Personal watercraft

• US 9,114,861 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kamio, Kunihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vasudeva, Ajay
• Application Number:
  US13/725,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20140030938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 114/55.5, 114/55.55, 114/55.57, 440/1, 440 40- 42, 701/21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/10 Power-driven personal watercraft, e.g. water scooters water jet propulsion B63H11/00; jet steering B63H25/46; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/04 by means of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/107 Direction control of propulsive fluid B63H11/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 11/113 Pivoted outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels

Abstract

A personal watercraft is provided which includes a body including a deck and a hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof; a water jet pump configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of an ejecting nozzle; an engine for actuating the water jet pump; an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump; a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated in a straddle state; a passenger seat section provided on the deck behind the driver seat section and configured to accommodate a passenger seated in a straddle state; a sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section; and a controller for controlling the engine to reduce an engine driving power, if the sensor detects the passenger.

Claims

1. A personal watercraft comprising:

a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, the hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof;

a water jet pump including an ejecting nozzle, the water jet pump being configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of the ejecting nozzle;

an engine for actuating the water jet pump;

an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump;

a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated on and straddling the driver seat section;

a passenger seat section provided on the deck in a location behind the driver seat section, the passenger seat section being configured to accommodate a passenger seated on and straddling the passenger seat section;

a sensor for detecting whether the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section;

a controller for controlling the engine; and

a limit mode terminating section for terminating a limit mode in which a driving power of the engine is reduced;

wherein the controller is configured to control the engine in the limit mode to reduce the driving power of the engine, if the sensor detects that the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section; and

wherein the controller controls the engine in the limit mode during a period of time that passes until the limit mode terminating section terminates the limit mode after it is determined that the engine is stopped, if the sensor subsequently does not detect the passenger seated on the passenger seat section after the sensor has previously detected that the passenger was seated on the passenger seat section.

2. The personal watercraft according to claim 1,

wherein the passenger seat section is configured to deform downwardly under a weight of the passenger when the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section;

and

wherein the sensor is placed between the deck and the passenger seat section to detect whether the passenger seat section is deformed.

3. The personal watercraft according to claim 2,

wherein the sensor is attached to the deck.

4. The personal watercraft according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor is a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a pressure applied by the passenger.

5. The personal watercraft according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor is a non-contact sensor for detecting the passenger in a non-contact state.

6. The personal watercraft according to claim 5, wherein the sensor includes:

a light emitting section for emitting light;

a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected on the passenger; and

a detecting section for outputting a detection signal indicating presence of the passenger based on the light received by the light emitting section.

7. The personal watercraft according to claim 6,

wherein the detecting section is configured to output a detection signal based on the light having an intensity within a predetermined range, of the light by the light received by the light receiving section.

8. A personal watercraft comprising:

a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, the hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof;

a water jet pump including an ejecting nozzle, the water jet pump being configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of the ejecting nozzle;

an engine for actuating the water jet pump;

an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump;

a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated on and straddling the driver seat section;

a passenger seat section provided on the deck in a location behind the driver seat section, the passenger seat section being configured to accommodate a passenger seated on and straddling the passenger seat section;

a sensor for detecting whether the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section;

a controller for controlling the ejecting direction adjusting device; and

a limit mode terminating section for terminating a limit mode in which the outlet port of the ejecting nozzle is caused to face in an obliquely downward direction;

wherein the controller is configured to control the ejecting direction adjusting device in the limit mode such that the outlet port of the ejecting nozzle faces in the obliquely downward direction, if the sensor detects that the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section; and

wherein the controller controls the ejecting direction adjusting device in the limit mode during a period of time that passes until the limit mode terminating section terminates the limit mode, if the sensor does not detect the passenger seated on the passenger seat section after the sensor detected the passenger.

9. The personal watercraft according to claim 8,

wherein the controller is configured to control the engine to reduce a driving power of the engine, if the sensor detects that the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section.

10. The personal watercraft according to claim 8,

wherein the passenger seat section is configured to deform downwardly under a weight of the passenger when the passenger is seated on the passenger seat section;

and

wherein the sensor is placed between the deck and the passenger seat section to detect whether the passenger seat section is deformed.

11. The personal watercraft according to claim 10,

wherein the sensor is attached to the deck.

12. The personal watercraft according to claim 8,

wherein the sensor is a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a pressure applied by the passenger.

13. The personal watercraft according to claim 8,

wherein the sensor is a non-contact sensor for detecting the passenger in a non-contact state.

14. The personal watercraft according to claim 13,

wherein the sensor includes:

a light emitting section for emitting light;

a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected on the passenger; and

a detecting section for outputting a detection signal indicating presence of the passenger based on the light received by the light emitting section.

15. The personal watercraft according to claim 14,

wherein when viewed from a side, a sensing region of the sensor has a sector shape expanding from the sensor in a rearward direction and in an upward direction, and

the light emitting section and the light receiving section are disposed on a side surface of the body in locations below a rear end portion of the driver seat section or a front end portion of the passenger seat section such that the light is not blocked by the passenger seat section.

16. A personal watercraft comprising:

a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, the hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof;

a water jet pump including an ejecting nozzle, the water jet pump being configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of the ejecting nozzle;

an engine for actuating the water jet pump;

an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump;

a driver seat section provided on the deck, a driver being seated on the driver seat section such that the driver straddles the driver seat section;

a passenger seat section provided on the deck in a location behind the driver seat section, a passenger being seated on the passenger seat section such that the passenger straddles the passenger seat section;

a controller for controlling the engine;

a sensor, wherein the sensor is a non-contact sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section, the sensor including;

a light emitting section for emitting light;

a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the passenger; and

a detecting section for outputting a detection signal indicating a presence of the passenger based on the light received by the light receiving section; and

wherein when viewed from a side, a sensing region of the sensor has a sector shape expanding from the sensor in a rearward direction and in an upward direction, and

the light emitting section and the light receiving section are disposed on a side surface of the body in locations below a rear end portion of the driver seat section or a front end portion of the passenger seat section such that the light is not blocked by the passenger seat section.

17. A personal watercraft comprising:

a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, the hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof;

a water jet pump including an ejecting nozzle, the water jet pump being configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of the ejecting nozzle;

an engine for actuating the water jet pump;

an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump;

a driver seat section provided on the deck, a driver being seated on the driver seat section such that the driver straddles the driver seat section;

a passenger seat section provided on the deck in a location behind the driver seat section, a passenger being seated on the passenger seat section such that the passenger straddles the passenger seat section;

a controller for controlling the engine;

a sensor, wherein the sensor is a non-contact sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section, the sensor including;

a light emitting section for emitting light;

a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the passenger; and

a detecting section for outputting a detection signal indicating a presence of the passenger based on the light received by the light receiving section; and

wherein when viewed from a side, a sensing region of the sensor has a sector shape expanding from the sensor in a rearward direction and in an upward direction, and

a front edge of the sensing region extends vertically or is slightly inclined in a rearward direction with respect to a vertical direction such that the light does not contact the driver.

18. The personal watercraft according to claim 17,

wherein a rear edge of the sensing region extends in a rearward direction and in an upward direction in a region where a hip of the passenger is located or behind the region where the hip of the passenger is located such that the light contacts the passenger.