Vessel direction control system for small-scale vessel

• US 5,931,110 A
• Filed: 08/04/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): BASINGER, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US08/905,341
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 114/144 C, 114/144 E, 114/144 B, 440/6, 440/7
• US Class Current: 114/144.00E
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/007 Trolling propulsion units trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/045 for marine engines

Abstract

A fishing boat has a direction sensor disposed at a midship of the boat for detecting as a vessel direction a direction of a bow of the boat, an outboard motor attached to the bow for controlling the vessel direction, and a control unit responsive to a detected vessel direction to control the outboard motor so that the bow is oriented at a preset vessel direction.

Claims

1. A vessel direction control system for a small-scale vessel including a vessel body with a bow and a stern, the vessel direction control system comprising:

a principal propelling outboard engine attached to a stern of a vessel body;

a subsidiary propelling outboard unit attached to a bow of the vessel body and including an electric motor for controlling a direction of the vessel body;

a bracket member fixed to the bow for attaching the outboard unit thereto in a vertically swingable and detachable manner;

a vessel direction detector for detecting the direction of the vessel body as a vessel direction;

a wind velocity detector for detecting a velocity of winds above the vessel body including a component representative of a direction of the winds;

a controller responsive in a first mode thereof, to a detected vessel direction to control the outboard unit so that the bow is oriented at a preset vessel direction, and in a second mode thereof, to a detected wind velocity to control the outboard unit so that the bow is oriented upstream the winds; and

a select switch for selecting one of the first and second modes of the controller.

2. A vessel direction control system according to claim 1, wherein the outboard unit comprises:

a propeller member;

a first drive connected to the controller for driving the propeller member to rotate about a horizontal axis at a controlled rotation speed; and

a second drive connected to the controller for driving the propeller member to turn about a vertical axis at a controlled direction.

3. A vessel direction control system according to claim 1, wherein the vessel direction detector comprises an azimuth sensor for detecting an azimuth of the bow about a midship of the vessel body.