IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,634,204
Granted Patent B2
US 11,634,204 · App. 16/465,618 · Granted Apr 25, 2023

Boat

Inventors: Shu Akuzawa (Shizuoka, JP); Hirotaka Aoki (Shizuoka, JP); Yusuke Ashida (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B63H25/04B63H21/21B63H25/42G01C21/22G05D1/00G05D1/02G05D1/0206G08G3/00B63H2021/216
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,634,204
App. No.
16/465,618
Granted
Apr 25, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A boat includes a boat body, a propulsion device, an operator that operates the propulsion device, and a controller. The propulsion device is disposed in the boat body and generates a propulsion force to move the boat body. The controller executes an automatic shore arrival control to control the propulsion device so as to cause the boat body to move toward a target position. The controller ends the automatic shore arrival control when the operator is positioned in a non-neutral position that differs from a neutral position.

Claims (35)

1. A boat comprising:

a boat body;

a propulsion device disposed in the boat body and that generates a propulsion force to move the boat body;

an operator that operates the propulsion device; and

a controller configured or programmed to execute an automatic shore arrival control to control the propulsion device so as to move the boat body toward a target position; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to end the automatic shore arrival control when the operator is positioned in a non-neutral position that differs from a neutral position;

the non-neutral position is a forward movement position that causes the propulsion device to generate a propulsion force that causes the boat body to move forward, or a reverse movement position that causes the propulsion device to generate a propulsion force that causes the boat body to move in reverse;

the controller is configured or programmed to start the automatic shore arrival control when the operator is positioned in the neutral position; and

the forward movement position corresponds to when a bucket of the propulsion device is positioned in a forward movement position, and the reverse movement position corresponds to when the bucket of the propulsion device is positioned in a reverse movement position.

2. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured or programmed to end the automatic shore arrival control when the operator is positioned in the non-neutral position during the execution of the automatic shore arrival control.

3. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the operator outputs, to the controller, a throttle operation signal which indicates generation of the propulsion force when the operator is positioned in the non-neutral position.

4. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a steering device that steers the boat body; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to continue the automatic shore arrival control even when the steering device is operated within a predetermined range including the neutral position during the execution of the automatic shore arrival control.

5. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a sensor that detects a shape of a shore arrival location and a positional relationship between the shore arrival location and the boat body, and outputs environment information which indicates the shape of the shore arrival location and the positional relationship; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to receive the environment information and to determine the shore arrival location as the target position based on the environment information.

6. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a receiver that receives trailer position information that is transmitted from a trailer and indicates a current position of the trailer, or a sensor that detects the current position of the trailer and obtains the trailer position information; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to determine the current position of the trailer as the target position.

7. A boat comprising:

a boat body;

a propulsion device disposed in the boat body and that generates a propulsion force to move the boat body;

an operator that operates the propulsion device;

a sensing device that detects a distance between an object and the boat body; and

a controller configured or programmed to execute an automatic shore arrival control to control the propulsion device so as to move the boat body toward a target position; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to end the automatic shore arrival control and transition from an automatic shore arrival mode to a manual operation mode when the operator is positioned in a non-neutral position that differs from a neutral position and when the object is detected by the sensing device.

8. A boat comprising:

a boat body;

a propulsion device disposed in the boat body and that generates a propulsion force to move the boat body;

an operator that operates the propulsion device;

a positional sensor that detects a current position of the boat body; and

a controller configured or programmed to execute an automatic shore arrival control to control the propulsion device so as to move the boat body toward a target position; wherein

the controller is configured or programmed to end the automatic shore arrival control when the operator is positioned in a non-neutral position that differs from a neutral position and when the current position of the boat body has moved out of a predetermined area; and

the target position is within the predetermined area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2019
From: AKUZAWA, SHU; AOKI, HIROTAKA; ASHIDA, YUSUKE
To: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 049565/0731 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190300138A1 · Oct 3, 2019