Patents by Inventor Toshiya Inai
Toshiya Inai 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).
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Patent number: 9079651Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes multiple propulsion devices, multiple operation levers, and multiple lever position sensors arranged to detect the positions of the multiple operation levers, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to control, based on detection results from the multiple lever position sensors, the shift states of the respective propulsion devices and to change the steering angle of at least one of the propulsion devices. The control unit may be arranged to change the steering angles of the propulsion devices to facilitate the behavior of the hull corresponding to the shift states of the respective propulsion devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2009Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori Nose, Toshiya Inai, Yoshiyuki Ichikawa, Makoto Mizutani
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Patent number: 8521347Abstract: A marine vessel steering apparatus includes a steering mechanism arranged to be operable by an operator, a steering unit arranged to turn a pivoting unit mounted pivotally on a marine vessel, a detecting unit arranged to detect if an actual pivoting angle, the turning angle of the pivoting unit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, a locking unit arranged to lock the turning of the steering mechanism, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting angle based on the turning state of the steering mechanism and to drive the steering unit to make the actual pivoting angle equal to the target pivoting angle. The control unit is also programmed, when the detecting unit detects that the actual pivoting angle becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined angle, to drive the locking unit to lock the turning of the steering mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Makoto Ito, Toshiya Inai, Makoto Mizutani
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Patent number: 8428801Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes first and second propulsion devices, a first operation lever arranged to be operated by a marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the first propulsion device, a second operation lever arranged to be operated by the marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the second propulsion device, a first lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the first operation lever, a second lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the second operation lever, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting speed according to the positions of the first and second operation levers relative to each other and set a target travel speed according to amounts of displacement of the first and second operation levers with respect to neutral positions.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori Nose, Toshiya Inai, Yoshiyuki Ichikawa, Makoto Mizutani
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Publication number: 20130096742Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes first and second propulsion devices, a first operation lever arranged to be operated by a marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the first propulsion device, a second operation lever arranged to be operated by the marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the second propulsion device, a first lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the first operation lever, a second lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the second operation lever, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting speed according to the positions of the first and second operation levers relative to each other and set a target travel speed according to amounts of displacement of the first and second operation levers with respect to neutral positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2012Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yukinori NOSE, Toshiya INAI, Yoshiyuki ICHIKAWA, Makoto MIZUTANI
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Patent number: 8234024Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes first and second propulsion devices arranged to be mounted on a hull, a first operation lever arranged to be operated by a marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the first propulsion device to have a shift state selected from among a forward drive state, a neutral state, and a reverse drive state and to control a power output of the first propulsion device, a second operation lever arranged to be operated by the marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the second propulsion device to have a shift state selected from among a forward drive state, a neutral state, and a reverse drive state and to control a power output of the second propulsion device. A control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting speed according to the positions of the first and second operation levers.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2010Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori Nose, Toshiya Inai, Yoshiyuki Ichikawa, Makoto Mizutani
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Publication number: 20100250035Abstract: A marine vessel steering apparatus includes a steering mechanism arranged to be operable by an operator, a steering unit arranged to turn a pivoting unit mounted pivotally on a marine vessel, a detecting unit arranged to detect if an actual pivoting angle, the turning angle of the pivoting unit, becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, a locking unit arranged to lock the turning of the steering mechanism, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to set a target pivoting angle based on the turning state of the steering mechanism and to drive the steering unit to make the actual pivoting angle equal to the target pivoting angle. The control unit is also programmed, when the detecting unit detects that the actual pivoting angle becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined angle, to drive the locking unit to lock the turning of the steering mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Makoto ITO, Toshiya INAI, Makoto MIZUTANI
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Publication number: 20100191396Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes multiple propulsion devices, multiple operation levers, and multiple lever position sensors arranged to detect the positions of the multiple operation levers, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to control, based on detection results from the multiple lever position sensors, the shift states of the respective propulsion devices and to change the steering angle of at least one of the propulsion devices. The control unit may be arranged to change the steering angles of the propulsion devices to facilitate the behavior of the hull corresponding to the shift states of the respective propulsion devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori NOSE, Toshiya INAI, Yoshiyuki ICHIKAWA, Makoto MIZUTANI
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Publication number: 20100191397Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes first and second propulsion devices arranged to be mounted on a hull so as to enable a steering angle to change, a first operation lever arranged to be operated by a marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the first propulsion device to have a shift state selected from among a forward drive state, a neutral state, and a reverse drive state and to control a power output of the first propulsion device, a second operation lever arranged to be operated by the marine vessel maneuvering operator to control the second propulsion device to have a shift state selected from among a forward drive state, a neutral state, and a reverse drive state and to control a power output of the second propulsion device, a first lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the first operation lever, a second lever position sensor arranged to detect a position of the second operation lever, and a control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2010Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori NOSE, Toshiya INAI, Yoshiyuki ICHIKAWA, Makoto MIZUTANI