REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR A BOAT

• US 20070246010A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Okuyama, Takashi, Kanno, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/396
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 25/00 Controlling two or more co-operating engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An electronic control device on an internal combustion engine side connected to an abnormal internal combustion engine detects an abnormality and outputs the abnormal signal; the target throttle opening angle signal is transmitted to the electric throttle actuator to set a throttle opening angle of an abnormal internal combustion engine to a predetermined opening angle; the abnormal signal is transmitted to the electronic control devices on a remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine; and the electronic control devices on a remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine, on receiving the abnormal signal, transmit the target throttle opening angle signal to the electronic control devices on an internal combustion engine side of a normal internal combustion engine.

Claims

1. A control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat equipped with a plurality of propulsion unit comprising:

a plurality of electronic control devices on an internal combustion engine side installed to each internal combustion engine for controlling an operation of a throttle actuator of an internal combustion engine for each propulsion unit, an operation of a shift actuator, and an ignition timing of a spark plug of the boat; and

a remote control device comprising a plurality electronic control devices, which communicate with each other, on a remote control device side corresponding to the same number of electronic control devices on the internal combustion engine side and capable of transmitting a signal for each internal combustion engine to execute a target drive state,

wherein the system is configured such that when an abnormality in an internal combustion engine in a propulsion unit occurs, an electronic control device on the internal combustion engine side connected to the abnormal internal combustion engine detects the abnormality and outputs an abnormal signal, transmitting a target throttle opening angle signal to the throttle actuator to set a throttle opening angle of the abnormal internal combustion engine to a predetermined opening angle; and

the abnormal signal is transmitted to an electronic control device on the remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine via an electronic control device on the remote control device side of the abnormal internal combustion engine, and the electronic control device on the remote control device side of the normal internal combustion engine, on receiving the abnormal signal, transmits the target throttle opening angle signal or the abnormal signal to the electronic control device on the internal combustion engine side of the normal internal combustion engine, thereby, engine speed of the abnormal internal combustion engine and the normal internal combustion engine are reduced.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality comprises at least one of overheating and oil reduction in an internal combustion engine in a propulsion unit.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the engine speed is reduced to a predetermined amount.

4. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device on the internal combustion engine side has an actuator control device to control the operation of the throttle actuator and the operation of the shift actuator and an engine controller to control the ignition timing of the spark plug, and wherein when the actuator control device receives the abnormal signal from the engine controller, the target throttle opening angle corresponding to the target throttle opening angle signal and a throttle opening angle of the abnormal internal combustion engine are compared, and the throttle actuator is operated to change the throttle opening angle of the abnormal internal combustion engine to the target throttle opening angle if the two throttle opening angles are different.

5. A control system according to claim 1, wherein when received the abnormal signal, an electronic control device on the remote control device side sounds a warning buzzer.

6. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator control device operates the shift actuator to set a shift of the abnormal internal combustion engine to the neutral position based on the abnormal signal when having received the abnormal signal from the engine controller.

7. A control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat according to claim 2.

8. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein when receiving the abnormal signal, the electronic control device on the remote control device side, compares the target throttle opening angle and a throttle opening angle of the normal internal combustion engine, and, if the two throttle opening angles are different, transmits a target throttle opening angle signal to the actuator control device to set the throttle opening angle to the target throttle opening angle, so that the actuator control device operates the throttle actuator to change a throttle opening angle of the normal internal combustion engine to the target throttle opening angle.

9. A remote control system according to claim 8, wherein when received the abnormal signal, an electronic control device on the remote control device side sounds a warning buzzer, and the target throttle opening angle signal controls an engine speed of the internal combustion engine.

10. A remote control system according to claim 8, wherein the actuator control device operates the shift actuator to set a shift of the abnormal internal combustion engine to the neutral position based on the abnormal signal when having received the abnormal signal from the engine controller.

11. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein when received the abnormal signal, an electronic control device on the remote control device side sounds a warning buzzer installed in the remote control device or in the vicinity of it, and the target throttle opening angle signal controls an engine speed of the internal combustion engine.

14. A remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the cancel conditions to cancel a restricted mode state of the throttle actuator having received the abnormal signal are a solution to an abnormality of the internal combustion engine causing the abnormal signal, and wherein the operation lever is positioned in the neutral position or in a low speed position corresponding to the target throttle opening angle.

12. A remote control system according to claim 12, wherein the cancel conditions to cancel a restricted mode state of the throttle actuator having received the abnormal signal are a solution to an abnormality of the internal combustion engine causing the abnormal signal, and wherein the operation lever is positioned in the neutral position or in a low speed position corresponding to the target throttle opening angle.

13. A boat comprising a remote control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat according to claim 12.

15. A boat comprising a remote control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat according to claim 15.

16. A boat comprising a remote control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat according to claim 16.

17. A remote control system of an internal combustion engine for a boat equipped with a plurality of propulsion unit comprising:

an electronic control device on an internal combustion engine side installed to each internal combustion engine for controlling a plurality of operations of the internal combustion engine; and

a remote control device comprising electronic control devices, which communicate with each other, on a remote control device side corresponding to the same number of electronic control devices on the internal combustion engine side and capable of transmitting a signal for each internal combustion engine to execute a target drive state,

wherein when an abnormality in an internal combustion engine in a propulsion unit occurs, an electronic control device on the internal combustion engine side connected to the abnormal internal combustion engine detects the abnormality and outputs an abnormal signal, transmitting a control signal to control at least a part the internal combustion engine; and

the abnormal signal is transmitted to an electronic control device on the remote control device side of a normal internal combustion engine via an electronic control device on the remote control device side of the abnormal internal combustion engine, and the electronic control device on the remote control device side of the normal internal combustion engine, on receiving the abnormal signal, transmits the control signal or the abnormal signal to the electronic control device on the internal combustion engine side of the normal internal combustion engine, thereby, engine speed of the abnormal internal combustion engine and the normal internal combustion engine are reduced.

18. A remote control system according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of operations of the internal combustion engine comprise an operation of a throttle actuator of an internal combustion engine for each propulsion unit, an operation of a shift actuator, and an ignition timing of a spark plug of the boat.

19. A remote control system according to claim 17, wherein the control signal comprises a target throttle opening angle signal to the throttle actuator to set a throttle opening angle of the abnormal internal combustion engine to a predetermined opening angle.