JP5191199B2 - Ship propulsion device control device, cruise support system using the same, and vessel - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device for controlling a marine vessel propulsion device including a steering mechanism and a propulsion device, and a navigation support system and a marine vessel including such a control device.

One type of marine propulsion device that imparts propulsive force to a marine vessel is an electric outboard motor. The electric outboard motor is mainly used in a place such as a lake where the use of the engine type outboard motor is prohibited from the viewpoint of environmental protection.
The electric outboard motor includes a propulsion device including an electric motor and a propeller coupled to a drive shaft of the electric motor. By controlling the rotational speed of the electric motor, the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device can be controlled. Further, the traveling direction of the ship can be controlled by controlling the direction (steering angle) of the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device.

  The electric outboard motor shown in the following Patent Document 1 is mainly used for short-distance movement and adjustment of heading in a small fishing boat such as a bass boat for fishing. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses a so-called autopilot function. The autopilot function is a function for automatically controlling the steering angle and the rotation speed of the electric motor so that the bow posture is always maintained in a certain direction.

  Hereinafter, not only the electric outboard motor but also a general outboard motor, a prime mover (including an electric motor and an engine) and a propeller (propulsion generating member) are collectively referred to as a “propulsion device”. A mechanism that controls the direction (steering angle) of the propulsive force generated by the propeller is referred to as a “steering mechanism”. In the steering mechanism, examples of generating power for changing the steering angle include an electric motor operated by electric energy, other electric power sources, a hydraulic device, and the like. In addition, part of the driving force generated by the prime mover may be used to change the steering angle. The propulsion device and the steering mechanism are collectively referred to as “marine propulsion device”. In general, an outboard motor is provided with a steering mechanism in addition to a propulsion device. Such an outboard motor falls within the definition of the marine propulsion device.

In the marine vessel maneuvering mechanism shown in Patent Document 2 below, a cylinder rod interposed between two propulsion devices is expanded and contracted by an electric pump driven by a control motor to control the steering angle of each propulsion device. .
JP-A-10-59291 JP-A-2-227395

  Since the prime mover having a smaller output than the propulsion device is usually used as the prime mover of the steering mechanism, the steering mechanism generally includes a speed reducer that decelerates and transmits the driving force generated by the prime mover. For this reason, the time required to reach the target steering angle is relatively long. In particular, when the propulsion device becomes large, a reduction device having a large reduction ratio is used accordingly, so that it takes a long time to reach the target steering angle.

  On the other hand, since the propeller rotates the propeller directly or with a small reduction ratio with an electric motor or engine, the propulsion device quickly reaches the target propulsive force. Therefore, when the control of the propulsion device and the steering mechanism based on each target value is started at the same time, the propulsive force reaches the target value before the steering angle. In that case, a propulsive force in a direction unintended by the operator is generated in the hull during a period from immediately after the steering angle starts to change until the target value is reached, so that a desired ship behavior may not be realized. There is.

An object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a marine propulsion device for controlling a steering mechanism and a propulsion device so as to realize a desired marine behavior.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a navigation support system and a ship provided with the control device as described above.

The invention of claim 1, wherein for achieving the above object, propulsion for generating a propulsion force, and a control device for controlling the marine propulsion device including a steering mechanism for changing the steering angle of the propeller a is a target driving force setting means for setting a target driving force, propeller control for controlling the output of the previous SL thruster to be lower than the target propulsive force between the front Kimisao steering angle is changed look contains a means, the thruster control means, the suppression amount of the target propulsive force, the steering angle is one that decreases as it approaches the target steering angle, the control apparatus for marine propulsion device.

  According to this configuration, while the steering angle is changed, control (suppression, in other words, reduction) is performed so that the output of the propulsion device becomes lower than the target propulsive force. As a result, it is possible to prevent the hull from being given a propulsive force in a direction not intended by the operator until the steering angle reaches the target value, thereby realizing a desired ship behavior. The suppression of the output of the propulsion device may be performed during the entire period during which the steering angle is changed, or may be performed during a part of the period.

On the other hand , when the steering angle is close to the target steering angle, an unnecessary moment generated by the propulsion device is reduced, and thus the influence of the output of the propulsion device on the ship behavior is small. Rather, as the steering angle approaches the target steering angle, the output of the propulsion device approaches the target propulsive force, so that the behavior of the ship is accelerated and the operability is excellent. Therefore, in the present invention, the amount of suppression of the target propulsive force is reduced as the steering angle approaches the target steering angle.
The invention described in claim 2 is a control device for controlling a propulsion device that generates a propulsive force and a marine propulsion device that includes a steering mechanism that changes a steering angle of the propulsion device, wherein the target propulsive force is reduced. Target propulsion force setting means for setting, propulsion device control means for controlling the output of the propulsion device to be lower than the target propulsion force while the steering angle is changed, and the output of the propulsion device is the target It is a control device for a marine propulsion device, including notifying means for notifying that control is performed to be lower than the propulsive force.
According to this configuration, since the operator can grasp that the output of the propulsion device is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force, the operator's uncomfortable feeling can be reduced.
The invention according to claim 3 further includes steering angle determination means for determining whether or not the steering angle has reached a predetermined threshold value, and the propulsion unit control means is configured to reduce the steering angle by the steering angle determination means. The marine propulsion device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein an output of the propulsion device is set so that the target propulsive force is obtained in response to the determination that the threshold value has been reached. It is a control device.

According to this configuration, when the steering angle of the propulsion device reaches a predetermined threshold value, the output of the propulsion device is set so as to obtain the target propulsive force. The target propulsive force generation time of the propeller can be delayed. Therefore, a propulsive force can be generated in the direction intended by the operator, and a desired ship behavior can be realized.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the control device controls a plurality of the marine vessel propulsion devices, and the steering angle determining means is configured such that the steering angles of all the marine vessel propulsion devices have a predetermined threshold value. The propulsion unit control means determines that the steering angles of all the marine propulsion devices have reached the predetermined threshold value by the steering angle determination means. 4. The marine propulsion device control device according to claim 3 , wherein the outputs of the plurality of propulsion devices are set so as to obtain the target propulsive force in response to.

  According to this configuration, when the steering angle of all the propulsion devices respectively provided in the plurality of marine propulsion devices reaches a predetermined threshold value, the output of the propulsion device is set so that the target propulsive force is obtained. Is set. As a result, the target propulsive force generation timing of the propulsion device can be delayed with respect to the control start timing of all the steering mechanisms. Therefore, a propulsive force can be generated in the direction intended by the operator, and a desired ship behavior can be realized with certainty. The target propulsive force may be input from an operator, or may be automatically set by the system in the case of autonomous navigation.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the control device controls the steering mechanism based on a target steering angle, and the predetermined threshold value is determined by multiplying the target steering angle by a predetermined ratio. further comprising a threshold value setting means, a control device for marine propulsion device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein.
According to this configuration, since the predetermined threshold value is determined by multiplying the target steering angle by a predetermined ratio, the threshold value is appropriately determined according to the target steering angle. Therefore, the relationship between the control start timing of the steering mechanism and the target propulsive force generation timing of the propulsion device can be optimized regardless of the target steering angle.

The invention according to claim 6 is the control device for a marine propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the propulsion unit control means includes target propulsion force suppression means for suppressing the target propulsion force. It is.
According to this configuration, since the target propulsion force is suppressed by the target propulsion force suppression means, the propulsion device control means can reliably control the output of the propulsion device to be lower than the target propulsion force.

Invention of Claim 7 is a control apparatus of the ship propulsion apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-6 in which the said ship propulsion apparatus contains the propulsion device provided in the bow part of a ship at least. . Here, the bow portion refers to a portion within about 1/3 of the longitudinal dimension of the ship from the forefront of the ship.
According to this structure, since the propulsion device provided in the bow part is generally small, it is lightweight. On the other hand, since the propeller provided at the stern is generally large, the center of gravity of the hull is biased toward the stern side due to its weight. Therefore, the distance between the propulsion device provided at the bow portion and the center of gravity of the hull is relatively long. Therefore, the propulsive force of the propulsion device provided at the bow portion gives a large moment around the center of gravity to the hull and greatly affects the ship behavior. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the propulsion device provided at the bow portion is controlled so that the output of the propulsion device becomes lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed. Therefore, an undesired moment can be suppressed and a desired ship behavior can be realized.

The invention according to claim 8 is the control device for the marine propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the steering mechanism includes a decelerator that decelerates the power for changing the steering angle. It is.
According to this configuration, generally, a large power source cannot be used for the steering mechanism. However, since the steering mechanism requires a large amount of power, a speed reducer is often used. In this case, there is a possibility that it takes a relatively long time until the steering angle reaches the target value by using the speed reducer. However, as described above, the propulsion unit output is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed, so the operator does not intend the hull until the steering angle reaches the target value. Generation of a large driving force in the direction can be prevented.

The invention described in claim 9 is a propulsion device that generates propulsive force, a marine vessel propulsion device that includes a steering mechanism that determines a steering angle of the propulsion device, and claims 1 to 3 for controlling the marine vessel propulsion device. A navigation support system including the control device according to claim 8 .
According to this configuration, the output of the propulsion device is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large propulsive force from being generated in the hull in a direction unintended by the operator until the steering angle reaches the target value, and a desired ship behavior can be realized.

The invention described in claim 10 includes a ship hull, a propulsion device that generates a propulsive force, and a steering mechanism that determines a steering angle of the propulsion device and is attached to the hull, and claims 1 to 8. It is a ship containing the control apparatus of the ship propulsion apparatus as described in any one of these.
According to this configuration, the output of the propulsion device is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large propulsive force from being generated in the hull in a direction unintended by the operator until the steering angle reaches the target value, and a desired ship behavior can be realized.

The ship may be a relatively small ship such as a cruiser, a fishing boat, a water jet, or a watercraft.
Further, the marine vessel propulsion device provided in the marine vessel may be an outboard motor (outboard motor ) . The outboard motor has a propulsion unit including a prime mover (engine or electric motor) and a propulsion force generation member (propeller) outside the outboard, and further includes a steering mechanism that rotates the entire propulsion unit in a horizontal direction with respect to the hull. It was attached .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the configuration of a ship 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ship 1 is a relatively small ship such as a bus boat. The ship 1 includes a hull 2, a pair of outboard motors 4, 5 attached to the stern 3 of the hull 2, and an outboard motor 7 attached to the bow 6.

The pair of outboard motors 4, 5 arranged on the stern 3 are attached to positions that are symmetrical with respect to a center line 8 that passes through the stern 3 and the bow 6. Specifically, the outboard motor 4 is attached to the port side rear part of the hull 2, and the outboard motor 5 is attached to the starboard rear part of the hull 2.
Further, the outboard motor 7 disposed on the bow 6 is attached to a position shifted from the center line 8 in either the left or right direction (right side in the present embodiment). Of course, the outboard motor 7 of the bow 6 may be arranged on the center line 8. However, since a fish finder or other equipment is often attached to this position, it is preferable to select the arrangement as described above.

The outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 all function as marine propulsion devices. Hereinafter, in order to distinguish them, they may be referred to as “portside outboard motor 4”, “starboard outboard motor 5”, and “bow bow outboard motor 7”, respectively.
The port outboard motor 4, starboard outboard motor 5 and bow outboard motor 7 are respectively provided with electronic control units (ECUs) 9, 10, 11 (hereinafter referred to as “port ECU ECU 9”, “starboard ECU 10” for distinction, In some cases, it is referred to as “bow ECU 11”, or “outboard motor ECUs 9, 10, 11” when collectively referred to. A battery 12 is connected to each of the port ECU 9, starboard ECU 10, and bow ECU 11, and power is supplied from each battery 12 to the corresponding ECU and outboard motor.

  The hull 2 is provided with a joystick 13 as an operation member that is operated for maneuvering. By operating the joystick 13, the ship 1 can be controlled to move forward and backward and turn left and right. Information related to the operation of the joystick 13 is input to the cruise control device 15 via an inboard LAN 14 such as a CAN (Control Area Network) disposed in the hull 2, for example.

  The hull 2 is provided with a display unit 46 as a notification means, for example, in the vicinity of the joystick 13. The display unit 46 is connected to the cruise control device 15 via the inboard LAN 14 and may be integrated with the cruise control device 15. The display unit 46 includes an indicator lamp 41 and a screen 42. The display unit 46 visually notifies the operator whether or not scheduling control described later is being performed by using the indicator lamp 41 and the screen 42. However, the display unit 46 notifies by voice or vibration. May be.

  The cruise control device 15 is an electronic control unit (ECU) including a microcomputer. The cruise control device 15 functions as a control device for controlling the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 (marine propulsion device), and performs propulsive force control and steering control. The cruise control device 15 further communicates with the port ECU 9, starboard ECU 10, and bow ECU 11 via the inboard LAN 14. Specifically, the cruise control device 15 sends out the measured values of the rotational speeds of the motors 22 (see FIG. 3) provided to the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 from the outboard motor ECUs 9, 10, and 11, and The actual value of the steering angle representing the direction of the outer units 4, 5, and 7 is acquired. On the other hand, the cruise control device 15 gives the target values of the propulsive force and the steering angle to be generated by the motors 22 of the outboard motors 4, 5, 7 to the outboard motor ECUs 9, 10, 11. It is like that. Reference numeral 16 represents a terminator.

  FIG. 2 shows the coordinate positions of the port outboard motor 4, starboard outboard motor 5, and bow outboard motor 7 in a coordinate system (hull coordinate system) defined with reference to the hull 2. This hull coordinate system is a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system defined in a plane parallel to the horizontal plane on which the ship 1 is located. More specifically, the hull coordinate system coincides with the center line 8 of the hull 2 and is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the hull 2 and perpendicular to the x axis and parallel to the left and right direction of the hull 2. And is defined by The coordinate origin O is taken as the center of instantaneous rotation of the hull 2 when turning.

The instantaneous rotation center may be a designed instantaneous rotation center determined according to the types of the hull 2 and the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7. Alternatively, a test run may be performed to measure the instantaneous rotation center in advance.
In the hull coordinate system, the x and y coordinates of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 are given by the following equation (1).

Coordinates (x, y) = (x _L , y _L ) of port outboard motor 4
Coordinates (x, y) = (x _R , y _R ) of starboard outboard motor 5 (1)
Coordinates (x, y) = (x _F , y _F ) of the bow outboard motor 7
However, x _L = x _R and y _L = −y _R.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view for explaining a configuration common to each outboard motor.

Each outboard motor 4, 5, 7 (here, the bow outboard motor 7 is representatively shown) includes an electric steering device 17 as a steering mechanism and a propulsion unit 18.
The electric steering device 17 includes a casing 19 that is detachably fixed to the hull 2, a shaft 20 that extends from the casing 19 toward the water surface, and a servomotor 21 that is provided in the casing 19 and rotates the shaft 20 about its axis. And have. In addition, the electric steering device 17 has a speed reducer 44 configured with a gear or the like. The speed reducer 44 is configured by a speed reduction mechanism that meshes gears having different numbers of teeth, or a speed reduction mechanism that combines a pulley and a belt. In the present embodiment, a corresponding ECU (the bow ECU 11 in FIG. 3) is attached to the casing 19 and is electrically connected to the servo motor 21. The servo motor 21 is driven by being supplied with electric power from the battery 12 (see FIG. 1) through the ECU. The shaft 20 is made of iron or resin. The servo motor 21 and the shaft 20 are connected via a speed reducer 44. In addition, the casing 19 not only accommodates the above-described components, but also functions as an attachment device for attaching the outboard motor to the hull 2.

  The propulsion unit 18 includes a motor 22 that has been waterproofed and a propeller 23 that is directly connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 22. The motor 22 is integrally attached to the water surface side end of the shaft 20. The shaft 20 has such a length that the propeller 18 can be disposed in water. The motor 22 is electrically connected to the ECU (the bow ECU 11 in FIG. 3) of the casing 19 via a cable (not shown) disposed in the shaft 20. The ECU supplies electric power from the battery 12 (see FIG. 1) described above to the motor 22 and rotates the motor 22. When the motor 22 is driven to rotate, the propeller 23 is rotated, so that a propulsive force for moving the hull 2 can be generated.

  The propulsion unit 18 has a rotation speed sensor 25 for detecting the actual rotation speed of the motor 22. The rotation speed sensor 25 can be configured by a pulse generation unit that generates a pulse synchronized with the rotation of the motor 22. The ECU in the casing 19 detects the pulse signal generated by the pulse generation unit, and calculates the rotational speed of the motor 22 from the time interval of the pulse signal.

  On the other hand, when the servo motor 21 is driven, the power generated by the servo motor 21 is decelerated by the speed reducer 44 and then transmitted to the shaft 20, whereby the shaft 20 and the propulsion unit 18 are rotated around the axis of the shaft 20 (illustrated). (See arrow). As a result, the steering angle of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 (the azimuth angle formed by the center line 8 of the hull 2 and the direction of the propulsive force) can be changed. The electric steering device 17 is provided with a steering angle sensor 24 using a potentiometer or the like in order to detect an actual steering angle. For example, the steering angle sensor 24 may output a signal indicating the rotation angle of the shaft 20.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a command system and a response system between the cruise control device 15 and the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7. Here, a configuration corresponding to the bow outboard motor 7 shown in FIG. 3 will be described.
The ECU 11 corresponding to the outboard motor 7 includes a rotation speed control unit 26 and an electric steering control unit 27. The cruise control device 15 gives the target value of the propulsive force to be generated by the motor 22 of the outboard motor 7 to the rotational speed control unit 26, and gives the target value of the steering angle of the outboard motor 7 to the electric steering control unit 27. . The rotational speed control unit 26 obtains a target rotational speed corresponding to the target value of the propulsive force, and the actual value of the rotational speed detected by the rotational speed sensor 25 matches the target rotational speed. The motor 22 is controlled. On the other hand, the electric steering control unit 27 controls the servo motor 21 of the electric steering device 17 so that the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 24 matches the target value.

The relationship between the propulsive force F generated by the propeller 18 and the rotational speed n of the motor 22 is given by the following equations (2) and (3). In this embodiment, the rotational speed of the motor 22 is the same as the rotational speed of the propeller 23.
F = ρD ⁴ K _T (J) n | n | (2)
J = u / (nD) (3)
In equations (2) and (3), ρ is the density (constant) of water, D is the diameter (constant) of the propeller 23, _KT is the thrust coefficient, J is the forward rate, and u is the wake speed of the propeller 23. It is a measured value. The measured post-flow velocity u of the propeller 23 may be directly detected by a speed sensor (not shown) provided in the vicinity of the propeller 23, or is calculated by multiplying the actual navigation speed of the ship 1 by a predetermined coefficient. May be. The thrust coefficient _KT has a fixed relationship with the forward rate J, that is, the propeller wake speed u and the rotational speed n of the motor 22, and is obtained from a map showing the relationship.

The rotational speed control unit 26 substitutes the target value F of the propulsive force given from the cruise control device 15 and the actual measured value u of the wake speed of the propeller 23 into the equations (2) and (3), A target rotational speed n of the motor 22 in the outboard motor 7 is calculated.
Based on the target values of the rotational speed and steering angle of the motor 22, the rotational speed control unit 26 and the electric steering control unit 27 drive the motor 22 and the servo motor 21, respectively. The actual rotational speed of the motor 22 detected by the rotational speed sensor 25 and the actual steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 24 are fed back to the rotational speed control unit 26 and the electric steering control unit 27 as measured values, respectively. The actual measured values of the rotational speed and steering angle of the motor 22 are also fed back to the cruise control device 15 via the rotational speed control unit 26 and the electric steering control unit 27, respectively.

The rotational speed control unit 26 and the electric steering control unit 27 are based on the actually measured values of the rotational speed and the steering angle of the motor 22 that are fed back, so that these actually measured values match the target values. Control each drive.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of drive control of the motor 22 in the rotation speed control unit 26. The rotation speed control unit 26 includes a PID (proportional integral derivative) controller 34 and a PI (proportional integral) controller 35. The outboard motor ECU 11 is provided with a drive circuit (not shown) for supplying a drive current to the motor 22 and a current detection circuit 37 for detecting the current supplied from the drive circuit to the motor 22. ing.

  The PID controller 34 should be given to the motor 22 in order to eliminate the deviation using a proportional element, an integral element, and a derivative element based on a deviation between the actual rotation speed of the motor 22 by the rotation speed sensor 25 and the target rotation speed. The target value of current is output (PID control). The PI controller 35 uses a proportional element and an integral element to eliminate the deviation based on the deviation between the output current target value and the actual measured current value of the motor 22 measured by the current detection circuit 37. A duty ratio to be applied to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control of the motor 22 is output (PI control). Then, the rotational speed of the motor 22 is detected by the rotational speed sensor 25, and the PID control and the PI control are repeated so that this value, that is, the measured value of the rotational speed coincides with the target value. Hereinafter, these PID control and PI control by the rotation speed control unit 26 are collectively referred to as “propulsion control”.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of drive control of the servo motor 21 in the electric steering control unit 27. The electric steering control unit 27 includes a PD (proportional derivative) controller 36. Based on the deviation between the actual value of the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 24 and the target value, the PD controller 36 uses a proportional element and a differential element to calculate the current to be supplied to the servo motor 21 in order to eliminate the deviation. Output (PD control). Then, the PD control is repeated so that the actual value of the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 24 matches the target value. Hereinafter, the PD control by the electric steering control unit 27 is referred to as “steering angle control”.

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the joystick 13. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the tilted joystick 13, and FIG. 7B projects the joystick 13 in the state of FIG. 7A onto the hull coordinate plane (xy plane in the hull coordinate system). FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the joystick 13 includes a rod 29 projecting from an operation panel 28 provided on the hull 2 so as to be tiltable in an arbitrary direction, and an approximately provided portion at the free end of the rod 29. And a spherical knob 30.

  The neutral position of the rod 29 is a position upright with respect to the surface of the operation panel 28. The operator can change the traveling direction of the ship 1 to the direction corresponding to the tilting direction of the rod 29 by gripping the knob 30 and tilting the rod 29 from the neutral position in a desired direction. The operator can further control the propulsive force applied to the hull 2 from the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 according to the degree of inclination of the rod 29. That is, the larger the rod 29 is tilted, the greater the propulsive force is given to the hull 2. Thereby, for example, the navigation speed of the vessel 1 is increased by tilting the rod 29 greatly toward the bow side. On the other hand, if the rod 29 is tilted toward the stern side while the ship 1 is moving forward, a braking operation for reducing the navigation speed can be performed, and further, the ship 1 can be moved backward.

  The knob 30 is rotatable with respect to the rod 29 about the axis of the rod 29. The operator can turn the ship 1 (turn about the instantaneous rotation center of the hull 2) by turning the knob 30 around the axis of the rod 29. In particular, when the knob 30 is turned with the rod 29 in the neutral position while the ship 1 is stopped, a fixed point turning that turns the ship 1 without changing the position of the ship 1 can be performed. Fixed point turning is performed when the ship 1 is parked.

The rotation angle L _z (see the arrow in the figure) of the knob 30 is detected by an angle sensor 38 provided on the operation panel 28. Vessel 1 is able to pivot (stem turning) at an angular velocity corresponding to the rotation angle L _z (yaw angular velocity).
On the other hand, the advance angle β (see FIG. 7B), which is the tilt azimuth angle of the rod 29, and the tilt angle (tilt amount) of the rod 29 are detected by a pair of position sensors 39, 40 provided on the operation panel 28. The As shown in FIG. 7B, a vector having a constant size along the axial direction of the rod 29 is assumed, and an orthogonal projection of the vector onto the xy plane of the hull coordinate system is L. One position sensor 39 detects a component (x component) L _x along the x-axis direction (direction parallel to the x-axis) of the orthogonal projection vector L. The other position sensor 40 detects a component (y component) L _y along the y-axis direction (direction parallel to the y-axis) of the orthogonal projection vector L. That is, the pair of position sensors 39 and 40 detect the amounts of tilt of the rod 29 in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively, and input the detection results to the cruise control device 15. Cruising control device 15, the x component L _x and y components L _y, with determining x propulsion and y-axis directions F _x and F _y, obtains the movement angle beta.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining a control system of the outboard motors 4, 5, 7 based on the operation of the joystick 13. FIG. 9 is a diagram exemplarily showing a state in which the predetermined target values of the propulsive force and the steering angle have been achieved in the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7.
The cruise control device 15 includes a target setting unit 31, a propulsive force distribution unit 32 as a target propulsive force setting unit, and a steering angle determination unit, a propulsion unit control unit, a threshold setting unit, and a target propulsive force suppression unit. A scheduling unit 33 is included.

Operator, the joystick 13 and is tilted towards the rod 29 in the desired direction, x components L _x and y components L _y detected by the position sensor 39, 40 described above, the target setting unit 31 Given. When the operator turns the knob 30, the turning angle L _z detected by the angle sensor 38 is given to the target setting unit 31.
The target setting unit 31 uses the target propulsive force F to be applied to the hull 2 in order to realize the ship behavior desired by the operator based on the given x component L _x , y component _Ly and the rotation angle L _z. And the target moment M _z is set.

The target setting unit 31 detects the x component L _x detected by the position sensors 39 and 40 from the x direction component (front and rear thrust) F _x and the y direction component (left and right thrust) F _y of the target thrust (thrust) F. And based on the y component _Ly , it calculates _| requires by following Formula. In addition, the target setting unit 31 obtains the target moment M _z by the following equation based on the rotation angle L _z detected by the angle sensor 38.

F _x = c _x L _x
F _y = c _y L _y (4)
M _z = c _z L _z
In Expression (4), c _x , _cy and c _z are coefficients.
The target setting section 31, based on the x component L _x and y components L _y is detected by the position sensor 39 and 40, for the movement angle beta (x-axis direction showing the traveling direction of the boat 1 by the operator desires (Azimuth) is set according to the following equation (5).

式（５）において、εは十分に小さな正の定数であり、sgn（Ｌ_y）は、Ｌ_yが正か０の場合に１を返し、Ｌ_yが負の場合に−１を返す符号関数である。
推進力配分部３２は、目標設定部３１で設定された前後スラストＦ_x、左右スラストＦ_y、モーメントＭ_zおよび進行角βを次式（６）〜（１１）に代入することにより、各船外機４，５，７に配分すべき推進力および操舵角の目標値を算出する。

In the formula (5), epsilon is a sufficiently small positive constant, sgn (L _y) returns 1 if the L _y GaTadashika 0, signum function which returns -1 if L _y is negative It is.
The propulsive force distribution unit 32 substitutes the forward / backward thrust F _x , left / right thrust F _y , moment M _z and travel angle β set by the target setting unit 31 into the following equations (6) to (11) to The target values of the propulsive force and the steering angle to be distributed to the outer units 4, 5, and 7 are calculated.

ここで、前述したモーメントＭ_zは、船体２全体に作用されるモーメントの合計として、次式（１２）で与えられるので、式（６）、（９）および（１１）を式（１２）に代入することで、式（１０）が導出される。

Here, the above-described moment M _z is given by the following equation (12) as the sum of the moments acting on the entire hull 2, so that the equations (6), (9), and (11) are changed to the equation (12). By substituting, Equation (10) is derived.

また、式（６）から明らかなように、進行角βは、そのまま船首船外機７の目標操舵角δ_Fとなる。また、左舷船外機４および右舷船外機５の目標操舵角δ_L，δ_Rは、Ｍ_z＝０の場合を除き、どちらかが０またはπである。左舷船外機４および右舷船外機５の座標がｘ軸を挟んで左右対称の場合（ｙ_L＝−ｙ_R）、式（１１）により、左舷船外機４および右舷船外機５の目標推進力Ｆ_L，Ｆ_Rは、その向きが反対で、大きさが等しくなる。したがって、左舷船外機４と右舷船外機５との間には偶力が生じる。この偶力により、船舶１を瞬間中心回りに旋回させるためのモーメントＭ_zが生じる。目標モーメントＭ_zが零のときには、δ_L＝δ_R＝０となり、左舷船外機４および右舷船外機５の目標推進力Ｆ_L，Ｆ_Rは、その向きが平行で、大きさが等しくなる。これにより、船体２に作用するモーメントが零になる。この状態でジョイスティック１３のロッド２９を傾倒させることにより、船体２を旋回させることなく平行移動させる横移動操船が可能になる。

Further, as is clear from the equation (6), the advance angle β becomes the target steering angle δ _{F of} the bow outboard motor 7 as it is. Further, the target steering angles δ _L and δ _R of the port outboard motor 4 and the starboard outboard motor 5 are either 0 or π except when M _z = 0. When the coordinates of the port outboard motor 4 and starboard outboard motor 5 are symmetrical with respect to the x axis (y _L = −y _R ), the port outboard motor 4 and starboard outboard motor 5 are target propulsive force F _L, F _R, with its orientation opposite, the size equal. Therefore, a couple is generated between the port outboard motor 4 and the starboard outboard motor 5. This couple causes a moment M _z for turning the ship 1 around the instantaneous center. When target moment M _z is zero, δ _L = δ _R = 0, and the target propulsive force F _L of the port-side outboard motor 4 and the starboard-side outboard motor 5, F _R, the orientation is parallel, equal in magnitude Become. As a result, the moment acting on the hull 2 becomes zero. By tilting the rod 29 of the joystick 13 in this state, it is possible to perform a lateral movement ship maneuvering that translates the hull 2 without turning.

The target steering angles δ _F , δ _L , δ _R (collectively referred to as “target steering angle δ”) and the target propulsive force of each outboard motor 4, 5, 7 calculated by the equations (6) to (11). F _F , F _L , and F _R (referred to collectively as “target propulsion force F”) are output to the scheduling unit 33.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the scheduling control executed by the scheduling unit 33. FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B are diagrams showing the time until the steering angle and the propulsive force in the outboard motor reach the target values δ and F in time series. Specifically, FIG. 11A illustrates a case where scheduling control is not performed, and FIG. 11B illustrates a case where scheduling control is performed. FIGS. 12A and 12B are image diagrams in which the propulsive force generated until the steering angle reaches the target value in the bow outboard motor 7 is displayed as a vector at predetermined time intervals. Specifically, FIG. 12A illustrates a case where scheduling control is not performed, and FIG. 12B illustrates a case where scheduling control is performed. FIGS. 13A and 13B are image diagrams that display the movement trajectory of the ship 1 until the steering angle reaches the target value in the bow outboard motor 7. Specifically, FIG. 13A illustrates a case where scheduling control is not performed, and FIG. 13B illustrates a case where scheduling control is performed.

When the propulsive force distribution unit 32 outputs the target propulsive force F and the target steering angle δ of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7, the scheduling unit 33 performs the scheduling control shown in FIG. Details are as follows.
That is, the scheduling unit 33 multiplies the target steering angles δ _F , δ _L , and δ _R of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 by a predetermined ratio (0.95 in this embodiment). The threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R are determined (step S11). The predetermined ratio for determining the threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R is predetermined by performing an operation test.

When threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R relating to the steering angle are determined (step S11), the scheduling unit 33 sets the target steering angles δ _F , δ _L , δ _R to the corresponding outboard motors 4, 5, 5. 7 to the electric steering control unit 27. In response to this, the electric steering control unit 27 starts steering angle control based on the target steering angle δ (step S12).
During the steering angle control, as described above, the actual steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 24 of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 is fed back to the cruise control device 15, and the scheduling unit 33 The actual steering angle fed back is monitored in real time.

When the actual steering angles in all outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 exceed the respective threshold values TH _F , TH _L , and TH _R (YES in step S13), the scheduling unit 33 sets the target propulsive forces F _F , F _L and F _R are output to the rotation speed control units 26 of the corresponding outboard motors 4, 5 and 7. In response to this, the rotation speed control unit 26 starts propulsive force control for setting the output of the propulsion device 18 so that the given target propulsive force F is obtained (step S14). In other words, while the steering angle is being changed, the scheduling unit 33 in this embodiment is from when the steering angle starts to change until it reaches the threshold value (referred to as an output suppression period, FIG. 11B). ))), The output of the propulsion unit 18 in the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 is suppressed to 0, that is, lower than the target propulsive force. In addition, suppression of the output of the propulsion device 18 may be performed in the entire period in which the steering angle is changed, or may be performed in a part of the period as in this embodiment.

On the other hand, if the actual steering angle in any of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 is equal to or less than the threshold value described above (NO in step S13), the scheduling unit 33 determines whether the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 Continue to monitor the steering angle.
Further, until the propulsive force control is started in step S14, the cruise control device 15 displays a message such as “waiting for propeller” on an indicator (not shown), for example. Thereby, it is possible to notify the operator that the driving of the motor 22 is delayed by the scheduling control. Thus, the operator can grasp the operating state of the ship 1 without misunderstanding, and can suppress the operator's anxiety associated with the delay in the generation of the propulsive force.

  If the scheduling control described above is not performed, the target steering angle δ and the target propulsion force F are simultaneously output to the electric steering control unit 27 and the rotation speed control unit 26, respectively. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11A, steering angle control and propulsive force control are started simultaneously. In the steering angle control, the steering angle is gradually brought closer to the target value δ by the electric steering device 17 having the speed reducer 44. On the other hand, the propulsive force of the propulsion device 18 reaches the target propulsive force at a time much earlier than the steering angle reaches the target value δ. Therefore, as shown by the dot areas in FIGS. 11A and 12A, before the steering angle reaches the target value, an extra propulsive force acts on the hull 2, and the desired ship behavior is obtained. May not be achieved. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 12A, the outboard motor (in this example, the bow outboard motor 7 is illustrated) in the direction of the broken line arrow is relatively early. It can be seen that the target propulsion force is already generated at the time. Therefore, there is a possibility that the ship 1 starts to move in a direction different from the intention of the operator.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, for example, the position of the ship 1 when the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 is 90 ° is set as the initial position A. . Then, it is assumed that the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 is changed to 0 ° while operating the joystick 13 to advance the ship 1 from the initial position A. Further, it is assumed that the operator of the joystick 13 desires the ship 1 to go straight along the target locus Y from the initial position A toward the target position X when the steering angle reaches 0 °. . In the thick solid line arrow in the figure, the length indicates the magnitude of the propulsive force generated by the bow outboard motor 7, and the direction indicates the direction of the propulsive force.

  When the scheduling control is not performed, as shown in FIG. 13A, the propulsive force rises immediately after the bow outboard motor 7 starts to rotate at the initial position A, and quickly reaches the target propulsive force. That is, since the target propulsive force is generated from the bow outboard motor 7 from the state in which the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 is close to 90 °, the ship 1 moves forward out of the target locus Y (see position B). Since the target propulsive force is generated long before the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 reaches 0 ° (target steering angle), the ship 1 gradually deviates from the target locus Y (see position C). Even after that, the ship 1 further deviates from the target locus Y until the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 reaches 0 ° (see position D and position E). Therefore, the ship operator has to operate the joystick 13 greatly in order to return the ship 1 from the position E to the target position X (see the arrow of the dashed line in the figure).

  On the other hand, when the scheduling control is performed, as shown in FIG. 11B, the propulsive force generation timing of the propulsion device 18 can be delayed with respect to the control start timing of the electric steering device 17. As a result, the propulsive force can be prevented from reaching the target value much earlier than the steering angle. Specifically, the timing at which the steering angle and the propulsive force reach their target values can be made almost simultaneously. As a result, as shown by the dot areas in FIGS. 11 (b) and 12 (b), there is almost no extra propulsive force acting on the hull 2, so that propulsive force can be generated in the direction intended by the operator. And a desired ship behavior can be realized. When scheduling control is performed, as shown in FIG. 13 (b), in the bow outboard motor 7, propulsive force starts to be generated when the steering angle approaches the target value (here, 0 °). The target propulsive force is generated when the steering angle reaches the target value (see position B) (see position C). Therefore, compared with the case where scheduling control is not performed (see FIG. 13A), the deviation amount of the ship 1 from the target locus Y is small, and the position E after the steering angle reaches the target value is changed to the target position X. The amount of correction (see the dotted arrow in the figure) can also be kept small. Further, when the ship 1 starts to move in an unintended direction, the operator starts to operate the ship so as to correct this movement. At this time, the ship 1 exhibits a swaying and unstable behavior, but in the present invention, such an unstable behavior can be prevented.

In the scheduling control, as shown in step S13 of FIG. 10, when the actual steering angles in all outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 reach the respective threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R. Each propeller 18 is operated to generate a propulsive force. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the propulsive force of any propulsion unit 18 from reaching the target value much earlier than the steering angles of all the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 reach the target value. In other words, a required propulsive force can be applied to the hull 2 almost at the same time when the steering angles of all the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 reach the target value. Thereby, the ship behavior which an operator intends can be implement | achieved reliably. For example, it is possible to suppress or prevent undesired turning of the hull 2 or movement in an unintended direction during the lateral movement ship maneuvering that translates the hull 2 without turning the hull 2 (that is, yaw angular velocity = 0). .

  The scheduling control is preferably performed for all outboard motors 4, 5, and 7, but needs to be performed for at least the outboard motor 7. Referring to FIG. 14, the bow outboard motor 7 is light in weight because the propulsion unit 18 is generally small. On the other hand, the outboard motors 4 and 5 provided at the stern 3 generally have a large propulsion unit 18, so that the center of gravity 0 of the hull 2 is biased toward the stern 3 due to their weight. Therefore, the distance L between the bow outboard motor 7 and the center of gravity 0 is relatively long. Therefore, the propulsive force generated by the bow outboard motor 7 gives a large moment around the center of gravity 0 to the hull 2 and greatly affects the ship behavior. Therefore, if scheduling control is performed on the bow outboard motor 7, an undesired moment can be suppressed and a desired ship behavior can be realized.

The threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R are determined by multiplying the target steering angle δ by a predetermined ratio as shown in step S11 of FIG. Therefore, it is changed to an appropriate value. Therefore, scheduling control adapted to the target steering angle δ can be realized, and the generation timing of the propulsive force can be optimized regardless of the value of the target steering angle δ.
In the present embodiment, the predetermined ratio is constant at 0.95. For example, in the range of 0.85 to 0.95, the predetermined ratio is set large when the navigation speed is low, and the navigation speed is high. It may be set small.

In addition to the method using the predetermined ratio, values obtained by subtracting a predetermined angle (hereinafter referred to as “remaining angle”) from the target steering angle are defined as threshold values TH _F , TH _L , TH _R. You can also. That is, when the actual steering angle reaches a value obtained by subtracting the remaining angle from the target steering angle, the propulsive force control is started. Therefore, the larger the remaining angle, the shorter the delay time of the propulsion force generation timing of the propulsion device 18 with respect to the control start timing of the electric steering device 17. On the other hand, the smaller the remaining angle, the longer the delay time of the propulsion force generation timing of the propulsion unit 18 with respect to the control start timing of the electric steering device 17. And this remaining angle can also be changed according to the navigation speed of the ship 1. For example, the remaining angle may be determined to be small when the navigation speed is low and to be large when the navigation speed is high in the range of 2 ° to 10 °.

Further, the bow outboard motor 7 can be subjected to scheduling control different from the scheduling control described above. FIG. 15 is a block diagram for explaining a control system of the bow outboard motor 7 based on the operation of the joystick 13. In the figure, the elements described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
Referring to FIG. 15, scheduling unit 33 includes a first-order lag filter 45 as a target propulsive force suppressing unit. The first-order lag filter 45 is represented by 1 / (T · s + 1). Here, T is a time constant, and s is a Laplace operator. For example, the time constant T may be set equal to the time constant of the electric steering device 17. The time constant of the electric steering device 17 is, for example, when the target steering angle of 100 ° is given to the electric steering control unit 27 in a step shape when the current steering angle is 0 °, the actual steering angle is the target steering. Time to reach about 63% of the angle (about 63 °). If this time is 1 second, the time constant T may be 1.
The target propulsive force set by the propulsive force distributing unit 32 is output to the rotational speed control unit 26 (see FIG. 4) of the bow outboard motor 7 after passing through the first-order lag filter 45 in the scheduling control.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16, while the steering angle is changed, specifically, immediately after the start of the change of the steering angle, for example, until the steering angle reaches the threshold value (output suppression period), The target propulsive force is suppressed by passing through the first-order lag filter 45 (see the dashed line in the figure), and the propulsive force of the bow outboard motor 7 is controlled based on the suppressed target propulsive force. Then, after the output suppression period ends, the scheduling control ends, and the original target propulsive force set by the propulsive force distribution unit 32 does not pass through the first-order lag filter 45, and the rotational speed control unit of the bow outboard motor 7 26 (see FIG. 4). That is, after the output suppression period ends, the suppression of the target propulsive force is released, and the propulsive force of the bow outboard motor 7 is controlled based on the original (not suppressed) target propulsive force.

  By performing such scheduling control by the scheduling unit 33, the output (actual propulsive force) of the bow outboard motor 7 is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force during the output suppression period. Therefore, compared with the case where scheduling control is not performed in the output suppression period (see FIG. 11A), it is possible to reduce the extra propulsive force acting on the hull 2, and to realize a desired ship behavior. .

  Thus, the amount of suppression of the target propulsive force during the output suppression period decreases as the actual steering angle approaches the target value (target steering angle). That is, as the actual steering angle approaches the target value, the suppressed target propulsive force may approach the original target propulsive force set by the propulsive force distribution unit 32. When the steering angle is close to the target value, the unnecessary moment generated by the propulsion device 18 is reduced, so that the propulsive force hardly affects the ship behavior. Rather, as the steering angle approaches the target value, the propulsive force approaches the target value, so that the behavior of the ship 1 is accelerated and the operability is excellent.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 15, the display unit 46 is connected to the cruise control device 15. Whether or not the scheduling control is being performed is displayed on the display unit 46 so as to notify the operator. Thereby, since the operator can grasp | ascertain whether scheduling control is implemented, it can reduce an operator's discomfort.
FIGS. 17A and 17B are image diagrams showing a state in which whether or not scheduling control is being performed is notified on the display unit 46. Specifically, FIG. 17A shows a state in which the scheduling control is being informed, and FIG. 17B shows a state in which the scheduling control is informed.

During scheduling control, as shown in FIG. 17A, the indicator lamp 41 is lit on the display unit 46, and the screen 42 is an image (referred to as a first image 43) indicating that scheduling control is being performed. ) Is displayed.
The indicator lamp 41 is preferably a high-intensity lamp. In this case, the operator can easily grasp that the indicator lamp 41 is lit without staring at the display unit 46.

  The first image 43 schematically shows a plan view of the ship 1. The attitude of the bow outboard motor 7 at the start of scheduling control (at the start of change of the steering angle) (the steering angle is 90 in FIG. 17A). (The attitude of the bow outboard motor 7). Further, in the first image 43, the turning range (scheduling control section) of the bow outboard motor 7 from the start to the end of the scheduling control is displayed (see the arrow and the dot area in the drawing). Here, as for the attitude of the bow outboard motor 7, not only the attitude at the start of scheduling control but also the attitude changing in the scheduling control section may be indicated stepwise or continuously.

  When the scheduling control ends (when the steering angle reaches the threshold value described above), the indicator lamp 41 is turned off as shown in FIG. The display on the screen 42 is switched from the first image 43 to an image (referred to as a second image 47) indicating that the scheduling control has been completed. In the second image 47, the display around the bow outboard motor 7 is different from the first image 43. Specifically, in the second image 47, the attitude of the bow outboard motor 7 in which the steering angle is between the threshold value and the target value is displayed. Further, the direction and magnitude of the propulsive force generated in the bow outboard motor 7 are schematically displayed by solid arrows in the figure.

  As described above, since scheduling control is performed for at least the outboard motor 7, it is sufficient that at least the outboard motor 7 is shown in the first image 43 and the second image 47. The side outboard motors 4 and 5 (see FIG. 14) may be shown together. Further, instead of turning on or off the indicator lamp 41, it may be notified to the operator by voice whether or not scheduling control is being performed.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart for explaining notification by the display unit 46. When the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 starts to change and the scheduling control by the scheduling unit 33 is started, the navigation control device 15 turns on the indicator lamp 41 and displays the first image 43 on the screen 42. (Step S21). As a result, the operator is notified that the scheduling control is being performed. Then, as described above, when the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 reaches the threshold value and the scheduling control ends (YES in Step S22), the cruise control device 15 turns off the indicator lamp 41, the second The image 47 is displayed on the screen 42 (step S23). As a result, the operator is notified that the scheduling control has ended. When the steering angle of the bow outboard motor 7 reaches the target value (YES in step S24), the display of the second image 47 is terminated. As a result, nothing is displayed on the screen 42, so that the operator can grasp that the actual steering angle and propulsive force of the bow outboard motor 7 have reached the respective target values (see FIG. 16). .

  In this embodiment, the display of the screen 42 is switched from the first image 43 to the second image 47 when the steering angle reaches a threshold value. However, when switching the image, the target propulsive force that has been suppressed by passing through the first-order lag filter 45 reaches the original target propulsive force, or the suppressed target propulsive force approaches the original target propulsive force. (E.g., when 90% of the original target driving force is reached).

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in other forms.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which three outboard motors are provided is illustrated, but a configuration in which only one outboard motor is provided may be used, or two outboard motors (for example, two at the stern) may be provided. Individual outboard motors) or four or more outboard motors.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration for controlling the propulsive force and the steering angle of the electric outboard motors 4, 5, 7 including the electric motor 22 as a prime mover has been described. However, the present invention uses the engine as a prime mover. It can be applied to the control of the propulsive force and steering angle of outboard motors. For example, when an engine equipped with an electric throttle device is used, the rotational speed of the engine can be controlled by controlling the opening degree of the electric throttle, and thereby the propulsive force can be controlled.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 are controlled in response to the operation of the joystick 13 by the operator has been described. The present invention can also be applied to automatic ship maneuvering. For example, examples of automatic boat maneuvering include fixed point holding control, route control, orbit control, and the like. The fixed point holding control is a ship maneuvering control for holding the ship at a fixed position. The route control is ship maneuvering control for automatically navigating a ship according to a predetermined route. Trajectory control is marine vessel maneuvering control for automatically navigating a ship along a predetermined trajectory. In these automatic ship maneuvers, the cruise control device 15 automatically sets the target propulsive force and the target steering angle by a predetermined program calculation. Based on the automatically set target propulsive force and target steering angle, the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 are controlled.

In the embodiment described above, the steering angle of the outboard motors 4, 5, and 7 is changed by driving the servo motor 21, but a hydraulic device is used as a power source for changing the steering angle. Also good.
In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of matters described in the claims.

It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the structure of the ship which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The coordinate positions of the port outboard motor, starboard outboard motor, and bow outboard motor in a coordinate system (hull coordinate system) defined on the basis of the hull are shown. It is an illustrative side view for explaining a configuration common to each outboard motor. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the command system and response system between a cruise control apparatus and each outboard motor. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the flow of the drive control of the motor in a rotational speed control part. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the flow of the drive control of the servomotor in an electric steering control part. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the tilted joystick, and FIG. 7B is a hull coordinate for the joystick in the state of FIG. 7A. It is the top view projected on the plane (xy plane in a hull coordinate system). It is a block diagram for demonstrating the control system of each outboard motor based on operation of a joystick. FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplarily showing a state where predetermined target values of propulsive force and steering angle are achieved in each outboard motor. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the scheduling control which a scheduling part performs. FIG. 11A is a diagram showing, in chronological order, how the steering angle and the propulsive force in the outboard motor reach the target values δ and F. FIG. 11A shows a case where scheduling control is not performed. (B) shows the case where scheduling control is implemented, respectively. FIG. 12A is an image diagram in which the propulsive force generated until the steering angle reaches the target value in the bow outboard motor is displayed as a vector at predetermined time intervals, and FIG. 12A shows a case where scheduling control is not performed, FIG. Indicates the case where scheduling control is implemented. FIG. 13A is a conceptual diagram showing the movement trajectory of the ship until the steering angle reaches the target value in the bow outboard motor. FIG. 13A shows the case where scheduling control is not executed, and FIG. 13B shows the case where scheduling control is executed. Each case is shown. It is a conceptual diagram of the ship for demonstrating the positional relationship of the gravity center of a hull and a bow outboard motor. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the control system of the bow outboard motor based on operation of a joystick. FIG. 11B shows a case where another scheduling control is performed. FIG. 17A is an image diagram showing a state in which whether or not scheduling control is being performed on the display unit. FIG. 17A is a state in which scheduling control is being performed, and FIG. Indicates a state in which the scheduling control has been notified. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the alerting | reporting by a display part.

Explanation of symbols

1 ship 2 hull 3 stern 4 port outboard motor 5 starboard outboard motor 6 bow 7 bow outboard motor 8 center line 9 port ECU
10 starboard ECU
11 Bow ECU
12 Battery 13 Joystick 14 Inboard LAN
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Navigation control device 16 Terminator 17 Electric steering device 18 Propulsion device 19 Casing 20 Shaft 21 Servo motor 22 Motor 23 Propeller 24 Steering angle sensor 25 Rotational speed sensor 26 Rotational speed control unit 27 Electric steering control unit 28 Operation panel 29 Rod 30 Knob 31 Target setting unit 32 Propulsion distribution unit 33 Scheduling unit 34 PID controller 35 PI controller 36 PD controller 37 Current detection circuit 38 Angle sensor 39 Position sensor 40 Position sensor 41 Indicator lamp 42 Screen 43 First image 44 Decelerator 45 First-order lag filter 46 Display unit 47 Second image

Claims (10)

A control device for controlling a propulsion device that generates a propulsive force and a marine propulsion device including a steering mechanism that changes a steering angle of the propulsion device,
A target driving force setting means for setting the target driving force;
Propulsion device control means for controlling the output of the propulsion device to be lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed,
The control device for a marine propulsion device, wherein the propulsion unit control means is configured to reduce the amount of suppression of the target propulsive force as the steering angle approaches the target steering angle. A control device for controlling a propulsion device that generates a propulsive force and a marine propulsion device including a steering mechanism that changes a steering angle of the propulsion device,
A target driving force setting means for setting the target driving force;
Propulsion unit control means for controlling the output of the propulsion unit to be lower than the target propulsive force while the steering angle is changed;
A control device for a marine propulsion device, comprising: a notification means for notifying that an output of the propulsion device is controlled to be lower than the target propulsive force. Steering angle determination means for determining whether or not the steering angle has reached a predetermined threshold value;
The propulsion device control means sets the output of the propulsion device so that the target propulsive force is obtained in response to the steering angle determination means determining that the steering angle has reached the threshold value. it is intended to control apparatus for marine propulsion device according to claim 1 or 2. The control device controls a plurality of the marine vessel propulsion devices,
The steering angle determination means determines whether the steering angles of all the marine vessel propulsion devices have reached a predetermined threshold value,
The propulsion unit control means obtains the target propulsive force in response to the steering angle determination means determining that the steering angles of all the marine vessel propulsion devices have reached the predetermined threshold value. The ship propulsion device control device according to claim 3 , wherein the outputs of the plurality of propulsion devices are set as described above. The control device controls the steering mechanism based on a target steering angle,
The control device for a marine propulsion device according to claim 3 or 4 , further comprising threshold value setting means for determining the predetermined threshold value by multiplying the target steering angle by a predetermined ratio. The said propulsion device control means is a control apparatus of the ship propulsion apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-5 containing the target propulsion force suppression means which suppresses the said target propulsion force. The marine propulsion device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the marine propulsion device includes at least a propulsion device provided at a bow portion of the marine vessel. The steering mechanism comprising said decelerator for decelerating the power for changing the steering angle, the control device of the marine propulsion device according to any one of claims 1-7. A marine propulsion device including a propulsion device that generates propulsive force, and a steering mechanism that determines a steering angle of the propulsion device;
A cruise support system comprising the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for controlling the marine vessel propulsion device. The hull,
A propulsion device that generates propulsive force, and a marine propulsion device that includes a steering mechanism that determines a steering angle of the propulsion device and is attached to the hull;
A marine vessel including the marine vessel propulsion device control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 .

Images