Tidal Clock Stepper Motor Drive Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tidal clocks cannot accurately drive a large or complex tidal display integral with a clock face due to insufficient power from the tidal clock motor, leading to inaccuracies and the need for frequent user calibration.
Innovation Solution
A tidal clock mechanism that incorporates a stepper motor, a tidal drive arrangement with eccentric cams, and a sensor system, allowing for a more powerful motor to drive a larger display with increased torque and self-calibration capabilities, ensuring accurate tidal representation without significant power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a more powerful motor is used to drive a larger tidal display, then the display size and complexity can be increased, but the motor accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor detects the angular position of the drive shaft and provides feedback to the controller. The controller compares the actual position with the target position and adjusts motor operation accordingly, enabling accurate positioning despite using a more powerful motor with lower inherent precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical tidal clock mechanisms with an electronically controlled stepper motor system. The motor is controlled through electronic circuits that can precisely regulate rotation steps, substituting mechanical precision requirements with electronic control capability
2Area of stationary object
If a larger tidal display is provided, then the clock can be integral with a wall clock or other clock having a relatively large face, but the frictional resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical drive mechanisms with an electric stepper motor system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical gear trains and reduces frictional resistance, allowing the motor to efficiently drive larger displays with minimal energy loss to friction
3Measurement precision
If a tidal clock motor is used to drive a small simple display, then the motor accuracy is maintained, but the display cannot be sufficiently large or complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical tidal clock motor with an electronically controlled stepper motor system. This substitution allows precise control of motor position through electronic steps, enabling accurate tidal display information to be shown on larger and more complex displays without sacrificing accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The controller can drive multiple different display configurations including various tidal dial arrangements. The same motor and control system can adapt to different display sizes and complexities, providing universal functionality across multiple display scenarios
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
Enables an integral tidal and clock display with improved accuracy and reduced need for user calibration, supporting larger displays and maintaining precision over time by using a stepper motor and sensor-actuated system.
Implementation Method 1
the drive mechanism comprising a controller, motor and power supply
Implementation Method 2
a tidal drive arrangement comprising a drive mechanism and a drive shaft having a plurality of eccentric cams, each cam engaging a follower connected to a respective laminar member so that rotation of the drive shaft causes movement of the laminar members between the lower and upper positions
Implementation Method 3
the tidal drive arrangement includes an actuator and a sensor, one of the actuator and sensor being engaged to rotate with the drive shaft and the other of the actuator and sensor being at a fixed location, arranged so that the actuator engages the sensor to generate a signal at a predetermined angular orientation of the drive shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A tidal clock includes a clock face, a clock mechanism, a tidal display mechanism, a tidal drive arrangement and one or more symbolic display members. The tidal display mechanism includes a background and a plurality of laminar members overlying the background. Each laminar member includes a display representing sea and having an upper edge configured to represent a sea level. The laminar members are independently movable between respective lower and upper positions to represent rise and fall of the sea level. The symbolic display members are each mounted on a respective support. Each support is engaged with the background, permitting movement between lower and upper positions, further engaging a respective laminar member and arranged so that the support and display mounted thereon is urged to move between lower and upper positions by the corresponding movement of the laminar member.