Outboard motor and control method for outboard motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512657-B2
Application number	US-201916527824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A controller performs hydrolock prevention control when an engine is started. The controller determines whether a crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times upon starting the engine without ignition of the engine. The controller performs the ignition of the engine after the crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An outboard motor comprising:
an engine including a cylinder and a crankshaft;
a controller configured to perform hydrolock prevention control upon starting the engine; and
an output device controlled by the controller, wherein
the controller is configured to:
upon starting the engine, determine whether the crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times without igniting the engine by the controller, and
perform ignition of the engine after the crankshaft has rotated the predetermined number of times; and

in the hydrolock prevention control, the controller is further configured to cause the output device to output a predetermined warning without performing the ignition of the engine when the crankshaft stops before rotating the predetermined number of times.

2. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein the output device includes a display, and
the predetermined warning includes a description of a recovery process of the engine displayed on the display.

3. The outboard motor according to claim 2 , wherein the description of the recovery process of the engine is a description of a method of discharging water from the cylinder of the engine.

4. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to not perform the ignition of the engine when the crankshaft does not rotate for the predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

5. The outboard motor according to claim 1 , further comprises:
a sensor for detecting a predetermined condition indicative of possibility of water entering the cylinder,
wherein the controller is further configured to perform the hydrolock prevention control when the predetermined condition is detected.

6. The outboard motor according to claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes an attitude sensor that detects an attitude of a boat to which the outboard motor is attached, and
the predetermined condition includes an inclination angle of the boat with respect to a horizontal direction being equal to or greater than a predetermined angle threshold.

7. The outboard motor according to claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes a trim angle sensor that detects a trim angle of the outboard motor, and
the predetermined condition includes the trim angle being equal to or less than a predetermined angle threshold.

8. The outboard motor according to claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes an attitude sensor that detects an attitude of the outboard motor, and
the predetermined condition includes a condition related to the attitude of the outboard motor detected by the attitude sensor.

9. The outboard motor according to claim 8 , wherein the attitude of the outboard motor is detected based on an attitude of a boat and a trim angle of the outboard motor.

10. A control method for an outboard motor, the control method comprising:
performing hydrolock prevention control, including:
upon starting an engine, determining whether a crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times without the engine;
performing ignition of the engine after the crankshaft rotates the predetermined number of times; and
causing an output device to output a predetermined warning without performing the ignition of the engine when the crankshaft stops prior to rotating the predetermined number of times.

11. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 10 , wherein the output device includes a display, and
the predetermined warning includes a description of a recovery process of the engine displayed on the display.

12. The control method of the outboard motor according to claim 11 , wherein the description of the recovery process of the engine is a description of a method of discharging water from a cylinder of the engine.

13. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 10 , wherein the hydrolock prevention control includes not performing the ignition of the engine when the crankshaft does not rotate for predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

14. A control method for an outboard motor, the control method comprising:
detecting a predetermined condition indicative of possibility of water entering a cylinder; and
performing hydrolock prevention control, including:
upon starting an engine, determining whether a crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times without ignition of the engine, and
performing the ignition of the engine after the crankshaft rotates the predetermined number of times, wherein

the hydrolock prevention control is performed when the predetermined condition is detected.

15. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined condition includes an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal direction of a boat to which the outboard motor is attached being equal to or greater than a predetermined angle threshold.

16. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined condition includes a trim angle of the outboard motor being equal to or greater than a predetermined angle threshold.

17. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 14 , wherein the predetermined condition includes a condition related to an attitude of the outboard motor.

18. The control method for an outboard motor according to claim 17 , wherein the attitude of the outboard motor is detected based on an attitude of a boat and a trim angle of the outboard motor.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Hiroshi

Classifications

• F02N11/106

  for stopping or interrupting starter actuation · CPC title

• F02N11/0803

  characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop (F02N11/0814 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63H20/10 Primary

  Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt · CPC title

• F02N2300/2002

  using different starting modes, methods, or actuators depending on circumstances, e.g. engine temperature or component wear · CPC title

• B63J99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title