Retractable Foil System with Mechanical Fuse for Watercraft Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foils on watercraft are prone to failure and damage upon impact with submerged objects, leading to potential vessel stranding, costly repairs, and safety risks for crew and passengers, as existing systems do not effectively manage impact forces and maintain lift during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A retractable foil system with a mechanical fuse and hydraulic retraction mechanism that allows struts to pivot and retract upon impact, maintaining positive lift orientation and controlling the foil's angle of attack to absorb impact energy and prevent nosedives, utilizing sensors and actuators for controlled retraction and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the foil is made rigid and fixed to generate lift, then the watercraft achieves efficient propulsion and smooth ride, but the foil is vulnerable to catastrophic damage upon impact with submerged objects
Solution Approach 1:
The foil system transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic retractable structure. The strut can pivot between an extended foiling position and a retracted protective position, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational conditions. This dynamic capability enables the foil to maintain rigidity during normal operation while providing a escape path during impact events.
Solution Approach 2:
The foil system is divided into separable components: the foil itself, the strut, and the retraction mechanism. This segmentation allows the foil to be disconnected from the watercraft via the retractable strut, creating an independent failure mode where the foil can be lost without compromising the entire vessel. The mechanical fuse further segments the load path to control failure propagation.
2Strength
If the strut is designed to withstand high impact forces, then structural integrity is maintained, but the weight and complexity of the strut increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical fuse is designed as a sacrificial component that is intended to fail under extreme impact conditions. This disposable element protects the more valuable and heavier strut structure by providing a predetermined failure point that redirects impact forces away from the main strut, allowing the strut to be lighter and less complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The retraction mechanism provides a pre-planned escape path for the strut before impact occurs. By designing the system to retract rather than resist all impact forces, the strut doesn't need to be over-engineered for maximum strength. The cushioning effect comes from the controlled retraction motion that dissipates impact energy over time and distance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the mechanical fuse is designed to release at low force thresholds, then protection is provided, but false activation during normal operation may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical fuse is designed with specific geometric parameters and material properties that define its force threshold. By carefully selecting these parameters, the fuse activation force is set above the maximum forces experienced during normal foiling operations but below the forces that would cause damage to the strut or vessel. This parameter optimization creates a clear separation between operational and dangerous force levels.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the foil is allowed to retract freely upon impact, then damage is minimized, but the foil may lose positive lift orientation and cause nosedives
Solution Approach 1:
The foil is pre-configured with articulation capabilities and positive lift orientation mechanisms before impact occurs. The foil can pivot independently on the strut to maintain its angle of attack during retraction, ensuring that lift is preserved throughout the retraction process. This preliminary configuration prevents loss of stability during the transition from extended to retracted position.
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 system effectively reduces the risk of structural damage and injury by absorbing impact energy, maintaining vessel stability, and enabling controlled retraction of foils to minimize collision consequences, allowing for safer and more efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
the foil has sufficient surface area configured to generate positive lift when the watercraft is traveling over water
Implementation Method 2
the mechanical fuse holds the strut stationary and is subject to forces from the strut when the strut travels through water, the retraction system allows retraction of the strut around the pivot when the strut experiences a force greater than a predetermined limit
Implementation Method 3
the system further comprises a tensioner connected to the linkage, the tensioner applies a forward force on the strut through the linkage to maintain the strut in a foiling position
Implementation Method 4
a retraction system including a cylinder having a piston connected to the at least one strut, the piston applies a forward force on the at least one strut through adding pressure to a chamber, and the pressure in the chamber responds to forces on the at least one strut
Data Source
AI summary
A system for retracting a foil of a watercraft in the event of an impact has a strut extending from a watercraft, the strut has a pivot at one end that connects the strut to the watercraft and allows the strut to articulate around the pivot, a foil attached at a second end of the strut, wherein the foil has sufficient surface area configured to generate positive lift when the watercraft is traveling over water; and a retraction system including a mechanical fuse connected to the strut, the mechanical fuse holds the strut stationary and is subject to forces from the strut when the strut travels through water, the retraction system allows retraction of the strut around the pivot when the strut experiences a force greater than a predetermined limit, and the foil is configured to articulate on the strut to maintain positive lift orientation as the strut is retracting.