Passenger Module Suspension System
AssigneeProfessional Components LTD
InventorDavid Alvin Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suspension system for passenger modules used with high-speed boats, the suspension system including a shock absorbing assembly, for supporting the passenger module relative to the vessel. The passenger module is attached to the vessel via an assembly of pivoting spars. The spars may be configured such that the passenger module moves from an upper at-rest no-load position towards a bottom loaded position, the passenger module tilts. The amount of such tilt may be adjustable. The suspension system may have include means for resisting relative lateral movement (e.g. a panhard rod or a Watts linkage) and an anti-sway device.
Claims19
A suspension system for a passenger module of a high-speed water vessel, the suspension system comprising:
- a) a shock absorbing assembly for resiliently suspending a passenger module relative to a vessel, wherein the shock absorbing assembly tends to cause the passenger module to remain in an upper at-rest position and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the passenger module to move generally vertically towards a bottom position;
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- b) a spar assembly comprising a plurality of spars, each spar pivotally attached at a proximal end to the vessel and at a distal end to the passenger module, the spar assembly configured to provide an aft tilt to the passenger module as the passenger module moves towards the bottom position.
A suspension system for a passenger module of a high-speed water vessel, the suspension system comprising:
- a) a shock absorbing assembly, comprising four shock absorbers, each attached at a proximal end to a vessel and at a distal end to a passenger module, for resiliently suspending the passenger module relative to the vessel, wherein the shock absorbing assembly tends to cause the passenger module to remain in an upper at-rest position and to return to the at-rest position on cessation of a force causing the passenger module to move generally vertically towards a bottom position;
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- b) a spar assembly comprising:
- i) an upper spar pivotally attached at a proximal end to the vessel and at a distal end to the passenger module;
- ii) two lower spars spaced apart athwart in a generally parallel relationships and each lower spar pivotally attached at a proximal end to the vessel and at a distal end to the passenger module;
- wherein the distal end of the upper spar is attached to the passenger module at a greater height on the passenger module than the distal ends of the lower spars;
- wherein each spar pivots relative to the vessel responsive to upward or downward movement of the passenger module relative to the vessel and in doing so each spar causes the portion of the passenger module in the vicinity of the distal end of the spar to move generally parallel to the fore-and-aft axis of the vessel;
- and there is a differential in the fore-and-aft movement caused by the spars in that an arc defined by the distal end of the lower spars as the passenger module moves towards the bottom position includes greater relative forward displacement than an arc defined by the distal end of the upper spar as the passenger module moves towards the bottom position, whereby, as the passenger module moves towards the bottom position the differential in the fore-and-aft movement induces an aft tilt to the passenger module;
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- c) a panhard rod attached to the passenger module and the vessel for inhibiting athwart movement of the passenger module relative to the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.