Removable Glide Assembly for Watercraft Float Launch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive-on watercraft floats are not versatile and often require significant force to launch, posing a risk of injury due to their inability to accommodate multiple watercraft sizes and inefficient design.
Innovation Solution
A glide assembly with a base, glide member, and securing mechanism that allows for adjustable positioning on the float, featuring a multi-tiered angled contour and rotational support, reducing friction and force required for launching by elevating the watercraft above the float's surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single-size float design is used, then the float structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate multiple watercraft sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The float is divided into multiple receiving areas of different sizes, each capable of accommodating different watercraft. This segmentation allows a single float structure to serve multiple purposes without requiring separate floats for each watercraft size, thereby improving versatility while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The float is designed with multi-functional receiving areas that can accommodate various types and sizes of watercraft. By integrating multiple receiving areas into a single float structure, the design achieves universality, allowing one float to perform multiple functions of receiving different watercraft, thus improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the watercraft is launched from the float surface, then the launch process is simple, but significant force is required and injury can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The glide assembly introduces a vertical dimension by elevating the watercraft above the float surface during launch. The glide member extends upward from the float, allowing the watercraft to be lifted and glided into the water from an elevated position rather than being pushed from the surface level, thereby reducing the horizontal force required and improving safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The glide assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the float and the watercraft. Instead of directly pushing the watercraft from the float surface, the glide member serves as a mediator that lifts and guides the watercraft into the water, reducing the force required and eliminating the injury risk associated with direct surface launches.
3Force
If the glide assembly surface is at the same level as the float surface, then the structure is simple, but friction increases and more force is required
Solution Approach 1:
The glide assembly is designed with a vertical elevation, positioning its contact surface above the float surface level. This dimensional change creates a height difference that reduces the friction area between the glide assembly and the float, thereby reducing the force required for launch while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through the addition of vertical support elements.
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
Enables easy boarding and launching of various watercraft sizes with reduced force and friction, enhancing safety and versatility by accommodating different watercraft dimensions and reducing damage from water storage.
Implementation Method 1
The contour of the surface of the glide member is concave towards the center of the glide member
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure pertains to a glide assembly for a watercraft float having a base with a bottom surface substantially mated to a watercraft receiving area of the float and a cavity, a glide member, an axle, and a securing mechanism allowing for the glide assembly to be positioned at different locations on the float, where the glide assembly reduces the amount of force required to receive and launch the watercraft.