Vessel control system and vessel

Abstract

To reduce time and effort for a user in tilt operation.SOLUTION: A vessel control system for controlling a vessel with a hull includes: a vessel propeller including a steering device for varying a rudder angle and a tilt device for carrying out tilt operation; and a controller for controlling the steering device and the tilt device, wherein the controller (i) drives the steering device to steer until a rudder angle of the vessel propeller is in a neutral state, and (ii) carrying out tilting operation by driving the tilting device at the same time as (i) or after starting of the (i), when the controller accepts an instruction for tilt operation in a state which is different from when the rudder angle of the vessel propeller is in the neutral state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates to a vessel control system and a vessel. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a vessel equipped with a propulsion unit (vessel propulsion machine) and a tilting device for tilting up the propulsion unit. To prevent interference with other vessels when the propulsion unit is tilted, it has been proposed to provide a switch that allows the supply of electric power to an electric pump unit that supplies hydraulic oil to the tilting device when the steering angle is approximately neutral, and shuts it off when the steering angle is other than that (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 4-17833 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above configuration, if the rudder position of the vessel propulsion device is not in the neutral position, the user must return the rudder position to the neutral position before tilting up, which is time-consuming.

[0005] This specification discloses a technique that can solve the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized, for example, in the following forms. (1) The vessel control system disclosed in this specification is a system for controlling a vessel having a hull, and includes a vessel propulsion unit equipped with a steering device for changing the rudder angle and a tilt device for performing a tilt operation, and a controller for controlling the steering device and the tilt device, and when the controller receives a tilt operation command when the rudder angle of the vessel propulsion unit is in a state other than a neutral state, (i) driving the steering device to steer the vessel propulsion unit until the rudder angle reaches the neutral state; (ii) Simultaneously with (i) above or after the start of (i) above, the tilt device is driven to perform a tilt operation.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when performing a tilt operation, it is no longer necessary to perform a separate operation to turn the steering wheel until the steering angle reaches the neutral state, thereby reducing the effort required of the user when performing a tilt operation.

[0008] (2) In the vessel control system described in (1) above, (ii) may be performed after (i) is completed.

[0009] With this configuration, interference of the boat propulsion unit with the boat hull is effectively suppressed.

[0010] (3) The vessel control system described in (1) or (2) above may further include an alarm device controlled by the controller for notifying the user that a tilt operation is to be performed, and the controller may cause the alarm device to issue an alarm before starting (i).

[0011] With this configuration, it is possible to alert those around before starting steering and tilting operations, and then perform tilting operations.

[0012] (4) In the vessel control system described in any one of (1) to (3) above, when the controller receives an instruction for a tilt operation and then a steering operation or a trim operation, it may stop (i) and (ii).

[0013] With this configuration, if the user instructs a tilt operation by mistake, the instruction can be easily cancelled.

[0014] (5) In the vessel control system described in any one of (1) to (4) above, when the controller detects an abnormality in the steering device or the tilt device, it is possible to accept an instruction to perform a tilt operation but not to perform (i) and (ii).

[0015] With this configuration, it is possible to suppress interference of the boat propulsion unit with the hull due to the steering device or tilt device not moving as intended by the user.

[0016] (6) The vessel control system described in any one of (1) to (5) above may include a plurality of the vessel propulsion units, and when the controller receives an instruction to perform a tilt operation for all of the vessel propulsion units, it may perform (i) and (ii), and when the controller receives an instruction to perform a tilt operation for some of the vessel propulsion units, it may perform (ii) without performing (i).

[0017] With this configuration, when necessary, such as during maintenance, it becomes possible to tilt some of the boat propulsion units with the rudder angle different from the neutral state, thereby improving convenience.

[0018] (7) The vessel control system described in any one of (1) to (6) above may be configured to be switchable between a first tilt mode in which (i) and (ii) are performed when a tilt operation instruction is received, and a second tilt mode in which (ii) is performed without performing (i) when a tilt operation instruction is received.

[0019] With this configuration, tilting can be performed when the steering angle is different from the neutral state as needed, such as during maintenance, improving convenience.

[0020] (8) A vessel disclosed in this specification is equipped with any one of the vessel control systems described above in (1) to (7).

[0021] With this configuration, when performing a tilt operation, there is no need to perform a separate operation to turn the steering wheel until the steering angle reaches the neutral state, reducing the effort required by the user when performing a tilt operation.

[0022] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized in various forms, such as a ship, a control device provided on the ship, a control method for the ship, a computer program for realizing the functions or methods of those devices, a recording medium on which that computer program is recorded, etc. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] The technology disclosed in this specification reduces the effort required by the user when performing tilt operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a ship according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a first outboard motor according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing the configuration of a vessel control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a steering angle of an outboard motor according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart showing a control flow of an outboard motor according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] A. Implementation: An embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. A boat 1 of the embodiment is a boat for towing a wakeboard, and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, includes a hull 10 having a frame 20, a first outboard motor 100P (an example of a boat propulsion device), a second outboard motor 100S (an example of a boat propulsion device), a steering device 200, a controller 300, an alarm device 400, and an input port 500. A boat control system 600 includes the outboard motors 100P, 100S, the steering device 200, the controller 300, the alarm device 400, and the input port 500.

[0026] 1 and other drawings described later show arrows indicating each direction based on the position of the vessel 1. More specifically, each drawing shows arrows indicating the front (FRONT), rear (REAR), left (LEFT), right (RIGHT), upper (UPPER), and lower (LOWER). The front-to-rear direction, left-to-right direction, and up-and-down direction (vertical direction) are directions that are perpendicular to each other.

[0027] The hull 10 is the part of the boat 1 where the crew boards. As shown in Fig. 1, the hull 10 is provided with a cockpit 12. A transom board 13 is disposed at the stern of the hull 10 for mounting outboard motors 100P and 100S.

[0028] The frame 20 is a member for attaching a towing rope for towing the wakeboard, and is U-shaped overall, with both ends attached to both ends of the transom board 13.

[0029] The outboard motors 100P, 100S are mounted on the transom board 13 and are devices that generate thrust to propel the hull 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the two outboard motors 100P, 100S are arranged surrounded by the transom board 13 and the frame 20. The first outboard motor 100P is arranged on the port side of the hull 10, and the second outboard motor 100S is arranged on the starboard side of the hull 10.

[0030] The configuration of the first outboard motor 100P will be described in detail below. The second outboard motor 100S has a similar structure to the first outboard motor 100P, so the same members will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted. When describing elements provided in the first outboard motor 100P and elements provided in the second outboard motor 100S separately, the reference numerals of the elements provided in the first outboard motor 100P will be suffixed with "P" and the reference numerals of the elements provided in the second outboard motor 100S will be suffixed with "S."

[0031] The first outboard motor 100P includes a tilt device 170P and an outboard motor main body 101 that is attached to the stern of the hull 10 via the tilt device 170P. The outboard motor main body 101 is supported by the tilt device 170P so that it can rotate between a tilt-down state in which a propeller 140 (described later) is positioned underwater, and a tilt-up state in which the propeller 140 is positioned above the water surface. Unless otherwise specified, the following description will focus on the outboard motor 100P in its reference position (the position shown in FIG. 2). The reference position is a position in which the rotation axis Ad of a drive shaft 124 (described later) extends in the vertical direction and the rotation axis Ap of a propeller shaft 142 extends in the longitudinal direction.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, the outboard motor main body 101 includes an upper unit 110, a lower unit 130, and a steering device 160P. The upper unit 110 is attached to the hull 10 via a tilt device 170P. The lower unit 130 is disposed below the upper unit 110. The steering device 160P is interposed between the upper unit 110 and the lower unit 130.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the upper unit 110 includes a cowl 112, an upper case 114, an engine 120, a drive shaft 124, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 190P, and an individual PTT switch 113P.

[0034] The cowl 112 is a housing disposed above the outboard motor 100P. The upper case 114 is a housing disposed below the cowl 112, and is attached to the hull 10 via a tilt device 170P.

[0035] The engine 120 is a prime mover that generates power to drive the outboard motor 100P, and is disposed inside the cowl 112. The engine 120 has a known configuration including a cylinder block (not shown) with a plurality of cylinders (not shown), pistons (not shown) disposed inside each cylinder that reciprocate in response to combustion of an air-fuel mixture containing fuel and air, and a crankshaft 122 that rotates in response to the reciprocation of the pistons. As shown in FIG. 2, the crankshaft 122 is disposed in an orientation that extends in the vertical direction.

[0036] The drive shaft 124 is a rod-shaped member that is connected to the lower end of the crankshaft 122 and is disposed so that its rotational axis Ad extends in the vertical direction. The drive shaft 124 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the crankshaft 122. Most of the drive shaft 124 is disposed inside the cowl 112 and upper case 114. The lower end of the drive shaft 124 protrudes downward from the upper case 114 and extends inside the lower unit 130.

[0037] The ECU 190P is disposed inside the cowl 112. The ECU 190P includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and storage devices such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage devices store various programs and data for controlling the outboard motor 100P.

[0038] The individual PTT switch 113P is disposed on the outer surface of the cowl 112. The individual PTT switch 113P is a switch for receiving commands for tilt and trim operations of the outboard motor 100P, that is, for rotating the outboard motor 100P between a tilt-down state and a tilt-up state. The individual PTT switch 113P has an UP button on one end and a DN button on the other end. The UP button is a button for rotating the outboard motor main body 101 in a direction that raises the lower unit 130. The DN button is a button for rotating the outboard motor main body 101 in a direction that lowers the lower unit 130. The individual PTT switch 113P is a momentary switch. In other words, the UP button and the DN button are each ON only while they are pressed and OFF when they are not pressed.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the lower unit 130 includes a lower case 132, a propeller 140, a propeller shaft 142, and a shift mechanism 150.

[0040] The lower case 132 is a housing disposed below the upper case 114 .

[0041] The propeller 140 is a rotating body having multiple blades, and generates thrust by rotating. The propeller shaft 142 is a rod-shaped member and is disposed in an orientation extending in the front-to-rear direction. The rear end of the propeller shaft 142 protrudes outside the lower case 132, and the remaining portion is housed within the lower case 132. The propeller 140 is attached to the rear end of the propeller shaft 142. As the propeller shaft 142 rotates about the rotation axis Ap, the propeller 140 also rotates.

[0042] The shift mechanism 150 is coupled to the lower end of the drive shaft 124 and to the front end of the propeller shaft 142. The shift mechanism 150 has a known configuration including, for example, a forward gear, a reverse gear, and a clutch. By switching the engagement of the clutch with the two gears, the shift state of the outboard motor 100P is switched among a forward state, a reverse state, and a neutral state. The forward state is a state in which the clutch engages with the forward gear, so that the rotation of the drive shaft 124 is transmitted to the propeller shaft 142 as forward rotation, and the propeller 140, rotating in the forward direction together with the propeller shaft 142, generates forward thrust. The reverse state is a state in which the clutch engages with the reverse gear, so that the rotation of the drive shaft 124 is transmitted to the propeller shaft 142 as reverse rotation, and the propeller 140, rotating in the reverse direction together with the propeller shaft 142, generates reverse thrust. In the neutral state, the clutch is not engaged with either the forward or reverse gear, so that the rotation of the drive shaft 124 is not transmitted to the propeller shaft 142 and the propeller 140 does not generate thrust.

[0043] The steering device 160P is a mechanism for changing the direction of thrust generated by the outboard motor 100P, and is configured to rotate the lower unit 130 relative to the upper unit 110. As shown in FIG. 2, the steering device 160P has a known configuration including a pinion 161 that rotates together with the lower unit 130, a steering shaft 162 attached to the pinion 161 and through which the drive shaft 124 can be inserted, a rack 163 that meshes with the pinion 161 and moves linearly, a steering actuator 164P that is a drive device for linearly moving the rack 163, and a steering angle sensor 165P for detecting the steering angle of the outboard motor 100P. The steering actuator 164P is, for example, an electric motor. When the rack 163 moves linearly due to the driving force of the steering actuator 164P, the pinion 161 rotates. As a result of this rotation, the lower unit 130 rotates around the rotation axis Ad of the drive shaft 124, which serves as the steering axis. Accordingly, the propeller shaft 142 rotates around the rotation axis Ad. The rudder angle sensor 165P is, for example, a sensor that detects the rotation angle of the steering shaft 162. The rudder angle sensor 165P outputs a rudder angle signal that indicates the rudder angle of the outboard motor 100P.

[0044] In this specification, the rudder angle is defined as follows. As shown in FIG. 4, the rudder angle is 0° when the lower unit 130 is oriented such that the rotation axis Ap of the propeller shaft 142 is parallel to the center line C of the hull 10 and the propeller 140 is positioned aft. Rotation of the lower unit 130 to the right (clockwise) as viewed from above is considered positive steering, and rotation to the left (counterclockwise) is considered negative steering. The rotation angle of the propeller shaft 142 from the rudder angle of 0° is considered the rudder angle. In this specification, a rudder angle being neutral means that the rudder angle is approximately 0°. A rudder angle of approximately 0° includes not only a rudder angle of exactly 0°, but also a rudder angle that deviates slightly from 0°, as long as the rudder angle does not interfere with tilt operation of the outboard motors 100P and 100S. For example, a rudder angle within the range of 0°±1° may be considered to be neutral.

[0045] The tilt device 170P is a device that suspends the outboard motor main body 101 on the hull 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the tilt device 170P includes a pair of left and right clamp brackets 171, a tilt shaft 172, a swivel bracket 173, a tilt actuator 174P, and an attitude sensor 175P.

[0046] The pair of left and right clamp brackets 171 are disposed at the stern of the hull 10, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and are fixed to the transom board 13, for example, with bolts. The tilt shaft 172 is a rod-shaped member and rotatably supported by the clamp brackets 171. A tilt axis At, which is the center line of the tilt shaft 172, extends horizontally. The swivel bracket 173 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the pair of clamp brackets 171 and is supported by the clamp brackets 171. The swivel bracket 173 is rotatable relative to the clamp brackets 171, with the tilt axis At serving as the axis of rotation. The tilt actuator 174P is a drive device, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, for rotating the swivel bracket 173 around the tilt axis At. The tilt actuator 174P is disposed, for example, below the tilt shaft 172 in the space between the pair of clamp brackets 171. The attitude sensor 175P is a sensor for detecting the tilt and trim angles of the outboard motor 100P. The tilt and trim angles are the rotation angles of the outboard motor main body 101 when the outboard motor 100P is in a standard attitude (0°). The attitude sensor 175P is, for example, a potentiometer. The attitude sensor 175P outputs angle signals indicating the tilt and trim angles of the outboard motor 100P.

[0047] When the swivel bracket 173 rotates about the tilt axis At relative to the clamp bracket 171, the outboard motor 100P supported by the swivel bracket 173 also rotates about the tilt axis At. This causes a tilt operation to be performed, rotating the outboard motor main body 101 between a tilt-down state in which the propeller 140 is located underwater and a tilt-up state in which the outboard motor 100P is tilted so that the propeller 140 is located above the water surface. Note that the tilt device 170P can also perform a trim operation to adjust the angle of the outboard motor main body 101 about the tilt axis At in the tilt-down state in which the propeller 140 is located underwater, thereby adjusting the attitude of the boat 1 while it is traveling.

[0048] The control device 200 is installed near the cockpit 12 and receives operations by the operator to control the operation of the hull 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the control device 200 includes a steering wheel 210 and shift / throttle levers 220P, 220S.

[0049] The steering wheel 210 is a rotatable device that receives operations by the operator to instruct the turning direction of the hull 10. As shown in Fig. 3, a steering sensor 212 is connected to the steering wheel 210. The steering sensor 212 outputs a steering signal that indicates the direction and angle of rotation of the steering wheel 210.

[0050] The shift / throttle levers 220P and 220S are devices that accept operations by the operator to command the magnitude of thrust and shift status of each of the two outboard motors 100P and 100S. The shift / throttle levers 220P and 220S can be moved forward and backward from the neutral position.

[0051] A remote PTT switch 223 is disposed on the outer surface of the shift / throttle lever 220P. The remote PTT switch 223 includes a collective PTT switch 224. The collective PTT switch 224 is a switch for receiving a command for collective tilt-up (an example of tilt operation) to simultaneously tilt up the first outboard motor 100P and the second outboard motor 100S. In addition to the collective PTT switch 224, the remote PTT switch 223 may include switches for individually receiving commands for tilt / trim operation of the first outboard motor 100P and commands for tilt / trim operation of the second outboard motor 100S.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 3, throttle sensors 222P and 222S are connected to the shift / throttle levers 220P and 220S, respectively. The throttle sensors 222P and 222S output throttle signals indicating the direction and amount of operation of the shift / throttle levers 220P and 220S, respectively. The throttle sensor 222P also outputs a tilt signal indicating that the remote PTT switch 223 has been operated. The throttle sensor 222P outputs an all tilt signal when the all PTT switch 224 is operated.

[0053] The controller 300 is configured using, for example, a CPU, a multi-core CPU, or a programmable device (for example, a field programmable gate array (FGPA) or a programmable logic device (PLD)). The controller 300 controls the operation of the hull 10. In other words, the controller 300 controls the magnitude and direction of the thrust of each of the outboard motors 100P, 100S in response to operations received by the steering device 200.

[0054] The controller 300 includes a storage device. The storage device is configured, for example, with a ROM, RAM, HDD (hard disk drive), and SSD (solid-state drive). The storage device stores various programs and data, and is used as a work area and data storage area when executing various processes. For example, the storage device stores a computer program for executing the rudder angle change process described below. This computer program is provided in a state stored on a computer-readable recording medium (not shown), such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or USB memory, or is provided in a state that is accessible from an external device (for example, a cloud server) via a communication interface (not shown), and is stored in the storage device in a state that is operable on the vessel control system 600.

[0055] Controller 300 is communicatively connected to ECUs 190P and 190S, steering sensor 212, and throttle sensors 222P and 222S. Steering actuator 164P, tilt actuator 174P, steering angle sensor 165P, attitude sensor 175P, and individual PTT switch 113P are communicatively connected to ECU 190P and can communicate with controller 300 via ECU 190P. Steering actuator 164S, tilt actuator 174S, steering angle sensor 165S, attitude sensor 175P, and individual PTT switch 113S are communicatively connected to ECU 190S and can communicate with controller 300 via ECU 190S.

[0056] Controller 300 receives a steering signal from steering sensor 212, a throttle signal from throttle sensors 222P and 222S, and a tilt signal from throttle sensor 222P. Controller 300 receives a steering angle signal from steering angle sensor 165P and an angle signal from attitude sensor 175P via ECU 190P, and receives a steering angle signal from steering angle sensor 165S and an angle signal from attitude sensor 175P via ECU 190S. Controller 300 outputs command signals to ECUs 190P and 190S based on these signals. ECU 190P outputs command signals to steering actuator 164P and tilt actuator 174P in accordance with the command signal from controller 300. ECU 190S outputs command signals to steering actuator 164S and tilt actuator 174S in accordance with the command signal from controller 300.

[0057] The alarm device 400 is a device that issues warning information to alert those in the vicinity that the outboard motors 100P, 100S are being tilted. The alarm device 400 includes, for example, a speaker, and the warning information is, for example, a warning sound such as a buzzer sound issued from the speaker. The alarm device 400 is connected to the controller 300 so as to be able to communicate with it. The controller 300 outputs a command signal to the alarm device 400 to instruct it to start and stop outputting the warning sound.

[0058] The input port 500 is a device that accepts input of a signal from an external device (not shown) and is communicatively connected to the controller 300. The input port 500 receives signals from the external device via a wired or wireless connection. The external device is, for example, a computer device such as a PC (Personal Computer), and tool software for setting the operating conditions of the vessel control system 600 is installed on it. When a boat builder or a dealer's serviceman inputs setting information for the operating conditions into the external device, the controller 300 receives the setting information via the input port 500.

[0059] When the boat 1 is controlled in a normal boat maneuvering mode in which the boat is maneuvered mainly using the steering wheel 210 and the shift / throttle levers 220P, 220S, the controller 300 receives a steering signal from the steering sensor 212 and a throttle signal from the throttle sensors 222P, 222S. The controller 300 controls the thrust and rudder angle of the outboard motors 100P, 100S based on these signals.

[0060] The controller 300 outputs a command signal corresponding to the rotation direction of the steering wheel 210 to the steering actuators 164P, 164S via the ECUs 190P, 190S. The steering actuator 164P controls the steering device 160P based on the received command signal to change the orientation of the lower unit 130, i.e., the rudder angle of the first outboard motor 100P. Similarly, the steering actuator 164S controls the steering device 160S based on the received command signal to change the orientation of the lower unit 130, i.e., the rudder angle of the second outboard motor 100S.

[0061] When the controller 300 detects that the individual PTT switch 113P has been operated by the user, it controls the tilt and trim operation of the first outboard motor 100P.

[0062] The controller 300 detects via the ECU 190P whether the UP button provided on the individual PTT switch 113P is pressed, i.e., whether the UP button is ON. While the controller 300 detects that the UP button is ON, it continues to send command signals for instructing tilt and trim operations to the tilt actuator 174P via the ECU 190P. The tilt actuator 174P drives the tilt device 170P based on the received command signal, and continues to rotate the outboard motor main body 101 in the direction that raises the lower unit 130. When the controller 300 detects that the UP button is no longer being operated and has turned OFF, it stops sending the command signal. When the tilt actuator 174P no longer receives the command signal, it stops rotating the outboard motor main body 101 caused by the tilt device 170P.

[0063] The controller 300 detects via the ECU 190P whether the DN button provided on the individual PTT switch 113P is pressed, i.e., whether the DN button is ON. While the DN button is pressed, i.e., while the controller 300 detects that the DN button is ON, it continues to send command signals for instructing tilt and trim operations to the tilt actuator 174P via the ECU 190P. The tilt actuator 174P drives the tilt device 170P based on the received command signal, and continues to rotate the outboard motor main body 101 in the direction that lowers the lower unit 130. When the controller 300 detects that the DN button is no longer operated and has turned OFF, it stops sending the command signal. When the controller 300 no longer receives the command signal, it stops the rotation of the outboard motor main body 101 caused by the tilt device 170P.

[0064] When the controller 300 receives a tilt / trim operation via the individual PTT switch 113P, the controller 300 may perform tilt / trim operation of the first outboard motor 100P without returning the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P to the neutral state, while maintaining the steering angle at the time the tilt / trim operation was received.

[0065] When the individual PTT switch 113S provided on the second outboard motor 100S is operated, the control of the tilt and trim operations is the same as that of the first outboard motor 100P.

[0066] When the controller 300 receives a command to tilt up all at once from the user, it executes a command to tilt up all at once of the outboard motors 100P, 100S. The command to tilt up all at once is, for example, issued by the user when he or she presses the collective PTT switch 224 twice within a predetermined time. The procedure for tilting up all at once will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0067] When controller 300 receives from throttle sensor 222P an all tilt signal indicating that a command for simultaneous tilt-up has been issued from the user (S100), controller 300 proceeds to step S110.

[0068] In step S110, the controller 300 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the steering devices 160P, 160S and the tilt devices 170P, 170S. The controller 300 determines that there is an abnormality in the steering devices 160P, 160S, for example, when a signal indicating the current steering angle of the outboard motors 100P, 100S is not received from the steering angle sensors 165P, 165S, or when the steering angle commanded by the controller 300 does not match the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensors 165P, 165S. Furthermore, the controller 300 determines that there is an abnormality in the tilt devices 170P, 170S, for example, when angle signals indicating the current tilt and trim angles of the outboard motors 100P, 100S are not received from the attitude sensors 175P, 175S, or when the tilt and trim angles instructed by the controller 300 do not match the tilt and trim angles detected by the attitude sensors 175P, 175S.

[0069] If controller 300 determines that there is an abnormality in one or both of steering devices 160P, 160S and tilt devices 170P, 170S, the process proceeds to step S200, where it stops the collective tilt-up operation. If controller 300 determines that there is no abnormality in any of steering devices 160P, 160S and tilt devices 170P, 170S, the process proceeds to step S120.

[0070] In step S120, the controller 300 outputs a command signal to the alarm device 400 to instruct it to start outputting a warning sound. The alarm device 400 outputs a warning sound based on the received command signal. The alarm device 400 continues to output the warning sound until it receives a command signal from the controller 300 instructing it to stop outputting the warning sound. By outputting the warning sound, it is possible to alert those in the vicinity, and then perform a collective tilt-up operation. After outputting the command signal to the alarm device 400, the controller 300 proceeds to step S130. After outputting the command signal to the alarm device 400, the controller 300 may proceed to step S130 after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. This is to ensure time until the alert to those in the vicinity caused by the output of the warning sound has been fully disseminated.

[0071] In step S130, the controller 300 receives a steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P from the steering angle sensor 165P, and if the steering angle is not neutral, outputs a command signal to the steering actuator 164P via the ECU 190P to bring the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P to the neutral position. The steering actuator 164P controls the steering device 160P based on the received command signal, and steers the lower unit 130, i.e., the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P, until it reaches the neutral position. The controller 300 receives a steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the second outboard motor 100S from the steering angle sensor 165S, and if the steering angle is not neutral, outputs a command signal to the steering actuator 164S via the ECU 190S to bring the steering angle of the second outboard motor 100S to the neutral position. The steering actuator 164S controls the steering device 160S based on the received command signal to steer the direction of the lower unit 130, i.e., the second outboard motor 100S, until the rudder angle is neutral. In other words, when the controller 300 receives a command for simultaneous tilt-up from the user, if the rudder angles of both outboard motors 100P, 100S are not neutral, it only needs to steer both outboard motors 100P, 100S until the rudder angle is neutral. If the rudder angle of one of the two outboard motors 100P, 100S is not neutral, it only needs to steer that outboard motor until the rudder angle is neutral. When both outboard motors 100P, 100S are steered, the steering of the two outboard motors 100P, 100S may be performed in parallel. Since the steering angles of the outboard motors 100P, 100S are set to the neutral position before tilting up the outboard motors 100P, 100S, the user does not need to set the steering angles of the outboard motors 100P, 100S to the neutral position in advance, and only needs to perform an operation to instruct the simultaneous tilt-up, thereby reducing the user's effort when performing the simultaneous tilt-up.

[0072] After outputting the command signals to the steering actuators 164P and 164S, the controller 300 proceeds to step S140.

[0073] In S140, controller 300 determines whether an intervening operation has been performed by the user to cancel the collective tilt-up. For example, controller 300 determines that an intervening operation has been performed when, after receiving an all tilt signal (S100), a steering or trim operation instruction is received from the user. A steering operation instruction from the user is, for example, rotation of steering wheel 210. A trim operation instruction from the user is, for example, pressing any of PTT switches 113P, 113S, and 223. If a user accidentally operates collective PTT switch 224, they often instantly perform the actions described above to cancel the operation. Therefore, if such an action is detected, it can be determined that an intervening operation has been performed, and the collective tilt-up operation can be easily stopped.

[0074] If controller 300 determines that an intervening operation has been performed, it proceeds to step S200 and stops the collective tilt-up operation. If controller 300 determines that an intervening operation has not been performed, it continues steering as is.

[0075] The controller 300 receives a steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P from the steering angle sensor 165P, and if it determines that the steering angle of the first outboard motor 100P has reached the neutral state, it stops steering of the first outboard motor 100P. The controller 300 receives a steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the second outboard motor 100S from the steering angle sensor 165S, and if it determines that the steering angle of the second outboard motor 100S has reached the neutral state, it stops steering of the second outboard motor 100S (S150). After steering has stopped, the controller 300 proceeds to step S160.

[0076] In step S160, the controller 300 outputs a command signal to the tilt actuators 174P, 174S via the ECUs 190P, 190S to tilt up the outboard motors 100P, 100S. The tilt actuator 174P drives the tilt device 170P based on the received command signal, causing the outboard motor main body 101 of the first outboard motor 100P to rotate to a preset upper limit position for the tilted-up state. The tilt actuator 174S drives the tilt device 170S based on the received command signal, causing the outboard motor main body 101 of the second outboard motor 100S to rotate to a preset upper limit position for the tilted-up state. The tilt up of the outboard motors 100P, 100S may be performed in parallel.

[0077] After controller 300 outputs the command signals to tilt actuators 174P and 174S, the process proceeds to step S170.

[0078] In step S170, controller 300 determines whether or not the user has taken an intervening action to stop the collective tilt-up, similar to S140. If controller 300 determines that an intervening action has been taken, it proceeds to step S200 and stops the collective tilt-up operation. If controller 300 determines that an intervening action has not been taken, it continues the tilt operation as is.

[0079] The controller 300 receives an angle signal indicating the tilt and trim angles of the first outboard motor 100P from the attitude sensor 175P, and if it determines that the outboard motor main body 101 of the first outboard motor 100P has reached the upper limit of the tilt-up state, it stops the tilt-up of the first outboard motor 100P. The controller 300 receives an angle signal indicating the tilt and trim angles of the second outboard motor 100S from the attitude sensor 175S, and if it determines that the outboard motor main body 101 of the second outboard motor 100S has reached the upper limit of the tilt-up state, it stops the tilt-up of the second outboard motor 100S (S180). After the tilt-up has been stopped, the controller 300 proceeds to step S190.

[0080] In step S190, the controller 300 outputs a command signal to instruct the alarm device 400 to stop outputting the warning sound. The alarm device 400 stops outputting the warning sound based on the received command signal.

[0081] The vessel control system 600 of this embodiment is configured to be switchable between a first tilt mode in which, when the user operates the collective PTT switch 224, that is, when a collective tilt-up command is received, steps (S130-S150) of steering the outboard motors 100P, 100S until their rudder angles are neutral and steps (S160-S180) of tilting up are performed, and a second tilt mode in which the tilt-up steps (S160-S180) are performed without performing steps (S130-S150) of steering the outboard motors 100P, 100S until their rudder angles are neutral. A boat builder or dealer service technician can switch between the two tilt modes by inputting tilt mode setting information into an external device connected to the input port 500 via a wired or wireless connection.

[0082] As described above, the boat 1 of this embodiment includes a hull 10 and a boat control system 600. The boat control system 600 includes a first outboard motor 100P, a second outboard motor 100S, and a controller 300. The first outboard motor 100P includes a steering device 160P for changing the rudder angle and a tilting device 170P for performing tilt operations. The second outboard motor 100S similarly includes a steering device 160S and a tilting device 170S. The controller 300 controls the steering devices 160P, 160S and the tilting devices 170P, 170S. When the controller 300 receives a command for simultaneous tilt up, which is a command to tilt all of the outboard motors 100P, 100S, while at least one of the outboard motors 100P, 100S is in a state other than the neutral state, the controller 300 drives the steering devices 160P, 160S to steer the outboard motors 100P, 100S until the rudder angles thereof reach the neutral state, and after the steering is completed, drives the tilt devices 170P, 170S to tilt up.

[0083] With the above configuration, the user does not need to perform a separate operation to turn the steering wheel until the rudder angle is neutral when tilting up all at once, which reduces the user's effort when tilting. Also, interference between the outboard motors 100P, 100S and the hull 10 is effectively suppressed.

[0084] The vessel control system 600 further includes an alarm device 400 that is controlled by the controller 300 and that issues an alarm to notify that a tilt operation will be performed. The controller 300 causes the alarm device 400 to issue an alarm before starting steering. With this configuration, it is possible to perform a tilt operation after alerting those in the vicinity before starting steering and tilting up.

[0085] If a steering or trim operation instruction is received after a collective tilt-up instruction is received, controller 300 stops the steering and tilt-up. With this configuration, if the user accidentally issues a tilt operation instruction, the instruction can be easily canceled.

[0086] If the controller 300 detects an abnormality in the steering devices 160P, 160S or the tilt devices 170P, 170S, the controller 300 will not steer or tilt up even if it receives a command to tilt up all at once. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the outboard motors 100P, 100S from interfering with the hull 10 due to the outboard motors 100P, 100S not moving as intended by the user.

[0087] When a command to tilt up all at once is received, the controller 300 performs steering and tilt up, and when a command to tilt up one of the outboard motors 100P, 100S is received, the controller 300 tilts up without steering. This configuration makes it possible to tilt one of the two outboard motors 100P, 100S when the steering angle is different from the neutral state as needed, such as during maintenance, improving convenience.

[0088] The vessel control system 600 is configured to be switchable between a first tilt mode in which (i) and (ii) are performed when a tilt-up command is received, and a second tilt mode in which (ii) is performed without performing (i) when a tilt-up command is received. This configuration makes it possible to tilt up when the rudder angle is different from the neutral state as needed, such as during maintenance, thereby improving convenience.

[0089] B. Variations: The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified into various forms without departing from the spirit thereof, for example, the following modifications are also possible. (1) In the above embodiment, the outboard motors 100P and 100S are outboard motors using engines as their drive sources. However, the outboard motors may be electric outboard motors using electric motors as their drive sources. (2) In the above embodiment, both of the two outboard motors 100P, 100S are equipped with steering actuators 164P, 164S capable of communicating with the controller 300. However, it is also possible that only one outboard motor is equipped with a steering actuator 164P capable of communicating with the controller 300, and the other outboard motors are connected to the one outboard motor by tie bars, thereby allowing the steering of the multiple outboard motors to be performed in conjunction with each other. (3) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which (ii) was executed after (i) was completed, but for example, (i) and (ii) may be started simultaneously, or (ii) may be started after (i) has started but before it is completed. (4) In the above embodiment, the controller 300 causes the notification device 400 to make a notification before steering is performed. However, the notification does not necessarily have to be made. (5) In the above embodiment, a device that emits a warning sound is exemplified as the alarm device 400. However, the alarm device may be, for example, a warning light that emits light, or a display that displays a warning message. (6) In the above embodiment, the vessel control system 600 includes two outboard motors 100P, 100S. However, the vessel control system may include one vessel propulsion unit, or three or more vessel propulsion units. (7) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which (i) and (ii) are executed when the controller 300 receives a command to perform a collective tilt-up operation, but if the vessel control system includes only one vessel propulsion unit, (i) and (ii) may be executed for that vessel propulsion unit when the controller receives a command to perform a tilt operation for that vessel propulsion unit. Also, if the vessel control system includes two or more vessel propulsion units, (i) and (ii) may be executed for some of the vessel propulsion units when the controller receives a command to perform a tilt operation for those vessel propulsion units. (8) In the above embodiment, a boat for towing a wakeboard was exemplified as the boat 1, but the boat does not have to be a boat for towing a wakeboard. Also, in the above embodiment, the boat 1 includes the frame 20, but the technology disclosed in this specification may be applied to a boat that includes a structure other than the frame that may interfere with the boat propulsion unit, such as a hatch that covers an outboard motor. (9) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a user instructs a tilt operation by operating the collective PTT switch 224. However, the tilt operation may also be instructed, for example, by operating a touch panel provided on the control device, by operating a gauge to display engine information, or by operating a switch provided on a wireless key. (10) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which (i) and (ii) are executed when the tilt operation is tilt up, but (i) and (ii) may also be executed when the tilt operation is tilt down. (11) In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which switching between the first tilt mode and the second tilt mode was performed by inputting setting information into an external device connected to input port 500. However, the device that accepts switching between the two tilt modes may be, for example, a touch panel provided on a control device or a gauge for displaying engine information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1: Boat 10: Hull 12: Cockpit 13: Transom board 20: Frame 100P: First outboard motor (marine propulsion unit) 100S: Second outboard motor (marine propulsion unit) 101: Outboard motor body 110: Upper unit 112: Cowl 113P, 113S: Individual PTT switch 114: Upper case 120P: Engine 122: Crankshaft 124: Drive shaft 130: Lower unit 132: Lower case 140: Propeller 142: Propeller shaft 150: Shift mechanism 160P, 160S: Steering device 161: Pinion 162: Steering shaft 163: Rack 164P, 164S: Steering actuator 165P, 165S: Steering angle sensor 170P, 170S: Tilt device 171: Clamp bracket 172: Tilt axis 173: Swivel bracket 174P, 174S: Tilt actuator 175P, 175S: Attitude sensor 190P, 190S: ECU 200: Control device 210: Steering wheel 212: Steering sensor 220P, 220S: Shift / throttle lever 222P, 222S: Throttle sensor 223: Remote PTT switch 224: General PTT switch 300: Controller 400: Alarm device 500: Input port 600: Ship control system Ad: Rotation axis Ap: Rotation axis At: Tilt axis C: Center line

Claims

1. 1. A system for controlling a vessel comprising a hull, the system comprising: a vessel propulsion device including a steering device for changing the rudder angle and a tilt device for performing a tilt operation; a controller for controlling the steering device and the tilt device; Equipped with The controller: When a tilt operation command is received while the rudder angle of the marine vessel propulsion device is in a state different from a neutral state, (i) driving the steering device to steer the vessel propulsion unit until the rudder angle reaches the neutral state; (ii) simultaneously with (i) or after the start of (i), driving the tilt device to perform a tilt operation; Ship control systems.

2. the controller performs (ii) after completion of (i); A vessel control system according to claim 1 .

3. The device further includes an alarm device controlled by the controller for notifying that a tilt operation is to be performed, The controller: Before starting the step (i), the notification device is caused to perform a notification.

3. A vessel control system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The controller: when a steering operation or trim operation instruction is received after a tilt operation instruction is received, (i) and (ii) are stopped. A vessel control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The controller: When an abnormality in the steering device or the tilt device is detected, the steps (i) and (ii) are not performed even if a tilt operation instruction is received. A vessel control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. a plurality of the marine vessel propulsion units; The controller: When a tilt operation command for all of the marine vessel propulsion devices is received, the steps (i) and (ii) are performed; When a tilt operation instruction for some of the marine vessel propulsion devices is received, the process (ii) is performed without performing the process (i). A vessel control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The tilt control device is configured to be switchable between a first tilt mode in which the steps (i) and (ii) are performed when a tilt operation instruction is received, and a second tilt mode in which the step (ii) is performed without performing the step (i) when a tilt operation instruction is received. A vessel control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A vessel comprising the vessel control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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