Multi-hull Watercraft Equaliser Link for Bearing Load Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multihull watercraft, such as catamarans and trimarans, face challenges in using maritime infrastructure due to their fixed width, which leads to mechanical wear and failure in variable width adjustment mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A multihull watercraft design featuring a linkage structure with power transmission components and a compensation connection system that allows adjustable distance between hulls, including linear bearings and elastic connections, to maintain stability and accommodate varying loads while enabling the catamaran or trimaran to change its width, thereby reducing wear and enhancing infrastructure compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical device for changing the width of the multihull vessel is used, then the adaptability to maritime infrastructure is improved, but the reliability of the adjustment mechanism deteriorates due to increased wear and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a compensating connection with a bearing that anticipates and absorbs mechanical stresses before they reach the adjustment bearing. The bearing in the compensating connection acts as a cushioning element that takes up differential movements and loads (such as thermal expansion, contraction, and wave-induced motions) in advance, preventing these forces from accelerating wear on the adjustment bearing. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability while preserving adaptability through the width adjustment mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the hulls are connected rigidly to maintain stability, then the stability of the watercraft is improved, but the ability to change width for navigating narrow spaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a semi-rigid connecting structure that can dynamically adjust its properties. The force transmission components (beams) are connected to hulls through compensating connections that allow controlled movement. This enables the structure to be rigid enough for stability during normal operation but flexible enough to adjust width when needed. The bearing in the compensating connection permits differential movements while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the connecting structure into separate functional components: force transmission components (beams) for stability, compensating connections for movement accommodation, and adjustment mechanisms for width control. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function - the beams provide rigid force transmission for stability, while the compensating connections handle differential movements, enabling both stability and width adjustability simultaneously.
3Reliability
If the bearing in the compensating connection supports differential movements, then the reliability of the adjustment mechanism is improved, but the bearing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a bearing in the compensating connection as a mediator between the hulls and the adjustment mechanism. This intermediary bearing absorbs differential movements (thermal expansion, contraction, wave-induced motions) before they reach the adjustment bearing, protecting it from excessive loads. The mediator bearing takes up these incidental forces, allowing the adjustment mechanism to focus solely on width adjustment with reduced overall bearing load, thus improving reliability without excessively increasing the total bearing burden.
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 solution provides a reliable mechanism for adjusting the hull positions, reducing wear and allowing the multihull watercraft to navigate narrower spaces, such as marina berths and inland waterways, while maintaining stability and supporting both residential and sailing functions.
Implementation Method 1
The compensating connection (20, 21, 22, 23) has a bearing (32, 33, 34, 35) and an elastic connecting element (42). The elastic connecting element can, for example, be an elastomeric connecting element.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A multi-hull watercraft, such as a catamaran, is disclosed. The multi-hull watercraft (1) has a first and a second hull (2, 3), as well as a connecting structure via which the first hull (2) is connected to the second hull (3). The connecting structure has an adjustment bearing for changing a position and/or an orientation of the first hull relative to the second hull. The adjustment bearing is connected to the first hull via at least one compensating connection. The compensating connection has one or more degrees of freedom for reducing a bearing load on the adjustment bearing.