Parallel Marine Drive Steering With Coordinated Load Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for steering mechanically linked marine drives, such as outboard drives connected by a tie bar, face issues where steering loads overwhelm the capabilities of a single actuator, leading to inefficiencies and potential actuator failure due to additive steering forces and alignment challenges.
Innovation Solution
A system with multiple actuators is implemented, where a primary actuator receives a first steering instruction based on a steering command and current position, with secondary actuators receiving coordinated instructions to share the remaining load, ensuring synchronized steering of linked drives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single actuator is used to steer mechanically linked marine drives, then the system structure is simple, but the actuator is overwhelmed by additive steering forces leading to potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The steering actuation system is segmented into multiple independent actuators (first steering actuator and second steering actuator), each responsible for steering one or more marine drives. This segmentation distributes the additive steering forces across multiple actuators, preventing any single actuator from being overwhelmed while maintaining reliable operation.
2Reliability
If multiple actuators are used to share steering load, then actuator reliability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple steering actuators are merged into a coordinated system where the first steering actuator and second steering actuator work together to steer mechanically linked marine drives. The control system integrates commands to both actuators, distributing the steering load while maintaining synchronized operation, thus improving reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates steering position sensors that provide feedback on the actual steering positions of marine drives. This feedback enables the control system to monitor and adjust the distribution of steering loads between multiple actuators in real-time, ensuring balanced operation and preventing any single actuator from being overloaded.
3Reliability
If steering load is distributed among multiple actuators, then actuator overload is prevented, but control coordination becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Steering position sensors provide continuous feedback on the actual steering positions, enabling the control system to automatically coordinate and balance the load distribution between multiple actuators. This feedback mechanism simplifies the coordination task by providing real-time data for automatic adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically distributes steering commands and monitors load distribution among multiple actuators without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates to balance the steering loads based on feedback from position sensors, making the coordinated control of multiple actuators as easy as controlling a single actuator.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for steering a marine vessel includes first and second marine drives connected by a mechanical link such that they are steered in parallel, a first steering actuator configured to rotate the first marine drive and a first steering position sensor configured to measure a steering position thereof. A second steering actuator configured to rotate the second marine drive. The control system is configured to receive a steering command and a current steering position from the first steering position sensor. A first steering instruction is then determined for the first steering actuator based on the steering command and the current steering position such that the first steering actuator bears a first portion of a total steering load to effectuate the steering command. A coordinated steering instruction is determined for the second steering actuator such that the second steering actuator bears a remaining portion of the total steering load.