CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STARTING AND STOPPING MARINE ENGINES

• US 20110196552A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marine Canada Acquisition Inc. (Dometic Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Marine Canada Acquisition Inc. (Dometic Group AB)
• Inventors: Garon, Pierre, Wong, Ray Tat Lung, Allyn, Neil Garfield
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2020/003 Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a start-protection system for an engine of a marine vessel. The engine has gears and a shift actuator for operatively shifting the gears. The system includes a first position sensor disposed to operatively sense whether the engine is in a forward, neutral or a reverse gear position. The first position sensor generates a signal representative of the gear position. The system includes a second position sensor adjacent to a shift control which controls shift functions of the engine. The second position sensor generates a signal representative of the position of the shift control. The system includes processing means. The processing means are configured to receive the signals of the position sensors, determine the gear position and the position of the shift control and enable the engine to start upon determining that both the shift control and the engine are in neutral positions.

Claims

1. A method for starting an engine of a marine vessel, the engine having gears and a shift actuator for operatively shifting the gears, the method comprising:

providing a first position sensor disposed to operatively sense whether the engine is in a forward, neutral or reverse gear position, the first position sensor generating a signal representative of the gear position;

disposing a second position sensor adjacent to a shift control which controls shift functions of the engine, the second position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the shift control; and

providing processing means, the processing means receiving the signals of the position sensors, determining the gear position and the position of the shift control and enabling the engine to start upon determining that both the shift control and the engine are in neutral positions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further including

providing a start switch, the start switch when actuated enabling a switch-on message to be sent to the processing means;

and

starting the engine if the processing means receives the switch-on message and determines that both the shift control and the engine are in neutral positions.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shift control is a control lever.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, the shifting actuator includes a shift actuator arm, and within the step of disposing the first position sensor, disposing the first position sensor adjacent to the position of the shift actuator arm.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, the shifting actuator operatively connecting to a clutch mechanism via a shift linkage and wherein the first position sensor is adjacent to the shift linkage.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, the processing means including a control head processor, the control head processor receiving the signal of the second position sensor and determining the position of the shift control, the processing means including a servo controller processor, the servo controller processor receiving the signal of the first position sensor and determining the gear position, the method further including:

providing a start switch connected to the control head processor; and

within the enabling the engine to start step of the processing means, the control head processor transmitting an engine start message when the start switch is actuated and the control head processor determines that the shift control is in neutral, the servo controller processor transmitting a start output when the servo controller processor receives the engine start message and determines that the engine is in the neutral gear position, and the start output operatively causing the engine to start.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, the engine including a starter solenoid, and the method further including:

the start output being in communication with the starter solenoid, being a drive signal and causing the engine to start via the starter solenoid.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, the processing means including an engine controller processor, and the method further including, within the enabling the engine to start step of the processing means, the engine controller processor receiving the start output and causing the engine to start.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, the control head processor being part of a control head, the servo controller processor being part of a servo controller and the engine controller processor being part of an engine control unit, and wherein the control head, the servo controller and the engine control unit are connected together via a communications link.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, the engine further including a starter solenoid, the engine controller processor actuating the starter solenoid to start the engine.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further including:

providing a stop switch for stopping operation of the engine, the stop switch connecting to the control head processor;

the control head processor being connected to the engine controller processor and transmitting a stop message to the engine controller processor to stop operation of the engine upon the stop switch being actuated; and

the engine controller processor causing the engine to stop upon receiving the stop message.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control head processor transmits the stop message upon the stop switch being actuated for all positions of the shift control and for all gear positions.

13. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the shift control is a control lever.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein within the enabling the engine to start step, configuring the processing means to check for a fault in the functioning of the first position sensor, the processing means inhibiting the engine from starting if the processing means determines that said fault exists.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, the engine including a throttle and a throttle actuator operatively connected to the throttle, and the method further including:

providing a third position sensor for operatively sensing the position of the throttle, the third position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the throttle;

the processing means receiving the signal of the third position sensor and determining the position of the throttle;

when the shift control is in neutral, the processor means being configured to cause the engine to move to the neutral position and cause the throttle to move to an idle position; and

within the enabling the engine to start step, the processing means inhibiting the engine from starting if the processing means determines that the throttle is inhibited from moving to the idle position.

16. The method as claimed in claim 6, the engine including a throttle and a throttle actuator operatively connected to the throttle, and the method further including:

the method further including;

providing a third position sensor for operatively sensing the position of the throttle, the third position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the throttle;

within the enabling the engine to start step, configuring the servo controller processor to check for at least one fault in the functioning of the first position sensor, in the functioning of the third position sensor or in the throttle actuator'"'"'s ability to move to an idle position, and the servo controller processor inhibiting the transmission of the start output if the servo controller processor determines that said at least one fault exists, the servo controller processor thereby inhibiting the engine from starting.

17. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the start output is one of a voltage signal, a CANbus message and a serial communication means for communicating with the engine controller processor for staring the engine.

18. A start-protection system for an engine of a marine vessel, the engine having gears and a shift actuator for operatively shifting the gears, the system comprising:

a first position sensor disposed to operatively sense whether the engine is in a forward, neutral or a reverse gear position, the first position sensor generating a signal representative of the gear position;

a second position sensor adjacent to a shift control which controls shift functions of the engine, the second position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the shift control; and

processing means, the processing means configured to receive the signals of the position sensors, determine the gear position and the position of the shift control and enable the engine to start upon determining that both the shift control and the engine are in neutral positions.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, further including:

a start switch connected to the processing means, the start switch when actuated enabling a switch-on message to be sent to the processing means,

whereby the system allows the engine to start if the processing means receives the switch-on message and determines that both the shift control and the engine are in neutral positions.

20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the shift control is a control lever.

21. A multiplexed start system for a first marine engine and a second marine engine, the system comprising:

a first start switch for a first engine and a second start switch for the second engine;

a control head connected to the first start switch and the second start switch, the control head including a control lever which controls shift functions of the engines, and the control head including a control head processor;

a lever position sensor disposed adjacent to the control lever, the lever position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the control lever, the control head processor configured to receive the signal of the lever position sensor and determine the position of the control lever;

a communications link, the control head connected to the communications link;

a first servo controller having a servo processor and being connected to the control head via the communications link;

a second servo controller having a servo processor and being connected to the control head via the communications link;

a first engine having gears and a shift actuator for operatively shifting the gears via a first shift actuator arm, the first engine having an engine control unit for operatively starting the first engine, the engine control unit being in paired communication with the first servo controller;

a second engine having gears and a shift actuator for operatively shifting the gears of the second engine via a second shift actuator arm, the engine control unit of the second engine being in paired communication with the second servo controller;

a first shift actuator position sensor disposed adjacent to the first shift actuator arm, the first shift actuator position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the first shift actuator arm of the first engine, the first servo processor being configured to receive the signal of the first shift actuator position sensor and determine whether the first engine is in a forward, neutral or reverse gear position; and

a second shift actuator position sensor disposed adjacent to the second shift actuator arm, the second shift actuator position sensor generating a signal representative of the position of the second shift actuator arm, the second servo processor being configured to receive the signal of the second shift actuator position sensor and determine whether the second engine is in a forward, neutral or reverse gear position,

whereby, when one of the first switch and the second switch is actuated and the control head processor determines that the control lever is in a neutral position, the control head processor transmits an engine start message to the corresponding one of the first servo controller processor and the second servo controller processor, and when said one of the first servo controller processor and the second servo controller processor receives its engine start message and determines that its corresponding engine is in the neutral gear position, said one of the first servo controller processor and the second servo controller processor transmits a signal to its paired one of the first engine control unit and the second engine control unit to start its associated one of the first engine and the second engine.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the first engine control unit and the second engine control unit are both connected to control head via the communication link.

23. A multiplexed stop system for a marine engine, the system comprising:

a stop switch for stopping operation of the engine;

a control head connected to the stop switch, the control head including a control head processor;

a communications link, the control head connected to the communications link;

an engine control unit for operatively stopping the engine, the engine control unit being connected to the control head via the communications link;

whereby, when the stop switch is actuated, the control head processor transmits a stop message via the communications link to the engine control unit to stop operation of the engine.

24. An emergency stop system for a marine engine, the system comprising:

a control head;

an electronic servo module for the engine;

a lanyard switch for stopping the engine; and

a cable including a communications link and a pair of emergency stop conductors in communication with the engine, the control head and the electronic servo module being connected to the communications link, the pair of emergency stop conductors being connected to the lanyard switch, actuating the lanyard switch causing a lanyard signal to be transmitted to the engine via the emergency stop conductors to stop the engine, the control head and the electronic servo module being configured to read the lanyard switch state via the emergency stop conductors, and the control head and the electronic servo module being configured to also transmit the lanyard signal to the engine via the communications link.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the control head and the electronic servo module are configured to also transmit the lanyard signal to the engine via a serial communication means.