JP2005280572A - Steering device for small vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering device for a small vessel, which is excellent in operability. <P>SOLUTION: The steering device for the small vessel comprises: an outboard motor 2 arranged laterally turnably with respect to the hull in the rear part of the hull; a gear device 13 for turning the outboard motor according to the steering angle of the steering wheel of the driver's seat; an electric actuator 22 for driving the gear device in the turning direction; a steering angle sensor 11 for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel; and a controller 3 for outputting a control signal to the electric actuator in response to a detected signal of the steering angle sensor. The steering wheel is connected to the outboard motor only electrically. The steering device has a steering force applying means 52 for increasing the steering force of the steering wheel. The controller controls a steering reaction force using the steering force applying means in response to the difference between the detected steering angle and the turning angle of the outboard motor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a small boat steering apparatus in which an electric motor for steering an outboard motor and a steering are electrically connected only to each other.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a small marine vessel steering apparatus, there is a technology for controlling an electric motor in accordance with a steering rotation angle and a steering direction of a steering wheel by electrically connecting only an electric motor that steers an outboard motor and a steering wheel. It has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

This is because the operation of the steering wheel arranged at the driver's seat is detected by a sensor, and the output is arranged at the rear part of the boat via a conductor, and an electric motor that generates a steering force capable of steering the outboard motor is connected via a controller. Communicate. The sensor detects the steering rotation angle and the steering direction of the steering wheel and outputs them to the controller, and the electric motor steers the outboard motor in accordance with the detected steering rotation angle and steering direction of the steering wheel.
JP-A-4-38297

  However, the conventional example does not have a mechanism for applying a steering load to the steering wheel, so that the steering force is remarkably reduced, and the state of the hull and water surface cannot be felt from the steering wheel, so-called steering information. There is a risk of inadequate operation of the steering wheel. Further, since the steering wheel can be rotated even when the steering angle of the outboard motor is at the maximum steering angle, there is a difference between the steering wheel steering angle and the steering angle of the outboard motor. As a result, the neutral position of the steering wheel deviates from the neutral position of the outboard motor, resulting in a problem that steering control becomes impossible.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a small marine vessel steering apparatus that improves the steering feeling.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outboard motor disposed at the rear of the hull so as to be turnable in the left-right direction with respect to the hull, a turning angle detecting means for detecting a turning angle of the outboard motor, and a steering angle of a steering wheel of a driver's seat In response to a gear device that rotates the outboard motor in response to the motor, an electric actuator that drives the gear device in the rotation direction, a steering angle sensor that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel, and a detection signal of the steering angle sensor And a controller that outputs a control signal to the electric actuator, and in a small marine steering apparatus in which the steering wheel and the outboard motor are only electrically connected, the steering reaction force that increases the steering reaction force of the steering wheel is increased. Force addition means, and the controller is configured to apply the steering reaction force addition means according to a difference between the detected steering angle and a turning angle of the outboard motor. Controlling the steering reaction force using.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the steering reaction force control means is configured so that the controller increases the steering reaction force as the difference between the detected steering angle and the turning angle of the outboard motor increases. To control.

  According to a third invention, in the first or second invention, when the detected turning angle reaches a predetermined value, the steering reaction force is rapidly increased so that the steering angle of the steering wheel does not increase. Control the reaction force adding means.

  In a fourth aspect based on the third aspect, when the turning angle of the outboard motor reaches a limit value, the controller controls the steering wheel to be larger than the steering angle of the steering wheel corresponding to the turning angle limit value. In the case of an angle, the electric actuator is controlled so that the steering angle of the steering wheel is returned to the steering angle of the steering wheel corresponding to the limit value of the turning angle.

  Therefore, in the first and second inventions, the steering reaction force (steering resistance) of the steering wheel is controlled in accordance with the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle. For example, the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle. When mooring is small, the steering reaction force is reduced to facilitate mooring. On the other hand, during high-speed navigation where the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle is large, the steering reaction force can be increased to feel the state of the hull and water surface. This can prevent erroneous operation of the steering wheel.

  In the third aspect of the invention, when the turning angle of the outboard motor reaches a predetermined value, the steering angle of the steering wheel is prohibited from increasing further. It is possible to maintain a predetermined relationship with the angle and compensate the turning angle with respect to the steering angle.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, if the steering angle of the steering wheel has already been cut too much when the turning angle of the outboard motor reaches the limit, the steering wheel is returned to the steering angle corresponding to the limit value of the turning angle. Therefore, the turning angle with respect to the steering angle can be compensated.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a small marine vessel steering apparatus according to the present invention.

  The steering device of the present invention includes an outboard motor 2 as a power source, a steering wheel 10 installed in a driver's seat of the hull 1, a steering angle sensor 11 that detects a steering operation of the steering wheel 10, and a steering angle sensor 11. And a steering device 12 for steering the outboard motor 2 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 3.

  The outboard motor 2 includes an outboard motor main body 4 that generates a driving force, a swivel bracket 5 for turning the outboard motor main body 4 in the horizontal direction, and a swivel bracket 5 that is sandwiched and supported by the hull 1. It consists of a pair of clamp brackets 6. The outboard motor main body 4 includes a drive shaft housing 21 that houses a drive shaft (not shown), and a propeller 9 that is rotationally driven by the drive shaft.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outboard motor main body 4 is supported so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis (not shown) fixed to the outboard motor main body 4. The swivel bracket 5 that supports the outboard motor main body 4 is rotatably supported around the clamp bracket shaft 7 with respect to the pair of clamp brackets 6 via the clamp bracket shaft 7 extending in the horizontal direction, that is, can be tilted and trimmed. Is done. When the clamp bracket 6 grips the transom 8 of the hull 1, the outboard motor main body 4 is attached to the hull 1.

  The steering device 12 for steering the outboard motor main body 4 of the outboard motor 2 about the vertical axis as described above is a gear provided with an electric motor (electric actuator) 22 for generating a steering force, as shown in FIG. The device 13, the transmission mechanism 14 that transmits the steering force from the gear device 13 to the outboard motor body 4, the steering angle sensor 11 that detects the steering angle, the steering direction, and the like of the steering wheel 10, and the electric motor 22 are controlled. And a controller 3 that is configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gear device 13 reduces the rotation of the rack 15, the rack case 16 that supports the rack 15, the pinion 17 that meshes with the rack 15, and the electric motor 22 in addition to the electric motor 22. And reduction gears 18 and 19 that transmit to the pinion 17.

  The rack 15 is installed in the width direction of the hull 1, and mounting brackets 25 are fixed to both ends by bolts 26. The mounting bracket 25 is attached to each of the pair of clamp brackets 6. The mounting bracket 25 is attached to the clamp bracket 6 by using a nut 27 for pivotally supporting the swivel bracket 5 to the clamp bracket 6.

  A pinion shaft 28 is pivotally supported on the rack case 16 through which the rack 15 passes, and the pinion 17 is provided on the pinion shaft 28. The pinion 17 meshes with the rack 15, and the rack case 16 moves as the pinion 17 meshes with the rack 15 and moves in the width direction (longitudinal direction of the rack 15).

  The electric motor 22 is integrally attached to a gear case 29 that houses the reduction gears 18 and 19, and the gear case 29 is integrally fixed to the rack case 16 by bolts 30. The reduction gears 18 and 19 are accommodated in the gear case 29. Here, the reduction gears 18 and 19 are bevel gears that rub against each other, the reduction gear 18 is fixed to the output shaft 31 of the electric motor 22, and the reduction gear 19 is fixed to the pinion shaft 28.

  Therefore, when the electric motor 22 rotates, this rotational force is transmitted to the pinion 17 via the reduction gears 18 and 19, and the rack case 16 meshes with the rack 15 to rotate, so that the rack case 16 rotates to the gear case 29 and the motor 22. At the same time, it moves in the longitudinal direction of the rack 15.

  On the other hand, according to FIG. 4, a guide plate 32 extending in the direction of the outboard motor 2 is fixed to the upper portion of the rack case 16. A long hole 33 extending in the longitudinal direction of the hull is formed in the approximate center of the guide plate 32. On the other hand, a steering bracket 34 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is integrally fixed to the outboard motor body 4. The steering bracket 34 and the guide blade 32 are configured as the transmission mechanism 14. The steering bracket 34 and the guide plate 32 are fixed by guide bolts 35 that pass through the long holes 33 of the guide plate 32. Here, the guide bolt 35 is slidably attached along the elongated hole 33 in the steering bracket 34.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel 10 is installed in the driver's seat of the hull 1, and is directly rotated by the driver. The steering angle sensor 11 is attached to the wheel shaft 36 of the steering wheel 10. The steering angle sensor 11 detects the steering angle and rotation direction of the wheel shaft 36 that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 10, and transmits the detected value to the controller 3 through the conductor 20 as a pulse signal. The controller 3 is connected to the electric motor 22 by a conductive wire 20, calculates the rotational speed of the electric motor 22 so that the electric motor 22 generates a steering force according to the pulse signal from the steering angle sensor 11, and the signal is transmitted to the conductive wire 20. Is output to the electric motor 22.

  FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a steering wheel 10 portion showing a characteristic configuration of the present invention. A helm 51 made of a speed reducer is attached to a wheel shaft 36 connected to the steering wheel 10, and an electric motor (steering force adding means) 52 is connected to the helm 51. The electric motor 52 is provided to apply a steering force of the steering wheel 10, and the rotational torque of the electric motor 52 generates a torque in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the steering wheel 10, and the wheel shaft is passed through the speed reducer. 36 acts as a rotational load. That is, the steering force of the steering wheel 10 can be controlled according to the rotational torque of the electric motor 52.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the control contents of the steering device of the present invention. This control block is implemented by the controller 3, and the steering angle signal of the steering wheel 10 detected by the sensor 11 and the turning angle signal of the outboard motor 2 are input to the controller 3.

  The detected steering angle signal is amplified by the first amplifier 53 by multiplying by the first gain so as to be the same reference as the turning angle detection signal of the outboard motor 2, and the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 is set as the target steering angle. It is compared with the detection signal. As a result of comparison, if there is a difference between the target steering angle and the turning angle, the signal converter 54 changes the steering angle signal so as to eliminate the difference. The PWM converter 55 that receives the changed steering angle signal controls the electric motor 22 that rotates the outboard motor 2 based on the steering angle signal.

  On the other hand, in the command signal output to the electric motor 52, the steering angle signal output from the signal converter 54 is corrected by the second amplifier 56, and this value is output to the electric motor 52 via the PWM converter 57. Signal.

  In this case, in the second amplifier 56, when the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle is large, it is considered that the outboard motor unit has a heavy load, particularly high speed navigation, and the steering wheel 10 has a large steering force. Thus, the control signal to the electric motor 52 is increased, and the state of the hull and water surface can be felt from the steering, and the steering information is improved. Further, when the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle is small, it is considered that the vehicle is sailing at low speed or mooring, and the rotational load of the electric motor 52 added to the steering wheel 10 is 0 or small, and the steering can be performed with a small steering force. State. Such setting facilitates mooring and can improve the turning ability at low speed. Instead of the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle, a steering reaction force may be applied according to the steering angle per unit time, that is, the steering angular velocity.

  Further, output signals of the steering angle sensor 11 and the turning angle sensor 50 are input to the controller 58. The controller 58 sets the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 to the turning limit based on the output of the turning angle sensor 50. Control when it reaches.

  When the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 reaches the limit from the output result of the turning angle sensor 50, the rotational load by the electric motor 52 is increased so as not to exceed the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 at that time, and the steering reaction is reduced. The force is increased so that the steering wheel 10 does not increase. This is to control the steering wheel 10 so that it cannot be further increased in order to avoid a situation in which the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 does not increase even though the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 increases. . Further, when the steering wheel 10 exceeds the lock end (maximum steering angle), the electric motor 22 is controlled so that the steering rotation angle of the steering wheel 10 is increased and returned by an amount corresponding to the increase. A command signal for increasing the steering reaction force by the electric motor 52 is output from the controller 58 and amplified by a predetermined magnification by the amplifier 59, and then added to the output signal output from the second amplifier 56 by the adder 60. And output to the PWM converter 57 to control the electric motor 52.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  When the driver rotates the steering wheel 10, the steering angle sensor 11 detects the steering angle and the rotation direction. The controller 3 determines the number of rotations of the electric motor 22 based on the detection value of the steering angle sensor 11 and rotates the electric motor 22. The rotational force of the electric motor 22 rotates the pinion 17 through the reduction gears 18 and 19, whereby the rack case 16 moves in the longitudinal direction of the rack 15, and as the steering force via the guide plate 32 and the steering bracket 34, Steering body 4 is steered. At this time, the guide bolt 35 slides in the long hole 33. In this way, the rack case 16 moves according to the steering angle of the steering wheel 10, and the outboard motor 2 turns by a predetermined angle along with this movement.

  In the present invention, the steering reaction force is controlled by the electric motor 52 in accordance with the difference between the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 and the turning angle of the outboard motor 2. The output signal of the steering angle sensor is multiplied by a correction value corresponding to the steering angle by the second amplifier 56. For example, the larger the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle, the larger the steering reaction force, and the difference between the steering angle and the turning angle. When is small, the steering reaction force is reduced. In this way, the turning angle of the outboard motor with respect to the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 can be changed according to the navigation state of the ship, and both drivability during low speed navigation and high speed navigation can be achieved.

  Note that when the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 reaches the limit, the steering force is controlled so as not to increase the steering angle of the steering wheel 10, so that the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 and the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 are controlled. Are always in a predetermined relationship, and the turning angle with respect to the steering angle can be compensated.

  In the present embodiment, the electric motor 52 is used to control the steering force. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a mechanism for increasing the steering force by friction may be used.

  When the steering wheel 10 is operated beyond the steering angle corresponding to the turning angle of the outboard motor, the electric motor 22 is controlled so as to return to the steering angle corresponding to the turning angle of the outboard motor. The relationship between the steering angle of the steering wheel 10 and the turning angle of the outboard motor 2 can be compensated.

  This is a control method for a steering device that improves steering operation during marine navigation, and is particularly useful for small vessels equipped with outboard motors.

It is a perspective view of the steering device for small ships which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which similarly shows the outboard motor as a steering means. It is detail drawing of a gear apparatus. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the gear device. It is a block diagram of a steering wheel part. It is a control block diagram of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hull 2 Outboard motor 3 Controller 4 Outboard motor main body 5 Swivel bracket 6 Clamp bracket 7 Clamp bracket shaft 8 Transom 9 Propeller 10 Steering wheel 11 Steering angle sensor 12 Steering device 13 Gear device 14 Transmission mechanism 15 Rack 16 Rack case 17 Pinion 18 Reduction gear 19 Reduction gear 20 Conductor 21 Drive shaft housing 22 Electric motor 25 Mounting bracket 26 Bolt 27 Nut 28 Pinion shaft 29 Gear case 30 Bolt 31 Output shaft 32 Guide plate 33 Long hole 34 Guide bracket 35 Guide bolt 36 Wheel shaft 50 Turning angle Sensor 51 Holm 52 Electric motor

Claims (4)

An outboard motor arranged at the rear of the hull so as to be able to turn left and right with respect to the hull;
A turning angle detecting means for detecting a turning angle of the outboard motor;
A gear device that turns the outboard motor according to the steering angle of the steering wheel of the driver seat;
An electric actuator for driving the gear device in a rolling direction;
A steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of the steering wheel;
A controller that outputs a control signal to the electric actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the steering angle sensor,
In a small marine vessel steering apparatus in which the steering wheel and the outboard motor are electrically connected only,
A steering reaction force adding means for increasing a steering reaction force of the steering wheel;
The controller controls a steering reaction force using the steering reaction force adding means according to a difference between the detected steering angle and a turning angle of the outboard motor. .   2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the steering reaction force control means such that a steering reaction force increases as a difference between the detected steering angle and a turning angle of the outboard motor increases. The small marine vessel steering apparatus as described. With
2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein when the detected turning angle reaches a predetermined value, the steering reaction force is rapidly increased and the steering reaction force adding means is controlled so that the steering angle of the steering wheel does not increase. 3. A small marine vessel steering apparatus according to 1 or 2.   When the turning angle of the outboard motor reaches a limit value, the controller increases the steering wheel when the actual steering angle is larger than the steering angle of the steering wheel corresponding to the limit value of the turning angle. 4. The steering apparatus for a small boat according to claim 3, wherein the electric actuator is controlled to return the steering angle of the steering wheel to the steering angle of the steering wheel corresponding to the limit value of the turning angle.

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