Small Planing Watercraft Imaging Device for Blind Spot Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators of small planing watercraft face challenges in recognizing surrounding conditions, particularly in blind areas during operation, due to limited visibility.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an imaging device on the watercraft to capture images of its surroundings, including blind areas, and a display device positioned for the operator to view these images, allowing for real-time visualization of conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If an imaging device and display device are incorporated to capture and display surrounding images, then the operator's ability to recognize surrounding conditions is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of surrounding conditionsVSAvoidcomplexity of watercraft system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an imaging device to capture images of the surrounding environment and displays them on a display device, creating a visual copy of the blind areas. This allows the operator to see areas that would otherwise be invisible, resolving the information loss without requiring physical modification to the watercraft structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The imaging device and display device act as intermediaries between the operator and the surrounding environment. Instead of directly observing blind areas, the operator views processed visual information through the display device, which mediates the information transfer and makes hidden areas visible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a rearview mirror assembly is fixed to the handle as in conventional designs, then the structure remains simple, but the operator cannot recognize surrounding conditions in blind areas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of mirror assemblyVSAvoidvisibility in blind areas

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of relying solely on optical mirrors that have inherent blind spots, the patent uses electronic imaging devices to capture and reproduce visual information from all surrounding areas, including blind spots. This electronic copying approach overcomes the limitations of conventional mirror-based systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical mirror assembly with an electronic imaging and display system. This substitution eliminates the blind areas inherent in mirror-based systems while providing comprehensive surrounding visibility through electronic sensors and display screens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11643174B2Small planing watercraft with imaging device

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 KAWASAKI MOTORS LTD

AI summary

A small planing watercraft with an imaging device includes: the imaging device incorporated in the small planing watercraft, and capturing an image of surroundings of the small planing watercraft; and a display device incorporated in the small planing watercraft at a location where the display device is recognizable by an operator of the small planing watercraft, and displaying the image of surroundings captured by the imaging device.