Outboard motor

Abstract

An outboard motor includes a first drive source, a drive shaft to transmit power from the first drive source, an upper case accommodating a drive shaft housing that accommodates a portion of the drive shaft, a propeller shaft rotationally drivable by power transmitted from the drive shaft, a shift actuator including a second drive source, and a forward-reverse switching mechanism to switch a rotation direction of the power transmitted from the drive shaft to the propeller shaft by an output from the shift actuator. The second drive source is located outside a cowl accommodating the first drive source, outside a lower case accommodating the forward-reverse switching mechanism, and outside the drive shaft housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outboard motor comprising:
 a first drive source;   a drive shaft to transmit power from the first drive source;   an upper case accommodating a drive shaft housing that accommodates a portion of the drive shaft;   a propeller shaft rotationally drivable by power transmitted from the drive shaft;   a shift actuator including a second drive source; and   a forward-reverse switching mechanism to switch a rotation direction of the power transmitted from the drive shaft to the propeller shaft by an output from the shift actuator; wherein   the second drive source is located outside a cowl accommodating the first drive source, outside a lower case accommodating the forward-reverse switching mechanism, and outside the drive shaft housing.   
     
     
         2 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the second drive source is forward of the drive shaft housing in a front-rear direction of the outboard motor. 
     
     
         3 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the second drive source is closer to a lower mount than to an upper mount that support a main body of the outboard motor. 
     
     
         4 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a shift cam to transmit the output from the shift actuator to the forward-reverse switching mechanism; wherein
 the shift actuator includes an output shaft to output a rotational force; and   the forward-reverse switching mechanism is drivable by the shift cam being rotated by the rotational force of the output shaft to switch the rotation direction of the power transmitted from the drive shaft to the propeller shaft.   
     
     
         5 . The outboard motor according to  claim 4 , wherein the output shaft extends from inside the upper case to outside the upper case. 
     
     
         6 . The outboard motor according to  claim 4 , wherein the output shaft is outside the drive shaft housing. 
     
     
         7 . The outboard motor according to  claim 4 , wherein
 at least a portion of the output shaft is inside the upper case; and   an opening is provided in the upper case such that the output shaft is able to be manually rotated through the opening.   
     
     
         8 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the second drive source is outside a casing of the outboard motor. 
     
     
         9 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the shift actuator is fixed to the upper case. 
     
     
         10 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover to cover at least a portion of the shift actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The outboard motor according to  claim 10 , further comprising a lower mount and an upper mount that support a main body of the outboard motor; wherein
 the cover covers at least a portion of the lower mount.   
     
     
         12 . The outboard motor according to  claim 10 , wherein the cover includes a plurality of parts. 
     
     
         13 . The outboard motor according to  claim 10 , wherein the cover is fixed to the upper case. 
     
     
         14 . The outboard motor according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a lower mount and an upper mount that support a main body of the outboard motor;   an apron that covers at least a portion of the lower mount; wherein   the cover is fixed to the apron.   
     
     
         15 . The outboard motor according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a lower mount and an upper mount that support a main body of the outboard motor; wherein   the cover includes a stepped portion below the lower mount; and   the stepped portion includes a clearance portion to avoid interference of the cover with the lower mount.