Sonar Mount Tilt Mechanism for Repeatable Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sonar mount systems lack precision and ease of use, particularly when retrofitting sonar equipment to boats, leading to challenges in recalibration and installation, especially when trailering, due to the heavy and complex nature of the sonar head assembly.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced sonar mount system featuring a tilt mechanism, cross tube, and Z tube with a clamp mechanism for precise alignment, quick release mechanisms, and a modular mounting kit for easy installation and interchangeability, allowing for accurate and repeatable positioning of the sonar head, including stowable and adjustable features for vessel maneuvering and trailering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sonar head is made heavy for accurate positioning, then positioning precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sonar mounting system is divided into separate modular components: a base plate mounted to the vessel, a cross tube assembly, and a Z-tube assembly. This segmentation allows the heavy sonar head to be positioned precisely through modular adjustment while reducing the complexity of handling and operating the entire assembly as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through clamp mechanisms that allow the cross tube and Z tube to be repositioned relative to each other. This enables the sonar head to be dynamically adjusted to optimal positions during operation while maintaining precision, and the entire assembly can be easily removed when not in use.
2Manufacturing precision
If the sonar mount is made complex for precise alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system uses segmented components (base plate, cross tube, Z tube) that can be manufactured separately with controlled precision and then assembled. This allows high manufacturing precision in each component while keeping individual part complexity lower, and the modular nature simplifies the overall system compared to a monolithic design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross tube acts as an intermediary element between the base plate and the Z tube, providing a standardized interface with clamp mechanisms. This intermediary component simplifies the connection between parts, enabling precise alignment through standardized interfaces rather than complex custom-fit joints.
3Measurement precision
If the sonar head is permanently mounted for accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but adaptability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system transitions from a static permanent mount to a dynamic removable mount. The clamp mechanisms enable the sonar head to be securely positioned during operation for high precision, while the entire assembly can be easily removed and repositioned when not in use, providing adaptability between different operational states.
Solution Approach 2:
The base plate and mounting mechanisms are designed with universal characteristics that allow the same system to be used on different vessels and for different sonar configurations. The standardized clamp interfaces enable the sonar head to be mounted and removed repeatedly without loss of precision, providing both accuracy and versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Enhanced sonar mount structures, systems, and associated processes provide accurate, precise, and repeatable alignment of a sonar head in relation to a vessel, whether in or out of water. The enhanced mount typically comprises a tilt mechanism, wherein the sonar head can be lifted to a stowable position, e.g. for any of vessel maneuvering, mooring, or trailering. The mount typically comprises a cross tube coupled to a clamp mechanism and to a Z tube. The clamp mechanism is operable to establish and maintain any of Z direction or pitch. The enhanced mount provides repeatable positioning of both the cross tube and the Z tube, and may preferably provide any of ship to ship interchangeability, lateral and vertical adjustability, break away clamping of the cross tube, quick release mechanisms, hingeable stowage, or manual or remote pan or tilt. An optional modular mounting kit aids in situ installations.