Ship propulsion machine

Abstract

In a ship propulsion machine, a power unit includes a connecting member and a switching mechanism which are arranged between a first motor and a second motor arranged above the first motor. The power unit includes a lower end portion configured to be connected to an upper end portion of a first motor shaft; and an upper end portion configured to be connected to a lower end portion of the second motor shaft. The switching mechanism is configured to switch a connection mode by moving the connecting member upward or downward, so as to be selectable from at least two modes of a mode (a) in which both the first motor shaft and the second motor shaft are connected to the drive shaft, a mode (b) in which the first motor shaft is connected, and a mode (c) in which the second motor shaft is connected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ship propulsion machine comprising:
 a power unit configured to generate power;   a propeller shaft to which a propeller is fixed; and   a drive shaft provided between the power unit and the propeller shaft and configured to transmit the power generated by the power unit to the propeller shaft,   wherein the power unit comprises:
 a first motor comprising a first motor shaft extending vertically; 
 a second motor arranged above the first motor and comprising a second motor shaft extending vertically; 
 a connecting member arranged to be movable vertically between the first motor and the second motor, the connecting member comprising: a lower end portion provided with a first connecting portion configured to connect the connecting member to an upper end portion of the first motor shaft; and an upper end portion provided with a second connecting portion configured to connect the connecting member to a lower end portion of the second motor shaft; and 
 a switching mechanism arranged between the first motor and the second motor and configured to switch a connection mode of the first motor shaft, the second motor shaft, and the drive shaft by moving the connecting member upward or downward, so as to be selectable from at least two modes of a mode (a) in which both the first motor shaft and the second motor shaft are connected to the drive shaft, a mode (b) in which the first motor shaft is connected to the drive shaft and the second motor shaft is not connected to the drive shaft, and a mode (c) in which the second motor shaft is connected to the drive shaft and the first motor shaft is not connected to the drive shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ship propulsion machine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the switching mechanism comprises:
 a switching shaft rotatably supported between an outer periphery-side portion of the first motor and an outer periphery-side portion of the second motor; 
 a driven member configured to move vertically in response to rotation of the switching shaft; and 
 a cam configured to convert the rotation of the switching shaft into a vertical movement of the driven member, 
   wherein the driven member comprises a gripping portion configured to grip an outer peripheral portion of the connecting member, and   wherein the connecting member is configured to move vertically along with the vertical movement of the driven member.   
     
     
         3 . The ship propulsion machine according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the power unit comprises a fixing member configured to fix the second motor to the first motor,   wherein the second motor is supported by the fixing member at a position above the first motor and spaced from the first motor, and   wherein a lower end portion of the switching shaft is rotatably supported by a first motor bracket provided on an upper portion of the first motor, and an upper end portion of the switching shaft is rotatably supported by a second motor bracket provided on a lower portion of the second motor.   
     
     
         4 . The ship propulsion machine according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the switching mechanism comprises:
 an input rod rotatably supported by the first motor bracket and the second motor bracket and configured to rotate by receiving a switching power input to the switching mechanism to perform a switching between the at least two modes; and 
 a link mechanism configured to transmit rotation of the input rod to the switching shaft to cause the switching shaft to rotate. 
   
     
     
         5 . The ship propulsion machine according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the link mechanism comprises:
 a first link member comprising a first one end portion and a first another end portion, the first one end portion being connected to the input rod to be non-rotatable with respect to the input rod, 
 a second link member comprising a second one end portion and a second another end portion, the second one end portion being connected to the switching shaft to be non-rotatable with respect to the switching shaft, and 
 a third link member comprising a third one end portion and a third another end portion, the third one end portion being connected to the first another end portion of the first link member to be rotatable with respect to the first link member, the third another end portion being connected to the second another end portion of the second link member to be rotatable with respect to the second link member. 
   
     
     
         6 . The ship propulsion machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the switching mechanism is arranged in a front portion of a space between the first motor and the second motor.