# US 2014/0156124 A1 · Ship steering device and ship steering method

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- Number: US 2014/0156124 A1
- Document ID: US20140156124A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/129,832
- Filed: 2012-03-29
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-28
- Assignees: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Naohiro Hara; Akiyoshi Hayashi; Toshimitsu Hirose
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156124A1

## CPC

- B63H 20/12: Means enabling steering
- B63H 5/08: of more than one propeller
- B63H 20/00: Outboard propulsion units, e.g. outboard motors or Z-drives; Arrangements thereof on vessels
- B63H 20/16: allowing movement of the propulsion element in a horizontal plane only, e.g. for steering
- B63H 20/20: with provision for reverse drive
- B63H 21/213: {Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers}
- B63H 25/02: Initiating means for steering {, for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring}
- B63H 25/42: Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements (by jets B63H25/46); Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
- B63H 2020/003: {Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units}
- B63H 2025/026: {using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring}
- B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00)

## Abstract

A ship steering device capable of steering a hull in an intended direction by correcting an unintended rotation that occurs during an oblique sailing operation regardless of the type and size of the hull. A ship steering device is provided with an elevation angle sensor for detecting the elevation angle α of a hull, a hull speed sensor for detecting the speed V of the hull, a storage means storing the relation among the elevation angle α of the hull, the speed V of the hull, and a correction value K, and a calculation means serving as a correction value determination means, and an operation amount by which a joystick is operated such that the hull does not turn in the state in which the hull is obliquely sailed is determined by the calculation means and used as the correction value K.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ship steering device comprising:
a pair of left and right engines;
rotation speed changing actuators independently changing engine rotation speeds of the pair of left and right engines;
a pair of left and right outdrive devices respectively connected to the pair of left and right engines and rotating screw propellers so as to propel a hull;
forward/reverse switching clutches disposed between the engines and the screw propellers;
a pair of left and right steering actuators respectively independently rotating the pair of left and right outdrive devices laterally;
an operation means setting a traveling direction of a ship;
an operation amount detection means detecting the operation amount of the operation means; and
a control device controlling the rotation speed changing actuators, the forward/reverse switching clutches, and the steering actuators so as to travel to a direction set by the operation means,
characterized in that the ship steering device further comprising:
an elevation angle detection means detecting an elevation angle of the hull;
a hull speed detection means detecting a speed of the hull;
a storage means in which a relation among the elevation angle of the hull, the speed of the hull, and a correction value is stored; and
a correction value determination means,
wherein the correction value is determined by the correction value determination means based on the operation amount by which the operation means is operated such that the hull does not turn in a state in which the hull is obliquely sailed.

### Claim 2

A ship steering device comprising:
a pair of left and right engines;
rotation speed changing actuators independently changing engine rotation speeds of the pair of left and right engines;
a pair of left and right outdrive devices respectively connected to the pair of left and right engines and rotating screw propellers so as to propel a hull;
forward/reverse switching clutches disposed between the engines and the screw propellers;
a pair of left and right steering actuators respectively independently rotating the pair of left and right outdrive devices laterally;
an operation means setting a traveling direction of a ship;
an operation amount detection means detecting the operation amount of the operation means; and
a control device controlling the rotation speed changing actuators, the forward/reverse switching clutches, and the steering actuators so as to travel to a direction set by the operation means,
characterized in that the ship steering device further comprising:
an elevation angle detection means detecting an elevation angle of the hull;
a propulsion power calculation means for the outdrive devices;
a storage means in which a relation among the elevation angle of the hull, the speed of the hull, and a correction value is stored; and
a correction value determination means,
wherein the correction value is determined by the correction value determination means based on the operation amount by which the operation means is operated such that the hull does not turn in a state in which the hull is obliquely sailed.

### Claim 3

A ship steering device comprising:
a pair of left and right engines;
rotation speed changing actuators independently changing engine rotation speeds of the pair of left and right engines;
a pair of left and right outdrive devices respectively connected to the pair of left and right engines and rotating screw propellers so as to propel a hull;
forward/reverse switching clutches disposed between the engines and the screw propellers;
a pair of left and right steering actuators respectively independently rotating the pair of left and right outdrive devices laterally;
an operation means setting a traveling direction of a ship;
an operation amount detection means detecting an operation amount of the operation means; and
a control device controlling the rotation speed changing actuators, the forward/reverse switching clutches, and the steering actuators so as to travel to a direction set by the operation means,
characterized in that the ship steering device further comprising:
a rotation speed detection means for the outdrive devices;
a lateral rotation angle detection means for the outdrive devices;
a propulsion power vector calculation means calculating propulsion power vectors from rotation speeds and lateral rotation angles of the outdrive devices;
a storage means in which a relation among propulsion power of the hull obtained from norms of the propulsion power vectors, an elevation angle of the hull obtained from angles of the propulsion power vectors, and a correction value is stored; and
a correction value determination means,
wherein the correction value is determined by the correction value determination means based on the operation amount by which the operation means is operated such that the hull does not turn in a state in which the hull is obliquely sailed.

### Claim 4

A steering method for a ship having a pair of left and right outdrive devices rotatable laterally and sailing with propulsion power of the outdrive devices,
characterized in that
an operation means for actuating the outdrive devices, a confirmation means operated the leftward or rightward lateral movement of the ship is confirmed, and a control device to which the outdrive devices, the operation means and the confirmation means are connected are used,
the operation means is operated and the outdrive devices are actuated so as to move the ship leftward and rightward,
the confirmation means is operated when the leftward or rightward lateral movement of the ship is confirmed, and
rotation angles of the outdrive devices at a time of operating the confirmation means is presumed with the control device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ship steering method according to claim 1,
wherein a first rotation speed detection sensor detecting the rotation speed of one of the outdrive devices, a second rotation speed detection sensor detecting the rotation speed of the other outdrive device, and the control device to which the first and second rotation speed detection sensors are connected are used, and
wherein a ratio of the rotation speed of one of the outdrive devices and the ratio of the rotation speed of the other outdrive device at the time of operating the confirmation means is presumed with the control device.