Engine condition indicating device for boat

• US 7,330,133 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kawanishi, Masaru, Okuyama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/967,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 340/984, 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/449, 340/451, 340/461, 701/21
• US Class Current: 340/984
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/002 giving both analog and numerical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers

Abstract

An engine condition indicating device for a boat automatically adjusts the indication range of condition data values of different engines to the range of an indicating section to provide an appropriately positioned indication for each engine. The engine condition indicating device indicates a condition data value such as a detected engine oil pressure as an indication object at a predetermined position in an indication area of an indicating section. Indication information, which includes a condition value determined in association with the indication area as an indication object for the engine, is preset. The condition data value transmitted from the engine as an indication object is processed based on the indication information to cause the indication object to be displayed at a predetermined position in the indication area of the indicating section.

Claims

1. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area defining a fixed range;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second predetermined position within the fixed range, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second predetermined position of the at least one second indication object, a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models being stored at the engine condition indicating device and being accessible by the processing section, the engine condition indicating device configured to receive engine model information from the engine, and the processing section configured to respond to the engine model information and access a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine, the processing section configured to adjust an indication range of condition data values for different engines to the fixed range of the indication area to accurately indicate the position of the first indication object relative to the at least one second indication object for any of the different engines.

2. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second position comprises:

a warning upper limit position;

a warning lower limit position;

a safe range upper limit position; and

a safe range lower limit position.

3. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 2, wherein the condition data value represents at least one of engine oil pressure, engine cooling water temperature, or engine speed.

4. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 3, wherein the indication information is stored at the engine.

5. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 3, wherein:

a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models are stored at the engine condition indicating device and are accessible by the processing section;

the engine condition indicating device receives engine model information from the engine; and

the processing section responds to the engine model information and accesses a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

6. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 2, wherein the indication information is stored at the engine.

7. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 2, wherein:

a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models are stored at the engine condition indicating device and are accessible by the processing section;

the engine condition indicating device receives engine model information from the engine; and

the processing section responds to the engine model information and accesses a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

8. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 1, wherein the condition data value represents at least one of engine oil pressure, engine cooling water temperature, or engine speed.

9. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 8, wherein the indication information is stored at the engine.

10. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 8, wherein:

a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models are stored at the engine condition indicating device and are accessible by the processing section;

the engine condition indicating device receives engine model information from the engine; and

the processing section responds to the engine model information and accesses a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

11. The engine condition indicating device for a boat according to claim 1, wherein the indication information is stored at the engine.

12. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second position, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine, the at least one second position comprising a warning upper limit position, a warning lower limit position, a safe range upper limit position and a safe range lower limit position; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second position of the at least one second indication object, the condition data value representing at least one of engine oil pressure, engine cooling water temperature or engine speed, a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models being stored at the engine condition indicating device and being accessible by the processing section, the engine condition indicating device configured to receive engine model information from the engine and the processing section configured to respond to the engine model information and access a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

13. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second position, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine, the at least one second position comprising a warning upper limit position, a warning lower limit position, a safe range upper limit position and a safe range lower limit position; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second position of the at least one second indication object, a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models being stored at the engine condition indicating device and being accessible by the processing section, the engine condition indicating device configured to receive engine model information from the engine, and the processing section configured to respond to the engine model information and access a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

14. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second position, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second position of the at least one second indication object, the condition data value representing at least one of engine oil pressure, engine cooling water temperature or engine speed, a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models being stored at the engine condition indicating device and being accessible by the processing section, the engine condition indicating device configured to receive engine model information from the engine, and the processing section configured to respond to the engine model information and access a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

15. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second position, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second position of the at least one second indication object, a plurality of sets of the indication information corresponding to a respective plurality of engine models being stored at the engine condition indicating device and being accessible by the processing section, the engine condition indicating device configured to receive engine model information from the engine, and the processing section configured to respond to the engine model information and access a selected one of the plurality of sets of indication information to obtain the preset indication information for the engine.

16. An engine condition indicating device for indicating a condition data value of a detected operating parameter of an engine of a boat, the engine condition indicating device comprising:

an indication section, the indication section comprising;

an indication area defining a range;

a first indication object located in the indication area in a first position responsive to the condition data value; and

at least one second indication object located in the indication area in at least one second position, the at least one second indication object responsive to a condition value of the engine included in preset indication information for the engine, the at least one second position comprising a warning upper limit position, a warning lower limit position, a safe range upper limit position and a safe range lower limit position; and

a processing section responsive to the preset indication information for the engine to process the condition data value from the engine to determine the first position of the first indication object with respect to the at least one second position of the at least one second indication object, the processing section configured to adjust an indication range of condition data values for different engines to the range of the indication area to accurately indicate the position of the first indication object relative to the at least one second indication object for any of the different engines.