Patent ID: 7933692
Filing Date: 2011-04-26
Classification: B63H,F02D

Abstract:
1. An electrically-operated conversion unit attachable to an outboard motor adapted to be mounted on a boat and having an internal combustion engine that powers a propeller, a steering mechanism that steers the outboard motor, and a shift mechanism that shifts gears to change a moving direction of the boat, at least one of which is operable by a pre-existing mechanical operation mechanism installed at the boat to be manually manipulated by an operator, said conversion unit comprising: a boat-side conversion unit that detects displacement generated at a movable member due to the manual manipulation of the mechanical operation mechanism and converts the detected displacement into an electric signal; an actuator that is connected to at least one of the steering mechanism, the shift mechanism and a throttle valve of the engine; and an actuator controller that is connected to the boat-side conversion unit and controls operation of the actuator based on the converted electric signal.