Boat Bow Ramp With Pivotable Anchoring Spikes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bow ramps for water vessels do not effectively address the issue of passengers or cargo getting wet while disembarking, as they often require engaging the drive system in shallow water, which can be detrimental, and the distance between the vessel and shoreline exceeds the ramp's length, leading to instability.
Innovation Solution
A bow ramp system with user-actuated, pivotable spikes that can be extended and rotated to secure the vessel to the seabed, allowing for horizontal movement without engaging the drive system, and a remote control actuator for mechanical manipulation of the spikes and ramp.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the bow ramp is extended to bridge the gap between the vessel and shore, then the disembarkation distance is covered, but the ramp becomes unstable due to exceeding the available distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the spikes pivotable and extendable rather than fixed. The spikes can be rotated from a retracted position to an extended position where they penetrate the seabed, allowing the ramp system to adapt dynamically to different water depths and shore distances, thereby maintaining stability without requiring excessive ramp length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spikes as an intermediary element between the bow ramp and the seabed. These spikes serve as a mediator that provides additional anchoring points in the seabed, stabilizing the ramp system without requiring the ramp itself to be excessively long. The spikes act as a bridge between the ramp structure and the seabed, transferring loads and providing rotational stability.
2Ease of operation
If the drive system is engaged to move the vessel in shallow water, then the vessel can be positioned, but the drive system is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spikes as an intermediary mechanism for vessel positioning in shallow water. Instead of engaging the drive system directly with the seabed (which causes damage), the spikes serve as a mediator that penetrates the seabed to provide anchoring points. This allows the vessel to be positioned and held in place without the drive system contacting the seabed, thereby protecting the drive system while enabling easy operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical drive system engagement with a spike-based anchoring system. Rather than using the drive system to push against the seabed for positioning, the spikes provide a separate mechanical anchoring mechanism that does not require drive system engagement. This substitution protects the drive system from damage while maintaining the ability to position and hold the vessel.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the bow ramp is made shorter to avoid instability, then the ramp remains stable, but passengers or cargo get wet during disembarkation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the spikes pivotable and extendable. The spikes can be rotated from a retracted position (when not needed) to an extended position where they penetrate the seabed to provide additional anchoring. This dynamic capability allows the ramp system to maintain stability with a shorter ramp length, as the spikes provide the necessary anchoring strength without requiring the ramp to be excessively long.
Solution Approach 2:
The spikes serve as an intermediary anchoring mechanism that compensates for the reduced ramp length. Instead of relying on the ramp itself to provide sufficient anchoring strength, the spikes act as an intermediary element that penetrates the seabed to provide additional holding capacity. This allows the ramp to be shorter while still preventing water contact with passengers or cargo during disembarkation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure and stable disembarkation without wetting passengers or cargo, allowing the vessel to move forward or backward relative to the shoreline, maintaining alignment and preventing misalignment due to waves or tides, while avoiding damage to the drive system.
Implementation Method 1
The user-actuated spike rotation mechanism configured to mechanically manipulate the spike about the bow ramp/spike pivot comprises a hydraulic actuator
Implementation Method 2
The user-actuated spike rotation mechanism configured to mechanically manipulate the spike about the bow ramp/spike pivot comprises a pneumatic actuator
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a bow ramp for a water vessel (boat) wherein the bow ramp is configured to rotate/pivot to an open position to allow passage from within a hull of the vessel to a shore. The bow ramp is operated in combination with shore penetrating spikes which penetrate a shore or seabed (riverbed, lakebed, etc.) and include a user-actuated spike rotation mechanism which allows a user to move the water vessel further up a shore or alternatively away from a shore.