Electric Outboard Motor Hull-Mounted Controller for Rear Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to improve the design and visibility of vessels equipped with electric outboard motors, while also addressing the challenge of downsizing the motor and controller components.
Innovation Solution
The electric outboard motor is designed with the upper end of the motor and controller positioned below the upper end of the rear surface of the hull, allowing for a lower profile and improved visibility. Additionally, the controller is positioned behind the motor, and the DC cable is routed through a space between the cover and the motor to minimize size and enhance accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the upper end of the motor and controller are positioned below the upper end of the rear surface of the hull, then the design and visibility of the vessel are improved, but the space for cable routing becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical space between the ceiling surface of the cover and the upper surface of the motor to route the DC cable. This approach transforms a two-dimensional routing problem into a three-dimensional solution, allowing the cable to pass through the available vertical clearance without increasing the overall height of the motor assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The DC cable is routed through the internal space within the cover structure, nesting the cable path within the existing housing geometry. This eliminates the need for external cable channels or increased overall dimensions, as the cable is accommodated within the nested space of the cover's internal volume.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the controller is positioned behind the motor, then the weight balance of the vessel is improved, but the overall length of the outboard motor body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the motor and controller into a single integrated outboard motor body structure. By merging these two components into one unified housing, the design achieves improved weight balance for the vessel while avoiding an increase in overall length, as the controller is accommodated within the same structural envelope rather than extending the assembly.
3Ease of repair
If the DC cable is routed through the space between the cover and motor, then the cable routing is simplified and maintenance is easier, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a localized clearance space between the ceiling surface of the cover and the upper surface of the motor specifically for cable routing. This local quality approach allows the cable to pass through a dedicated gap in the assembly, providing easy access for maintenance while concentrating the precision requirements to a specific local area rather than the entire structure.
Data Source
AI summary
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.