Patent ID: 8926383
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: B63H,F02D,F16H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor having a shift shaft to be rotated in response to manipulation by an operator to switch a shift position between an in-gear position that enables driving force of a prime mover to be transmitted to a propeller by engaging a clutch with one of a forward gear and a reverse gear and a neutral position that cuts off transmission of the driving force by disengaging the clutch from the forward or reverse gear, comprising: an electronic control unit that: detects a neutral operation in which the shift position is switched from the in-gear position to the neutral position; conducts driving force decreasing control to decrease the driving force of the prime mover when the neutral operation is detected; detects an in-gear operation in which the shift position is switched from the neutral position to the in-gear position; and increases the decreased driving force when the in-gear operation is detected after the driving force decreasing control is finished, wherein the electronic control unit finishes the driving force decreasing control when a speed of the engine becomes equal to or less than a predetermined engine speed after the driving force decreasing control is conducted, or when the driving force decreasing control is conducted a predetermined number of times or more, measures elapsed time since the driving force decreasing control is finished, and stops increasing the driving force when the measured elapsed time reaches a predetermined value even if the in-gear operation is detected.