JP7572802B2 - Ship steering equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ship steering device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ship control devices such as telegraphs that are provided on the bridge, engine control room, etc. of a ship are known.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bridge control lever provided on a bridge for remotely controlling a main engine from the bridge. The bridge control lever includes a plate-shaped display panel, a lever that moves in a straight line along the display panel, an endless belt that is connected to the lever and converts the linear movement of the lever into a rotational movement, and a potentiometer that operates by operating the lever. The display panel has a long hole through which the lever passes and serves as a guide for the lever. The belt is attached to the lower end of the lever that passes through the long hole in the display panel. The belt is looped around in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface (display surface) of the display panel.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-11197

However, there is a demand for miniaturization in the direction perpendicular to the display surface.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a marine steering device that can be made smaller in size in the direction perpendicular to the display surface.

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) A marine vessel steering device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an operating unit that can move approximately parallel to a planar display surface that displays an operating position, a belt that is looped approximately parallel to the display surface and moves in conjunction with the movement of the operating unit, and a detection unit that can detect the amount of movement of the belt , and the annular opening formed by the looped belt opens approximately perpendicular to the display surface .

With this configuration, the belt is wound around the display surface approximately parallel to the display surface, making it possible to reduce the size in the direction perpendicular to the display surface compared to when the belt is wound around the display surface perpendicular to the display surface.

(2) The vessel steering device described in (1) above may further include a waterproof member disposed between the belt and the detector.

(3) The marine vessel steering device described in (2) above may further include a motor for moving the operating unit via the belt, and the motor may include an output shaft for transmitting power to the belt, and a drive unit for rotating the output shaft, which is disposed on the same side as the detection unit when viewed from the waterproof member.

(4) The marine steering device described in any one of (1) to (3) above may further include a pulley around which the belt is stretched and which rotates in conjunction with the movement of the belt, and the pulley may have a flange that is provided vertically below the belt and extends radially outward from the pulley.

(5) The marine steering device described in any one of (1) to (4) above further includes two pulleys around which the belt is stretched and which rotate in conjunction with the movement of the belt, and a tensioner capable of adjusting the tension of the belt, and the tensioner may be positioned in a location other than between the two pulleys.

(6) In the marine steering device described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the belt has an inner surface facing an outer peripheral surface of a pulley body provided in a space within a housing that opens approximately perpendicular to the display surface, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and the device may further include a tensioner that can adjust the tension of the belt from the outer surface side of the belt.

(7) In the vessel steering device described in any one of (1) to (6) above, the operation unit may include a rail extending linearly and substantially parallel to the display surface, and a carriage movable along the rail, and the carriage and the belt may be connected to each other.

(8) The marine steering device described in any one of (1) to (7) above may further include a tensioner capable of adjusting the tension of the belt, a cover that covers the belt and has an opening through which the tensioner can be exposed, and a lid attached to the cover that can open and close the opening.

(9) In the marine steering device described in (8) above, the tensioner may include an adjustment unit that allows a user to adjust the tension of the belt, and the adjustment unit may be exposed from the opening when the lid is open.

(10) A marine steering device according to an aspect of the present invention includes an operating unit movable on one axis in the in-plane direction of a planar display surface that displays an operating position, an endless belt having an inner surface facing an outer peripheral surface of a pulley body provided in a space within a housing that opens approximately perpendicular to the display surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, the belt being wound approximately parallel to the display surface and linked to movement of the operating unit, a potentiometer capable of detecting the amount of movement of the belt, a motor having an output shaft that transmits power to the belt and a drive unit for rotating the output shaft, and for moving the operating unit via the belt, and a waterproof member arranged between the potentiometer, the drive unit, and the belt.

According to this configuration, by looping the belt approximately parallel to the display surface, the device can be made smaller in size in the direction perpendicular to the display surface, compared to a case in which the belt is looped in a direction perpendicular to the display surface.
In addition, by disposing a waterproof member between the belt and the potentiometer and the drive unit, it is possible to prevent water from entering the potentiometer and the drive unit.

(11) A vessel steering device according to an aspect of the present invention includes an operating unit that is movable on one axis in the in-plane direction of a plate-shaped display member that displays an operating position, an endless belt that is wound approximately parallel to the display member and moves in response to the movement of the operating unit, and a detection unit that can detect the amount of movement of the belt, and the annular opening formed by the wound belt opens approximately perpendicular to the display member .

With this configuration, the belt is looped around the display member approximately parallel to the display member, making it possible to reduce the size in the direction perpendicular to the display member compared to when the belt is looped around the display member perpendicular to the display member.

The present invention provides a marine steering device that can be made smaller in size in the direction perpendicular to the display surface.

1 is a perspective view of a marine vessel steering device according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the marine vessel steering device of the first embodiment with the cover removed. FIG. 2 is a top view of the marine vessel steering device of the first embodiment with the cover removed. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the marine vessel steering device of the first embodiment with the cover removed. 4 is a perspective view including the VV cross section of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an upper portion of a marine vessel steering device according to a second embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, an engine telegraph installed in the engine control room of a ship will be described as an example of a ship steering device. The engine telegraph is a telegraph for mutually transmitting information such as starting and stopping the engine and increasing and decreasing the rotation speed. Note that in the drawings used in the following description, the scale of each component has been appropriately changed so that each component is large enough to be recognized.

First Embodiment
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a marine vessel steering device 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the marine vessel steering device 1 according to the first embodiment with a cover 3 removed.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the marine vessel steering device 1 includes an operation unit 2 , a cover 3 , and a housing 4 .

The cover 3 is provided with a plate-shaped display panel 5 for displaying the operating position. For example, the display panel 5 displays information such as starting, stopping, and increasing/decreasing the engine speed of the vessel. The display panel 5 has a flat display surface 5a that displays the operating position. The display panel 5 has a number of telegraph zones 6 that display "AHEAD", "STOP", "SLOW", etc. The display panel 5 lights up for each telegraph zone 6 that is in the position indicated by the position indicator needle 12 of the operation unit 2.

The operation unit 2 is a handle for a user to operate. The operation unit 2 is provided so as to be movable linearly and substantially parallel to the display surface 5a. In other words, the operation unit 2 is provided so as to be movable on one axis in the in-plane direction of the display surface 5a.
"Approximately parallel to the display surface 5a" means that the display surface 5a is substantially parallel to the display surface 5a within the allowable range of dimensional error and installation error of the display board 5. "Substantially parallel" includes the case where the display surface 5a is diagonally intersected within the allowable range. Note that "approximately parallel to the display surface 5a" includes the case where the display surface 5a is completely parallel to the display surface 5a.
Hereinafter, the direction of movement of the operating unit 2 will be referred to as the "forward/rearward direction," and the direction perpendicular to each of the vertical direction and the forward/rearward direction will be referred to as the "left/right direction." In the drawings used in the following description, an arrow UP indicating the upward direction, an arrow FR indicating the forward direction, and an arrow LH indicating the leftward direction are shown in appropriate positions.

The operation unit 2 includes a grip 10 for the user to hold, an operation axis 11 extending downward from the grip 10, and a position indicator needle 12 for indicating the operation position. In the side view of FIG. 4, the grip 10 has an elliptical shape with its longitudinal axis extending in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the position indicator needle 12 extends leftward from the left side of the operating shaft 11 towards the display board 5. The position indicator needle 12 is disposed above the cover 3. The position indicator needle 12 moves in the front-rear direction together with the operating unit 2. The position indicator needle 12 indicates one of the telegraph zones 6 on the display board 5 by moving the operating unit 2 in the front-rear direction.

The cover 3 covers the belt 20 and the like (see FIG. 2) from above. The cover 3 has a slit 15 through which the operation unit 2 can move linearly. The slit 15 is an elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction.
The cover 3 includes a rectangular top plate 16 having a longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction, and a side plate 17 connected to the outer periphery of the top plate 16. The slit 15 opens in the vertical direction on the right side of the top plate 16. The slit 15 extends along one side (long side) of the right side of the top plate 16.

The housing 4 houses the motor 23 and other components (see FIG. 4). The housing 4 is a rectangular box shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction and open at the top. For example, the cover 3 is connected to the top of the housing 4 by a fastening member such as a bolt (not shown).

Next, the configuration of the marine vessel steering device 1 inside the housing 4 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the marine vessel steering device 1 includes an endless belt 20, a potentiometer 21 (see FIG. 4), a waterproof member 22, a motor 23 (see FIG. 4), pulleys 24A, 24B, a tensioner 25, a rail 26 (see FIG. 5), a carriage 27 (see FIG. 5), a connecting member 28 (see FIG. 5), a rack 29, a pinion 30, a support member 31 (see FIG. 5), connecting members 32, 33, a control board 34, a support pillar 35, and a circuit board 36.

The belt 20 has a loop that opens in the vertical direction. The belt 20 is connected to the operation unit 2. The belt 20 is looped around the display surface 5a (see FIG. 1) in a manner that is substantially parallel to the display surface 5a.

The belt 20 has an inner surface 20a that faces the space 19 that opens approximately perpendicular to the display surface 5a, and an outer surface 20b on the opposite side to the inner surface 20a. "Approximately perpendicular to the display surface 5a" means that the belt 20 is substantially perpendicular to the display surface 5a within the allowable range of dimensional error and installation error. "Substantially perpendicular" includes cases where the belt 20 crosses the display surface 5a at an angle within the allowable range. Note that "approximately perpendicular to the display surface 5a" includes cases where the belt 20 is completely perpendicular to the display surface 5a.

The potentiometer 21 is a detection unit capable of detecting the amount of movement of the belt 20 linked to the movement of the operating unit 2 in order to detect the operating position of the operating unit 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the potentiometer 21 is disposed below the waterproof member 22. Two potentiometers 21 are provided. The potentiometer 21 is attached to each of the rotation shafts of the two pulleys 24A, 24B. For example, the potentiometer 21 is a rotary potentiometer that detects the rotation angle of the pulleys 24A, 24B. The detection signal of the potentiometer 21 (the rotation angle of the pulleys 24A, 24B) is input to the control board 34 (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 5, the waterproof member 22 has a plate shape that is approximately parallel to the display surface 5a. The waterproof member 22 has a rectangular shape with its longitudinal axis in the front-rear direction. The waterproof member 22 is provided below the belt 20 and the operation unit 2. The waterproof member 22 has a through hole 40 that opens in the vertical direction. The through hole 40 is disposed at a position that overlaps with the slit 15 of the cover 3 when viewed in the vertical direction. A blocking member 41 that blocks the through hole 40 is attached to the underside of the waterproof member 22.

The motor 23 is a drive device for moving the operation unit 2 via the belt 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the motor 23 includes an output shaft 45 for transmitting power to the belt 20, and a drive unit 46 for rotating the output shaft 45. For example, the motor 23 is an inner rotor type motor.
The output shaft 45 extends vertically.
The driving unit 46 is disposed below the waterproof member 22. The driving unit 46 is disposed on the same side as the potentiometer 21 when viewed from the waterproof member 22. For example, the driving unit 46 includes a rotor to which the output shaft 45 is connected, and a stator that houses the rotor.

Two pulleys 24A and 24B are provided. The two pulleys 24A and 24B are arranged above the waterproof member 22. The pulleys 24A and 24B are stretched over the belt 20 and rotate in conjunction with the movement of the belt 20. The pulleys 24A and 24B include a disk-shaped pulley body 50 and a pair of upper and lower flanges 51 and 52 that protrude radially outward from the pulley body 50.

The pulley body 50 has a disk shape coaxial with the rotation axes of the pulleys 24 A and 24 B. The belt 20 is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the pulley body 50.
The pair of upper and lower flanges 51, 52 includes an upper flange 51 provided on the vertical upper side of the belt 20 and projecting radially outward from the upper end of the pulley body 50, and a lower flange 52 provided on the vertical lower side of the belt 20 and projecting radially outward from the lower end of the pulley body 50. Here, "vertically upper side" means the upper side in the vertical direction, and "vertically lower side" means the lower side in the vertical direction. The lower flange 52 corresponds to the flange described in the claims.

The two pulleys 24A, 24B are arranged at a distance from each other in the front-rear direction. Hereinafter, one of the two pulleys 24A, 24B is referred to as the "first pulley 24A" and the other as the "second pulley 24B". The first pulley 24A is arranged toward the center of the waterproofing member 22 in the front-rear direction. The second pulley 24B is arranged behind the first pulley 24A. In a top view, the rotation centers RA, RB of the first pulley 24A and the second pulley 24B are arranged on a straight line along the front-rear direction. The first pulley 24A and the second pulley 24B have the same shape. For example, the second pulley 24B is a pulley that is common to the first pulley 24A.

The belt 20 is stretched over two pulleys 24A, 24B and multiple (for example, four in this embodiment) small pulleys 55, 56, 57, 58 that have smaller outer diameters than the pulleys 24A, 24B. The four small pulleys 55, 56, 57, 58 include a front pulley 55 stretched over the front part of the straight part of the belt 20 that extends in the front-rear direction along the slit 15, a rear pulley 56 stretched over the rear part of the straight part of the belt 20, a motor pulley 57 connected to the output shaft 45 of the motor 23, and a tensioner pulley 58 connected to the shaft 60 of the tensioner 25.

The two pulleys 24A, 24B, the front pulley 55, the rear pulley 56, the motor pulley 57, and the tensioner pulley 58 each have a cylindrical shape extending vertically. The two pulleys 24A, 24B, the front pulley 55, the rear pulley 56, the motor pulley 57, and the tensioner pulley 58 are provided on the inner surface 20a side of the belt 20.

When viewed from above, the rotation centers R1, R2 of the front pulley 55 and the rear pulley 56 are located within the range of the handle stroke length L. The handle stroke length L means the maximum movement distance of the operating unit 2 that moves linearly in the front-rear direction. The handle stroke length L corresponds to the length of the slit 15 in the front-rear direction.

The front pulley 55 and the rear pulley 56 are each disposed between the two pulleys 24A, 24B and the slit 15 in the left-right direction.
The motor pulley 57 and the tensioner pulley 58 are each disposed within a width equivalent to the diameter of the first pulley 24A in the left-right direction.
The motor pulley 57 is disposed between the center of rotation R1 of the front pulley 55 and the tensioner pulley 58 in the front-rear direction.
The tensioner pulley 58 is disposed between the first pulley 24A and the motor pulley 57 in the front-rear direction. The tensioner pulley 58 is disposed between the rotation center R3 of the motor pulley 57 and the front pulley 55 in the left-right direction.

The tensioner 25 is a tension adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the tension of the belt 20. The tensioner 25 is provided on the outer surface 20b side of the belt 20.
The tensioner 25 is disposed at a location other than between the two pulleys 24A and 24B. In other words, the tensioner 25 is disposed on one of the upstream side and the downstream side in the rotation direction of the belt 20 from the two pulleys 24A and 24B.
For example, when the operating unit 2 is moved forward, the belt 20 moves (rotates) in the direction of arrow V1 in Fig. 3 in conjunction with the forward movement of the operating unit 2. In this case, the tensioner 25 is disposed upstream of the two pulleys 24A, 24B in the rotation direction of the belt 20.
On the other hand, when the operating unit 2 is moved rearward, the belt 20 moves (rotates) in the direction of arrow V2 in Fig. 3 in conjunction with the rearward movement of the operating unit 2. In this case, the tensioner 25 is disposed downstream of the two pulleys 24A, 24B in the rotation direction of the belt 20.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the tensioner 25 includes a shaft 60 that is arranged coaxially with the tensioner pulley 58 and extends vertically, and an adjustment portion 61 that is connected to the lower end of the shaft 60 .
The belt 20 is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the tensioner pulley 58 .
The shaft 60 passes through the waterproof member 22 in the vertical direction.

The adjustment unit 61 is disposed below the waterproof member 22. The adjustment unit 61 is a knob that allows the user to adjust the tension of the belt 20. For example, the user can increase the tension of the belt 20 above a predetermined value by rotating the adjustment unit 61 in one direction around the axis of the shaft 60. For example, the user can decrease the tension of the belt 20 below a predetermined value by rotating the adjustment unit 61 in the other direction around the axis of the shaft 60.

5, the rail 26 and the carriage 27 form a linear guide for linearly moving the operation unit 2. The rail 26 and the carriage 27 are included in the configuration of the operation unit 2.
The rail 26 extends linearly in the front-rear direction and is fixed to an upper surface of a closing member 41 exposed within the through-hole 40 of the waterproofing member 22 .
The carriage 27 is movable along the rail 26. The carriage 27 has a shape that straddles the rail 26 in the left-right direction from above. In the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5, the carriage 27 has a U-shape (inverted U-shape) that opens downward.

The connecting member 28 connects the operation unit 2 and the carriage 27. When viewed vertically, the connecting member 28 overlaps with the support member 31. The connecting member 28 has a recess 70 on the left side of the carriage 27 that avoids the support member 31.

As shown in FIG. 6, the connecting member 28 includes a left side wall 71 extending vertically, a right side wall 72 disposed to the right of the left side wall 71 and having a shorter vertical length than the left side wall 71, a first connecting wall 73 extending leftward from the lower end of the right side wall 72 and connected to the upper surface of the carriage 27, a second connecting wall 74 extending downward from the left end of the first connecting wall 73 and connected to the left side surface of the carriage 27, and a bottom wall 75 extending left-right and connecting the lower end of the second connecting wall 74 to the lower end of the left side wall 71. The recess 70 is formed by the lower part of the left side wall 71, the bottom wall 75, and the second connecting wall 74.

The rack 29 and the pinion 30 form a rack and pinion for moving the operation unit 2 linearly.
The rack 29 extends in the front-rear direction and is disposed between the left side wall 71 of the connecting member 28 and the operating shaft 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the top surface of the rack 29 is provided with a plurality of positioning holes 77 that open at positions corresponding to the telegraph zones 6 (see Fig. 1).
The pinion 30 is a gear that meshes with the rack 29. The pinion 30 is attached to the lower end of the operating shaft 11.

As shown in FIG. 6, the support member 31 supports the rack 29 from below. The support member 31 is fixed to the waterproof member 22 by a fastening member (not shown). The support member 31 has an L-shape in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6. The support member 31 includes a first support wall 81 that extends in the left-right direction and is connected to the lower surface of the rack 29, and a second support wall 82 that extends downward from the left end of the first support wall 81. The second support wall 82 is disposed between the left side wall 71 and the second connecting wall 74 of the connecting member 28. The lower end of the second support wall 82 is disposed within the recess 70 of the connecting member 28.

The connection members 32, 33 connect the operation unit 2 and the belt 20. Two connection members 32, 33 are provided. The two connection members 32, 33 include a first connection member 32 that connects the operation unit 2 and the connecting member 28, and a second connection member 33 that connects the belt 20 and the connecting member 28 (first connection member 32).

The first connecting member 32 includes a first connecting wall 91 extending in the vertical direction, a second connecting wall 92 provided to the right of the first connecting wall 91 and having a shorter vertical length than the first connecting wall 91, a third connecting wall 93 extending in the left-right direction and connecting the upper end of the first connecting wall 91 to the upper end of the second connecting wall 92, and a fourth connecting wall 94 extending in the vertical direction and connecting the grip 10 (see FIG. 5) to the third connecting wall 93.

The first connecting wall 91 is disposed between the left side wall 71 of the connecting member 28 and the belt 20 .
The second connecting wall 92 is disposed to the right of the right side wall 72 of the connecting member 28 .
The third connecting wall 93 is provided with a positioning mechanism 110 for positioning the operation unit 2. The positioning mechanism 110 includes a spherical body 111, a biasing member 112 that biases the ball 111 downward, and a cylindrical body 113 that houses the biasing member 112.

For example, the sphere 111 rolls along the top surface of the rack 29 as the operating unit 2 moves forward and backward. The sphere 111 is biased downward by the biasing member 112 so that it fits into one of the positioning holes 77 (see FIG. 2) on the top surface of the rack 29. When the sphere 111 fits into one of the positioning holes 77, the user is notified by a sensation transmitted to his or her hand that the position indicator needle 12 of the operating unit 2 has reached the center of one of the telegraph zones 6 on the display panel 5 (see FIG. 1).

The second connection member 33 has a rectangular plate shape extending along the vertical direction. The second connection member 33 is disposed to the left of the first connection wall 91 of the first connection member 32. The second connection member 33 faces the first connection wall 91 of the first connection member 32 across the belt 20.

The two connecting members 32, 33 are fastened to the coupling member 28 by fastening members such as bolts.
For example, the shaft portion of the bolt 101 is inserted from the right side through the insertion hole 103 of the second connecting wall 92 of the first connecting member 32 via a washer 100, and is screwed into the female thread 104 of the right side wall 72 of the coupling member 28. This makes it possible to fix the first connecting member 32 to the coupling member 28.

For example, with the belt 20 sandwiched between the two connecting members 32, 33, the shaft portion of the bolt 106 is inserted from the left through the insertion hole 107 of the second connecting member 33 and the insertion hole 108 of the first connecting wall 91 of the first connecting member 32 via the washer 105, and screwed into the female thread 109 of the left side wall 71 of the connecting member 28. This fixes the two connecting members 32, 33 to the connecting member 28, and allows the belt 20 to be connected to the operating unit 2 via the connecting members 32, 33, etc.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control board 34 divides the space within the housing 4 into an upper space 120 on the display panel 5 (see FIG. 1) side and a lower space 121 on the circuit board 36 side. The control board 34 has a plate shape that is approximately parallel to the display surface 5a. The control board 34 has a rectangular shape with its elongated side in the front-to-rear direction. The control board 34 is disposed between the waterproof member 22 and the circuit board 36.

The pillars 35 extend vertically. The pillars 35 connect the waterproofing member 22 and the control board 34. A plurality of pillars 35 are provided. The plurality of pillars 35 includes pillars 35A that connect the waterproofing member 22, the control board 34, and the circuit board 36, and pillars 35B that connect the waterproofing member 22 and the control board 34 without connecting the circuit board 36.

The control board 34 functions by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a specific program. The control board 34 is an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that includes a processor such as a CPU, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores data, and electronic circuits such as a timer. At least a portion of the control board 34 may be an integrated circuit such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration).

The control board 34 drives the motor 23 based on the detection signal from each potentiometer 21 (see Figure 4). For example, if engine telegraphs are provided on both the port and starboard sides of the vessel, the control board 34 drives the motor 23 of one engine telegraph based on the detection signal from the potentiometer 21 of the other engine telegraph. This allows the operation unit 2 to be moved to a predetermined position in the fore-aft direction by the movement of the belt 20 linked to the drive of the motor 23 of the other engine telegraph. For example, the movement of the operation unit 2 of each engine telegraph on the port and starboard sides of the vessel can be synchronized.

The circuit board 36 is disposed vertically below the control board 34. The circuit board 36 is rectangular and smaller than the control board 34. The circuit board 36 is equipped with a terminal block for connecting external wiring. Part of the control circuit is also mounted on the circuit board 36.

As described above, the marine operation device 1 according to this embodiment includes an operating unit 2 that can move on one axis in the in-plane direction of a planar display surface 5a that displays the operating position, an endless belt 20 that has an inner surface 20a that faces a space that opens approximately perpendicular to the display surface 5a and an outer surface 20b opposite the inner surface 20a, is wound approximately parallel to the display surface 5a, and is linked to the movement of the operating unit 2, a potentiometer 21 that can detect the amount of movement of the belt 20, a motor 23 that has an output shaft 45 that transmits power to the belt 20 and a drive unit 46 for rotating the output shaft 45, and moves the operating unit 2 via the belt 20, and a waterproof member 22 that is arranged between the potentiometer 21, the drive unit 46, and the belt 20.

According to this configuration, the belt 20 is wound approximately parallel to the display surface 5a, so that the size can be reduced in the direction perpendicular to the display surface 5a compared to when the belt 20 is wound in a direction perpendicular to the display surface 5a.
In addition, by disposing the waterproof member 22 between the potentiometer 21 and the drive unit 46 and between the belt 20 and the potentiometer 21 and the drive unit 46, it is possible to prevent water from entering the potentiometer 21 and the drive unit 46.
In addition, pulleys 24A, 24B have lower flanges 52 that are located vertically below belt 20 and extend radially outward from pulleys 24A, 24B, so that lower flanges 52 can suppress sagging of belt 20 (sagging of belt 20 downward due to its own weight).
In addition, by arranging the tensioner 25 at a location other than between the two pulleys 24A, 24B, there is no need to ensure a space between each of the two pulleys 24A, 24B and the tensioner 25. In other words, it is sufficient to ensure a space between only one of the two pulleys 24A, 24B (only the first pulley 24A) and the tensioner 25. Therefore, access to the tensioner 25 is easier than when the tensioner 25 is arranged between the two pulleys 24A, 24B.
In addition, since the tensioner 25 is provided on the outer surface 20b side of the belt 20, the tensioner 25 can press the belt 20 from the outer surface 20b side, thereby reducing the slack in the belt 20.
In addition, the operating unit 2 is equipped with a rail 26 and a carriage 27 that can move along the rail 26, and the carriage 27 and the belt 20 are connected to each other, so that the operating unit 2 can move smoothly in a straight line along the rail 26 and the belt 20 can be smoothly linked to the movement of the operating unit 2.
In addition, by having a recess 70 that avoids the support member 31 when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display surface 5a, the connecting member 28 can be made smaller in the direction perpendicular to the display surface 5a compared to a case in which the connecting member 28 does not have the recess 70.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper part of a marine vessel steering device 201 according to the second embodiment.
In the above-described first embodiment, an example has been described in which the adjustment portion 61 of the tensioner 25 is disposed below the waterproof member 22, but this is not limiting. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the adjustment portion 261 of the tensioner 225 may be disposed above the waterproof member 22. In Fig. 7, the same components as those in the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cover 203 has an opening 207 through which the tensioner 225 can be exposed. The marine steering device 201 is equipped with a lid 208 attached to the cover 203 so as to be able to open and close the opening 207 of the cover 203. The lid 208 has a rectangular plate shape. The lid 208 is attached to the cover 203 via a hinge shaft 209 extending in the left-right direction. The lid 208 is movable around the hinge shaft 209. The lid 208 opens when the lid 208 is moved in the direction of the arrow K1 in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, the open state of the lid 208 is indicated by a solid line, and the closed state of the lid 208 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

The adjustment portion 261 of the tensioner 225 is disposed above the waterproof member 22. The adjustment portion 261 is exposed from the opening 207 when the lid 208 is open. For example, the size of the opening 207 is set to be large enough to accommodate a tool for adjusting the adjustment portion 261 or larger.

According to this configuration, the cover 203 has an opening 207 through which the tensioner 225 can be exposed, and the marine vessel steering device 201 includes a lid 208 attached to the cover 203 so as to be able to open and close the opening 207 of the cover 203, so that when the lid 208 is open, the tensioner 225 can be accessed through the opening 207. This improves the ease of maintenance of the tensioner 225.
In addition, since the adjustment portion 261 is exposed from the opening 207 when the lid 208 is open, it is possible to access the adjustment portion 261 through the opening 207, which further improves the maintainability of the tensioner 225.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the movement direction of the operation unit 2 is the forward/backward direction, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the movement direction of the operation unit 2 may be the vertical direction. For example, the movement direction of the operation unit 2 can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the belt is endless has been described, but this is not limiting. For example, the belt does not have to be endless. For example, the belt may be in the form of a band that is stretched across two rotating bodies. For example, the form of the belt can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the detection unit is a potentiometer 21 has been described, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the detection unit may be an encoder, a limit switch cam, or the like. For example, the form of the detection unit can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, an example in which two potentiometers 21 are provided is described, but this is not limited thereto. For example, only one potentiometer 21 may be provided. For example, the number of potentiometers 21 provided can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the waterproof member 22 is provided below the belt 20, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the waterproof member 22 may be provided above the belt 20. For example, the position of the waterproof member 22 can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the boat steering device is equipped with a motor 23, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the boat steering device does not need to be equipped with a motor 23. In other words, the operation unit 2 may not be automatically operated by the motor 23 and may be operable only manually. For example, the operation mode of the operation unit 2 can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, the pulleys 24A and 24B have the flanges 51 and 52, but this is not limiting. For example, the pulleys 24A and 24B do not have to have the flanges 51 and 52. For example, the configuration of the pulleys 24A and 24B can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the tensioner 25 is disposed at a location other than between the two pulleys 24A and 24B, but this is not limiting. For example, the tensioner 25 may be disposed between the two pulleys 24A and 24B. For example, the location of the tensioner 25 can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the tensioner 25 can adjust the tension of the belt 20 from the outer surface 20b side of the belt 20, but this is not limiting. For example, the tensioner 25 may be able to adjust the tension of the belt 20 from the inner surface 20a side of the belt 20. In this case, the tensioner 25 can press the belt 20 from the inner surface 20a side to reduce slack in the belt 20.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the rail 26 and the carriage 27 form a linear guide for linearly moving the operation unit 2, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the vessel steering device may be equipped with another linear motion mechanism, such as a ball spline, instead of a linear guide. For example, the configuration of the linear motion mechanism can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the rack 29 and the pinion 30 constitute a rack and pinion for linearly moving the operation unit 2, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the boat steering device does not need to have a rack and pinion. For example, the boat steering device may have a linear motion mechanism other than a rack and pinion.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the operation unit 2 is connected to the carriage 27 via the connecting member 28, but this is not limiting. For example, the operation unit 2 may be directly connected to the carriage 27. For example, the manner in which the operation unit 2 is connected to the linear motion mechanism can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the belt 20 is connected to the operation unit 2 via the connecting members 32, 33, etc., but this is not limited thereto. For example, the belt 20 may be directly connected to the operation unit 2. For example, the manner in which the belt 20 is connected to the operation unit 2 can be changed according to the required specifications.

In the above embodiment, the marine vessel control device is an engine telegraph provided in the engine control room of the vessel, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the marine vessel control device may be a telegraph provided on the bridge of the vessel. For example, the form of the marine vessel control device may be changed according to the required specifications. For example, the marine vessel control device may include an operation unit that can move approximately parallel to a planar display surface that displays the operation position, a belt that is wound approximately parallel to the display surface and is linked to the movement of the operation unit, and a detection unit that can detect the amount of movement of the belt. For example, the marine vessel control device may include an operation unit that can move on one axis in the in-plane direction of a plate-shaped display member that displays the operation position, an endless belt that is wound approximately parallel to the display member and moves in conjunction with the movement of the operation unit, and a detection unit that can detect the amount of movement of the belt.

In addition, the components in the above-described embodiment may be replaced with well-known components without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, the above-described variations may be combined.

1,201...marine control device, 2...operation unit, 3,203...cover, 5...display panel, 5a...display surface, 19...space, 20...belt, 20a...inner surface, 20b...outer surface, 21...potentiometer (detection unit), 22...waterproof member, 23...motor, 24A...first pulley (pulley), 24B...second pulley (pulley), 25,225...tensioner, 26...rail, 27...carriage, 28...connecting member, 45...output shaft, 46...drive unit, 52...lower flange (flange), 61,261...adjustment unit, 207...opening, 208...lid

Claims (11)

an operation unit that is movable approximately parallel to a flat display surface that displays an operation position;
a belt that is wound around the display surface and moves in conjunction with the movement of the operation unit;
A detection unit capable of detecting the amount of movement of the belt,
The annular opening formed by the wrapped belt opens substantially perpendicular to the display surface.
Ship steering gear. The marine vessel steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising a waterproof member disposed between the belt and the detector. Further, a motor is provided for moving the operation unit via the belt,
The motor is
An output shaft for transmitting power to the belt;
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 2 , further comprising: a drive unit arranged on the same side as the detection unit when viewed from the waterproof member, and configured to rotate the output shaft. The belt is further provided with a pulley around which the belt is stretched and which rotates in conjunction with the movement of the belt,
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulley has a flange that is provided vertically below the belt and that projects outward in a radial direction of the pulley. Two pulleys around which the belt is stretched and which rotate in conjunction with the movement of the belt;
A tensioner capable of adjusting the tension of the belt,
The marine steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tensioner is disposed at a location other than between the two pulleys. The belt has an inner surface facing an outer circumferential surface of a pulley body provided in a space within a housing that opens substantially perpendicularly to the display surface, and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface,
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising a tensioner that is capable of adjusting tension of the belt from the outer surface side of the belt. The operation unit includes:
a rail extending linearly and substantially parallel to the display surface;
a carriage movable along the rail;
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the carriage and the belt are connected to each other. a tensioner capable of adjusting the tension of the belt;
a cover that covers the belt and has an opening that allows the tensioner to be exposed;
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a lid attached to the cover so as to be capable of opening and closing the opening. The tensioner includes an adjustment unit that allows a user to adjust the tension of the belt,
The marine vessel steering device according to claim 8 , wherein the adjustment unit is exposed through the opening when the lid is open. an operation unit that is movable along one axis in a plane direction of a flat display surface that displays an operation position;
an endless belt having an inner surface facing an outer circumferential surface of a pulley body and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the endless belt being wound approximately parallel to the display surface and moving in conjunction with the movement of the operation unit;
a potentiometer capable of detecting the amount of movement of the belt;
a motor having an output shaft for transmitting power to the belt and a drive unit for rotating the output shaft, for moving the operation unit via the belt;
a waterproof member disposed between the potentiometer, the drive unit, and the belt. an operation unit that is movable along one axis in a plane direction of a plate-like display member that displays an operation position;
an endless belt that is wound around the display member substantially in parallel and moves in response to the movement of the operation unit;
A detection unit capable of detecting the amount of movement of the belt,
The annular opening formed by the wrapped belt opens substantially perpendicular to the display member.
Ship steering gear.

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