Watercraft control apparatus
AssigneeUltraflex S.P.A.
InventorsGiorgio Gai, Alessandro Staiolo, Giorgio Bosia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a watercraft control apparatus according to the present invention includes a control member that operates a power-consuming unit or load. The control member is operably connected to the power-consuming unit or load through a drive member that transmits a control force and/or a displacement from the control member to the power-consuming unit or load. The watercraft control apparatus further includes an actuator for actuating the power-consuming unit and a magnetic unit for transducing the force and/or the displacement of the control member into a corresponding electric/electronic signal for a corresponding operation of the actuator.
Claims37
A watercraft control apparatus comprising:
- a control member operating a load, wherein the control member is a control lever and the load is a motor;
- a mechanical circuit for transmitting a displacement from the control member to the load;
- an electronic control circuit comprising one or more magnetic units transducing the displacement of the control member into an electric or electronic signal to the load, wherein the magnetic units are operably connected to the control lever, wherein the magnetic units include at least a magnetic sensor and a magnet, and wherein one of the magnetic sensor or the magnet is rotatably mounted to the control lever;
- an actuator actuating the load, the actuator being operably interposed between the load and each of the mechanical circuit and the electronic control circuit;
- and
- an auxiliary pump operably interposed between the mechanical circuit and the actuator, the auxiliary pump controlling the actuator,
- wherein the mechanical circuit and the one or more magnetic units operate the load.
A watercraft control apparatus comprising:
- a control member operating a load;
- a mechanical circuit for transmitting a displacement from the control member to the load;
- an electronic control circuit comprising one or more magnetic units transducing the displacement of the control member into an electric or electronic signal to the load;
- an actuator actuating the load, the actuator being operably interposed between the load and each of the mechanical circuit and the electronic control circuit;
- and
- an auxiliary pump operably interposed between the mechanical circuit and the actuator, the auxiliary pump controlling the actuator,
- wherein the mechanical circuit and the one or more magnetic units operate the load, and wherein the one or more magnetic units include three magnetic units disposed substantially at 120° from each other.
A watercraft maneuvering system comprising:
- a control member for operating a load, wherein the control member is a control lever and the load is a motor;
- a mechanical circuit for transmitting a displacement from the control member to the load;
- and
- an electronic control circuit comprising one or more magnetic units transducing the displacement of the control member into an electric or electronic signal to the load, wherein the magnetic units are operably connected to the control lever, wherein the magnetic units include at least a magnetic sensor and a magnet, and wherein one of the magnetic sensor or the magnet is rotatably mounted to the control lever;
- an actuator actuating the load, the actuator being operably interposed between the load and each of the mechanical circuit and the electronic control circuit;
- and
- an auxiliary pump coupled to the mechanical circuit and controlling the actuator,
- wherein the electric or electronic signal is transmitted through a CAN bus connection connected to different components of the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.