JP2014037183A - Control device for outboard motor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control device for an outboard motor that comprises a transmission, reduces deceleration feeling occurring under gear change after finishing acceleration, and prevents pitching occurence due to trim-up irrespective of the specification of a ship.SOLUTION: In the control device for an outboard motor comprising a transmission and a trim angle adjusting mechanism, which can be installed in a ship, when a second transmission speed is selected in the transmission, the acceleration is directed by a pilot to change gears of the transmission gear range from the second speed to a first speed (time t2); after the gear is changed to the first speed, when voyage acceleration variation of the ship is converted from negative values to positive values, the trim angle adjusting mechanism is activated to start trim up (time t3); after the trim up is started, depending on the voyage acceleration variations, the speed of the trim up is changed (time t4); and after the speed of the trim up is changed, the transmission is activated at a predetermined time point to change gears from the first speed to the second speed (time t5).

Description

  The present invention relates to an outboard motor control apparatus, and more particularly to an outboard motor control apparatus including a transmission.

  In recent years, in outboard motors, a technology has been proposed in which a transmission is inserted into a power transmission shaft that transmits power from an internal combustion engine mounted on the propeller to shift the output of the internal combustion engine and transmit it to the propeller. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). The technique described in Patent Document 1 is configured to detect the acceleration of the hull and shift the transmission gear (gear ratio) from the first speed to the second speed based on the detected acceleration.

JP 2009-202796 A

  By the way, since the acceleration of the hull differs depending on the specifications of the hull (offshore boat, bus boat, etc.), as in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the acceleration is detected for each hull and a shift is performed based on the detected acceleration. Thus, it is possible to perform a shift at a shift timing corresponding to the hull.

  However, if the gear position is changed from the first speed to the second speed at the end of acceleration, torque transmission by the transmission will not be performed, and the torque transmitted to the propeller may decrease, giving a feeling of deceleration to the operator. .

  Therefore, it may be possible to reduce the feeling of deceleration by starting trim-up and adjusting the trim angle before shifting to the second speed to increase the speed of the ship, but the amount of change per unit time during trim-up In other words, the trim-up speed is generally constant from the start to the stop, and since the trim-up is performed at the same speed as the start just before the ship reaches the maximum speed, the hull is pitched (pitch). It sometimes occurred.

  Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to provide a transmission, to reduce the feeling of deceleration generated at the time of shifting at the end of acceleration, regardless of the specifications of the hull, and to generate pitching due to trim-up. It is an object of the present invention to provide an outboard motor control apparatus that prevents the above-described problem.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in claim 1, the power transmission shaft for transmitting the power from the internal combustion engine to the propeller is inserted, and at least a first gear and a second gear are provided. A transmission for shifting the output of the internal combustion engine at a selected speed among the speeds and transmitting the output to the propeller, and a trim angle adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting a trim angle with respect to a hull by trim up / down. In the outboard motor control device that can be attached to the hull, when the second speed is selected, an acceleration instruction determination means that determines whether or not acceleration is instructed by a ship operator to the internal combustion engine, Navigation acceleration detection means for detecting navigation acceleration of the hull, navigation acceleration change amount calculation means for calculating a navigation acceleration change amount indicating a change amount of the detected navigation acceleration per predetermined time, and When it is determined that acceleration is instructed by the operator to the combustion engine, a first speed transmission means for operating the transmission to shift from the second speed to the first speed, and the first speed transmission means by the first speed transmission means. And the trim-up start means for starting the trim-up by operating the trim angle adjusting mechanism when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount is reversed from a negative value to a positive value. After the trim up is started by the means, the trim speed changing means for changing the trim up speed according to the calculated navigation acceleration change amount, and the trim speed changing means changes the trim up speed. And a second speed transmission means for operating the transmission at a predetermined time to shift from the first speed to the second speed.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 2, the trim speed changing means is configured such that after the trim up is started by the trim up start means, the calculated navigation acceleration change amount is a positive value. The trimming-up speed is changed when inverted to a negative value.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 3, the trim speed changing means is configured to decrease the trim-up speed as the calculated navigation acceleration change amount increases.

  The outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 4 is configured such that the predetermined time point is when the detected navigation acceleration becomes a predetermined value or less.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 5, it is detected after the first speed change means shifts to the first speed until the trim up start means starts the trim up. The navigation acceleration maximum value detecting means for detecting the maximum value of the navigation accelerations is provided, and the predetermined value is determined based on the maximum value.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 6, the predetermined value is configured to be 1/4 of the maximum value.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 1, when it is determined that acceleration is instructed by the operator to the internal combustion engine when the second speed is selected, the transmission is operated. Shift from 1st speed to 1st speed, and after the shift, the trim angle adjustment mechanism operates to trim up when the detected change in navigation acceleration, which indicates the amount of change per predetermined time, reverses from negative to positive After the trim up is started, the trim up speed is changed according to the calculated navigation acceleration change amount, and the transmission is operated at a predetermined time after the trim up speed is changed. Therefore, it is possible to start trim-up at an appropriate timing according to the sailing condition regardless of the specifications of the hull. Shift to Even if the torque transmitted to the propeller is reduced Te, the speed of the ship because it is raised by causing the trim up, it is possible to reduce the feeling of deceleration. Further, since the trim-up speed is changed according to the navigation acceleration change amount, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of pitching due to the trim-up.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 2, after the trim-up is started, the trim-up speed is changed when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount is reversed from a positive value to a negative value. Therefore, in addition to the above-described effects, the trim-up speed can be changed at an appropriate timing according to the navigation state, so that the occurrence of pitching due to the trim-up can be more effectively prevented.

  The outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 3 is configured to decrease the trim-up speed as the calculated navigation acceleration change amount increases, so in addition to the above-described effects, the trim-up speed can be reduced. Therefore, the occurrence of pitching due to trim-up can be more effectively prevented.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 4, since the predetermined time point is configured to be when the detected navigation acceleration is equal to or lower than the predetermined value, in addition to the above-described effects, Shifting can be performed at an optimal timing according to the specifications and navigational conditions.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 5, the maximum value of the navigation acceleration detected after the shift to the first speed and before the trim-up is started is detected, and the predetermined value is set. Since the value is determined based on the maximum value, in addition to the effect described in the fourth aspect, the shift can be performed at a more optimal timing according to the specifications of the hull and the navigation state.

  In the outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 6, since the predetermined value is configured to be 1/4 of the maximum value, in addition to the effect described in claim 5, the specifications of the hull and the navigation state Accordingly, the gear can be shifted at a more optimal timing.

It is the schematic which shows the control apparatus of the outboard motor based on the Example of this invention whole including a hull. FIG. 2 is a partially sectional enlarged side view of the outboard motor shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the outboard motor shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a hydraulic circuit diagram schematically showing a hydraulic circuit of the transmission shown in FIG. 2. It is a partial cross section enlarged side view of an outboard motor for explaining a forward shift switch. It is a partial cross section enlarged side view of the outboard motor for demonstrating a reverse side shift switch. It is a partial cross-section enlarged top view of an outboard motor for explaining a forward shift switch and a reverse shift switch. 2 is a flowchart showing a shift control operation and a trim angle control operation of the electronic control unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a sub-routine flow chart showing a shift speed determination process of the flow chart. FIG. 9 is a sub-routine flow chart showing trim-up execution determination processing of the flow chart. FIG. 9 is a sub-routine flowchart showing a trim speed variable control execution determination process in the flowchart of FIG. 8. It is a graph which shows the table characteristic of the duty ratio of the trim-up signal with respect to the navigation acceleration change amount used in the process of FIG. 8 flow chart. FIG. 9 is a sub-routine flowchart showing initial trim down execution determination processing in the flowchart of FIG. 8. 12 is a time chart for explaining a part of the processing of the flow charts of FIGS.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out an outboard motor control apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an outboard motor control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention including a hull.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates a ship in which an outboard motor 10 is mounted on a hull (hull) 12. The outboard motor 10 is attached to the rear (stern) 12a of the hull 12 via a stern bracket 14 and a tilting shaft 16, as shown.

  The outboard motor 10 includes an internal combustion engine (prime mover; hereinafter referred to as “engine” (not shown in FIG. 1)) and an engine cover 18 that covers the engine. In addition to the engine, an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “ECU”) 20 is disposed in an engine room that is an internal space of the engine cover 18. The ECU 20 is composed of a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like, and controls the operation of the outboard motor 10.

  The outboard motor 10 is inserted into a power transmission shaft that transmits power from the engine to the propeller 22, and has a shift stage composed of at least first speed and second speed. A transmission 24 that shifts at a selected gear stage and transmits the transmission to the propeller 22, and a power tilt trim unit (actuator. (Adjustment mechanism, hereinafter referred to as “trim unit”) 26. The transmission 24 and the trim unit 26 are controlled by the ECU 20.

  In the vicinity of the cockpit 28 of the hull 12, a steering wheel 30 that can be freely rotated by a boat operator (not shown) is disposed. A steering angle sensor 32 is attached to a shaft (not shown) of the steering wheel 30 and outputs a signal corresponding to the steering angle of the steering wheel 30 input by the vessel operator.

In the vicinity of the cockpit 28, a shift / throttle lever 34 that can be operated by the operator is provided. The shift / throttle lever 34 is swingable in the front-rear direction from the initial position, and a shift change instruction (forward (forward) / reverse (neutral) / neutral) switching instruction) from the operator and the engine speed Input an adjustment instruction (throttle opening instruction).

  A lever position sensor 36 is attached in the vicinity of the shift / throttle lever 34, and the operation position of the shift / throttle lever 34 (operating angle; hereinafter referred to as “operation amount”) LVR by the operator, more precisely, the shift / throttle lever. A signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the rotation shaft 34 is output.

  A GPS receiver 38 that receives a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal is disposed at an appropriate position of the hull 12. The GPS receiver 38 outputs a signal indicating the position information of the ship 1 obtained from the GPS signal. The outputs of the steering angle sensor 32, the lever position sensor 36, and the GPS receiver 38 are input to the ECU 20.

  2 is a partially sectional enlarged side view of the outboard motor shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the outboard motor.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outboard motor 10 is attached to the rear tail 12 a of the hull 12 via the swivel case 48, the stern bracket 14, and the tilting shaft 16.

  A trim unit 26 is disposed near the swivel case 48 and the stern bracket 14.

  The trim unit 26 includes a hydraulic cylinder for adjusting the tilt angle, a hydraulic cylinder for adjusting the trim angle, and an electric motor for adjusting the tilt / trim angle connected to these hydraulic cylinders via a hydraulic circuit (none of which is shown). Is integrally provided. The trim unit 26 is driven by the electric motor of the trim unit 26 based on a tilt up / down signal or a trim up / down signal from the ECU 20, whereby hydraulic oil is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder for tilt angle adjustment or trim angle adjustment. Supplied to expand and contract these hydraulic cylinders. As a result, the swivel case 48 is rotated about the tilting shaft 16 as the rotation axis, and the outboard motor 10 is tilted up / down or trimmed up / down.

  The electric motor of the trim unit 26 is driven with a duty ratio (PWM control), and the trim angle change amount per unit time when trimming up, that is, the trim-up speed is variable stepwise or continuously. .

  An engine 50 is mounted on the upper portion of the outboard motor 10. The engine 50 is a spark-ignition water-cooled gasoline engine with a displacement of 2200 cc. The engine 50 is located on the water surface and is covered by the engine cover 18.

  A throttle body 54 is connected to the intake pipe 52 of the engine 50. The throttle body 54 includes a throttle valve 56 therein, and a throttle electric motor (actuator) 58 for opening and closing the throttle valve 56 is integrally attached thereto.

  The output shaft of the electric motor 58 for throttle is connected to the throttle valve 56 via a reduction gear mechanism (not shown), and the throttle valve 56 is opened and closed by operating the electric motor 58 for throttle. The engine speed (engine speed) is adjusted by metering.

  The outboard motor 10 is supported rotatably around a vertical axis, and is supported rotatably around a horizontal axis and a main shaft (power transmission shaft) 60 whose upper end is connected to the crankshaft of the engine 50. The propeller shaft (power transmission shaft) 62 to which the propeller 22 is attached at one end thereof is interposed between the main shaft 60 and the propeller shaft 62, and the first and second gears for forward movement and the reverse gear are used. And a transmission (automatic transmission) 24 having a gear position (reverse). Therefore, power from the engine 50 can be transmitted to the propeller 22 via the main shaft 60, the transmission 24, and the propeller shaft 62.

  The propeller shaft 62 is disposed so that the axis 62a thereof is substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the ship 1 in the initial state of the trim unit 26 (the trim angle θ is the initial angle (0 °)). The

  A valve unit 64 having a plurality of hydraulic valves for controlling the transmission 24 is disposed at a rear position of the transmission 24 (rearward with respect to the traveling direction of the hull 12 (left side of the transmission 24 in FIG. 2)). .

  The main shaft 60 and the valve unit 64 are accommodated in a case 66, and the lower portion of the case 66 constitutes an oil pan 66a that receives hydraulic oil.

  FIG. 4 is a hydraulic circuit diagram schematically showing a hydraulic circuit of the transmission 24.

  2 and 4, in the transmission 24, a main shaft (input shaft) 60 and a counter shaft (output shaft) 68 connected to the main shaft 60 through a plurality of transmission gears are arranged in parallel. And a parallel shaft stepped transmission mechanism. The main shaft 60 and the counter shaft 68 are held in the case 66 by two pairs of bearings 70a and 70b, respectively.

  The transmission 24 will be described in detail. The counter shaft 68 is connected (coupled) to the propeller shaft 62 via a pinion gear 72a and a bevel gear 72b at the tip (lower end in FIG. 2), and the main shaft 60 The main second-speed gear 74, the main first-speed gear 76, the main dog clutch C1, and the main reverse gear 78 are supported from the top of the drawing, and the countershaft 68 is mounted on the counter shaft 68 from the top of the drawing. A counter second gear 80 meshing with 74, a counter first gear 82 meshing with the main first gear 76, a counter dog clutch CR and a counter reverse gear 84 meshing with the main reverse gear 78 are supported.

  The main first speed gear 76 is supported by the main shaft 60 so as to be relatively rotatable, and the counter first speed gear 82 is engaged with the main first speed gear 76 and supported by the counter shaft 68 so as not to be relatively rotatable. The main second speed gear 74 is supported by the main shaft 60 so as not to rotate relative to the main shaft 60, and the counter second speed gear 80 is engaged with the main second speed gear 74 and supported by the counter shaft 68 so as to be relatively rotatable.

  The main dog clutch C1 is supported by the main shaft 60 so as not to be relatively rotatable and axially movable. When the main dog clutch C1 is moved a predetermined distance in one axial direction (upward in FIG. 4; the same applies hereinafter), the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first gear 76. The main first speed gear 76 is fastened (fixed) to the main shaft 60. The second speed hydraulic clutch C <b> 2 fastens the counter second speed gear 80 to the counter shaft 68 when hydraulic pressure is supplied from the hydraulic pump 86 driven by the engine 50 via the counter shaft 68.

  The main reverse gear 78 is supported by the main shaft 60 so as not to rotate relative to the main shaft 60, and the counter reverse gear 84 meshes with the main reverse gear 78 and is supported by the counter shaft 68 so as to be relatively rotatable.

  The counter dog clutch CR is supported on the counter shaft 68 so as not to rotate relative to the counter shaft 68 and is movable in the axial direction. When the counter dog clutch CR moves a predetermined distance in the other axial direction (downward in FIG. 4; the same applies hereinafter), the counter dog clutch CR is coupled to the counter reverse gear 84. The reverse gear 84 is fastened to the counter shaft 68.

  The counter first-speed gear 82 has a counter shaft 68 and a counter first-speed gear 82 when the rotation speed of the main shaft 60 is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotation speed when the main first-speed gear 76 is fastened to the main shaft 60. The one-way clutch 82a for releasing the engagement with the motor is incorporated. Therefore, when the main shaft 60 is rotating at a low speed, the main first speed gear 76 and the counter first speed gear 82 transmit the power from the engine 50 to the propeller 22, but the rotation speed of the main shaft 60 is increased and the rotation speed is reduced. When the rotation speed exceeds a predetermined value, the one-way clutch 82a is disengaged and the engagement between the counter shaft 68 and the counter first speed gear 82 is released.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the main dog clutch C1 is connected to the first speed shift actuator 90 via a shift fork 90c. The first speed shift actuator 90 is an actuator that expands and contracts. When the first speed shift actuator 90 extends, the main dog clutch C1 moves in one axial direction of the main shaft 60, and when contracting, the main dog clutch C1 moves in the other axial direction of the main shaft 60. Move to.

  That is, the first-speed shift actuator 90 expands when hydraulic pressure is supplied to one oil chamber 90a (extension side oil chamber) (moves upward in FIG. 4), and accordingly, the shift fork 90c and the main dog clutch. Move C1 upward. When the main dog clutch C1 moves a predetermined distance, the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first speed gear 76.

  Further, the first speed shift actuator 90 contracts when hydraulic pressure is supplied to the other oil chamber (contraction side oil chamber) 90b (moves downward in FIG. 4), moves the main dog clutch C1 downward, The dog clutch C1 is not coupled to any gear and is maintained in the neutral position.

  When the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first speed gear 76, the main first speed gear 76 is fastened to the main shaft 60 via the main dog clutch C1, so that the main first speed gear 76 rotates together with the main shaft 60.

  Whether or not the main dog clutch C1 is connected to the main first gear 76 can be determined by a signal from the forward shift switch. FIG. 5 is a partially sectional enlarged side view of the outboard motor for explaining the forward shift switch.

  The forward-side shift switch 92 is mounted above the first-speed shift actuator 90 (upper in FIG. 5), more specifically, as shown in the figure, to the shift fork 90c of the first-speed shift actuator 90 (more specifically, Attached to the end of the shift fork 90c on the opposite side of the main shaft 60 across the first speed shift actuator 90), and attached to the tip of the rod-like operation shaft 90d arranged in parallel with the main shaft 60. It is done.

  The forward shift switch 92 is provided on the lower side thereof, and when a force is applied from the outside (when a force is applied from below in the illustrated arrangement), the head portion 92a that transmits the force to the inside and the head portion 92a that transmits the force. A connector portion (not shown) for converting the generated force into an electrical signal and outputting it to the outside is provided.

  The head portion 92a is arranged at a position facing the tip portion of the operation shaft 90d, and is configured such that the tip portion of the operation shaft 90d contacts the head portion 92a when the first speed shift actuator 90 extends a predetermined distance. The

  Specifically, when the first-speed shift actuator 90 is extended and the main dog clutch C1 attached via the shift fork 90c is coupled to the main first-speed gear 76, the tip of the operation shaft 90d comes into contact with the head portion 92a. Configured as follows.

  When the tip of the operation shaft 90d comes into contact with the head portion 92a, a signal (ON signal) indicating that contact has been detected is output from the forward shift switch 92 to the outside. Therefore, by monitoring the signal output from the forward shift switch 92, it can be determined whether or not the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first speed gear 76.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 4, the counter dog clutch CR is connected to the reverse shift actuator 94 via the shift fork 94c. Similarly to the first speed shift actuator 90, the reverse shift actuator 94 is an actuator that expands and contracts. When the reverse shift actuator 94 is extended, the counter dog clutch CR is moved in one axial direction of the counter shaft 68 and when it is contracted, the counter dog clutch CR is countered. The shaft 68 is moved in the other axial direction. That is, the reverse shift actuator 94 expands when hydraulic pressure is supplied to one oil chamber 94a (extension side oil chamber), and contracts when hydraulic pressure is supplied to the other oil chamber 94b (contraction side oil chamber). To do.

  The reverse shift actuator 94 contracts to move the shift fork 94c and the counter dog clutch CR downward, and the counter dog clutch CR is coupled to the counter reverse gear 84 by moving a predetermined distance. When the counter dog clutch CR is coupled to the counter reverse gear 84, the counter reverse gear 84 is fastened to the counter shaft 68 via the counter dog clutch CR, and therefore rotates together with the counter shaft 68.

  On the other hand, when the reverse shift actuator 94 is extended, the counter dog clutch CR is moved upward, and the counter dog clutch CR is maintained in a neutral position that is not coupled to any gear.

  Whether or not the counter dog clutch CR is connected to the counter reverse gear 84 is also determined by a signal from the reverse shift switch as in the case of detecting the connection between the main dog clutch C1 and the main first speed gear 76 described above. Can do. FIG. 6 is a partially sectional enlarged side view of the outboard motor for explaining the reverse shift switch. FIG. 7 is a partially sectional enlarged top view of the outboard motor for explaining the forward shift switch and the reverse shift switch.

  The reverse shift switch 96 is mounted above the reverse shift actuator 94 (upward in FIG. 6), specifically, to the shift fork 94c of the reverse shift actuator 94 (more specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7). Specifically, the shift fork 94c is mounted near the end of the shift fork 94c opposite to the counter shaft 68 with the reverse shift actuator 94 interposed therebetween, and the front end side of the rod-shaped operation shaft 94d arranged in parallel with the counter shaft 68 Attached to.

  The reverse shift switch 96 is provided on the lower side thereof, and when external force is applied, the head portion 96a that transmits the force to the inside, and the force transmitted from the head portion 96a is converted into an electric signal to the outside. A connector part (not shown) for output is provided.

  By the way, as described above, the head portion 92a of the forward shift switch 92 is disposed at a position facing the tip portion of the operation shaft 90d, and when the first-speed shift actuator 90 extends a predetermined distance, the tip of the operation shaft 90d. The head portion 92a is configured to contact the head portion 92a. However, the head portion 96a of the reverse shift switch 96 is opposite to this and is in contact with the tip portion at a position facing the tip portion of the operation shaft 94d. When the reverse shift actuator 94 is contracted by a predetermined distance, the tip end portion of the operation shaft 94d is separated from the head portion 96a.

  Therefore, when the reverse shift actuator 94 contracts and the counter dog clutch CR attached via the shift fork 94c is coupled to the counter reverse gear 84, the tip of the operation shaft 94d is separated from the head portion 96a, and the reverse shift switch A signal (off signal) indicating that the separation is detected is output to the outside. That is, the reverse shift switch 96 that has continued to output the ON signal outputs an OFF signal when it detects that the tip of the operation shaft 94d has been separated from the head portion 96a. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not the counter dog clutch CR is coupled to the counter reverse gear 84 by monitoring the signal output from the reverse shift switch 96.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 4, when the main first speed gear 76 supported by the main shaft 60 so as to be relatively rotatable is fastened to the main shaft 60 by the main dog clutch C 1, the output of the engine 50 is the main shaft 60 and the main first speed gear 76. The first speed (gear, gear stage) is established by being transmitted to the propeller 22 via the counter first speed gear 82 and the counter shaft 68.

  In the state where the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first speed gear 76 (the counter dog clutch CR is in the neutral position at this time), the counter second speed gear 80 supported by the counter shaft 68 so as to be relatively rotatable is used as the second speed hydraulic pressure. When the clutch C2 is fastened to the counter shaft 68, the output of the engine 50 is transmitted to the propeller 22 via the main shaft 60, the main second speed gear 74 supported on the main shaft 60 so as not to rotate relative to the main shaft 60, the counter second speed gear 80, and the counter shaft 68. The second gear (gear, gear position) is established.

  That is, in order to establish the second speed, the main dog clutch C1 is coupled to the main first speed gear 76 and the first speed is established, and the counter second speed gear 80 is moved to the counter shaft via the second speed hydraulic clutch C2. Fasten to 68. As described above, the counter first speed gear 82 incorporates a one-way clutch 82a for releasing the engagement between the counter shaft 68 and the counter first speed gear 82 when the rotational speed of the main shaft 60 exceeds a predetermined rotational speed. Therefore, when the main shaft 60 is rotating at a low speed, the main first speed gear 76 and the counter first speed gear 82 transmit the power from the engine 50 to the propeller 22, but the rotation speed of the main shaft 60 is increased to a predetermined rotation speed. When the above is reached, the one-way clutch 82a releases the engagement between the counter shaft 68 and the counter first speed gear 82, and the counter first speed gear 82 idles with respect to the counter shaft 68, while the main second speed gear 74 and the counter second speed gear 80 transmits the power from the engine 50 to the propeller 22.

  When the counter reverse gear 84 supported by the counter shaft 68 so as to be relatively rotatable is fastened to the counter shaft 68 by the counter dog clutch CR, the output of the engine 50 is the main reverse gear supported by the main shaft 60 and the main shaft 60 so as not to be relatively rotatable. 78, the counter reverse gear 84 and the countershaft 68 are transmitted to the propeller 22 to establish reverse (gear, gear stage).

  When the first speed shift actuator 90 contracts, the reverse shift actuator 94 extends, and both the main dog clutch C1 and the counter dog clutch CR are in the neutral position (at this time, the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 is off (counter 2 The main shaft 60 and the counter shaft 68 are not coupled to each other, and the neutral is established.

  In this way, the gear and shaft are coupled by the main dog clutch C1, the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 and the counter dog clutch CR. The hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump 86 to the main dog clutch C1, the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 and the counter dog clutch CR is as follows. It is done by controlling.

  More specifically, when the hydraulic pump 86 is driven by the engine 50, the hydraulic oil in the oil pan 66a is pumped up through the oil passage 100a and the strainer 102 and discharged from the discharge port 86a. The hydraulic oil discharged from the discharge port 86a is supplied to the first and second switching valves 104a and 104b via the oil passages 100b and 100d, and the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves are supplied via the oil passages 100c and 100e. (Linear solenoid valves) 106a and 106b are supplied.

  The first switching valve 104a is inserted into oil passages 100b, 100f, 100g connecting the hydraulic pump 86 and the first speed shift actuator 90, and the oil chamber 90a of the first speed shift actuator 90 via the oil passage 100f. And is connected to the oil chamber 90b of the first-speed shift actuator 90 through the oil passage 100g.

  The second switching valve 104b is inserted in oil passages 100b, 100d, 100h, 100i, etc. connecting the hydraulic pump 86, the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 and the reverse shift actuator 94, and reversely travels through the oil passage 100h. An oil chamber 94a of the shift actuator 94 is connected to the oil chamber 94b of the reverse shift actuator 94 via the oil passages 100i and 100m, and further connected to the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 via the oil passages 100i and 100n.

  A movable spool is accommodated in the first and second switching valves 104a and 104b, and the spool is biased to the other end side by a spring on one end side (left end in the figure). First and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a and 106b are connected to the other end side through oil passages 100j and 100k.

  Accordingly, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is energized (turned on), the spool housed therein is displaced, and the oil passages 100c and 100j communicate with each other, and the hydraulic pump 86 passes through the oil passage 100c. The supplied hydraulic pressure is output to the other end side of the spool of the first switching valve 104a through the oil passage 100j.

  As a result, the spool of the first switching valve 104 a is displaced to one end side, and the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100 b is sent to the oil passage 100 f and supplied to the oil chamber 90 a of the first speed shift actuator 90. When hydraulic oil is supplied to the oil chamber 90a of the first speed shift actuator 90, the first speed shift actuator 90 extends and moves the main dog clutch C1 upward via the shift fork 90c.

  On the other hand, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is not energized (off), the internal spool is not displaced, so the oil passages 100c and 100j do not communicate with each other, and the hydraulic pressure from the oil passage 100c is the first switching valve 104a. Is not output to the other end of the spool. Therefore, the spool of the first switching valve 104a remains biased to the other end side by the spring. Therefore, the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100b is supplied to the oil chamber 90b of the first-speed shift actuator 90 through the oil passage 100g, the first-speed shift actuator 90 contracts, and the main dog clutch C1 is in the neutral position.

  Similarly to the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a, the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b has its spool displaced when energized (turned on), and the hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump 86 via the oil path 100e is the oil path. It is output to the other end side of the second switching valve 104b through 100k. As a result, the spool of the second switching valve 104b is displaced to one end side, and the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100d is supplied to the third switching valve 104c via the oil passage 100i.

  On the other hand, when the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b is not energized (off), the internal spool is not displaced, so the hydraulic pressure from the oil passage 100e is output to the other end of the spool of the first switching valve 104b. In other words, the spool of the first switching valve 104b remains biased to the other end side by the spring. Accordingly, the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100d is supplied to the oil chamber 94a of the reverse shift actuator 94 through the oil passage 100h, the reverse shift actuator 94 is extended, and the counter dog clutch CR is in the neutral position.

  The third switching valve 104c is inserted in oil passages 100i, 100m, and 100n that connect the second switching valve 104b and the reverse shift actuator 94 or the second speed hydraulic clutch C2, and reversely travels through the oil passage 100m. Is connected to the oil chamber 94b of the shift actuator 94, and is connected to the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 via the oil passage 100n.

  A movable spool is also housed in the third switching valve 104c. The spool is biased to the other end by a spring on one end side (left end in the figure), and an oil passage 100l is provided on the other end side. Connected. Accordingly, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is energized (turned on), the spool of the first switching valve 104a is displaced to one end side, and the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100b is sent to the oil passage 100f, this A part of the hydraulic oil is output to the other end side of the third switching valve 104c through the oil passage 100l. As a result, the spool of the third switching valve 104c is displaced to one end side, and the hydraulic oil in the oil passage 100i is supplied to the second-speed hydraulic clutch C2 via the oil passage 100n, and the second-speed hydraulic clutch C2 is turned on. (Engage with counter second gear 80).

  On the other hand, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is not energized (off), the spool of the first switching valve 104a is not displaced but remains biased to the other end side by the spring. The hydraulic oil from the oil passage 100l does not act on the other end side of the valve 104c, and the spool of the third switching valve 104c remains biased to the other end side by the spring. Therefore, the hydraulic oil from the oil passage 100i is supplied to the oil chamber 94b of the reverse shift actuator 94 through the oil passage 100m to move the counter dog clutch CR downward.

  As described above, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is turned on and the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b is turned off, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil chamber 90a of the first speed shift actuator 90, while the second speed solenoid valve 106b is turned on. Since no hydraulic pressure is supplied to the hydraulic clutch C2, the main first speed gear 76 and the main shaft 60 are engaged by the main dog clutch C1 to establish the first speed. At this time, since the reverse shift actuator 94 is supplied with hydraulic pressure to the oil chamber 94a and extends, the counter dog clutch CR is not coupled to the counter reverse gear 84 and is in a neutral position.

  When both the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a and 106b are turned on, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil chamber 90a of the first-speed shift actuator 90 and the second-speed hydraulic clutch C2. 76 and the main shaft 60 are engaged by the main dog clutch C1, and the counter second speed gear 80 and the counter shaft 68 are engaged by the second speed hydraulic clutch C2 to establish the second speed.

  Further, when the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is turned off and the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b is turned on, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil chamber 90b of the first speed shift actuator 90, and the oil chamber 94b of the reverse shift actuator 94 is supplied. Since the hydraulic pressure is not supplied to the second speed hydraulic clutch C2, the counter reverse gear 84 and the counter shaft 68 are fastened by the counter dog clutch CR to establish reverse.

  When both the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a and the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b are turned off, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil chamber 90b of the first speed shift actuator 90 and the oil chamber 94a of the reverse shift actuator 94. Since both the main dog clutch C1 and the counter dog clutch CR are in the neutral position and no hydraulic pressure is supplied to the second-speed hydraulic clutch C2, the main shaft 60 and the counter shaft 68 are not coupled and become neutral.

  In this way, by controlling on / off of the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a, 106b, the gear stage is selected in the case of forward, neutral, reverse, and forward of the transmission 24 ( Shift control is performed).

  The hydraulic oil (lubricating oil) from the hydraulic pump 86 is also supplied to lubricating parts (for example, the main shaft 60 and the counter shaft 68) via the oil passages 100b and 100o, the regulator valve 108, and the relief valve 110. Further, an emergency valve 112 is disposed in the oil passage 100p that bypasses the first switching valve 104a, the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a, and the third switching valve 104c. The emergency valve 112 is a manual valve for manually shifting the gear in the event that a malfunction occurs in the operation of the system.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a throttle opening sensor 120 is disposed in the vicinity of the throttle valve 56 and generates an output indicating the opening TH of the throttle valve 56. A crank angle sensor 122 is attached in the vicinity of the crankshaft of the engine 50 and outputs a pulse signal for each predetermined crank angle. Further, a trim angle sensor 124 is disposed in the vicinity of the tilting shaft 16 and generates an output corresponding to the trim angle θ of the outboard motor 10.

  The ECU 20, the sensors, and the GPS receiver 38 are, for example, a communication system (for example, NMEA2000, standardized by NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association)), specifically, CAN (Controller Area Network). ) For communication.

  The ECU 20 performs shift control of the transmission 24 and trim angle control for adjusting the trim angle θ by the trim unit 26. The ECU 20 also controls the operation of the throttle motor 58 based on the output of the lever position sensor 36, and also performs throttle opening control for adjusting the throttle opening TH by opening and closing the throttle valve 56.

  Further, the ECU 20 determines the fuel injection amount and ignition timing of the engine 50 based on the input sensor output, supplies the determined injection amount of fuel via the injector 130, and determines via the ignition device 132. The fuel / air-fuel mixture injected is ignited according to the ignition timing.

  Thus, the control device for the outboard motor 10 according to this embodiment is a DBW (Drive By Wire) in which the mechanical connection between the operation system (the steering wheel 30 and the shift / throttle lever 34) and the outboard motor 10 is broken. ) System.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the shift control operation and trim angle control operation of the ECU 20. The illustrated program is executed by the ECU 20 every predetermined cycle (for example, 100 msec).

  Explaining below, first, at S (step) 10, at the time of forward, a gear position determination process is performed to determine whether the gear position of the transmission 24 should be the first speed or the second speed.

  FIG. 9 is a sub-routine flowchart showing the shift speed determination process. As shown in the figure, the throttle opening TH is detected (calculated) from the output of the throttle opening sensor 120 in S100, and the amount of change per prescribed time (for example, 500 msec) of the throttle opening TH detected in S102. Fluctuation amount) DTH is detected (calculated).

  Next, the process proceeds to S104, where it is determined whether or not deceleration is instructed by the operator to the engine 50, in other words, whether or not the engine 50 is in an operating state in which the ship 1 is decelerated. Specifically, when the change amount DTH of the throttle opening TH is less than a first predetermined value DTH1 (for example, −0.5 deg) set to a negative value, the throttle valve 56 is driven in the valve closing direction. That is, it is determined that deceleration is instructed to the engine 50.

  When the result in S104 is negative, the program proceeds to S106, in which the output pulse of the crank angle sensor 122 is counted to detect (calculate) the engine speed NE, and the program proceeds to S108 where a post-acceleration two-speed shift completed flag (hereinafter “two-speed shift” It is determined whether the bit of “flag” is 0 or not. As will be described later, the bit of this flag is set to 1 when shifting from 1st speed to 2nd speed after the end of acceleration, and is reset to 0 otherwise.

  Since the initial value of the second speed shift flag is 0, the determination in S108 is generally affirmed in the first program loop, and the process proceeds to S110 to determine whether the engine speed NE is equal to or higher than the first predetermined speed NE1. The predetermined rotational speed NE1 will be described later.

  Usually, in the program loop immediately after the engine is started, the engine speed NE is less than the first predetermined speed NE1, so the determination in S110 is negative and the process proceeds to S112. In S112, it is determined whether or not the bit of the acceleration determination flag (described later, indicated as “acceleration flag” in the figure) is 0. Since the initial value of the determination flag during acceleration is also set to 0, the determination here is affirmed in the first program loop, and the process proceeds to S114.

  In S <b> 114, it is determined (determined) whether or not acceleration (to be exact, rapid acceleration) is instructed to the engine 50 by the operator, in other words, whether or not the engine 50 is in an operation state for accelerating the ship 1. Specifically, this determination is made by determining whether or not the throttle valve 56 is rapidly driven in the valve opening direction.

  Specifically, the change amount DTH of the throttle opening detected in S102 is compared with a second predetermined value (default value) DTH2, and when the change amount DTH is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value DTH2, the throttle valve 56 is opened. It is determined that the vehicle is rapidly driven in the direction, that is, acceleration is instructed. Therefore, the second predetermined value DTH2 is a value (positive value) that is larger than the first predetermined value DTH1, and is set to a value that can be determined that an instruction for acceleration has been given, for example, 0.5 deg.

  If NO in S114, that is, if the engine 50 is not instructed to accelerate or decelerate, the process proceeds to S116, and the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a and 106b (shown as "first SOL" and "second SOL" in the figure) Are both turned on to select the second speed in the transmission 24, and then the process proceeds to S118, where the bit of the acceleration determination flag is reset to zero.

On the other hand, when the result in S114 is affirmative, the routine proceeds to S120, where a slip ratio (slip ratio) ε indicating the rotation state of the propeller 22 is detected (calculated), and the routine proceeds to S122 where the slip ratio ε per specified time (eg, 500 msec) A change amount (variation amount) Dε is detected (calculated). This slip ratio ε is detected based on the theoretical speed Va and the navigation speed (actual speed) V of the ship 1, and specifically calculated using the following equation (1).
Slip rate ε = (theoretical speed Va (km / h) −navigation speed V (km / h)) / theoretical speed Va (km / h) (1)

In equation (1), the navigation speed V is calculated from the output value (position information) of the GPS receiver 38. The theoretical speed Va is calculated based on the operating state of the engine 50 and the transmission 24 and the specifications of the propeller 22 as shown in the following equation (2).
Theoretical speed Va (km / h) = (engine speed NE (rpm) × propeller pitch (inch) × 60 × 2.54 × 10 ⁻⁵ ) / (speed ratio of gear stage) (2)

In equation (2), the propeller pitch is a value indicating the theoretical distance that the propeller 22 can travel when the propeller 22 makes one rotation, and the gear ratio of the gear stage is the gear ratio of the gear stage currently selected in the transmission 24. For example, the gear ratio at the second speed is 1.9. The numerical value of 60 is for converting the engine speed NE per minute into a value per hour, and the numerical value of 2.54 × 10 ⁻⁵ is for converting the propeller pitch from inches to kilometers. Is.

  Next, in S124, the throttle opening TH of the engine 50 is controlled so as to suppress the increase in the slip ratio ε of the propeller 22. That is, when the engine 50 is instructed to accelerate, the propeller 22 is likely to be idled by entraining bubbles generated in the vicinity due to the increase in the rotational speed, and the slip ratio ε increases and the grip force becomes relatively weak. Sometimes. Therefore, in S124, the throttle opening TH is appropriately corrected to prevent the slip ratio ε from increasing.

  Next, in S126, it is determined whether or not the slip rate ε is equal to or less than the first predetermined slip rate ε1 and the slip rate change amount Dε is equal to or less than the predetermined slip rate change amount Dε1. The predetermined slip ratio ε1 is set to a relatively low value, for example, 0.3 so that it can be determined that the grip force is relatively strong when the slip ratio ε is less than that. Further, the predetermined slip ratio change amount Dε1 is specifically set to 0. Therefore, the subsequent stage determines whether the change amount Dε is 0 or a negative value. That is, S126 is a process of determining whether or not the slip ratio ε of the propeller 22 changes in a decreasing direction and the grip force is relatively strong.

  When the result in S126 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S128, in which the first electromagnetic solenoid valve 106a is turned on and the second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b is turned off to shift the speed of the transmission 24 from the second speed to the first speed (shift down). To do. As a result, the output torque of the engine 50 is amplified by the transmission 24 shifted down to the first speed and transmitted to the propeller 22 to increase acceleration.

  Next, in S130, the bit of the acceleration determination flag is set to 1. That is, this flag is set to 1 when it is determined that the engine 50 has been instructed to accelerate, and is reset to 0 otherwise. When the bit of this flag is set to 1, the next and subsequent program executions are denied in S112 and the processing from S114 to S126 is skipped.

  As described above, since the acceleration is instructed after the engine 50 is started and the normal operation is performed until the slip ratio ε satisfies the above-described conditions, the speed of the transmission 24 is set to the second speed. The convenience of the outboard motor 10 other than the rapid acceleration can be made equivalent to that of the outboard motor not including the transmission.

  Next, in S132, the bit of the trim-up permission flag (initial value 0) is set to 1, and the program ends. In other words, setting the bit of the trim-up permission flag to 1 means that the change amount DTH of the throttle opening is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value DTH2, and the gear stage of the transmission 24 is shifted to the first speed, and the engine will be described later. This means that the execution of trim-up performed in accordance with the rotational speed NE and the navigation acceleration a is permitted, and resetting to 0 requires trim-up, for example, the engine 50 is instructed to decelerate. Means no.

  On the other hand, when the result in S126 is negative, the program proceeds to S134, in which it is determined whether or not the slip ratio ε is equal to or higher than a second predetermined slip ratio ε2 set higher than the first predetermined slip ratio ε1. The second predetermined slip ratio ε2 is set to a value such that when the slip ratio ε is greater than that, it can be determined that the gripping force of the propeller 22 is relatively weak, for example, 0.5. That is, S134 is a process for determining whether or not the slip ratio ε is increased and the gripping force of the propeller 22 is weakened even though the throttle opening TH is corrected in S124.

  When the result in S134 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S136, in which the bit of the ignition timing retard flag (initial value 0, indicated as “retard flag” in the figure) is set to 1. When the flag bit is set to 1, control is performed to retard the ignition timing of the engine 50 in a program (not shown). Specifically, the ignition timing calculated based on the engine speed NE or the like is retarded by a predetermined retard amount (for example, 5 degrees), and the output of the engine 50 is reduced.

  When the output of the engine 50 is reduced, the gripping force of the propeller 22 thereafter increases instantaneously, the slip rate ε decreases and becomes less than the second predetermined slip rate ε2. In this case, the result of S134 is negative and the program proceeds to S138, where the bit of the ignition timing retard flag is reset to 0, the aforementioned retard control is stopped, and normal ignition timing control is executed.

  In S136, the output of the engine 50 may be decreased via the fuel injection amount of the engine 50 instead of the ignition timing. That is, by performing control to reduce the fuel injection amount supplied to the engine 50, specifically, control to decrease (decrease) the fuel injection amount calculated based on the engine speed NE or the like by a predetermined amount, You may comprise so that the output of the engine 50 may be reduced. In the case of such a configuration, S138 is a process of canceling the fuel injection amount reduction control described above or executing normal fuel injection control without performing the reduction control.

  After the shift speed of the transmission 24 is changed to the first speed in S128, the engine speed NE gradually increases, and when the acceleration using the torque amplification at the first speed comes to an end (when the acceleration region approaches saturation). The engine rotational speed NE reaches the first predetermined rotational speed NE1, so that the determination in S110 is affirmed and the process proceeds to S140 and subsequent steps. Accordingly, the first predetermined rotation speed NE1 is set to a relatively high value, and specifically, a value (for example, 5000 rpm) at which it can be determined that the acceleration at the first speed is close to the end.

In S140, based on the output of the GPS receiver 38, the navigation acceleration a (m / s ² ) indicating the amount of change of the navigation speed V per predetermined time (unit time) (in other words, the rate of change of the navigation speed V with respect to time). ) Is detected. Specifically, the navigation speed V is detected based on the output of the GPS receiver 38, and the navigation speed a is detected (calculated) by differentiating the detected navigation speed V (dV / dt).

  Next, in S142, it is determined whether or not the acceleration using the torque amplification at the first speed is completed. Specifically, the navigation acceleration a detected in S140 is compared with the first predetermined value a1, and when the navigation acceleration a is equal to or less than the predetermined value a1, it is determined that the acceleration has ended.

  Here, the first predetermined value a1 is set to a value that is 1/4 of the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a. The maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a is obtained as follows.

  That is, when the speed of the transmission 24 is changed to the first speed in S128, the navigation acceleration a increases, but the navigation acceleration a increases for a while and then decreases to a certain peak as shown in FIG. Turn. The maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a means the peak value at this time. Therefore, the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a is calculated more specifically by monitoring the navigation acceleration a detected in S140 for each program loop after shifting the speed of the transmission 24 to the first speed in S128. Compares the previously detected navigation acceleration a_old with the currently detected navigation acceleration a for each program loop, and the navigation acceleration a changed from increasing (a ≧ a_old) to decreasing. The switching point of time (a <a_old) is detected, and this switching point is specified as the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a.

  In other words, the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration “a” is the navigation acceleration “a” (specifically, detected after the shift stage of the transmission 24 is changed to the first speed and before trim-up described later is started). This is the maximum value (see the state of navigation acceleration a from time t2 to t3 shown in FIG. 14).

  Moreover, the value of 1/4 of the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a which is the first predetermined value a1 is a value determined as a result of many experiments and verifications, and the gear position of the transmission 24 is set to the first speed. This is a value determined so that the shift timing is such that the operator feels as much as possible a sense of incongruity, such as a feeling of deceleration, when shifting to the second speed.

  When the result in S142 is negative, the program is terminated with the first speed, while when the result is affirmative, the process proceeds to S144, and the slip ratio ε of the propeller 22 is detected using the equations (1) and (2) as in S120 ( calculate.

  Next, in S146, it is determined whether or not the slip rate ε detected in S144 is equal to or less than a third predetermined slip rate ε3. The predetermined slip ratio ε3 is set to a relatively low value, for example, 0.3 so that it can be determined that the grip force is relatively strong when the slip ratio ε is less than that. Therefore, S146 is a process for determining whether or not the gripping force of the propeller 22 is relatively strong.

  When the result in S146 is negative, the program is terminated with the first speed, whereas when the result is affirmative, the process proceeds to S148, where both the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a and 106b are turned on to change the gear position of the transmission 24. While shifting (shifting up) from the first speed to the second speed, the routine proceeds to S150, where the bit of the second speed shift flag is set to 1.

  If the bit of the 2nd speed shift flag is set to 1 in S150, the next program execution will be denied in S108 and proceed to S148 and S150 described above. When the result in S104 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S152 where both the first and second electromagnetic solenoid valves 106a and 106b are turned on to shift the gear position of the transmission 24 to the second speed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S154 and S156, and the bits of the second speed shift flag and the acceleration determining flag are both reset to zero.

  Next, in S158, the bit of the trim-up permission flag is reset to 0, and in S160, the bit of the trim-down permission flag (initial value 0) is set to 1. That is, the fact that the trim down permission flag bit is set to 1 means that the change amount DTH of the throttle opening is less than the first predetermined value DTH1, and execution of trim down described later is permitted. Resetting to 0 means that there is no need for trim down.

  Returning to the description of the flow chart of FIG. 8, the process then proceeds to S12 to perform a determination process (trim-up execution determination process) as to whether or not trim-up of the outboard motor 10 should be performed.

  FIG. 10 is a sub-routine flow chart showing the trim-up execution determination process. As shown in FIG. 10, first, in S200, it is determined whether or not the bit of the trim-up permission flag is 1. When the result in S200 is negative, there is no need for trim-up, so the process proceeds to S202, where the trim-up is stopped, and the trim-up is not performed accurately.

  On the other hand, when the result in S200 is affirmative, specifically, when the amount of change DTH in the throttle opening is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value DTH2 and the gear position of the transmission 24 is shifting to the first speed, S204. Then, it is determined whether the trim angle θ is less than a predetermined angle (for example, 10 °).

  When the process of S204 is performed for the first time, since the trim angle θ is the initial angle (0 °), it is generally affirmed and the process proceeds to S206. In S206, it is determined whether trimming of the outboard motor 10 by the trim unit 26 is being executed. When the process proceeds to S206 for the first time, the determination is usually denied and the process proceeds to S208, in which it is determined whether or not the engine speed NE is equal to or greater than a second predetermined speed NE2. The second predetermined rotation speed NE2 is set to a relatively high value, similarly to the first predetermined rotation speed NE1, and more specifically, is set to a value (for example, 5000 rpm) at which it can be determined that the acceleration at the first speed is nearing the end.

When the result in S208 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S210, and a navigation acceleration change amount (jerk acceleration) Δa (m / s ³ ) indicating a change amount of the detected navigation acceleration a per predetermined time is calculated. Specifically, the navigation acceleration a is calculated by further differentiating (da / dt).

  Next, the process proceeds to S212, in which the navigation acceleration change amount Δa_old calculated last time, that is, the navigation acceleration change amount Δa_old calculated during the previous program loop is a negative value (<0), in other words, the navigation acceleration a is It is determined whether or not it has changed in a decreasing direction.

  When the result in S212 is affirmative, the routine proceeds to S214, in which the navigation acceleration change amount Δa calculated this time (in the program loop) is a positive value (≧ 0), in other words, the navigation acceleration a has changed in the increasing direction. Determine whether or not.

  When the result in S214 is affirmative, that is, when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed (switched) from a negative value to a positive value, the process proceeds to S216, where the trim unit 26 is operated to perform trim-up. Start trim up. Thus, when acceleration starts once and then increases again, the boat speed increases by starting trim-up.

  Note that when the result in S208, S212, or S214 is negative, it is not the timing to start trim-up, so the program proceeds to S202 and the program is terminated without executing trim-up.

  When trimming up is started in S216, the determination in S206 is affirmed in the next and subsequent program loops, and the processing from S208 to S214 is skipped. Then, after the trim-up is started, when the trim angle θ reaches the predetermined angle, the result in S204 is negative and the process proceeds to S202, where the trim-up is stopped.

  Returning to the description of the flow chart of FIG. 8, the process then proceeds to S14, where it is determined whether or not variable control of the trim-up speed (hereinafter referred to as "trim speed") of the outboard motor 10 should be executed (variable trim speed control). Execution determination process).

  FIG. 11 is a sub-routine flowchart showing the trim speed variable control execution determination process. As shown in FIG. 11, in S300, it is determined whether or not the bit of the trim-up permission flag is 1. When the result in S300 is NO, the bit of the trim speed change flag is reset to 0 and trimming up is not necessary, so that the subsequent processing is skipped and the processing ends. Note that the bit of the trim speed change flag is set to 1 when the trim speed is changed, as will be described later.

  On the other hand, when the result in S300 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S304, in which it is determined whether the bit of the trim speed change flag is 0. Since the initial value of the trim speed change flag is 0 and is 0 until the trim speed is changed, the determination in S304 is affirmed and the process proceeds to S306 until the trim speed is changed. In S306, it is determined whether or not the previously calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa_old is a positive value (≧ 0), in other words, whether or not the navigation acceleration a has changed in the increasing direction.

  When the result in S306 is affirmative, the program proceeds to S308, in which it is determined whether or not the navigation acceleration change amount Δa calculated this time is a negative value (<0), in other words, whether or not the navigation acceleration a has changed in a decreasing direction.

  When the result in S308 is affirmative, that is, when it is determined that the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is inverted from the positive value to the negative value, the process proceeds to S310, and the duty ratio of the trim-up signal with respect to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is determined. The duty ratio of the trim-up signal is determined based on a map indicating the characteristic (table value) of the trim ratio of the trim-up signal with respect to a predetermined navigation acceleration change amount Δa.

  FIG. 12 is a graph showing the characteristic (table value) of the duty ratio of the trim-up signal with respect to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa.

As shown in FIG. 12, the duty ratio of the trim-up signal is set to be approximately inversely proportional to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa. Specifically, when the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is, for example, 0 to 2 m / s ³ , the duty ratio is constant 100%, and when the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is 2 to 5 m / s ³ , the navigation acceleration change. The duty ratio is set to decrease from 100% to 50% as the amount Δa increases. When the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is 5 m / s ³ or more, the duty ratio is fixed at 50%.

  The navigation acceleration change amount Δa for determining the duty ratio is determined as follows. That is, after the trim-up is started, until the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed to a negative value, in other words, until the detected navigation acceleration a changes in a decreasing direction (see FIG. 11 described later). Navigation acceleration for determining the duty ratio of the maximum value Δa_max of the navigation acceleration change Δa calculated based on the navigation acceleration a detected at the time t3 to t4 shown). Used as a change amount Δa.

  As described above, the duty ratio is determined using the maximum value Δa_max of the navigation acceleration change amount Δa immediately before the trim speed is changed and before the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed to a negative value after the trim-up is started. That is, since the trim speed is changed, the pitching caused by the trim-up can be more effectively suppressed according to the navigation state.

  It should be noted that the characteristic (relationship) of the duty ratio of the trim-up signal with respect to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa shown in FIG. 12 is effective for trimming up pitching and the like if the trim speed is set to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa. As a result of many experiments and verifications of whether or not it can be suppressed.

  Next, in S312, the trim unit 26 is operated according to the duty ratio of the trim-up signal determined in S310 to execute trim-up.

  More specifically, the trim speed can be changed by changing the rotation speed of the electric motor. However, since the output waveform of the electric motor is an on / off pulse, this on / off is actually performed. The trim speed can be changed by controlling the OFF width (duty ratio). Specifically, the trim speed is set to be faster as the ON width is longer, and the trim speed is set to be slower as the ON width is shorter. Therefore, for example, when the duty ratio is 100%, the trimming speed is maximized and the trim speed is maximized.

Accordingly, in the example of FIG. 12, when the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is relatively small (2 m / s ³ or less in the embodiment), the duty ratio of the trim-up signal is set to 100%, so the output waveform of the electric motor is always constant. The trim angle change amount, that is, the trim speed is maximized.

Thereafter, when the navigation acceleration change amount Δa exceeds a predetermined value (2 m / s ³ ), the duty ratio of the trim-up signal gradually decreases as the navigation acceleration change amount Δa increases, and the on-time of the electric motor is also shortened. Therefore, the trim speed becomes slow.

  As described above, when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed from the positive value to the negative value after the trim-up is started (when the detected navigation acceleration a is changed from the increasing direction to the decreasing direction), the trim is performed. By changing the up speed, it is possible to effectively prevent the pitching of the hull due to trim-up.

  Next, in S314, the trim speed change flag bit is set to 1 because the trim speed has been changed. If the bit of this flag is set to 1, the next and subsequent program executions are denied in S304, and the processing from S306 to S310 is skipped.

  Further, negative in any of S306 and S308, that is, the trim speed has not been changed yet (trim speed change flag = 0), and the previously calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa_old is a negative value (<0) or previously calculated. When the calculated navigation acceleration Δa_old and the currently calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa are both positive values (≧ 0), a trim-up signal with a duty ratio of 100%, that is, a trim speed, regardless of the navigation acceleration change amount Δa. Trim up is performed at the maximum.

  Returning to the description of the flowchart of FIG. 8, the process then proceeds to S16, in which the trim down of the outboard motor 10 is executed to determine whether the trim angle θ should be initialized (initialized) (initial trim down execution determination). Process).

  FIG. 13 is a sub-routine flowchart showing the initial trim down execution determination process. As shown in FIG. 13, it is determined in S400 whether or not the bit of the trim down permission flag is 1. When the result in S400 is negative, trimming is not performed, so the subsequent processing is skipped. On the other hand, when the result is affirmative, the process proceeds to S402, and whether or not the trim angle θ is the initial angle (specifically 0 °). to decide.

  When the result in S402 is negative, the program proceeds to S404, where the trim unit 26 is operated to start trim down. Thereafter, when the trim angle θ becomes the initial angle (returns), the result is affirmative in S402 and the process proceeds to S406, the bit of the trim down permission flag is reset to 0, the process proceeds to S408, the trim down is stopped, and the program is executed. finish.

  FIG. 14 is a time chart for explaining a part of the above processing.

  As shown in FIG. 14, first, during the normal operation from time t0 to t1, the gear position of the transmission 24 is set to the second speed (S116), and then the throttle is operated by operating the shift / throttle lever 34 at time t1. When the valve 56 is opened, the engine speed NE and the hull acceleration a start to rise.

  Next, when the opening degree change amount ΔLVR of the shift / throttle lever 34 reaches a predetermined value (for example, 0.5 deg) at time t2, the second electromagnetic solenoid valve (second SOL) is turned off and the shift stage of the transmission 24 is turned on. Is shifted (shifted down) from the second speed to the first speed (S128).

  Thereafter, as the engine speed NE increases, the navigation acceleration a also increases, and once the navigation acceleration a reaches the peak (maximum value a_max), it starts to decrease, in other words, the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is positive. The value is inverted from a negative value to a negative value. At time t3, the engine speed NE reaches a peak at a predetermined speed (6000 rpm), and the navigation acceleration a that has been decreasing is again increased, that is, the navigation acceleration. When the change amount Δa is inverted from a negative value to a positive value, trim-up is started (S210 to S216).

  At time t3, trim-up is started, and the navigation acceleration change amount Δa becomes a positive value, that is, the navigation acceleration a changes in an increasing direction, and at time t4, the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed from a positive value to a negative value. That is, when the navigation acceleration a changes from the increasing direction to the decreasing direction, the trim speed is changed based on the navigation acceleration a detected from the time t3 to the time t4 as described above. The amount Δa is changed according to the maximum value Δa_max (S304 to S314).

  Thereafter, when the navigation acceleration change amount Δa is a negative value, that is, the navigation acceleration a continues to decrease, and at time t5, the navigation acceleration a becomes a first predetermined value a1, that is, a value that is 1/4 of the maximum value a_max. The second electromagnetic solenoid valve 106b is turned on to change the speed of the transmission 24 from the first speed to the second speed (S142, S148).

  Thereafter, trimming is completed when the trim angle reaches a predetermined angle (10 °) (S202, S204).

  From time t3 to t5, the engine rotational speed NE is controlled to be the rotational speed before the overrev (for example, 6000 rpm) by DBW control.

  As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, it is inserted into the power transmission shaft (main shaft 60, propeller shaft 62) for transmitting the power from the internal combustion engine (engine) 50 to the propeller 22, and at least the first speed. A transmission 24 having a second speed, a transmission 24 for shifting the output of the internal combustion engine 50 at a selected speed among the speeds and transmitting it to the propeller, and a trim angle θ with respect to the hull 12; A trim angle adjusting mechanism (trim unit) 26 that can be adjusted by trimming up / down, and when the second speed is selected in the control device of the outboard motor 10 that can be attached to the hull 12, the internal combustion engine 50, an acceleration instruction determination means (ECU 20. S10, S114) for determining whether or not acceleration is instructed by the operator, and a navigation acceleration a of the hull 12 is detected. Navigation acceleration detecting means (ECU20.S10, S140), and navigation acceleration change amount calculating means (ECU20.S12, S210) for calculating a navigation acceleration change amount Δa indicating a change amount of the detected navigation acceleration a per predetermined time. ) And a first speed transmission means (ECU 20, S10, S10, S10) for operating the transmission 24 to shift the speed from the second speed to the first speed when it is determined that the internal combustion engine 50 has been instructed to accelerate. S114, S128), and when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed from a negative value to a positive value after the first speed is changed by the first speed transmission means, the trim angle adjusting mechanism 26 is operated. The trim-up starting means (ECU20. S12, S210 to S216) for starting the trim-up and the trim-up starting means After the rim-up is started, trim speed changing means (ECU20. S14, S300 to S314) for changing the trim-up speed according to the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa, and the trim speed changing means performs the trim. After the up speed is changed, the transmission 24 is operated at a predetermined time to change from the first speed to the second speed (ECU 20. S10, S140 to S148). .

  As a result, trim-up can be performed at an appropriate timing according to the navigational condition (specifically, when acceleration using torque amplification at the first speed is approaching to end) regardless of the specifications of the hull 12. Even if the torque transmitted from the first gear to the second gear and the torque transmitted to the propeller 22 decreases after the acceleration is finished, the speed of the ship 1 is increased by trimming up. This makes it difficult to give a feeling of deceleration to the operator, in other words, the feeling of deceleration can be reduced. Further, since the trim-up speed, more specifically, the duty ratio of the trim-up signal is changed according to the navigation acceleration change amount Δa, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of pitching due to the trim-up.

  Further, after the trim-up is started by the trim-up starting means, the trim-up speed is changed when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa is reversed from a positive value to a negative value ( ECU 20. S14, S300 to S314), the trim-up speed can be changed at an appropriate timing according to the navigation state, so that the occurrence of pitching due to trim-up can be more effectively prevented.

  Further, since the trim-up speed is decreased as the calculated navigation acceleration change amount Δa increases (ECU20, S14, S310, FIG. 12), the trim-up speed is determined according to the navigation state. Therefore, the occurrence of pitching due to trim-up can be more effectively prevented.

  In addition, since the predetermined time point is configured to be when the detected navigation acceleration a is equal to or less than a predetermined value (ECU20. S10, S142, S148), it corresponds to the specifications of the hull 12 and the navigation state. Shifting can be performed at an optimal timing.

  Further, the navigation detects the maximum value a_max of the navigation acceleration a detected after the first speed transmission means shifts to the first speed and before the trim up start means starts the trim up. Since the acceleration maximum value detection means (ECU20.S10, S140) is provided and the predetermined value is determined based on the maximum value a_max (ECU20.S10, S142), the specifications of the hull 12 and navigation Shifting can be performed at a more optimal timing according to the state.

  Further, since the predetermined value is configured to be ¼ of the maximum value a_max (ECU20, S10, S142), it is possible to perform a shift at a more optimal timing according to the specifications of the hull 12 and the navigational state. it can.

  In the above description, the outboard motor has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to an outboard motor equipped with a transmission. In S136, in order to reduce the output of the engine 50, the ignition timing is retarded or the fuel injection amount is reduced. However, both of them may be configured. You may comprise so that the output of the engine 50 may be reduced by performing a cut.

  In the embodiment, the head portion 92a of the forward shift switch 92 is spaced apart from the tip of the operation shaft 90d, and when the first speed shift actuator 90 extends a predetermined distance, the tip of the operation shaft 90d. Is configured to contact the head portion 92a, while the head portion 96a of the reverse shift switch 96 is arranged to contact the tip of the operation shaft 94d, and when the reverse shift actuator 94 contracts a predetermined distance, the operation shaft The front end portion of 94d is separated from the head portion 96a. However, for example, when the first-speed shift actuator 90 is extended by a predetermined distance, the front end portion of the operation shaft 90d is configured to be separated from the head portion 92a. When the shift actuator 94 is contracted by a predetermined distance, the distal end portion of the operation shaft 94d is brought into contact with the head portion 96a. In other words, the tip of the operation shafts 90d and 94d may be separated from the head portions 92a and 96a in the initial state or may be kept in contact with each other, and is not necessarily limited to the configuration of the embodiment. It is not a thing.

  The first and second predetermined values a1 and a2, the first and second predetermined rotational speeds NE1 and NE2, the first and second predetermined values DTH1 and DTH2, the first to third predetermined slip ratios ε1, and Although ε2, ε3, the predetermined slip ratio change amount Dε1, the exhaust amount of the engine 50, and the like are shown as specific values, these are examples and are not limited.

  10 outboard motor, 12 hull, 20 ECU (electronic control unit), 22 propeller, 24 transmission, 26 trim unit (trim angle adjustment mechanism), 36 lever position sensor, 38 GPS receiver, 50 engine (internal combustion engine), 60 main shaft (power transmission shaft), 62 propeller shaft (power transmission shaft)

Claims (6)

  The power transmission shaft is inserted into a power transmission shaft for transmitting power from the internal combustion engine to the propeller, and has at least a first speed and a second speed, and the output of the internal combustion engine is selected from the selected speed stages. A control device for an outboard motor that can be attached to the hull, and includes a transmission that changes the speed of the gear and transmits the transmission to the propeller, and a trim angle adjustment mechanism that can adjust a trim angle relative to the hull by trimming up / down. When speed is selected, acceleration instruction determination means for determining whether or not acceleration is instructed by the operator to the internal combustion engine, navigation acceleration detection means for detecting navigation acceleration of the hull, and the detected A navigation acceleration change amount calculating means for calculating a navigation acceleration change amount indicating a change amount of the navigation acceleration per predetermined time; and determining that acceleration is instructed by the operator to the internal combustion engine. The first speed transmission means for operating the transmission to change the speed from the second speed to the first speed, and after the first speed transmission means shifts to the first speed, the calculated navigation acceleration change amount is The trim-up starting means for starting the trim-up by operating the trim angle adjusting mechanism when the negative value is reversed to the positive value, and after the trim-up is started by the trim-up starting means, the calculated Trim speed changing means for changing the trim-up speed in accordance with the amount of change in navigation acceleration; and after the trim-up speed has been changed by the trim speed changing means, the transmission is operated at a predetermined time to A control device for an outboard motor, comprising: second-speed transmission means for shifting from the first speed to the second speed.   The trim speed changing means changes the trim-up speed when the calculated navigation acceleration change amount is reversed from a positive value to a negative value after the trim-up start means starts the trim-up. The outboard motor control device according to claim 1.   3. The outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trim speed changing means decreases the trim-up speed as the calculated navigation acceleration change amount increases.   The outboard motor control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined time point is when the detected navigation acceleration becomes a predetermined value or less.   Navigation acceleration maximum value detection for detecting the maximum value of the navigation acceleration detected after the first speed transmission means shifts to the first speed and before the trim up start means starts the trim up. 5. The outboard motor control device according to claim 4, further comprising: means, wherein the predetermined value is determined based on the maximum value.   6. The outboard motor control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined value is 1/4 of the maximum value.

Images