Outboard Motor Wiring Layout to Prevent Foreign Matter Catching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outboard motors suffer from foreign matter getting caught in the slack portions of electrical wiring, leading to appearance deterioration and increased maintenance time due to exposure of wiring to water surfaces or in the water.
Innovation Solution
The electrical wiring is routed from the position between the clamp brackets upward through a swivel bracket and connected to the outboard motor body, with a lead-in port and cylindrical portion to prevent exposure to the outside, using a wiring restrictor and restrainers to manage slack portions and prevent interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the electrical wiring is led out to the outer lateral side of the clamp brackets through a through-hole, then the wiring can be connected to the outboard motor body, but the slack portion of the wiring is exposed to water and foreign matter causing catching and deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the clamp bracket with internally routed wiring pathway) that mediates between the need for wiring connection and the need to protect from foreign matter. The wiring is guided through the internal structure of the clamp bracket rather than being exposed externally, allowing connection while preventing foreign matter accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic slack portion of the wiring from the external environment by routing it through the internal pathway of the clamp bracket. This removes the wiring from the harmful external environment (water and foreign matter) while maintaining its functional connection between components.
2Ease of operation
If the electrical wiring extends to the outer lateral sides of the clamp brackets, then connection to the outboard motor body is enabled, but maintenance time increases due to foreign matter accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp bracket serves as an intermediary structure that provides a protected pathway for the wiring. This intermediary structure enables wiring connection while simultaneously preventing foreign matter accumulation, thereby reducing maintenance time without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring is pre-routed through the internal pathway of the clamp bracket during assembly, preventing foreign matter accumulation before it can occur. This preliminary routing action eliminates the need for frequent maintenance while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the wiring is routed through the swivel bracket upward to the outboard motor body, then foreign matter catching is prevented, but the wiring path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wiring routing function with the existing structural components (clamp bracket and swivel bracket). By utilizing the internal pathways of these existing structures, the wiring is protected from foreign matter without adding separate protective structures, thereby maintaining simplicity despite improved reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An outboard motor includes an outboard motor body including a propulsion generator and an engine to drive the propulsion generator, a pair of clamp brackets, a swivel bracket provided between the pair of clamp brackets and rotatable in an upward-downward direction with respect to the pair of clamp brackets while supporting the outboard motor body, and an electrical wiring extending from a position between the pair of clamp brackets upward to the outboard motor body through the swivel bracket and connected to the outboard motor body.