Patents by Inventor Gakuji TAMURA

Gakuji TAMURA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230020778
    Abstract: The control method of a ship is used for the ship. The ship is equipped with a plurality of power sources including a first power source and a second power source, and has a plurality of propulsion modes in which a power source used for propulsion of a hull is different between the plurality of power sources. The control method of the ship includes adjusting an output value related to a propulsive force of a hull to a value corresponding to an operation amount of an operation acceptor and changing a correspondence relation between the operation amount and the output value in accordance with a propulsion mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro SAWANO, Toru HONJO, Kenji OGATA, Atsushi YOSHIDA, Yosuke SHIMIZU, Gakuji TAMURA, Yuki KAJIKAWA, Jumpei SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20220411031
    Abstract: A ship propulsion device includes three or more propulsion units, a malfunction detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control the three or more propulsion units. The three or more propulsion units are disposed with left-right symmetry. Based on a malfunction detected in any one of the three or more propulsion units by the malfunction detection unit while the three or more propulsion units are operating, the control unit is configured to stop the propulsion unit in which the malfunction is detected, and, on a left side and a right side of a hull, stop at least one propulsion unit of the three or more propulsion units disposed on the side opposite from the side on which the propulsion unit in which the malfunction is detected is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoma KANDA, Gakuji TAMURA, Yasuhiro YAMADA
  • Patent number: 11034425
    Abstract: A ship includes an out-drive unit that exerts a propulsion force on a ship hull by power from an engine; a detection device for detecting a current position, a bow direction, and a moving speed of the ship hull; a brake pedal that limits a moving speed of the ship hull; a brake sensor that detects a foot-pushing amount on the brake pedal; and a ship steering control device connected to the out-drive unit, the detection means, and the brake sensor. The ship steering control device acquires an operating status of the out-drive unit and detection results obtained by the detection device and the brake sensor, and controls the out-drive unit based on the detection results. The ship steering control device changes the output of the out-drive unit in accordance with a foot-pushing amount on the brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Ryosuke Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10787238
    Abstract: A ship handling device enabling easy turning calibration. With a ship handling device (7), during turning calibration with the ship handling device (7), the joystick lever (10) is turned to rotate the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides of the ship, and the joystick lever (10) is tilted to change a forward-thrust/backward-thrust ratio of the forward-backward propeller (4) on the port or starboard side or to change the rotation speeds. When a calibration execution switch (10a) is operated, thrusts generated with the changed forward-thrust backward-thrust ratio are set as correction coefficients, or, among thrusts generated at the changed rotation speeds (Npn, Nsn) of the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides, thrusts generated by the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides according to the tilting of the joystick lever (10) are set as correction coefficients (Cp, Cs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Watanabe, Gakuji Tamura, Koichi Kanda
  • Patent number: 10782692
    Abstract: A ship handling device capable of executing dynamic positioning control. While the dynamic positioning control is being active, if a distance deviation from a target position exceeds a predetermined value and a first condition that a state where a moving amount of the ship per unit time is not more than a predetermined amount has continued for a predetermined period is satisfied, or if an orientation deviation from a target orientation exceeds a predetermined value and a second condition that a state where a turning amount of the ship per unit time is not more than a predetermined amount has continued for a predetermined period is satisfied, a thrust setting value resulting from the dynamic positioning control at a determination on the first or second condition is stored as a reference value, and the reference value is added to a thrust setting value subsequently resulting from the dynamic positioning control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Daisuke Irahara, Akiyoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10647401
    Abstract: A boat includes: a propulsion device configured to generate propulsion force for a vessel body from driving force from an engine; a detection unit configured to detect a current position, a bow direction, and a movement speed of the vessel body; a steering device configured to change a cruising direction of the vessel body; a steering sensor configured to detect an operation amount of the steering device; and a control device that is connected to the propulsion device, the detection unit, and the steering sensor, and is configured to acquire an operating status of the propulsion device and a detection result obtained by the detection unit and the steering sensor, and to control the propulsion device based on the detection result. The control device executes a turning operation with the propulsion device, when the operation amount of the steering device detected by the steering sensor exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10597132
    Abstract: A ship including: an out-drive unit that exerts a propulsion force on a ship hull by power from an engine; a detection device for detecting a current position, a bow direction, and a moving speed of the ship hull; a shift lever that changes magnitude and direction of an output from the out-drive unit; a lever sensor that detects a manipulation position of the shift lever; and a ship steering control device that is connected to the out-drive unit, the detection device, and the lever sensor. The ship steering control device acquires the operating status of the out-drive unit and the detection results obtained by the detection device and the lever sensor and controls the out-drive unit based on the detection results. The ship steering control device performs a dynamic positioning control when the shift lever is in the positioning position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10501161
    Abstract: A ship steering device including: an engine; an auto-drive unit that exerts propulsive power on a ship hull by power from the engine; detection means for detecting a current position and an orientation of the ship hull; a ship steering control device that controls an output of the engine and propulsive power of the auto-drive unit; and a calibration switch that starts calibration of a ship. When the ship steering control device detects that the calibration switch is turned on, the ship steering control device controls the engine and the auto-drive unit to cause the ship hull to move in a predetermined direction or to turn, and if a difference between, for instance, a traveling amount and speed in the predetermined direction and an intended traveling amount and speed exceeds a predetermined value, the ship steering control device corrects control values of the engine and the auto-drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10457371
    Abstract: For a vessel steering apparatus for performing a movement control to move a vessel to a target position on the basis of a signal of a GPS apparatus, a movement control stop area, a buffer area adjacent to the movement control stop area, and a movement-controlling area adjacent to the buffer area are set on the basis of the distance from the target position, wherein in the movement control stop area, thrust generation by a propulsion apparatus is stopped; in the movement-controlling area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus; and in the buffer area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus of the vessel for movement control only in the case where the vessel moves from the movement-controlling area to the buffer area, then stays in the buffer area, and moves in a direction away from the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Hara, Hiroaki Wakahara, Jun Watanabe, Gakuji Tamura
  • Publication number: 20190112020
    Abstract: A ship (100) including: an out-drive unit (20) that exerts a propulsion force on a ship hull (1) by power from an engine (10); a detection device (5) for detecting a current position, a bow direction, and a moving speed of the ship hull (1); a brake pedal (42) that limits a moving speed of the ship hull; a brake sensor (54) that detects a foot-pushing amount on the brake pedal; and a ship steering control device (30) connected to the out-drive unit (20), the detection means (5), and the brake sensor (54), The ship steering control device (30) acquires an operating status of the out-drive unit and detection results obtained by the detection device and the brake sensor, and controls the out-drive unit based on the detection results. The ship steering control device changes the output of the out-drive unit in accordance with a foot-pushing amount on the brake pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Ryosuke OHASHI
  • Publication number: 20190112021
    Abstract: A ship handling device enabling easy turning calibration. With a ship handling device (7), during turning calibration with the ship handling device (7), the joystick lever (10) is turned to rotate the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides of the ship, and the joystick lever (10) is tilted to change a forward-thrust/backward-thrust ratio of the forward-backward propeller (4) on the port or starboard side or to change the rotation speeds. When a calibration execution switch (10a) is operated, thrusts generated with the changed forward-thrust backward-thrust ratio are set as correction coefficients, or, among thrusts generated at the changed rotation speeds (Npn, Nsn) of the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides, thrusts generated by the forward-backward propellers (4) on the port and starboard sides according to the tilting of the joystick lever (10) are set as correction coefficients (Cp, Cs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun WATANABE, Gakuji TAMURA, Koichi KANDA
  • Publication number: 20190106189
    Abstract: A ship (100) including: an out-drive unit (20) that exerts a propulsion force on a ship hull (1) by power from an engine (10); a detection device (5) for detecting a current position, a bow direction, and a moving speed of the ship hull; a shift lever (41) that changes magnitude and direction of an output from the out-drive unit; a lever sensor (53) that detects a manipulation position of the shift lever; and a ship steering control device (30) that is connected to the out-drive unit, the detection device, and the lever sensor. The ship steering control device acquires the operating status of the out-drive unit and the detection results obtained by the detection device and the lever sensor and controls the out-drive unit based on the detection results. The ship steering control device performs a dynamic positioning control when the shift lever is in the positioning position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Jun WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20190092444
    Abstract: A ship steering device including: an engine; an auto-drive unit that exerts propulsive power on a ship hull by power from the engine; detection means for detecting a current position and an orientation of the ship hull; a ship steering control device that controls an output of the engine and propulsive power of the auto-drive unit; and a calibration switch (8) that starts calibration of a ship. When the ship steering control device detects that the calibration switch is turned on, the ship steering control device controls the engine and the auto-drive unit to cause the ship hull to move in a predetermined direction or to turn, and if a difference between, for instance, a traveling amount and speed in the predetermined direction and an intended traveling amount and speed exceeds a predetermined value, the ship steering control device corrects control values of the engine and the auto-drive unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Jun WATAN ABE
  • Publication number: 20190041857
    Abstract: A ship handling device capable of executing dynamic positioning control. While the dynamic positioning control is being active, if a distance deviation from a target position exceeds a predetermined value and a first condition that a state where a moving amount of the ship per unit time is not more than a predetermined amount has continued for a predetermined period is satisfied, or if an orientation deviation from a target orientation exceeds a predetermined value and a second condition that a state where a turning amount of the ship per unit time is not more than a predetermined amount has continued for a predetermined period is satisfied, a thrust setting value resulting from the dynamic positioning control at a determination on the first or second condition is stored as a reference value, and the reference value is added to a thrust setting value subsequently resulting from the dynamic positioning control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Daisuke IRAHARA, Akiyoshi HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10078332
    Abstract: A ship handling device may be provided with which a ship moves and turns in a target orientation toward target coordinates without monitoring the behavior of the ship against disturbance or the characteristics of the ship. The ship handling device moves the ship toward the target coordinates and in the target orientation from a GPS device and a signal from an orientation sensor, wherein the target coordinates and the target orientation are calculated from operation of a joystick lever, and a thrust is generated by a propulsion device so as to move the ship to the target coordinates and the target orientation after a signal finalizing the target coordinates and the target orientation has been acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji Tamura, Jun Watanabe, Hiroaki Wakahara, Naohiro Hara
  • Patent number: 9963214
    Abstract: The purpose is providing a ship handling device easily determining a predetermined correction coefficient regardless of positions of a side thruster and a forward/backward propeller and the center of gravity of a ship and the shape of the ship. The device is provided with a joystick lever for indicating a propulsion direction and the magnitude of thrust by tilting direction and angle, wherein: a lateral movement thrust is generated by the side thruster in accordance with the joystick lever; a first correction thrust is generated by the forward/backward propeller in accordance with the joystick lever so as to cancel out a rotation moment; and a first correction coefficient for calculating a first correction thrust with respect to the lateral movement thrust is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Watanabe, Gakuji Tamura, Hiroaki Wakahara, Naohiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20170351259
    Abstract: A ship handling device may be provided with which a ship moves and turns in a target orientation toward target coordinates without monitoring the behavior of the ship against disturbance or the characteristics of the ship. The ship handling device moves the ship toward the target coordinates and in the target orientation from a GPS device and a signal from an orientation sensor, wherein the target coordinates and the target orientation are calculated from operation of a joystick lever, and a thrust is generated by a propulsion device so as to move the ship to the target coordinates and the target orientation after a signal finalizing the target coordinates and the target orientation has been acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Jun WATANABE, Hiroaki WAKAHARA, Naohiro HARA
  • Publication number: 20170349257
    Abstract: For a vessel steering apparatus for performing a movement control to move a vessel to a target position on the basis of a signal of a GPS apparatus, a movement control stop area, a buffer area adjacent to the movement control stop area, and a movement-controlling area adjacent to the buffer area are set on the basis of the distance from the target position, wherein in the movement control stop area, thrust generation by a propulsion apparatus is stopped; in the movement-controlling area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus; and in the buffer area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus of the vessel for movement control only in the case where the vessel moves from the movement-controlling area to the buffer area, then stays in the buffer area, and moves in a direction away from the target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro HARA, Hiroaki WAKAHARA, Jun WATANABE, Gakuji TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170305520
    Abstract: The purpose is providing a ship handling device easily determining a predetermined correction coefficient regardless of positions of a side thruster and a forward/backward propeller and the center of gravity of a ship and the shape of the ship. The device is provided with a joystick lever for indicating a propulsion direction and the magnitude of thrust by tilting direction and angle, wherein: a lateral movement thrust is generated by the side thruster in accordance with the joystick lever; a first correction thrust is generated by the forward/backward propeller in accordance with the joystick lever so as to cancel out a rotation moment; and a first correction coefficient for calculating a first correction thrust with respect to the lateral movement thrust is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Jun WATANABE, Gakuji TAMURA, Hiroaki WAKAHARA, Naohiro HARA
  • Publication number: 20170274973
    Abstract: A boat includes: a propulsion device configured to generate propulsion force for a vessel body from driving force from an engine; a detection unit configured to detect a current position, a bow direction, and a movement speed of the vessel body; a steering device configured to change a cruising direction of the vessel body; a steering sensor configured to detect an operation amount of the steering device; and a control device that is connected to the propulsion device, the detection unit, and the steering sensor, and is configured to acquire an operating status of the propulsion device and a detection result obtained by the detection unit and the steering sensor, and to control the propulsion device based on the detection result. The control device executes a turning operation with the propulsion device, when the operation amount of the steering device detected by the steering sensor exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Gakuji TAMURA, Jun WATANABE