Jet propulsion boat

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6783408
  • Patent Number
    6,783,408
  • Date Filed
    Monday, January 27, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 31, 2004
    19 years ago
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)
Number Name Date Kind
6159059 Bernier et al. Dec 2000 A
6551152 Matsuda et al. Apr 2003 B2
6568968 Matsuda May 2003 B2
6589085 Matsuda et al. Jul 2003 B2
20010036777 Iida et al. Nov 2001 A1
20030064642 Funayose et al. Apr 2003 A1