Control device for plural propulsion units
AssigneeYamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakuya Kado, Shu Akuzawa
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AssigneeYamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakuya Kado, Shu Akuzawa
Estimating the term…
A control device for propulsion units is adapted to synchronize the engine rotational speeds of a plurality of propulsion units arranged in a row on a vessel and operatively and electrically connected to two control levers that are positioned adjacent to each other. The control device synchronizes the engine rotational speeds by correcting the throttle opening of a target propulsion unit or units based on a deviation between the engine rotational speed of a reference propulsion unit and the engine rotational speed of the target propulsion unit. Upon cancellation of synchronization, the throttle opening correction is reduced stepwise from its corrected throttle opening to its natural throttle opening based on the position of the corresponding control lever. As such, large fluctuations in engine speeds are avoided upon cancellation of synchronization.
A propulsion unit control system for a vessel having plural propulsion units arranged side by side and electrically connected in association with two adjacent control levers that are controllable by an operator to operate a shift actuator and/or a throttle actuator of a corresponding one of the propulsion units, the control system comprising engine rotational speed detection devices adapted to detect an engine rotational speed of a reference propulsion unit and an engine rotational speed of a target propulsion, and a control device configured to control the engine rotational speed of the target propulsion unit, wherein the control device is adapted to synchronize the engine rotational speeds of the reference and target propulsion units by correcting the throttle opening of the target propulsion unit based on a deviation between the engine rotational speed of the reference propulsion unit and a natural engine rotational speed of the target propulsion unit that corresponds to a position of the control lever associated with the target propulsion unit, and the control device is configured so that, when synchronization of the engine rotational speeds is cancelled, the correction of the throttle opening of the target propulsion device is reduced stepwise from the corrected throttle opening to the natural throttle opening.
A method for controlling a plurality of propulsion units that are mounted side by side on a boat and are electrically connected with two adjacent control levers that are controllable by an operator to operate a shift actuator and/or a throttle actuator of a corresponding one of the propulsion units, the method comprising providing engine rotational speed detection devices, detecting an engine rotational speed of a reference propulsion unit, detecting an engine rotational speed of a target propulsion unit, providing a control device configured to control the engine rotational speed of the target propulsion unit, calculating a deviation between the engine rotational speed of the reference propulsion unit and a natural engine rotational speed of the target propulsion unit that corresponds to a position of the control lever associated with the target propulsion unit, synchronizing the engine rotational speeds of the reference and target propulsion units by correcting the throttle opening of the target propulsion unit based on the calculated deviation, and, upon cancellation of synchronization, reducing the correction of the throttle opening of the target propulsion device in a stepwise manner from the corrected throttle opening to the natural throttle opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.