Means To Control The Supply Of Energy Responsive To A Sensed Condition Patents (Class 440/1)
  • Patent number: 10351221
    Abstract: A method for controlling a trim position of a marine propulsion device includes receiving operator demands corresponding to propulsion system operating speeds and determining a rate of change of demand versus time between an initial and a subsequent operator demand. When the rate of change of demand exceeds a predetermined rate, the control module uses successively measured operating speeds of the propulsion system and an offset trim profile to determine setpoint trim positions for the propulsion device. As the propulsion system's measured operating speed increases from an initial to a subsequent operating speed, the control module controls a trim actuator to rotate the propulsion device to the setpoint trim positions. An operating speed at which the propulsion device begins trimming up is less according to the offset trim profile than according to a base trim profile, which is utilized when the rate of change does not exceed the predetermined rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz, Steven J. Andrasko, Andrew J. Przybyl
  • Patent number: 10343758
    Abstract: A method for controlling a speed of a marine vessel includes accelerating the marine vessel in response to a launch command. The method then includes holding the vessel speed at a desired vessel speed with a controller using feedback control. The controller phases in a derivative term of the feedback control in response to determining that the following conditions are true: (a) the vessel speed is within a given range of the desired vessel speed; and (b) an acceleration rate of the marine vessel is less than a given value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Andrasko, Andrew J. Przybyl, Steven M. Anschuetz
  • Patent number: 10343759
    Abstract: A device for specifying the power of an electric drive of a boat includes a hand-actuatable drive which can be positioned between a zero setting, in which the electric drive is stationary, and a maximum setting, in which the electric drive is operated at its nominal power. The device also includes a hand-actuatable overload switching device, on actuation of which the electric drive is operated in an overload operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Despineux
  • Patent number: 10343472
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an amphibious vehicle includes an engine, a land propeller generating a propulsion force on land, a water propeller generating a propulsion force on water, a power distributor distributing power to the land propeller and the water propeller, a transmission for changing a shift ratio of the power supplied to the land propeller, and a controller, wherein the controller selects and executes one of a land mode for controlling travel on land, a water mode for controlling travel on the water, and a transition mode controlling the travel in a transition region, and the controller maintains an engine output torque in the land mode to be constant and maintains an engine output speed in the water mode and the transition mode to be constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: HANWHA DEFENSE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyung Won Han
  • Patent number: 10336427
    Abstract: A remote control outputs a remote control signal to operate an outboard motor. A joystick outputs a joystick signal to operate the outboard motor. A controller is configured or programmed to receive the remote control signal from the remote control and the joystick signal from the joystick, and to control shifting between forward movement and rearward movement by the outboard motor in response to operation of the remote control and the joystick. The controller executes first shift shock correction control when shifting between forward movement and rearward movement by the outboard motor in response to operation of the remote control. The controller executes second shift shock correction control different from the first shift shock correction control when shifting between forward movement and rearward movement by the outboard motor in response to operation of the joystick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyoshi Ichikawa, Akihiro Noma, Koei Kokubo
  • Patent number: 10340828
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described for a motor control system of a motor to compute a disturbance estimate and use the disturbance estimate to improve the performance of the motor control system. For example, the motor control system includes an observer module that receives an input voltage signal of the motor. The motor control system also receives an output current signal from the motor. The motor control system further computes the disturbance estimate of the motor control system based on a plant model of an electrical subsystem of the motor control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Prerit Pramod, Varsha Govindu
  • Patent number: 10279880
    Abstract: Disclosed is an control device of an outboard motor, including: a computation unit configured to set, as a starting point, a timing before a gearshift mechanism is shifted from forward to neutral after an accelerator opening level is fully closed in a case where an operator's manipulation is performed from forward to neutral, and compute a time-series change of an engine rotation speed as a simulated ship speed on the basis of the engine rotation speed detected by an engine rotation speed detector at the starting point; and a control unit configured to control an actuator such that, in a case where the operator's manipulation is performed from forward to reverse through neutral, the gearshift mechanism is maintained in the neutral position until the simulated ship speed estimated by the computation unit becomes a predetermined threshold value or lower, and is then shifted to reverse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Namba, Saharu Watanabe, Kohei Yamamoto, Nobuyuki Shomura
  • Patent number: 10274532
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. High-voltage interlock (HVIL) determines if a high-voltage system, such as a power source (e.g., vehicle battery), a load (e.g., vehicle motor), and conductors therebetween, have been properly connected. If not, battery contactor is not allowed to be closed or, if already closed, opened. A redundant HVIL system is provided to mitigate the false positives associated with an HVIL component failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander J. Smith, Yadunandana Yellambalase, Stephen C. Holland, Miaosen Shen, Xiaodong Liu
  • Patent number: 10266244
    Abstract: A control device for controlling an electric motor. The control device includes a twist grip that is rotatably mounted on a carrier such that the twist grip is user-twistable in a first direction from a neutral position to a first operating position, and in a second direction from the neutral position to a second operating position. The control device further includes a force element for producing a return force. The force element operatively couples to the twist grip via a force transmission element and at least one deflection element such that the force element applies the return force to the twist grip thereby twisting the twist grip to the neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Bergmann, Frank Despineux
  • Patent number: 10202179
    Abstract: There is provided a mounting assembly for a marine vessel having a pair of stern-mounted propulsion units. The assembly includes a pair of angle-setting members which forwardly angle the propulsion units towards a bow of the marine vessel when each propulsion unit is at the center of its total steering range. Each propulsion unit has a line of action of its propulsion force. The lines of action of the propulsion units intersect each other between a center of rotation of the marine vessel and a stern of the marine vessel when the propulsion units are steered forwardly towards each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Marine Canada Acquisition Inc.
    Inventors: Ray Tat Lung Wong, Neal Wesley Denis Wood
  • Patent number: 10202182
    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: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Mathias Lindeborg, Sebastian Nilsson
  • Patent number: 10167067
    Abstract: A vessel propulsion apparatus includes a cylindrical duct including a stator and a propeller. The propeller includes a rim including a rotor disposed at a position facing the stator and defining an electric motor in combination with the stator, and blades on an inner side in a radial direction of the rim. A fluid bearing is provided on the duct and defines a gap into which surrounding water is introduced between the fluid bearing and the rim, and is water-lubricated with respect to the rim due to water introduced into the gap from the surroundings. The vessel propulsion apparatus further includes a motor controller that drives the electric motor by rotation speed control in a rotation speed control region in which an output command is not more than a predetermined value, and drives the electric motor by torque control in a torque control region in which an output command is more than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi Suzuki, Kohei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10167798
    Abstract: A method for controlling acceleration of a marine vessel having at least one engine includes receiving a ramp value and an overshoot value, and then determining an acceleration curve based on the ramp value and the overshoot value, wherein the acceleration curve visually represents engine RPM values or vessel speed values over time for accelerating a marine vessel from idle to a desired cruising speed. A graph is then displayed containing the acceleration illustration curve on a user interface display, wherein the graph visually correlates the ramp value and the overshoot value to the acceleration illustration curve. A user input is then received adjusting the ramp value and/or the overshoot value, and the acceleration illustration curve is then redetermined based on the adjusted ramp value and the adjusted overshoot value, and the graph is updated to reflect the new acceleration illustration curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Van Camp, Mark W. Henker, Yana V. Foltice
  • Patent number: 10137971
    Abstract: A trim control system automatically controls trim angle of a marine propulsion device with respect to a vessel. A memory stores trim base profiles, each defining a unique relationship between vessel speed and trim angle. An input device allows selection of a base profile to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle versus vessel speed, and then optionally to further refine the aggressiveness. A controller then determines a setpoint trim angle based on a measured vessel speed. If the user has not chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from the selected base profile. However, if the user has chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from a trim sub-profile, which defines a variant of the relationship between vessel speed and trim angle defined by the selected base profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Andrasko, Michael J. Lemancik, Steven M. Anschuetz, Andrew J. Przybyl, Daniel J. Balogh
  • Patent number: 10132265
    Abstract: A fuel injection device comprising electricity-generating means generating electricity by rotation of an engine and outputting a predetermined signal, and a solenoid valve injecting fuel; the valve being opened as a result of a drive current applied to a coil, and the fuel being injected into an intake passage of the engine at a predetermined timing during the rotation of the engine; to ensure that the flow rate required during high-speed operation ca be adequately provided in a fuel injection device for injecting/supplying fuel to an engine. The electricity-generating means is an alternating current generation means attached to the engine in a crank angle position at which an output is generated in synchronization with the intake timing of the engine; the signal is an injection command signal applied to the solenoid valve as an alternating-current drive current; and the applied voltage increases with increased engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ZAMA JAPAN KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takumi Nonaka, Hideki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10124870
    Abstract: A boat drive includes an electric motor that drives a propeller to rotate; a user-actuated unlocking device; and a user-actuated control device configured to control the electric motor. The control device has a neutral position and at least one operating position. The control device and the unlocking device are configured to enable the electric motor to drive the propeller only when both the unlocking device is actuated and the control device is simultaneously in the at least one operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Bergmann, Frank Despineux
  • Patent number: 10095232
    Abstract: A method for maintaining position and/or heading of a marine vessel in a body of water includes accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected position and/or heading, and utilizing position/heading feedback control to determine initial steering angles, gear positions, and engine speeds for the vessel's propulsion devices that cause the propulsion devices to produce thrust that counteracts a net external force and moment on the vessel and maintains the vessel at the initial selected position/heading. The method also includes propelling the vessel to a new selected position/heading, and accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading. The method next includes utilizing information related to one of the position/heading feedback control and the propulsion devices' thrust to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading, and controlling the propulsion device according to the predicted control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Thomas S. Kirchhoff, Steven J. Andrasko, Michael M. Blackwood, Kenneth G. Gable
  • Patent number: 10059417
    Abstract: A marine propulsion device includes an internal combustion engine driving a driveshaft into rotation and a starter-generator motor in a torque transmitting relationship with the driveshaft. The starter-generator motor is alternately operable in a positive torque mode where it is powered by a battery to exert a positive torque on the driveshaft, and in a negative torque mode where it exerts a negative torque on the driveshaft and generates a charge to the battery. A control module is configured to receive an engine RPM, determine an engine RPM drop rate, and determine that the engine RPM drop rate exceeds a threshold drop rate. The starter-generator motor is then operated in a positive torque mode based on the engine RPM drop rate when the engine RPM drop rate exceeds the threshold drop rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Hilbert, Brian J. Fregonese, Christopher R. Jenks
  • Patent number: 9995820
    Abstract: A distance-measuring sensor (10) is provided for detecting and determining the distance of objects (18) in a monitored zone comprising a transmitter (12) for transmitting transmitted pulses; a receiver (20) for generating a received signal from the transmitted pulses remitted in the monitored zone; a first comparator unit (36a) for digitizing the received signal with reference to a first threshold; and a control and evaluation unit (30) which is configured to transmit a plurality of transmitted pulses via the transmitter (12), to collect the received signals thereupon generated by the receiver (20) in a histogram and to determine a received time point from the histogram and thus to determine a measured value for the signal transit time from the sensor (10) to the object (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Fabian Jachmann, Michael Engler, Bernd Rothenberger, Thomas Dollmann
  • Patent number: 9991785
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide an electric power converting device with which can executes a ground fault detection in a short time with its inexpensive configuration. In one step, the electric power converting device performs level comparison of a difference between output values of low pass filters, with a threshold value ?E. If a W-phase is shorted to ground at a time when the U-phase and V-phase lower arm IGBTs are ON and W-phase upper IGBT is ON, the difference between the output values of the low pass filters and becomes small. In another step, a level comparison is made between the absolute value of a difference between the U-phase current value iu and U-phase current command value iu?, and a threshold value F. If the absolute value is lower than the threshold value, the result is determined to be normal, and if the absolute value is greater than the threshold value, the result is determined to be abnormal, because the U-phase is shorted to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kashihara, Hiroaki Igarashi
  • Patent number: 9988133
    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: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: FEELFREE US LLC
    Inventor: Peter James Murphy
  • Patent number: 9975619
    Abstract: A method of controlling an alternator in a marine propulsion system includes receiving a battery voltage level of a battery charged by the alternator, receiving a throttle demand value, determining whether the throttle demand value exceeds a demand threshold, and determining whether the battery voltage level exceeds a threshold minimum battery voltage. If the throttle demand value exceeds the demand threshold and the battery voltage level exceeds the threshold minimum battery voltage, then the alternator is controlled to reduce the charge current output to the battery and reduce engine output power utilized by the alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Steven J. Gonring
  • Patent number: 9969473
    Abstract: A deflector control portion in a jet propulsion boat causes a deflector to swing by controlling a deflector drive mechanism in response to an operation of a shift operating portion. The deflector control portion causes the deflector to move to a first trim position when the shift operating portion is switched to a forward movement shift position. The deflector control portion causes the deflector to move to a second trim position when the shift operating portion is switched to an operating shift position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukitaka Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9957863
    Abstract: An exhaust conduit for a marine exhaust system includes an inlet end portion connectable to an exhaust manifold, an outlet end portion that directs exhaust gases toward an exhaust system outlet, a catalytic converter assembly arranged between the inlet and outlet end portions, and inner and outer tubes. The inner tube directs exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold to the catalytic converter assembly, and the outer tube surrounds the inner tube to define a cooling liquid passage between the inner and outer tubes. A flange is secured to the inner and outer tubes at inlet ends thereof, the flange being connectable to an outlet of the exhaust manifold. The inner tube has a uniform diameter between the flange and the catalytic converter assembly, and is welded to the flange independently of the outer tube. First and second welds join the inner and outer tubes to the flange at radially inner and outer faces, respectively, of a flange rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Indmar Products Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Stimmel, Richard J. Waggoner, Kevin J. Kimball, Rachel M. Mashburn, Timothy G. Anderson, Timothy G. Maher
  • Patent number: 9944361
    Abstract: A motorized board similar to a surf board is presented for use on a water surface. The motorized board includes a base board having a front end and a back end, a foot pedal on the base board, wherein the foot pedal is rotatable on the base board, and a motor coupled to the base board and connected to a propeller at the back end, the motor being controlled by the foot pedal. A user can stand on the board and turn the motor on with his foot, as well as control the speed with his foot to ride on a water surface with or without waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: David Hyun Jong Cho
  • Patent number: 9926060
    Abstract: A marine outboard engine for a watercraft has a stern bracket for mounting the marine outboard engine to the watercraft, a swivel bracket pivotally connected to the stern bracket about a generally horizontal tilt/trim axis, and a drive unit pivotally connected to the swivel bracket about a steering axis. The steering axis is generally perpendicular to the tilt/trim axis. A hydraulic actuator is operatively connected to the stern bracket and the swivel bracket for pivoting the swivel bracket and the drive unit relative to the stern bracket about the tilt/trim axis. A pump is mounted to the swivel bracket. The pump is pivotable about the tilt/trim axis together with the swivel bracket. The pump is fluidly connected to the hydraulic actuator to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: BRP US INC.
    Inventors: Darrell Wiatrowski, Mark Whiteside, George Broughton, Mark Noble
  • Patent number: 9914520
    Abstract: A vessel propulsion apparatus includes an engine that rotates a crankshaft in a forward rotation direction, a rotation speed detector that detects a rotation speed of the crankshaft, a propeller shaft coupled to a propeller, a shift switch that switches between a shift-in state and a neutral state, a shift state detector, an intake passage, a throttle valve, an intake pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller determines that the crankshaft is reversely rotating by an external force input from the propeller shaft when a predetermined reverse rotation recording condition is satisfied, and stores reverse rotation information. The reverse rotation recording condition includes a condition that an intake pressure after the shift switch switches from a neutral state to a shift-in state while the crankshaft rotates in the forward rotation direction is larger than a value equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kota Tokuda
  • Patent number: 9902479
    Abstract: Provided are an LP sensor that detects any one shift state from among forward, reverse and neutral, on the basis of an operation state of respective throttle levers corresponding to a plurality of engines, and a controller that controls the plurality of engines. The controller detects a simulated boat speed on the basis of the respective rotational speeds of the plurality of engines. When from a state in which the boat is operated by some engines from among the plurality of engines an attempt is made to operate the remaining engines being in a neutral shift state, the controller sets a shift-in prohibition flag of a corresponding engine, and prohibits shift-in control of the remaining engine, in a case where the simulated boat speed is higher than a first determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sako, Yohei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9840979
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a motor, a fuel pump, an alternator, a centrifugal clutch, and an electronic control unit. The centrifugal clutch is configured to, when the rotation speed of the output shaft of the motor is higher than or equal to an engaging rotation speed, connect the output shaft of the motor with the rotary shaft of the alternator. The engaging rotation speed is a rotation speed higher than a rotation speed of the rotary shaft at which torque that acts on the rotary shaft as a result of generation of electric power by the alternator becomes maximum and is a rotation speed lower than a rotation speed at which torque for driving the high-pressure fuel pump cannot be provided by only the motor at the time when the motor is driven at rated output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Asayama
  • Patent number: 9786462
    Abstract: Provided is a master controller that can be adopted in a variety of vehicles in which different current capacities are required for the master controller. A master controller includes a handle (3), cams (2a to 2f) interlocking with the handle (3), cam switches (1a to 1f) connected to or disconnected from the cams (2a to 2f) in accordance with the position of the handle (3), and a relay circuit (6) that outputs output signals in accordance with input signals input through the cam switches (1a to 1f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYO ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hirooka
  • Patent number: 9771138
    Abstract: A boat maneuvering control method for a boat includes setting a target boat speed, detecting an actual boat speed of the boat, and acquiring a base engine rotational speed associated with the target boat speed that is set, correcting the base engine rotational speed according to a difference between the target boat speed and the actual boat speed so as to set the base engine rotational speed that is corrected as a target engine rotational speed, and controlling an engine based on the target engine rotational speed that is set such that the actual boat speed approaches the target boat speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Ito
  • Patent number: 9751605
    Abstract: A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel includes receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller and determining a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller. The method also includes determining an acceleration rate of the marine vessel. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds a first error threshold and the magnitude of the acceleration rate exceeds a given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to the target trim position. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds the first error threshold and the acceleration rate does not exceed the given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to a setpoint trim position that is different from the target trim position. An associated system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz, Steven J. Andrasko, Andrew J. Przybyl
  • Patent number: 9745036
    Abstract: A trim control system automatically controls trim angle of a marine propulsion device with respect to a vessel. A memory stores trim base profiles, each defining a unique relationship between vessel speed and trim angle. An input device allows selection of a base profile to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle versus vessel speed, and then optionally to further refine the aggressiveness. A controller then determines a setpoint trim angle based on a measured vessel speed. If the user has not chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from the selected base profile. However, if the user has chosen to refine the aggressiveness, the controller determines the setpoint trim angle from a trim sub-profile, which defines a variant of the relationship between vessel speed and trim angle defined by the selected base profile. The control system positions the propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Andrasko, Michael J. Lemancik, Steven M. Anschuetz, Andrew J. Przybyl, Daniel J. Balogh
  • Patent number: 9742584
    Abstract: In a method for serial communication of data frames between nodes connected by a bus system, the transmitter and receiver roles are assigned to the nodes for each data frame by the arbitration procedure defined in the CAN-Standard ISO 11898-1. The exchanged data frames, which include multiple bits, have a logical structure according to the CAN-Standard ISO 11898-1, including a Start-Of-Frame-Bit, an Arbitration Field, a Control Field, a Data Field, a CRC Field, an Acknowledge Field and an End-Of-Frame Field. Each bit has a bit time which is divided into Time Segments. In response to a predefined value of a specific bit within the Control Field a first node of a first node group restarts its protocol decoding state machine and waits until it has synchronized itself to the bus activity and a second node of a second node group communicates using CAN FD Specification protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Hartwich
  • Patent number: 9721738
    Abstract: In order to improve a hand-actuated transmitter unit for vehicles, in particular for handlebar-controlled vehicles, comprising a housing, an actuating lever which is movable relative to the housing and is coupled to a transmission element such that an actuation of the actuating lever is transmitted by means of the transmission element to a slave unit, such that further functions of a vehicle can be controlled, it is proposed that a detector unit which detects with at least one detector a transition of the actuating lever from a non-actuated state to an actuated state and vice versa is associated with the transmitter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Gustav Magenwirth GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Joachim Hujer, Christian Neutsch, Richard Penazzi
  • Patent number: 9718527
    Abstract: An acceleration control system for a marine vessel includes an actual propulsion power detector, a setting controller configured or programmed to set final target propulsion power of the marine vessel, and a controller. The controller is configured or programmed to set target propulsion power of the marine vessel at an initial time to an initial target propulsion power, to change the target propulsion power of the marine vessel based on an actual propulsion power of the marine vessel and the initial target propulsion power, and to control a propulsion device such that the actual propulsion power of the marine vessel gets closer to the final target propulsion power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Ito
  • Patent number: 9709996
    Abstract: A boat maneuvering system includes an actuator controller that performs intermittent control of switching a shift state alternately to a shift-in state and a neutral state by a shift actuator when a throttle opening degree of a propulsion device is an idling opening degree in the shift-in state and a detected actual boat speed is larger than a target boat speed for a first period of time or more in an auto cruise mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Ito
  • Patent number: 9694893
    Abstract: A watercraft or amphibian includes a prime mover operable with at least a first and a second idle speed, a marine propulsion device operable to generate thrust when connected to the prime mover, and a determining arrangement for determining whether or not the watercraft or amphibian is operating at or above a determined speed of travel, wherein the second idle speed of the prime mover is higher than the first idle speed, the marine propulsion device generates a steerable thrust when operated by the prime mover at a speed at or above the second idle speed, and wherein the prime mover is operated with the second idle speed when the determining arrangement determines the watercraft or amphibian is operating at or above the determined speed of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Gibbs Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Neil Graham Jenkins
  • Patent number: 9694892
    Abstract: A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel includes receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller and determining a magnitude of a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller. The method also includes determining a magnitude of an acceleration rate of the marine vessel. The controller determines the activation time of a trim actuator coupled to and rotating the marine device with respect to the marine vessel based on the magnitude of the trim position error and the magnitude of the acceleration rate. The controller then sends a control signal to activate the trim actuator to rotate the marine device toward the target trim position. The method includes discontinuing the control signal once the activation time expires to deactivate the trim actuator. A corresponding system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz, Steven J. Andrasko, Michael J. Roth
  • Patent number: 9682758
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an outboard motor adapted to be mounted on a hull of a boat and equipped with an internal combustion engine to power a propeller and a trim angle regulating mechanism adapted to regulate a trim angle relative to the hull, comprising the steps of: calculating a throttle opening change amount of the engine; determining whether the boat is in an accelerating state based on the calculated throttle opening change amount; and controlling operation of the trim angle regulating mechanism to increase the trim angle based on an operating parameter that indicates a state of the engine and the propeller when it is determined that the boat is in the accelerating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kuriyagawa, Hajime Yoshimura, Masahide Shinokawa
  • Patent number: 9669916
    Abstract: In a ship steering system for an out-drive device including: an out-drive device; a hydraulic actuator configured to turn the out-drive device; a hydraulic controller configured to control the hydraulic actuator; a ship steering device configured to instruct a traveling direction to the hydraulic controller; and an emergency ship steering device capable of at least instructing the out-drive device to turn, the emergency ship steering device is capable of controlling the hydraulic actuator without involving the hydraulic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Hitachi, Takao Nakanishi, Akiyoshi Hayashi, Jun Watanabe, Gakuji Tamura
  • Patent number: 9663213
    Abstract: The authentication unit stores information for causing the outboard motor control unit to permit an engine start in order to enable setting of an unlock state in which the engine start is permitted without authentication of ID information of an electronic key and a child lock state in which the engine start is permitted by performing a predetermined release operation without necessity of authenticating the ID information of the electric key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 9643698
    Abstract: A system for notifying an operator of a marine vessel that a marine propulsion device is not at an efficient trim angle includes a notification device and a controller that sends a signal to the notification device to provide a trim up notification when the controller determines that the marine propulsion device is not at the optimal trim angle. The controller determines this based on at least one of the following: a current load on an engine of the marine propulsion device; a current fuel flow provided to the engine; a current air flow provided via a throttle valve to the engine; or an output from a PID control section of the controller that controls a position of the throttle valve. A method that compares a measured engine speed to an optimal engine speed corresponding to operation of the marine propulsion device at an optimal trim angle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Andrasko, Jason S. Arbuckle, Andrew J. Przybyl
  • Patent number: 9555867
    Abstract: A jet propelled watercraft includes a prime mover, a jet pump driven by the prime mover and jetting water from a jet port, a reverse gate changing a direction of the jet flow jetted from the jet pump, a shift actuator capable of moving a position of the reverse gate to a plurality of shift positions including a forward drive position, at which the direction of the jet flow is toward the rear of the body, a reverse drive position, at which the direction of the jet flow is toward the front of the body, and an intermediate position in between these positions, and a controller configured or programmed to execute a stoppage shift control of controlling the shift actuator to move the reverse gate to the forward drive position when stoppage of the prime mover is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukitaka Okamoto, Yoshimasa Kinoshita, Masaru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9545986
    Abstract: A boat propulsion device includes an engine, a fuel tank, a fuel path, a fuel pump, and a controller. The engine includes a fuel injection device. The fuel tank includes a fuel storage region configured to store fuel. The fuel path is connected to the fuel injection device and the fuel tank. The fuel pump is disposed in the fuel path and is configured to discharge the fuel stored in the fuel storage region to the fuel injection device. The controller is configured and/or programmed to control a load on the fuel pump. The controller is configured and/or programmed to include an empty-fuel condition detector configured to detect that the fuel stored in the fuel storage region has become a predetermined remaining amount or less based on a variation in the load on the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi
  • Patent number: 9517825
    Abstract: A method and system position a marine propulsion device with respect to a transom of a marine vessel to which it is coupled. A controller determines whether an actual speed representing a speed of the vessel or a speed of an engine powering the propulsion device is greater than a given speed and whether a transmission of the propulsion device is in forward gear, and if so, sets a trim control unit of the controller to a ready state. If the transmission is shifted out of forward gear while the trim control unit is in the ready state, the controller sets the trim control unit to an active state. The controller determines whether an actual trim position of the propulsion device is less than a target trim position while the trim control unit is in the active state, and if so, sends a signal to trim the propulsion device up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz, Aaron K. Saltsman, Steven J. Andrasko
  • Patent number: 9493220
    Abstract: Systems and methods are for controlling shift in a marine propulsion device. A shift sensor outputs a position signal representing a current position of a shift linkage. A control circuit is programmed to identify an impending shift change when the position signal reaches a first threshold and an actual shift change when the position signal reaches a second threshold. The control circuit is programmed to enact a shift interrupt control strategy that facilitates the actual shift change when the position signal reaches the first threshold, and to actively modify the first threshold as a change in operation of the marine propulsion device occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas S. Kirchhoff, David G. Camp
  • Patent number: 9446830
    Abstract: A cooling system and method is disclosed. A coolant line is in thermal contact with an electric motor of a boat drive. Coolant is pump able by a pump through the coolant line. The coolant line is in thermal contact with a component that is spatially separate from the boat drive. The coolant line has a first line section which is in thermal contact with the electric motor, a second line section which is in thermal contact with the component, and the first line section is detachably connectable to the second line section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Torqeedo GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Hartmeyer, Jens Biebach
  • Patent number: 9431937
    Abstract: A method for increasing rotational speed range of an ECM motor, including: 1) starting the motor and initializing parameters; 2) reading the rotor position signal from the hall sensor by the microprocessor and updating the rotor angle; 3) reading the DC bus current I and the rotational speed n of the motor; 4) inputting a target rotational speed S from an external device, acquiring the target rotational speed S by the microprocessor, calculating the rotational difference e, and utilizing a rotational speed PI regulator to output a regulating parameter V_D; 5) calculating an advance angle ?=F(I, n) by the microprocessor, and calculating a real-time angle of the rotor ?=?×t by the microprocessor; and 6) calculating a PWM signal input into the inverter circuit, and outputting a PWM chopper voltage U by the inverter circuit, where U=F(V_D, ?+?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ZHONGSHAN BROAD-OCEAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenqing Bian, Jianlong Feng, Yong Zhao
  • Patent number: 9422047
    Abstract: Systems and methods are for facilitating shift changes in a marine propulsion device. The systems comprise an internal combustion engine; a shift linkage that operatively connects a shift lever to a transmission for effecting shift changes amongst a reverse gear, a neutral gear and a forward gear; a speed sensor that senses current speed of the engine; and a control circuit that controls the engine to provide a reduction in speed of the engine to facilitate a shift change. The control circuit compares the current speed of the engine to a stored threshold speed and waits to invoke a reduction in speed of the engine until the current speed of the engine reaches the stored threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Camp, Andrew J. Przybyl