Automatic stabilizing unit for watercrafts
AssigneeContinental Teves AG & Co. oHG
InventorsRalf Oehlgrien, Zhenfu Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic stabilization unit for watercraft such as boats, yachts and the like. In order to ensure stabilization of the watercraft with a high level of movement comfort at the same time over the entire speed range and in all water conditions, an electronic regulator is provided which stabilizes the water attitude of the watercraft during movement, while moving straight ahead and turning, as a function of the movement-situation-dependent rotation rates and longitudinal accelerations and/or lateral accelerations and/or vertical accelerations, using the actuating elements which are normally available in the watercraft, thus preventing or reducing to a minimum any stress on, damage to or danger to the boat, its occupants and the surrounding are thereof.
Claims9
An automatic stabilization unit for watercraft comprising:
- an electronic regulator that executes a closed loop control process that stabilizes a water attitude of the watercraft during movement of the watercraft, while moving straight ahead and turning, as a function of movement-situation-dependent rotation rates({dot over (κ)},{dot over (φ)},{dot over (ψ)}) and longitudinal accelerations and/or lateral accelerations and/or vertical accelerations (αxM, αyM, αzM) measured by sensors including a yaw rate sensor, using lateral actuating devices of the watercraft, and
- a helmsman demand detection unit that is connected to the sensors of the watercraft in order to identify a movement situation of moving straight or turning based on a signal of the yaw rate sensor,
- wherein the closed-loop control process being executed by the electronic regulator depends on the movement situation identified, such that:
- when the movement situation of the watercraft is identified as moving straight ahead in response to the signal from the yaw rate sensor being within a tolerance band, the lateral actuating device is actuated to reduce a roll angle of the watercraft, and
- when the movement situation of the watercraft is identified as turning in response to the signal from the yaw rate sensor being outside the tolerance band, the lateral actuating device is actuated to control the roll angle of the watercraft to reduce lateral force on the watercraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.