Method for maneuvering a marine vessel in response to a manually operable control device
First Claim
1. A method for maneuvering a marine vessel, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a first steering axis which extends through a lower surface of a hull of said marine vessel;
providing a second marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a second steering axis which extends through said lower surface of said hull of said marine vessel;
providing a manually operable control device which is configured to provide an output signal which is representative of a desired movement of said marine vessel;
resolving said desired movement of said marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a preselected point of said marine vessel;
determining a first rotational position of said first marine propulsion device about said first steering axis, a second rotational position of said second marine propulsion device about said second steering axis, a first magnitude and first direction of thrust for said first marine propulsion device, and a second magnitude and second direction of thrust for said second marine propulsion device which will result in achievement of said target linear thrust and said target moment about said preselected point of said marine vessel;
rotating said first and second marine propulsion devices to said first and second rotational positions about said first and second steering axes, respectively;
causing said first and second marine propulsion devices to produce said first and second magnitudes and directions of thrust, respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A marine vessel is maneuvered by independently rotating first and second marine propulsion devices about their respective steering axes in response to commands received from a manually operable control device, such as a joystick. The marine propulsion devices are aligned with their thrust vectors intersecting at a point on a centerline of the marine vessel and, when no rotational movement is commanded, at the center of gravity of the marine vessel. Internal combustion engines are provided to drive the marine propulsion devices. The steering axes of the two marine propulsion devices are generally vertical and parallel to each other. The two steering axes extend through a bottom surface of the hull of the marine vessel.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for maneuvering a marine vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a first steering axis which extends through a lower surface of a hull of said marine vessel;
providing a second marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a second steering axis which extends through said lower surface of said hull of said marine vessel;
providing a manually operable control device which is configured to provide an output signal which is representative of a desired movement of said marine vessel;
resolving said desired movement of said marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a preselected point of said marine vessel;
determining a first rotational position of said first marine propulsion device about said first steering axis, a second rotational position of said second marine propulsion device about said second steering axis, a first magnitude and first direction of thrust for said first marine propulsion device, and a second magnitude and second direction of thrust for said second marine propulsion device which will result in achievement of said target linear thrust and said target moment about said preselected point of said marine vessel;
rotating said first and second marine propulsion devices to said first and second rotational positions about said first and second steering axes, respectively;
causing said first and second marine propulsion devices to produce said first and second magnitudes and directions of thrust, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for maneuvering a marine vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a first vertical steering axis which extends through a lower surface of a hull of said marine vessel;
providing a second marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a second vertical steering axis which extends through said lower surface of said hull of said marine vessel;
providing a first internal combustion engine disposed within said hull of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting relation with said first marine propulsion device;
providing a second internal combustion engine disposed within said hull of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting relation with said second marine propulsion device;
resolving a desired movement of said marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a preselected point of said marine vessel;
determining a first rotational position of said first marine propulsion device about said first vertical steering axis, a second rotational position of said second marine propulsion device about said second vertical steering axis, a first magnitude and first direction of thrust for said first marine propulsion device, and a second magnitude and second direction of thrust for said second marine propulsion device which will result in achievement of said target linear thrust and said target moment about said preselected point of said marine vessel;
rotating said first and second marine propulsion devices to said first and second rotational positions about said first and second vertical steering axes, respectively;
causing said first and second marine propulsion devices to produce said first and second magnitudes and directions of thrust, respectively, said first and second rotational positions resulting in said first and second marine propulsion devices producing first and second thrust vectors which intersect at a point located on a centerline which extends from a bow to a stem of said marine vessel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for maneuvering a marine vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a first steering axis;
providing a second marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a second steering axis;
resolving a desired movement of said marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a center of gravity of said marine vessel;
determining a first rotational position of said first marine propulsion device about said first steering axis, a second rotational position of said second marine propulsion device about said second steering axis, a first magnitude and first direction of thrust for said first marine propulsion device, and a second magnitude and second direction of thrust for said second marine propulsion device which will result in achievement of said target linear thrust and said target moment about center of gravity of said marine vessel;
rotating said first and second marine propulsion devices to said first and second rotational positions about said first and second steering axes, respectively;
causing said first and second marine propulsion devices to produce said first and second magnitudes and directions of thrust, respectively, said first and second rotational positions resulting in said first and second marine propulsion devices producing first and second thrust vectors which intersect at a point located on a centerline which extends from a bow to a stem of said marine vessel. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for maneuvering a marine vessel, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a first generally vertical steering axis which extends through a lower surface of a hull of said marine vessel;
providing a second marine propulsion device which is rotatable about a second generally vertical steering axis which extends through said lower surface of said hull of said marine vessel;
providing a first internal combustion engine disposed within said hull of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting relation with said first marine propulsion device;
providing a second internal combustion engine disposed within said hull of said marine vessel and connected in torque transmitting relation with said second marine propulsion device, said first and second internal combustion engines being the sole providers or torque to said first and second marine propulsion devices, respectively;
providing a manually operable control device which is configured to provide an output signal which is representative of a desired movement of said marine vessel;
resolving said desired movement of said marine vessel into a target linear thrust and a target moment about a center of gravity of said marine vessel;
determining a first rotational position of said first marine propulsion device about said first steering axis, a second rotational position of said second marine propulsion device about said second steering axis, a first magnitude and first direction of thrust for said first marine propulsion device, and a second magnitude and second direction of thrust for said second marine propulsion device which will result in achievement of said target linear thrust and said target moment about said center of gravity of said marine vessel;
rotating said first and second marine propulsion devices to said first and second rotational positions about said first and second steering axes, respectively;
causing said first and second marine propulsion devices to produce said first and second magnitudes and directions of thrust, respectively, said first and second rotational positions resulting in said first and second marine propulsion devices producing first and second thrust vectors which intersect at a point located on a centerline which extends from a bow to a stem of said marine vessel, said first and second thrust vectors intersecting at said center of gravity of said marine vessel when said target moment is equal to zero, said first and second thrust vectors intersecting at a point on said centerline other than said center of gravity of said marine vessel when said target moment has an absolute value greater than zero, said first marine propulsion device being located on a port side of said centerline and said second marine propulsion device being located on a starboard side of said centerline. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification