Steering Device

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-101101 filed on Jun. 24, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a steering device that is attached to an outboard motor, steers a ship, and has a bar-shaped steering handle.

Some steering devices for steering a ship each have a bar-shaped steering handle. The steering handle extends in a front-rear direction, and has a rear end portion attached to a front portion of an upper portion of the outboard motor. In addition, a front end portion of the steering handle is provided with a grip for steering by being gripped with a hand of a ship operator.

The grip is provided on the steering handle so as to be rotatable about an axis extending along an extension direction of the steering handle. The steering handle is provided with a cable for transmitting a rotation amount of the grip to the outboard motor. The outboard motor changes a rotation speed of a power source of the outboard motor according to the rotation amount of the grip transmitted via the cable.

There are two types of steering handles: mechanical type and electrical type, which transmit the rotation amount of the grip to the outboard motor. The mechanical type steering handle has a mechanism for pushing and pulling the cable in response to the rotation of the grip, and the cable provided in the mechanical type steering handle has a function of transmitting the rotation amount of the grip to the outboard motor by moving itself in response to the rotation of the grip. JPH06-135390A (Patent Literature 1) describes an example of a mechanical type steering handle. On the other hand, the electrical type steering handle has a device that outputs an electric signal corresponding to the rotation amount of the grip, and a cable provided in the electrical type steering handle is an electrical cable having a function of transmitting an electric signal corresponding to the rotation amount of the grip to the outboard motor.

In many cases, the rear end portion of the steering handle is attached to the outboard motor so as to be pivotable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. Accordingly, the steering handle can be pivoted upward from a state in which the steering handle extends horizontally forward from the outboard motor. The steering handle can be pivoted in this manner, and thus a height position of the grip can be changed according to a ship maneuvering posture of the ship operator, or a position of the steering handle can be changed so that the steering handle does not become an obstacle when the outboard motor is tilted up or when the outboard motor is removed from the ship and transported on land.

Meanwhile, the rear end portion of the steering handle is provided with a pivot mechanism for pivotally attaching the steering handle to the outboard motor. Therefore, in the steering handle in the related art, the cable that connects the steering handle and the outboard motor is routed so as to avoid the pivot mechanism provided in the rear end portion of the steering handle. Specifically, the cable is drawn out to the outside of the steering handle at a front portion of the rear end portion of the steering handle, passes through the air in a state of not being covered at all, and then is drawn into the outboard motor (for example, refer to FIG. 1 or 3 in JPH06-135390A). Therefore, a portion of the cable that passes through the air in the state of not being covered at all may be caught by any object present outside the steering handle and the outboard motor, and the cable or the like may be damaged. This problem may occur in the mechanical type steering handle or the electrical type steering handle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, for example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a steering device having an electric steering handle that can prevent an electrical cable that connects the steering handle and an outboard motor from being caught by objects present outside the steering handle and the outboard motor.

In order to solve the above problems, a steering device according to the present invention includes: a steering handle; and a handle bracket that attaches the steering handle to an outboard motor, the steering handle includes a bar portion extending in a front-rear direction, an operation portion provided on a front end side of the bar portion, a signal output portion provided inside the bar portion and configured to output a signal in response to an operation of the operation portion, and an electrical cable configured to transmit the signal, a rear end portion of the bar portion is disposed on one side in a left-right direction of the handle bracket, the rear end portion of the bar portion is provided with a shaft portion supported on the handle bracket so as to be pivotable about an axis extending in the left-right direction, the shaft portion is provided with a first communication passage inside having one end side communicating with the inside of the bar portion and another end side opening to an outer surface of the other side in the left-right direction of the shaft portion, the handle bracket is provided with a second communication passage disposed at a position opposite to the first communication passage, and having one end side opening to an outer surface on one side in the left-right direction of the handle bracket and another end side communicating with the inside of the handle bracket, and the electrical cable extends from the signal output portion to the inside of the handle bracket through the inside of the bar portion, the first communication passage, and the second communication passage.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the electrical cable that connects the steering handle and the outboard motor from being caught by objects present outside the steering handle and the outboard motor.

A steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a steering handle and a handle bracket that attaches the steering handle to an outboard motor. The steering handle includes a bar portion extending in a front-rear direction, an operation portion provided on a front end side of the bar portion, a signal output portion provided inside the bar portion and configured to output an operation signal corresponding to an operation of the operation portion, and an electrical cable configured to transmit the operation signal.

A rear end portion of the bar portion is disposed on one side in a left-right direction of the handle bracket. The rear end portion of the bar portion is provided with a shaft portion. The shaft portion is supported on the handle bracket so as to be pivotable about an axis extending in the left-right direction.

The shaft portion is provided with a first communication passage inside. The first communication passage has one end side communicating with the inside of the bar portion and another end side opening to an outer surface of the other side in the left-right direction of the shaft portion.

The handle bracket is provided with a second communication passage. The second communication passage is disposed at a position opposite to the first communication passage, and has one end side opening to an outer surface on one side in the left-right direction of the handle bracket and another end side communicating with the inside of the handle bracket.

The electrical cable extends from the signal output portion to the inside of the handle bracket through the inside of the bar portion, the first communication passage, and the second communication passage.

In the steering device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the electrical cable extends from the signal output portion to the inside of the handle bracket through the inside of the bar portion, the first communication passage, and the second communication passage. Therefore, the electrical cable is sequentially covered by the bar portion, the shaft portion, and the handle bracket from the signal output portion to the inside of the handle bracket. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce or eliminate a portion of the electrical cable that passes through the air without being covered at all. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electrical cable from being caught by objects present outside the steering handle and the outboard motor.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the embodiments, directions of up (Ud), down (Dd), front (Fd), back (Bd), left (Ld), and right (Rd) are indicated according to arrows drawn at a lower side in each figure except for.

illustrates an outboard motorprovided with a steering deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left.illustrates the outboard motoras viewed from above.

The outboard motoris a device that generates a propulsion force of a ship and is attached to the ship. The outboard motorincludes a power source (not illustrated) and a propellerthat converts a power from the power source into a propulsion force.

Further, as illustrated in, the outboard motoris provided with a clamp bracketthat attaches the outboard motorto a transom of the ship. A swivel bracketis connected to the clamp bracketvia a tilt shaft. A pilot shaftis rotatably inserted inside the swivel bracket. Further, the swivel brackethas a steering bracketprovided above and a mount bracketprovided below, and an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the pilot shaftare connected to the outboard motorvia the steering bracketand the mount bracket, respectively. As described above, the outboard motoris attached to the ship by the clamp bracket, the swivel bracket, the pilot shaft, the steering bracket, and the mount bracketso as to be pivotable in a horizontal direction with respect to the ship.

The outboard motoris provided with the steering devicethat steers the ship. The steering deviceis disposed in the front of the steering bracketand is attached to a front end portion of the steering bracket. A display unitis provided above a handle bracketof the steering device, and is attached to an upper wall of the handle bracket. The display unitincludes, for example, a display, and the display displays, for example, information related to the outboard motorsuch as a rotation speed of the power source.

illustrates a cross section of the steering devicetaken along a cutting line II-II inas viewed from above.illustrates a cross section of the steering devicetaken along a cutting line III-III inas viewed from the left (from below in).

As illustrated in, the steering deviceincludes a steering handlethat pivots the outboard motorin the horizontal direction with respect to the ship, and the handle bracketthat attaches the steering handleto the front end portion of the steering bracketof the outboard motor.

illustrates the steering handlebefore being attached to the handle bracket.illustrates a sensor assemblyprovided on the steering handle.illustrates a waterproof connectoras viewed from the front.

As illustrated in, the steering handleincludes a bar portion, a grip, a rotation amount sensor, an electrical cable, and the waterproof connector.

As illustrated in, the bar portionis formed in an overall viewing angle cylindrical shape extending in one direction. The bar portionextends in the front-rear direction of the outboard motor. The bar portionis formed by coupling a base portionand a lid portionto each other. The base portionis formed in a substantially box shape that is long in one direction (front-rear direction) and has an open upper portion. The lid portionis formed in a substantially box shape that is long in one direction (front-rear direction) and has an open lower portion. The lid portionis disposed above the base portion, and is attached to the base portionso as to cover an opening portion of the base portion. As illustrated in, the bar portionhas an accommodation spacefor accommodating the rotation amount sensoror the like inside.

As illustrated in, the gripis provided on a front end side of the bar portion. The gripis a portion gripped by a hand when a ship operator steers the ship. The gripis attached to the bar portionso as to be rotatable about an axis A extending in the front-rear direction. Specifically, as illustrated in, the base portionis integrally formed with a grip support portionprotruding forward from a front end portion of the base portion, and the gripis rotatably attached to an outer peripheral side of the grip support portion. The gripis a specific example of an “operation portion”.

As illustrated in, the rotation amount sensoris provided in the accommodation spaceof the bar portion. The rotation amount sensoroutputs an operation signal corresponding to a rotation amount of the grip. The gripis connected to the rotation amount sensorvia a grip shaftand a shaft connection portion, and the rotation of the gripis input to the rotation amount sensorvia the grip shaftand the shaft connection portion. For example, a variable resistor or the like can be used as the rotation amount sensor. For example, the operation signal is a signal whose voltage changes according to the rotation amount of the grip. The rotation amount sensoris a specific example of the “signal output portion”.

The electrical cabletransmits the operation signal output from the rotation amount sensor. A front end portion of the electrical cableis connected to the rotation amount sensor, and a front portion of the electrical cableis disposed behind the rotation amount sensorin the accommodation spaceof the bar portion. As illustrated in, a rear portion of the electrical cableis drawn out to the outside of the bar portionfrom a rear end portion of the bar portion.

The waterproof connectoris disposed outside the bar portionand attached to a rear end portion of the electrical cable. As illustrated in, the waterproof connectoris connected to a mating waterproof connector. The mating waterproof connectoris connected to the outboard motorvia another electrical cable. Further, an outer diameter D (length of a diagonal wire) of the waterproof connectorillustrated inis larger than an outer diameter of the electrical cableand larger than a diameter of a handle-side communication passageto be described later.

When the ship operator grips the gripand rotates the gripabout the axis A, the operation signal corresponding to the rotation amount of the gripis output from the rotation amount sensor, and the operation signal is transmitted to the outboard motorvia the electrical cable, the waterproof connector, the mating waterproof connector, and the electrical cable. The outboard motorchanges the rotation speed of the power source according to the operation signal. With such a configuration, the ship operator can change a magnitude of the propulsion force generated by the outboard motorby rotating the grip, and can change a speed of the ship.

When the steering handleis manufactured, the rotation amount sensor, the shaft connection portion, the electrical cable, and the waterproof connectorare supplied from a component manufacturer as one integrated component, that is, the sensor assemblyas illustrated in.

As illustrated in, the rear end portion of the bar portionof the steering handleis provided with a pair of shaft portionsfor attaching the steering handleto the handle bracketso as to be pivotable about an axis B extending in the left-right direction. One shaft portionis provided at a right portion of the rear end portion of the bar portion, and the other shaft portionis provided at a left portion of the rear end portion of the bar portion. The shaft portionseach have a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction. The right shaft portionextends rightward from a right wallat a rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion. The left shaft portionextends leftward from a left wallat the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion. The shaft portionsare arranged coaxially with each other, and axes of the shaft portionsare all the axis B. In addition, the shaft portionshave shapes symmetrical to each other, outer diameters of the shaft portionsare equal to each other, and dimensions of the respective shaft portionsin the left-right direction (amounts of protrusion from the bar portions) are equal to each other.

illustrate an assembly step of the shaft portion. A detailed configuration of each of the shaft portionswill be described with reference to.

As illustrated in, the right shaft portion(shaft portionon a front side in) is divided into a lower shaft forming portionand an upper shaft forming portionin a direction orthogonal to the axis B, specifically, in an up-down direction. The lower shaft forming portionof the right shaft portionis integrally formed with the right wallof the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion. In addition, the upper shaft forming portionof the right shaft portionis a separate member from the base portion. Similarly, the left shaft portion(shaft portionon a back side inis also divided into the lower shaft forming portionand the upper shaft forming portionin the up-down direction. The lower shaft forming portionof the left shaft portionis integrally formed with the left wallat the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion. In addition, the upper shaft forming portionof the left shaft portionis a separate member from the base portion. The upper shaft forming portionof the right shaft portionand the upper shaft forming portionof the left shaft portionare one common member.

The right lower shaft forming portionis formed with a notch. Similarly, the left lower shaft forming portionis also formed with the notch. As illustrated in, the electrical cableis disposed inside the notchof the right lower shaft forming portion.

As illustrated in, the upper shaft forming portionis assembled on the right lower shaft forming portionand the left lower shaft forming portion. The upper shaft forming portionis bolted to the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portionin a state of being assembled on the lower shaft forming portions. Accordingly, an upper portion of the notchformed in the right lower shaft forming portionis closed by a right end portion of the upper shaft forming portion, and at the same time, an upper portion of the notchformed in the left lower shaft forming portionis closed by a left end portion of the upper shaft forming portion.

As described above, the right shaft portionis formed in a cylindrical shape by assembling the upper shaft forming portionon the lower shaft forming portionformed on the right wallat the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion(by aligning the lower shaft forming portionand the upper shaft forming portionwith each other). In addition, a space penetrating the right shaft portionin the left-right direction is formed inside the right shaft portionby the notchformed in the right lower shaft forming portion. Similarly, the left shaft portionis formed in a cylindrical shape by assembling the upper shaft forming portionon the lower shaft forming portionformed on the left wallat the rear end portion of the base portionof the bar portion(by aligning the lower shaft forming portionand the upper shaft forming portionwith each other). In addition, a space penetrating the left shaft portionin the left-right direction is formed inside the left shaft portionby the notchformed in the left lower shaft forming portion. The lower shaft forming portionis a specific example of a “first shaft forming portion”, and the upper shaft forming portionis a specific example of a “second shaft forming portion”.

Further, as illustrated into, an annular member, specifically, a sliding bearingis attached to an outer peripheral side of each shaft portion.

illustrates the handle bracket. As illustrated in, the handle bracketincludes an upper wall, a right walldisposed rightward the upper wall, a left walldisposed leftward the upper wall, and a rear walldisposed rearward the upper wall. The handle bracketof the present embodiment does not have a front wall and a lower wall. Although not illustrated in detail, the handle bracketis fixed to the steering bracketby, for example, bolting the rear wallto a front end surface of the steering bracket. The left wallis a specific example of a “first side wall”, and the right wallis a specific example of a “second side wall”.

A bracket internal spacesurrounded by the upper wall, the right wall, the left wall, and the rear wallis formed inside the handle bracket.

The left wallof the handle brackethas a shaft support holethat pivotally supports the right shaft portionof the steering handleon the handle bracket. The shaft support holepenetrates the left wallin the left-right direction. The right wallof the handle bracketalso has the shaft support hole, and the shaft support holeformed in the right wallof the handle bracketis not used when a rear end portion of the steering handleis disposed leftward the handle bracket.

A left portion of the handle brackethas a handle support portionthat pivotally supports the rear end portion of the steering handleon the handle bracket. A right end portion of the handle support portionis fixed to a left surface of the left wallof the handle bracket. A left end portion of the handle support portionhas a shaft support holethrough which the left shaft portionof the steering handleis pivotally supported by the handle support portion(see). The shaft support holeand the shaft support holeare arranged coaxially with each other, and both axes are all the axis B. A diameter of each of the shaft support holesandis substantially equal to each of the outer diameter of the shaft portionand an outer diameter of the sliding bearingattached to the shaft portion(diameter of the former is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the latter in order to ensure smoothness of pivoting of the steering handle).

The rear wallof the handle brackethas a cable insertion holeinto which the electrical cableis to be inserted. The cable insertion holepenetrates the rear wallin the front-rear direction.

is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rear end portion of the bar portionand the left portion of the handle bracketin the steering devicein.illustrates a cross section of the rear end portion of the bar portionand the left portion of the handle bracketcut along the axis B inas viewed from the front (left in).

As illustrated in, the rear end portion of the steering handleis disposed leftward the handle bracket. The pair of shaft portionsof the steering handleare supported on a left side portion of the handle bracketso as to be pivotable about the axis B extending in the left-right direction. Specifically, the right shaft portionof the steering handleis inserted into the shaft support holeformed in the left wallof the handle bracketvia the sliding bearing. In addition, the left shaft portionof the steering handleis inserted into the shaft support holeformed in the left end portion of the handle support portionvia the sliding bearing. With this configuration, the steering handlecan pivot about the axis B with respect to the handle bracket, that is, with respect to the outboard motor.

For example, in, the steering handlecan pivot clockwise about the axis B from a state in which the steering handleextends horizontally forward from the outboard motor. The ship operator can pivot the steering handleupward and further rearward from the state in which the steering handleextends horizontally forward from the outboard motor. A pivot range of the steering handleis restricted by the handle support portionso that the steering handledoes not pivot counterclockwise from the state in which the steering handleextends horizontally forward from the outboard motor.

is an enlarged view of a cross section of the rear end portion of the bar portion, a cross section of the left portion of the handle bracket, the electrical cable, the waterproof connector, and the like in the steering devicein.

As illustrated in, the bar portionof the steering handlehas the accommodation spaceinside.