 16 to be efficiently routed from the battery 15 to the outboard motor body 60 as short a distance as possible. Further, by allowing the DC cable to pass through the first space S1 in this manner, it becomes easier to route the DC cable 16 in a straight line without, as far as possible, bending the DC cable 16. Therefore, even when the DC cable 16 is stiff and difficult to bend, it becomes easier to route the DC cable 16.

[0115] The bulge 68a protruding upward is provided at the upper part of the cover 68, and the DC cable 16 passes through the second space S2 inside the bulge 68a. Accordingly, the DC cable 16 can be efficiently routed from the outside of the cover 68 to the controller 61 as short a distance as possible. Further, by allowing the DC cable 16 to pass through the second space S2 as described above, it also becomes easier to route the DC cable 16 in a straight line without, as far as possible, bending the DC cable 16.

[0116] The DC cable 16 passes through the third space S3 between the ceiling surface of the cover 68 and the upper surface of the motor 62. This also enables the DC cable 16 to be efficiently routed to the controller 61 in the shortest distance possible. Further, by allowing the DC cable 16 to pass through the third space S3 as described above, it becomes easier to route the DC cable 16 in a straight line without, as far as possible, bending the DC cable 16.

[0117] The upper end surface of the motor 62 is lower than the upper end surface of the controller 61. In this case, the third space S3 is formed above the motor 62 by the height difference between the upper end surface of the motor 62 and the upper end surface of the controller 61, making it easier to secure the third space.

[0118] The controller connector 61d on the front surface of the controller case 61a and the motor connector 62b on the rear surface of the motor case 62a engage with each other to electrically connect the controller 61 and the motor 62. Therefore, the controller 61 and the motor 62 can be arranged close to each other. This can downsize the outboard motor body 60.

[0119] Next, other embodiments will be described. In the following embodiments, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described based on the first embodiment, and descriptions of the same or similar points as those of the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0120] When turning the vessel, the lower unit 60b is rotated relative to the upper unit 60a including the controller 61 and the motor 62. Therefore, the controller 61 and the motor 62 do not rotate, and the DC cable 16 that supplies power to them also does not rotate. This can suppress damage to the DC cable 16. Moreover, the space for bending the DC cable 16 when turning and the extra length of the DC cable 16 for bending are not needed, which leads to downsizing of the outboard motor body 60.Second Embodiment

[0121] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the electric outboard motor 70 of a second embodiment. The swivel 57 is provided with a plurality of brackets 59 spaced in the left-right direction L-R instead of the upper arm 57a and the lower arm 57b in the first embodiment. Each bracket 59 is L-shaped including a vertical part 59a extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal part 59b extending rearward from the lower end of the vertical part 59a. The rear surface of the vertical part 59a contacts the front surface of the housing 67, and the upper surface of the horizontal part 59b contacts the lower surface of the housing 67. The swivel 57 supports the outboard motor body 60 with the brackets 59.

[0122] The present embodiment provides the following effects. When, for example, a support protruding rearward is provided in the attachment 50 and the outboard motor body 60 is supported by the rear end of the support, the entire electric outboard motor 70 becomes larger in the front-rear direction by the support. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the entire electric outboard motor 70 can be downsized in the front-rear direction by supporting the outboard motor body 60 with the brackets 59 each having an L-shape in side view.Third Embodiment

[0123] FIG. 14 is a side view showing the electric outboard motor 70 of a third embodiment. The third space S3 is located between the inner surface of the cover 68 and the side surface of the motor 62, between the inner surface of the cover 68 and the side surface of the housing 67. The DC cable 16 passes through the third space S3 and extends to the controller 61.

[0124] According to the present embodiment, since the DC cable 16 passes through the third space S3 on the side of the motor 62, it is not necessary to form the third space S3 above the motor 62. This increases the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the motor 62 in the vertical direction, such as allowing the upper end surface of the motor 62 to be positioned higher than the upper end surface of the controller 61.Fourth Embodiment

[0125] FIG. 15 is a side view showing the electric outboard motor 70 of a fourth embodiment. In a state where the outboard motor body 60 is not tilted up, the upper surface of the outboard motor body 60 contacts the lower surface of the outboard motor deck 27.

[0126] According to the present embodiment, when the crew is on the outboard motor deck 27, a portion of the load is transmitted to the outboard motor body 60, so that the outboard motor deck 27 is supported by the outboard motor body 60. This can reduce the load applied to the outboard motor deck 27.Modifications

[0127] The embodiments described above may be modified as follows, for example. One outboard motor deck 27 may be provided from the left end to the right end of the rear part of the vessel 100 so as to extend over the left and right electric outboard motors 70. The outboard motor deck 27 may not include the rear wall 27b. That is, the outboard motor deck 27 may not overlap the outboard motor body 60 in rear view. The outboard motor deck 27 may not include the side wall 27a. That is, the outboard motor deck 27 may not overlap the outboard motor body 60 in side view as viewed in the left-right direction. This configuration can simplify the shape of the outboard motor deck 27.

[0128] The motor 62 may be a DC motor, and the controller 61 may include no inverter 61c. The dampers 58 may be omitted so that the arms 57a and 57b may directly support the housing 67 without the dampers 58.EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS10 hull

[0130] 15 battery

[0131] 16 DC cable

[0132] 21 hull deck

[0133] 27 outboard motor deck

[0134] 27a side wall

[0135] 27x front side of outboard motor deck

[0136] 50 attachment

[0137] 51 fixing part

[0138] 54 tilt device

[0139] 54a actuator

[0140] 54b detector

[0141] 57 swivel

[0142] 60 outboard motor body

[0143] 61 controller

[0144] 61a controller case

[0145] 61b control circuit

[0146] 61d controller connector

[0147] 62 motor

[0148] 62a motor case

[0149] 62b motor connector

[0150] 62c stator

[0151] 62d rotor

[0152] 66 propeller

[0153] 67 housing

[0154] 68 cover

[0155] 68a bulge

[0156] 69 heat exchanger

[0157] 70 electric outboard motor

[0158] 100 vessel

[0159] S1 first space

[0160] S2 second space

[0161] S3 third space

[0162] Ws water surface

[0163] Z upper end of rear surface of portion of hull to which attachment is attached

Claims

1. An electric outboard motor comprising:an outboard motor body comprising a propeller, an electric motor configured to drive the propeller, and a controller configured to control the motor; andan attachment configured to attach the outboard motor body to a rear part of a hull,wherein an upper end of the motor and an upper end of the controller are located below an upper end of a rear surface of a portion of the hull to which the attachment is attached.

2. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the controller does not overlap the motor in top view.

3. The electric outboard motor according to claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged behind the motor.

4. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the outboard motor body comprises a cover that houses the motor and the controller,wherein the controller is located behind the motor,wherein there is a space between a ceiling surface of the cover and an upper surface of the motor,wherein the hull is equipped with a battery, andwherein a DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

5. The electric outboard motor according to claim 4, wherein an upper end surface of the motor is positioned lower than an upper end surface of the controller.

6. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the outboard motor body comprises a cover that houses the motor and the controller,wherein the controller is located behind the motor,wherein there is a space between an inner surface of the cover and a side surface of the motor,wherein the hull is equipped with a battery, andwherein a DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

7. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the outboard motor body comprises a cover that houses the motor and the controller,wherein the cover has an upper part having a bulge protruding upward,wherein the bulge has an inner side forming a space,wherein the hull is equipped with a battery, andwherein a DC cable that extends from the battery through the space to the controller is provided.

8. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein the attachment supports a portion of the outboard motor body above a center of gravity of the motor, and a portion of the outboard motor body below the center of gravity of the motor.

9. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the attachment comprises an L-shaped bracket in side view comprising a vertical part extending in a vertical direction and a horizontal part extending rearward from a lower end of the vertical part, andwherein the bracket supports the outboard motor body.

10. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the outboard motor body comprises a cover that houses the motor and the controller, andwherein the cover has an upper end located above the upper end of the rear surface of the portion of the hull to which the attachment is attached.

11. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the motor or the controller is provided so that an upper end surface thereof is horizontal.

12. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the controller comprises a control circuit configured to control the motor, a controller case that houses the control circuit, and a controller connector provided in the controller case,wherein the motor comprises a rotor, a stator configured to rotate the rotor, a motor case that houses the rotor and the stator, and a motor connector provided in the motor case, andwherein the controller connector and the motor connector engage with each other to electrically connect the controller and the motor.

13. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the electric outboard motor further comprises a heat exchanger extending below a water surface on which the hull floats, andwherein the heat exchanger cools a cooling target by discharging heat generated in the cooling target including at least one of the motor or the controller to water below the water surface.

14. The electric outboard motor according to claim 1,wherein the electric outboard motor further comprises a drive shaft for transmitting power of the motor to the propeller,wherein the outboard motor body comprises an upper unit comprising the controller and the motor, and a lower unit comprising the propeller, andwherein the lower unit rotates about an axis of the drive shaft relative to the upper unit at a time of turning to change a traveling direction of the hull.

15. A vessel comprising:the electric outboard motor according to claim 1;the hull;a hull deck overlapping at least a portion of a rear part of the hull in top view; andan outboard motor deck provided above the outboard motor body and overlapping at least a portion of the outboard motor body in top view.

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