Pivotable Accessory Mount With Screw-Driven Backlash Elimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pivotable mounts for boat accessories, such as antennas, suffer from gear backlash and slow travel speed between full up and full down positions, limiting their functionality and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A pivotable mount assembly driven by a motor with a drive screw and slide mechanism, featuring a drive slide guided by a tongue and connected to a link, which eliminates backlash and enhances lifting power and speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a worm gear is used to raise and lower the antenna, then the mounting structure is simple, but gear backlash occurs in all positions except full up and full down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear backlash eliminationVSAvoiddrive mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional worm gear mechanical system with a screw-driven link system. The drive screw engages with a drive slide that connects to a link, eliminating the quadrant gear and worm gear interface that causes backlash. This substitution maintains mechanical simplicity while achieving backlash-free operation across all positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Speed

If a worm gear construction is used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the travel speed is limited and slow between full up and full down positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetravel speedVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the worm gear mechanism with a screw-driven link system that provides more direct mechanical advantage. The drive screw translates rotational motion to linear motion of the drive slide, which pivots the mount more efficiently. This results in triple the lifting power and three times the travel speed (10 seconds vs 30 seconds) while remaining manufacturable with standard fastening techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Force

If a worm gear is used for lifting, then the structure is compact, but the lifting power is insufficient for heavy digital antennas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelifting powerVSAvoiddrive system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the worm gear drive with a screw-driven link system that provides superior mechanical advantage. The drive screw engages the drive slide, which is rotationally connected to the mount via a link. This configuration triples the lifting power compared to worm gear construction, enabling the system to handle heavy digital antennas while maintaining a compact and relatively simple drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 motor-driven pivotable mount assembly provides smoother operation, eliminates backlash, and triples lifting power, achieving a 10-second travel time from full up to full down, compared to traditional worm gear constructions.

Implementation Method 1

A drive screw engages the drive slide to drive the drive slide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentUS20250108889A1Pivotable accessory mount assembly

Publication Date: 2025.04.03 TACO METALS LLC

AI summary

An accessory mount assembly includes a drive slide and a guide. The drive slide is connected to and linearly guided along the guide. A link is rotationally connected to the drive slide. A drive screw engages the drive slide to drive the drive slide. A mount is pivotably mounted and the mount is connected to the link to be pivoted by the link via a movement of the drive slide.