AU617676B2

AU617676B2 - Voice alarm output device for outboard motor

Info

Publication number: AU617676B2
Application number: AU19130/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kazuhiro Umehara
Original assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Current assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Priority date: 1987-07-31
Filing date: 1988-07-18
Publication date: 1991-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-18
Also published as: GB2207535A; JPS6436398A; CA1291242C; AU1913088A; GB8817046D0; JP2569579B2; GB2207535B; FR2618930B1; FR2618930A1

Description

r I I 0 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 61 676 Form

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: 44,4 4e 4 4*14 4~r rIt, 1 14a *4 4*4 4 Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT 4 I~, +r 4 a Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: SUZUKI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA 300, TAKATSUKA, KAMI-MURA

HAMANA-GUN

SHIZUOKA-KEN

JAPAN

a ac Actual Inventor: Address for Service: GRIFFITH HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: VOICE ALARM OUTPUT DEVICE FOR OUTBOARD MOTOR The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- Yhimi Saigoh This form may be completed and filed after the filing of a at t application but the form must not be signed until after it has been completely filled in as indicated by the marginal notes. The place and date of signing must be filled in. Company stamps or .sal should not be used.

i" W I ll t'r I Iii 5 A -la- I I VOICE ALARM OUTPUT DEVICE FOR OUTBOARD MOTOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a voice alarm output device for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a voice 0 alarm output device which can operate effectively when used 0 with a pair of outboard motors.

a 0' BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In a heretofore-used alarm method for the handling of an outboard motor, the driver is signaled by a predetermined device such as a buzzer when a prepared sensor 0. detects the occurrence of one of various kinds of abnormal states, such as one in which the amount of oil in an oil tank in a separate-oiling system decreases to a caution level, one in which the circulation of cooling water through a cylinder jacket is stopped, or one in which an engine oil filter is clogged so that the oil is stopped from flowing.

This type of alarm does not clearly indicate the position of the occurrence of the abnormality, the cause of the abnormality, etc. For this reason, various alarm output-display methods have recently been developed in order to definitely display the position and cause of an a 2 abnormality, measures for dealing with the abnormality, and so forth. The inventor of the present invention has also proposed a new alarm display method which can be used with an outboard motor and which uses voices to announce a detected abnormality.

The alarm display method using voices provides clear and understandable information. However, if this method is applied to a situation involving a pair of outboard motors, it is difficult to determine to which motor the voice announcing an abnormality relates.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a voice alarm output device which avoids this problem of the conventional device and makes it possible to clearly recognize to which motor the voice announcing an abnormality relates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there 0*00 is provided a voice alarm output device for a pair of outbcard motors, comprising; a plurality of sensors for each said motor, including a first sensor for detecting a cooling water 5: abnormality and a second sensor for detecting an oil level abnormality; a respective voice synthesis circuit for each said motor which is supplied with an output from each of said sensors S associated with such motor and which outputs in response to an output from one of said sensors connected thereto a voice signal Loo identifying the corresponding abnormality; lighting display means for providing a visual indication of which of said voice synthesis circuits is producing a voice signal; an output display setting circuit which is coupled to each of said voice synthesis circuits and which, if a sensor relAting to one of said outboard motors produces an output just before a sensor relating to the other of said outboard motors produces an output just before a sensor relating to the other of said outboard motors produces an output, temporarily inhibits the output of a voice signal by the voice synthesis circuit relating to said other of said outboard motors until the output of a voice signal by the 'oice synthesis circuit relating to said one of said outboard motors is completed.

\1 vj 4 a I ll- 2A According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an alarm apparatus adapted for use with two engines, comprising: two sensors which can each detect an abnormal condition in respective engine; first and second warning circuits which are each coupled to a respective said sensor and which each produce an operator perceptible warning of an abnormal condition in response to detection thereof by the sensor coupled thereto, each said operator perceptible warning being an audible synthesised spoken statement; and inhibiting means responsive to one of said first and second warning circuits producing an operator perceptible warning for inhibiting the other thereof from producing an operator perceptible warning until said one of e said first and second warning circuits has completed its operator Sperceptible warning; wherein each said warning circuit has a oe..

o 5t5 priority output on which it produces a priority output signal while generating an operator perceptible warning, said inhibiting means including each of said warning circuits being responsive to the priority output signal generated by the other thereof for inhibiting generation of operator perceptible warnings until the oo end of the priority output signal; including a speaker and setting circuit means for selectively coupling said speaker to i a speaker output of each said warning circuit, each said audible warning being output through said setting circuit and speaker; and wherein said setting circuit includes a relay having a contact coupled to said speaker arnd movable between first and second terminals which are respectively coupled to the speaker outputs of said fiist and second coils which are respectively coupled to the priority outputs of said first and second coils which are respectively coupled to the priority outputs of said first and second warning circuits, respectively, energization of said first coil by a priority output signal from said first warning circuit causing said contact to be moved into engagement with said first terminal and energization of said second coil by a priority output signal from said second warning circuit causing said contact to be moved into engagement with said second terminal.

I Ii-i -3signal by the synthesis circuit relating to the first of the outboard motors is completed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a device which embodies the present invention; Figure 2 is a flow chart of the operation of the device shown in fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a boat in which the device shown in Figure 1 is actually installed.

0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION o oIn the drawings, reference numerals 1 and 2 designate voice synthesis circuits, 12 and 22 oil level switches, 13 and 23 each designate a water sensor or first sensor, 14 and 24 each designate an oil float sensor or second sensor, o o 30 a left/right output display setting circuit, 39 a 0 speaker, and 40 a lamp circuit.

Referring to Figure 1, reference character 1 denotes a right voice synthesis circuit associated with one (60 in Figure 3) of two outboard motors, while reference character S 2 denotes a left voice synthesis circuit associated with 0" the other (70 in Figure 3) of the outboard motors.

0 An engine drive control section 10, an oil level switch 12 provided as a first sensor, a water sensor 13 provided as a second sensor, and an oil flow sensor 14 provided as a third sensor are connected to an input stage of the right voice synthesis circuit 1. The right voice synthesis circuit 1 is thereby supplied with sensor signals necessary for forming a voice synthesis output. A reference character 16 denotes an input line for an engine rotation signal, and reference character 17 denotes an input line for a rotation limit signal.

I_ i~ -4- The engine rotation signal on line 16 is present when the shaft of engine 60 is rotating, and the rotation limit signal on line 17 is present when the speed of engine 60 is being limited to a selected value. These two signals and the circuits which produce them are known and not in and of themselves a part of the present invention, and are therefore not discussed here in detail. Suitable circuits are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4 755 790, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

rSimilarly, another engine drive control section 20, an oil level switch 22 provided as a first sensor, a water sensor 23 provided as a second sensor, and an oil flow sensor 24 provided as a third sensor are connected to an input stage of the other voice synthesis circuit 2. A reference character 26 denotes an input line for an engine rotation signal, and reference character 27 denotes an input line for a rotation limit signal.

Each of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2 is preferably a conventional microprocessor circuit which includes conventional and not-illustrated components such as an input/output interface, a central processing unit or CPU, a read only memory or ROM, and so forth.

The output stages of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2 are coupled to a left/right output display setting circuit The left/right output display setting circuit 30 has two relay circuits 31 and 32, and contact switches 31a and 32a for the relay circuits 31 and 32. Each of the relay circuits 31 and 32 is connected to priority output lines and priority input lines from the input/output interface provided in each of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2.

Therefore, as will be described later, the relay circuits 31 and 32 can be simultaneously operated by control signals (selective drive signals corresponding to voice output signals) output from the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2.

The contact switch 31a operates to select a speaker output line from one of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2, and thereby output to a speaker 39 one of respective voice output signals supplied to the circuit 30 by tlhe circuits 1 and 2. The other contact switch 32 a operates substantially simultaneously with the operation of the contact switch 31a so as to light up one of two pilot lamps i0*Q RP and LP in synchronism witlh the voice output. A reference character 40 denotes a lighting display section o having the pilot lamps RP and LP.

The engine drive control section 10 corresponding to Sone of the outboard motors includes, as shown in Figure i, S an ignition switch 10A, a relay 10B for a starter, a neutral switch 10C, a magnetoelectronic ignition coil a diode 10E, and an emergency switch 10F. A reference S character 50 denotes a battery common to all of the system.

Oo Similarly, the engine drive control section corresponding to the other outboard motor includes, as a Od shown in Figure i, an ignition switch 20A, a relay 20B for a starter, a neutral switch 20C, a magnetoelectronic ignition coil 20D, diode 20E, and an emergency switch 6 °The operation of each section of this embodiment will Sbe described below.

The neutral switches are provided as a safety mechanism, in order to prevent,each starter motor from being actuated if the associated engine is not in neutral when the ignition switch O10A or 20A is turned from "ON" to "START". Signals which represent potentials at the opposite terminals of the neutral switches 10C and 20C are supplied to the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2. Only if an engine is in neutral is the associated neutral switch closed so that a current from the battery can flow through the relay to start the starter motor. At this time, the difference between the potentials at the opposite terminals of the neutral switch 10C or 20C is approximately equal to zero, or is a small voltage drop, and the voice synthesis circuit thus detects the neutral state and does not issue any alarm.

If the ignition switch 10A or 20A is turned to the starting position when the engine is not in neutral, the potential difference between the opposite terminals of the associated neutral switch 10C or 20C becomes approximately i0 equal to the battery voltage, because the neutral switch is in the off state. At this point, the starter motor is not actuated, of course. After detecting this potential difference, the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2 determines 0. that the associated engine is not in neutral, and outputs a oo.° vocal statement which reminds the operator to "set the gear to neutral".

The emergency switches 10D and 20D constitute another 4.s safety mechanism which instantaneously stops the engines o0 when, during cruising, the driver accidentally falls overboard, and they are connected in parallel with the Smagnetoelectronic ignition coils (capacitor charge coils in the case of a capacitive discharge ignition) 10D and The emergency switches 10F and 20F are each connected o O at one end to one of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2.

When the engines start to rotate, rotation signals indicating that rotation is occurring are supplied via the signal lines 16 and 26 to the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2.

The emergency switch 10F or 20F is in the "OFF" state while a cap thereof with an attached rope is disposed on a switch body thereof, and becomes "ON" and bypasses the ignition coil when the cap is removed from the switch body.

If, when the starter motor is actuated in order to start the engine, the cap of the emergency switch 10F or is not disposed on the body thereof or if the circuit portion after the Iode 10E (on the side of the cathode) is 1 -7short-circuited, sparking is not effected because the ignition coil is bypassed, so that the engine cannot be started. At this time, the connection point to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2 becomes a "low level", and an abnormal state of the stop circuit is determined, thereby initiating the output of a vocal alarm. The cap of the emergency switch 1OF or 20F is normally attached to the switch body. If there is no circuit abnormality, this portion of the voice circuit becomes a "high level", and 1009.0 the normal state is determined so that no voice is output.

9 9 In the case of outboard motors of a two-cycle separa- 9 tion oiling type, oil tanks are provided to hold oil which q is supplied to the engines by oil pupps. If the amount of 9 oil in either oil tank is reduced to a caution level, the oil level switch 12 or 22 present in the tank is turned on.

This switch is also connected to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2. The level at the connection point to the voice synthesis switch 1 or 2 becomes a "low level" in 0o1 o response to the on state of the oil level switch, thereby outputting a voice which indicates that "oil has reached b the caution level". To effect in such a case a more positive alarm, a method of controlling the engine speed is usually adopted, and is effected by a known circuit which Sis not illustrated. A signal used for this purpose is supplied as a rotation limit signal to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2 via the signal line 17 or 27. In response to this, a vocal statement such as "reduce engie speed" is generated.

If, during cruising, cooling water is stopped from circulating through each cylinder jacket because of some abnormality, the water sensor 12 or 23 turns on. Since the sensor is connected to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2, the± level at this connection point becomes a "low level", as was the case for the actuated oil sensor, and a cooling water abnormality is determined, thereby generating a vocal S -8output alarm indicating the cooling water abnormality.

Similarly, at this time, the engine speed limitation is effected by a known circuit which is not illustrated. When a rotation limit signal is supplied to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2 via the line 17 or 27, a vocal statement such as "reduce engine speed" is generated.

If, in the case of outboard motors of the two-cycle separation oiling type, the flow of oil is limited within a supply passage between the oil tank and the engine by, for l0opo example, clogging of an oil filter, the oil flow sensor 14 0000 0, jo or 24 turns on. The corresponding point at which the associated voice synthesis circuit is connected to this 0 0 sensor becomes a "low level", and an oil flow abnormality ooo "oa" o is detected, thereby causing generation of a vocal output oooo alarm. Similarly, at this time, the engine speed limitation is also effected in a known manner by a not-illustrated circuit. When a rotation limit signal is 0 o0 O0o supplied to the voice synthesis circuit 1 or 2 via the line S000 17 or 27, a vocal statement such as "reduce engine speed" is generated.

0O 0 Oat The operation of the thus-arranged abnormality detection systems will be described below with respect to the case in which one of the voice synthesis circuits 1 and o 2 is supplied with some abnormality signal.

.If, for example, the oil level switch connection point of the voice synthesis circuit 1 (for engine R) changes from a "high" level to "low" level, an abnormal,state is of course detected, and a priority output signal is supplied from the voice synthesis circuit 1 to the voice synthesis circuit 2. The voice output operation of the voice synthesis 6ircuit 2 is thereby temporarily inhibited.

Further, at this time, a current from the battery 8 flows via the ignition switch 10A through the coil 31A of the relay 31 to the voice synthesis circuit 2 so that the coil 31A is excited and the contact 31a engages the R terminal -9so that the speaker output line from circuit 1 is connected to the speaker 39.

The speaker output line from the voice synthesis circuit 1 is thus connected to the speaker 39, thereby outputting a voice which indicates that "the oil level has reached the caution level". Also, a current from the battery 50 flows via the ignition switch 10A through the coil 32A of the relay 32 to the voice synthesis circuit 2.

The coil 32A is thereby excited, the contact 32a is moved I to the R-side, and a battery current flows via the ignition switch 10A to the contact R of the relay 32, then through a resistance and the light emitting diode RP, and then to ground. The light emitting diode isthereby lighted up to indicate that the voice output corresponds to the right o ~engine. In this case, the relay may be of an ordinary type. However, keep relays can also be used, in which case the speaker 39 is kept connected to the circuit 1 and the o light emitting diode R of circuit 40 is kept in the lighted o0 state until the next input is supplied because, once this type of relay turns it is maintained in the on state even after the power has been cut off. It is then not necessary for the driver to see, while a vocal statement is being output, the light emitting diode 40 provided as a 0 pilot lamp in order to know from which circuit the voice is 'o 0 supplied. He can confirm it afterward without haste since the diode stays lit. It is thus possible to confirm at a glance to which engine the voice synthesis circuit connected to the speaker at the present time pertains.

If an abnormality signal is input into the voice synthesis circuit 2, a priority output signal is instantaneously supplied from the voice synthesis circuit 2 to the voice synthesis circuit i. The voice output operation of the voice synthesis circuit 1 is thereby temporarily inhibited, and a current from the battery 50 flows via the ignition switch 10A through the coil 31B of the relay 31 to the voice synthesis circuit i, so that the coil 31B is excited and the contact 31a engages the L terminal. The speaker output line from the voice synthesis circuit 2 is thereby connected to the speaker 39, and a voice supplied from the voice synthesis circuit 2 is output through the speaker 39. Also, a current from the battery 50 flows via the ignition switch 10A through the coil 32B of the relay 32 to the voice synthesis circuit 1. The coil 32B is thereby excited, and the contact 32a is connected to the L terminal.

A battery current then flows via the ignition switch to the contact L of the relay 32, and then through the resistance and the light emitting dipde LP to ground. It is thereby possible to confirm that the voice synthesis circuit 2 of the left engine is operating. If abnormality signals are input into the voice synthesis circuits 1 and 2 with almost the same timing, the above-described operation is performed with priority for the circuit which has been Ssupplied with the signal first, even with a slight precedence. When the first voice output has been completed, the 0# a other circuit rapidly takes over and outputs its voice output. The display device in the above description uses light emitting diodes, but any other type of display, such o 0 as one using lamps, is acceptable.

a° a The overall operation of the voice synthesis circuits will be described below mainly with reference to the flow chart of Figure 2.

After the engines have been started and the amount of oil in the oil tank of the right engine has reached the caution level, a signal is supplied from the oil level switch to the voice synthesis circuit i, and a determination is made (at ST1) as to whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 1 (for engine R) has been supplied with an abnormality signal. If YES, a voice which indicates that the oil level has reached the caution level is output t -11- (ST2). At the same time, the operation of temporarily stopping the voice output operation of the voice synthesis circuit 2 is performed.

A determination is then made as to whether or not the voice output effected in ST2 has been completed (ST4). If it is not completed, the same determination is performed after each answer of NO until the voice output is completed. If it is completed, YES is given and the suspension of the voice output operation of the voice synthesis lP, circuit 2 is canceled A determination is then made (ST6) as to whether or not the amount of oil has reached the caution level with respect to the voice synthesis circuit 2 (for engine or whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 2 has been supplied with a different type of abnormality signal. If NO, the process returns to the above-mentioned determination (ST1) of whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 1 has been supplied with an abnormality signal. In the case of YES, an alarm voice corresponding to the abnormality signal is output (ST7). The process then returns to the first determination (ST1) of whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 1 has been supplied with an abnormality signal. If it has been supplied with an abnormality re signal, YES is given and the foregoing sequence is repeated a A again. In the case of NO, the process proceeds to the next determination (ST8).

If, for example, the.flow of cooling water to the water jacket of the cylinder of engine L is stopped due to some cause, the voice synthesis circuit 2 (for engine L) is supplied with a signal from the sensor. YES is given after the determination (ST8) of whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 2 has been supplied with an abnormality signal, and a voice of warning of a cooling water abnormality is output (ST9). At the same time, the voice output output, temporarily inhibits the output of a voice signal by the voice synthesis circuit relating to said other of said outboard motors until the output of a voice signal by the voice synthesis circuit relating to said one of said outboard motors is completed.

-12operation of the voice synthesis circuit 1 is temporarily inhibited.

Next, a determination is made as to whether or not the voice output effected in ST9 has been completed (ST11), and the same determination is repeated until the output operation is completed. When YES is given at the time of completion, the suspension of the voice output operation of the voice synthesis circuit 1 effected in ST9 is canceled (ST12).

i0 A determination is then made as to whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 1 (for engine R) has been supplied with a signal representing a cooling water abnormality or a different type of abnormality (ST13).. If NO, the process returns to the determination (ST8) of whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 2 has been supplied with an abnormality signal. If YES, an alarm voice corresponding to the content of the abnormality signal is output (ST14), and the process thereafter returns to original determination (ST8). If the voice synthesis circuit 2 is at this time being supplied with an abnormality signal, the foregoing sequence is repeated due to an answer of YES. In the case of NO, the process returns to the first determination (ST1) of whether or not the voice synthesis circuit 1 4, (for engine R) has been supplied with an abnormality signal.

This process is performed until the operation of the engines is terminated. N If one of the pair of voice synthesis circuits is supplied with an abnormality signal, the operation of the other voice synthesis circuit is cemporarily stopped until the voice output from the former is completed. The voice from one of the voice synthesis c 4 rcuits which has been supplied an abnormality signal first is output first with priority. In other words, if one voice synthesis circuit receives an abnormality signal and then, a moment later, -13r i I ai ii

I*

the other voice synthesis circuit is supplied with an abnormality signal, the latter circuit is made to wait until the voice output from the former circuit is completed. Thereafter, the voice from the latter is output.

It is thereby possible for the driver to recognize both voice outputs without any confusion.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a boat having dual outboard motors to which the voice synthesis circuits are applied.

In the device having the above-described construction and function in accord with the present invention, when a sensor input relating to one of the outboard motors occurs just before a sensor input for the other, the first sensor input is handled with priority while the second sensor input is temporarily suspended, thereby eliminating the possibility of the occurrence of a malfunction at the time of a voice output. Since the pilot lamps are lighted up in correspondence with the left and right outboard motors, the outboard motor to which a voice output display relates can be easily recognized. The present invention thus provides a voice alarm output device for outboard motors slperior to any device heretofore known.

Claims

3. The apparatus of claim 2, including indicating means for providing, in association with each operator perceptible 00~ 0< o gwarning, an operator perceptible indication of which of the engines is experiencing the abnormal condition identified by such warning.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said indication produced by said indicating means is a visible indication.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said tidicating means includes two selectively actuable light emitting components which each correspond to a respective engine, each said visual indication being effected through the illumination of a selected one of said light emitting components. '4 it scn wn cir colbA roiyotu inl rmsi is ann ici casnNadcnattTemvd noeggmn ihsi is rotation signal, and reference character 17 denotes an input line for a rotation limit signal. 16
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said indicating means includes two light emitting diodes; and wherein said setting circuit means includes a second relay having a contact coupled to a source of poTwer and movable between first and second terminals which are each coupled by a respective resistor to a respective said light emitting diode, and having first and second coils which are respectively coupled to the priority outputs of said first and second warning circuits, respectively, energization of said first coil of said second relay by a priority output signal from said first warning circuit causing said contact of said second relay to be moved into engagement with said first terminal of said second relay, and energization of said second coil of said second relay by a priority output signal from said second warning circuit causing said contact of l said second relay to be moved into engagement with said second m"r* 0 terminal of said second relay.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said source of power includes an ignition switch having a first terminal which is connected to a battery and having a second terminal which is ,20 connected to said contact of said second relay, said second terminal of said ignition switch further being connected to a first end of each said coil of each said relay remote from the ends of said coils connected to said priority outputs of said warning circuits. 6 4
8. A voice alarm output substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. An alarm apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 20th day of September, 1991. SUZUKI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. By its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. i*