JPH01141198A - Automatic steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conduct easily the setting of a course toward a navigating destination without being attended with the navigating danger of a vessel, when it is discriminated by means of a discriminating means that the difference between the compass direction of the course and the compass direction of a bow is larger than a predetermined value, by providing a limiting means which limits the steering ot the vessel by means of a control means. CONSTITUTION:When the difference between the set compass direction of a course setter 3 and the detected compass direction of a compass direction detector 5, is larger than a predetermined compass directional difference, this is discriminated by means of a discriminating portion 11, and as a result, the quantity of steering of a rudder 2a operated at a operation control portion 7 by means of a command signal outputted from a rudder angle limitation indicating portion 12, is limited. Accordingly, even if there is a great difference between the compass direction set by means of the course setter 3 and the present time point compass direction of a bow detected by means of the compass direction detector 5, there is no chance of a vessel 2 making a sudden turning together with the closing of an opening/closing switch 10. On account of this, an automatic steering device can be operated without considering the prevention of the occurrence of a navigating danger.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an automatic steering system for small ships and the like.

(Prior art) As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional automatic steering system detects the course setting s23, which sets the direction of the course toward the target value of the ship's navigation, and the direction of the ship's bow using a gyro compass or the like. A direction detector 25, and a control device 26, 27.28 that controls the rudder 22a of the vessel 22 so that the direction of the bow detected by the direction detection 3125 matches the direction of the course set by the course setting s23. , the control m-equipment jl126
According to such an automatic steering system, a switch 30 for starting or stopping the ship 22
The heading of the ship is directed to the direction of the course set by the course setting device 23, and the ship 22 is automatically navigated toward the destination.

(III) However, in the above-mentioned automatic steering system, the course setting 2
! If the difference in direction between the heading of the course set by 23 and the heading of the ship detected by the direction detector 25 is large,
When the automatic steering system is activated, the rudder 22a of the vessel 22 is immediately steered to the maximum turning angle, and
The rudder 22a is maintained at the maximum turning angle position until the azimuth difference between the azimuth set by the course setter 23 and the azimuth detected by the azimuth detector 25 becomes small. Therefore, the boat 22 makes a sharp turn, but especially in a small boat or the like, if a sharp turn occurs while traveling at high speed, it may be dangerous.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an automatic steering system that allows a ship to easily set a course to a target value without causing any danger to the navigation of the ship. is to provide.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a course setting means for setting the direction of the course of a ship, a direction detection means for detecting the direction of the bow of the ship, and the course setting means. and a control means for controlling the rudder of the ship so that the direction of the ship's bow detected by the direction detection means coincides with the direction of the course set by the course setting means. determining means for determining whether the difference between the heading of the course and the heading of the ship detected by the heading detecting means is greater than a predetermined value; The automatic steering apparatus is characterized in that the automatic steering apparatus includes a limiting means for limiting the steering of the ship by the control means when it is determined that the steering value is larger than a predetermined value.

(Function) Therefore, when there is a risk that the ship will make a sharp turn because there is a large difference between the heading of the course set by the course setting means and the heading of the ship detected by the heading detecting means, this state is determined by the determining means, and the steering of the control means is restricted by the restricting means. Therefore, regardless of the direction of the course set by the course setting means, the steering control of the ship by the control means is performed within a predetermined steering amount range,
The ship will no longer make sharp turns and will always make safe and gentle turns.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of an automatic steering system according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a control panel for an automatic steering system of a small boat 2, and the control panel 1 is provided in the cockpit of the boat 2. The operation 111 includes a course setting for setting the direction of the navigation course of the ship 2! An input section 4 for inputting control parameters for controlling the steering sensitivity of the rudder 2a by the automatic steering device according to the weather and the like during navigation of the I3 and the ship 2 is provided, respectively.

On the other hand, a direction detector (direction detection means) 5 is provided at a predetermined location on the hull of the ship 2 to detect the current direction of the bow of the ship 2 . The azimuth detector 5 is constituted by a known gyro compass or the like, and is configured to output an electric signal corresponding to the azimuth of the bow.

In addition, the ship 2 can change the direction of the bow by steering the rudder 2a using a steering wheel (not shown) provided in the cockpit;
In other words, it can turn.

The azimuth of the course set in the course setting device 3 and the azimuth of the bow detected by the azimuth detector 5 are compared in a comparator 6, and a signal indicating the difference between these azimuths is sent to the comparator. 6
The signals are respectively input to the arithmetic control section 7 and the determination section 11, which will be described later. Then, the calculation control section 7 calculates the steering amount of the rudder 2a based on the azimuth difference indicated by the output signal of the comparison section 6 and the control parameter indicated by the output signal of the input section 4, and outputs an output signal corresponding to the steering amount. is input from the calculation control section 7 to the control section 8. In response to this signal, the control unit 8 outputs a command signal to the drive unit 9 to steer the rudder 2a in a predetermined direction via the open/close switch 18, which is a start/stop switch of the automatic steering system, and the drive unit 9 2a is driven to be steered at a predetermined angle in a predetermined direction. In this way, the comparison unit 6, the calculation control unit 7°, the control unit 8, etc., control the rudder 2a so that the heading of the vessel 2 matches the heading set in the course setting device 3. It is configured.

On the other hand, the determination section (discrimination means) 11 determines whether the azimuth difference indicated by the output signal of the comparison section 6 is greater than a predetermined azimuth difference. Here, this predetermined azimuth difference is a azimuth difference (
For example, it is set to lOo). Then, the determination unit 11
When the determination result is affirmative (Yes), the determination section 11 activates the rudder angle restriction instruction section (restriction means) 12, and thereby the rudder angle restriction instruction section 12 instructs the calculation control section 7 to control the amount of steering of the rudder 2a. Outputs a command signal to limit the Based on this command signal, the arithmetic control unit 7 determines the amount of steering of the rudder 2a calculated as described above so as to be limited. Also,
When the determination result of the determination unit 11 is negative (No), the determination unit 11 is set to 2 so as not to output the command signal.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned automatic steering system will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 4, without turning the ship 2 using the steering wheel in the cockpit until the heading of the ship coincides with the heading of the destination A, the course setting device 3 is used to set the course to the destination A. After setting the heading and closing the open/close switch lO, the rudder 2
If the steering amount a is small, a course deviation χ occurs while the ship 2 travels the distance OP. In order to prevent this course deviation χ, the calculation control unit 7 increases the amount of steering of the rudder 2a of the ship 2 as the difference in orientation between the set orientation of the course setter 3 and the orientation detected by the orientation detector 5 increases. When the azimuth difference between the set azimuth of the course setter 3 and the detected azimuth of the azimuth detector 5 is larger than a predetermined azimuth difference.

The determination unit 11 determines this, and as a result, the calculation control unit 7
The amount of steering of the rudder 2a calculated in is limited. Therefore,
Even if the azimuth set in the course setting device 3 and the current azimuth of the ship's bow detected by the azimuth detector 5 are greatly different, the ship 2 will not make a sharp turn when the opening/closing switch 10 is closed. Therefore, the automatic steering system can be operated without considering the prevention of navigational hazards, and even those who are not accustomed to operating this type of system can operate it safely. Become.

Next, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a modified embodiment of the present invention.
A discriminating section 11'' similar to the above is provided.Also, the operation!
An automatic steering start/stop switch 13 is provided at l=, and the signal output from the switch 13 and the determination unit 1
1" is affirmative (Yes), the discriminator 11"
The signal output from the first AND circuit 14 is input to the first AND circuit 14. Then, when a signal is input to the first AND circuit 14 from both the discrimination unit 11'' and the start/stop switch 13, the first AND circuit 14 outputs a start signal to the alarm device drive unit 15, Thereby, the drive section 15 drives the alarm device 116, for example, lights up a lamp, sounds a buzzer, etc.

On the other hand, when the signal output from the start/stop switch 13 and the discrimination result of the discrimination section 11' are negative (NO), the discrimination section 1
1'' is input to a second AND circuit 17.The second AND circuit 17 constitutes a limiting means for limiting the steering of the vessel 2' by the automatic steering system, and the signal output from the 1 discriminator 11' When no signal is input from the control section 8' and the drive 111 section 9', the open/close switch 18 provided between the control section 8' and the drive section 9' remains open regardless of whether the start 111/stop switch 13 is operated to the drive or stop position. It is maintained in the open state, and the steering of the ship 2 by the automatic steering system is restricted. Then, signals are input to the second AND circuit 17 from both the determination unit 11'' and the start/stop switch 13. When this occurs, the second AND circuit 17 closes the open/close switch 18, and thereby, the operation of the ship 2' is performed via the fIIIm section 8' and the drive section 9' in accordance with the steering amount calculated by the arithmetic control section 7'. The rudder 2a'' is designed to be steered. A steering restriction instructing section 19 is connected to the opening/closing switch 18.
Signals from an engine rotation speed sensor and a boat speed sensor (both not shown) are input to the instruction section 19, and when the engine rotation speed or boat speed is high, the open/close switch 18 is opened and automatic steering is stopped. It has become. Further, the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

According to the above-described modified embodiment, when the difference in direction between the direction of the course set in the course setting device 3' and the current direction of the bow detected by the direction detector is larger than the predetermined direction difference, the determination unit 11 ′ becomes affirmative (Yes), and even if the start/stop switch 13 is operated to the start side, the second AN
No signal is output from the D circuit 17, and the open/close switch 18
is opened, and automatic steering is maintained in a stopped state.

Therefore, as in the first embodiment described above, even if the azimuth set in the course setting device 3 and the current heading of the ship detected by the azimuth detector 5 are significantly different, the azimuth will not start! &/When the stop switch 13 is operated to the start side, the ship 2 will no longer make a sharp turn.

Further, as described above, the start/stop switch 13 is operated to the start side when the difference in direction between the direction set in the course setting device 3 and the direction of the bow detected by the direction detector 5 is greater than a predetermined direction difference. Then, a signal is output from the first AND circuit 14, and the alarm device 16 is driven via the alarm device drive section 15.

The warning from this warning device allows the pilot to know that the automatic steering is being maintained in a stopped state.

Then, when the operator turns the vessel 2' using the steering wheel in the cockpit and directs the bow direction within a predetermined azimuth difference range centered on the azimuth set in the course setting device 3', the discriminator 1
1" or is negative (No), the output of the signal from the first AND circuit 14 is stopped, and thereby the alarm device 16 is also stopped, and the signal is not output from the second AND circuit 17. As a result, the open/close switch 1B is closed and automatic steering is started.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the course setting means for setting the direction of the course of the ship, the direction detection means for detecting the direction of the bow of the ship, and the course setting means and a control means for controlling a rudder of a ship so that the heading of the ship detected by the heading detecting means coincides with the heading of the set course, wherein the course is set by the course setting means. determining means for determining whether a difference between the heading of the ship and the heading of the ship detected by the heading detecting means is greater than a predetermined value; Since the automatic steering device is configured to include a restriction means for restricting the steering of the ship by the control means when it is determined that the value is larger than the value, the difference between the set direction of the ship's navigation course and the direction of the ship's bow is large. In this case, the steering by the control means is limited, so that there is no danger of sharp turns of the ship. As a result, it is not necessary to consider the occurrence of navigational dangers of the ship, and therefore, the effect that the course to the navigation destination can be easily set can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of an automatic steering system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a modified embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a conventional automatic steering system. The block diagram shown in FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the process of occurrence of course deviation of a ship. '2.2=-...Ship, 2a, 2a"...Rudder, 3.3'
... Course setting device (course setting means), 5.5 ”-
...Azimuth detector (direction detection means), 6.6"...Comparison section (control means), 7.7"--Arithmetic control section (control means), 8.8"--Control section ( control means), 10.
18... Open/close switch, 11.11=-... Discrimination section (
determination means), 12... steering angle restriction instruction section (restriction means),
17-A N D circuit (limiting means). Patent applicant Sanshin Komata Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Ryo Yamashita

Claims (1)

[Claims] A course setting means for setting the direction of the course of the ship, a direction detection means for detecting the direction of the bow of the ship, and a direction of the bow detected by the direction detection means in the direction of the course set by the course setting means. In an automatic steering system, the difference between the heading of the course set by the course setting means and the heading of the ship detected by the heading detecting means is a predetermined difference. determining means for determining whether the difference between the heading of the course and the heading of the ship is greater than a predetermined value; and limiting the steering of the vessel by the control means when the determining means determines that the difference between the heading of the course and the heading of the ship is greater than a predetermined value. An automatic steering system comprising: a limiting means.