Outboard motor shift control system
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi Mizuguchi, Hideaki Takada, Shinsaku Nakayama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an outboard motor shift control system to change the shift position by controlling the supply of current to an electric shift motor for driving a shift mechanism, a detent mechanism is equipped for constraining the operation of the shift mechanism and holding the shift position once the shift position has been established, and the supply of current to the shift motor is discontinued upon detection that the shift position has been established. This configuration makes it possible to minimize the power consumption of the shift motor and ensure secure holding of the established shift position.
Claims5
A system for controlling shift change of an outboard motor mounted on a stem of a boat among positions including a forward position, a reverse position and a neutral position, comprising:
- an electric actuator driving a shift mechanism of the outboard motor that changes the shift position;
- a current controller controlling supply of current to the actuator to operate the shift mechanism;
- a shift position holder holding the shift position once established;
- and
- a detector detecting whether one of the shift positions has been established;
- wherein the current controller discontinues the supply of current to the actuator when it is detected that the shift position has been established.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.