Expandable Boat Floor Panels for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Boats, particularly pontoon boats, pose storage challenges due to their size and require complex assembly of kit boats, which can be weak and inconvenient, with parts easily lost during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A boat expanding and contracting system with sliding floors that allows for easy transportation and storage by varying the width of the boat between contracted and expanded states, enabling use of smaller trailers and garages while maintaining a full usable surface on the water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the boat is made with standard size to provide adequate storage and comfort, then the boat can accommodate passengers and gear comfortably, but it occupies significant floor space and cannot be stored in standard garages
Solution Approach 1:
The boat employs a dynamic structure where the floor panels can be moved between extended and retracted positions. The floor panels are connected to the boat frame via sliding mechanisms or hinges, allowing them to be positioned outward for use and inward for compact storage, enabling the boat to adapt its footprint to different operational and storage conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The boat floor is segmented into multiple movable panels rather than a single fixed structure. Each panel can be independently adjusted or folded, allowing the floor to be reconfigured for storage by folding panels upward or inward, thereby reducing the overall footprint while maintaining full functionality when deployed
2Area of stationary object
If kit boats are used to reduce size for storage, then the boat can be stored in smaller spaces, but the structure becomes weaker and assembly is more complex with small parts that can be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The movable floor panels utilize robust sliding mechanisms, hinge joints, and locking systems that maintain structural integrity during movement and deployment. These mechanical connections are designed to be durable and reliable, avoiding the weakness associated with kit boat assemblies while enabling size reduction for storage
Solution Approach 2:
The floor panels are designed to nest or fold into the boat's existing structure when retracted, utilizing the boat's frame and bulkheads as storage positions for the panels. This nesting approach eliminates the need for separate small parts and complex assembly while maintaining a compact storage footprint
3Ease of operation
If the boat width is increased to provide comfortable seating and stability, then the boat offers better comfort and stability, but the aerodynamic profile increases and fuel efficiency decreases during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The boat features a dynamic width adjustment capability through movable floor panels that can be retracted during transport to reduce the overall width and aerodynamic profile. When deployed at the destination, the panels extend outward to restore the full width for comfortable seating and stability, allowing the boat to optimize its dimensions for different operational phases
Solution Approach 2:
The floor structure is segmented into movable panels that can be independently positioned to adjust the boat's effective width. During transport, these panels are retracted or folded to minimize the aerodynamic cross-section, reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency without compromising the structural integrity or comfort when deployed
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable and contractible pan protects a bottom portion of an expandable and contractible floor of a boat. The pan includes a panel of flexible material tensionable to fill a space between a first hull and a second hull of the boat in an expanded state of the floor. In a contracted state of the floor, the panel of flexible material relaxes to fit between the hulls of the boat. A deflector is mountable on a front portion of the boat. The deflector covers a front edge of the panel of flexible material, thereby obscuring entry to a top surface of the panel of flexible material.