Motor-Driven Cable Actuator for Compact Water Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing actuator systems for personal watercraft require significant space for mechanical booster mechanisms, limiting the design flexibility of the hull and increasing weight and production costs.

Innovation Solution

An actuator system with a cable driving part that uses a motor to rotate a rotation member, moving cables forward and backward to adjust water flow direction without multiple mechanical booster mechanisms, allowing for a more compact design and reduced weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If mechanical booster mechanisms are used to amplify operating force, then the operating force is amplified, but the space required for the mechanisms increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating forceVSAvoidspace required

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical booster mechanisms with a motor-driven cable system. The motor (12b) directly generates the required force to rotate the rotation member (12m), eliminating the need for mechanical force amplification mechanisms such as levers or gears. This substitution of mechanical boosting with direct motor actuation resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient operating force without requiring additional space for booster mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Force

If mechanical booster mechanisms are used to amplify operating force, then the operating force is amplified, but the degree of freedom in designing a hull is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating forceVSAvoiddegree of freedom in designing a hull

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing complex mechanical booster mechanisms with a compact motor-driven cable system, the patent provides sufficient operating force while minimizing spatial requirements. This allows the hull design to maintain greater adaptability and freedom, as the actuator can be installed in various positions without requiring dedicated space for mechanical boosters, enabling more flexible hull configurations and designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Volume of moving object

If motor-driven cable system is used instead of mechanical boosters, then space is reduced and design freedom is improved, but the mechanism complexity changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace requiredVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical booster mechanisms with a simpler motor-driven cable system. The motor (12b) directly rotates the rotation member (12m) through a cable connection, eliminating the need for multiple mechanical components such as levers, gears, or linkages. This substitution reduces the overall mechanism complexity while achieving the same functional outcome of force amplification and motion transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the unnecessary mechanical booster mechanisms from the system, retaining only the essential motor-driven cable components. By taking out the redundant mechanical boosting elements and replacing them with a direct motor-cable connection, the system achieves simpler architecture with fewer parts, reduced space requirements, and improved design flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This solution enhances design freedom, reduces weight, and lowers production costs by eliminating the need for multiple mechanical boosters, while maintaining reliable operation and durability.

Implementation Method 1

a cable driving part moving the cable forward and backward by rotating a rotation member with a force of a motor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS20230096990A1Actuator and cable assembly

Publication Date: 2023.03.30 HI-LEX CORPORATION

AI summary

Provided is an actuator including: a casing; and a cable driving part including a rotation member connected to a cable. The cable driving part moves the cable forward and backward by rotating the rotation member with a force of a motor based on an operation signal. The cable extends from a water flow direction changing part and is inserted into the casing. The water flow direction changing part changes a direction of a water flow to be ejected. The operation signal is an operation signal for operating the water flow direction changing part.