Articulatable Knuckle Assembly for Boat Support Eye Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The interface between the boat support eye and portable jacking and rotating apparatus is difficult to adequately configure, especially in terms of orientation, which hinders efficient suspension and rotation of vehicles like watercraft.
Innovation Solution
An articulatable support eye capture knuckle assembly with a first and second arm, a retention aperture, an attachment aperture, an adjustment passage, and a support eye retainer with an arcuate channel, along with a fastener and adjustment assembly, including a threaded rod and washers, to securely attach and adjust the support eye retainer plate, allowing for secure attachment and adjustment of the support eye regardless of its orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a fixed rigid interface is used to attach the support eye to the jacking apparatus, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the adaptability to different orientations is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing a fixed rigid interface with an articulatable knuckle assembly that can dynamically adjust its orientation. The knuckle assembly includes a knuckle body with a knuckle aperture and a support eye retainer with a retainer aperture, connected through a pin that allows rotational movement. This enables the interface to adapt to different orientations of the support eye while maintaining structural strength through the articulated connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the orientation angle of the knuckle assembly to vary. The adjustment assembly includes a threaded rod that can be rotated to change the angle between the knuckle aperture and the retainer aperture, thereby adapting to different support eye orientations. This parameter adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by enabling both strength (through secure attachment) and adaptability (through angle adjustment).
2Adaptability or versatility
If an articulatable interface is introduced to accommodate various orientations, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the attachment interface into distinct modular components: a knuckle body, a support eye retainer, a pin connection, and an adjustment assembly. Each component has a specific function, and they can be assembled and adjusted independently. This modular segmentation enables adaptability while keeping each individual component relatively simple, thus managing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The knuckle assembly serves multiple functions: it provides a secure attachment point, allows orientation adjustment, and accommodates various support eye angles. The retainer plate can be positioned in different orientations to enclose the arcuate channel from different directions, providing universal adaptability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate components, thereby managing complexity while enhancing adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An articulatable support eye capture knuckle assembly for attachment to a support eye includes an attachment knuckle with a first arm and a second arm, a retention aperture in the first arm and the second arm along a retention axis, an attachment aperture along an attachment axis and an adjustment passage along an adjustment axis transverse to the attachment axis; a support eye retainer with an arcuate channel to receive a portion of a support eye; a support eye retainer plate fastened to the support eye retainer along a pivot axis, the support eye retainer plate pivotable about the pivot axis to at least partially enclose the arcuate channel; and a fastener mounted through a support eye retainer aperture and a support eye retainer plate aperture along the retention axis to secure the support eye retainer plate to the support eye retainer between the first arm and the second arm.