Segmented Bunk Board Covers with Lifting Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Boat trailers often struggle to retrieve and launch boats in an upright position due to the lack of engagement with longitudinal ribs on the hull, leading to tilting issues, and existing bunk boards have exposed ends that are undesirable and prone to contact with the boat hull.
Innovation Solution
The bunk boards feature a series of raised and lowered surfaces forming oppositely sloped lifting edges, which apply a lifting force to the boat hull as it moves along the boards, and are designed to be used on either side of the trailer, with modular covers in segments to fit different lengths, ensuring comprehensive coverage and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional flat bunk boards are used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the boat hull cannot be effectively righted when tilted during retrieval or launching
Solution Approach 1:
The bunk board incorporates localized raised surfaces with sloped lifting edges at specific positions along its length, while the remainder of the board maintains a flat configuration. This localized modification provides the necessary righting function without requiring the entire board structure to be complex, thus resolving the contradiction between operational effectiveness and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting edges of the raised surfaces are formed with curved or rounded contours rather than sharp angles, creating smooth transition zones that effectively engage with the boat hull's curved surfaces. This curvature enables the lifting edges to conform to and effectively right the tilted hull without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bunk board covers are cut or molded to different lengths, then they fit different boat sizes, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bunk board cover is divided into multiple standardized segments of uniform length that can be assembled in different combinations to accommodate various boat lengths. This segmentation allows the same set of modular components to serve multiple purposes, eliminating the need to manufacture custom-length covers for each boat size and significantly simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized segments are designed to be universally applicable across different boat lengths through various assembly configurations. Each segment can function in multiple positions and combinations, allowing a single set of standardized components to replace numerous custom-made parts, thereby enhancing versatility while reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If plastic bunk board covers are used, then wear resistance and smoothness are improved, but the material cost and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic cover is applied only to the lifting edges and raised surfaces where wear and friction occur during boat retrieval and launching, rather than covering the entire bunk board. This localized application provides wear resistance exactly where needed while significantly reducing the total quantity of plastic material required, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and material consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The boat trailer includes segmented bunk board covers, with the segments being of different lengths so that they can be combined to cover different lengths of bunk boards. The bearing surfaces of the bunk board covers include a series of oppositely sloped lifting edges that tend to lift the facing surface of the boat hull so that when the boat is tilted on the trailer, the lowermost surface of the boat hull tends to apply more weight to one of the bunk boards, so that the lower surface tends to be lifted by its bunk board.