Boat Retractable Rigid Canopy with Hidden Articulated Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile rigid canopies on boats are aesthetically unpleasing, require complex support structures that limit access and safety, and are costly to manufacture and maintain, especially on larger vessels where they obstruct the living area and hinder free movement.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece rigid canopy with articulated structures, such as pantographs, that can move between two working positions without visible support structures, allowing for seamless integration with the boat's design and maintaining a clear deck area, using actuators and adjustable contact points for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid canopy is provided with support structures for movement, then the canopy can move between positions, but the support structures negatively affect the aesthetics of the boat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes visible support structures from the canopy system. Instead of using traditional masts or frames that extend above the canopy, the invention integrates the support mechanism into the hull itself, extracting the aesthetic burden from the visible canopy area and placing it in the hull structure where it is hidden from view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the canopy is received within a recess in the hull when in the second position. The support arms are housed within the hull structure, and the canopy itself is received within a designated recess area, creating a nested arrangement that maintains clean lines and aesthetics when the canopy is not in use.
2Strength
If mobile rigid canopies use complex support structures, then the canopy can be supported and moved, but access to the living area and safety are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the support structure into separate segments - the hull-integrated support arms and the canopy itself - allowing independent movement and positioning. The support arms can be positioned at different locations along the hull, and the canopy can move between positions without requiring a continuous complex framework, thereby improving access while maintaining support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic support arms that can adjust their position and angle to accommodate the canopy in different positions. The support arms are not fixed rigid structures but can dynamically reconfigure to provide support when needed and clear of the living area when the canopy is retracted, thereby maintaining both strength and ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a mobile rigid canopy is provided with moving members, then the canopy can change position, but the manufacturing costs and driving power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the support arms to serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the canopy, act as guides for canopy movement, and can be integrated with the hull structure to provide both aesthetic and functional value. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby lowering manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the support structure with the hull itself, where the hull provides both the structural base and the mounting points for the support arms. The recess in the hull serves both as a structural feature and as the receiving area for the canopy. This merging eliminates the need for separate complex support frameworks, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining positioning capability.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A boat (1) comprises a hull (2), a deck (3) and a living area (4), the latter being delimited at the front by a windscreen (5) and having a fixed structure (7), extending from that area, supporting functional members (8) of the boat (1) such as antennas and the like, there being provided a one-piece mobile rigid canopy (23), moved by moving members and adapted to take at least a first working position in which it is arranged above the living area (4) and at least a second working position in which it is separated from the latter and is associated to the deck (3) in front of the windscreen (5), said rigid canopy (23) resting on and being constrained to said windscreen (5) and to said fixed structure (7) when it is in its first working position. The moving members are articulated structures placed laterally to the deck.