Trim angle indicating system for outboard motor

0001The invention relates to a trim angle indicating system for an outboard motor having a detector for detecting a trim angle value of an outboard motor, and a trim angle indicating device for indicating the trim angle value.

0002A conventional outboard motor is known to be mounted to the rear of a hull to be rotationally movable in accordance with the running state of the boat. The trim angle of the outboard motor is indicated in a trim angle indicating section located at a boat operating section.

0003Generally, as known from <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="JP2274688A"><text>JP-A-Hei 2-274688</text></patcit>, an indicating device for indicating the trim angle of the outboard motor generally has a detector for detecting the trim angle of the outboard motor, and the trim angle indicating section for indicating the trim angle based on the detection value detected by the detector. The detector and the trim angle indicating section are connected together by a transmitting means.

0004A swivel bracket is secured to the outboard motor, while a clamp bracket is secured to the hull. The outboard motor is mounted on the hull to be rotationally movable in a way such that both the brackets are connected together to be rotationally movable by a tilt shaft.

0005The detector has a base and a detecting section disposed on the base for free rotational movement, for example. The detector is mounted in a way such that the clamp bracket and the swivel bracket are connected with the base and the detecting section, respectively, and the detecting section moves in relative relation to the base, in connection with the relative movement of the swivel bracket to the clamp bracket.

0006Such detector is adapted such that the value of voltage changes in accordance with the angle of rotation of the detecting section in relation to the base, and the trim angle is detected based on such value of voltage. If the base and the detecting section are misaligned with the respective brackets or the like of the outboard motor, deviation occurs in the value of the trim angle of the outboard motor. Thus, the detector is aligned with the outboard motor with good accuracy and then mounted to the brackets, and further adjustments are made after the mounting work as necessary to the angle at which the detector is mounted, as it is described, for example, in <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="JP7064312B"><text>JP-B-Hei 7-64312</text></patcit>.

0007However, to mount the detector to the outboard motor with good accuracy, the base and the detecting section of the detector are required to be secured to movable parts such as the brackets for supporting the outboard motor to be rotationally movable, which requires time and effort. In addition, since the indicator for indicating the trim angle is located at the boat operating section, adjustment work is required to be done by two workers, a worker who adjusts the sensor located at the outboard motor and another worker who checks the indicator and gives instructions, which requires time and effort. Therefore, usually misalignment occurs, which results in the problem that the trim angle is more and more often incorrectly indicated.

0008Further, deviation occurs in detection value due to the change over time of the detector, such as deterioration and wear, which also leads to the problem of the trim angle being incorrectly indicated.

0009In view of the foregoing, it is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved trim angle indicating system for an outboard motor capable of indicating the trim angle of the outboard motor with good accuracy, in particular when misalignment of the detector and/or deviation in the detection value occur.

0010For a trim angle indicating system for an outboard motor, this object is solved in an inventive manner by providing a correction processing section configured to correct the detected trim angle value in accordance with a reference position of the outboard motor.

0011According to a preferred embodiment, the trim angle indicating system further comprises an offset value setting section configured to set a detected trim angle value which is detected by the detector when the outboard motor is placed at the reference position, as an offset value.

0012Therein, preferably the correction processing section is configured to determine a corrected detection value on the basis of a currently detected trim angle value and the offset value set by the offset value section.

0013More preferably, the trim angle indicating device is configured to indicate the corrected trim angle value provided by the correction processing section.

0014According to a further preferred embodiment, the system is configured to provide a trim angle indication mode during which a trim angle value is indicated by the indicating device and to provide an offset value setting operation during which an offset value is determined.

0015Still, preferably the detector is mounted to the outboard motor and is connected to the trim angle indicating section via a network.

0016Also, preferably the offset value setting section and/or the correction processing section are disposed in the outboard motor and/or in the trim angle indicating device.

0017According to a still further preferred embodiment, switches for causing the offset value setting section to start an offset value setting operation are disposed in the trim angle indicating device.

0018Moreover, preferably having a stopper configured to stop a rotational movement of the outboard motor at the reference position, wherein preferably when the rotational movement of the outboard motor is stopped at the reference position for a specified period of time, the offset value is set by the offset value setting section.

0019Further, preferably a switch is provided configured to be activated when the outboard motor is brought to the reference position.

0020Further preferred embodiments are subject to the subclaims.

0021In the following, the present invention will be described in greater detail by means of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: <dl id="dl0001"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>is a perspective view of a boat equipped with a trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to an embodiment of the invention;</dd><dt>Fig. 2</dt><dd>is a front view of an indicating device having a trim angle indicating section of the trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to the embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>is a side view of an outboard motor equipped with the trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to the embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>is a front view of a detector of the trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to the embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 5</dt><dd>is a partially sectional view, showing the mounted state of the detector of <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> according to the embodiment;</dd><dt>Fig. 6</dt><dd>is a block diagram of the trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to the embodiment; and</dd><dt>Fig. 7</dt><dd>is a block diagram of a trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor according to another embodiment of the invention.</dd></dl>

0022<figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003 f0004 f0005 f0006">Figs. 1 through 6</figref> show an embodiment of the invention. In <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref>, reference numeral 10 denotes a boat having at the rear of its hull plural outboard motors 11. The boat 10 has an inboard network system. A network cable 13 of the inboard network system is connected to the four outboard motors 11 of this embodiment.

0023In a boat controlling section 14 located on the front side of the hull, to the network cable 13 are connected: indicating devices 15 for indicating various information on the outboard motors, a steering device 16, a remote control 17 and the like for controlling the boat, and various intelligent devices (not shown).

0024The indicating device 15 of the boat operating section 14 is provided with a trim angle indicating section 21 a for indicating the trim angle of the outboard motor 11, an engine speed indicating section 21 b for indicating engine speed, an engine condition indicating section 21c for indicating engine conditions such as cooling water temperature and hydraulic pressure, and the like, as shown in <figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref>. The indicating device 15 is also provided with input switches 15a, 15b for various input control such as switching between normal mode and setting mode.

0025In the inboard network system, one outboard motor 11 corresponds to one indicating device 15. The trim angle of the outboard motor 11 detected by a detector 31 which is disposed in the outboard motor 11 is indicated in the corresponding trim angle indicating section 21 a. A trim angle correction indicating system 20 is provided for indicating the trim angle with good accuracy.

0026In the boat 10 provided with the trim angle correction indicating system 20, the outboard motor 11 is mounted on the hull, as shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>. More specifically, the outboard motor 11 is mounted on the hull 10a to be rotationally movable in a way such that a clamp bracket 23 secured to the hull 10a and a swivel bracket 25 secured to the outboard motor 11 are connected together by a tilt shaft 27 so that the swivel bracket 25 rotationally moves in relation to the clamp bracket 23. As shown in <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> and <figref idref="f0005">Fig. 5</figref>, the detector 31 is mounted in a way such that a base 32 of the detector 31 is secured to the clamp bracket 23 and a detecting section 33 disposed on the base 32 for free rotational movement is connected to the swivel bracket 25 through a linkage 34. The linkage 34 moves between the original position and the position shown in <figref idref="f0004">Fig. 4</figref> by phantom lines, in accordance with the rotational movement of the swivel bracket 25, so that the detecting section 33 rotationally moves.

0027In the outboard motor 11, the lowest position at which the outboard motor 11 is placed when raised vertically, the full trim-in position, is set as a reference position, as shown in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> by solid lines. A stopper (not shown) is disposed for stopping the rotational movement of the outboard motor 11 when the outboard motor 11 is brought to the reference position and the swivel bracket 25 comes in contact with the stopper.

0028In the above detector 31, when the outboard motor 11 is tilted up by a cylinder device 35, the detecting section 33 of the detector 31 rotationally moves in relation to the base 32 and a contact point 37 moves toward a resistance plate 36 inside the detector, as shown in <figref idref="f0003 f0004 f0005">Fig. 3 to Fig. 5</figref>. Thus, the value of resistance changes in accordance with the displacement of the swivel bracket 25 in relation to the clamp bracket 23, and the value of voltage corresponding to the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is obtained from the detector 31 as a detection value. The detection value is transmitted to an ECU (engine control unit) (not shown) of the outboard motor 11.

0029The trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor of this embodiment indicates the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 in the trim angle indicating section 21 a, based on the detection value obtained from such detector 31. As shown in <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref>, the ECU of the outboard motor 11 has a unit converting section 39 for converting the detection value obtained from the detector 31 to a trim position signal, an offset value setting section 41 for setting a predetermined offset value, and a correction processing section 43 for correcting the trim position signal of the detection value based on the offset value to provide a correction value. The correction value is sent to the trim angle indicating section 21 a via the network cable 13, and then the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is indicated based on the correction value.

0030Here, the predetermined offset value is set as the detection value obtained from the detector 31 when the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position, and converted to the trim position signal. The trim position signal is a signal capable of being sent via the inboard network system and indicating the trim angle when inputted in the trim angle indicating section 21 a.

0031Further, in the trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor, the indicating device 15 having the trim angle indicating section 21 a is provided with the switches 15a, 15b as an offset value obtaining instruction section for generating the signal to cause the offset value setting section 41 to set an offset value. Controlling from the indicating device 15 allows the offset value to be set when the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position.

0032Further, in the trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor, in order to mechanically specify the reference position of the outboard motor 11 during its rotational movement, it is determined that the outboard motor 11 is brought to the reference position, when its rotational movement is stopped at a specified position for a specified period of time, thereby causing the offset value setting section 41 to set the offset value.

0033In the trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor with the foregoing configuration, the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a as follows.

0034The operator first controls the switches 15a, 15b of the indicating device 15 to switch to the mode for causing the offset value setting section 41 to set an offset value, and then an offset value obtaining signal is sent from an indicator 21 to the ECU of the outboard motor 11 via the network cable 13, as shown in <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref>. Then, when the outboard motor 11 is rotationally moved to be raised while the system is in that state, the outboard motor 11 comes in contact with the stopper and stops, so that it is placed at the reference position. Thereafter, any further rotational movement of the outboard motor 11 is prevented, and the detection value obtained from the detector 31 is held at a constant value and does not change. Thus, detecting the specified time elapsed when no detection value changes during the rotational movement of the outboard motor 11, indicates that the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position. The detection value then obtained from the detector 31 is converted to a trim position signal by the unit converting section 39, which is then automatically set as an offset value by the offset value setting section 41.

0035Incidentally, to detect that the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position, the stopper may be provided with a switch, for example, which is activated for detection when the outboard motor 11 is brought to the reference position.

0036The operator then controls the switches 15a, 15b of the indicating device 15 to switch to the normal detection mode, so that the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is detected by the detector 31.

0037Here, the detection value detected by the detector 31 is sent to the ECU of the outboard motor 11 and converted to a trim position signal by the unit converting section 39. The trim position signal is then corrected based on the offset value set by the offset value setting section 41 by the correction processing section 43 computing the difference between the two values, for example, so that a correction value is obtained. Then, the correction value is sent to the trim angle indicating section 21 a via the network cable 13, and the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a.

0038In the trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor of the outboard motor 11 as described above, the offset value setting section 41 sets the detection value obtained from the detector 31 when the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position, as an offset value. The correction processing section 43 corrects the detection value obtained from the detector 31 by using the offset value. Based on the correction value thereby obtained, the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a. Therefore, the occurrence of misalignment of the detector 31 and deviation in the detection value obtained from the detector 31 due to its change over time can be compensated by the offset value. Correcting the detection value obtained from the detector 31 by using the offset value provides the correction value with such misalignment and deviation compensated. Thus, the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 can be indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a with good accuracy, if it is determined based on the correction value.

0039Further, the detecting section 33, the offset value setting section 41, and the correction processing section 43 are all disposed in the outboard motor 11. Therefore, misalignment, deviation in detection value, and the like which occur only at the outboard motor 11 can be compensated at the outboard motor 11 so that an accurate correction value is obtained therefrom. Thus, the accurate correction value is always sent to the trim angle indicating section 21 a. Therefore, there is no need to make an adjustment that compensates such misalignment and deviation which occur at the outboard motor 11 in the trim angle indicating section 21 a, and the trim angle indicating section 21a can be made with a simple construction.

0040Further, when the detector 31 and the trim angle indicating section 21 a are connected together via the network cable 13 in such a manner as described, removal and replacement of the indicating device 15 having the trim angle indicating section 21 a is facilitated. Since the offset value is set at the outboard motor 11 side, there is no need for the operator to control to reset the offset value when the indicating device 15 is replaced, which allows easy replacement.

0041Further, while the offset value setting section 41 is disposed in the outboard motor 11, the switches 15a, 15b for causing the offset value setting operation to start are located in the indicating device 15 having the trim angle indicating section 21 a. Therefore, the operator can give an offset value setting instruction while operating the boat, which provides good operability.

0042Further, the system is configured such that it has the stopper for stopping the rotational movement of the outboard motor 11 at the reference position, and when the rotational movement of the outboard motor 11 is stopped at the reference position for a specified period of time, an offset value is set by the offset value setting section 41. This facilitates automatically detecting that the outboard motor 11 is placed at the reference position and setting the offset value.

0043Incidentally, in the above embodiment, description has been made of an example in which the offset value setting section 41 and the correction processing section 43 are both disposed in the outboard motor 11. However, the offset value setting section 41 and the correction processing section 43 can be disposed at the trim angle indicating section 21 a side, as shown in <figref idref="f0007">Fig. 7</figref>. In that case, the detection value is transmitted from the detector 31 to the ECU of the outboard motor 11, where the detection value is converted to a trim position signal by the unit converting device 39, and then the trim position signal is sent via the network cable 13. The trim position signal is then corrected by use of the offset value set at the trim angle indicating section 21 a side, to determine the correction value, and the trim angle is indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a based on the correction value.

0044As described before, the invention provides a trim angle (correction) indicating system for an outboard motor capable of indicating the trim angle of the outboard motor with good accuracy, in particular also when misalignment of the detector and deviation in detection value occur.

0045As described, this can be performed by a trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor having a detector for detecting the trim angle of an outboard motor, and a trim angle indicating section for indicating the trim angle detected by the detector, comprising: an offset value setting section for setting the detection value detected by the detector when the outboard motor is placed at a reference position, as an offset value; and a correction processing section for correcting the detection value detected by the detector based on the offset value set by the offset value setting section, in which the trim angle of the outboard motor is indicated in the trim angle indicating section based on the correction value provided by the correction processing section correcting the detection value.

0046In such a trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor, the detector mounted to the outboard motor and the trim angle indicating section are connected together via a network, and the offset value setting section and the correction processing section are disposed in the outboard motor.

0047Therein, preferably, in addition, switches for causing the offset value setting section to start offset value setting operation are disposed in the trim angle indicating section.

0048Moreover, preferably a stopper is provided for stopping the rotational movement of the outboard motor at the reference position, in which when the rotational movement of the outboard motor is stopped at the reference position for a specified period of time, the offset value is set by the offset value setting section.

0049Accordingly, the offset value setting section sets the detection value obtained from the detector when the outboard motor is placed at the reference position, as the offset value. The correction processing section corrects the detection value obtained from the detector by using the offset value. Based on the correction value thereby obtained, the trim angle of the outboard motor is indicated in the trim angle indicating section. Therefore, the occurrence of misalignment of the detector and deviation in detection value obtained from the detector due to its change over time can be compensated by the offset value. Correcting the detection value obtained from the detector by using the offset value provides the correction value with such misalignment and deviation compensated. Thus, the trim angle of the outboard motor can be indicated in the trim angle indicating section with good accuracy, if it is determined based on the correction value.

0050Moreover, preferably the detecting section, the offset value setting section, and the correction processing section are all disposed in the outboard motor. Therefore, an accurate correction value with misalignment, deviation in detection value, and the like which occur at the outboard motor compensated can be obtained from the outboard motor. Thus, the accurate correction value is always sent to the trim angle indicating section. Therefore, there is no need to make an adjustment that compensates such misalignment and deviation which occur at the outboard motor in the trim angle indicating section, and the trim angle indicating section can be made with a simple construction.

0051Further, preferably when the trim angle indicating section is separated from the network for replacement, since the offset value is set at the outboard motor side, there is no need for the operator to control to reset the offset value, which allows easy replacement of the trim angle indicating section.

0052While the offset value setting section is preferably disposed in the outboard motor, the switches for causing the offset value setting operation to start are disposed in the trim angle indicating section. Therefore, the operator can give an offset value setting instruction while operating the boat, which provides good operability.

0053According to a further embodiment, the system is configured such that it has the stopper for stopping the rotational movement of the outboard motor at the reference position, and when the rotational movement of the outboard motor is stopped at the reference position for a specified period of time, the offset value is set by the offset value setting section. This allows automatically detecting that the outboard motor is placed at the reference position and setting the offset value.

0054As described before, in order to provide a trim angle correction indicating system for an outboard motor capable of indicating the trim angle of an outboard motor with good accuracy, when misalignment of a detector and deviation in detection value occur, a trim angle correction indicating system 20 for an outboard motor is provided having a detector 31 for detecting the trim angle of an outboard motor 11, and a trim angle indicating section 21 a for indicating the trim angle detected by the detector 31, comprising: an offset value setting section 41 for setting the detection value detected by the detector 31 when the outboard motor 11 is placed at a reference position, as an offset value; and a correction processing section 43 for correcting the detection value detected by the detector 31 based on the offset value set by the offset value setting section 41, in which the trim angle of the outboard motor 11 is indicated in the trim angle indicating section 21 a based on the correction value provided by the correction processing section 43 correcting the detection value.