초록 ▼

A marine vessel propulsion system includes port and starboard drive systems, each including an engine, an engine throttle, and a transmission furnishing drive power to a propeller on a drive shaft. Each transmission includes forward and reverse clutches, and each clutch can be fully engaged, fully d

A marine vessel propulsion system includes port and starboard drive systems, each including an engine, an engine throttle, and a transmission furnishing drive power to a propeller on a drive shaft. Each transmission includes forward and reverse clutches, and each clutch can be fully engaged, fully disengaged and modulated. Two alternately usable separate control stations operate the throttles and clutches to control vessel speed and direction. Each control station comprises port and starboard sets of manually operable control devices, and each set includes a mode selector switch for selecting cruise mode or troll mode for its respective throttle and a manually operable direction/speed control lever. In troll mode the lever selects and modulates the selected respective clutch to control propeller speed. In cruise mode the lever fully engages the selected respective clutch and also regulates the engine throttle to control propeller speed. Port and starboard manually operable power-link function selector switches at each control station enable one direction/speed control lever to control both drive systems simultaneously in the forward cruise mode. Electronic controllers process control station output signals and feedback signals indicative of engine speeds and propeller direction and speeds and then provide drive system control signals. Transfer of control to one station from another is possible.

대표청구항 ▼

A marine propulsion system comprising: a propeller drive shaft; an engine having an engine throttle operable to regulate engine speed; engine throttle control means; a transmission, having forward and reverse clutches operable to connect said engine to said propeller drive shaft for rotation in forw

A marine propulsion system comprising: a propeller drive shaft; an engine having an engine throttle operable to regulate engine speed; engine throttle control means; a transmission, having forward and reverse clutches operable to connect said engine to said propeller drive shaft for rotation in forward and reverse directions, said clutch being modulatable to regulate the speed of said propeller drive shaft; clutch control means; and control means for operating said engine throttle control means and said clutch control means to effect rotation of said engine at a selected speed; and to effect rotation of said propeller drive shaft in forward or reverse directions and at a selected speed, said control means comprising: mode selector means for operating said engine throttle to effect operation of said engine at a selected speed, one selected speed being a relatively slow troll speed and another selected speed being a relatively faster cruise speed, said mode selector means providing output signals indicative that troll speed or cruise speed is selected; and direction/speed control means for selecting one of said clutches to effect rotation of said propeller drive shaft in forward or reverse direction, said direction/speed control means being further operable when said troll speed has been selected to modulate the selected clutch to enable propeller shaft rotation at a troll speed less than said selected engine speed, said direction/speed control means being further operable when said cruise speed has been selected to effect full clutch engagement and to operate said engine throttle to enable propeller shaft rotation at a cruise speed proportional to engine speed, said direction/speed control means providing output signals indicative of the direction and speed selected for said propeller shaft; said control means further comprising: sensing means for providing feedback signals indicative of engine speed and of propeller shaft speed and direction of shaft rotation; and controller means for receiving and processing said output signals and said feedback signals and for providing control signals to effect operation of said engine throttle control means and said clutch control means.