Outboard Motor Shift Module Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing outboard motor configurations face difficulties in assembly and maintenance of the water pump due to its deep positioning, which also increases the distance between the drive shaft and the pilot shaft, degrading steering and gliding performance.
Innovation Solution
An outboard motor design where the shift unit, oil pump, and water pump are integrated into a single module, detachably installed to the lower unit casing, allowing the shift unit to be positioned in the middle of the drive shaft, reducing the distance between the drive shaft and pilot shaft, and ensuring the water pump operates continuously during engine operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the water pump is arranged in a far deep position inside the housing of the outboard motor, then the water pump can be operated during the operation of the engine regardless of the shift position, but it is difficult to perform assembly work or maintenance of the water pump
Solution Approach 1:
The drive shaft housing is divided into an upper housing and a lower housing that can be separated from each other. The water pump is arranged in the lower housing, which can be detached from the upper housing. This segmentation allows the water pump to be easily accessed for assembly and maintenance while maintaining its deep position for continuous operation during engine operation.
2Ease of operation
If the distance between the drive shaft and the pilot shaft increases, then the water pump can be positioned to avoid interference with the pilot shaft, but the moment of inertia in rotation of the pilot shaft increases, degrading steering performance and gliding performance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the horizontal distance between the drive shaft and pilot shaft, the water pump is positioned in the lower housing below the drive shaft. This vertical dimensionality change allows the water pump to be arranged without interfering with the pilot shaft while maintaining a short distance between the drive shaft and pilot shaft, preserving steering and gliding performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an outboard motor including a drive shaft that transmits rotational power from an engine, a shift unit provided in the middle of the drive shaft, and a water pump that feeds a coolant to the engine. The drive shaft has a first input shaft that receives the rotational power transmitted from the engine and a second input shaft that receives the rotational power transmitted from the first input shaft. The shift unit and the water pump are integrated into a single shift unit module installed detachably to the lower unit casing.