Automatic Fairlead with Force-Triggered Bolt for Ship Towing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fairleads for towing devices on ships fail to securely guide cables during rough seas or ship maneuvers, leading to cable dislodgment and mechanical stress on the cable components, and require manual operation to open and close sections for the fish to pass, which is hazardous and costly.
Innovation Solution
A fairlead with a channel that automatically opens when the fish passes, equipped with a mobile bolt, force sensor, and trigger mechanism that detects external forces to open and close the bolt, ensuring secure cable guidance without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the channel section is closed to prevent cable dislodgment during rough seas, then cable security is improved, but the fish's arms cannot pass through the fairlead
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between closed and open positions. The trigger mechanism enables the bolt to dynamically respond to the passage of the fish's arms by detecting force changes and automatically opening, while maintaining a closed position for cable security during normal operation.
2Ease of operation
If manual controls for opening the fairlead are provided, then the fish can pass through, but the operation becomes hazardous and costly in difficult navigation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The fairlead system performs the opening operation automatically through the trigger mechanism that detects when the fish's arms are present. The system self-activates without requiring manual intervention, eliminating the safety hazards and operational costs associated with manual control in difficult navigation conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical control system is replaced with an automatic detection and actuation system. The trigger mechanism uses force sensing to automatically activate the bolt opening, substituting human operation with an automated mechanical-electrical system that improves safety and reduces operational complexity.
3Reliability
If a second operator is assigned to operate the fairlead, then the fish can pass safely, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fairlead system is designed to operate automatically without requiring a second operator. The trigger mechanism detects the fish's passage and autonomously controls the bolt opening and closing, eliminating the need for additional personnel and thereby reducing operational costs while maintaining safe operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fairlead designed to be fitted to a towing device that can be installed on the deck of a ship and comprising a winch, a cable that moves in the fairlead (20) under the action of the winch, the fairlead (20) comprising: ∙ an open-cross-section channel (24) extending along a main direction (27) such that it is possible to guide the cable, ∙ a movable bolt (30) enclosing a section of the channel (24), ∙ a force sensor (32) located before the bolt (30) in a sense (34) on the main direction (27) and designed to detect an external force, and ∙ a trigger (36) designed to open the bolt (30) when a force that is exerted on the sensor (32) and oriented along the main axis (27) in the sense (34) exceeds a predetermined force, and to close the bolt (30) when this force disappears.