Outboard motor

Abstract

An outboard motor for propelling a ship. The outboard motor includes a propulsion device including a propeller and a drive motor configured to rotate the propeller, a shaft portion having a tubular shape and extending in an upper-lower direction, the propulsion device being fixed to a lower end side portion of the shaft portion, an attachment mechanism configured to attach the shaft portion to the ship so as to be rotated about an axis of the shaft portion, a steering device including a turning motor, configured to rotate the shaft portion by driving of the turning motor, and configured to change an orientation of the propulsion device in a left-right direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outboard motor for propelling a ship, the outboard motor comprising:
 a propulsion device including a propeller and a drive motor configured to rotate the propeller;   a shaft portion having a tubular shape and extending in an upper-lower direction, the propulsion device being fixed to a lower end side portion of the shaft portion;   an attachment mechanism configured to attach the shaft portion to the ship so as to be rotated about an axis of the shaft portion;   a steering device including a turning motor, configured to rotate the shaft portion by driving of the turning motor, and configured to change an orientation of the propulsion device in a left-right direction;   a cable passing through inside the shaft portion and configured to transmit electric power or an electric signal for driving the drive motor to the propulsion device, a lower end portion of the cable being fixed to the propulsion device, an upper portion of the cable being drawn out of the shaft portion from an opening portion at an upper side of the shaft portion; and   a cable support portion configured to support a part of a portion of the cable drawn out of the shaft portion from the opening portion at the upper side of the shaft portion, a portion of the cable positioned above the opening portion at the upper side of the shaft portion, or a portion of the cable positioned inside the opening portion at the upper side of the shaft portion, so as not to be rotated in the left-right direction with respect to the attachment mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an upper case fixed to the attachment mechanism and covering an upper end side portion of the shaft portion,   wherein the cable support portion is fixed to the upper case.   
     
     
         3 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an upper case fixed to the attachment mechanism and covering an upper end side portion of the shaft portion,   wherein the cable support portion is made of a conductive material, includes a first connection portion and a second connection portion, and is fixed to the upper case such that the second connection portion is positioned above the opening portion at the upper side of the shaft portion,   the cable is divided into a first cable portion and a second cable portion,   the first cable portion is disposed outside the shaft portion, and one end portion of the first cable portion is connected to the first connection portion,   the second cable portion passes through inside the shaft portion,   a lower end portion of the second cable portion is fixed to the propulsion device, and   an upper end portion of the second cable portion is drawn out of the shaft portion from the opening portion at the upper side of the shaft portion and is connected to the second connection portion.   
     
     
         4 . The outboard motor according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the second connection portion includes a connection surface parallel to the axis of the shaft portion, and   an upper end portion of the second cable portion is connected to the connection surface.   
     
     
         5 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of the cables,   wherein a lower end portion or an upper end portion of the shaft portion is provided with a cable positioning member configured to position the plurality of cables such that the plurality of cables are separated from each other in a direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the axis of the shaft portion inside the shaft portion.   
     
     
         6 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the steering device is positioned on an upper side of the attachment mechanism, and   the cable support portion is positioned on an upper side of the steering device.   
     
     
         7 . The outboard motor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the steering device includes a worm and a worm wheel configured to transmit power of the turning motor to the shaft portion, and   the worm and the worm wheel are disposed outside the shaft portion.