JP2011105212A - Steering device of outboard engine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering device of an outboard engine installable in various hulls without receiving restriction of the hulls. <P>SOLUTION: The steering device 16 of the outboard engine steers the outboard engine by a helm mechanism by operating the helm mechanism 42 by operating a tiller handle 37 arranged in the hull. This steering device includes an electric assist mechanism 41 for assisting operation of the helm mechanism based on detected steering torque by detecting the steering torque acting on the tiller handle. A transmission 38 capable of shifting and transmitting rotation of a handle shaft, is also connected to the handle shaft of the tiller handle. In addition to it, the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism are integrally collected by connecting the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism to a third shift output shaft. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an outboard motor steering apparatus that operates a helm mechanism (steering mechanism) by operating a steering handle provided on a hull, and steers the outboard motor with the operating helm mechanism.

A steering wheel or tiller handle is used as a steering device for steering an outboard motor supported on the rear part of the hull.
Some steering devices including a steering wheel are provided with an assist mechanism between the steering wheel and a hydraulic helm pump (hydraulic steering pump), and assist the steering wheel (operation force) with the assist mechanism. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  According to the steering device of Patent Document 1, when the steering wheel is operated, the assisting mechanism assists the steering force of the steering wheel, thereby operating the drive shaft of the helm mechanism (steering mechanism) with a relatively small steering force. (That is, the steering force of the steering wheel can be reduced).

  By operating the drive shaft of the helm mechanism, oil is discharged from the helm mechanism, and the discharged oil is guided to the steering means. By guiding the oil to the steering means, the outboard motor can be steered by operating the steering means with the oil.

On the other hand, a steering apparatus provided with a tiller handle is usually provided so that the tiller handle extends from the housing of the outboard motor toward the front of the hull (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
According to this steering apparatus, the outboard motor can be steered integrally with the tiller handle by operating the tiller handle.
Here, the reaction force of the outboard motor (propulsion propeller) is acting while the hull is sliding. Therefore, in order to steer the outboard motor, it is necessary to apply a relatively large steering force to the tiller handle.

As a measure for reducing the steering force of the tiller handle, for example, an electric hydraulic helm pump (electric hydraulic steering pump) may be used.
That is, it can be considered that an electric hydraulic helm pump that can be operated by a tiller handle is provided at a predetermined part of the hull, and a steering means that can be operated by the electric hydraulic helm pump is connected to the outboard motor.

According to this steering apparatus, the electric hydraulic helm pump is operated by operating the tiller handle, and the oil discharged from the electric hydraulic helm pump is guided to the steering means.
By guiding the oil to the steering means, the steering means can be operated to steer the outboard motor.

JP-A-2005-231383 JP-A-10-250688

However, in this steering device, the electric hydraulic helm pump is separated (separated) from the tiller handle and provided at a predetermined part of the hull.
For this reason, it is necessary to secure a relatively large installation space in which the electric hydraulic helm pump is provided in a predetermined part of the hull, and the type (hull type) of the hull in which this steering device can be installed has been limited.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an outboard motor steering device that can be installed on various types of hulls without being restricted by the hull.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a steering apparatus for an outboard motor that operates a helm mechanism by operating a steering handle provided on a hull, and steers the outboard motor by the operation of the helm mechanism, the helm mechanism acts on the steering handle. An electric assist mechanism that detects steering torque with a torque sensor and assists the operation of the helm mechanism based on the detected steering torque is provided, and the rotation of the steering wheel shaft is shifted to the transmission output shaft. A transmission that can be transmitted is connected, and the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism are integrated together by connecting the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism to the transmission output shaft.

  The invention according to claim 2 is provided with a mounting bracket for providing the steering handle, wherein the transmission, the electric assist mechanism, and the helm mechanism are integrally provided in the mounting bracket.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the helm mechanism is a hydraulic helm pump that steers the outboard motor hydraulically or a mechanical helm mechanism that mechanically steers the outboard motor.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the speed change output shaft and the helm mechanism are connected so as to be able to transmit the rotation of the speed change output shaft to the helm mechanism using any one of a power transmission means of a gear, a chain, or a belt. It is characterized by that.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the electric assist mechanism is controlled based on the detected steering torque and the number of revolutions of an engine that drives a propeller of the outboard motor.

In the invention according to claim 1, the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism are integrated together by connecting the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism (steering mechanism) to the transmission output shaft.
Here, the transmission is provided on the handle shaft of the steering handle.
Therefore, the integrated electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism can be further provided in the steering handle and the transmission, and the outboard motor steering device (steering device) can be unitized.

Thereby, since it is not necessary to secure a space for individually installing the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism in the hull, the unitized steering device can be installed in any part of the hull.
Therefore, the unitized steering device can be installed (applied) to various types of hulls without being restricted by the hull, and the degree of design freedom can be increased when determining the installation site of the unitized steering device.

Further, the steering device (steering handle) can be separated from the outboard motor main body by installing the unitized steering device at an arbitrary part of the hull.
Therefore, for example, when the mounting angle (trim angle) of the outboard motor main body is changed with respect to the hull, the attitude of the steering handle can be maintained so as not to be affected by the attitude of the outboard motor main body.
As a result, when the mounting angle (trim angle) of the outboard motor main body is changed, the steering wheel can be operated without changing the posture of the operator, and the operability of the steering wheel can be improved.

Further, by providing the electric assist mechanism, the steering torque acting on the steering handle can be detected by the torque sensor, and the operation of the helm mechanism can be assisted based on the detected steering torque.
Therefore, the steering force (operating force) of the steering handle can be kept small, so that the overall length of the steering handle can be shortened.
In this way, by keeping the total length of the steering wheel short, the steering wheel can be easily operated, and operability can be suitably ensured.

In addition, the rotation speed of the output shaft of the transmission is transmitted with respect to the rotation speed of the handle shaft (rotation speed of the handle shaft) by transmitting the rotation of the handle shaft to the speed change output shaft by the transmission (deceleration or acceleration). (Output shaft rotation speed) can be changed.
Specifically, by shifting (decelerating or increasing) the output shaft rotational speed with respect to the steering shaft rotational speed, the steering angle of the steering handle relative to the steering angle of the outboard motor can be increased or decreased. .

That is, by changing the speed change state (transmission gear ratio) of the transmission, the turning angle of the steering wheel with respect to the steering angle of the outboard motor can be suitably adjusted, and operability can be improved.
Thereby, for example, the turning angle of the steering wheel can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the operability when the hull is departed or berthed.

In the invention according to claim 2, the steering handle is provided in the mounting bracket, and the transmission, the electric assist mechanism, and the helm mechanism are integrally provided in the mounting bracket.
Therefore, by attaching the mounting bracket to the hull, the steering device can be easily installed on the hull, and the installation work can be simplified.

In the invention according to claim 3, both the hydraulic helm pump (hydraulic steering pump) and the mechanical helm mechanism (mechanical steering mechanism) can be used as the helm mechanism.
As a result, when the outboard motor steering device is attached to the hull, one suitable for the hull can be selected from the hydraulic helm pump and the mechanical helm mechanism, and the degree of design freedom can be increased.

In the invention according to claim 4, a gear, a chain or a belt is used as a transmission means for transmitting the rotation of the speed change output shaft to the helm mechanism.
Accordingly, the rotation of the speed change output shaft can be transmitted to the helm mechanism with a simple configuration, and the configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the invention according to claim 5, the electric assist mechanism is controlled based on the detected steering torque, and the electric assist mechanism is controlled based on the rotational speed of the engine that drives the propeller.
Here, when the engine speed is increased, the hull enters a high speed state (high speed range), and the reaction force of the propeller increases. For this reason, in the high speed range, the steering force of the steering wheel becomes large.
On the other hand, when the engine speed is lowered, the hull enters a low speed state (low speed range), and the reaction force of the propeller is reduced. For this reason, the steering force of the steering wheel becomes light in the low speed range.

Therefore, in claim 5, the electric assist mechanism is controlled based on the rotational speed of the engine that drives the propeller.
Therefore, the steering force of the steering handle by the operator can be reduced by controlling so that the steering force (assist force) of the steering handle by the electric assist mechanism is increased in the high-speed sliding area.

On the other hand, in the low-speed sliding area, the steering force of the steering handle by the operator can be properly maintained by controlling the steering force (assist force) of the steering handle by the electric assist mechanism to be small.
In this way, the steering stability of the steering wheel can be improved by reducing the steering force of the steering wheel in the high speed range and keeping the steering force of the steering handle appropriate in the low speed range.

1 is a plan view showing a hull provided with an outboard motor steering apparatus (Example 1) according to the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a steering device of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the steering apparatus of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of arrow 6 in FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6. It is a perspective view which shows the steering device (Example 2) which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the steering apparatus of FIG. FIG. 10 is a view taken in the direction of arrow 10 in FIG. 8. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which an outboard motor main body is steered by a hydraulic helm pump and a steering cylinder according to a second embodiment. It is a side view which shows the power transmission means (Example 3) which concerns on this invention. It is a side view which shows the power transmission means (Example 4) which concerns on this invention.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that “front”, “rear”, “left”, and “right” indicate Fr as the front, Rr as the rear, L as the left, and R as the right according to the direction viewed from the operator.

The outboard motor steering apparatus 16 according to the first embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the outboard motor 10 includes an outboard motor main body 13 provided at the stern 12 of the hull 11, a steering unit 14 for steering the outboard motor main body 13, and an outboard for operating the steering unit 14. A machine steering device (hereinafter referred to as “steering device”) 16.

The outboard motor main body 13 is supported on the stern 12 of the hull 11 through a swivel shaft 21 so as to be swingable (swingable) in the left-right direction.
The outboard motor main body 13 includes an engine 22, and a propeller 23 is connected to the output shaft of the engine 22.

The steering unit 14 includes a slide support portion 25 provided on the stern 12 of the hull 11, a steering rod 26 slidably provided on the slide support portion 25, and a rod 28 that couples an arm 27 to the steering rod 26. ing.
The arm 27 is provided on the outboard motor main body 13.

One end 31 a of the operation cable 31 is connected to the left end 26 a of the steering rod 26, and the other end 31 b of the operation cable 31 is connected to the right end 26 b of the steering rod 26.
The operation cable 31 is connected to a mechanical helm mechanism 75 (mechanical steering mechanism) shown in FIGS.

By moving the steering rod 26 with the operation cable 31 as indicated by the arrow A, the outboard motor body 13 swings leftward as indicated by the arrow B around the swivel shaft 21.
On the other hand, by moving the steering rod 26 with the operation cable 31 as indicated by the arrow C, the outboard motor body 13 swings leftward as indicated by the arrow D around the swivel shaft 21.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the steering device 16 includes a mounting bracket 35 provided on the stern 12 (see FIG. 1) of the hull 11, a handle shaft 36 rotatably provided in the mounting bracket 35, A tiller handle (steering handle) 37 provided on an upper portion of the handle shaft 36, a transmission 38 connected to the handle shaft 36, an electric assist mechanism 41 and a helm mechanism (connected to an output shaft unit 39 of the transmission 38). (Steering mechanism) 42 and a control unit 43 that controls the electric assist mechanism 41.

The steering device 16 operates a helm mechanism 42 by operating a tiller handle 37 provided on the hull 11 (see FIG. 1), and steers the outboard motor main body 13 (see FIG. 1) by the operation of the helm mechanism 42. It has a function.
Further, the steering device 16 has a function of increasing the operability of the tiller handle 37 with the electric assist mechanism 41 when the tiller handle 37 is operated.

A transmission 38 is connected to a lower end portion 36 a of the handle shaft 36.
The transmission 38 includes a first gear 46 coaxially provided at the lower end 36a of the handle shaft 36, a second gear 48 meshed with the first gear 46 and coaxially provided on the idle shaft 47, and an idle shaft. 47, a third gear 49 provided coaxially with the fourth gear 51, which meshes with the third gear 49 and provided coaxially with the output shaft unit 39 (specifically, the first transmission output shaft 54). And a casing 52 that covers the first to fourth gears 46, 48, 49, 51.

Therefore, by operating the tiller handle 37 and rotating the handle shaft 36, the first gear 46 rotates together with the handle shaft 36. As the first gear 46 rotates, the second gear 48 rotates and the idle shaft 47 rotates together with the second gear 48.
As the idle shaft 47 rotates, the third gear 49 rotates integrally with the idle shaft 47.
As the third gear 49 rotates, the fourth gear 51 rotates, and the output shaft unit 39 (first transmission output shaft 54) rotates together with the fourth gear 51.

As shown in FIG. 4, the output shaft unit 39 includes a first transmission output shaft 54 on which a fourth gear 51 is provided coaxially, and an upper end 55 a connected to a lower end 54 a of the first transmission output shaft 54. A hollow second speed change output shaft 55 and a third speed change output shaft (speed change output shaft) 56 provided coaxially below the second speed change output shaft 55 are provided.
The third speed change output shaft 56 is rotatably supported coaxially with respect to the second speed change output shaft 55. The second shift output shaft 55 and the third shift output shaft 56 are connected via a torsion bar 66 described later.

Therefore, according to the transmission 38, the rotation of the handle shaft 36 is changed by changing the gear ratio of the first and second gears 46 and 48 and the gear ratio of the third and fourth gears 49 and 51. It can be transmitted to the three speed change output shaft 56 by changing speed (decelerating or increasing speed).
That is, the transmission 38 can change the rotation speed (output shaft rotation speed) of the third transmission output shaft 56 with respect to the rotation speed of the handle shaft 36 (handle shaft rotation speed).

Specifically, by shifting (decelerating or increasing) the output shaft rotation speed with respect to the handle shaft rotation speed, a large turning angle of the tiller handle 37 with respect to the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 can be ensured or reduced. Can be suppressed.
Therefore, by changing the speed change state (transmission gear ratio) of the transmission 38, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 with respect to the steering angle of the outboard motor 10 can be suitably adjusted, and the operability can be improved.
Thereby, for example, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted according to the operability when the hull 11 (see FIG. 1) is departed or berthed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the electric assist mechanism 41 includes a torque sensor 61 that detects a steering torque transmitted to the second transmission output shaft 55, an electric actuator 62 that operates based on the detected steering torque, and an electric actuator 62. And an assist gear mechanism 64 for connecting the output shaft 63 (see also FIG. 5) to the third speed change output shaft 56.

  The torque sensor 61 includes a torsion bar 66 having an upper end 66a connected to the second speed change output shaft 55 and a lower end 66b connected to the third speed change output shaft 56, and a torsion bar 66 (specifically, a second torsion bar 66). This is a general sensor that includes a torque ring 67 that is supported on the speed change output shaft 55) so as to be movable in the axial direction, and a coil 68 provided outside the torque ring 67.

  When the steering torque is transmitted to the second speed change output shaft 55, the torque sensor 61 twists the torsion bar 66, and the torque ring 67 is connected to the second speed change output shaft 55 in the axial direction based on the twist of the torsion bar 66. The amount of movement of the torque ring 67 is detected by the coil 68, and the steering torque is detected based on the detected amount of movement.

The detected steering torque is transmitted to the control unit 43 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
The control unit 43 outputs a drive signal to the electric actuator 62 based on the transmitted steering torque.
The electric actuator 62 is a normal electric motor that is driven based on a drive signal from the control unit 43 (specifically, the output shaft 63 is rotated).
The output shaft 63 is provided with a pinion 71 (see FIG. 5) of the assist gear mechanism 64.

As shown in FIG. 5, the assist gear mechanism 64 includes a pinion 71 provided on the output shaft 63 of the electric actuator 62 and a helical gear (helical gear) provided on the third transmission output shaft 56 that meshes with the pinion 71. 72.
As described above, the output shaft 63 of the electric actuator 62 (that is, the electric assist mechanism 41) is connected to the third transmission output shaft 56 of the transmission 38.
Furthermore, the output shaft 63 of the electric actuator 62 is disposed orthogonal to the output shaft unit 39 (third shift output shaft 56) of the transmission 38 (see also FIG. 4).

By engaging the pinion 71 with the helical gear 72, the rotation of the pinion 71 can be transmitted to the third speed change output shaft 56 via the helical gear 72.
The pinion 71 rotates integrally with the output shaft 63 by the operation of the electric actuator 62 based on the detected steering torque.
Therefore, rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 (see also FIG. 4) can be assisted (assisted) by the electric actuator 62 (electric assist mechanism 41).

Thereby, the steering force (steering torque) of the tiller handle 37 shown in FIG. 2 can be assisted (assisted) by the electric assist mechanism 41.
Therefore, when the tiller handle 37 is operated, the tiller handle 37 can be operated with a relatively small steering force, and the operability can be improved.

In addition, since the steering force of the tiller handle 37 can be kept small, the entire length of the tiller handle 37 can be shortened.
In this way, by suppressing the total length of the tiller handle 37, the tiller handle 37 can be easily operated, and the operability can be suitably ensured.

In addition, as will be described later, the electric assist mechanism 41 assists the steering force (steering torque) of the tiller handle 37 based on the rotational speed of the engine 22 shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as “engine rotational speed”) ( It has a function to assist.
That is, the electric assist mechanism 41 is configured to be able to suitably control the operation of the tiller handle 37 based on the detected steering torque and the engine speed.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the helm mechanism 42 includes a power transmission means 76 that connects the third speed change output shaft 56 to a drive shaft 78 (mechanical helm mechanism 75), and a third speed change via the power transmission means 76. A mechanical helm mechanism 75 linked to the output shaft 56 is provided.
The drive shaft 78 is a drive shaft of the mechanical helm mechanism 75 and is a shaft provided in parallel with the third speed change output shaft 56.

The power transmission means 76 includes a drive sprocket 81 coaxially provided at the lower end portion 56 a of the third transmission output shaft 56, a driven sprocket 82 provided coaxially at the lower end portion 78 a of the drive shaft 78, and the drive sprocket 81. And an endless chain 83 wound around a driven sprocket 82.
That is, the drive shaft 78 (that is, the helm mechanism 42) of the mechanical helm mechanism 75 is connected to the third speed change output shaft 56 of the transmission 38.

According to the power transmission means 76, the plurality of protrusions 82 a formed on the peripheral wall of the drive sprocket 81 mesh with the chain 83, and the plurality of protrusions formed on the peripheral wall of the driven sprocket 82 mesh with the chain 83.
Therefore, according to the power transmission means 76, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 is transmitted to the drive sprocket 81, the rotation of the drive sprocket 81 is transmitted to the driven sprocket 82 via the chain 83, and the rotation of the driven sprocket 82 is transmitted to the helm mechanism. 42 drive shafts 78.

Thus, the chain 83 is used as the transmission means 76 that transmits the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 to the helm mechanism 42.
Accordingly, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 can be transmitted to the helm mechanism 42 with a simple configuration, and the configuration can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

Further, by changing the sprocket ratio of the drive sprocket 81 and the driven sprocket 82 (diameter ratio of each sprocket), similarly to the transmission 38, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted.
Thereby, for example, similarly to the transmission 38, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the operability when the hull 11 (see FIG. 1) is departed or berthed. .

In the mechanical helm mechanism 75, a pulley 85 (see FIG. 7) is coaxially provided on the drive shaft 78, and the operation cable 31 is attached to the outer periphery 85 a of the pulley 85.
The operation cable 31 is drawn out from the case 86 to the outside.
As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of end portions 31 a and 31 b are extended to the outboard motor main body 13.
One end 31 a is connected to the left end 26 a of the steering rod 26, and the other end 31 b is connected to the right end 26 b of the steering rod 26.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, according to the mechanical helm mechanism 75, the tiller handle 37 is steered leftward as indicated by an arrow E, whereby the output shaft unit 39 (third shift output shaft 56 (see FIG. 6)). ) Rotates counterclockwise, and the drive shaft 78 rotates counterclockwise via the power transmission means 76.
The pulley 85 rotates in the counterclockwise direction integrally with the drive shaft 78, whereby the other end portion 31 b of the operation cable 31 is pulled back as indicated by an arrow F.
Therefore, the steering rod 26 moves rightward as indicated by an arrow A, and the outboard motor main body 13 swings leftward as indicated by an arrow B around the swivel shaft 21.

On the other hand, when the tiller handle 37 is steered to the right as shown by the arrow G, the output shaft unit 39 (the third transmission output shaft 56 (see FIG. 6)) rotates in the clockwise direction, and the power transmission means 76 is used. The drive shaft 78 rotates in the clockwise direction.
As the pulley 85 rotates in the clockwise direction integrally with the drive shaft 78, the one end 31a of the operation cable 31 is pulled back as indicated by an arrow H.
Therefore, the steering rod 26 moves to the left as indicated by the arrow C, and the outboard motor main body 13 swings about the swivel shaft 21 as indicated by the arrow D to the right.
That is, the mechanical helm mechanism 75 is a mechanism for mechanically steering the outboard motor main body 13.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the power transmission means 76 includes a drive sprocket 81, a driven sprocket 82, and a chain 83.
Therefore, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted by changing the gear ratio of the drive sprocket 81 and the driven sprocket 82 (each sprocket diameter ratio).
Thereby, for example, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 shown in FIG. 1 can be suitably adjusted according to the operability when the hull 11 is departed or berthed.

Here, as described above, the electric assist mechanism 41 and the helm mechanism 42 are connected to the third shift output shaft 56 of the transmission 38, respectively.
Thus, by connecting the electric assist mechanism 41 and the helm mechanism 42 to the third speed change output shaft 56 of the transmission 38, the electric assist mechanism 41 and the helm mechanism 42 can be integrated together.

Incidentally, the transmission 38 is provided on the handle shaft 36 of the tiller handle 37.
Therefore, the integrated electric assist mechanism 41 and the helm mechanism 42 can be further provided on the tiller handle 37 and the transmission 38, and the steering device 16 can be unitized.

Thereby, since it is not necessary to secure the space for installing the electric assist mechanism 41 and the helm mechanism 42 in the hull 11, the unitized steering device 16 can be installed in any part of the hull 11.
Therefore, the unitized steering device 16 can be installed (applied) to various types of hulls 11 without being restricted by the hull 11, and the degree of design freedom is increased when determining the installation site of the unitized steering device 16. Can do.

In addition, the tiller handle 37 can be separated from the outboard motor main body 13 by installing the unitized steering device 16 in an arbitrary part of the hull 11.
Therefore, for example, when the mounting angle (trim angle) of the outboard motor main body 13 with respect to the hull 11 is changed, the posture of the tiller handle 37 can be maintained so as not to be affected by the posture of the outboard motor main body 13. it can.
Thus, when the mounting angle (trim angle) of the outboard motor main body 13 is changed, the tiller handle 37 can be operated without changing the posture of the operator, and the operability of the tiller handle 37 can be improved.

Here, a mounting bracket 35 is provided on the stern 12 (see FIG. 1) of the hull 11, and the mounting bracket 35 is formed in a box shape. The mounting bracket 35 is provided with a tiller handle 37 via a handle shaft 36.
A transmission 38, an electric assist mechanism 41, and a helm mechanism 42 are integrally provided (contained) in the mounting bracket 35.
Thereby, since the steering device 16 can be easily installed on the hull 11 by attaching the mounting bracket 35 to the hull 11, the installation work can be simplified.

  By the way, the mounting bracket 35 is configured to be attachable to the stern 12 of the hull 11 using a fastening member (bolt, nut, or the like), or to be attached to the stern 12 of the hull 11 using a clamping means.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control unit 43 has a function of transmitting a drive signal to the electric assist mechanism 41 (electric actuator 62) based on the steering torque detected by the torque sensor 61 (see FIG. 4). .
Therefore, as described above, the steering force (steering torque) F1 of the tiller handle 37 can be assisted (assisted) by the electric assist mechanism 41 when the tiller handle 37 is steered.
Accordingly, the tiller handle 37 can be operated with a relatively small steering force F1, and the operability can be improved.

Here, when the rotation speed of the engine 22 is increased, the hull 11 enters a high-speed sliding state (high-speed sliding area), and the reaction force of the propeller propeller 23 increases. For this reason, the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 is increased in the high-speed sliding area.
On the other hand, when the rotational speed of the engine 22 is lowered, the hull 11 is in a low-speed sliding state (low-speed sliding area), and the reaction force of the propeller propeller 23 is reduced. For this reason, the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 becomes light in the low speed sliding area.

Therefore, the control unit 43 has a function of transmitting a drive signal to the electric assist mechanism 41 (electric actuator 62) based on the engine speed.
Specifically, the engine speed is detected by the speed detecting means 81 (see FIG. 1), and the detected signal is transmitted to the control unit 43.
When the engine speed is high, a signal that promotes assist by the electric assist mechanism 41 is transmitted from the control unit 43 to the electric actuator 62.
Therefore, the electric assist mechanism 41 can be controlled so that the steering force (assist force) acting on the tiller handle 37 is increased in the high-speed sliding area.
Thereby, the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 by the operator can be reduced.

On the other hand, when the engine speed is low, a signal that suppresses assist by the electric assist mechanism 41 is transmitted from the control unit 43 to the electric actuator 62.
Therefore, the electric assist mechanism 41 can be controlled so that the steering force (assist force) acting on the tiller handle 37 is kept small in the low speed sliding area.
Thereby, the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 by the operator can be maintained appropriately.

  As described above, the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 is reduced in the high-speed sliding area, and the steering force F1 of the tiller handle 37 is appropriately maintained in the low-speed sliding area, thereby improving the steering stability of the tiller handle 37 by the operator. be able to.

Next, Example 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.
In addition, in Example 2, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same / similar member as the steering apparatus 16 of Example 1, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

An outboard motor steering apparatus 90 according to a second embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8, the steering device 90 is provided with a helm mechanism (steering mechanism) 92 instead of the helm mechanism 42 of the first embodiment, and the other configurations are the same as those of the steering device 16 of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the helm mechanism 92 includes a power transmission unit 76 that connects the third speed change output shaft 56 to a drive shaft 78 (hydraulic helm pump (hydraulic steering pump) 93), and a power transmission unit 76. And a hydraulic helm pump 93 that is linked to the third speed change output shaft 56.
The drive shaft 78 is a drive shaft of the hydraulic helm pump 93 and is provided in parallel with the third speed change output shaft 56.

  As described in the first embodiment, the power transmission means 76 transmits the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 to the drive sprocket 81, transmits the rotation of the drive sprocket 81 to the driven sprocket 82 via the chain 83, and the driven sprocket 82. Is transmitted to the drive shaft 78 of the helm mechanism 92.

As shown in FIG. 11, in the hydraulic helm pump 93, the drive shaft 78 rotates to rotate the pinion 95 integrally with the drive shaft 78, and the rotation of the pinion 95 moves the rack 96 in the axial direction of the cylinder 97. The pair of pistons 98 and 99 are configured to move in the axial direction of the cylinder 97 by the movement of the rack 96.
That is, the hydraulic helm pump 93 is a cylinder-type hydraulic pressure generating device using a cylinder 97 and a pair of pistons 98 and 99.

Specifically, the drive shaft 78 rotates counterclockwise by operating the tiller handle 37 (see FIG. 9) in the left direction.
As the drive shaft 78 rotates counterclockwise, the pinion 95 rotates counterclockwise together with the drive shaft 78. As the pinion 95 rotates counterclockwise, the rack 96 moves in the axial direction of the cylinder 97 as indicated by an arrow E.
As the rack 96 moves, the left piston 98 moves as indicated by an arrow E in the axial direction of the cylinder 97.

When the left piston 98 moves as indicated by an arrow E, the oil 133 in the left oil chamber 102 is guided to the left oil chamber of the steering cylinder 111 through the direction control valve 104 and the left steering pipe 105.
Therefore, the steering piston 112 of the steering cylinder 111 moves as shown by the arrow A in the right direction.
As a result, the outboard motor main body 13 swings leftward as indicated by the arrow B about the swivel shaft 21, whereby the hull 11 can be steered leftward.

On the other hand, by operating the tiller handle 37 (see FIG. 9) in the right direction, the drive shaft 78 rotates in the clockwise direction.
When the drive shaft 78 rotates in the clockwise direction, the pinion 95 rotates in the clockwise direction integrally with the drive shaft 78. As the pinion 95 rotates in the clockwise direction, the rack 96 moves in the axial direction of the cylinder 97 as indicated by an arrow F.
As the rack 96 moves, the right piston 99 moves in the axial direction of the cylinder 97 as indicated by an arrow F.

When the right piston 99 moves as indicated by the arrow F, the oil 108 in the right oil chamber 107 is guided to the right oil chamber of the steering cylinder 111 through the direction control valve 104 and the right steering pipe 109.
Therefore, the steering piston 112 of the steering cylinder 111 moves to the left as indicated by the arrow C.

As a result, the outboard motor main body 13 swings rightward as indicated by the arrow D about the swivel shaft 21 so that the hull 11 can be steered rightward.
That is, according to the second embodiment, by using the hydraulic helm pump 93, the outboard motor main body 13 can be steered hydraulically.

Thus, by making the hydraulic helm pump 93 usable in the second embodiment, both the mechanical helm mechanism 75 (first embodiment) and the hydraulic helm pump 93 (second embodiment) can be used as the helm mechanism.
Thereby, it becomes possible to select the thing suitable for the hull 11 from the mechanical helm mechanism 75 and the hydraulic helm pump 93, and the freedom degree of design can be raised.

  Furthermore, according to the steering device 90 according to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the steering device 16 according to the first embodiment can be obtained.

The power transmission means 120 according to the third embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 12, the power transmission means 120 is provided with a drive gear (gear) 121 and a driven gear (gear) 122 instead of the chain 83 of the first embodiment (power transmission means 76). This is the same as the power transmission means 76 of the first embodiment.

Specifically, a drive gear 121 provided coaxially with the lower end portion 56 a of the third speed change output shaft 56 and a driven gear 122 meshed with the drive gear 121 and provided coaxially with the lower end portion 78 a of the drive shaft 78. It consists of and.
Therefore, according to the power transmission means 120, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 is transmitted to the drive gear 121, the rotation of the drive gear 121 is transmitted to the driven gear 122, and the rotation of the driven gear 122 is transmitted to the drive shaft of the mechanical helm mechanism 75. 78.

  Thus, by configuring the power transmission means 120 with the drive gear 121 and the driven gear 122, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 (that is, the handle shaft 36) can be transmitted to the mechanical helm mechanism 75 with a simple configuration.

Further, by changing the gear ratio of the power transmission means 120 (that is, the drive gear 121 and the driven gear 122), the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 is suitably adjusted in the same manner as the transmission 38 (see FIG. 3). be able to.
Thereby, for example, similarly to the transmission 38, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the operability when the hull 11 (see FIG. 1) is departed or berthed. .

The power transmission means 130 according to the fourth embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 13, the power transmission means 130 is provided with a belt 131 in place of the chain 83 of the first embodiment (power transmission means 76), and other configurations are the same as those of the power transmission means 76 of the first embodiment. is there.

Specifically, a drive pulley 132 is coaxially provided at the lower end portion 56 a of the third speed change output shaft 56.
A driven pulley 133 is coaxially provided on the lower end 78a of the drive shaft 78.
An endless belt 131 is wound around the drive pulley 132 and the driven pulley 133.

Therefore, according to the power transmission means 130, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 is transmitted to the drive pulley 132, the rotation of the drive pulley 132 is transmitted to the driven pulley 133 via the belt 131, and the rotation of the driven pulley 133 is transmitted to the mechanical helm. This can be transmitted to the drive shaft 78 of the mechanism 75.
Thus, by configuring the power transmission means 130 with the belt 131, the rotation of the third speed change output shaft 56 can be transmitted to the mechanical helm mechanism 75 with a simple configuration.

Further, by changing the pulley ratio (that is, the ratio of the pulley diameters) of the power transmission means 130 (that is, the drive pulley 132 and the driven pulley 133), similarly to the transmission 38 (see FIG. 3), the tiller handle 37 is changed. The steering angle can be suitably adjusted.
Thereby, for example, similarly to the transmission 38, the turning angle of the tiller handle 37 can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the operability when the hull 11 (see FIG. 1) is departed or berthed. .

The outboard motor steering devices 16 and 90 according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be changed or improved as appropriate.
For example, in the second embodiment, an example in which a cylinder-type hydraulic pressure generating device is used as the hydraulic helm pump 93 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other pumps such as a piston pump (plunger pump) may be used. It is.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the example in which the tiller handle 37 is used as the steering handle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a steering wheel can be used as the steering handle.
Here, by assisting (assisting) the steering force of the steering wheel with the electric assist mechanism 41, the steering force can be reduced, and the diameter of the steering wheel can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment, the mounting bracket 35 is formed in a box shape, and the transmission 38, the electric assist mechanism 41, and the helm mechanism 42 are integrally provided (contained) in the mounting bracket 35. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transmission 38, the electric assist mechanism 41, and the helm mechanism 42 can be integrally provided on the mounting bracket 35 without forming the mounting bracket 35 in a box shape.

  Further, the outboard motor 10, the hull 11, the steering devices 16, 90, the engine 22, the propeller 23, the mounting bracket 35, the handle shaft 36, the tiller handle 37, the transmission 38, and the electric assist shown in the first to fourth embodiments. Mechanism 41, helm mechanism 42, control unit 43, third speed change output shaft 56, electric actuator 62, mechanical helm mechanism 75, power transmission means 76, 120, 130, chain 83, hydraulic helm pump 93, drive gear 121, driven gear The shapes and configurations of the 122 and the belt 131 are not limited to those illustrated, but can be changed as appropriate.

  The present invention is suitable for application to an outboard motor equipped with a steering device that operates a helm mechanism by operating a steering handle provided on the hull and steers the outboard motor with the operating helm mechanism.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Outboard motor, 11 ... Hull, 16, 90 ... Steering device (steering device for outboard motor), 22 ... Engine, 23 ... Propeller, 35 ... Mounting bracket, 36 ... Handle shaft, 37 ... Tiller handle (steering) Steering wheel), 38 ... transmission, 41 ... electric assist mechanism, 42 ... helm mechanism, 43 ... control unit, 56 ... third shift output shaft (shift output shaft), 62 ... electric actuator, 75 ... mechanical helm mechanism, 76, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120,130 ... Power transmission means, 83 ... Chain, 93 ... Hydraulic helm pump, 121 ... Drive gear (gear), 122 ... Driven gear (gear), 131 ... Belt.

Claims (5)

In an outboard motor steering apparatus for operating a helm mechanism by operating a steering handle provided on the hull, and steering the outboard motor by the operation of the helm mechanism,
An electric assist mechanism that detects a steering torque acting on the steering handle with a torque sensor and assists the operation of the helm mechanism based on the detected steering torque is provided,
A transmission capable of shifting and transmitting the rotation of the handle shaft to a shift output shaft is coupled to the handle shaft of the steering handle,
A steering apparatus for an outboard motor, wherein the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism are integrated together by connecting the electric assist mechanism and the helm mechanism to the speed change output shaft. A mounting bracket for providing the steering handle;
The outboard motor steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission, the electric assist mechanism, and the helm mechanism are integrally provided on the mounting bracket. The helm mechanism is
2. The outboard motor steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outboard motor is a hydraulic helm pump that steers the outboard motor hydraulically or a mechanical helm mechanism that mechanically steers the outboard motor. The shift output shaft and the helm mechanism are:
2. The outboard motor steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission means of any one of a gear, a chain, and a belt is used to transmit the rotation of the speed change output shaft to the helm mechanism. The electric assist mechanism is
2. The outboard motor steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outboard motor steering apparatus is controlled based on the detected steering torque and a rotational speed of an engine that drives a propeller of the outboard motor. 3.

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