Raised Watercraft Seat Support With Speed-Limiting Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal watercraft seat assemblies lack a mechanism to prevent seat use at high speeds and do not provide a backrest for enhanced comfort in the raised position.
Innovation Solution
A personal watercraft system featuring a seat assembly with a sensor-connected motor control unit that limits motor speed when the seat support is engaged, and a backrest connection system that prevents seat deployment when the backrest is attached, using a blocking mechanism to ensure the seat remains raised and secure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat portion is raised for user comfort during fishing activities, then user comfort and accessibility are improved, but the risk of injury increases when the personal watercraft operates at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking system proactively prevents the seat portion from being raised when the personal watercraft is operating at high speeds. The sensor detects speed conditions and the blocking mechanism is positioned in advance to block the raising path of the seat portion, thereby preventing the harmful situation before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the seat portion and the deck. When activated, it physically intervenes to prevent the seat portion from moving to the raised position, mediating between the user's potential action and the safety constraint imposed by high-speed operation.
2Reliability
If a blocking system is added to prevent seat raising at high speeds, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking system is segmented into distinct functional components: a sensor for detecting operating conditions, a control mechanism for deciding when blocking is needed, and the physical blocking element itself. This segmentation allows each component to be simple and focused on a single function, reducing overall complexity while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking system is designed to be self-regulating through the sensor-feedback mechanism. The sensor automatically detects when the personal watercraft is operating at high speeds and triggers the blocking mechanism without requiring user intervention or complex external control systems, thereby maintaining simplicity while ensuring safety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the seat assembly is made reconfigurable with selective raising capability, then adaptability is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring seat position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking system serves as a mechanical intermediary that not only prevents unsafe configurations but also provides a detectable signal about the seat's state. The presence or absence of the blocking element in its path provides clear information about whether the seat portion can be raised, simplifying position detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic sensing systems with a simpler mechanical detection approach. The blocking system's physical presence or absence in the seat raising path provides inherent, easily detectable information about seat position and safety conditions, eliminating the need for complex sensors and electronics.
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 safe operation at high speeds by preventing seat use and provides enhanced comfort with a backrest in the raised position, improving user experience during activities like fishing.
Implementation Method 1
the seat support includes a magnet connected to the lower portion, and the sensor is a Hall-effect sensor operable for detecting the magnet in response to the lower portion being inserted in the anchor aperture
Data Source
AI summary
A personal watercraft has a hull, a deck, a motor, a motor control unit operatively connected to the motor for controlling at least one parameter associated with the motor, a seat assembly including a seat portion selectively connected to the deck, and a raised seating system including a seat support selectively connected to the deck for selectively supporting the seat portion above the deck. A sensor is connected to at least one of the hull and the deck and is communicating with the motor control unit. In response to the seat support being connected to the deck, the sensor detects a presence of the seat support, and in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the seat support, the motor control unit limits at least one of the at least one parameter associated with the motor. A method for adjusting performance of a personal watercraft is also provided.