Patent ID: 8382536
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling operation of an outboard motor mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, a drive shaft connecting the engine and the propeller, and a torque converter equipped with a lockup clutch and interposed between the engine and the drive shaft, comprising: a trim angle regulator that regulates a trim angle relative to the boat by trim-up operation and trim-down operation; a speed ratio calculator that calculates a speed ratio of the torque converter based on an input rotation speed and output rotation speed of the torque converter; and a trim angle regulator controller that controls operation of the trim angle regulator based on the calculated speed ratio, wherein the trim angle regulator controller controls operation of the trim angle regulator to start the trim-up operation when the speed ratio is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and to stop the trim-up operation when the speed ratio reaches a reference value set greater than the predetermined value, and controls operation of the lockup clutch to ON when the speed ratio reaches the reference value.