Steering control system for boat

• US 7,270,068 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Mizutani, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson; Lars A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Venne; Daniel V.
• Application Number:
  US11/354,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 114/144.0RE
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/12 Means enabling steering
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/02 Initiating means for steering , for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/24 by electrical means

Abstract

A rudder control device for a boat can include a handle position sensor for detecting an operation angle of a handle. An engine control unit can be provided for receiving a detection signal from the handle position sensor. A motor can be provided for receiving a control signal from the engine control unit to drive a steering member to a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the operation angle. The engine control unit can receive a signal from a speed sensor for detecting a boat speed to control an upper limit of the rotation angle to be smaller when the boat speed is higher than a predetermined value than when not.

Claims

1. A steering system for a boat, comprising:

operation angle detection means for detecting an operation angle of a handle;

control means for receiving a detection signal from the operation angle detection means; and

electric drive means for receiving a control signal from the control means to drive a steering member to a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the operation angle,

wherein the control means receives a signal from a boat speed detection means for detecting a boat speed to control an upper limit of the rotation angle to be smaller when the boat speed is higher than a predetermined value than when not.

2. A steering system for a boat, comprising:

operation angle detecton means for detecting an operation angle of a handle;

control means for receiving a detection signal from the operation angle detection means; and

drive means for receiving a control signal from the control means to drive a steering member to a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the operation angle,

wherein the control means receives a signal from a boat speed detection means for detecting a boat speed to control a change rate of the rotation angle to the operation angle to be smaller when the boat speed is higher than a predetermined value than when not.

3. A steering system for a boat comprising a steering command sensor configured to detect steering commands from an operator of the boat and to output a steering command signal, a control device configured to receive the steering command signal from the steering command sensor and to output a control signal, an electric drive device configured to receive the control signal from the control device to drive a steering member to a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the steering command, a boat speed detection device configured to detect a speed of the boat, and a steering member configured to control a direction of travel of the boat, wherein the control device is configured to allow the steering member to be moved through its full range of movement when the boat speed is below a first predetermined angle, and to limit the proportion of movement of the steering member to a magnitude of the steering command signal when the boat speed is higher than a first predetermined value.

4. The steering system according to claim 3, wherein the steering member is an outboard motor.

5. The steering system according to claim 3, wherein the control device is configured to limit the movement of the steering member to a first limited maximum steering angle when the speed of the boat is higher than the first predetermined value.

6. The steering system according to claim 4, wherein the control device is configured to limit the movement of the steering member to a first limited maximum steering angle when the speed of the boat is higher than the first predetermined value.

7. The steering system according to claim 6, wherein the control device is configured to limit the movement of the steering member to a second limited maximum steering angle when the speed of the boat is higher than a second predetermined value, the second limited maximum steering angle is smaller than the first limited maximum steering angle, and the second predetermined value being greater then the first predetermined value.

8. The steering system according to claim 3, wherein the control device is configured to limit the movement of the steering member to a first limited maximum proportional relationship having a first magnitude of a proportion of steering member movement to steering command magnitude when the speed of the boat is higher than the first predetermined value.

9. The steering system according to claim 3, wherein the control device is configured to limit the movement of the steering member to a second limited maximum proportional relationship having a second magnitude of a proportion of steering member movement to steering command magnitude when the speed of the boat is higher than the second predetermined value.