Method and system for controlling thrust of watercraft during various steering conditions
AssigneeArctic Cat Inc.
InventorsFred H. Bernier, Frank Hazard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions. The system comprises a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust, a throttle regulator for regulating thrust provided by the thrust mechanism, a throttle position sensor for sensing the throttle position of the watercraft, a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of the watercraft and a controller for determining the desired throttle position of the throttle regulator. Wherein the desired throttle position is based on the throttle position received from the throttle position sensor and the steering position received from the steering position.
Claims38
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a throttle regulator for regulating thrust provided by said thrust mechanism;
- a throttle position sensor for sensing throttle position of said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing steering position of said watercraft;
- a controller for determining desired throttle position of said throttle regulator;
- and
- wherein said desired throttle position is based on throttle position received from said throttle position sensor and steering position received from said steering position sensor, said controller causes said thrust mechanism to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing throttle position of said watercraft;
- sensing steering position of said watercraft;
- sensing hull speed of said watercraft;
- determining desired throttle position based on said throttle position, said steering position and said hull speed;
- and
- controlling a throttle regulator based on said determined desired throttle position to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a prdetermined angle.
A method for providing steering for a watercraft, having a steering mechanism, a thrust mechanism, a manually operable throttle control mechanism, a sensor for sensing position of the manually operable throttle control mechanism and a controller for determining desired thrust from the thrust mechanism, the steps comprising providing a steerable thrust from the thrust mechanism when the manually operable throttle control mechanism is positioned other than to provide a steerable thrust from said thrust mechanism.
A watercraft including a steering mechanism, a thrust mechanism, an operator-controlled throttle control mechanism, a sensor for sensing position of the operator-controlled throttle control mechanism and a controller for determining desired thrust from the thrust mechanism independently of the operator, wherein a steerable thrust is provided when said throttle control mechanism is positioned other than to provide a steerable thrust.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing throttle position of said watercraft;
- sensing steering position of said watercraft;
- determining desired throttle position based on said throttle position and said steering position;
- and
- controlling a throttle regulator based on said determined desired throttle position to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- a throttle position sensor for sensing position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism received from the said throttle position sensor and position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor;
- and
- wherein said controller causes said thrust mechanism to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- a manually operable throttle control mechanism and a throttle position sensor for sensing position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- and
- wherein said controller inhibits the thrust from decreasing below a steerable thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- a hull speed sensor for sensing hull speed of said watercraft;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and hull speed received from said hull speed sensor;
- and
- wherein said controller inhibits the thrust from decreasing below a steerable thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- an engine speed sensor for sensing engine speed of said watercraft;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and engine speed received from said engine speed sensor;
- and
- wherein said controller inhibits the thrust from decreasing below a steerable thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft traveling above low speed, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- a manually operable throttle control mechanism and a throttle position sensor for sensing position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and position of said manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- and
- wherein said controller causes said thrust mechanism to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft traveling above low speed, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- a hull speed sensor for sensing hull speed of said watercraft;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and hull speed received from said hull speed sensor;
- and
- wherein said controller causes said thrust mechanism to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A system for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft traveling above low speed, the system comprising:
- a thrust mechanism for providing jet propulsion thrust;
- a steering mechanism for directing the jet propulsion thrust to steer said watercraft;
- a steering position sensor for sensing the steering position of said steering mechanism;
- an engine speed sensor for sensing engine speed of said watercraft;
- a controller for determining desired jet propulsion thrust based on position of said steering mechanism received from said steering position sensor and engine speed received from said engine speed sensor;
- and
- wherein said controller causes said thrust mechanism to increase thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing position of a manually operable throttle control mechanism of the watercraft;
- sensing position of a steering mechanism of the watercraft;
- providing a controller for determining the desired thrust based on said position of manually operable throttle control mechanism and said position of steering mechanism;
- and
- increasing the thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft traveling above low speed, the method comprising:
- sensing position of a steering mechanism of the watercraft;
- sensing position of a manually operable throttle control mechanism of the watercraft;
- providing a controller for determining the desired thrust based on said position of steering mechanism and said position of manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- and
- increasing the thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing position of a steering mechanism of the watercraft;
- sensing position of a manually operable throttle control mechanism of the watercraft;
- providing a controller for determining the desired thrust based on said position of steering mechanism and said position of manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- and
- inhibiting the thrust from decreasing below a steerable thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing position of a manually operable throttle control mechanism of the watercraft;
- sensing position of a steering mechanism of the watercraft;
- providing a controller for determining the desired thrust based on said position of manually operable throttle control mechanism and said position of steering mechanism;
- and
- increasing the thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle and said manually operable throttle control mechanism positioned other than to provide a steerable thrust.
A method for controlling thrust of a jet propulsion type watercraft during various steering conditions, the method comprising:
- sensing position of a manually operable throttle control mechanism of the watercraft;
- sensing position of a steering mechanism of the watercraft;
- providing a controller for determining the desired thrust based on said position of steering mechanism and said position of manually operable throttle control mechanism;
- and
- inhibiting the thrust from decreasing below a steerable thrust upon said steering mechanism being rotated greater than a predetermined angle and said manually operable throttle control mechanism positioned other than to provide a steerable thrust.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.