Self-Adjusting Line Systems for Watercraft Mooring Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating docks struggle to securely moor watercraft during rough water conditions, as conventional line systems fail to accommodate wave-induced movements, leading to potential displacement and instability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of self-adjusting line systems on dock posts, comprising slides, elongate members, upper and lower stops, and lines, which allow independent vertical translation, pitch, and roll of the watercraft, ensuring secure mooring even in rough waters by sliding along the elongate members and using dampers to manage tension forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional line systems are used to moor watercraft, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the watercraft cannot be securely moored during rough water conditions and may be displaced or become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by allowing the slides to move independently along the elongate members, enabling the line system to dynamically adapt to wave-induced movements of the watercraft while maintaining secure mooring. The slides can adjust their positions in real-time to accommodate changes in watercraft position caused by rough water conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the mooring system into separate independent components (multiple slides on elongate members) rather than using a single rigid line system. Each slide can move independently, allowing the system to segment the movement responses and handle different directions of wave action separately, improving overall reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the line system is made rigid to prevent watercraft movement, then the watercraft remains stable, but it cannot accommodate wave-induced movements and may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic slides that can move along the elongate members to adapt to wave movements while maintaining controlled stability. The slides provide a balance between flexibility (accommodating movement) and stability (preventing excessive displacement) by allowing controlled motion within defined ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameters of the slides along the elongate members in response to wave conditions. By allowing the slides to adjust their positions dynamically, the system adapts to varying water conditions while maintaining appropriate tension and stability in the mooring lines.
3Reliability
If independent slides are used on each dock post, then the watercraft can move freely to accommodate waves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mooring system into multiple independent slide assemblies, each mounted on separate dock posts. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific directional forces independently, improving reliability during rough water while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design.
Data Source
AI summary
A floating dock includes a frame, a float, and first and second dock posts. The frame has a first longitudinal section and a second longitudinal that define a slip there between. The dock posts are operatively secured to and project upward from the frame and are on opposite sides of the slip. The posts have self-adjusting line systems including a slide, an elongate member, an upper stop, a lower stop, and a line. The slide is slidable along the elongate member between the upper stop and the lower stop. The line is coupled to the slide. The line is adapted to tether the slide to a watercraft. The slides are capable of moving independently to allow vertical translation, pitch, and roll of the watercraft while the watercraft is secured within the slip.