Anchor Alignment Guide for Marine Vessel Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
The alignment of anchors during retrieval into a vessel's hull cavity is challenging, particularly to avoid impeding water flow and ensuring fluke positioning to prevent upper ends from hitting the hull, as existing systems lack effective rotational alignment mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An anchor alignment assembly with a passageway defining member and guide zone that allows the shank to rotate up to 180 degrees, featuring complementary guide members and bearing members to align the shank and fluke assembly for proper orientation within the hull cavity, ensuring smooth entry and storage without obstructing water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an anchor is pulled into a cavity of the hull without alignment control, then the retrieval process is simple, but the anchor may impede water flow and flukes may hit the hull
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: an alignment zone with bearing members for initial orientation, and a guide zone with guide members for rotational alignment. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function effectively while keeping the overall system manageable in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The passageway defining member acts as an intermediary structure between the external water environment and the internal hull cavity. It provides a controlled transition path that mediates the anchor's movement, ensuring proper alignment through bearing and guide members before the anchor enters the hull cavity.
2Ease of operation
If an anchor roller is used to engage the shank during retrieval, then alignment is easier for side retrieval, but it does not provide sufficient rotational control for cavity entry
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment assembly provides dynamic rotational control through its guide members that can accommodate the anchor shank's movement and rotation. The system transitions from a static anchor roller approach to a dynamic guide structure that actively controls the anchor's rotational alignment as it is pulled into the cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide members are configured with asymmetric geometries that provide different levels of constraint in different directions. This asymmetric design allows the system to provide precise rotational control while maintaining ease of operation, as the guide members engage the shank in specific orientations to achieve the required alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the anchor is rotated up to 180 degrees during retrieval, then proper alignment with the cavity is achieved, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The passageway defining member serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, guides the anchor's movement, enables rotational alignment up to 180 degrees, and ensures proper positioning in the cavity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing complexity while achieving high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment mechanism operates in multiple dimensions: the bearing members constrain movement in radial dimensions during the alignment zone, while the guide members enable rotational movement in the angular dimension during the guide zone. This multi-dimensional approach allows 180-degree rotation capability without requiring complex mechanical actuators.
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
An anchor guide of or for a marine vessel, to receive the rode raisable lead in of an elongate shank of an anchor having, transversely to the locus of its rise, a section of non-rotational generation, the guide comprising of a plurality of bearing members to skeletally define a passageway for the lead-in, there being a gap or slot between each bearing member to allow the passage of lead-in into the passage yet accommodate the section in a the slot or gap, the bearing elements positioned to interact with shank to resist anchor swing when the anchor is being raised onboard the vessel.