METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING TRIM POSITION OF A PROPULSION DEVICE ON A MARINE VESSEL

• US 20180050780A1
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Inventors: Anschuetz, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,118,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/10 Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2020/003 Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/50 Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system

Abstract

A method of controlling trim position of a propulsion device includes receiving a current engine speed and a current trim position of the propulsion device, and then detecting at least a threshold increase in engine speed of the propulsion device or at least a threshold drop in engine load on the propulsion device. A reduced trim position is then determined based on the current trim position, and a trim actuator is operated to move the propulsion device to the reduced trim position.

Claims

1. A method of controlling trim position of a propulsion device on a marine vessel, the method comprising:

receiving a current trim position of the propulsion device;

detecting at least a threshold increase in engine speed of the propulsion device or at least a threshold drop in engine load on the propulsion device;

determining a reduced trim position based on the current trim position; and

operating a trim actuator to move the propulsion device to the reduced trim position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the increase in engine speed or the drop in engine load is sustained for at least a predetermined time period before operating the trim actuator to move the propulsion device to the reduced trim position.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a vessel speed, and determining the reduced trim position based on the vessel speed and the current trim position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a current engine speed, and wherein detecting the threshold increase in engine speed includes determining whether the current engine speed differs from a previous engine speed by more than a predetermined engine speed amount.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the reduced trim position based on the previous engine speed and the current trim position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a current engine speed, and wherein detecting the threshold increase in engine speed includes determining whether the current engine speed differs from a filtered engine speed value by more than a predetermined engine speed amount.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the reduced trim position based on the filtered engine speed value and the current trim position.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a current throttle position, wherein detecting the threshold drop in engine load includes determining whether the current throttle position differs from a previous throttle position by more than a predetermined throttle position amount.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a current manifold pressure, wherein detecting the threshold drop in engine load includes determining whether the current manifold pressure differs from a previous manifold pressure by more than a predetermined manifold pressure amount.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a current mass flow rate, wherein detecting the threshold drop in engine load includes determining whether the current mass flow rate differs from a previous flow rate by more than a predetermined mass flow rate amount.

11. A system for controlling trim position of a propulsion device on a marine vessel, the system comprising:

a trim actuator configured to adjust a trim position of the propulsion device;

a controller configured to;

receive a current trim position of the trim actuator;

detect a threshold increase in engine speed of the propulsion device or a threshold drop in engine load on the propulsion device;

determine a reduced trim position based on the current trim position; and

operate the trim actuator to move the propulsion device to the reduced trim position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the increase in engine speed or the drop in engine load is sustained for at least a predetermined time period before operating the trim actuator to move the propulsion device to the reduced trim position.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a vessel speed and determine the reduced trim position based on the vessel speed and the current trim position.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current engine speed and detect the threshold increase in engine speed by determining whether the current engine speed differs from a previous engine speed by more than a predetermined engine speed amount.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the reduced trim position based on the previous engine speed and the current trim position.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current engine speed and detect the threshold increase in engine speed by determining whether the current engine speed differs from a filtered engine speed value by more than a predetermined engine speed amount.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the reduced trim position based on the filtered engine speed value and the current trim position.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current throttle position, and to detect the threshold drop in engine load by determining whether the current throttle position differs from a previous throttle position by more than a predetermined throttle position amount.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current manifold pressure, and to detect the threshold drop in engine load by determining whether the current manifold pressure differs from a previous manifold pressure by more than a predetermined manifold pressure amount.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to receive a current mass flow rate, and to detect the threshold drop in engine load by determining whether the current mass flow rate differs from a previous flow rate by more than a predetermined mass flow rate amount.