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Title:
SEAT FOR SAILBOATS HAVING AUTOMATIC HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2010/030223
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A device for automatic horizontal positioning of a sailor's seat, comprising: a pivot axis (6) devised for suspension of a seat (25); a pivot element (7) with a seat attachment means (8), a coupling (9) devised for pivotable coupling of the pivot element (7) to the pivot axis (6) and a momentum arm (11); a drive means (16) coupled to the momentum arm (11) and devised to transmit a displacing movement to the momentum arm (11); a sensor (22) devised for detection of the position of the seat (25) in relation to the horizontal plane and devised to output a signal indicating a position deviation from the horizontal plane; and a control unit (23) devised to control the position of the pivot element (7) by means of the drive means (16) dependent on the position deviation signal to a compensated position for positioning the seat in horizontal position.

Inventors:
FRESK CARL-GUSTAF (SE)
Application Number:
PCT/SE2009/050987
Publication Date:
March 18, 2010
Filing Date:
September 01, 2009
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
FRESK CARL-GUSTAF (SE)
International Classes:
B63B29/12; B63B29/04
Foreign References:
US3632076A1972-01-04
US6273389B12001-08-14
DE2709123A11977-09-22
US20080054150A12008-03-06
GB2060363A1981-05-07
Other References:
"Team SWE Skud 18", 26 January 2008 (2008-01-26), XP003026322, Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20090225]
"Application for approval of additional equipment", XP003026323, Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20090225]
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
IPQ IP SPECIALISTS AB (Stockholm, SE)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A device for automatic horizontal positioning of a sailor's seat, comprising: a pivot axis (6) devised for suspension of a seat (25); a pivot element (7) with a seat attachment means (8), a coupling (9) devised for pivotable coupling of the pivot element (7) to the pivot axis (6) and a momentum arm (11); a drive means (16) coupled to the momentum arm (11) and devised to transmit a displacing movement to the momentum arm (11); characterized in a sensor (22) devised for detection of the position of the seat (25) in relation to the horizontal plane and devised to output a signal indicating a position deviation from the horizontal plane; a control unit (23) devised to control the position of the pivot element (7) by means of the drive means (16) dependent on the position deviation signal to a compensated position for positioning the seat in horizontal position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means (16) comprises a DC motor and the control unit (23) is devised to control the DC motor with pulsed control signals in a feedback control system dependent on the position deviation.

3. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein the pulse width of the pulsed control signals is controlled dependent on the size of the position deviation.

4. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein the pulse width of the pulsed control signals is controlled to be proportional to the size of the position deviation.

5. The device according to any of the preceding claims 2-4, wherein the duration of the pauses (non-pulse) between the control signal pulses is controlled dependent on the size of the position deviation.

6. The device according to the preceding claim, wherein the duration of the pauses (non-pulse) between the control signal pulses is controlled to be inversely proportional to the size of the position deviation.

7. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control of the compensated horizontal positioning is activated at a settable minimum position deviation, preferably at a position deviation in the range of 5-25 degrees from the horizontal plane.

8. The device according to the preceding claim, further comprising a setting means for manual setting of the minimum position deviation.

9. The device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising manoeuvring means for manual control of the horizontal positioning, wherein the automatic control is overridden by the activation of the manual manoeuvring means.

10. The device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a support device (3) devised for attachment to a sail boat, wherein the support device (3) is designed to admit a freedom of inclination for a seat attached to the pivot element (7) up to an angle in the range of 20-45 degrees.

11. The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means (16) is devised with a hinged boat attachment means (17) for attachment to a part that is fixed in relation to the boat, and wherein a displacement rod (19) of the drive means (16) is hingedly attached to the momentum arm (11).

Description:
Seat for sailboats having automatic horizontal adjustment

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to seats or chairs with automatic horizontal positioning. More particularly it relates to such automatic seats for use in sailboats.

Background of the invention

When travelling in sailboats and other small boats the boat is often exposed to winds and waves causing the hull of the boat to lean considerably. As a consequence both the boat and passengers are exposed to stress due to the mechanical forces that act on the boat and the passengers. In order to reduce the stress on the body and/or to alter the weight distribution on the boat so that it sails better it is often desirable to be able to compensate or adjust ones position dependent on the variations in inclination. A technical aid which automatically makes sure that a seat is positioned in a horizontal position could be beneficial for increased comfort, for ergonomic reasons or to prevent sea sickness, and could also be an important aid when competing in for example sailing or other boat sports. In particular children or disabled persons with different kinds of physical handicap may benefit from technical aid for that kind of compensation, as they do not have to use energy to adjust their weight by own force and lean as efficient as possible, but may instead concentrate on the other aspects of the sailing.

When sailing and travelling in other kinds of boats, in particular in smaller boats, it is often necessary to arrange the seat close to the floor, so that the low centre of gravity contributes to increased stability in the boat. The marine environment, which is exposed to a lot of water, often salt water, and which is often associated with a lot of equipment, also requires that new equipment is water tolerant and easy to clean and keep tidy, preferably being as simple as possible. Related art

It is known for example through patent document EP0352256 Bl to provide an automatic horizontal positioning device with an upper plate for attachment to a vehicle seat and a lower plate for attachment to the vehicle. The upper plate is devised for pivoting around an axis which is parallel to the plate and which is positioned between the plates so that the inclination of the plates in relation to one another is varied. A linearly working drive means is mounted to the lower plate, parallel to it, and conveys power to the upper plate to make it move around its pivot axis. Detecting means detect when the upper plate or the seat deviates from the horizontal plane and delivers a signal to the drive means which drives the upper plate to horizontal position. The solution with the two plates entails that the degrees of freedom of the inclination is limited, typically to around maximum 15° from the horizontal plane. Also, it is not adapted for use in marine conditions, as water and dirt easily accumulates in it.

A similar device for automatic horizontal positioning of a seat is known through patent document EP0677003 Bl. The device comprises a base, a drive means and a seat element (comparable to the upper plate mentioned above), which is devised above the base and is pivotable by means of the drive means. In this device the seat element is devised between its pivot axis and the base, i.e. the seat element rotates around an imaginary pivot axis which is placed above its surface. Also in this device the horizontal positioning is controlled by detection means, which are able to detect the position of the seat element in relation to the horizontal plane, and control means, coupled to the detection means, for controlling the drive means.

Through the patent document US20040035347 Al it is known to provide an automatic, self correcting chair for preventing car- or seasickness. The chair is based on technology from the patent document US6611662 Bl, which describes a self correcting, stabilizing platform which can be used to stabilize e.g. cameras, antennae or human beings in horizontal position. The device comprises two drive mechanisms, e.g. motors, which drive two drive axes that are perpendicular. By the movement of the axes the inclination of the platform can be adjusted sideways, forwards and backwards. The devise also comprises two sensor packages which are independent of one another and a control system. The sensor packages include one or more motion sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopic sensors, fibre optic gyros or similar, and regularly sends signals to the control system, which in turn controls the drive mechanisms. The use of two independent sensor packages makes the platform self correcting, since anomalies in one sensor package can be corrected by means of the other. A boat seat or similar can be mounted to the self correcting platform in order to be maintained in a horizontal or other preset position. The device with the seat also comprises an operator controlled control panel which gives the operator the possibility to set e.g. on/off, the desired horizontal inclination, and desired stabilization speed.

Through the patent document JP2006199188 it is known to provide a seat for boats which can be used e.g. to prevent seasickness. The legs of the seat are telescopic and their height is adjustable. The device comprises a sensor which senses the inclination of the floor. The sensor sends signals to motors which drives the telescopic legs so that they automatically achieves a height in relation to the floor making the seat surface stay horizontal.

Through patent document JP2000038194 it is known to provide a base to be placed under a boat seat, so that the base can adjust the seat surface of the boat seat to be kept in a horizontal position. The base comprises a base block and a base plate positioned above the base block. The base block comprises a concave surface placed on its upper side, and the base plate comprises, on its underside, a convex surface fitting to the concave surface of the base block. Between the concave and convex surfaces are placed roll isolators which enable movement of the surfaces in relation to one another. A hydraulic damper is connected to the base block and is controlled by signals from an inclination sensor so that the inclination of the seat is limited as much as possible. Through the patent document US3863587 it is known to provide an automatically horizontally positioned boat seat without sensors and motor actuator. US3863587 describes a boat chair which is horizontally self adjusted and at the same time can rotate around a vertical axis so that its user can turn to any desired direction. The seat is mounted on a horizontal axis, around which the seat can pivot sideways. From the underside of the seat a vertical axis also extends downwards, without reaching the floor. Weights are placed at the lower end of the vertical axis, to provide counterweight to the weight of the chair and the weight of the user and by gravitation pull the chair so that the seat is horizontally positioned.

Also the patent document US5669324 describes an automatically horizontally positioned boat seat without sensors and motor actuator. It is also known for example through patent documents FR2887221 Al and FR2863339 Al to provide automatically horizontally positioned tables with sensors and motor actuators for use on a boat.

In the newspaper article Hjarnstorm kring uppfinningar (Eng: Brainstorm around inventions) published in the newspaper Vestmanlands Lans Tidning (Sweden) on March the 5th 2008 a sailor's seat with a device for manually controlled horizontal positioning, designed and presented by the same inventor as the inventor of the present invention, is shown. The present invention is a device which is further developed from the device shown in the newspaper.

Objects of the invention The overall object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the problem of providing a boat chair with automatic horizontal positioning adapted for the sailing conditions in sailboats.

Summary of the invention According to the invention the object is achieved and the problem solved by a device for automatic horizontal positioning of a sailor's seat, comprising: a pivot axis devised for suspension of a seat; a pivot element with a seat attachment means, a coupling devised for pivotable coupling of the pivot element to the pivot axis and a momentum arm; a drive means coupled to the momentum arm and devised to transmit a displacing movement to the momentum arm; and a sensor devised for detection of the position of the seat in relation to the horizontal plane and devised to output a signal indicating a position deviation from the horizontal plane; and a control unit devised to control the position of the pivot element by means of the drive means dependent on the position deviation signal to a compensated position for positioning the seat in horizontal position.

The following aspects and embodiments of the invention solve different partial problems.

In one embodiment the drive means comprises a DC motor and the control unit is devised to control the DC motor with pulsed control signals in a feedback control system dependent on the position deviation. To avoid saturation and resonance in the device the pulse width of the pulsed control signals is controlled dependent on the size of the position deviation. The pulse width of the pulsed control signals is e.g. controlled to be proportional to the size of the position deviation.

In one embodiment the pulse control comprises controlling the duration of the pauses (non-pulse) between the control signal pulses dependent on the size of the position deviation. The duration of the pauses (non-pulse) between the control signal pulses is e.g. controlled to be inversely proportional to the size of the position deviation.

In order to take more temporary variations of inclination of the boat into consideration, not requiring compensation, the control of the compensated horizontal positioning is in one embodiment activated at a settable minimum position deviation, preferably at a position deviation in the range of 5-25 degrees from the horizontal plane. In one embodiment the device further comprises a setting means for manual setting of the minimum position deviation. During some circumstances the sailor wishes to manually control the horizontal positioning himself. For that purpose one embodiment comprises manoeuvring means for manual control of the horizontal positioning, wherein the automatic control is overridden by the activation of the manual manoeuvring means.

In order to be able to attach the sailor's seat according to the present invention to a sailboat the invention comprises a support means devised for attachment to a sail boat, wherein the support means is designed to admit a freedom of inclination for a seat attached to the pivot element up to an angle in the range of 20-45 degrees. Preferably the drive means is devised with a hinged boat attachment means for attachment to a part that is fixed in relation to the boat, and wherein a displacement rod of the drive means is hingedly attached to the momentum arm.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following description, referring to the enclosed figures, where:

Fig. 1 schematically shows a device for horizontal positioning of a sailor's seat according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 schematically shows a pivotation device in a sailor seat according to one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 3 schematically shows a control device and drive mechanism for a horizontal positioning device for a sailor's seat according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 schematically shows a control device and drive mechanism for a horizontal positioning device for a sailor's seat according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a sailor's chair with a device for automatic horizontal positioning 1 according to a first embodiment. The chair comprises a seat 25, with a seat surface 26 to sit upon and an optional support for the back 27. The seat 25 is mounted on a horizontal positioning platform which in the embodiment according to according to this figure comprises a support device 3 in the form of a frame 4 with legs 5, a pivot element 7 with a seat attachment means 8, and a drive function 15 for horizontal positioning. The platform further comprises a pivot axis 6 around which the horizontal positioning for a seat, which is attached via the seat attachment means 8, is adjusted by pivotation of the seat 25 around the pivot axis 6. The longitudinal direction of the pivot axis 6 is intended to be placed substantially in coincidence with the direction of travel of the boat, and at horizontal positioning the seat is thereby adjusted in transversal direction, i.e. sideways.

The pivot axis 6 is devised principally in horizontal position, but its inclination can vary dependent on the boat type it is intended for, on how the seat 25 is designed and on how the user wishes to sit in relation to forward and backward inclination.

The pivot axis 6 is carried and stabilized by a support device 3 which is devised to give inclinational freedom for the seat 25 around the pivot axis 6, with at least 20 degrees in the respective direction from the vertical position or horizontal plane (same angle), and thereby compensate for the corresponding inclination of the boat. The requirement of inclinational freedom may vary dependent on boat type, but is preferably in the range of 20-45 degrees from the vertical position/horizontal plane. In an embodiment adapted to for example a sailboat of the SKUD 18 type it is devised an inclinational freedom such that the seat may be inclined approximately +/- 30 degrees and in many cases an inclinational freedom of at least 25 degrees from the vertical position/horizontal plane is preferred.

In the embodiment in Fig.1 the support device 3 comprises a frame 4 with 4 support legs 5, where the support legs when in use are placed on the floor of a cockpit. The support legs determine the height of the seat in the boat and are in one embodiment devised with adjustable length, e.g. by means of the legs being devised with lockable telescope function. The frame 4 is open at the sides of the seat and designed in relation to the pivot axis 6 to give room to the seat as it pivots around the pivot axis 6. Other embodiments of the support device 3 include e.g. exchanging the frame 4 to a support placed in the front and another support placed at the back, where each support comprises a transversal axis, to which the pivot axis 6 can be attached, with support legs at each end. Alternatively the pivot axis 6 may be devised with attachment means at each end, for attachment directly to the structure of the boat. The design of the support device 3 can be varied further, in order to best suit the boat the device 1 is intended for.

The seat 25 is devised to the pivot axis 6 via a pivot element 7, shown in greater detail from a side view in Fig. 2. The pivot element 7 comprises a seat attachment means 8 devised preferably for detachable mounting of a seat 25, at least one coupling 9 devised for pivotable enfoldment around the pivot axis 6, and a momentum arm 11 by which force is transmitted from a drive means 16 (see below) to the pivot element 7 so that the coupling 9 and thereby the pivot element pivots around the pivot axis 6. The coupling 9 is devised such that the attachment is stable and also admits a soft and smooth pivotation. To achieve that the coupling preferably comprises some kind of bearing in relation to the pivot axis, for example bushing of plastic material.

The seat attachment means 8 comprises attachment means for attachment of the seat 25. It may be designed in various ways but preferably has a form which stabilizes the seat in relation to the platform, for example by a support plate. Alternatively the support plate or another similar structure is designed as an integrated part of the seat 25.

The momentum arm 11 is coupled to the seat attachment means and extends from the coupling 9 and hence the pivot axis 6 by a length which is adjusted to the power capacity of the drive means 16 and to limits for the weight of the user. In a preferred embodiment the momentum arm 11 is devised substantially aligned with the seat attachment means 8 under the pivot axis 6. In another embodiment the momentum arm 11 is devised above the pivot axis 6, and preferably such that it is placed behind a seat mounted to the seat attachment means 8.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the momentum arm 11 is designed as two triangles or wings that are perpendicular to the pivot axis 6 and extend parallel to each other, perpendicularly and downwards from the seat attachment means 8. The drive means 16 has a displacement rod 19 whose end is devised between the wings and is attached to the momentum arm 11 by means of a hinged coupling 20 via an axis which runs from one of the wings, through the end of the displacement rod 19 and to the other wing. In a simple construction the hinged coupling 20 and the axis are realized by a detachable and lockable pin.

The drive means 16 is in the embodiment devised according to Fig. 1 devised with a boat attachment means 17 with a hinge function placed at the back of the drive means. The drive means 16 is attached to the boat, preferably to the floor of the cockpit. When the displacement rod 19, whose end is attached to the momentum arm 11 , is driven in a linear motion forwards or backwards the rod 19 may follow the arc shaped movement of the coupling 20 at the momentum arm, via the hinged coupling to the momentum arm 11 and the hinged boat attachment means 17.

The horizontal positioning of the sailor's seat is adjusted via the pivot element 7, by a drive function 15 comprising a sensor 22, a central control unit 23 and the drive means 16. The sensor 22 is, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, devised at the pivot element 7 and is devised to sense the inclination of the seat in relation to the horizontal plane, preferably as an angular deviation from the horizontal plane or the vertical plane, dependent on the chosen reference position. In an alternative embodiment the sensor 22 is devised at the support means 3 or the boat and then senses the inclination deviation of the boat. The sensor may e.g. be a tilt sensor, such as an electronic tilt sensor with silicon sensors using the Earth's gravitation as reference. The control unit 23 preferably comprises a programmable data processing means with a CPU, memory units, I/O units for signal communication with sensor 22 and drive means 16, and computer program software adapted to the invention.

The sensor 22, preferably being a tilt sensor, transmits a sensor signal indicating a position deviation, e.g. in the form of an angular deviation, to the central control unit 23, which in the next step outputs a control signal to the drive means 16. The drive means 16 is in one embodiment realized with a DC-motor coupled to a screw which transmits the rotation of the motor to a linear movement. The screw is in turn part of or coupled to the displacement rod 19 which is attached to the momentum arm 11 by the hinged coupling 20.

The control of the horizontal positioning is schematically shown in Fig. 3. The sensor 22, which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is devised at the pivot element 7, senses the position deviation of the chair. When the inclination of the boat makes the position of the seat 26 deviate form the horizontal plane this is detected in the central control unit 23 by the sensor signal. The control unit 23 generates, dependent on the sensor signal, a control signal to the drive means 16, which thereby is controlled to turn the pivot element by displacement of the momentum arm.

In a first embodiment the direction and the distance that the momentum arm 1 1 needs to be displaced in order to turn the pivot element 7 and thereby the seat 25 is calculated to compensate for the angular deviation and return the seat 25 to a horizontal position. A control signal is generated to control the motor to drive the displacement rod 19 the corresponding direction and distance. Thereafter the calculation is performed anew dependent on the current sensor signal.

In another embodiment a control signal is generated to the drive means 16 based on a sampled sensor signal in a feedback control system, so that the motor is controlled to drive the displacement rod 19 dependent on the sensor signal until the sensor signal is within a preset deviation interval. In one embodiment the deviation interval is set so that -1 degree < maximum deviation < 1 degree as calculated from a predetermined reference angle.

In order to counteract saturation and resonance in the device the motor is preferably controlled by pulsed control signals to a relay in the power supply circuit. The motor is run at constant speed at time intervals with pulse widths which are calculated dependent on the distance from the current position to the target position of the seat. In one embodiment the pulse width is proportional to the size of the current position deviation. The pulse width varies in one embodiment from a maximum of 740 milliseconds to a minimum of 140 milliseconds, and is varied during the course of the control so that the pulse width is reduced the closer to the target position the seat gets.

In a similar manner the duration of the pauses (non-pulses) between the control signal pulses are controlled dependent on the position deviation, preferably so that the duration is inversely proportional to the size of the position deviation. The pauses are in one embodiment varied between 56 milliseconds and 250 milliseconds, and are varied during the course of the control so that the duration of the pauses increase the closer to the target position the seat gets.

The activation of the horizontal position deviation may vary dependent on the preferences of the sailor, the sailing situation and the boat type. In one embodiment the control is devised so that the automatic horizontal positioning is activated at a manually settable angle deviation which is settable in the interval 5-21 degrees in both directions. Preferably the drive function comprises a button for setting of a threshold value for activation.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a further developed embodiment of the drive function 15 of the invention. According to this embodiment the horizontal positioning of the sailor's seat may be controlled both automatically and manually. The manual control overrides the automatic when the operator e.g. wants to lean the seat at a certain direction with a selectable inclination. In this embodiment the system with the control unit comprises signal inputs and program software for manual input of control signals via one or more push buttons 28, 29 as an at any time selectable alternative to the sensor dependent automatic control. As in the embodiments described above, in connection with automatic control the position of the seat is adjusted dependent on the sensor signal to control the seat to attain a horizontal position. At occasions when the sailor does not want automatic horizontal positioning he or she presses one of the push buttons 28, 29. When pressing the buttons 28, 29 the automatic control in the control unit 23 is overridden and manual control takes over. As a suggestion the device may include two push buttons for controlling the inclination to the left and the right side respectively. Information from the push buttons 28, 28 are also processed by the control unit 23 and results in signals that control the movement of the drive means 16. In a preferred embodiment it is devised such that when the push buttons are released the system returns to sensing information from the sensor 22 and the activity of the drive means is automatically regulated. In another embodiment the system is provided with a switch for manual switching between automatic and manual control.