Portable Transducer Mount with Telescoping Shaft and Leaf Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional acoustic marine transducer mounts for boats are cumbersome, non-adjustable, and difficult to operate, leading to potential damage and loss of cargo due to accidental grounding, and are awkward to transport and store.
Innovation Solution
A portable transducer mount with a split collar clamp, extendable main shaft, shaft spring, transducer foot assembly, and leaf spring assembly that allows for flexible positioning and protection of the transducer, enabling secure submerged operation and easy installation on a vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional trip hinge and outrigger spring devices are used to protect the transducer from damage, then the transducer is protected from striking submerged objects, but the mounting mechanism becomes cumbersome and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the protection system by replacing the complex trip hinge and outrigger spring mechanism with a simpler telescoping shaft design featuring controlled flex points. This allows the shaft to bend and absorb impact forces through elastic deformation at predetermined locations, maintaining transducer protection while eliminating the cumbersome operating mechanisms of conventional designs
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft is segmented into multiple telescoping sections with defined flex points, allowing different portions of the shaft to perform different functions. The upper sections provide rigid support while the lower sections near the transducer are designed to flex independently, absorbing impact forces without requiring complex external spring mechanisms
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional non-adjustable hinged mounting is used, then the transducer position is fixed, but the device becomes non-adjustable and difficult to adapt to different conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static fixed-position mounting into a dynamic adjustable system. The telescoping shaft sections can be extended or retracted to change the transducer's depth and position, while the controlled flex points allow the shaft to adapt its shape in response to water currents and obstacles, providing both stability and versatility
3Reliability
If conventional complex design with trip hinge and outrigger spring is used, then transducer protection is achieved, but transportation and storage become awkward and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device is divided into collapsible telescoping sections that can be nested within each other for compact storage. The flex points are strategically positioned to allow the shaft to fold into a minimal space while maintaining the protective function during deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the separate trip hinge and outrigger spring components from the design, integrating the protection function directly into the shaft structure itself through controlled flex points, thereby reducing overall device complexity
4Measurement precision
If the transducer mount is designed for secure submerged operation, then accurate water depth monitoring is achieved, but the mount becomes difficult to install and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping shaft design allows the mount to be compact for transport and easy to install, yet extends to the required length for proper transducer submersion depth. The controlled flex points enable the shaft to maintain accurate positioning in water while accommodating movement and current forces
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
The portable transducer mount provides secure, adjustable, and damage-resistant operation, ensuring accurate water depth monitoring and preventing signal loss during vessel travel, while being easier to transport and store.
Implementation Method 1
A shaft spring may connect the shaft leg to the main shaft
Implementation Method 2
A leaf spring assembly including at least one elongated, flexible leaf spring which is provided on the main shaft and the shaft leg of the main shaft and spans the shaft spring to restrict movement of the shaft leg within a fore-aft plane
Data Source
AI summary
A portable transducer mount suitable for mounting a transducer on a vessel may include a mount shaft configured for mounting on the vessel. A main shaft may be extendable through the mount shaft. The main shaft may have a shaft leg. A shaft spring may connect the shaft leg to the main shaft. A leaf spring assembly may include at least one elongated, flexible leaf spring carried by the main shaft and the shaft leg of the mount shaft and spanning the shaft spring. A transducer foot assembly may be carried by the shaft leg of the main shaft. The transducer foot assembly may include a base foot plate extending from the shaft leg of the main shaft. A transducer cable conduit may extend between the base foot plate and the shaft leg of the main shaft. A conduit bore may extend through the transducer cable conduit for passage of a transducer cable from the shaft leg through the transducer foot assembly to the transducer.