Portable Marine Rail Lighting with Pivoting Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigational lighting systems for vessels lack portability, flexibility, and reliability, particularly in low-visibility conditions and emergency situations, as they often require fixed installations and may fail during power outages.
Innovation Solution
A portable, externally wireless navigational lighting system with a quick connect and release pivoting bracket that can be easily mounted on boat railings, featuring a light source visible from outside the housing and adjustable to comply with maritime regulations, including Red, Green, and All Around White lighting configurations, with optional features like solar power, GPS, and emergency S.O.S. capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed installation systems are used, then reliability is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system employs a pivoting bracket mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment of the light beam angle relative to the hull. This enables the fixed-installed system to adapt its lighting pattern dynamically, resolving the contradiction between fixed installation reliability and adaptability to different navigation conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (light beam angle, intensity distribution) through the pivoting mechanism to adapt to different navigational scenarios. This allows a single fixed installation to provide multiple lighting configurations, achieving adaptability without requiring multiple fixed systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lighting configurations are provided, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple separate lighting systems, the patent uses a single lighting system with a pivoting bracket that dynamically adjusts the beam angle. This mechanical dynamic adjustment provides multiple lighting configurations (single-sided, dual-sided, 360-degree) without requiring multiple complex systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting bracket mechanism serves multiple functions: it adjusts beam angle, enables different lighting patterns (single/dual side), and provides emergency positioning. This multi-functionality achieves high adaptability through a single unified mechanism rather than multiple specialized systems.
3Ease of operation
If quick deployment is enabled, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is pre-configured with the pivoting bracket and lighting components in their optimal positions during manufacturing. This preliminary setup ensures that when deployed quickly in emergency situations, the system is already in a reliable, tested configuration rather than requiring complex field assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting bracket mechanism is designed to be self-adjusting through simple manual operation, allowing quick deployment without requiring specialized installation equipment or expertise. The mechanical design ensures reliable positioning through its own structural features rather than requiring external assistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A pivoting rail mounted lighting system for boats which includes three separate portable housings and a light source located in these housings. Each light source being visible from outside the housing such that when the first housing is illuminated, a red colored light source is illuminated for rail mounting to the Port side of the vessel, when the second housing is illuminated, a green colored light source is illuminated for rail mounting to the Starboard side of the vessel, and when the third housing is illuminated, an All Around white light is illuminated for rail mounting to the portions of the vessels railing systems. A quick connect and release pivoting bracket is connected to the housings and is designed to releasably connect to multiple positions along boat railings and allow the light housings to be “pivoted” into the proper direction to display the correct angle of light.