# US 2010/0167604 A1 · Outboard marine motor that allows a large steering angle

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- Number: US 2010/0167604 A1
- Document ID: US20100167604A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/557,064
- Filed: 2009-09-10
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-25
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takeshi Inaba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167604A1

## CPC

- B63H 20/12: Means enabling steering
- B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00)

## Abstract

In an outboard marine motor including an upper case (4) enclosing an engine (E) and a lower case (5) fitted with a propeller (12) and connected to a lower end of the upper case, the lower case is configured to be turned relative to the upper case around a vertical axial line. The power of the engine is transmitted to the propeller via a vertical drive shaft (10) which is coaxial with the vertical axial line. Thereby, the outboard marine motor can be steered simply by turning the lower case. Because the upper case having a relatively large lateral dimension as compared with the lower case is not required to be turned, a large steering angle can be achieved without the outboard marine motor interfering with watercraft having the outboard marine motor mounted thereon. This is particularly beneficial when two or more outboard marine motors are used one next to the other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An outboard marine motor, comprising:
an upper case receiving an internal combustion engine therein;
a mounting fixture configured to attach the upper case to a part of watercraft;
a lower case connected to a lower end of the upper case so as to be rotatable relative to the upper case around a first vertical axial line;
a propeller shaft extending in the lower case in a fore-and-aft direction;
a propeller attached to a rear end of the propeller shaft projecting from a rear end of the lower case;
a drive shaft extending vertically at least in the lower case coaxially with the first vertical axial line, and having an upper end connected to an output shaft of the engine in a torque transmitting relationship;
a torque transmitting mechanism interposed between a lower end of the drive shaft and the propeller shaft; and
an actuator provided in the upper case and configured to selectively turn the lower case around the first vertical axial line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 1, wherein the lower case is connected to the upper case via a tubular member defining a hollow interior so as to receive the drive shaft therein, the tubular member having a lower end attached to the lower case and an upper end projecting into the upper case and rotatably supported by a bearing secured to the upper case.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 2, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor attached to the upper case for actuating the tubular member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 3, wherein a spur gear is provided around the tubular member and the electric motor is provided with an output shaft extending in parallel with the first vertical axial line, the output shaft of the electric motor being fitted with a pinion that meshes with the spur gear.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 3, wherein a spur gear is provided around the tubular member and the electric motor is provided with an output shaft extending coaxially with the first vertical axial line, and the output shaft of the electric motor defines an inner bore receiving the drive shaft therein, the output shaft being fitted with a pinion that meshes with the spur gear via a gear assembly including a counter shaft fitted with counter gears meshing with the pinion and spur gear, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 1, wherein the torque transmitting mechanism includes a pinion bevel gear provided at the lower end of the drive shaft, a forward bevel gear and a reverse bevel gear rotatably mounted on the propeller shaft and meshing with the pinion bevel gear, and a clutch unit for selectively engaging one of the forward bevel gear and reverse bevel gear with the propeller shaft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 1, wherein the mounting fixture includes a swivel shaft that supports the upper case so as to be rotatable around a second vertical axial line which is different from and parallel to the first axial line.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The outboard marine motor according to claim 1, wherein the upper case comprises an engine cover covering the engine and an extension case attached to a lower end of the engine cover and covering an engine mount supporting the engine.