Control apparatus of multiple ship propellers

Abstract

A control apparatus controls multiple outboard motors transmitting and receiving operation information mutually via a communication line and is configured to give a thrust difference between the outboard motors in the event of a fault of an electric rudder tilter used to turn a ship by turning a rudder by controlling thrusts of the outboard motors according to a detection value of a steering angle sensor detecting a steering angle. When a ship sailing direction is controlled by the thrust difference, the control apparatus controls the outboard motors by using a steering angle threshold up to which the thrust difference is not given between the outboard motors in a region where a steering angle is small, and in a case where the steering angle exceeds the steering angle threshold, by using a predetermined value of the thrust difference with which the thrust difference is given between the outboard motors.

1 . A control apparatus of multiple ship propellers controlling operation states of at least two ship propellers attached to a transom and transmitting and receiving operation information of the respective ship propellers mutually via a communication member, and configured to give a thrust difference between the ship propellers in the event of a fault of an electric rudder tilter used to turn a ship by turning a rudder by controlling thrusts of the respective ship propellers according to a detection value of a steering angle detector that detects a steering angle,
 wherein when a sailing direction of the ship is controlled by the thrust difference, the control apparatus controls the respective ship propellers by using a steering angle threshold up to which the thrust difference is not given between the ship propellers in a region in which the steering angle is small, and in a case where the steering angle exceeds the steering angle threshold, by using a predetermined value of the thrust difference with which the thrust difference is given between the ship propellers.   
     
     
         2 . The control apparatus of multiple ship propellers according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 magnitude of a thrust difference determined by the steering angle in a case where the thrust difference between the ship propellers is increased and magnitude of a thrust difference determined according to the steering angle in a case where the thrust difference is decreased are controlled to take different values.   
     
     
         3 . The control apparatus of multiple ship propellers according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the thrust difference is given between the ship propellers so that a total thrust of all the ship propellers in the absence of a thrust difference and a total thrust of all the ship propellers after the thrust difference is given between the ship propellers are maintained equal.   
     
     
         4 . The control apparatus of multiple ship propellers according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in a case where the thrust difference is given between the ship propellers, the thrust difference is given only by increasing a thrust, and in a case where the thrust difference between the ship propellers is eliminated, a thrust is deceased to one of a thrust before the thrust difference is given and a thrust of a ship propeller having a smallest thrust.