Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6783408
-
Patent Number
6,783,408
-
Date Filed
Monday, January 27, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 31, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 440 1
- 440 40
- 440 41
- 440 42
- 440 87
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A controller that executes engine output control that a throttle is closed when a boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the output of an engine is gradually increased up to predetermined output when a steering system is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more is provided. Thus, an overshoot phenomenon that the engine speed is held at a predetermined engine speed after the engine speed once increases up to the predetermined engine speed or higher when the engine speed is increased in deceleration can be avoided. As a result, the body of the boat can be prevented from sliding laterally to a great extent at the beginning of turning and the turning performance of the body can be enhanced.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-027457 filed on Feb. 4, 2002 the entire contents thereof is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a jet propulsion boat of a type wherein a body of the boat is advanced by jetting a jet stream via a nozzle and the direction of the nozzle is changed by a steering system when the boat is turned right or left.
2. Description of Background Art
A jet propulsion boat acquires propulsion by jetting a jet stream and changes the direction of the body by changing the direction of the jet stream. Therefore, changing the direction of the boat is disabled without a jet stream.
Generally a human being, when he/she tries to avoid an obstacle for example, he/she is apt to reduce the speed of a boat and turn a steering handlebar to the right or left. The reduction in the speed means closing a throttle and as the output of an engine is small even if the steering handlebar is steered right or left in a state in which the throttle is closed, the jet stream is weak and the direction of the body cannot be changed as desired. This is more pronounced when the boat is particularly navigated at a high speed.
A technique for supplementing such a characteristic of the jet propulsion boat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,059.
This technique enables a throttle regulator
46
to be prevented from being rapidly closed when a throttle lever
34
is released and a predetermined jet stream can be maintained for a while when the throttle lever
34
is returned by connecting one end of a throttle cable
44
to the throttle regulator
46
, connecting the throttle lever
34
to the other end of the throttle cable
44
, arranging a throttle return spring
49
for replacing the throttle lever
34
and arranging compressible material
52
at the base of the throttle lever
34
according to
FIGS. 2 and 3
of U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,059.
However, after a while wherein the predetermined jet stream is maintained, an amount of the jet stream decreases and the turning performance is deteriorated. As a result, the operation of the boat is deteriorated.
FIGS.
7
(
a
) to
7
(
c
) are explanatory drawings showing an improved jet propulsion boat.
FIG.
7
(
a
) is a graph showing a throttle angle under control, the y-axis shows a throttle angle θ and the x-axis shows time. FIG.
7
(
b
) is a graph showing engine speed under control, the y-axis shows engine speed Ne and the x-axis shows time. FIG.
7
(
c
) shows the movement of the jet propulsion boat
100
under control.
As shown in FIG.
7
(
a
), a throttle is once turned off and after predetermined time (between P
101
and P
102
) elapses, a throttle angle θ is set to θ3. That is, auxiliary propulsion is generated between P
102
and P
103
.
As shown in FIG.
7
(
b
), when the body of the boat
100
A shown in FIG.
7
(
c
) is propelled, pressure in front of an impeller (not shown) is lower than pressure at the back and when the speed of the boat
100
A is reduced, pressure in front of the impeller is higher than pressure at the back. Therefore, when the engine speed is increased to enhance the output of an engine during the reduction of the speed of the boat, an overshoot phenomenon S wherein the engine speed is held at a predetermined engine speed after the engine speed once increases up to the predetermined engine speed or higher occurs.
As shown in FIG.
7
(
c
), a jet propulsion boat
100
A that is navigated in a straight line generates an auxiliary propulsion at the time of the jet propulsion boat
100
B, the engine speed is increased due to the overshoot phenomenon S and the boat may slide laterally to a great extent in a direction shown by an arrow
2
to the jet propulsion boat
100
C.
That is, a jet propulsion boat that can maintain a suitable jet stream to turn the boat is desired.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a jet propulsion boat that closes a throttle when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher for securing a fixed turning performance even if a steering handlebar is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more, that is, during deceleration.
To achieve the object of the present invention a jet propulsion boat of a type wherein an impeller is turned by an engine as a driving source is provided wherein a jet stream is generated by the impeller. The boat is advanced by jetting the jet stream via a nozzle and the direction of the nozzle is changed by a steering system when the body of the boat is turned to the right or left. A controller is provided for executing engine output control wherein a throttle is closed when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the output of the engine is gradually increased up to a predetermined output when a steering handlebar is steered to the right or left at a predetermined angle or more is provided.
When the throttle is closed and the steering handlebar is steered to avoid an obstacle which emerges in front of the boat, turning performance is deteriorated because the amount of the jet stream decreases. Then, the output of the engine is increased up to a predetermined output and the amount of a jet stream is increased under a fixed condition.
However, when the throttle is closed and the output of the engine is reduced for navigation at a lower speed such as entering a port, the engine speed is not required to be increased. As turning performance is in question, the output of the engine is not required to be increased when the steering handlebar is not steered.
Therefore, it is a prerequisite that the throttle is closed when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the steering handlebar is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more.
When the boat is propelled, pressure in front of the impeller is lower than pressure at the back and when the boat is decelerated, pressure in front of the impeller is higher than pressure at the back. Therefore, when the engine speed is increased to enhance the output of the engine during deceleration, an overshoot phenomenon wherein the engine speed is held at a predetermined engine speed after the engine speed once increases up to the predetermined engine speed or higher occurs and the body of the boat may slide laterally to a great extent. Then, the controller that executes an engine control for gradually increasing the output of the engine up to a predetermined output is provided. As a result, the body of the boat can be prevented from sliding laterally to a great extent at the beginning of the turning.
The present invention includes a controller that is provided with plural engine control characteristics and the output control of the engine is executed by selecting the speed of the boat.
The engine output control characteristic matched with the speed of the boat can be used by providing plural engine output control characteristics to the controller and enabling selection depending upon the speed of the boat.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1
is a side view showing a jet propulsion boat according to the invention;
FIG. 2
is a plan showing the jet propulsion boat according to the invention;
FIG. 3
is a plan showing a steering mechanism of the jet propulsion boat according to the invention;
FIG. 4
is a block diagram showing an OTS controller of the jet propulsion boat according to the invention;
FIG. 5
is a flowchart showing an OTS control condition of the jet propulsion boat according to the invention;
FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
d
) are explanatory drawings for explaining an OTS control mode of the jet propulsion boat according to the invention; and
FIGS.
7
(
a
) to
7
(
c
) are explanatory drawings showing an improved jet propulsion boat.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the attached drawings, embodiments of the invention will be described below. The drawings shall be viewed in a direction of reference numbers.
FIG. 1
is a side view showing a jet propulsion boat according to the present invention. The jet propulsion boat
10
includes a fuel tank
14
attached to the front
11
a
of a hull
11
. An engine
15
is provided at the back of the fuel tank
14
. A pump room
16
provided at the back of the engine
15
with a jet propulsion unit
17
provided in the pump room
16
. An exhaust unit
18
is provided with an intake side being attached to the engine
15
and the exhaust side being attached to the pump room
16
. A steering system
28
is attached over the fuel tank
14
and a seat
29
attached at the back of the steering system
28
.
The jet propulsion unit
17
is provided with a housing
21
extending backwards from an opening
13
of the bottom
12
of the boat. An impeller
22
is attached in the housing
21
so that the impeller can be turned and is coupled to a driving shaft
23
of the engine
15
.
According to the jet propulsion unit
17
, water sucked via the opening
13
at the bottom
12
of the boat can be jetted at the back of the body
11
from a steering nozzle
25
via an opening at the rear end of the housing
21
by driving the engine
15
and revolving the impeller
22
.
The steering nozzle
25
is a member attached to the rear end of the housing
21
so that the steering nozzle can be swung horizontally and is a nozzle for steering that controls a direction in which the body
11
is steered by swinging the nozzle horizontally by the operation of the steering system
28
.
According to the jet propulsion boat
10
, water is sucked via the opening
13
at the bottom
12
of the boat by supplying fuel from the fuel tank
14
to the engine
15
, driving the engine
15
, transmitting the driving force of the engine
15
to the impeller
22
via the driving shaft
23
and revolving the impeller
22
. The sucked water is jetted from the steering nozzle
25
via the rear end of the housing
21
thus propelling the boat.
As described later, the jet propulsion boat
10
is a boat provided with a controller that executes an engine output control for gradually increasing the output of the engine as predetermined.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a reverse bucket
26
is provided for covering the steering nozzle
25
when the boat is backed up and making a jet stream flow forward diagonally downward. An operating knob
33
is provided for operating the reverse bucket
26
. An exhaust pipe
34
, an exhaust body
35
and a battery
27
are provided within the body
11
. A water muffler
36
, a water rock pipe
37
, a tail pipe
38
and a resonator
39
are mounted adjacent to the rear of the body
11
.
FIG. 2
is a plan showing the jet propulsion boat according to the present invention. The steering system
28
includes a steering shaft
41
attached to the body so that the steering shaft can be rotated with a handlebar
43
attached to the upper end of the steering shaft
41
. Right and left handle grips
44
R and
44
L are attached to the right end and the left end of the handlebar
43
. A main switch
45
is provided with a lanyard switch provided at the base of the left handle grip
44
L. A throttle lever
46
is attached at the base of the right handle grip
44
R so that the throttle lever can be swung. A throttle cable
47
is provided that extends from the throttle lever
46
to a throttle and a steering detection mechanism
48
is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft
41
.
FIG. 3
is a plan showing a steering mechanism of the jet propulsion boat according to the present invention. The steering detection mechanism
48
includes a bracket
51
attached to the body
11
, as shown in
FIG. 1. A
switch cam
52
is attached to the lower end of the steering shaft
41
. A steering switch
53
for turning on or off the switch cam
52
and a cam plate
54
is attached to the lower end of the steering shaft
41
. A driving link
55
is provided for driving the steering nozzle
25
shown in
FIG. 1
by being attached to the end of the cam plate
54
so that the driving link can be rotated. A switch lever
53
a
of the steering switch
53
and
53
b
denotes the body of the steering switch
53
.
FIG. 4
is a block diagram showing an OTS controller of the jet propulsion boat according to the present invention. OTS is an abbreviation of an off throttle steering system and the OTS controller
60
of the jet propulsion boat is a system composed of the steering system
28
for steering the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
, a fuel injection system
61
for supplying fuel to the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
, an igniter
71
for igniting fuel jetted from the fuel injection system
61
and a controller (ECU)
81
for controlling a system related to the engine
15
including the fuel injection system
61
and the igniter
71
. The OTS controller
60
is also a system for executing engine output control for gradually increasing the output of the engine
15
to a predetermined output to increase the output of the engine
15
when the throttle
64
is closed while the body
11
is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher speed and the steering system
28
is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or a larger angle.
The fuel injection system
61
includes a solenoid
62
for controlling negative pressure according to information from the controller (ECU)
81
, a throttle
64
for adjusting the amount of air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
by providing the throttle to an intake passage
63
, a diaphragm
65
for adjusting a throttle angle by providing the diaphragm between the solenoid
62
and the throttle
64
, a throttle sensor
66
for detecting a throttle angle, a one-way valve
67
for preventing the back flow of negative pressure and preventing pressurization from penetrating by providing the one-way valve between the solenoid
62
and the intake passage
63
. A surge tank
68
is provided for reducing the variation of negative pressure by providing the surge tank between the one-way valve
67
and the solenoid
62
. An injector
69
is provided for turning fuel into minute spray and supplying it to the intake passage
63
. As illustrated in
FIG. 4
, a throttle angle θ is provided.
The igniter
71
is composed of a crank angle sensor
72
for detecting a crank angle to set ignition timing. Ignition coils
73
are provided for every cylinder of the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
to generate a high voltage according to an instruction from the controller (ECU)
81
. Spark plugs
74
are provided for generating sparks by voltage applied from the ignition coils
73
.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart showing an OTS control condition of the jet propulsion boat according to the present invention. “ST” denotes a step.
ST
01
: When an engine speed is Ne and the predetermined engine speed (hereinafter called predetermined speed N
1
) is N
1
, it is judged whether engine speed Ne is equal to or exceeds the predetermined speed N
1
(Ne≧N
1
) or not. That is, control is executed under the consideration that the output of the engine is engine speed Ne. If the answer is YES, the process proceeds to ST
02
and if the answer is NO, control is returned to start.
ST
02
: The current engine speed Ne is stored in the controller (ECU)
81
. The speed of the boat is calculated based upon the engine speed Ne, however, the reason is that control modes are different in a case that the current speed of the boat exceeds the predetermined speed of the boat and a case wherein the current speed is slower than the predetermined speed as described later.
ST
03
: When a throttle angle is θ and a predetermined throttle angle (hereinafter called a predetermined angle θ1) is θ1, it is judged whether the current throttle angle θ exceeds the predetermined angle θ1 or not. If the answer is YES, the process proceeds to ST
04
and if the answer is NO, control is returned to ST
01
.
ST
04
: When time is T and the predetermined time is T1, it is judged whether a state exists wherein the current engine speed is equal to or exceeds the predetermined speed N
1
and a state wherein the current throttle angle is equal to or exceeds the predetermined angle θ1 with both continuing for the predetermined time T1 or more or not. If the answer is YES, the process proceeds to ST
05
and if the answer is NO, control is returned to ST
01
.
ST
05
: It is judged whether the throttle
64
is closed (a throttle angle θ=0) or not. If an answer is YES, the process proceeds to ST
05
and if the answer is NO, control is returned to ST
01
.
It is judged whether the steering switch
53
is turned on or not. If the answer is YES, the process proceeds to OTS Control Mode. That is, as it is all met that engine speed Ne exceeds the predetermined speed N
1
, which is a control condition of OTS, a throttle angle θ exceeds the predetermined throttle angle θ1, in a state wherein the engine speed is equal to or exceeds the predetermined speed N
1
and in a state wherein the throttle angle is equal to or exceeds the predetermined angle θ1 with both continuing for the predetermined time T1 or more, the throttle
64
is closed and the steering switch
53
is turned on, the current mode is turned into an OTS control mode. If the answer is NO, control is returned to ST
01
.
Referring to FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
c
), the OTS control mode will be described below.
FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
c
) are explanatory drawings for explaining the OTS control mode of the jet propulsion boat according to the invention and the flow will be described below.
FIG.
6
(
a
) is a graph showing a throttle angle in the OTS control mode, the y-axis shows a throttle angle θ and the x-axis shows time. FIG.
6
(
b
) is a graph showing a retard amount and a revertive state in the retard amount respectively in the OTS control mode, FIG.
6
(
c
) is a graph showing engine speed in the OTS control mode, the y-axis shows engine speed Ne and the x-axis shows time.
As shown in FIG.
6
(
a
), the throttle
64
is turned off for a predetermined time (between P
1
and P
2
). Next, when an angle of the throttle
64
in the OTS control mode is an OTS set angle θ2, a throttle angle θ at P
2
is set to θ2.
As shown in FIG.
6
(
b
), in the OTS control mode, the ignition timing of the engine
15
is adjusted to control the engine speed (the output) of the engine
15
shown in FIG.
1
. That is, a method of reducing the engine speed of the engine
15
by retarding the ignition timing of the engine
15
is used.
A retard amount (a lag) is defined as an angle acquired by retarding a crank angle of the ignition timing of the engine
15
set in normal navigation by a predetermined angle.
In the case where the boat is navigated at a low speed, a value shown as a retard amount for low speed P
4
is set and in case the boat is navigated at high speed, a value shown as a retard amount for high speed P
3
is set.
In the case where the boat is navigated at a low speed, the turning performance of the body
11
is secured by slowing a jet stream is selected. Therefore, the retard amount for low speed P
4
as a large retard amount is selected.
In the meantime, in the case where the boat is navigated at a high speed, the turning performance of the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
is secured by quickening a jet stream. Therefore, the retard amount for high speed P
3
as a small retard amount is selected.
In the case where the retard amount for a low speed is selected (in case the engine speed is stored in ST
02
shown in
FIG. 5
is the predetermined speed or less), the retard amount for a low speed P
3
is held for a predetermined time (between P
4
and P
5
).
After the predetermined time (between P
4
and P
5
) elapses, restoration is started in a first step for low speed between P
5
and P
6
and between P
6
and P
7
, from an intermediate point of the retard amount for a low speed shown by P
8
, restoration is made in a second step for a low speed between P
8
and P
9
and between P
9
and P
10
and the original ignition timing is restored. For example, in the case where the retard amount for a low speed is 15°, the crank angle is restored by 1° at a time in the first step for low speed and is restored by 2° at a time in the second step for low speed.
In the case where the retard amount for high speed is selected (in case the engine speed stored in ST
02
shown in
FIG. 5
exceeds the predetermined speed), the retard amount for high speed P
3
is held for a predetermined time (between P
4
and P
5
).
After a predetermined time (between P
3
and P
11
) elapses, restoration is started in a first step for a high speed between P
11
and P
12
and between P
12
and P
13
, from an intermediate point of the retard amount for the high speed shown by P
13
, restoration is made in a second step for high speed between P
13
and P
14
and between P
14
and P
15
and the original ignition timing is restored. For example, in the case where the retard amount for high speed is 10°, the crank angle is restored by 1° at a time in the first step for high speed and is restored by 2° at a time in the second step for high speed.
FIG.
6
(
c
) shows that engine output control according to the speed of the boat which is enabled by selecting the retard amount for high speed P
3
or the retard amount for low speed P
4
respectively shown in FIG.
6
(
b
).
The turning performance of the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
can be precisely controlled by enabling selection of the retard amount for high speed P
3
or the retard amount for low speed P
4
and selecting the retard amount.
As shown in FIG.
6
(
d
), the control wherein the jet propulsion boat
10
A is navigated in a straight line and generates auxiliary propulsion at the time of the jet propulsion boat
10
B and the engine speed is gradually increased. The jet propulsion boat
10
C can be turned in a desired course shown by an arrow
1
.
That is, it can be said that the jet propulsion boat
10
shown in
FIG. 1
is of a type wherein the impeller
22
is turned by the engine
15
as a driving source with a jet stream being generated by the impeller
22
. The body
11
is advanced by jetting the jet stream via the nozzle (the steering nozzle
25
) and the direction of the nozzle (the steering nozzle
25
) is changed by the steering system
28
when the body
11
is turned right or left. The steering nozzle
25
is provided with the controller
81
shown in
FIG. 4
which executes engine output control wherein the throttle
64
shown in
FIG. 4
is closed when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the output of the engine
15
is gradually increased up to a predetermined output when the steering system
28
is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more.
When the throttle
64
is closed and the steering system
28
shown in
FIG. 4
is steered to avoid an obstacle which emerges in front of the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
, turning performance is deteriorated because the amount of a jet stream decreases. Then, the output of the engine is increased up to a predetermined output and the amount of the jet stream is increased under a fixed condition.
However, when the throttle
64
is closed for navigation at minute speed such as entering a port and the output of the engine is reduced, the engine speed Ne of the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
is not required to be increased. As turning performance is in question, the output of the engine is not required to be increased when the steering system
28
is not steered.
Therefore, it is a prerequisite that the throttle
64
is closed when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the steering system
28
is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more.
When the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
is propelled, pressure in front of the impeller
22
shown in
FIG. 1
is lower than pressure at the back and when the body
11
is decelerated, pressure in front of the impeller
22
is higher than pressure at the back. Therefore, when the engine speed is increased to enhance the output of the engine during deceleration, an overshoot phenomenon wherein the engine speed is held at a predetermined speed after the engine speed once increases at the predetermined speed or higher occurs and the body
11
may slide laterally to a great extent. Then, the controller
81
shown in
FIG. 4
is provided that executes an engine control for gradually increasing the output of the engine up to predetermined output. As a result, the body
11
shown in
FIG. 1
can be prevented from sliding laterally to a great extent at the beginning of the turning and the turning performance of the body
11
can be enhanced.
The jet propulsion boat
10
shown in
FIG. 1
enables selecting a retard amount for a low speed or a retard amount for a high speed depending upon the speed of the boat. The controller
81
is provided with plural engine output control characteristics and the output control of the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
is executed by selection depending upon the speed of the boat.
The engine output control characteristic matched with the speed of the boat can be used by providing the plural engine output control characteristics to the controller
81
and enabling selection depending upon the speed of the boat. As a result, the turning performance of the body can be further enhanced.
In this embodiment, the retard amount for high speed and the retard amount for low speed are set as shown in FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
c
), a retard amount is not limited to these, a retard amount for intermediate speed is set and the selection of three or more modes may also be enabled.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
c
), the retard amount for high speed is set at 10°, the retard amount for low speed is set at 15°, the retard amount for high speed is restored by 1° at a time at first, then by 2° at a time, similarly, the retard amount for low speed is restored by 1° at a time at first, then by 2° at a time. However, the above is one example, and the amount and the frequency may arbitrarily be set depending upon specifications of the jet propulsion boat. A point at which a first high speed step is changed to a second high speed step is also arbitrary and a point at which a first low speed step is changed to a second low speed step is also arbitrary.
Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
6
(
a
) to
6
(
c
), the speed of the engine
15
shown in
FIG. 1
is controlled by varying only the ignition timing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, the engine speed may be also changed by increasing or decreasing injection quantity and may be also controlled by the combination of the variation of the ignition timing and the increase or decrease of the injection quantity. That is, engine output control that a throttle is closed when a boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and that the output of an engine is gradually increased up to predetermined output when a steering system is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more has only to be executed.
The invention produces the following effect based upon the configuration described above.
According to the present invention, as the controller that executes engine output control that the throttle is closed when the boat is navigated at a predetermined speed or higher and the output of the engine is gradually increased up to a predetermined output when the steering system is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more is provided, the overshoot phenomenon that the engine speed is held at a predetermined speed after the engine speed once increases at the predetermined speed or higher when the engine speed is increased in deceleration can be avoided. As a result, the body of the boat can be prevented from sliding laterally to a great extent at the beginning of turning and the turning performance of the body can be enhanced.
According to the present invention, as the controller is provided with the plural engine output control characteristics and engine output control is executed by selection depending upon the speed of the boat, the engine output control characteristic matched with the speed of the boat can be used. As a result, the turning performance of the body can be further enhanced.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
- 1. A jet propulsion boat wherein an impeller is turned by an engine as a driving source, a jet stream is generated by the impeller, the boat is advanced by jetting the jet stream via a nozzle and the direction of the nozzle is changed by a steering system when the boat is turned right or left, comprising:a controller for executing engine output control when a throttle is closed in navigation at a predetermined speed or higher for gradually increasing the output of the engine up to a predetermined output when a steering handlebar is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control incrementally increases a crank angle of an ignition timing at a first rate during a first time period, and then incrementally increases the crank angle of the ignition timing at a second rate at for at least second time period, the second rate of increase of the crank angle being greater than the first rate of increase of the crank angle.
- 2. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein the controller is provided with plural engine output control characteristics and the engine output control is executed by selection according to the speed of the boat.
- 3. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein said controller includes a fuel injection system having a solenoid for controlling negative pressure responsive to a signal provided from the controller and a diaphragm operatively positioned relative to said solenoid and said throttle for adjusting said throttle.
- 4. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 3, and further including a throttle sensor for detecting a throttle angle and a one-way valve for preventing back flow of negative pressure and for preventing pressurization from penetrating by positioning the one-way valve between the solenoid and an intake passage.
- 5. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 4, and further including a surge tank being operatively connected between said one-way valve and the solenoid for reducing the variation of negative pressure.
- 6. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein the speed of the boat is measured over a predetermined period of time when the throttle is closed prior to activating the controller for gradually increasing the output of the engine.
- 7. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein the throttle angle is measured at or above a predetermined throttle angle for a predetermined period of time prior to activating the controller for gradually increasing the output of the engine.
- 8. A propulsion control system for use with a jet propulsion boat having an impeller for generating a jet stream wherein the boat is advanced by jetting the jet stream via a nozzle and the direction of the nozzle is changed by a steering system when the boat is turned right or left, comprising:a controller for executing engine output control when a throttle is closed during navigation at a predetermined speed or higher for gradually increasing the output of an engine up to a predetermined output when a steering handlebar is steered right or left at a predetermined angle or more, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control incrementally increases a crank angle of an ignition timing at a first rate during a first time period, and then incrementally increases the crank angle of the ignition timing at a second rate at for at least second time period, the second rate of increase of the crank angle being greater than the first rate of increase of the crank angle.
- 9. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein the controller is provided with plural engine output control characteristics and the engine output control is executed by selection according to the speed of the boat.
- 10. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein said controller includes a fuel injection system having a solenoid for controlling negative pressure responsive to a signal provided from the controller and a diaphragm operatively positioned relative to said solenoid and said throttle for adjusting said throttle.
- 11. The propulsion control system according to claim 10, and further including a throttle sensor for detecting a throttle angle and a one-way valve for preventing back flow of negative pressure and for preventing pressurization from penetrating by positioning the one-way valve between the solenoid and an intake passage.
- 12. The propulsion control system according to claim 11, and further including a surge tank being operatively connected between said one-way valve and the solenoid for reducing the variation of negative pressure.
- 13. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein the speed of the boat is measured over a predetermined period of time when the throttle is closed prior to activating the controller for gradually increasing the output of the engine.
- 14. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein the throttle angle is measured at or above a predetermined throttle angle for a predetermined period of time prior to activating the controller for gradually increasing the output of the engine.
- 15. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein a point at which the first time period ends and the second time period begins is artibrary.
- 16. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 1, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control retards the crank angle of the ignition timing by a predetermined retard amount which varies depending on a cruising speed of the boat, the predetermined retard amount being higher at a low cruising speed of the boat than the predetermined retard amount at a high cruising speed of the boat.
- 17. The jet propulsion boat according to claim 16, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control incrementally increases the crank angle of the ignition timing after the crank angle of the ignition timing has been retarded by the predetermined amount.
- 18. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein a point at which the first time period ends and the second time period begins is arbitrary.
- 19. The propulsion control system according to claim 8, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control retards the crank angle of the ignition timing by a predetermined retard amount which varies depending on a cruising speed of the boat, the predetermined retard amount being higher at a low cruising speed of the boat than the predetermined retard amount at a high cruising speed of the boat.
- 20. The propulsion control system according to claim 19, wherein the controller for executing the engine output control incrementally increases the crank angle of the ignition timing after the crank angle of the ignition timing has been retarded by the predetermined amount.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2002-027457 |
Feb 2002 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (6)