Marine vessel running controlling apparatus, marine vessel maneuvering supporting system and marine vessel each including the marine vessel running controlling apparatus, and marine vessel running controlling method

• US 20050092225A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaji, Hirotaka, Suemori, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 6,994,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/144.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/42 Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements by jets B63H25/46; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers

Abstract

A marine vessel running controlling apparatus controls running of a marine vessel and includes a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of a hull, and a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces with respect to the hull. The apparatus includes a target combined propulsive force acquiring section, a target movement angle acquiring section, a steering controlling section which controls the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that a turning angular speed of the hull is substantially equal to a predetermined target angular speed, a target propulsive force calculating section which calculates target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force, the target movement angle and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms, and a propulsive force controlling section which controls the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the target propulsive forces.

Claims

1. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus for controlling running of a marine vessel that includes a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of a hull, and a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to the hull, the marine vessel running controlling apparatus comprising:

a target combined propulsive force acquiring section which acquires a target combined propulsive force to be applied to the hull by the pair of propulsion systems;

a target movement angle acquiring section which acquires a target movement angle defined by a target movement direction of the hull with respect to a stem direction of the hull;

a steering controlling section which controls the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that a turning angular speed of the hull is substantially equal to a predetermined target angular speed;

a target propulsive force calculating section which calculates target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force acquired by the target combined propulsive force acquiring section, the target movement angle acquired by the target movement angle acquiring section and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms; and

a propulsive force controlling section which controls the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the target propulsive forces calculated by the target propulsive force calculating section.

2. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an angular speed detecting section which detects the turning angular speed of the hull;

wherein

the steering controlling section includes a target steering angle calculating section which calculates target steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that the turning angular speed detected by the angular speed detecting section is substantially equal to the target angular speed.

3. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein

the target steering angle calculating section calculates the target steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that action lines along which the propulsive forces are generated by the respective propulsion systems intersect each other at a center line of the hull extending through a stem and a stern of the hull.

4. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein

the target steering angle calculating section calculates one of the target steering angles of the steering mechanisms by adding a constant φ

_c to a steering angle correction value ψ

(ψ

>

0) and calculates the other target steering angle by subtracting the constant φ

_c from the steering angle correction value ψ

when an action point defined by an intersection of the action lines is located outside of the center line of the hull.

5. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the target steering angle calculating section includes:

a basic target steering angle storing section which stores a basic target steering angle;

a steering angle deviation computing section which computes a steering angle deviation based on a deviation of the angular speed detected by the angular speed detecting section from the target angular speed; and

an adding section which adds the steering angle deviation computed by the steering angle deviation computing section to the basic target steering angle stored in the basic target steering angle storing section.

6. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a writing section which writes an output of the adding section as a new basic target steering angle in the basic target steering angle storing section at predetermined times.

7. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a target angular speed acquiring section which acquires the target angular speed of the hull;

wherein

the target steering angle calculating section calculates the target steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that the turning angular speed detected by the angular speed detecting section is substantially equal to the target angular speed acquired by the target angular speed acquiring section.

8. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the propulsion systems each include a motor as a drive source;

and

the target propulsive force calculating section includes;

a first rotational speed setting section which determines a rotational speed of the motor of one of the propulsion systems according to the target combined propulsive force acquired by the target combined propulsive force acquiring section; and

a second rotational speed setting section which determines a rotational speed of the motor of the other propulsion system according to the rotational speed determined by the first rotational speed setting section, the target movement angle acquired by the target movement angle acquiring section and at least one of the steering angles of the steering mechanisms.

9. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the target angular speed is zero.

10. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of trim mechanisms which respectively change trim angles defined by the directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to a horizontal plane; and

a trim angle controlling section which controls the trim mechanisms such that the trim angles of the respective propulsion systems are substantially equal to each other.

11. A marine vessel maneuvering supporting system for supporting maneuvering of a marine vessel that includes a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of a hull, and a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to the hull, the marine vessel maneuvering supporting system comprising:

a target propulsive force inputting section for inputting a target combined propulsive force to be applied to the hull by the pair of propulsion systems;

a target movement angle inputting section for inputting a target movement angle defined by a target movement direction of the hull with respect to a stem direction of the hull; and

a marine vessel running controlling apparatus which controls running of the marine vessel based on the target combined propulsive force input from the target propulsive force inputting section and the target movement angle input from the target movement angle inputting section;

the marine vessel running controlling apparatus including;

a target combined propulsive force acquiring section which acquires the target combined propulsive force input from the target propulsive force inputting section;

a target movement angle acquiring section which acquires the target movement angle input from the target movement angle inputting section;

a steering controlling section which controls the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that a turning angular speed of the hull is substantially equal to a predetermined target angular speed;

a target propulsive force calculating section which calculates target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force acquired by the target combined propulsive force acquiring section, the target movement angle acquired by the target movement angle acquiring section and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms; and

a propulsive force controlling section which controls the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the target propulsive forces calculated by the target propulsive force calculating section.

12. A marine vessel maneuvering supporting system for supporting maneuvering of a marine vessel that includes a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of a hull, and a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to the hull, the marine vessel maneuvering supporting system comprising:

a target propulsive force inputting section for inputting a target combined propulsive force to be applied to the hull by the pair of propulsion systems;

a target movement angle inputting section for inputting a target movement angle defined by a target movement direction of the hull with respect to a stem direction of the hull;

a target angular speed inputting section for inputting a target angular speed of the hull;

an angular speed detecting section which detects a turning angular speed of the hull; and

a marine vessel running controlling apparatus which controls running of the marine vessel based on the target combined propulsive force input from the target propulsive force inputting section, the target movement angle input from the target movement angle inputting section, the target angular speed input from the target angular speed inputting section and the angular speed detected by the angular speed detecting section;

the marine vessel running controlling apparatus including;

a target combined propulsive force acquiring section which acquires the target combined propulsive force input from the target propulsive force inputting section;

a target movement angle acquiring section which acquires the target movement angle input from the target movement angle inputting section;

a target angular speed acquiring section which acquires the target angular speed input from the target angular speed inputting section;

a steering controlling section which controls the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that the turning angular speed detected by the angular speed detecting section is substantially equal to the target angular speed acquired by the target angular speed acquiring section;

a target propulsive force calculating section which calculates target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force acquired by the target combined propulsive force acquiring section, the target movement angle acquired by the target movement angle acquiring section and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms; and

a propulsive force controlling section which controls the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the target propulsive forces calculated by the target propulsive force calculating section.

13. A marine vessel comprising:

a hull;

a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of the hull;

a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to the hull; and

a marine vessel running controlling apparatus which controls the pair of propulsion systems and the pair of steering mechanisms;

the marine vessel running controlling apparatus including;

a target combined propulsive force acquiring section which acquires a target combined propulsive force to be applied to the hull by the pair of propulsion systems;

a target movement angle acquiring section which acquires a target movement angle defined by a target movement direction of the hull with respect to a stem direction of the hull;

a steering controlling section which controls the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that a turning angular speed of the hull is substantially equal to a predetermined target angular speed;

a target propulsive force calculating section which calculates target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force acquired by the target combined propulsive force acquiring section, the target movement angle acquired by the target movement angle acquiring section and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms; and

a propulsive force controlling section which controls the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the target propulsive forces calculated by the target propulsive force calculating section.

14. A marine vessel running controlling method for controlling running of a marine vessel that includes a pair of propulsion systems which respectively generate propulsive forces on a rear port side and a rear starboard side of a hull, and a pair of steering mechanisms which respectively change steering angles defined by directions of the propulsive forces generated by the respective propulsion systems with respect to the hull, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a target combined propulsive force to be applied to the hull by the pair of propulsion systems;

acquiring a target movement angle defined by a target movement direction of the hull with respect to a stem direction of the hull;

controlling the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that a turning angular speed of the hull is substantially equal to a predetermined target angular speed;

calculating target propulsive forces to be generated from the respective propulsion systems based on the target combined propulsive force, the target movement angle and the steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms; and

controlling the respective propulsion systems so as to attain the calculated target propulsive forces.

15. A marine vessel running controlling method as set forth in claim 14, wherein

the steering angle controlling step includes the step of determining the target steering angles of the respective steering mechanisms such that action lines along which the propulsive forces are generated by the respective propulsion systems intersect each other on a center line of the hull extending through a stem and a stern of the hull.

16. A marine vessel running controlling method as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the steering angle controlling step further includes the step of calculating one of the target steering angles of the steering mechanisms by adding a constant φ

_c to a steering angle correction value ψ

(ψ

>

0), calculating the other target steering angle by subtracting the constant φ

_c from the steering angle correction value ψ

, and locating an action point defined by an intersection of the action lines outside the center line.

17. A marine vessel running controlling method as set forth in claim 14, wherein

the propulsion systems each include a motor as a driving source, and

the target propulsive force calculating step includes:

a first rotational speed setting step in which a rotational speed of the motor of one of the propulsion systems is determined according to the target combined propulsive force; and

a second rotational speed setting step in which a rotational speed of the motor of the other propulsion system is determined according to the rotational speed determined in the first rotational speed setting step, the target movement angle and at least one of the steering angles of the steering mechanisms.