# US 9,751,605 B1 · System and method for trimming a trimmable marine device with respect to a marine vessel

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- Number: US 9,751,605 B1
- Document ID: US9751605B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/003,326
- Filed: 2016-01-21
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-29
- Assignees: Brunswick Corporation
- Applicants: Brunswick Corporation
- Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz; Steven J. Andrasko; Andrew J. Przybyl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751605B1

## CPC

- B63H 20/10: Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt
- B63H 21/21: Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
- Y02T 70/50: Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the propulsion system
- 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)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel includes receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller and determining a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller. The method also includes determining an acceleration rate of the marine vessel. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds a first error threshold and the magnitude of the acceleration rate exceeds a given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to the target trim position. In response to determining that the trim position error exceeds the first error threshold and the acceleration rate does not exceed the given rate threshold, the controller commands the marine device to a setpoint trim position that is different from the target trim position. An associated system is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a trim system on a marine vessel, the method comprising:
receiving an actual trim position of a trimmable marine device at a controller;
determining a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to a target trim position with the controller;
determining an acceleration rate of the marine vessel, wherein the acceleration rate has a magnitude;
in response to determining that the trim position error exceeds a first error threshold and the magnitude of the acceleration rate exceeds a given rate threshold, commanding the marine device to the target trim position with the controller;
in response to determining that the trim position error exceeds the first error threshold and the magnitude of the acceleration rate does not exceed the given rate threshold, commanding the marine device to a setpoint trim position that is different from the target trim position with the controller; and
trimming the marine device with a trim actuator in response to the controller commanding the marine device to one of the target trim position and the setpoint trim position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein commanding the marine device to the target trim position comprises commanding the trim actuator to move the marine device toward the target trim position until the controller determines that the actual trim position is equal to the target trim position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein commanding the marine device to the setpoint trim position comprises commanding the trim actuator to move the marine device toward the target trim position until the controller determines that the actual trim position is within a given range of the target trim position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the given range is a calibrated value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the given range has a magnitude that is inversely related to the magnitude of the acceleration rate of the marine vessel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising setting the setpoint trim position to a value that is less than the target trim position when the acceleration rate is positive.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising setting the setpoint trim position to a value that is greater than the target trim position when the acceleration rate is negative.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the target trim position with the controller based on vessel speed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the trim system is a hydraulic trim system and the marine device is an outboard motor coupled to the marine vessel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the trim position error to a second error threshold, and commanding the marine device to one of the target trim position and the setpoint trim position in response to the trim position error exceeding both the first error threshold and the second error threshold.

### Claim 11

A system for controlling a trim position of a trimmable marine device with respect to a marine vessel to which the trimmable marine device is coupled, the system comprising:
a controller that determines a target trim position of the marine device based on a condition of the marine vessel;
a trim position sensor that senses an actual trim position of the marine device and sends actual trim position information to the controller; and
a trim actuator coupled to the marine device and configured to rotate the marine device about a horizontal trim axis in response to commands from the controller;
wherein the controller determines at least a magnitude of an acceleration rate of the marine vessel;
wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of the acceleration rate exceeds a given rate threshold, the controller commands the trim actuator to rotate the marine device until the trim position sensor indicates that the actual trim position equals the target trim position; and
wherein, in response to determining that the magnitude of the acceleration rate does not exceed the given rate threshold, the controller commands the trim actuator to rotate the marine device until the trim position sensor indicates that the actual trim position equals a setpoint trim position that is different from the target trim position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the setpoint trim position is within a given range of the target trim position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the given range has a magnitude that is inversely related to the magnitude of the acceleration rate of the marine vessel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the trim actuator comprises:
a hydraulic pump-motor combination;
a piston-cylinder assembly having a first end coupled to the marine vessel and a second end movable with respect to the first end and coupled to the marine device;
a first hydraulic line coupling the pump-motor combination to a first chamber at the first end of the piston-cylinder; and
a second hydraulic line coupling the pump-motor combination to a second chamber at the second end of the piston-cylinder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the given range is a calibrated value that depends on one or more of a time it takes a valve between the pump-motor combination and the piston-cylinder assembly to close, an amount of expansion of the first and second hydraulic lines, and inertia of the pump-motor combination.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, further comprising a look-up table stored in a memory of the controller and containing a plurality of calibrated values for the given range, each calibrated value in the plurality of calibrated values being related to a given acceleration rate of the marine vessel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein when a particular acceleration rate of the marine vessel is not in the look-up table, the controller interpolates the given range using a first calibrated value associated with an acceleration rate that is greater than the particular acceleration rate and a second calibrated value associated with an acceleration rate that is less than the particular acceleration rate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller determines a trim position error by comparing the actual trim position to the target trim position and commands the trim actuator to rotate the marine device to one of the target trim position and the setpoint trim position only if the trim position error exceeds an error threshold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the marine device is an outboard motor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the given rate threshold has a different magnitude when the acceleration rate of the marine vessel is positive than when the acceleration rate of the marine vessel is negative.