Means To Control The Supply Of Energy Responsive To A Sensed Condition Patents (Class 440/1)
  • Patent number: 11964742
    Abstract: A hull behavior control system includes a memory and at least one controller coupled to the memory. The at least one controller is configured or programmed to control a propulsion force of the marine vessel using a propeller of the marine vessel, obtain a water surface shape around the marine vessel, estimate movement of a wave based on the water surface shape, and reduce the propulsion force by controlling the propeller when it is determined that an impact force equal to or greater than a threshold value will act on the hull after the hull travels over the wave whose movement has been estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ritsu Kadota, Tomoyoshi Koyanagi, Shuichi Moromi, Sadao Miyano
  • Patent number: 11959833
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for inspecting a tank containing a flammable fluid are provided. The system includes a vehicle having a propeller, a latch mechanism, a pressure switch, and an inspection device. The system includes a control unit in communication with the propeller, the latch mechanism, and the inspection device, and electrically connected to the pressure switch. The control unit powers on responsive to the pressure switch detecting an ambient pressure greater than a minimum threshold. The control unit receives, from the latch mechanism, an indication of a state of the latch mechanism. The control unit determines that the cable used to lower the vehicle into the tank containing the flammable fluid is detached from the vehicle. The control unit commands the propeller to move the vehicle through the flammable fluid. The control unit determines a quality metric of a portion of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Square Robot, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Vaganay, Eric Levitt, William O'Halloran
  • Patent number: 11862026
    Abstract: A propulsion control system on a marine vessel includes at least one propulsion device configured to propel the marine vessel and at least one proximity sensor system configured to generate proximity measurements describing proximity of objects surrounding the marine vessel. A control system is configured to receive the proximity measurements, access a preset buffer distance surrounding the marine vessel, calculate a velocity limit for the marine vessel in one or more directions of the objects based on a difference between the proximity measurements and the preset buffer distance surrounding the marine vessel so as to progressively decrease the velocity limit as the marine vessel approaches the preset buffer distance from any of the objects, and control the at least one propulsion device such that a velocity of the marine vessel does not exceed the velocity limit in the direction of any of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Derginer, Aaron J. Ward, Travis C. Malouf
  • Patent number: 11858359
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power system for a vehicle, the power system for a vehicle, the power system comprising a plurality of supercapacitors, a plurality of batteries, at least one electronic load and a master controller, arranged so that at least one battery is connected with at least one supercapacitor, such that power from the at least one battery may be supplied to the at least one supercapacitor, wherein the master controller ability to switch the at least one supercapacitor to a further at least one supercapacitor and wherein at least one battery and/or at least one supercapacitor of the plurality of supercapacitors supplies power to the electronic load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS PLC
    Inventors: Maneeshi Trivedi, Christopher Charles Grayson
  • Patent number: 11855454
    Abstract: A method can be used to control a voltage source converter of a power supporting arrangement to act as a virtual synchronous machine. The method includes obtaining a measured power level of the converter, processing the measured power level using a differential equation of an angular velocity of the virtual synchronous machine in order to obtain a control contribution, providing a phase angle of a physical quantity used to control the converter based on the control contribution, monitoring the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine, determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient, and adjusting the control contribution by increasing the damping term and/or decreasing the moment of inertia term in response to determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Theodore Soong, Jean-Philippe Hasler
  • Patent number: 11830062
    Abstract: A watercraft rental system is used to rent an owner's watercraft to a user. The watercraft rental system includes a computer and a user terminal. The computer communicates with the watercraft and records rental condition information of the watercraft. The user terminal provides borrowing request information to the computer. The borrowing request information corresponds to a response to the rental condition information. The computer executes a rental process of the watercraft based on the borrowing request information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11804137
    Abstract: A method of controlling propulsion of a marine vessel includes limiting user input authority over propulsion output by at least one propulsion device based on proximity measurements so as to maintain the marine vessel at least a buffer distance from any object, where in the buffer distance is a predefined distance around the marine vessel. After a user-generated instruction is received to suspend maintenance of the buffer distance and a user control input is received to move the marine vessel in the direction of the object, the at least one propulsion device is controlled based on the user control input such that the marine vessel approaches and impacts the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Derginer, Aaron J. Ward, Travis C. Malouf
  • Patent number: 11738845
    Abstract: An operation device in a ship propulsion system including a ship propulsion machine, ship-mounted equipment, and a power supply, the operation device including a single push button switch and an operation processor performing processing. The operation processor detects a pressing mode of the push button switch when the push button switch is pressed while the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply are disconnected and the power source is stopped, performs processing of connecting the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply and starting the power source when the detected pressing mode is a first mode, and performs processing of connecting the ship-mounted equipment and the power supply while maintaining the power source in a stopped state when the detected pressing mode is a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiko Miyaki
  • Patent number: 11731744
    Abstract: A control system for a marine propulsion device includes a propeller driven by either an engine or a motor. The control system includes a first memory to store first information to identify whether the control system has shut down normally or abnormally even during a reset period of the control system, a second memory to store second information indicating control states of the engine and the motor even during the reset period of the control system, and a controller configured or programmed to start controlling the engine and the motor, based on the second information stored in the second memory, when the first information stored in the first memory indicates an abnormal shutdown of the control system at a startup of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 11718375
    Abstract: A wireless lanyard system for a marine vessel propelled by at least one propulsion device, the system comprising an operator fob configured to be worn by an operator of the marine vessel, a helm transceiver configured to receive radio signals from the operator fob an a controller. The controller is configured to define a permitted zone with respect to a helm area of the marine vessel based on at least one vessel condition, determine based on communications between the operator fob and the helm transceiver whether the operator is within the permitted zone with respect to the helm area, and generate a lanyard event when the operator is not within the permitted zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Steven J. Gonring
  • Patent number: 11709494
    Abstract: A control system for navigating a marine vessel employs at least a first motor and a second motor. The control system is configured to communicate with the first and second motors. The control system is configured to receive a position measurement and an orientation measurement for the marine vessel. The control system is further configured to generate at least one control signal for the first motor based on the position measurement and at least one control signal for the second motor based on the orientation measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Albert F. Miller, Robert M. Kalis, John B. Whiteside, Jarrod W. Seymour, Eric W. Heling
  • Patent number: 11685497
    Abstract: A marine vessel maneuvering system includes a propulsion device, a steering device, a forward/reverse drive switch, a steering wheel, a forward drive operator, a reverse drive operator, and a controller. The forward drive operator and the reverse drive operator are respectively located on one and the other sides of a pivot axis of the steering wheel, and are pivotable together with the steering wheel. The controller performs a forward drive propulsion control and a reverse drive propulsion control to set the propulsive force direction and control a magnitude of the propulsive force according to the operation of the forward drive operator and the reverse drive operator. The controller enables the forward drive propulsion control in a forward drive operation valid range. The controller enables the reverse drive propulsion control in a reverse drive operation valid range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Fujino
  • Patent number: 11584498
    Abstract: An actuator for imparting steering movement to a tiller of a propulsion unit of a marine vessel comprises an absolute position sensor operable to sense a steering position and a relative position sensor operable to sense a position of the motor. A steering control unit calibrates the relative position sensor based on a signal of the absolute position sensor. Calibration of the relative position sensor based on a signal of the absolute position sensor initializes an accumulative position which accumulates a relative position as the actuator moves over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Marine Canada Acquisition Inc.
    Inventors: Anson Chin Pang Chan, Ian Michael Carlson, Ray Tat Lung Wong, Mark Isaac Dyck
  • Patent number: 11467583
    Abstract: A steering for a marine propulsion unit adjusts at least one of a required steering speed and a required steering torque such that the required steering speed and the required steering torque fall within an output region when the required steering speed and the required steering torque are outside the output region, sets a target steering angle according to the adjusted required steering speed and required steering torque, and sets the target steering angle according to a rotation angle of a steering wheel when the required steering speed and the required steering torque are within the output region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MARINE CANADA ACQUISITION INC.
    Inventor: Makoto Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11414162
    Abstract: A control system for a marine vessel that has a propulsion device including an engine. The control system has an opening angle adjustment device configured to adjust a throttle opening angle of the engine, and a controller including a computing device and a non-transitory storage medium containing program instructions. The execution of the program instructions by the computing device causes the controller to judge whether or not a hull of the marine vessel has entered a planing state, set a predetermined mode in which the planing state is maintained, and upon determining that the predetermined mode is set and that the hull has entered the planing state, control the opening angle adjustment device to keep the hull in the planing state even when the hull has decelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inoue, Jun Nakatani
  • Patent number: 11403955
    Abstract: A propulsion control system on a marine vessel includes at least one propulsion device configured to propel the marine vessel and at least one proximity sensor system configured to generate proximity measurements describing a proximity of an object with respect to the marine vessel. The system further includes a controller configured to receive proximity measurements, access a preset buffer distance, and calculate a velocity limit in a direction of the object for the marine vessel based on the proximity measurements and the preset buffer distance so as to progressively decrease the velocity limit as the marine vessel approaches the preset buffer distance from the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Derginer, Aaron J. Ward, Travis C. Malouf
  • Patent number: 11370517
    Abstract: Systems, assemblies, and methods for operating a marine motor are provided herein. An example motor system includes a motor, a battery, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a user input indicating a desired speed, determine a charge level of the battery, determine an optimized speed or propulsion of the marine motor based on the desired speed and the determined charge level of the battery, and transmit a signal to the motor to operate accordingly. The processor may generate a correction factor based on at least one of the determined charge level of the battery, a boat speed profile curve, and a boat travel distance curve; and determine the optimized speed or propulsion by applying the correction factor to the desired speed. Thus, an eco-mode can be provided to help maintain a high level of battery charge while still enabling desired use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventor: Masoud Sargazikoosheh
  • Patent number: 11364874
    Abstract: A control system of a marine vessel includes a portable device and a receiving device. The portable device transmits a switch control signal to the receiving device based on an input operation. The control system of the marine vessel performs an authentication control process based on an authentication signal from the portable device, and controls opening or closing of a current path based on the switch control signal from the portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoju Takano, Kentaro Takeda
  • Patent number: 11334079
    Abstract: A watercraft control system is configured to maintain a prescribed distance between a host watercraft and a stationary or anchored object. The watercraft control system can be integrated with a main watercraft control system of the host watercraft, or can be an add-on watercraft control system that supplements the main watercraft control system of the host watercraft. The watercraft control system basically includes a detector and a digital controller. The detector is configured to detect a stationary or anchored object spaced from a host watercraft. The digital controller is configured to communicate with the detector to receive a detection signal from the detector. The digital controller is configured to output at least one control command to a propulsion unit of the host watercraft to maintain a prescribed distance between the host watercraft and the stationary or anchored object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Juan Pablo Afman
  • Patent number: 11267547
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine, and a propeller driven by the engine via a drive shaft and a propeller shaft, a tilting mechanism that changes a tilt angle of the propeller shaft and/or the drive shaft, a triaxial acceleration sensor and a triaxial angular velocity sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to acquire at least one of a gravity direction, a traveling direction, or a horizontal direction of the hull using the triaxial acceleration sensor, and detect at least one of a first angle of the drive shaft with respect to the gravity direction, a second angle of the propeller shaft with respect to the traveling direction, or a third angle of the propeller shaft with respect to the horizontal direction using the triaxial angular velocity sensor, to thereby control the tilting mechanism to adjust the tilt angle of the drive shaft and/or the propeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Motose, Ryuma Teramoto, Masahisa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11230359
    Abstract: A power steering system for an outdrive engine has a steering actuator, a motor for operating the steering actuator, a motor speed sensor for determining at least indirectly a speed of the motor, a steering rate sensor for determining a steering rate, and a controller communicating with the steering rate sensor and with the motor speed sensor. The controller is programmed for determining if a fault has occurred in the power steering system based on the steering rate and the motor speed, and taking at least one steering fault action in response to the fault having occurred. A method for controlling a power steering system includes determining if a fault has occurred based on the steering rate and the speed of the motor, and taking at least one steering fault action in response to the fault having occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Samuel McGinley, Philip Bylsma
  • Patent number: 11198495
    Abstract: A boat maneuvering support device supports maneuvering of a boat including a first propulsion device having a variable turning angle, a second propulsion device for generating a propulsive force for moving the boat in a left-right direction, and a steering mechanism for changing a turning angle of the first propulsion device and an output of the second propulsion device. The boat maneuvering support device includes a control unit which controls the turning angle of the first propulsion device and/or the output of the second propulsion device, a detection unit which detects a rotational speed of a propeller of the first propulsion device, and a calculation unit which obtains a rotational power of the boat based on the turning angle designated by the operation of the steering mechanism and the rotational speed. The control unit controls the output of the second propulsion device based on the rotational power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akifumi Fujima, Takashi Hashizume
  • Patent number: 11072321
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing load shedding in a vehicle are provided. Particularly, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle and the loads that are shed may be HVAC or refrigeration loads. The load shedding methods and systems may include a predictive model of energy consumption, determining a predicted energy consumption and comparing it to a stored energy at the vehicle. If the predicted energy consumption exceeds the stored energy, load shedding operations may be performed at a transport climate control system, such as adjusting a set point, adjusting an operating mode of the transport climate control system, increasing a dead band of a compressor of the transport climate control system, utilizing free cooling such as ambient air to provide climate control in the vehicle, or increasing cooling provided by the transport climate control system to an energy storage of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Wenger, Katherine Holmstrom
  • Patent number: 10948910
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods, devices, and systems of transporting a payload using a robotic vehicle. The methods may determine whether a payload has separated from the robotic vehicle and take a corrective action in response to determining that the payload is not securely held by the robotic vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Franco Taveira, Ankit Maheshwari, Ankur Maheshwari, Shruti Agrawal
  • Patent number: 10920651
    Abstract: The present application refers to an internal combustion engine comprising a turbocharger, an intercooler and a cooling circuit for cooling of the intercooler, the cooling circuit comprising adjusting means for adjusting a temperature of a cooling liquid of the cooling circuit flowing through the intercooler, the internal combustion engine comprising a controller for controlling the adjusting means of the cooling circuit, the controller comprising a function for determining a dew point temperature of the charge air, characterized in that the controller is configured to control the temperature of the cooling liquid and/or of the intercooler relative to the dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Liebherr-Components Colmar SAS
    Inventor: Martin Amann
  • Patent number: 10913524
    Abstract: A method for maneuvering a marine vessel includes receiving an input signal from an analog user input device and comparing a magnitude of the input signal to a predetermined threshold. In response to the magnitude of the input signal being less than the predetermined threshold, the method includes actuating a first marine propulsion device to produce thrust. In response to the magnitude of the input signal being greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the method includes actuating the first marine propulsion device and a second marine propulsion device to produce thrust. The second marine propulsion device does not produce thrust when the magnitude of the input signal is less than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin C. Wald, Brad E. Taylor, Kenneth G. Gable
  • Patent number: 10883596
    Abstract: A remote vehicle control is activated. A throttle position on the control is maintained for a specified time. A transmission of a vehicle is engaged based on the throttle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Delbari, Scott J. Lauffer, Zahra Khakpour, John Ren, Thomas Schultz
  • Patent number: 10864972
    Abstract: A trim system for a watercraft has a nozzle pivotable about a trim axis, a trim actuator operatively connected to the nozzle, at least one sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of the watercraft, a control unit electronically connected to the at least one sensor for receiving a sensor input signal indicative of the at least one operating condition. In a first trim control mode, the control unit controls the trim actuator to pivot the nozzle about the trim axis within a first range of trim angles. In a second trim control mode, the control unit controls the trim actuator to pivot the nozzle about the trim axis within a second range of trim angles. The first range of trim angles is greater than the second range of trim angles. A watercraft having a trim system and a method of controlling the trim are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC
    Inventors: Frederic Vachon, Robert Kunanec
  • Patent number: 10845811
    Abstract: A method for maintaining a marine vessel propelled by a marine propulsion device in a selected position includes determining a current global position of the marine vessel and receiving a signal command to maintain the current global position. The current global position is stored as a target global position in response to receiving the signal command. A subsequent global position of the marine vessel is determined and a position error difference between the subsequent global position and the target global position is determined. The method includes determining marine vessel movements required to minimize the position error difference, and causing the marine propulsion device to produce a thrust having a magnitude, a direction, and an angle calculated to result in achievement of the required marine vessel movements. At least one of timing and frequency of discontinuity of thrust production is controlled while the position error difference is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Thomas S. Kirchhoff, Steven J. Andrasko
  • Patent number: 10822068
    Abstract: A marine vessel including a hybrid propulsion system including one or more diesel engines and electrically-driven thrusters. A hybrid propulsion management system may be configured to manage the hybrid propulsion system during free-floating, stationary operations by executing an embedded power simulation and control function that performs a real-time simulation to determine minimum RPM requirements of the diesel engine(s) for each power bus (e.g., electrical buses to which the electrically-driven thrusters are electrically connected) to fulfill a stationary position holding objective by the hybrid propulsion system of the marine vessel. By determining minimum RPM requirements for the diesel engine(s), reduced fuel consumption and emissions may be achieved, while ensuring safety of the marine vessel, closely located structures, and people.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: MARINE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mikalsen, Richard Allinson
  • Patent number: 10800503
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a floating vessel, particularly an LNG carrier, is described. The floating vessel comprises: a gas turbine engine-generator assembly configured to generate a first electrical power and to supply the first electrical power to an electrical distribution system; a steam turbine engine-generator assembly configured to generate a second electrical power and to supply the second electrical power to the electrical distribution system; a propulsion system configured to propel the floating vessel using a propulsion power supplied from the electrical distribution system, wherein the gas turbine engine-generator assembly is configured to generate a maximum first electrical power between 10 MW and 18 MW, particularly between 14 MW and 15 MW at 25° C. According to a further aspect, a method of operating a floating vessel is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRL
    Inventor: Francesco Trincia
  • Patent number: 10797907
    Abstract: A controller associated with a propulsion device in a marine propulsion system is configured to send and receive controller area network (CAN) messages on a CAN bus and has computer-executable instructions stored thereon executed by a processor of the controller to perform a method. The method includes receiving a configuration instruction CAN message containing a new configuration value, determining that the configuration instruction CAN message is directed to itself, and then receiving a reboot CAN message. Upon determining that the reboot CAN messages directed to itself, the controller writes the new configuration value to memory and then controls a power relay to power off the controller, ignoring a key switch value associated with the propulsion device being on. The controller then responds to the key switch value to power the controller back on, and then loads the new configuration value into the working memory of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Kent A. Prochazka, Thomas S. Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 10737752
    Abstract: An outboard motor is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The outboard motor has an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine, a driveshaft housing located below the internal combustion engine, and a lower gearcase located below the driveshaft housing. The lower gearcase encloses a transmission gearset configured to transmit power from the internal combustion engine to a propulsor. A shift actuator is covered by the upper cowling and a shift mechanism is located at least partially in the lower gearcase and configured to shift the transmission gearset into and between forward, neutral and reverse gears. A flexible connector assembly operatively couples the shift actuator to the shift mechanism so that actuation of the shift actuator causes the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Wayne M. Jaszewski
  • Patent number: 10722739
    Abstract: A self-retracting lanyard including a main body and a retractable line. The retractable line is coupled to the main body so as to be extendible and retractable relative to the main body and to be restricted from extending relative to the main body in response to a user of the self-retracting lanyard falling. The self-retracting lanyard further includes a manual control operable by the user to initiate controlled descent of the retractable line relative to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10724410
    Abstract: A marine propulsion device includes an internal combustion engine powering the marine propulsion device and an engine compartment containing the engine. A primary exhaust passageway routes exhaust gas away from the engine and out of the engine compartment. A sound enhancement assembly communicates with the primary exhaust passageway. The sound enhancement assembly includes a sound enhancement device tuned to amplify exhaust sounds of a predetermined frequency and a sound duct downstream of the sound enhancement device that transmits the amplified exhaust sounds to an area outside the engine compartment. The sound enhancement device isolates the sound duct from the exhaust gas. A method for modifying sounds produced by an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew S. Waisanen
  • Patent number: 10717509
    Abstract: An example trolling motor assembly that includes a shaft with an attached trolling motor and a foot pedal is provided herein. Deflection of the foot pedal causes a corresponding rotation in a direction the trolling motor is oriented. A feedback device is coupled with the foot pedal and configured to provide at least one of haptic, audible, or visual feedback to indicate to a user that rotation of the direction of the trolling motor has stalled or is about to stall. In some cases, the feedback device may be present in a handheld remote control device. Example determination that rotation of the direction of the trolling motor has stalled or is about to stall may occur when the user directed rotation input and the actual orientation of the trolling motor are out of sync and/or when a current draw from a motor for rotating the trolling motor is too large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 10689070
    Abstract: A small boat includes an engine, a display that displays a speed setting image of a boat body and an acceleration setting image of the boat body side by side, an operator including a speed setting operator through which an operation of setting a speed set value is received and an acceleration setting operator through which an operation of setting an acceleration set value is received, and an engine controller that controls the engine based on the operations received by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Kinomoto, Sumihiro Takashima, Ryutaro Iwaki
  • Patent number: 10661872
    Abstract: In a watercraft propulsion system, when a magnitude of a command value indicated by a propulsion signal falls within a first range in a composite operation, a controller controls a first outboard motor to increase a thrust in a propulsion direction and simultaneously causes a second outboard motor to reduce a thrust in an opposite direction. When the magnitude of the command value falls within a second range in the composite operation, the controller controls the first outboard motor to make the thrust in the propulsion direction greater than when the magnitude of the command value falls within the first range and simultaneously maintains the second outboard motor in a neutral state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Yoshikazu Nakayasu
  • Patent number: 10647398
    Abstract: An outboard engine for propelling a boat includes a propulsion unit with an electric motor, a propeller driven by means of the electric motor, a control unit for controlling the power of the electric motor, and a water detection means. The water detection means is adapted to detect whether the propeller is submersed in water. The power of the electric motor can be influenced via the control unit based on the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Biebach
  • Patent number: 10625837
    Abstract: A controller controls a tilt-trim device under an automatic control mode such that the tilt-trim device automatically causes an outboard motor to continuously perform a tilt-trim motion within a motion range set in advance when an operation has been performed the plurality of times within the predetermined period of time. The controller deactivates the tilt-trim device when the outboard motor reaches either an upper limit or a lower limit of the motion range. The controller changes the motion range in accordance with a setting signal for setting the motion range when receiving the setting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Ichikawa, Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 10627806
    Abstract: The present invention provides a servo control system and a robot. The servo control system is applied to a servo, and includes a main control module including an angle information receiving terminal and a detection control terminal; and an angle collection module including a magnet and a magnetic encoding chip spaced apart from the magnet by a certain distance. The magnet is connected to a rotation output shaft of the servo. The magnetic encoding chip includes an angle information output terminal and a detection control receiving terminal. In the above manner, the present invention can accurately acquire position information of a servo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP.
    Inventors: Dong Liu, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 10612461
    Abstract: A first outboard motor attached to a vessel body receives an electric operating signal and is controlled in accordance with the electric operating signal. A second outboard motor attached to the vessel body receives a mechanical operating amount and is controlled in accordance with the mechanical operating amount. An operating tool controls shifting and a throttle opening degree of each of the first and second outboard motors. The electric operating signal is transmitted through a first transmission path to the first outboard motor based on an operation of the operating tool. The mechanical operating amount is transmitted through a second transmission path to the second outboard motor based on an operation of the operating tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuma Ito, Makoto Ito, Takuya Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10577068
    Abstract: Systems and methods are for monitoring underwater impacts to marine propulsion devices. The systems can comprise a marine propulsion device that is trimmable up and down about a trim axis; a trim sensor that senses at least one of a current trim position of the marine propulsion device relative to the trim axis and a rate at which the marine propulsion device is trimmed relative to the trim axis; and a controller that is configured to compare the rate at which the marine propulsion device is trimmed relative to the trim axis to a stored threshold value to thereby determine whether an underwater impact to the marine propulsion device has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Gonring, Mark D. Curtis
  • Patent number: 10549834
    Abstract: In a first step of a watercraft control method, a command signal to activate an automatic cruise function is received. In a second step, a target vessel velocity of a watercraft is set. In a third step, an actual vessel velocity of the watercraft is obtained. In a fourth step, a command signal is generated that is a signal to perform an automatic cruise control to control a thrust of the watercraft such that a difference between the target vessel velocity and the actual vessel velocity falls in a predetermined range of values. In a fifth step, it is determined whether or not a predetermined interruption condition has been established. In a sixth step, a command signal is generated that is a signal to perform the automatic cruise control with the thrust having a different magnitude from the thrust to be generated under normal circumstances without establishment of the interruption condition when the interruption condition has been established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Mathias Lindeborg, Sebastian Nilsson
  • Patent number: 10538301
    Abstract: A dual drive system for providing motive power to a watercraft has a frame configured for connecting to the watercraft and a drive assembly connected to the frame. The drive assembly has a manual drive mechanism configured for receiving mechanical input from a user, a motor drive mechanism configured for receiving mechanical input from a motor, a driveshaft having a first end in selective engagement with one of the manual drive mechanism and the motor drive mechanism and a second end in engagement with a propeller, and a drive selector for selectively engaging the manual drive mechanism or the motor drive mechanism with the driveshaft based on a position of the drive selector between first and second positions. In the first position, the drive selector engages the manual drive mechanism with a driveshaft. In the second position, the drive selector engages the motor drive mechanism with the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: JOY SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Peter James Murphy
  • Patent number: 10518856
    Abstract: A trim control system includes a memory storing a plurality of trim profiles, each trim profile defining a unique relationship between a plurality of vessel speeds and respective propulsion device trim angles. The unique relationship is: (a) a calibrated relationship developed by determining optimal trim angles for a particular propulsion device powering a particular marine vessel at a number of tested vessel speeds and a number of different conditions; or (b) developed by modifying a nominal relationship between a number of vessel speeds and a number of corresponding trim angles. An input device allows a user to select one of the trim profiles from the memory so as to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle relative to vessel speed. A controller determines a setpoint trim angle corresponding to measured vessel speed according to the selected trim profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Andrasko, Michael J. Lemancik, Steven M. Anschuetz, Andrew J. Przybyl, Daniel J. Balogh
  • Patent number: 10507899
    Abstract: To provide a motion control device for a ship, which does not require adjustment of weights of an performance function, and is less liable to fail in control calculation by building optimization calculation only into a part of classical feedback control, the motion control device, which is configured to cause a ship, on which a plurality of outboard engines are installed, to cruise along a desired trajectory, includes: a trajectory generator configured to output a trajectory command; a controller configured to output a control force command based on the trajectory command and a sensor information group output from a sensor group provided for the ship; and a control force distributor configured to carry out, based on the control force command, optimization calculation for operation amounts required for the plurality of outboard engines in accordance with a constraint condition set in advance so as to output the operation amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Imamura, Ryo Sakaguchi, Norihiko Mouri
  • Patent number: 10502312
    Abstract: An outboard motor having an internal combustion engine that rotates a driveshaft disposed in a driveshaft housing, a transmission that is operatively connected to the driveshaft and is disposed in a transmission housing located below the driveshaft housing, a set of angle gears that operatively connect the transmission to a propulsor for imparting a propulsive force in a body of water, wherein the set of angle gears are located in a lower gearcase located below the transmission housing, and a lubrication system that circulates lubricant to and from the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne M. Jaszewski, John A. Groeschel, John A. Tuchscherer
  • Patent number: 10399656
    Abstract: A remote control system of outboard motor configured to operate the outboard motor through communications with the outboard motor. The remote control system includes an operating lever operated by a boat operator and a motor unit configured to give reactive force against the operation of the operating lever. The motor unit is configured to give the reactive force according to an operating direction of the operating lever and at least any one of an operating speed and a lever position of the operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Fukuchi, Keisuke Daikoku
  • Patent number: 10393125
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a cooling device and an electronic control device for controlling the cooling device. The cooling device has a rotating component for delivering cooling medium and a drive source for controlling the rotating component. The electronic control device stores diagnosis reference information, which indicates an actual rotation speed acceptable range when an actual rotation speed of the drive source is apart from an instructed rotation speed of the drive source. The actual rotation speed acceptable range is an acceptable range of the actual rotation speed. The acceptable range changes according to the instructed rotation speed and a voltage value applied to the drive source. The electronic control device obtains the acceptable range based on the diagnosis reference information to determine whether the cooling device is in a normal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: HINO MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Masuda, Takayuki Suruga, Shin Mizoroki