JP2009269531A - Angle-of-rake control device of outboard motor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve miniaturization and weight reduction of an angle-of-rake control device of an outboard motor by reducing vibration transmitted from an outboard motor body to a hull at the lower limit state of a trim area and improving durability of a bracket device. <P>SOLUTION: This angle-of-rake control device of the outboard motor to perform tilt and trim operation of the outboard motor body by using a hydraulic cylinder device by a PTT switch is furnished with an angle-of-rake sensor to detect a relative position of a clamp bracket and a swivel bracket, has a lower limit value setting mode to set a detected value of the angle-of-rake sensor at an optional angle-of-rake position as a target lower limit value θL and stops the outboard motor body within an area of more than the target lower limit value θL after completing setting of the target lower limit value and when a down side signal to tilt the outboard motor body downward is output from the PTT switch. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an outboard motor tilt angle control device for tilting and trimming an outboard motor body with respect to a hull.

  An outboard motor tilt angle control device is generally called a power trim and tilt device (PTT device), and is attached to the hull and attached to the outboard motor body. A hydraulic cylinder device having a swivel bracket that is pivotally supported so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction and a hydraulic cylinder device that tilts the swivel bracket in the vertical direction by an up-side signal and a down-side signal from the PTT switch Is extended and retracted to tilt and trim the outboard motor body.

  In such a PTT device, the lower limit position of the trim area is such that the swivel bracket contacts the clamp bracket or a tilt pin inserted through the clamp bracket before the piston of the hydraulic cylinder device contacts the bottom of the cylinder. Is set. Accordingly, vibrations and impacts from the outboard motor main body are directly transmitted to the hull through the contact surface between the swivel bracket and the clamp bracket.

  Also, at the lower limit position of the trim area, the hydraulic load generated by the hydraulic cylinder device decreases as the relief valve disposed in the oil passage leading the hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder device opens, but the swivel bracket and clamp Since it acts on the contact surface with the bracket and the like, the strength of both the brackets and the like is sufficient, and the bracket device cannot be reduced in size and weight. Furthermore, when a high load due to hydraulic pressure acts on a bush or the like disposed between the hydraulic cylinder device, the swivel bracket, and the clamp bracket, the durability may be reduced.

  An outboard motor including a mechanism for reducing vibrations transmitted from the outboard motor main body to the hull at the lower limit position of the trim area is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this outboard motor, a valve body that closes the oil passage and prevents the discharge of the pressure oil is disposed in the hydraulic cylinder device (trim cylinder), and the pressure oil that is prevented from being discharged in the hydraulic cylinder device is fluidized by the fluid spring. It absorbs the vibration of the outboard motor body.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an outboard motor that stops an inclination region (tilt region) of an outboard motor main body at a predetermined set position (tilt up stop position).
JP-A-7-196089 JP 2003-28596 A

  However, in the outboard motor described in Patent Document 1, the number of parts is increased because the valve body for closing the oil passage is disposed in the hydraulic cylinder device, and the setting of the position for closing the oil passage is changed. In this case, the hydraulic cylinder device must be disassembled, and it is difficult to easily change the setting.

  The object of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and can reduce vibration transmitted from the outboard motor main body to the hull in the lower limit state of the trim area, and can also be a bracket for attaching the outboard motor main body to the hull. An object of the present invention is to provide a tilt angle control device for an outboard motor that can prevent an excessive load from acting on the device, improve the durability of the bracket device, and realize a reduction in size and weight.

  The present invention provides a clamp bracket that is fixed to a hull, a swivel bracket that is attached to an outboard motor body and is pivotally supported so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction with respect to the clamp bracket, and tilts the swivel bracket in the vertical direction. An outboard motor inclination angle control device configured to be capable of tilting and trimming the outboard motor main body using the power means by an inclination angle operation means. An inclination angle detection means for detecting a relative position between the clamp bracket and the swivel bracket, and a lower limit value setting mode for setting a detection value of the inclination angle detection means at an arbitrary inclination angle position as a target lower limit value, After completion of setting of the target lower limit value, a command signal for tilting the outboard motor body downward from the tilt angle operating means is output. To, and is characterized in that it has been configured so as to stop within the range of the outboard motor body above the target lower limit value.

  According to the present invention, since the swivel bracket does not contact the clamp bracket or the like at the lower limit position of the trim area, vibration transmitted from the outboard motor main body to the hull via the swivel bracket and the clamp bracket can be reduced. Further, when the outboard motor main body is positioned at the lower limit position of the trim area, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from acting on the swivel bracket and the clamp bracket from the power means, so that the durability of the bracket device including both of these brackets is improved. It can be improved and can be made smaller and lighter.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an outboard motor to which an embodiment of an inclination angle control device for an outboard motor according to the present invention is applied. 2A and 2B are side sectional views showing the bracket device of FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A is an absolute lower limit position of trim down, and FIG. 2B is a trim up position.

  As shown in FIG. 1, for example, an outboard motor main body 5 of an outboard motor 3 is mounted via a bracket device 4 on a transom 2 </ b> A located at the rear part of a hull 2 in a ship 1. The outboard motor 3 includes the outboard motor body 5 and the bracket device 4.

  The outboard motor main body 5 includes an engine holder 14, and an engine 15 is installed above the engine holder 14. An oil pan 16 is disposed below the engine holder 14, and the engine 15, engine holder 14, and oil pan 16 around the outboard motor body 5 are covered with an engine cover 17. The engine 15 is a vertical type engine in which the crankshaft 18 is disposed substantially vertically.

  A drive shaft housing 19 is installed below the oil pan 16. A drive shaft 20 is disposed substantially vertically in the engine holder 14, the oil pan 16, and the drive shaft housing 19, and an upper end portion thereof is connected to a lower end portion of the crankshaft 18. The drive shaft 20 extends downward in the drive shaft housing 19 and is configured to drive the propeller 24 via a bevel gear 22 and a propeller shaft 23 in a gear case 21 provided in the lower portion of the drive shaft housing 19. .

  A shift device 25 that switches the rotation direction of the propeller shaft 23 between forward / reverse (forward / reverse) or neutral (neutral) by remote control is provided in the gear case 21. The shift device 25 is connected to the shift lever 12 of the remote control box 13 (FIG. 3) installed in the cab of the hull 2 via a shift rod 26, a link 27, and an operation rod 28 (or cable) extending upward. Connected.

  By the way, the engine 15 mounted on the outboard motor main body 5 is a water-cooled four-cycle four-cylinder engine configured by combining, for example, a cylinder head 29, a cylinder block 30, a crankcase 31, and the like. In the engine 15, a crankcase 31 is disposed in the foremost part (leftmost in FIG. 1), a cylinder block 30 is located behind the crankcase 31 (right side), a cylinder head 29 is located behind the cylinder block 30, Each is arranged.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bracket device 4 mainly includes a swivel bracket 32, a clamp bracket 33, and a hydraulic cylinder device 10 as a power unit disposed between the swivel bracket 32 and the clamp bracket 33. It is prepared for. The swivel bracket 32 is attached to the outboard motor main body 5, and the clamp bracket 33 is fixed to the transom 2 </ b> A of the hull 2. Further, the hydraulic cylinder device 10 tilts the swivel bracket 32 in the vertical direction with respect to the clamp bracket 33 by the expansion and contraction operation.

  The swivel bracket 32 is pivotally supported via a swivel shaft 34 installed between a pair of left and right clamp brackets 33 so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction, and a pilot shaft 35 is rotatable in the swivel bracket 32 in the vertical direction. Is pivotally supported. Further, an upper mount bracket 36 and a lower mount bracket 37 are provided integrally with the upper and lower ends of the pilot shaft 35, respectively. The upper mount bracket 36 is provided with a steering bracket 38 and is connected to a steering handle (not shown) installed in the cab of the hull 2 by a cable or the like (not shown).

  On the other hand, a pair of left and right upper mount units 39 are provided at the front portion of the engine holder 14, and the upper mount units 39 are connected to the upper mount bracket 36. A pair of lower mount units 40 are provided on both sides of the drive shaft housing 19, and the lower mount units 40 are coupled to the lower mount bracket 37. Accordingly, the swivel bracket 32 is attached to the outboard motor main body 5 through the pilot shaft 35 as described above. In this manner, the outboard motor main body 5 is provided so as to be steerable left and right around the pilot shaft 35 with respect to the bracket device 4 and vertically moved around the swivel shaft 34 by the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder device 10. It is configured to be able to tilt and trim.

  Here, the tilt operation is to raise the outboard motor main body 5 on the water surface when the ship is stopped or when the hull 2 is landed, and the trim operation is the hull 2 and the outboard motor main body 5 during the cruising. The traveling posture of the hull 2 is changed by adjusting the angle (trim angle). In the outboard motor 3 shown in the present embodiment, the outboard motor body 5 includes, for example, a trim angle of about 20 ° upward from the lowest position and a tilt of about 60 ° further upward from the complete trim upper position. With horns.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the trim angle and the tilt angle are determined by a power trim & tilt device (hereinafter abbreviated as a PTT device) 41 as a tilt angle control device. Adjustment is performed by extending and contracting the hydraulic cylinder device 10 in accordance with signals from 46 and 47 (hereinafter abbreviated as PTT switches). At this time, the trim angle and tilt angle of the outboard motor main body 5 (that is, the tilt angle of the outboard motor main body 5 with respect to the hull 2) are detected by a tilt angle sensor 48 as tilt angle detecting means.

  The PTT device 41 is used by a ship operator to remotely operate tilt and trim operations of the outboard motor body 5 and is operated by operating the PTT switches 46 and 47 to the up (UP) side / down (DOWN) side. The The PTT switch 46 is provided at a place where the operator can easily operate, such as on the throttle lever 11 (or the shift lever 12) of the remote control box 13 installed in the cab. The PTT switch 47 is provided in the outboard motor main body 5 so that it can be operated from the outside of the ship 1.

  Further, the tilt angle sensor 48 for detecting the trim angle and tilt angle of the outboard motor main body 5 is provided, for example, in the bracket device 4 as shown in FIG. The tilt angle sensor 48 includes a rotation detection element 49 such as a variable resistor or a Hall element provided on the clamp bracket 33 which is mainly a fixed side, and a lever provided on the rotation detection element 49 so as to be rotatable. 50, and the free end of the lever 50 is always urged against and in contact with the swivel bracket 32 by a spring or the like (not shown).

  When the outboard motor main body 5 is trimmed up and the swivel bracket 32 tilts upward via the swivel shaft 34, for example, the lever 50 rotates about the rotation detection element 49 as an axis. The tilt angle sensor 48 outputs a tilt angle sensor value θ corresponding to the rotation amount of the rotation detection element 49, that is, the tilt angle of the outboard motor body 5.

  FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a control system of the PTT device in the outboard motor of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the up (UP) side and the down (DN) side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 provided in the remote control box 13 and the outboard motor main body 5 are respectively connected to the control device 52. A PTT relay 53 for driving a PTT motor 54 serving as a power source for the hydraulic cylinder device 10 is also connected to the control device 52. The battery 55 is connected to the PTT switches 46 and 47, the PTT relay 53, the PTT motor 54 and the control device 52, and supplies power to the PTT relay 53, the PTT motor 54 and the control device 52. Then, the control device 52 operates the PTT relay 53 in accordance with the input signals from the PTT switches 46 and 47 to drive the PTT motor 54 and to expand and contract the hydraulic cylinder device 10 to tilt the outboard motor body 5. And trim operation.

  As shown in FIG. 4, various types of information are input to the control device 52 from each device inside and outside the outboard motor 3. Specifically, for example, a cam shaft signal (cam angle signal) (not shown) of the engine 15 is sent from the cam shaft signal detector 58 via the input circuit 59 to the arithmetic unit 60 (CPU, RAM / ROM) in the control device 52. ). Hereinafter, the engine speed signal from the crank angle signal detector 61 (speed sensor), the throttle opening degree of the engine intake device (not shown) from the throttle opening detector 62, the intake pressure and the atmospheric pressure. From the intake pressure detector 63 and the atmospheric pressure detector 64, the intake air temperature, the engine 15 temperature (cooling water temperature), and the exhaust gas temperature are respectively changed to the intake air temperature detector 65 and the engine temperature detector 66 (cooling water temperature detector). ) And input from the exhaust temperature detector 67 to the calculation unit 60.

  Further, the tilt angle sensor value of the outboard motor body 5 is input from the tilt angle sensor 48 described above, and the shift position is input to the calculation unit 60 from, for example, the shift (neutral) switch 68 provided in the shift device 25 described above. Is done. Then, a signal from the emergency switch 69 and an up side signal and a down side signal from the PTT switches 46 and 47 are input to the arithmetic unit 60, respectively.

  Information from each device input to the control device 52 is appropriately processed in the calculation unit 60 and output to each device inside and outside the outboard motor 3 via the output circuit 71. Specifically, the arithmetic unit 60 drives the PTT motor 54 of the PTT device 41 based on, for example, up-side signals and down-side signals from the PTT switches 46 and 47, for example. Further, the calculation unit 60 transmits, for example, fuel injection amount information to the injector 72 and an intake air amount adjustment signal to an unillustrated step motor, solenoid valve, or the like of the actuator 73, such as an engine speed signal or abnormality of each device. The signal is output to a display device 70 such as a warning light, buzzer or tachometer in the cab, and the fuel supply amount information is output to the fuel pump 74.

  Further, the arithmetic unit 60 outputs an ignition signal from the output circuit 71 to the ignition coil 77 via the ignition device 75 (connected to the power supply circuit 76).

  The calculation unit 60 of the control device 52 determines the lower limit value of the trim area from the absolute lower limit position (FIG. 2A) where the protrusion 42 (FIG. 2) of the swivel bracket 32 contacts the contact surface 43 of the clamp bracket 33. Also, in order to set a position (target lower limit position) inclined upward by a predetermined angle (for example, 2 degrees), a lower limit value setting mode for learning the absolute lower limit value θLM and setting the target lower limit value θL is provided. In this lower limit setting mode, as shown in FIG. 5, a down signal for tilting the outboard motor body 5 downward is output (ON) from the PTT switches 46 and 47, and the tilt angle sensor 48 is maintained during the continuation of this signal. The tilt angle sensor value θ, which is a detected value from the above, is constant for a predetermined time (d in FIG. 5), and the tilt angle sensor value θ constant for the predetermined time is less than a specified value (α in FIG. 5). The inclination angle sensor value θ at this time is learned as the absolute lower limit value θLM, and the angle position tilted above the absolute lower limit value θLM by a predetermined angle (for example, 2 degrees) is set as the target lower limit value θL.

  Here, the absolute lower limit value θLM is an inclination angle when the outboard motor main body 5 is in the absolute lower limit position as shown in FIG. 2A, and the target lower limit value θL is the target lower limit value θL. The tilt angle when in position. The absolute lower limit θLM is a fixed value that basically does not change after the tilt angle sensor 48 is assembled. However, the wear of components such as the swivel bracket 32 and the clamp bracket 33 or when the tilt angle sensor 48 is replaced. May change in a very small range.

  In the above-described lower limit setting mode, when the main switch (not shown) of the outboard motor 3 is turned on and the first condition is satisfied, or the operation time of the outboard motor 3 is a predetermined time (for example, 50 hours). After the above is exceeded, the main switch is turned on, and this is performed when the above condition is first satisfied. The lower limit setting mode is preferably performed while the engine 15 of the outboard motor 3 is in operation, but may be performed while the engine 15 is stopped.

  Further, in the lower limit setting mode, a down side signal output from the PTT switches 46 and 47 is normally used as a signal for tilting the outboard motor body 5 downward. A signal may be used. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the inclination angle sensor value θ of the inclination angle sensor 48 changes to the lower side from the moment when the voltage of the battery 55 decreases, the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 is turned ON, It is determined that the outboard motor body 5 is tilted downward (down operation). Then, when the inclination angle sensor value θ of the inclination angle sensor 48 becomes constant for a predetermined time (d in FIG. 5) with the voltage of the battery 55 lowered, the inclination angle sensor value θ is learned as the absolute lower limit value θLM. It may be memorized.

  When the setting unit 60 of the control device 52 shown in FIG. 4 completes the setting of the target lower limit value θL, when a down signal for tilting the outboard motor body 5 downward is output from the PTT switches 46 and 47, Trim-down stop control is executed so that the trim lower limit position is the target lower limit position (corresponding to the target lower limit value θL), and the outboard motor body 5 is stopped in a range equal to or larger than the target lower limit position. The absolute lower limit value θLM and the target lower limit value θL are stored in a non-volatile memory (such as EEPROM) 78 shown in FIG. 4 and are also stored and stored when the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is turned off. Accordingly, the trim down stop control is executed based on the target lower limit value θL stored in the nonvolatile memory 78 even when the outboard motor 3 is turned on after the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is turned off.

  Setting of the target lower limit value θL in the lower limit value setting mode is in principle performed by selecting one of automatic setting shown in FIG. 6, semi-automatic setting shown in FIG. 7, and manual setting shown in FIG.

(A) Automatic setting (Fig. 6)
In the automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL, as shown in FIG. 6, the arithmetic unit 60 of the control device 52 confirms that the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is ON (S1), and then the operation time T of the outboard motor 3 (S2), the set value of the target lower limit value θL is cleared and the setting flag F is set to 0 (F = 0). (S3).

  Next, the calculation unit 60 determines whether or not the engine 15 is in operation, that is, whether or not the current engine speed Ne is equal to or higher than the idle speed Ni (S4). This step S4 is for carrying out the learning of the absolute lower limit value θLM and the setting of the target lower limit value θL during operation of the outboard motor 3 that is not conscious by the user of the outboard motor 3. However, this step S4 can be omitted.

  During operation of the engine 15, the calculation unit 60 determines whether or not the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 is turned ON and a down side signal is output from the PTT switches 46 and 47 (S5). When the down-side signal is output, the calculation unit 60 determines whether the tilt angle sensor value θ from the tilt angle sensor 48 is less than the specified value α (S6). This step S6 is for preventing the learning of the absolute lower limit value θLM from being performed when the down operation of the outboard motor main body 5 is stopped at a position far from the absolute lower limit value θLM, or at an incorrect position due to disturbance or the like.

  Next, the calculation unit 60 turns on the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47, the inclination angle sensor value θ of the inclination angle sensor 48 is a constant value less than the specified value α, and the inclination angle sensor value θ is It is determined whether or not the constant time t is equal to or longer than the predetermined time d (S7). When the condition of step S7 is satisfied and the setting flag F is F = 0 (S8), the calculation unit 60 learns the inclination angle sensor value θ at this time as the absolute lower limit value θLM, and stores the nonvolatile memory 78 (S9).

  Based on the absolute lower limit value θLM set in step S <b> 9, the calculation unit 60 sets a value obtained by adding a predetermined angle (for example, 2 degrees) to the absolute lower limit value θLM as the target lower limit value θL, and stores it in the nonvolatile memory 78. (S9). After setting the target lower limit value θL, the calculation unit 60 sets the setting flag F to 1 (F = 1) (S11), clears the operation time T of the outboard motor 3 (S12), When the main switch is turned off, the automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL is terminated (S13).

  When the main switch is turned on in step S13, the procedure of steps S4 to S13 is repeated. However, since the setting flag F is F = 1, the absolute lower limit is set for the second and subsequent times in step S8. Learning, setting, and storage of the value θLM, and setting and storage of the target lower limit value θL are not executed.

  Steps S2 and S12 may be omitted. In this case, the automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL is performed between the time when the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is turned ON and the time when the conditions of steps S5 to S7 are first satisfied. And the target lower limit value θL is set. After the main switch is turned ON and the target lower limit value θL is set, even if the PTT switches 46 and 47 are turned ON again, the target lower limit value θL is not automatically set, and this target lower limit value θL The automatic setting is first performed after the main switch is turned off.

(B) Semi-automatic setting (Fig. 7)
In the semi-automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL shown in FIG. 7, the engine 15 is not operated, and the calculation unit 60 of the control device 52 confirms that the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is ON (S21), and then the setting mode is ON. It is determined whether or not an operation has been performed (S22). When the setting mode is ON, it is determined whether or not a setting operation has been performed (S23). If the setting mode is not turned on and there is no setting operation, the process waits until the main switch is turned off (S24).

  The setting mode is turned on, for example, when the emergency switch 69 is turned on by the operator and there is a signal from the throttle opening detector 62 due to the opening of the throttle valve by the operator, or by the operator. A state in which a personal computer (not shown) is connected to the communication interface 79 and a setting mode program is activated on the personal computer is shown. Also, the presence of the setting operation means that, for example, the operator has pressed the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 three times in 3 seconds, or the operator has turned on the setting execution switch of the setting mode program. Etc.

  After confirming that the setting mode is ON in step S22 and confirming that there is a setting operation in step S23, the calculation unit 60 drives the PTT motor 54 to lower the outboard motor body 5 (trim down) (S25). ). The calculating unit 60 determines whether the tilt angle sensor value θ of the tilt angle sensor 48 is constant when the tilt angle sensor value is less than the predetermined value α, and the time t during which the tilt angle sensor value θ is constant is equal to or greater than a predetermined time d. When the time t is equal to or longer than the predetermined time d, the inclination angle sensor value θ at this time is learned as the absolute lower limit value θLM and stored in the nonvolatile memory 78 (S27).

  Based on the absolute lower limit value θLM set in step S <b> 27, the calculation unit 60 sets a value obtained by adding a predetermined angle (for example, 2 degrees) to the absolute lower limit value θLM as the target lower limit value θL, and stores it in the nonvolatile memory 78. (S28). After setting the target lower limit value θL, the calculation unit 60 notifies the operator of the completion of setting the target lower limit value θL (S29), and ends the setting of the target lower limit value θL.

  In the semi-automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL, the calculation unit 60 of the control device 52 turns on the operation time setting timer after the setting of the target lower limit value θL in step S28 (S30), thereby setting the target lower limit value θL. The first setting is semi-automatically set at the factory, and then both settings can be used together as automatic setting (FIG. 6). In other words, after the operation time setting timer in step S30 is turned on, even if the operation proceeds to automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL (FIG. 6), the setting at the factory is continued until the operation time T passes the predetermined time Ta. Is held as it is (step S2 in FIG. 6), and automatic setting after step S3 in FIG. 6 is executed when the operation time T exceeds the predetermined time Ta.

(C) Manual setting (Fig. 8)
Even in the manual setting of the target lower limit value θL shown in FIG. 8, the engine 15 is not operated as in the semi-automatic setting of FIG. 7, and the setting mode ON operation and setting operation are performed by the operator. The difference is that the operator himself turns on the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 to lower the outboard motor body 5 to the absolute lower limit position and visually confirm the state.

  That is, the calculation unit 60 of the control device 52 confirms whether the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is turned on (S31), and then determines whether the setting mode is turned on (S32). When the setting mode is turned ON, the calculation unit 60 is set to the absolute lower limit position by the operator, the position is visually confirmed (S33), and there is a setting operation (S34). At this time, the inclination angle sensor value θ detected by the inclination angle sensor 48 is learned as the absolute lower limit value θLM and stored in the nonvolatile memory 78 (S35).

  When the setting mode is not turned on and there is no setting operation, the calculation unit 60 stands by until the main switch is turned off (S36). The manual setting of the outboard motor main body 5 to the absolute lower limit position by the operator may be performed before the setting mode is turned on by the operator.

  Based on the absolute lower limit value θLM set in step S <b> 35, the calculation unit 60 sets a value obtained by adding a predetermined angle (for example, 2 degrees) to the absolute lower limit value θLM as the target lower limit value θL, and stores it in the nonvolatile memory 78. (S37). After setting the target lower limit value θL, the calculation unit 60 notifies the operator of the completion of setting the target lower limit value θL (S38), and ends the setting of the target lower limit value θL. In the manual setting, the target lower limit value can be arbitrarily set by the operator performing ON operation and setting operation of the setting mode at an arbitrary lower limit position that is not the absolute lower limit value.

  Even in the manual setting of the target lower limit value θL, the operation time setting timer is turned on after the setting of the target lower limit value θL (S37) (S39). It is also possible to use it together with the automatic setting.

  The target lower limit value θL is set and updated by the above-described automatic setting (FIG. 6), semi-automatic setting (FIG. 7), and manual setting (FIG. 8). To cancel the setting of the target lower limit value θL The following manual release procedure is required. That is, first, an operation similar to the setting mode of the semi-automatic setting in FIG. 7 and the manual setting in FIG. 8 is executed as the release mode. Next, as a release operation, for example, the down side of the PTT switches 46 and 47 is pressed for 3 seconds. By sequentially executing such release mode and release operation, the setting of the target lower limit value θL can be canceled and a new target lower limit value θL can be reset.

  With the configuration as described above, the following effects (1) to (5) are achieved according to the present embodiment.

  (1) While the PTT device 41 continues a signal for tilting the outboard motor body 5 downward (for example, a down-side signal from the PTT switches 46 and 47), the tilt angle sensor value θ of the tilt angle sensor 48 is a specified value. The inclination angle sensor value θ at this time is learned as an absolute lower limit value θLM on the condition that it is less than α and is equal to or longer than a predetermined time d, and an angle that is inclined above the absolute lower limit value θLM by a predetermined angle There is a lower limit setting mode in which the position is set as the target lower limit θL. For this reason, the lower limit position of the trim area is the target lower limit that is inclined upward by a predetermined angle from the absolute lower limit position (corresponding to the absolute lower limit value θLM) at which the protrusion 42 of the swivel bracket 42 contacts the contact surface 43 of the clamp bracket 33. Position (corresponding to the target lower limit value θL).

  Accordingly, the vibration and impact of the outboard motor body 5 are transmitted to the hull 2 via the protrusion 42 of the swivel bracket 32 and the contact surface 43 of the clamp bracket 33 as shown by an arrow A in FIG. 2 and is absorbed by the pressure oil in the hydraulic cylinder device 10 via the swivel bracket 32 as in the case of the arrow B at the time of trimming up in FIG. As a result, vibration and impact transmitted from the outboard motor main body 5 to the hull 2 via the swivel bracket 32 and the clamp bracket 33 can be reduced.

  (2) The lower limit position of the trim area is a target lower limit tilted upward by a predetermined angle from the absolute lower limit position (corresponding to the absolute lower limit value θLM) where the protrusion 42 of the swivel bracket 32 contacts the contact surface 43 of the clamp bracket 33. Position (corresponding to the target lower limit value θL). For this reason, when the outboard motor main body 5 is positioned at the lower limit position of the trim area, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from acting on the swivel bracket 32 and the clamp bracket 33 from the hydraulic cylinder device 10. Therefore, the durability of the bracket device 4 including the swivel bracket 32 and the clamp bracket 33 can be improved, and the size and weight of the bracket device 4 can be reduced.

  (3) In the lower limit setting mode of the PTT device 41, even if the tilt angle sensor value θ of the tilt angle sensor 48 is a constant value for a predetermined time d or more, the tilt angle sensor value θ at this time must be less than the specified value α. For example, since the inclination angle sensor value θ is not learned as the absolute lower limit value θLM, learning of the absolute lower limit value θLM at an incorrect position due to a disturbance or the like can be prevented. For this reason, it is possible to improve the reliability of setting the absolute lower limit value θLM and thus the target lower limit value θL.

  (4) When the lower limit value setting mode of the PTT device 41 is the automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL, the absolute lower limit value θLM is first satisfied when the above condition is satisfied after the main switch of the outboard motor 3 is turned ON. When the target lower limit value θL is set, the target lower limit value θL can be reliably set every time the outboard motor 3 is operated.

  (5) When the lower limit value setting mode of the PTT device 41 is the automatic setting of the target lower limit value θL, the absolute lower limit value θLM is learned during operation of the engine 15 and the target lower limit value θL is set. The target lower limit value θL can be reliably set without making the user of the outer unit 3 aware of the setting operation of the target lower limit value θL.

1 is a left side view showing an outboard motor to which an embodiment of an inclination angle control device for an outboard motor according to the present invention is applied. The bracket apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown, (A) is the absolute lower limit position of a trim down, (B) is a sectional side view which respectively shows a trim up position. The circuit diagram which shows the control system of the PTT apparatus (tilt angle control apparatus) in the outboard motor of FIG. The system block diagram which shows the control system of the whole outboard motor containing the PTT apparatus of FIG. The time chart which shows the signal of PTT switch of FIG. 3, an inclination angle sensor, and a battery, and a voltage change. The flowchart which shows the automatic setting procedure of the target lower limit in the PTT apparatus of FIG. The flowchart which shows the semi-automatic setting procedure of the target lower limit in the PTT apparatus of FIG. The flowchart which shows the manual setting procedure of the target lower limit in the PTT apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

2 Hull 3 Outboard motor 4 Bracket device 5 Outboard motor body 10 Hydraulic cylinder device (power means)
15 Engine 32 Swivel bracket 33 Clamp bracket 34 Swivel shaft 41 PTT device (tilt angle control device)
46, 47 PTT switch (tilt angle operation means)
48 Tilt angle sensor (Tilt angle detection means)
52 Control Device 55 Battery 60 Calculation Unit θ Inclination Sensor Value θLM Absolute Lower Limit Value θL Target Lower Limit Value α Specified Value Ne Engine Speed T Operating Time Ta Predetermined Time t Time d Predetermined Time

Claims (7)

A clamp bracket fixed to the hull, a swivel bracket attached to the outboard motor main body and pivotally supported so as to be tiltable in the vertical direction with respect to the clamp bracket, and power means for tilting the swivel bracket in the vertical direction. A bracket device comprising:
In an outboard motor tilt angle control device configured to be capable of tilting and trimming the outboard motor main body using the power means by tilt angle operating means,
Inclination angle detection means for detecting the relative position between the clamp bracket and the swivel bracket, and has a lower limit value setting mode for setting the detection value of the inclination angle detection means at an arbitrary inclination angle position as a target lower limit value,
After the setting of the target lower limit value is completed, when a command signal for tilting the outboard motor main body downward is output from the tilt angle operating means, the outboard motor main body is stopped within the range of the target lower limit value or more. A tilt angle control device for an outboard motor, characterized in that In the lower limit value setting mode, a signal for tilting the outboard motor main body is output, and the detection value from the tilt angle detecting means is constant for a predetermined time during the continuation of this signal. 2. The outboard motor inclination according to claim 1, wherein the detected value at this time is learned as an absolute lower limit value, and an angular position inclined above the absolute lower limit value by a predetermined angle is set as a target lower limit value. Angle control device. The signal for tilting the outboard motor body downward is a command signal that is output from the tilt angle operating means and tilts the outboard motor body downward, or a low voltage signal of the battery that is fed to operate the power means. The outboard motor tilt angle control device according to claim 2, wherein the outboard motor tilt angle control device is provided. The outboard motor inclination angle control device according to claim 2, wherein the lower limit value setting mode is executed when the condition is first satisfied after the main switch is turned on. 3. The lower limit setting mode is performed when a main switch is turned on after the operation time of the outboard motor exceeds a predetermined time, and the condition is first satisfied. An inclination angle control device for an outboard motor as described in 1. 3. The outboard motor tilt angle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lower limit value setting mode is executed during operation of the engine of the outboard motor main body. The lower limit setting mode is characterized in that the detected value is learned as an absolute lower limit when the detected value detected by the tilt angle detecting means and kept constant for a predetermined time is less than a specified value. The tilt angle control device for an outboard motor according to 2.

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