Actuated Bow Stop for Floating Watercraft Port

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional winch-style lifts for watercraft storage have limitations, including suitability issues in deep water or soft bottom conditions, environmental concerns, maintenance needs, and safety hazards during loading and unloading.

Innovation Solution

A drive-on floating watercraft port with a powered launch and/or landing system, featuring a transport track with adjustable wheels and a moveable bow stop that can be actuated to push or pull watercraft along the track, accommodating various hull designs and enhancing operational ease.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional winch-style lifts are used for watercraft storage, then watercraft can be stored out of water, but the system has limitations in deep water or soft bottom conditions and requires maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuitability in deep water or soft bottom conditionsVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The floating port is divided into multiple floating sections that can be articulated relative to each other, allowing the structure to adapt to different water conditions. Each floating section can independently respond to water movement, enabling the system to operate reliably in deep water or soft bottom conditions without requiring complex underlying structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical winch-style lift systems with a floating port structure that uses buoyancy and watercraft propulsion to achieve loading and unloading. The transport track with movable wheels eliminates the need for complex mechanical lifting mechanisms, reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining reliability across various water conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If traditional winch-style lifts are used, then watercraft storage is achieved, but safety hazards occur during loading and unloading operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during loading and unloadingVSAvoidloading and unloading operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The floating port system enables watercraft to load and unload themselves through propulsion along the transport track. The movable wheels and adjustable bow stop assist the watercraft in positioning itself, eliminating the need for complex mechanical handling operations and reducing safety hazards associated with manual or mechanical intervention during loading and unloading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The transport track incorporates movable wheels and an adjustable bow stop that can dynamically adapt to different watercraft hull designs. This dynamic configuration allows safe and easy loading and unloading operations by accommodating various hull shapes and sizes without requiring complex or hazardous manual manipulation procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the port accommodates different hull designs, then versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of different hull designsVSAvoidadjustable components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport track features movable wheels that can adjust their position and configuration to accommodate different hull designs. The bow stop is adjustable along the transport track to match various watercraft lengths and hull shapes. These dynamic adjustments allow the port to handle diverse watercraft types without requiring multiple specialized tracks or complex reconfiguration systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The floating port design incorporates universal features including a standardized transport track system with movable wheels and an adjustable bow stop mechanism. This universal design allows a single port structure to accommodate various hull designs and watercraft types, achieving versatility without proportionally increasing device complexity through standardized, adaptable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Ease of operation

If a powered launch system is added to push watercraft along the track, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaunch and landing operationsVSAvoidactuator system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The powered launch system assists watercraft in loading and unloading by pushing them along the transport track, but the system remains relatively simple compared to traditional winch lifts. The actuator system works in conjunction with the movable wheels and adjustable bow stop to provide gentle, controlled propulsion, making operations easier while avoiding the complexity of traditional mechanical lifting and handling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250083782A1Floating watercraft port with actuated bow stop

Publication Date: 2025.03.13 RHINO INC

AI summary

One example provides a drive-on floating watercraft port including a transport track extending across an upper surface of the floating watercraft port from a stern end toward a bow end, the transport track to carry and guide a hull of a watercraft across the upper surface. An actuated bow stop disposed along a length of the transport track to define a bow end of the transport track, the bow stop selectively actuated back and forth along a portion of a length of the transport track to push a watercraft along the transport track toward the stern end when launching the watercraft from the floating watercraft port.