Sequential Control of Multiple Smaller Gyro Stabilizers for Marine Roll Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gyro stabilization systems for marine vessels face challenges in effectively counteracting roll movements with smaller gyro stabilizers that precess faster but provide torque over a limited portion of the roll movement, leading to reduced stabilization efficiency and increased stress on the vessel.
Innovation Solution
A computer system controls a set of smaller gyro stabilizers on a marine vessel, ensuring that only one or more are active at a time, with the others deactivated, to provide sequential activation and deactivation based on roll movement data, allowing for a more even application of torque throughout the roll period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If smaller gyro stabilizers are used, then space requirements are reduced and installation flexibility is improved, but the stabilizers precess faster and provide torque over only a limited portion of the roll movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stabilization function into multiple smaller gyro stabilizers instead of using a single large stabilizer. Each smaller gyro operates independently with sequential activation, allowing the system to maintain compact size while extending overall torque provision duration through coordinated operation of multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic activation and deactivation of smaller gyro stabilizers in a sequential manner. By controlling each gyro to operate during specific phases of the roll cycle and deactivating them before they complete their precession, the system extends the total duration of torque provision across the entire roll period through multiple periodic cycles.
2Force
If all gyro stabilizers are activated simultaneously, then total stabilization capacity increases, but roll accelerations increase reducing comfort and increasing stress on components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic activation and deactivation of gyro stabilizers in a sequential pattern rather than simultaneous operation. Each gyro is activated during specific phases of the roll cycle and deactivated before completing its precession, creating a staggered periodic action that maintains total stabilizing torque while smoothing out peak accelerations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of gyro stabilizer activation and deactivation based on real-time roll motion characteristics. The system continuously adjusts which gyros are active and their operational duration to optimize the balance between providing sufficient stabilizing torque and maintaining smooth, comfortable roll correction with minimized accelerations.
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
This approach enhances stabilization performance by ensuring a higher stabilizing torque is maintained over a larger portion of the roll movement, reducing roll-induced stress and increasing comfort for passengers and reducing stress on vessel components.
Implementation Method 1
a gyro stabilizer configured to use a precession effect of the gyro stabilizer to provide a momentum counteracting roll of the marine vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to:control a set of gyro stabilizers, said set of gyro stabilizers comprising at least two gyro stabilizers, attached to a same marine vessel. The processing circuitry is adapted to provide control data to the control system of each gyro stabilizer in said set of gyro stabilizers to establish a control procedure such that, at each one of a plurality of different time instances of the control procedure, said set of gyro stabilizers comprises at least one non-active gyro stabilizer and at least one active gyro stabilizer. Each passive gyro stabilizer is controlled by the control system such that the passive gyro stabilizer is prevented from rotating around its precession axis, andeach active gyro stabilizer is controlled by the control system such that the active gyro stabilizer is allowed to rotate around its precession axis.