Height Adjusting Dock Bumper With Movable Carriage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Boats moored to docks experience movement due to wave and tide changes, leading to slack in mooring lines that cause pitching and yawing, potentially resulting in collisions and damage, which stationary bumpers cannot adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A boat docking apparatus featuring a track with a movable carriage and a buoyant, shock-absorbent bumper that adjusts with water level changes, using articulating members to navigate track imperfections and a locking mechanism for secure attachment, composed of non-corroding materials to prevent rusting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If slack is left in mooring lines to compensate for water level changes, then the boat can move freely with tide and wave changes, but the boat will pitch and yaw and may collide with the dock or nearby items
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper is made movable along the track instead of being stationary, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position vertically as water levels change. This dynamic adjustment maintains continuous contact with the boat's hull, providing constant cushioning force to prevent collisions while adapting to varying water levels, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and collision prevention.
2Reliability
If stationary bumpers are used to prevent boat collisions, then some protection is provided, but they do not adjust to height changes and cannot prevent damage from significant water level variations
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper assembly is designed to move vertically along the track as water levels rise or fall, transforming from a static protection system to a dynamic one. This allows the bumper to maintain optimal contact with the boat at various water levels, ensuring reliable collision prevention across the full range of water level changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The track serves as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed dock structure and the movable bumper, enabling the bumper to translate vertically in response to water level changes while remaining attached to the dock. This intermediary system resolves the contradiction by providing both stability (fixed attachment) and adaptability (vertical movement).
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a movable carriage system is implemented to track water level changes, then the bumper can adjust to prevent collisions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection system is segmented into distinct functional components: the fixed track attached to the dock, the movable carriage that travels along the track, and the bumper attached to the carriage. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while keeping the overall system relatively simple and maintainable.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage acts as an intermediary between the fixed track and the movable bumper, providing a simple mechanical connection that enables vertical movement without requiring complex mechanisms. This intermediary approach achieves collision prevention with minimal added complexity.
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
The apparatus maintains consistent mooring line tension and reduces boat movement, minimizing damage by allowing the carriage and bumper to move with water level changes while preventing damage to boats and docks through adjustable and durable components.
Implementation Method 1
The bumper is made of a buoyant material, so that the carriage and bumper will float on surface of the water if the carriage is unsecured from the boat.
Implementation Method 2
The bumper is also made of a shock-absorbent material, so that if the boat collides with the bumper, the boat will be unharmed.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is an apparatus for securing a boat to a dock or other marine structure that moves with the boat as the boat is raised and lowered by waves or the tide. The apparatus is secured to a dock or other marine structure and includes a track, preferably in a shape similar to that of an “I” beam, a carriage that moves along the track, and a bumper that is attached to a front portion of the carriage. The boat is secured to either a mooring line or mooring cleat on the carriage. As the boat is raised or lowered by waves or the tide, the carriage is also raised or lowered along the track accordingly. The bumper is secured to the outside of the carriage and prevents the boat from being damaged if the boat collides with the bumper.