Outboard Motor Bracket Holds Piping to Prevent Cowling Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outboard motor engine cowlings face challenges in downsizing due to wear and damage from piping and wiring, especially when engine size increases, as existing configurations lead to piping and wiring coming into contact with the cowling, causing damage and hindering further size reduction.
Innovation Solution
A vessel propulsion apparatus with a bracket system that mounts auxiliary machinery and holds wiring or piping, featuring a holding portion that positions the wiring or piping further inward, reducing contact with the cowling and minimizing structural elements within the cowling, thereby preventing wear and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the engine main body is increased in size, then the power output is improved, but the piping approaches the inner surface of the cowling causing wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
A bracket is introduced as an intermediary component between the piping and the cowling. The bracket includes a holding portion that secures the piping and a mounting portion that attaches to the cowling, thereby maintaining a safe distance and preventing direct contact between the piping and the cowling inner surface, even when the engine size increases
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is pre-installed on the cowling before the piping is routed through it. This preliminary positioning ensures that the piping is held at the correct distance from the cowling inner surface, preventing wear and damage before it can occur during engine operation
2Volume of moving object
If the cowling is downsized, then the overall size is reduced, but the piping is more susceptible to wear and damage due to sliding contact
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket serves as a mediator that decouples the piping from direct contact with the cowling. By mounting the bracket to the cowling and holding the piping separately, the system maintains a protective gap even in a downsized configuration, preventing sliding wear between the piping and the cowling inner surface
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket divides the functional space into separate zones: one for mounting to the cowling and another for holding the piping. This segmentation allows the piping to be positioned independently from the cowling inner surface, preventing contact even when the overall cowling size is reduced
3Ease of operation
If separate brackets are provided for auxiliary machinery and wiring, then the mounting function is improved, but the number of structural elements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket integrates multiple functions into a single component: it mounts the auxiliary machinery to the cowling and simultaneously holds the wiring or piping through its holding portion. This merging eliminates the need for separate brackets, reducing the number of structural elements while maintaining all necessary mounting and positioning functions
Data Source
AI summary
A vessel propulsion apparatus includes an engine main body including a crankshaft that is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the up-down direction, auxiliary machinery mounted on the engine main body, a bracket that couples the auxiliary machinery to the engine main body, and an engine cowling that houses the engine main body, the auxiliary machinery, and the bracket. The bracket includes a first mounting portion mounted on the engine main body, a second mounting portion mounted on the auxiliary machinery, a coupling portion coupling the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, and a holding portion provided in the coupling portion. The holding portion of the bracket holds piping.