Outboard Motor Steering Reducing Overhang via Guide Offset
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering apparatuses for outboard motors increase the overhang of the motor when tilted up due to the arrangement of the worm gear on the upper portion of the tilt shaft, leading to space inefficiency and interference with the boat body.
Innovation Solution
A steering apparatus with a clamp bracket, swivel bracket, steering arm, and steering mechanism that includes a guide parallel to the tilt shaft, a moving body, and a support bracket, where the guide rotates about a second pivot shaft offset relative to the tilt shaft, reducing the distance to the upper cover and allowing the motor to tilt up without increasing overhang.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the worm gear is arranged on the upper portion of the tilt shaft, then the steering mechanism can function properly, but the distance from the upper cover to the tilt shaft increases, causing increased overhang when the motor is tilted up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the worm gear from the upper portion of the tilt shaft to the rear side of the swivel bracket, changing its spatial arrangement from a vertical dimension to a horizontal/rearward dimension. This dimensional shift allows the upper cover to be positioned closer to the tilt shaft without interfering with the worm gear, thereby reducing the overhang distance while maintaining steering functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a support bracket as an intermediary component that holds the worm gear at the rear side of the swivel bracket. This intermediary structure enables the worm gear to be positioned away from the tilt shaft's upper portion, allowing the upper cover to approach the tilt shaft closer and reduce overhang while preserving the meshing relationship between the worm gear and worm wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A steering apparatus for an outboard motor includes a steering mechanism including a guide arranged forward relative to and parallel or substantially parallel to a tilt shaft, a moving body that is rotatably coupled to an arm through a first pivot shaft parallel or substantially parallel to the tilt shaft and movable along the guide, and a support bracket that supports the guide such that the guide rotates about a second pivot shaft parallel or substantially parallel to the tilt shaft and offset relative to the tilt shaft.