Adjustable Transom Bracket With Sealing for Vertical Offset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transom brackets for marine drive units are not versatile enough to accommodate various vessel and drive unit configurations without requiring adjustments to the transom cutout, and they fail to maintain a seal during vertical offset.
Innovation Solution
A transom bracket with adjustable fastening options and integrated water conduits that allow vertical offset without altering the transom cutout, featuring a sealing arrangement that expands vertically to maintain a seal and supports drive unit pivoting, with integrated conduits for cooling and media routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the transom bracket is offset vertically to optimize drive unit placement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the sealing arrangement cannot maintain a seal against the hull
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is extended in the vertical dimension (first axis) beyond the nominal sealing region required to cover routing media apertures. This dimensional extension allows the seal to accommodate vertical offset of the transom bracket while maintaining contact with the hull, resolving the contradiction between ease of installation and sealing performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the transom bracket is made versatile to accommodate various vessel configurations, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transom bracket is designed with a universal sealing arrangement that can accommodate multiple vessel types and drive unit configurations through vertical offset capability. The same bracket structure serves multiple functions: providing structural support, routing media, maintaining seal, and enabling installation flexibility, thereby improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening option array enables dynamic adjustment of the transom bracket's vertical position during installation. By providing multiple fastening options along the first axis, the bracket can be adapted to different vessel configurations without requiring multiple specialized bracket designs, thus improving versatility while managing complexity.
3Reliability
If the sealing region is expanded vertically to maintain seal during offset, then the reliability is improved, but the area of the transom bracket increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is extended primarily in the vertical dimension (first axis) rather than expanding uniformly in all directions. This targeted dimensional extension maintains sealing performance during vertical offset while minimizing the overall increase in bracket area compared to a uniform expansion approach.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~4B
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AI summary
A transom bracket (130) for supporting a marine drive unit (110) on a hull (120) of a marine vessel (100), the transom bracket (130) extending in a plane (P) spanned by a first axis (a 1) and by a second axis (a 2), where a third axis (a 3) is normal to the plane (P), the transom bracket (130) comprising one or more apertures (411, 421, 470, 471) facing transversal to the plane (P), the one or more apertures (411, 421, 470, 471) being arranged to route media past the plane (P) to and from the marine drive unit (110), via a routing area (R) in the plane, where the routing area (R) extends over a routing area distance (dR ) measured along the first axis (a 1), the transom bracket (130) comprising at least one fastening option array (480) extending over a translation distance (dT ) measured along the first axis (a1 ), where the fastening option array (480) is configured to allow offset of the transom bracket (130) relative to the hull (120) along the first axis (a 1) by the translation distance (dT ), the transom bracket (130) comprising a sealing arrangement (920) configured to seal against the hull (120) in direction of the third axis (a 3), where the sealing arrangement (920) extends along the periphery of a sealing region (S) in the plane (P), where the sealing region (S) is a region in the plane (P) at least as large as to maintain seal against the hull during translation of the transom bracket (130) along the first axis (a 1) by the translation distance (dT ).