Abstract: An outboard motor steering angle and tilt/trim angle regulating system includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders each connected, at one end, to the boat through the stern brackets and connected, at the other end, to the outboard motor at a location upward of the one end in a vertical direction, and a control unit inputting the outputs of a steering angle sensor, a power tilt switch and a power trim switch and selectively driving the hydraulic cylinders to extend or retract, to regulate a steering angle and tilt/trim angles of the outboard motor relative to the boat in response to at least one of the inputted outputs. With this, while utilizing hydraulic cylinders, it becomes possible to simplify the structure to improve mountability on the outboard motor and hold weight increase to the minimum.

Abstract: In an outboard motor shift device having a clutch being engageable with a forward gear or a reverse gear, a shift rod being rotatable to slide the clutch to engage with the gear, an electric motor connected to rotate the shift rod, a speed reduction gear mechanism transmitting an output of the motor to the shift rod at a reduced speed, a manual operation mechanism is provided to be manually operable by an operator and breaking output transmission train of the speed reduction gear mechanism such that the shift rod can be manually rotated by the operator, thereby enhancing reliability by enabling shifting both by actuator and manually and minimizing operation load during manual shifting.

Abstract: An outboard motor adapted to be mounted on a stern of a boat includes an internal combustion engine installed on a frame and a propeller powered by the engine to propel the boat, elastic members (rubber vibration isolators, elastic couplings, etc.) are interposed between the engine and the frame, thereby enabling vibration and noise produced by engine operation to be reduced without degrading steering performance.

Abstract: In an outboard motor exhaust system having a first exhaust gas passage discharging engine exhaust gas into water and a shift actuator operating a shift mechanism to establish one from among a forward position, a reverse position and a neutral position, there are provided a second exhaust gas passage branched from the first exhaust gas passage at a location above the water and an exhaust valve installed in the second exhaust gas passage and connected to the shift mechanism to be opened when the reverse position is established. The exhaust valve is alternatively opened by an exhaust valve actuator installed separately from the shift actuator. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the decrease in thrust produced during reverse boat travel by the engine exhaust gas being sucked in by a propeller, without degrading shift feel.

Abstract: In an outboard motor steering control system having a plurality of outboard motors each mounted on a stern of a boat by a shaft to be movable by an outboard motor actuator relative to the boat and each having an internal combustion engine and a propeller powered by the engine to propel the boat, a tie-bar motor (actuator) is operated such that the outboard motors can be finely operated synchronously to make desired steering angles finely, i.e., to achieve the desired steering angles in response to a detected rotation angle of a steering wheel. Also outboard motor actuators are individually operated to regulate the relative angles between the outboard motors, thereby enhancing both straight course-holding performance and turning performance.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering system for an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine and a propeller with a rudder powered by the engine to propel and steer the boat. The system includes a swivel shaft connected to the propeller, a swivel case rotatably accommodating the swivel shaft, and a hydraulic cylinder connected to the swivel shaft to rotate it. The swivel case is formed with a box-like recess to accommodate the hydraulic cylinder therein such that the hydraulic cylinder does not project outside a profile of the outboard motor, regardless of a steered angle of the outboard motor. A rotation angle sensor is also installed in the recess and outputs a signal indicative of an angle of swivel shaft rotation. Further, moving orifices are provided in a hydraulic pressure circuit of the actuator for relieving excessive hydraulic pressure. Thus, space utilization around the outboard motor and boat is not restricted and steering feel is improved.

Abstract: In a shift mechanism for an outboard motor mounted on a stem of a boat and having an internal combustion engine at its upper portion and a propeller at its lower portion that is powered by the engine to propel the boat, having an electric motor installed in the outboard motor, a shift rod rotatably connected to the electric motor, a shifter clutch connected to the shift rod, the shifter clutch being movable by the shift rod from a neutral position to engage with at least one of a forward gear and a reverse gear, and a controller controlling the electric motor to rotate the shift rod such that the shifter clutch engages with the forward gear or the reverse gear, corresponding to an inputted shift instruction made by the operator, there is provided a shock mitigator mitigating shock generated during the shift. The shock mitigator comprises projections formed on the clutch and the forward/reverse gear.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system, a position of a clutch (moved by an actuator) is memorized as a neutral position when a neutral switch produces an ON signal and the clutch position corresponding to a forward position where the clutch engages with a forward gear or a reverse position where the clutch engages with a reverse gear is determined based on the memorized position. With this, the clutch can be accurately shifted to the positions where the forward, neutral and reverse shift positions are established, thereby preventing shifting errors. Similarly, by memorizing rudder angle sensor outputs when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by left and right steer stops as maximum leftward or rightward rudder angles, desired values for control purposes when steering the outboard motor to the maximum rudder angles can be determined as values that take the unit-specific properties of the outboard motor into account.

Abstract: A steering system of an outboard motor is provided that is mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine at its upper portion and a propeller with a rudder at its lower portion that is powered by the engine to propel the boat. The steering system includes a cowl enclosing the engine and a hydraulic cylinder connected to the outboard motor at one end and to the boat at other end to swivel the outboard motor relative to the boat to steer the cowl, the propeller, and the engine about a vertical axis. The hydraulic cylinder is located inside a vertical plane of a profile of the outboard motor when viewed along the vertical axis such that the hydraulic cylinder never projects outside the profile in any steered position of the motor.

Abstract: In an outboard motor shift control system to change the shift position by controlling the supply of current to an electric shift motor for driving a shift mechanism, a detent mechanism is equipped for constraining the operation of the shift mechanism and holding the shift position once the shift position has been established, and the supply of current to the shift motor is discontinued upon detection that the shift position has been established. This configuration makes it possible to minimize the power consumption of the shift motor and ensure secure holding of the established shift position.

Abstract: An outboard motor operating system, includes a shared switch for inputting operation instructions to either a steering (hydraulic) cylinder for steering an outboard motor or a PTT unit for regulating the tilt/trim angles of the outboard motor. The system also includes a first group of signal lines connected to the steering cylinder, a second group of signal lines connected to the PTT unit, and a third group of signal lines connected to the shared switch. The operating system also includes a selector switch for connecting either the first or second group of signal lines to the third group of signal lines. Thus, a shared operating system is provided for inputting operation instructions to the steering cylinder and PTT unit, and the destination of the instructions is made selectable, enabling a reduction in the number of components and a reduction in the amount of space needed for installing the operating system on the boat.

Abstract: An outboard motor shift device having a clutch engageable with a forward gear or a reverse gear, a shift rod rotatable to slide the clutch to engage with the gears, an electric motor connected to rotate the shift rod, a speed reduction gear mechanism transmitting an output of the motor to the shift rod at a reduced speed, a manual operation mechanism provided to be manually operable by an operator to break an output transmission train of the speed reduction gear mechanism such that the shift rod can be manually rotated by the operator, thereby enhancing reliability by enabling shifting both by the actuator and manually and minimizing operation load during manual shifting.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering system for an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat includes a mounting unit having a swivel shaft connected to a propeller to turn the propeller, and a swivel case rotatably accommodating the swivel shaft. A vibration attenuator is installed at a portion connecting an outboard motor main unit and the mounting unit and attenuating vibration of the outboard motor main unit to be transmitted to the mounting unit by causing the outboard motor main unit to displace relative to the mounting unit. In the system, displacement absorbers are installed at a portion connecting one of a main body and an output end of a steering actuator to the outboard motor main unit and another portion connecting the other of the main body and the output end to the mounting unit.

Abstract: In an outboard motor exhaust system having a first exhaust gas passage discharging engine exhaust gas into water and a shift actuator operating a shift mechanism to establish one from among a forward position, a reverse position and a neutral position, there are provided a second exhaust gas passage branched from the first exhaust gas passage at a location above the water and an exhaust valve installed in the second exhaust gas passage and connected to the shift mechanism to be opened when the reverse position is established. The exhaust valve is alternatively opened by an exhaust valve actuator installed separately from the shift actuator. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the decrease in thrust produced during reverse boat travel by the engine exhaust gas being sucked in by a propeller, without degrading shift feel.

Abstract: An outboard motor adapted to be mounted on a stern of a boat includes an internal combustion engine installed on a frame and a propeller powered by the engine to propel the boat, elastic members (rubber vibration isolators, elastic couplings, etc.) are interposed between the engine and the frame, thereby enabling vibration and noise produced by engine operation to be reduced without degrading steering performance.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system equipped with an electric throttle motor for moving the throttle valve of the engine mounted on the outboard motor, an electric shift motor for operating the shift mechanism to establish one from the in-gear, neutral and reverse shift positions, and a low-speed cruising switch for inputting the instruction to implement a low-speed cruising for causing the boat to cruise at a low speed, when the instruction is inputted, a throttle control is effected by controlling the operation of the motor to a set throttle opening and shift control is effected by controlling the operation of the motor to establish the in-gear position and neutral position alternatively, thereby enabling to cruise over a wide range of speeds including very slow, without requiring troublesome manual operations.

Abstract: In an outboard motor, an extension case (member constituting a frame of the outboard motor) has the natural frequency (resonance frequency) of higher than the vibration frequency produced when the engine operates at maximum speed. Since this configuration prevents the extension case from resonating during operation of the outboard motor, noise (more specifically, noise produced by the outboard motor) propagated to the outside can be reduced.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering system includes a hydraulic fluid supply mechanism connected to the steering hydraulic cylinder to supply hydraulic fluid thereto disposed in a space formed between the stern brackets and the swivel case. In other words, since the hydraulic fluid supply mechanism is incorporated into the outboard motor as a unit, the structure can be made simpler than that of the related art and the number of parts in the entire system can be reduced and moreover the work of installation into the boat's hull can be simplified. Also, operating efficiency is improved for an electric motor serving as the source of driving force for a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder used for steering, and power consumption is reduced.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering angle and tilt/trim angle regulating system includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders each connected, at one end, to the boat through the stern brackets and connected, at the other end, to the outboard motor at a location upward of the one end in a vertical direction, and a control unit inputting the outputs of a steering angle sensor, a power tilt switch and a power trim switch and selectively driving the hydraulic cylinders to extend or retract, to regulate a steering angle and tilt/trim angles of the outboard motor relative to the boat in response to at least one of the inputted outputs. With this, while utilizing hydraulic cylinders, it becomes possible to simplify the structure to improve mountability on the outboard motor and hold weight increase to the minimum.

Abstract: In outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and equipped with an internal combustion engine at its upper portion and a propeller at its lower portion that is powered by the engine to propel the boat, having a throttle actuator moving a throttle valve installed at an air intake pipe of the engine for regulating an amount of air to be sucked into the engine to change a boat running speed, a shift actuator rotating a shift rod connected to a clutch such that the clutch moves from a neutral position to engage with at least one of a forward gear and a reverse gear, a steering actuator rotating a swivel shaft installed in the outboard motor such that the outboard motor is steered relative to the boat, a group of devices (i.e., a steering grip, a shift/throttle lever, etc.) is installed at a position other than the boat and each operable by an operator to generate a signal indicating that the operator's instruction to operate at least one of the actuators is inputted.