Ship Draft Measuring Device Hose Winding and Bubble Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional instruments for measuring draft difference between a vessel's portside and starboard face issues with bubble generation due to air in the liquid, liquid leaks, and hose damage, particularly when winding the communicating hose, leading to inaccurate measurements and handling difficulties.
Innovation Solution
The instrument features a seamless communicating hose with a U-shaped central portion fixed using a hose hook and resin coil spring, an auxiliary fixing tape, and an air-bleeding tube made of transparent elastic material to prevent air intrusion and leaks, while using a mixture of water and colored ethylene glycol to prevent separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the communicating hose is severed into two hoses and connected through a forked pipe, then the hose can be wound on a drum, but air can intrude through the joints causing bubbles and measurement failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two separate hoses (left hose 107a and right hose 107b) into a single seamless communicating hose 41. This eliminates the forked pipe connection and its associated joints, preventing air intrusion while maintaining the ability to wind the hose on the drum 51 for easy operation and storage.
2Reliability
If the communicating hose is made as a single seamless hose, then air intrusion is prevented, but the hose becomes difficult to wind and store
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single seamless communicating hose 41 into two functional portions (left half hose 41a and right half hose 41b) that are wound in opposite directions on the drum 51. This segmentation allows the long seamless hose to be compactly stored while maintaining its integrity and preventing air intrusion.
3Device complexity
If conventional measuring liquid (water or water with ethylene glycol) is used, then the instrument is simple and inexpensive, but bubbles form due to air in the liquid causing inaccurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the measuring liquid by adding a surfactant (such as detergent) to conventional water or water-ethylene glycol mixture. This parameter change reduces surface tension and prevents bubble formation, enabling accurate measurements while maintaining the simplicity and low cost of the measuring liquid.
4Volume of moving object
If the hose is wound tightly on the drum for compact storage, then storage efficiency is improved, but the hose may fold or crush causing liquid leak and air intrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides beforehand cushioning by ensuring the communicating hose 41 has sufficient flexibility and by winding it with appropriate slack on the drum 51. This prevents folding or crushing during storage while maintaining compactness, and prevents liquid leak and air intrusion by avoiding stress concentration that could damage the hose.
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 design ensures accurate and reliable measurements without bubbles or leaks, enhances durability, reduces weight, and allows for efficient bubble release, maintaining the liquid's integrity over time.
Implementation Method 1
a resin coil spring (42) attached to the central portion of the hose (41)
Implementation Method 2
an air-bleeding tube (13) made of transparent elastic material to prevent air intrusion and leaks
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the invention is to improve the durability and reduce the weight of a device for measuring the difference between the drafts on the two sides of ship, by making it possible to prevent the occurrence of bubbles in a measuring liquid and prevent leakage of the measuring liquid. In order to measure the difference between the drafts on the two sides of a ship, a measuring device (1) is provided with: two liquid level measuring tubes (11) attached respectively to the port and starboard sides of the ship; a communicating hose (41) which causes the two liquid level measuring tubes (11) to communicate with one another; and a drum (51) to which a central portion of the communicating hose (41) is secured, and onto which a left hose section (41a) and a right hose section (41b) are wound simultaneously. In order to bend the central portion of the communicating hose (41) into a U-shape to catch said central portion, the measuring device (1) includes a hose catching projection (51c) which protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of a shaft member (51a) of the drum (51), and a resin coil spring (42) mounted on the central portion of the communicating hose (41).