Outboard engine

An outboard engine comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a throttle valve device for controlling intake air to be taken in by the internal combustion engine;
• a driven unit combined with the throttle valve device;
• a drive unit for producing a throttle-driving force corresponding to an external throttle-operating force applied thereto;
• and
• a throttle valve operating mechanism for transmitting the throttle-operating force of the drive unit to the driven unit;
• wherein the throttle valve operating mechanism is a linkage including a plurality of component members joined by ball-and-socket joints;
• and
• wherein the component members include a swing arm pivotally supported so as to be turned by the throttle-operating force of the drive unit, a bell crank, a link connecting the swing arm to the bell crank to transmit the swing motion of the swing arm to the bell crank, and a first connecting rod for transmitting motions of the bell crank to the driven unit.

An outboard engine comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a throttle valve device for controlling intake air to be taken into the internal combustion engine;
• a driven unit combined with the throttle valve device;
• a drive unit for producing a throttle-driving force corresponding to an external throttle-operating force applied thereto;
• and
• a throttle valve operating mechanism for transmitting the throttle-operating force of the drive unit to the driven unit;
• wherein the throttle valve operating mechanism comprises a cable connected to said drive unit to be driven in a first direction by the drive unit, and a linkage connecting the cable to said driven unit of the throttle valve, said linkage including a rod connected to said driven unit and extending in a second direction across said first direction of the cable, and
• said linkage is made up of a plurality of component members which are mutually joined by ball-and-socket joints.