Steering mechanism for marine vessel, and marine vessel

Abstract

A marine vessel able to improve the flexibility in the layout of switches and the operability of the switches includes a marine vessel steering mechanism including a steering wheel, wherein the steering wheel includes switches to start and stop a power source of the marine vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A marine vessel comprising:
 a marine vessel steering mechanism including a steering wheel; wherein   the steering wheel includes switches to start and stop a power source of the marine vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The marine vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the switches to start and stop the power source include at least one of an ignition switch to start and stop a supply of electric power to the power source, a start/stop switch to start and stop the power source in response to an operation, or an engine shutoff switch to emergency-stop the power source. 
     
     
         3 . The marine vessel according to  claim 2 , wherein the steering wheel includes the ignition switch and the start/stop switch. 
     
     
         4 . The marine vessel according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the steering wheel includes a central portion supported rotatably around a rotation fulcrum with respect to a hull of the marine vessel, a wheel portion having an annular shape, and spoke portions that connect the central portion and the wheel portion; and   at least one of the ignition switch and the start/stop switch is located on one of the spoke portions.   
     
     
         5 . The marine vessel according to  claim 4 , wherein the one of the spoke portions, on which the at least one of the ignition switch and the start/stop switch is located, is positioned above a virtual plane extending through the rotation fulcrum and parallel to a left/right direction, and within an angle range from about 0° to about 60° with respect to the virtual plane in a circumferential direction about the rotation fulcrum. 
     
     
         6 . The marine vessel according to  claim 3 , wherein the ignition switch and the start/stop switch are located adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The marine vessel according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the marine vessel steering mechanism includes a column portion that rotatably supports the steering wheel; and   the engine shutoff switch is located on the column portion.   
     
     
         8 . The marine vessel according to  claim 7 , wherein the engine shutoff switch is positioned below a virtual plane extending through a rotational center of the steering wheel and parallel to a left/right direction. 
     
     
         9 . The marine vessel according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the marine vessel steering mechanism includes a column portion that rotatably supports the steering wheel; and   at least one of the ignition switch and the start/stop switch is located on the column portion.   
     
     
         10 . The marine vessel according to  claim 2 , wherein the steering wheel further includes a battery switch to switch whether or not the electric power is supplied from a battery. 
     
     
         11 . The marine vessel according to  claim 2 , wherein the ignition switch, the start/stop switch, and the engine shutoff switch are operable to emit analog signals according to respective operations. 
     
     
         12 . The marine vessel according to  claim 1 , wherein the power source is an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . A marine vessel comprising:
 a marine vessel steering mechanism including switches to start and stop a power source of the marine vessel.   
     
     
         14 . A marine vessel steering mechanism comprising:
 a steering wheel including switches to start and stop a power source of a marine vessel.   
     
     
         15 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 14 , wherein the switches to start and stop the power source include at least one of an ignition switch to start and stop a supply of electric power to the power source, a start/stop switch to start and stop the power source in response to an operation, or an engine shutoff switch to emergency-stop the power source. 
     
     
         16 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 15 , wherein the steering wheel includes the ignition switch and the start/stop switch. 
     
     
         17 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the steering wheel includes a central portion supported rotatably around a rotation fulcrum with respect to a hull of the marine vessel, a wheel portion having an annular shape, and spoke portions that connect the central portion and the wheel portion; and   at least one of the ignition switch and the start/stop switch is located on one of the spoke portions.   
     
     
         18 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 17 , wherein the one of the spoke portions, on which the at least one of the ignition switch and the start/stop switch is located, is positioned above a virtual plane extending through the rotation fulcrum and parallel to a left/right direction, and within an angle range from about 0° to about 60° with respect to the virtual plane in a circumferential direction about the rotation fulcrum. 
     
     
         19 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a column portion that rotatably supports the steering wheel; wherein   the engine shutoff switch is located on the column portion.   
     
     
         20 . The marine vessel steering mechanism according to  claim 19 , wherein the engine shutoff switch is positioned below a virtual plane extending through a rotational center of the steering wheel and parallel to a left/right direction.