U.S. patent application number 13/238124 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-05 for control device for a trim tab of a boat.
This patent application is currently assigned to ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Giorgio GAI.
Application Number | 20120079977 13/238124 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43737919 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120079977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GAI; Giorgio |
April 5, 2012 |
CONTROL DEVICE FOR A TRIM TAB OF A BOAT
Abstract
A control device for a trim tab of a boat, includes at least a
pair of stabilizers, one for each side of the boat, formed by
blades (2) and by a control actuator (3) for each blade which
determines the change in angle of the blade itself compared to the
ideal flat water surface, and including a joystick which, with its
movement, controls the actuators, in order to determine the
positioning of the stabilizers and, therefore, to obtain
predetermined conditions of the trim tab.
Inventors: |
GAI; Giorgio; (Genoa,
IT) |
Assignee: |
ULTRAFLEX S.P.A.
Genoa
IT
|
Family ID: |
43737919 |
Appl. No.: |
13/238124 |
Filed: |
September 21, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/285 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 39/061 20130101;
B63H 25/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/285 |
International
Class: |
B63B 1/22 20060101
B63B001/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 1, 2010 |
IT |
GE2010A000110 |
Claims
1. Control device for a trim tab of a boat, said trim tab
comprising at least a pair of stabilizers, one for each side of the
boat, formed by blades and by a control actuator for each blade
which determines the change in angle of the blade itself compared
to an ideal flat water surface, said control device comprising a
joystick which, with movement thereof, controls said actuators, in
order to determine the positioning of the stabilizers and,
therefore, to obtain predetermined conditions of the trim tab.
2. Device as by claim 1, wherein for each of the predetermined
conditions, there corresponds a predetermined movement of the
joystick which operates at least a switch.
3. Device as by claim 2, wherein the predetermined conditions are
stabilizers raised, stabilizers lowered with a bow of the boat in a
low position, correction of the boat listing to starboard and
correction of the boat listing to port.
4. Device as by claim 3, wherein the movement of the joystick in
each of four directions orthogonal to one another determines the
control corresponding to one of the four predetermined conditions
by mean of operation of at least one of the four switches.
5. Device as by claim 4, wherein the directions orthogonal to one
another refer to a dial of a clock, respectively as follows:
stabilizers lowered with the bow in the low position, at 12
o'clock; stabilizers raised, at 6 o'clock; port stabilizer raised
and starboard stabilizer lowered to correct a starboard angle, at 3
o'clock; and port stabilizer lowered and starboard stabilizer
raised to correct a port angle, at 9 o'clock.
6. Device as by claim 1, further comprising: switches, a control
circuit, a container body in which the switches and the control
circuit are inserted, and the joystick is positioned on top of the
container body in a center of a circumference which presents
graphic indications relative to the predetermined conditions of the
trim tab of the boat.
7. Device as by claim 6, wherein each actuator includes a motor,
and the control circuit transforms the movement of the joystick in
operation of motors of each actuator.
8. Device as by claim 7, wherein the switches are positioned to
take advantage of a reverse polarity voltage for reversing rotation
of DC motors of the actuators and consequently movement of the
actuators.
Description
TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION
[0001] This invention refers to a control device for
electromechanical actuators. In particular, this invention refers
to a control device for electromechanical actuators, for example in
the nautical field and, in particular, for trim tabs for pleasure
boats.
[0002] Control devices are known for these types of actuators that
use keyboards and buttons to operate the trim tabs of pleasure
boats. These tabs are generally placed astern, sometimes under the
hull of the boat and are made up of stabilizers, which usually
consist of metal plates, and a hydraulic or electromechanical
cylinder actuator, which determines the change in angle of the
stabilizer compared to the ideal flat surface of water; such plates
are attached to the hull of the boat by a hinge.
[0003] Sometimes these stabilizers are also equipped with sensors
that can detect, minute by minute, the angle of the plate so the
trim can be controlled more effectively.
[0004] This invention proposes to realise an effective control
device for this type of trim tab actuator for vessels able to
determine, in a simple, quick and effective way, the movements that
are to be carried out on the boat. This kind of effect may be
obtained through a joystick device that allows the lever of the
joystick to be moved manually reproducing the same movement that
one wants the boat to make.
[0005] The subject of this invention s a control device for trim
tab actuators for vessels having the characteristics of the
attached claim 1.
[0006] The characteristics and advantages of the device according
to this invention will be more apparent from the following
description of its typical implementation, as an example but not
limited to this, referring to the attached figures which illustrate
in particular:
[0007] FIG. 1 the control device according to this invention in
perspective view;
[0008] FIG. 2 the control device and the complex structure of the
elements of the trim tab according to this invention;
[0009] FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d illustrate the four positions of the
joystick in relation to the same number of conditions of trim
tab.
[0010] With reference to the abovementioned figures, a trim tab for
the boat is positioned at the stern of the same and is made up of a
pair of stabilizers on each side of a boat B.
[0011] They are usually made up of plates or blades 2 in metallic
materials and include a control actuator 3, such as a hydraulic or
electromechanical cylinder, which determines the change in angle of
the stabilizers compared to the ideal flat water surface. To this
end, these plates are attached to the hull of the boat by means of
a hinge 21.
[0012] The control device is capable of controlling the movement of
the actuators and of determining the various conditions of the trim
tab.
[0013] The control device includes a container body 4 in which the
switches and the control circuit are inserted. On top of this there
is a joystick 41 or actuation handle of the device placed in the
centre of a circumference 42, which presents graphic indications 43
of the various conditions of trim tab of the boat.
[0014] With its movement the joystick controls such actuators in
order to determine the positioning of the stabilizers to reach
certain predetermined conditions of the trim tab.
[0015] In FIGS. 3a-3d just as many conditions of the trim tab are
shown. In particular, in FIG. 3a, the condition of the trim tab is
shown that is used to lower the bow of the boat with the actuators
completely or partially opened to lower the stabilizers. In FIG.
3b, the condition is shown that corrects a boat listing to the
starboard by lifting the starboard stabilizer should it be down and
lowering the port one. In FIG. 3c the condition is shown that
corrects a boat listing, to port, lifting the port stabilizer
should it be down and lowering the starboard one. In FIG. 3d, the
condition is shown that allows you to raise the stabilizers
completely using the actuators when the boat's trim does not
require corrections or when the vessel is manoeuvring or mooring at
the quayside.
[0016] A predetermined movement of the joystick corresponds to each
of the above conditions in such way as to operate a switch. In
particular to achieve the condition of stabilizers raised, the
joystick is moved back, to reach the condition of the bow lowered,
the joystick is moved forward; to correct a listing to starboard,
the joystick is moved to port and, finally, in order to correct the
listing to port, the joystick is moved to starboard.
[0017] Preferably, moving the joystick in each of the four
directions, orthogonal to one another, determines the command
corresponding to one of the four conditions mentioned above through
the activation of at least one of the four switches.
Advantageously, the mutually orthogonal directions, refer o the
dial of a clock, respectively, forward-at 12 o'clock, back-6
o'clock, starboard-3 o'clock and 9 o'clock port.
[0018] Switches can be positioned in the control circuit to take
advantage of a reverse polarity voltage to reverse the rotation of
DC motors and therefore the movement of the actuators. Similarly,
other equivalent circuits can be made, which use different
principles to achieve the same function.
* * * * *