초록 ▼

A waterjet-driven boat has a reversing bucket for controlling forward/reverse thrust and a rotatable nozzle for controlling sideward forces. A bucket position sensor is connected to the reversing bucket, and the bucket is controlled using the output of the position sensor to enable the bucket to be

A waterjet-driven boat has a reversing bucket for controlling forward/reverse thrust and a rotatable nozzle for controlling sideward forces. A bucket position sensor is connected to the reversing bucket, and the bucket is controlled using the output of the position sensor to enable the bucket to be automatically moved to a neutral thrust position. Similarly, a nozzle position sensor is connected to the nozzle, and the nozzle is controlled using the output of the nozzle position sensor so that the nozzle may be automatically returned to a zero sideward force position. A joystick with two axes of motion may be used to control both the bucket and the nozzle. The joystick has built-in centering forces that automatically return it to a neutral position, causing both the bucket and nozzle to return to their neutral positions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A boat of the type driven by at least two waterjets, the boat comprising:at least two waterjet drive assemblies, each assembly comprising: a nozzle at the stern of the boat, the nozzle directing a flow of water generally along the longitudinal direction, the nozzle being capable of rotation about

1. A boat of the type driven by at least two waterjets, the boat comprising:at least two waterjet drive assemblies, each assembly comprising: a nozzle at the stern of the boat, the nozzle directing a flow of water generally along the longitudinal direction, the nozzle being capable of rotation about a generally vertical axis to provide left and right sideward forces on the stern; a reversing bucket for reversing the direction of a variable amount of the flow of water emerging from the nozzle, the reversing bucket being adjustable from any of a plurality of forward thrust positions in which enough water remains sufficiently unaffected by the reversing bucket that a net forward thrust is maintained, to a neutral thrust position in which a substantial fraction of the flow of water is reversed so that the net thrust of the water reversed and the water not reversed is approximately zero, to any of a plurality of reverse thrust positions in which enough water is reversed that a net reverse thrust is maintained; actuators for producing movement of the nozzles and reversing buckets; a control circuit for controlling the actuators the control circuit, actuators, and waterjet drive assemblies being configured to provide three types of movements of the nozzles and reversing buckets: (1) movement of the buckets in unison, to produce the forward and reserve thrust; (2) rotation of the nozzles in unison to provide the left and right sideward forces on the stern, (3) differential movement of the buckets, to produce a torque about a generally vertical axis to move the bow of the boat to the left or right; and a joystick device connected electrically to the control circuit, and configured to control movement of the reversing buckets in unison, rotation of the nozzles in unison, and differential movement of the buckets.