Marine vessel running controlling apparatus, and marine vessel including the same

• US 7,357,120 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaji, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): KWON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US11/612,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 123/323, 123/360, 123/361, 123/350, 123/352, 123/399
• US Class Current: 123/360
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/213 Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque

Abstract

A marine vessel running controlling apparatus is applicable to a marine vessel which includes a propulsive force generating unit having an engine with an electric throttle. The apparatus includes a target characteristic storage unit which stores a target characteristic curve defining a target characteristic for an operation amount-engine speed characteristic, a target characteristic change inputting unit to be operated by an operator to change the shape of the target characteristic curve, and a target characteristic curve updating unit. The target characteristic change inputting unit includes an inflection point position change inputting unit and a curve shape change inputting unit to be operated by the operator.

Claims

1. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus for a marine vessel which includes a propulsive force generating unit having an engine with an electric throttle as a drive source to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the marine vessel, the marine vessel running controlling apparatus comprising:

a target characteristic storage unit arranged to store a target characteristic curve which defines a target characteristic for an operation amount-engine speed characteristic indicating a relationship between an engine speed and an operation amount of an operational member which is operated by an operator of the marine vessel to control an output of the engine;

a target characteristic change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change a shape of the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit; and

a target characteristic curve updating unit arranged to update the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit according to an input from the target characteristic change inputting unit;

wherein

the target characteristic change inputting unit includes;

an inflection point position change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change a position of an inflection point of the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit; and

a curve shape change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change at least one of a shape of a lower speed characteristic curve portion of the target characteristic curve located on one of opposite sides of the inflection point, and a shape of a higher speed characteristic curve portion of the target characteristic curve located on the other side of the inflection point.

2. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a target throttle opening degree setting unit arranged to determine a target throttle opening degree of the electric throttle according to the operation amount of the operational member to provide the operation amount-engine speed characteristic defined by the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit.

3. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the target characteristic change inputting unit includes a key input unit to be operated by the operator to input any of upward, downward, leftward, and rightward directions.

4. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a display device arranged to display the target characteristic curve, wherein the target characteristic change inputting unit includes a touch panel provided on a screen of the display device.

5. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the target characteristic curve updating unit is arranged to move the inflection point along a predetermined linear target characteristic curve defining a linear relationship between the engine speed and the operation amount of the operational member according to an input from the inflection point position change inputting unit.

6. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the curve shape change inputting unit includes a to-be-changed portion specifying unit arranged to specify which of the lower speed characteristic curve portion and the higher speed characteristic curve portion is to be changed in shape.

7. A marine vessel running controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the to-be-changed portion specifying unit includes the operational member.

8. A marine vessel comprising:

a hull;

a propulsive force generating unit attached to the hull and including an engine with an electric throttle as a drive source to generate a propulsive force;

a target characteristic storage unit arranged to store a target characteristic curve which defines a target characteristic for an operation amount-engine speed characteristic indicating a relationship between an engine speed and an operation amount of an operational member which is operated by an operator of the marine vessel to control an output of the engine;

a target characteristic change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change a shape of the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit; and

a target characteristic curve updating unit arranged to update the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit according to an input from the target characteristic change inputting unit;

wherein

the target characteristic change inputting unit includes;

an inflection point position change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change a position of an inflection point of the target characteristic curve stored in the target characteristic storage unit; and

a curve shape change inputting unit to be operated by the operator to change at least one of a shape of a lower speed characteristic curve portion of the target characteristic curve located on one of opposite sides of the inflection point, and a shape of a higher speed characteristic curve portion of the target characteristic curve located on the other side of the inflection point.