WATERCRAFT PROPULSION APPARATUS AND WATERCRAFT

Abstract

An outboard motor of a watercraft can include a shifting mechanism for performing gear shifting among forward, neutral, and reverse positions. A shift actuator can be configured to drive the shifting mechanism. A shift position sensor can be configured to detect a position of the shift actuator with respect to the forward, neutral, and reverse positions. A controller can be configured to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor. A start-regulation circuit can have a plurality of semiconductor devices configured to deactivate a starting motor of the engine when a starting switch of the engine is turned on in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features of the inventions disclosed herein are described below with reference to the drawings of the preferred embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the inventions. The drawings contain the following Figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a watercraft according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a propulsion system for a watercraft having a remote controller, a key switch device, and an outboard motor.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a gear shift system of the watercraft according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a shift actuator and certain associated components.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view of a shift lever according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a remote controller ECU, an engine ECU, and other associated components according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a table showing exemplary relationships between input voltage values and outputs that can be used with a window comparator according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a table showing exemplary relationships between states and outputs that can be used with a cranking-permission/inhibition section according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a table showing exemplary relationships between inputs and outputs that can be associated with a NOR circuit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a table showing exemplary relationships between states related to a cranking command and outputs of a cranking commanding section according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a table showing exemplary relationships between inputs and outputs that can be associated with an OR circuit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a table showing exemplary relationships between inputs and outputs that can be associated with an AND circuit according to an embodiment.

Claims

1. A watercraft propulsion system having an engine configured to produce thrust under control of a remote controller that remotely controls shifting between forward, neutral, and reverse modes, the watercraft propulsion apparatus comprising a shifting mechanism configured to shifting gears between forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a shift actuator configured to drive the shifting mechanism, a shift position sensor configured to detect a position of the shift actuator with respect to the forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a controller configured to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor, and a start-regulation circuit including a plurality of semiconductor devices, the circuit being configured to deactivate a starter of the engine when a starting switch of the engine is turned on in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor.

2. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shift position sensor is of a non-contact type.

3. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shift position sensor is connected to the controller with an interface circuit, and the shift position sensor is connected to the start-regulation circuit at a branched point within the interface circuit or a point between the interface circuit and the controller.

4. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the shift position sensor is connected to the controller with an interface circuit, and the shift position sensor is connected to the start-regulation circuit at a branched point within the interface circuit or a point between the interface circuit and the controller.

5. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the start-regulation circuit is configured to deactivate the starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on, when an intermediate zone between the neutral and forward positions or an intermediate zone between the neutral and reverse positions is detected by the shift position sensor, and when the start-regulation circuit determines that a position other than neutral is detected.

6. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the start-regulation circuit is configured to deactivate the starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on, when an intermediate zone between the neutral and forward positions or an intermediate zone between the neutral and reverse positions is detected by the shift position sensor, and when the start-regulation circuit determines that a position other than neutral is detected.

7. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a cranking-permission/inhibition section that is configured to issue an instruction for permitting or inhibiting cranking and wherein the start-regulation circuit is configured to deactivate the starter of the engine when a signal indicative of cranking inhibition is provided from the cranking-permission/inhibition section to the start-regulation circuit.

8. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller comprises a cranking-permission/inhibition section that is configured to issue an instruction for permitting or inhibiting cranking and wherein the start-regulation circuit is configured to deactivate the starter of the engine when a signal indicative of cranking inhibition is provided from the cranking-permission/inhibition section to the start-regulation circuit.

9. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is included in an engine ECU, the engine ECU comprising a logic circuit including the semiconductor devices in the start-regulation circuit, the logic circuit being connected to the starting switch of the engine.

10. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is included in an engine ECU, the engine ECU comprising a logic circuit including the semiconductor devices in the start-regulation circuit, the logic circuit being connected to the starting switch of the engine.

11. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is included in an engine ECU, the engine ECU comprising a logic circuit including the semiconductor devices in the start-regulation circuit, the logic circuit being connected to the starting switch of the engine.

12. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the start-regulation circuit comprises a plurality of logic circuits formed with a passive element, and a starter relay configured to operate depending on an output from the logic circuits, the starter relay being configured to be operated, in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor, in accordance with outputs from the plurality of logic circuits, thereby deactivating the starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on.

13. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the start-regulation circuit comprises a plurality of logic circuits formed with a passive element, and a starter relay configured to operate depending on an output from the logic circuits, the starter relay being configured to be operated, in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor, in accordance with outputs from the plurality of logic circuits, thereby deactivating the starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on.

14. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the start-regulation circuit comprises a plurality of logic circuits formed with a passive element, and a starter relay configured to operate depending on an output from the logic circuits, the starter relay being configured to be operated, in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor, in accordance with outputs from the plurality of logic circuits, thereby deactivating the starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on.

15. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a sensing circuit is interposed between the shift position sensor and the logic circuit in the start-regulation circuit, the sensing circuit being configured to discriminate between a neutral position and a position other than neutral on the basis of an input voltage value supplied from the shift position sensor by referring to a predetermined input voltage range, and configured to output a signal to the logic circuit.

16. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with a watercraft, the watercraft propulsion apparatus being mounted to the watercraft and configured to produce thrust for the watercraft.

17. The watercraft propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microcomputer configured to run software to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor.

18. A watercraft propulsion system having an engine configured to produce thrust under control of a remote controller that remotely controls shifting between forward, neutral, and reverse modes, the watercraft propulsion apparatus comprising a shifting mechanism configured to shifting gears between forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a shift actuator configured to drive the shifting mechanism, a shift position sensor configured to detect a position of the shift actuator with respect to the forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a controller configured to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor, and a start-regulation circuit including a plurality of semiconductor devices, the circuit including means for deactivating a starter of the engine when a starting switch of the engine is turned on in a state where a position other than neutral is detected by the shift position sensor.