Abstract: In a cycloconverter generator, there are provided, q number of power circuits that supply rectified DC power of a DC power supply unit as operating power to the p (p>q) number of thyristors, and r (p>r) number of thyristor drive circuits that are connected to the q number of the power circuits and drive the p number of the thyristors, wherein the r number of the thyristors drive circuits are individually used to drive in common ones among the p number of the thyristors whose operation is unaffected even if driven at the same timing such that the number r of the drive circuits is made smaller than the number p of the thyristors, thereby enabling to simplify circuit configuration.

Abstract: In a cycloconverter generator, AC power required by the load is detected and a desired speed of the engine is determined based on the required AC power, operation of an actuator is controlled such that the engine speed becomes equal to the desired engine speed, and the required AC power is generated by turning on switching elements (thyristors) such that a number of the phase signal within one period of frequency of the AC power, becomes equal to a number determined by the desired engine speed, thereby preventing undesirable increase in fuel consumption and noise by operating the engine at a speed corresponding to required AC power and enabling to generate stable AC power even when the engine speed changes abruptly.

Abstract: A system for controlling the steering of an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, which includes an actuator which steers the outboard motor relative to the boat, a left steer stop which mechanically stops leftward steering of the outboard motor, a right steer stop which mechanically stops rightward steering of the outboard motor, a rudder angle sensor which produces an output indicating a rudder angle of the outboard motor; and a maximum rudder angle memorizer which memorizes the output of the rudder angle sensor as a maximum leftward rudder angle of the outboard motor when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by the left steer stop, and memorizes the output of the rudder angle sensor as a maximum rightward rudder angle of the outboard motor when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by the right steer stop.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering control system is configured to have both an electric steering mechanism (having an electric motor, steering angle sensor and electronic controller such as microcomputer) and a hydraulic steering mechanism (having a hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic pump) that can be switched therebetween in response to manipulation by the operator. With this, switching from one of the electric steering mechanism and hydraulic steering mechanism to the other can be easily conducted, thereby enabling to easily cope with the operator's preference of steering feel. Further, even if a failure occurs in one of the electric steering mechanism and hydraulic steering mechanism, the steering operation of the outboard motor can be continued by switching from the one steering mechanism to the other, i.e., normally-operating steering mechanism.

Abstract: A system for controlling the steering of an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, which includes an actuator which steers the outboard motor relative to the boat, a left steer stop which mechanically stops leftward steering of the outboard motor, a right steer stop which mechanically stops rightward steering of the outboard motor, a rudder angle sensor which produces an output indicating a rudder angle of the outboard motor; and a maximum rudder angle memorizer which memorizes the output of the rudder angle sensor as a maximum leftward rudder angle of the outboard motor when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by the left steer stop, and memorizes the output of the rudder angle sensor as a maximum rightward rudder angle of the outboard motor when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by the right steer stop.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system having two outboard motors each mounted on a stern of a boat, there is provided a controller that controls operation of steering actuators to regulate steering angles of the outboard motors such that lines extending from axes of rotation of the propellers of the outboard motors intersect at a desired point. With this, it becomes possible to freely adjust the stream confluence point of the outboard motors, thereby improving boat driving stability and providing enhanced auto-spanker performance.

Abstract: In an outboard motor shift control system to change the shift position by controlling the supply of current to an electric shift motor for driving a shift mechanism, a detent mechanism is equipped for constraining the operation of the shift mechanism and holding the shift position once the shift position has been established, and the supply of current to the shift motor is discontinued upon detection that the shift position has been established. This configuration makes it possible to minimize the power consumption of the shift motor and ensure secure holding of the established shift position.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system, a position of a clutch (moved by an actuator) is memorized as a neutral position when a neutral switch produces an ON signal and the clutch position corresponding to a forward position where the clutch engages with a forward gear or a reverse position where the clutch engages with a reverse gear is determined based on the memorized position. With this, the clutch can be accurately shifted to the positions where the forward, neutral and reverse shift positions are established, thereby preventing shifting errors. Similarly, by memorizing rudder angle sensor outputs when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by left and right steer stops as maximum leftward or rightward rudder angles, desired values for control purposes when steering the outboard motor to the maximum rudder angles can be determined as values that take the unit-specific properties of the outboard motor into account.

Abstract: In an outboard motor steering control system having a plurality of outboard motors each adapted to be mounted on a stern of a boat by a shaft to be movable by an actuator relative to the boat and each having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, a desired steering angle of each outboard motor is determined individually based on detected engine speed and rotation angle of a steering wheel, and the operation of the actuator is controlled based on the determined desired steering angle, thereby improving both straight course-holding performance and turning performance by regulating the relative angles between the outboard motors in response to the cruising conditions of the boat.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system, equipped with two outboard motors and actuators for steering, changing shift position and regulating engine speed, two navigation units responsive to operations of the operator for producing outputs indicative of actuator operation commands, two ECUs that control the operation of the actuators based on the outputs from the navigation units, an output forwarding ECU which forwards the outputs of one of the navigation units to the ECUs, and two switchover buttons for changing the outputs to be forwarded. Therefore, only the set of outputs for the one navigation unit selected by the operator is sent to the ECUs. In other words, in the case where multiple navigation units are provided, use of the navigation units is limited to a desired one thereof, so that the outboard motors can be stably controlled even when the control inputs to the individual navigation units are different.

Abstract: In an outboard motor steering system, the engine speed is detected as a value indicative of the speed of the boat and a current value for operating a steering hydraulic cylinder is determined to decrease with decreasing engine speed. The current value can therefore be determined in accordance with the steering load to reduce electric power consumption. Moreover, owing to the fact that the drive current is determined as a function of steering load, it is possible to prevent the output of the cylinder from becoming excessive relative to the steering load, thereby ensuring that the steered angle tracks a desired steering angle with good accuracy.

Abstract: In a boat having a seat, a steering wheel, and an outboard motor, an outboard motor steering system is provided, where the steering wheel is installed near the seat a steering angle sensor installed near the steering wheel for outputting a signal indicative of a steering angle of the steering wheel. The steering system also includes a swivel shaft connected to a propeller to turn the propeller relative to the boat, and an electric motor connected to the swivel shaft for rotating the swivel shaft in response to the detected steering angle. The steering system also includes a manipulation load regulation mechanism, such as a hydraulic damper, to produce an added load for increasing a manipulation load of the steering wheel, thereby enabling reduced operator load by using the electric motor to steer the outboard motor, while improving the operator's feel of steering wheel manipulation.

Abstract: An outboard motor steering control system is configured to have both an electric steering mechanism (having an electric motor, steering angle sensor and electronic controller such as microcomputer) and a hydraulic steering mechanism (having a hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic pump) that can be switched therebetween in response to manipulation by the operator. With this, switching from one of the electric steering mechanism and hydraulic steering mechanism to the other can be easily conducted, thereby enabling to easily cope with the operator's preference of steering feel. Further, even if a failure occurs in one of the electric steering mechanism and hydraulic steering mechanism, the steering operation of the outboard motor can be continued by switching from the one steering mechanism to the other, i.e., normally-operating steering mechanism.

Abstract: A remote operation system for an outboard motor includes a remote control box installed at a cockpit of the boat and a lever attached to a support shaft that is rotatably accommodated in the remote control box for being manipulated by an operator, a plurality of sensors, such as a potentiometer and a rotary encoder provided to generate outputs indicative of an angle of rotation of the support shaft through the lever manipulation, respectively, and a control unit which controls operation of a throttle actuator and a shift actuator based on at least one of the outputs of the sensors, thereby improving reliability and enabling continued regulation of throttle opening and change of shift position even if a failure occurs in one of sensors.

Abstract: In an outboard motor steering control system having an actuator steering the outboard motor, three rotation angle sensors each detecting a rotation angle of a steering wheel, three steering angle sensors each detecting a steering angle of the outboard motor, and a controller determining a drive current to be supplied to the actuator based on the detected rotation angle and steering angle and supplies the current to the actuator to control its operation, the steering angle is estimated based on the current and a detected engine speed, and the controller determines the current based on the detected rotation angle and the estimated steering angle, when all of the steering angle sensors are detected to have failed, thereby enabling steering of the outboard motor to be continued even when the steering angle sensors have all failed.

Abstract: In an outboard motor exhaust system having a first exhaust gas passage discharging engine exhaust gas into water and a shift actuator operating a shift mechanism to establish one from among a forward position, a reverse position and a neutral position, there are provided a second exhaust gas passage branched from the first exhaust gas passage at a location above the water and an exhaust valve installed in the second exhaust gas passage and connected to the shift mechanism to be opened when the reverse position is established. The exhaust valve is alternatively opened by an exhaust valve actuator installed separately from the shift actuator. With this, it becomes possible to prevent the decrease in thrust produced during reverse boat travel by the engine exhaust gas being sucked in by a propeller, without degrading shift feel.

Abstract: An outboard motor engine speed control system includes two outboard motors, sensors which detect a travel speed of the boat and the engine speeds of the outboard motors, and a controller which controls the engine speeds of the outboard motors to be synchronized with a highest one of the detected engine speeds when the boat travel speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, while controlling the engine speeds of the outboard motors to be synchronized with a lowest one of the detected engine speeds when the boat travel speed is lower the predetermined value. The operations involved in engine speed control of the outboard motors mounted on the boat are thereby simplified and the feel of operation is enhanced.

Abstract: In an outboard motor shift control system having a shift mechanism including a forward gear, a reverse gear and a clutch and an electric motor moving the clutch to engage with one of the forward and reverse gears or to disengage it therefrom, current supplied to the motor is detected, and completion of shift change is discriminated based on the detected current. With this, it becomes possible to detect completion of the shift change accurately, without being affected by shift mechanism aging and manufacturing variances.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system, a position of a clutch (moved by an actuator) is memorized as a neutral position when a neutral switch produces an ON signal and the clutch position corresponding to a forward position where the clutch engages with a forward gear or a reverse position where the clutch engages with a reverse gear is determined based on the memorized position. With this, the clutch can be accurately shifted to the positions where the forward, neutral and reverse shift positions are established, thereby preventing shifting errors. Similarly, by memorizing rudder angle sensor outputs when the outboard motor is mechanically stopped by left and right steer stops as maximum leftward or rightward rudder angles, desired values for control purposes when steering the outboard motor to the maximum rudder angles can be determined as values that take the unit-specific properties of the outboard motor into account.

Abstract: In an outboard motor control system, equipped with two outboard motors and actuators for steering, changing shift position and regulating engine speed, two navigation units responsive to operations of the operator for producing outputs indicative of actuator operation commands, two ECUs that control the operation of the actuators based on the outputs from the navigation units, an output forwarding ECU which forwards the outputs of one of the navigation units to the ECUs, and two switchover buttons for changing the outputs to be forwarded. Therefore, only the set of outputs for the one navigation unit selected by the operator is sent to the ECUs. In other words, in the case where multiple navigation units are provided, use of the navigation units is limited to a desired one thereof, so that the outboard motors can be stably controlled even when the control inputs to the individual navigation units are different.