Wakeboard Tower Cylinder Assembly for Low-Force Position Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wakeboard tower assemblies lack efficient and user-friendly mechanisms for transitioning between storage and in-use positions, often requiring excessive manual effort and lacking safety features.
Innovation Solution
A wakeboard tower assembly with a cylinder assembly and controllable valve system that utilizes fluid communication and pressurized gas to facilitate smooth and controlled movement between storage and in-use positions, reducing the manual effort required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manual mechanism is used to transition the towing assembly between storage and in-use positions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to excessive manual effort required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cylinder assembly with a shaft that telescopes between retracted and extended positions to mechanically transition the towing assembly between storage and in-use positions. This mechanical system provides controlled movement with reduced manual effort compared to pure manual mechanisms, while maintaining reasonable device complexity through a straightforward cylindrical actuator design.
2Ease of operation
If a telescoping shaft mechanism is used to move the towing assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the cylinder assembly and fluid chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the biasing function from the movement mechanism by extracting the spring element as a distinct component within the cylinder assembly. The spring provides the biasing force to move the shaft between positions, while the controllable valve independently controls fluid flow to manage the movement. This separation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall ease of operation while managing complexity through functional decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The controllable valve acts as an intermediary between the fluid chambers and the shaft movement. It controls fluid flow between the first and second chambers, enabling precise control over the shaft's transition between retracted and extended positions. This intermediary component mediates the interaction between the biasing spring and the shaft, providing controlled movement that enhances ease of operation while the valve's simple on/off functionality keeps the overall device complexity manageable.
3Reliability
If a controllable valve system is implemented to control fluid flow, then the reliability is improved through controlled movement, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element within the cylinder assembly provides automatic biasing force that naturally pushes the shaft between retracted and extended positions without requiring external control mechanisms. This self-service feature enhances reliability by providing a fail-safe mechanism that ensures the shaft returns to its neutral position even if the controllable valve fails, while adding minimal complexity since the spring is an integrated component of the cylinder assembly.
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 easy and safe operation with reduced user force, enhancing usability and safety, while maintaining efficiency and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a second chamber separated from the first chamber and configured to receive a pressurized gas, wherein the pressurized gas biases the shaft from the retracted position toward the extended position
Implementation Method 2
a controllable valve operable between a closed position that prevents fluid flow and fluid communication between the first and second portions of the first chamber, and an open position that allows fluid flow and fluid communication between the first and second portions of the first chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A wakeboard tower assembly includes a base assembly operably supporting a towing assembly between a lowered storage position and a raised in-use position, and a cylinder assembly configured to bias the towing assembly from the lowered storage position toward the raised in-use position, a closed loop fluid circuit that includes a fluid-receiving first chamber including first and second portions and a return passage, and a gas-receiving second chamber including first and second portions in fluid connection with one another, a shaft telescopingly received within the cylinder between retracted and extended positions, and a controllable valve operable between closed and open positions that prevents or allows fluid flow through the return passage and fluid communication between the first and second chambers of the first chamber thereby preventing or allowing the towing assembly from moving between the lowered storage and raised in-use positions.