Boat Dive Door Ladder Assembly Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diver door and ladder assemblies for watercraft do not efficiently provide a hidden compartment for stowing the ladder and a raised platform for easy entry and exit, while maintaining a streamlined hull when the door is closed.
Innovation Solution
A diver door assembly with a horizontally oriented hinge that opens inwardly and downwardly, forming a platform, and includes a compartment for a collapsible ladder that can be extended over the side of the boat, with a hinged hatch for storage and attachment mechanisms to prevent loss or misplacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional open diver door with external ladder is used, then easy entry and exit is achieved, but the hull is not streamlined and the ladder may be lost or misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The ladder is nested within a compartment formed by the diver door assembly. When the door is closed, the ladder is stored inside the compartment, maintaining a streamlined hull appearance. When the door is opened, the ladder can be deployed for use, resolving the contradiction between hull streamlining and ease of entry/exit.
2Reliability
If a compartment for ladder storage is added, then the ladder remains attached and hull is streamlined, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compartment for ladder storage is merged with the diver door structure itself. The door forms both the closure for the compartment and the structural element for mounting the ladder. This integration reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable ladder attachment and streamlined hull appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The diver door serves multiple functions: it closes the compartment to maintain hull streamlining, provides structural support for the ladder, and acts as the mounting surface for the ladder attachment mechanisms. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the door opens inwardly and downwardly to form a platform, then a raised platform for easy entry is created, but the door thickness must match the side thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The door is designed with specific local characteristics: its thickness matches the boat side thickness in the region where it interfaces with the hull, while other portions of the door can have different dimensions to accommodate the platform function. This localized adaptation allows the door to serve both as a streamlined closure and as a platform-forming structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A dive door and ladder assembly includes a door positioned on the side of a boat, preferably in a rearward or aft position. The dive door is attached to a horizontally oriented hinge on a bottom portion thereof, and opens by pivoting inwardly and downwardly (vertically). When the door is in an open position, the underside of the door is generally in a horizontal plane with the upper surface of the doorway, forming a platform for divers and snorkelers to stand on. The upper surface of the doorway further includes a small hatch that may be opened to reveal a compartment therebelow. A collapsible ladder may be positioned within the compartment, in a collapsed state, and may be pulled upwardly from the compartment and folded over the side of the boat, through the doorway and extended into the water.