Control system for small watercraft
AssigneeYamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasayoshi Nanami, Masaki Takegami, Noboru Suganuma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A small watercraft with an emergency shut-off system is provided. The emergency shut-off system is configured to shut off the engine of the small watercraft when the small watercraft is overturned. The emergency shut-off system comprises an electronic control unit that is operatively coupled to an overturn sensor and the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to sense a signal generated by the overturn switch. The electronic control unit is also configured to determine if the signal generated by the overturn switch continues for a period longer than a preset amount of time and to shut off the engine if the signal generated by the overturn switch continues beyond the preset amount of time.
Claims24
A method of operating an emergency shut-off system for a small watercraft that includes a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment, an overturn switch, and an electronic control unit that is in electrical communication with the overturn switch, the method comprising:
- sensing a signal from the overturn switch with the electronic control unit,
- determining if the overturn switch is generating a signal for at least a preset amount of time,
- shutting off the engine if the overturn switch has generated a signal for at least the preset amount of time.
A method of operating an emergency shut-off system for a small watercraft that includes a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment, a water level detection sensor positioned in the engine compartment, a bilge pump, and an electronic control unit that is in electrical communication with the sensor and the pump, the method comprising
- sensing a signal from the water level detection sensor with the electronic control unit,
- shutting off the engine when the water level detection sensor indicates that water in the engine compartment exceeds a preset level,
- activating the bilge pump.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment, and an emergency shut-off system comprising an overturn switch, an electronic control unit that is in electrical communication with the overturn switch and the engine, the electronic control unit configured to sense a signal generated by the overturn switch, to determine if the signal generated by the overturn switch continues for a period longer than a preset amount of time, and to shut off the engine if the signal generated by the overturn switch continues beyond the preset amount of time.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment, a water level detection sensor positioned in the engine compartment, a bilge pump positioned within the hull, and an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the bilge pump and the engine, the sensor configured to send a signal to the electronic control unit when water in the engine compartment rises above a specified level, the electronic control unit configured to sense the signal from the water level detection sensor and to shut off the engine and to activate a bilge pump that is positioned within the engine compartment.
A small watercraft comprising a hull defining an engine compartment, an internal combustion engine supported within the engine compartment, a bilge pump positioned within the hull, an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the bilge pump and the internal combustion engine, and means for shutting off the engine when the watercraft is overturned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.