Foldable Watersport Fin With Locking Mechanism for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Watersport boards with fixed fins face challenges in transportation and storage due to their protruding design, which increases space requirements and poses hazards, while removable fins are prone to loss and reattachment difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A foldable fin assembly with a support base and locking mechanism that allows the fin to transition between a use position and a folded position, remaining securely attached to the board for easy transportation and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fin is fixedly attached to the watersport board, then the fin provides stable steering and support during use, but the fin increases space requirements and poses hazards during transportation and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The fin is designed with a movable base portion that can rotate relative to the support base between a use position (extending downward) and a folded position (aligned with the board bottom). This dynamic configuration allows the fin to adapt between providing stability during use and reducing volume during transportation, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and volume.
2Volume of moving object
If the fin is completely removed from the board for transportation, then space requirements are reduced, but the fin may be lost, damaged, or forgotten
Solution Approach 1:
The fin remains dynamically connected to the board through the movable base portion that rotates within the support base structure. This dynamic connection eliminates the risk of complete loss or damage during transportation while still allowing volume reduction through folding, resolving the contradiction between volume reduction and retention security.
Solution Approach 2:
The fin assembly is segmented into a fin portion and a movable base portion that can independently rotate. This segmentation allows the fin to be folded for compact storage while remaining attached to the board, preventing loss and damage while reducing transportation space requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If the fin is removed and reattached for transportation, then space requirements are reduced, but time and effort are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic rotation mechanism allows the fin to be quickly folded or deployed without requiring complete removal or reattachment. The movable base portion simply rotates within the support base, eliminating the time-consuming process of detaching and reattaching the fin while still achieving compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The fin is pre-configured with the movable base portion that enables quick folding action. This preliminary design allows the user to simply rotate the fin to a folded position without needing to perform complex removal or reattachment procedures, significantly reducing the time and effort required for transportation preparation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology is generally directed to a fin assembly for watersport equipment, a watersport system including thereof, and a method of using thereof. In various embodiments, the fin assembly includes a support base and a foldable fin. The support base may be configured to attach the fin assembly to a surface of the watersport equipment. The foldable fin may include a fin portion configured to move between a folded position and a use position. The support base may have a locking member configured to lock the fin portion in and release the fin portion from the use position.