Outboard Motor Mounting Assembly Lateral Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to mount larger outboard motors on marine vessels without interference, especially when repowering, as existing holes in the transom provide insufficient clearance, leading to collisions during turning and trimming maneuvers, and to maximize the number of outboards on a transom while maintaining minimal clearance.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using a mounting assembly that allows lateral offset of outboard motor central planes from the pre-existing holes' central planes, utilizing brackets and support structures that extend through these holes to increase clearance between motors, enabling the installation of multiple outboards on existing transoms with minimal additional holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If outboard motors are mounted directly to pre-existing holes in the transom, then installation is simple and uses existing holes, but clearance between motors is insufficient causing collisions during turning and trimming
Solution Approach 1:
A mounting assembly with offset capability is introduced as an intermediary between the transom holes and the outboard motors. This assembly includes a mounting plate that attaches to the pre-existing holes and an offset mechanism that laterally positions the motor away from the hole centerline, providing the necessary clearance without requiring new holes or complex drilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly introduces lateral offset in the horizontal dimension, allowing the motor to be positioned at a different lateral location than the vertical alignment of the mounting holes. This dimensional separation enables adequate clearance between motors while maintaining the simplicity of using pre-existing holes for attachment.
2Power
If larger outboard motors are installed to increase power, then propulsion capability is improved, but clearance between motors decreases leading to interference during maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly enables lateral offset positioning that separates the motor's operational envelope from another motor's envelope in the horizontal dimension. This allows larger motors with greater power to be installed while maintaining adequate clearance by utilizing the lateral offset capability rather than being constrained to vertical alignment with mounting holes.
3Quantity of substance
If more outboard motors are mounted on a transom to maximize capacity, then the number of motors increases, but clearance between motors becomes minimal increasing collision risk
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing lateral offset capability, the mounting assembly effectively increases the usable width of the transom for mounting motors. This allows more motors to be accommodated by utilizing the lateral dimension for spacing rather than relying solely on vertical hole spacing, thereby reducing collision risk while maximizing motor capacity.
4Strength
If pre-existing holes are used for mounting, then no new holes need to be drilled preserving transom integrity, but motor central planes cannot be laterally offset from hole central planes
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly serves as an intermediary that decouples the motor's lateral position from the hole's lateral position. The assembly attaches to the pre-existing holes (preserving transom integrity) while providing an offset mechanism that enables lateral positioning of the motor, thus achieving both transom preservation and lateral offset capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly introduces lateral offset capability by separating the attachment dimension (vertical alignment with holes) from the motor positioning dimension (horizontal offset). This allows the motor to be positioned in a different lateral location than the holes while still using the holes for secure attachment, achieving both structural integrity and positioning flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly is provided for mounting an outboard motor to a transom of a marine vessel. A support structure is configured to be coupled to the transom by a plurality of fasteners that extend through the support structure and through a set of holes that have been drilled in the transom. A steering head is coupled to the support structure and configured to support an outboard motor thereupon for rotation about a generally vertical steering axis. The set of holes is divided by a generally vertical fore-aft central plane, and the outboard motor extends along a generally vertical fore-aft central plane. The support structure and the steering head are coupled to one another such that the central plane of the outboard motor is capable of being laterally offset from the central plane of the set of holes. An assembly for mounting two or more outboard motors is also provided.