Action control device for small boat

• US 7,494,390 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• 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:
  US11/507,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 114/144.R, 114/144.RE, 440/1, 440/2, 440/84, 440/87, 440/61.R, 440/61.T, 440/53, 701/21
• US Class Current: 440/53
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/10 using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/40 for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules
• 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: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass

Abstract

An action control device for a small boat can include a running condition detecting device, a running environment determining device configured to determine a running environment based upon the running condition, and a steering control device configured to set a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment.

Claims

1. An action control device for a boat comprising a steering handle, a propulsion device, a running condition detecting means, a running environment determining means for determining a running environment based upon the running condition, and a steering control means for setting a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment, wherein the running condition includes at least one of a vibration of the hull and a yaw rate of the hull, wherein the steering control means includes means for raising a reaction force applied to a steering handle and to increase a ratio of a steering movement of the steering handle and a steering movement of the propulsion device when a frequency and variations in environmental forces acting on the propulsion device indicate that the boat is being operated in more severe conditions.

2. The action control device for a boat according to claim 1, wherein the running condition additionally includes at least one of a position of the hull, a speed and a load of pivotal movement of the propulsion unit, and the running environment is determined based upon a variation of the running condition and a frequency of the variation.

3. An action control device for a boat comprising a running condition detecting means, a running environment determining means for determining a running environment based upon the running condition, a steering control means for setting a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment, a propulsion unit mounted on a hull of the boat, a steering handle adapted to be operated by a human operator, a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of the steering handle, a steering unit configured to pivot the propulsion unit relative to the hull in response to the steering angle, a load sensor configured to detect a load of the pivotal movement of the propulsion unit, a reaction force motor configured to apply a reaction force to the steering handle in response to the load of the pivotal movement of the propulsion unit, and a control unit configured to compute a pivotal movement angle of the propulsion unit by the steering unit based upon the steering angle of the steering handle and a pivotal movement characteristic of the propulsion unit, the control unit forming the running environment determining means and the steering control means.

4. The action control device for a boat according to claim 3, wherein the running environment is determined based upon the load of the pivotal movement of the propulsion unit.

5. The action control device for a boat according to claim 3, wherein, when the running environment is determined to be more severe, the reaction force applied to the steering handle is made heavier and a ratio of the pivotal movement angle of the propulsion unit is decreased relative to the steering angle.

6. An action control device for a boat comprising a steering handle configured to allow an operator of a boat to input steering commands, a propulsion device, a running environment detection device configured to determine a running environment of a boat, and a steering control device configured to adjust a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment, wherein the running environment detection device is configured to detect a magnitude of a variation of a running condition of a boat, wherein the steering control device is configured to raise a reaction force applied to the steering handle and to increase a ratio of a steering movement of the steering handle and a steering movement of the propulsion device when a frequency and variations in environmental forces acting on the propulsion device indicate that the boat is being operated in more severe conditions.

7. An action control device for a boat comprising a steering handle configured to allow an operator of a boat to input steering commands, a running environment detection device configured to determine a running environment of a boat, and a steering control device configured to adjust a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment, wherein the running environment detection device is configured to detect a magnitude and a frequency of variations of environmental forces acting on to a propulsion device of a boat, the steering control device being configured to change the steering handle operative characteristic if the magnitude and frequency exceed a predetermined threshold, wherein the steering handle operative characteristic is at least one of a reaction force applied to the steering handle and the ratio of a steering movement of the steering handle to a steering movement of the propulsion device wherein the steering control device is configured to raise a reaction force applied to the steering handle and to increase the ratio when frequency and variations in environmental forces acting on the propulsion device indicate that the boat is being operated in more severe conditions.