Steering system for a marine vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10780967-B2
Application number	US-201916299796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

A steering system for a marine vessel comprises a helm, a control head, and a joystick. The helm and control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a first CAN network. The joystick and the control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a second CAN network. The helm may provide user inputted steering commands on the first CAN network. The control head may provide user inputted shift and throttle commands on the second CAN network. The joystick may provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on either the first CAN network or the second CAN network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering system for a marine vessel, comprising:
a first engine and a first steering actuator for steering the first engine;
a first shift actuator for shifting gears in the first engine and a first throttle actuator for increasing or decreasing throttle to the first engine;
a second engine and a second steering actuator for steering the second engine;
a second shift actuator for shifting gears in the second engine and a second throttle actuator for increasing or decreasing throttle to the second engine;
a helm for providing user inputted steering commands;
a control head for providing user inputted shift and throttle commands to the first shift actuator and the first throttle actuator, and to the second shift actuator and the second throttle actuator;
a joystick for providing user inputted steering commands, the joystick configured to provide user inputted shift and throttle commands to the first shift actuator and the first throttle actuator, and being configured to provide user inputted shift and throttle commands to the second shift actuator and the second throttle actuator, the joystick movable along an X-axis for moving the marine vessel starboard or port, along a Y-axis for moving the marine vessel forward or in reverse, along a θ-axis for rotating the marine vessel starboard or port, and along the X-axis, Y-axis, and θ-axis to allow for vector thrusting; and
a guide plate defining a plurality of primary zones of movement which guide the joystick to move along the X-axis or the Y-axis, the guide plate having thinner sections and thicker sections, the thinner sections providing less spring return force than the thicker sections which encourage a user to initially select one of the primary zones of movement when steering;
wherein sideways movement of the marine vessel is achieved by moving the joystick along the X-axis to cause rudders of the engines to spread outwardly and point towards a center of rotation of the marine vessel, a first one of the shift actuators engaging in forward gear and a second one of the shift actuators engaging in reverse gear, a forward thrust of a first one of the throttle actuators being equal to a reverse thrust of a second one of the throttle actuators; and
wherein heading correction during sideways movement is achieved by moving the joystick along the θ-axis to further spread out the rudders, thereby causing a turning moment of the marine vessel to rotate the marine vessel while the first one of the shift actuators is in forward gear and the second one of the shift actuators is in reverse gear.

2. A steering system for a marine vessel, comprising:
a first engine and a first steering actuator for steering the first engine;
a first shift actuator for shifting gears in the first engine and a first throttle actuator for increasing or decreasing throttle to the first engine;
a second engine and a second steering actuator for steering the second engine;
a second shift actuator for shifting gears in the second engine and a second throttle actuator for increasing or decreasing throttle to the second engine;
a helm for providing user inputted steering commands;
a control head for providing user inputted shift and throttle commands to the first shift actuator and the first throttle actuator, and to the second shift actuator and the second throttle actuator;
a joystick for providing user inputted steering commands, the joystick being configured to provide user inputted shift and throttle commands to the first shift actuator and the first throttle actuator, and being configured to provide user inputted shift and throttle commands to the second shift actuator and the second throttle actuator, the joystick being movable along an X-axis for moving the marine vessel starboard or port, along a Y-axis for moving the marine vessel forward or in reverse, along a θ-axis for rotating the marine vessel starboard or port, and along the X-axis, Y-axis, and θ-axis to allow for vector thrusting; and
a guide plate defining a plurality of primary zones of movement which guide the joystick to move along the X-axis or the Y-axis, the guide plate having thinner sections and thicker sections, the thinner sections providing less spring return force than the thicker sections which encourages a user to initially select one of the primary zones of movement when steering;
wherein sideways movement of the marine vessel is achieved by moving the joystick along the X-axis to cause rudders of the engines to spread outwardly and point towards a center of rotation of the marine vessel, a first one of the shift actuators engaging in forward gear and a second one of the shift actuates engaging in reverse gear, a forward thrust of a first one of the throttle actuators being equal to a reverse thrust of a second one of the throttle actuators; and
wherein reverse adjustment during sideways movement is achieved by moving the joystick along the Y-axis to reduce throttle commands to the first one of the throttle actuators, thereby causing a reverse thrust of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel in a reverse direction while the first one of the shift actuators is in forward gear and the second one of the shift actuators is in reverse gear.

Assignees

• Marine Canada Acquisition Inc

Inventors

• Clarke Douglas
• Garon Pierre
• Wong Ray
• Chan Anson
• Smeds Kristofer Sven
• Higgs David
• Redfern Richard

Classifications

• B63H2021/216

  using electric control means · CPC title

• B62D5/006

  power actuated · CPC title

• B63H2023/062

  comprising means for simultaneously driving two or more main transmitting elements, e.g. drive shafts · CPC title

• B63H2020/003

  Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units · CPC title

• B63H2025/026

  using multi-axis control levers, or the like, e.g. joysticks, wherein at least one degree of freedom is employed for steering, slowing down, or dynamic anchoring · CPC title