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Description  |
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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to location of marine instruments and more
particularly to a hanging pod or pad out to which the instruments are
mounted for ease of use and ease of viewing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years the helms of sailboats have been provided with a pedestal
guard which is an inverted U-shaped structure mounted to the cockpit sole
ahead of the wheel and ahead of the binacle for the compass, the purpose
of which initially was to provide a grab rail for those in the vicinity of
the helm, as well as to protect the compass pedestal from direct contact
during sailing. In more recent years, the pedestal guard has been utilized
as a support structure for such diverse items as foldable tables, and
instrument platforms which are shelves mounted transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the pedestal guard onto which are mounted marine
instruments such as depth finders, Lorans, GPS, Fluxgate compasses, knot
meters, or any other type of data display terminal. In the past, these
shelves have been cantilevered from the arms of the pedestal, with pods
being mounted vertically on the platform in the form of large bulbous
housings for deep instruments. These housings in general have cylindrical
bases, with heads which are canted upwardly.
With the microminiaturization of electronics and the provision of remote
terminals in compact reduced-size slim line configurations, there is the
opportunity to provide a convenient unobtrusive mounting system for such
instruments. It will be appreciated that these instruments may be
multi-function instruments, the function of which is controlled by buttons
or switches directly on the face of the instrument.
Thus, with the type of miniaturization and consolidation of instrument
functions, there is opportunity for the location of these devices within
easy reach and viewing of the helmsman.
In the past, these instruments were mounted either at the bulkhead next to
the companionway or were mounted on a bridge-type structure above the
companionway some ten to twelve feet away from the helmsman. These types
of mounting diminish the ability of the helmsman to read the instruments
because of the distance.
In an effort to co-locate the instruments at the helm, bulbous pods were
mounted on a shelf cantilevered from the pedestal guard at about waist
height. The shelf thus provides a support for relatively large bulbous
pods to either side of the pedestal guard. As will be appreciated, this
type of pod mounting does not present the information at eye level, but
rather down and to either side of the wheel. Thus, this instrument
mounting system caused the helmsman to look down and aside in order to
read the instruments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the advent of flat LCD or LED displays within a compact instrument
housing of approximately 41/2 by 41/2 inches, and with an average inside
diameter of the arched portion of the pedestal guard on the order of 8 to
81/2 inches, in the subject system, these compact instruments are
suspended within the arch of the pedestal guard hanger attached to the
center of the arch. The result is that the instrument is suspended
downwardly from the top of the arch and is canted in such a direction that
the screen of the instrument is easily viewable by the helmsman as he
looks straight ahead. The result of mounting the instrument in this
fashion provides a convenient position for viewing the multifunction
instrument along the lubber line immediately above the compass.
The suspension of the instrument is accomplished in one embodiment by
providing a tang-like structure above a relatively small pod or pad, with
the tang having an open channel configured to conform to the exterior
surface of the bottom of the arch. When secured, the tang is pressing
firmly against the guard. When the pad or pod is mounted in such a manner,
the curvature of the arch in cooperation with the curvature of the tang
channel locates the instrument and cantes it upwardly at a predetermined
angle. Moreover, in one embodiment the exterior dimensions of the pad or
pod are such that the upper edge of the pad or pod is adjacent the inner
diameter of the arch to locate the instrument as far as possible away from
the compass.
In one embodiment, the size of the pad or pod is made to exactly match the
exterior dimension of the instrument to permit maximum clearance above the
compass. This flush mounting of the instrument to the pod or pad also
permits pads or pods to be configured so that there is no necessity of
providing housing flanges which extend beyond the sides of the instrument
itself.
As to the pod-type structure, the pod provides clearance to permit
rearwardly projecting barrels to protrude into the interior of the pod.
The pod itself is desirable because of the water tightness and
waterproofing that it can provide, especially for instruments which are
not waterproof or water resistant at the rear of the instrument. Moreover,
the pod configuration permits waterproofing and a chafe guard for the
cables from the instrument which, in one embodiment, may be run through an
internal channel of the tang and into the conduit which forms the pedestal
guard.
The result of the suspension of the instrument from the center of the arch
of the pedestal guard permits presenting navigation data to the helmsman
in the direction of his gaze. This mounting system is especially useful
with compact multi-function data terminals. The closeness of the data
terminal to the helmsman permits changing the function of the instrument
by the helmsman pressing the keys or buttons on the instrument, thereby
eliminating the necessity of multiple instruments mounted at the helm.
The pod or pad housing is a universal housing, and in one embodiment is an
integral structure, which is universal in the sense that it may be
suspended from virtually any presently available pedestal guard, such that
virtually any pedestal guard may be adapted to sling or hang the
instrument within its arch.
Further, because wires may now be led through the pedestal guard instead of
directly to the pedestal wire or cable, chafing normally associated with
pod-mounted instruments is completely eliminated.
In an alternative embodiment, the instrument can be mounted within the arch
with a hose-clamp type structure or any clamping system which permits the
instrument to be slung beneath the arch invisible thereat.
In summary, a hanging pad or pod is provided for marine instruments,
suspended from the arch of a pedestal guard such that the instrument is
inclined with respect to the vertical axis for easy viewing in order to
present navigational data close to the helmsman. The proximity of the pad
or pod to the helmsman also permits easy data entry from the helm. The
pad/pod mounting configuration permits the relatively small
microprocessor-based instruments to be mounted within the arch of the
pedestal guard, with the mounting system providing that the instrument is
tilted towards the user due to the cooperation of the contour of an open
channel in the tang of the pad or pod with the surface of the arched
portion or contour of the pedestal guard. In one embodiment, namely, the
pod embodiment, the pod not only serves to locate the instrument, but also
provides a water resistant housing for instruments not having a waterproof
back. Drain holes are provided for ventilation and draining at the bottom
of the pod housing, whereas, for size minimization, the pod/pad exterior
dimension is made equal to that of standard microprocessor-based
instrument housings. The mounting system permits the instrument mounting
flush with the underside of the arch away from the compass, thus
precluding the necessity of providing a taller guard. The tang portion of
the hanger is made relatively short to minimize the effect of the lever
arm formed by the tang and the housing when the helmsman pushes buttons to
enter data into the instrument. Moreover, the cooperation of the open
channel of the tang and the arch of the pedestal guard along with the
short distance between the top of the housing and the channel provides
mechanical stability such that pushing of the buttons on the instruments
will not dislodge the housing. In one embodiment, the pod is provided with
a channel through the tang so as to be able to hide the wires within the
channel and pass the wires through the guard.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the Subject Invention will be better understood
in conjunction with the Detailed Description in conjunction with the
Drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the helm of a vessel
illustrating the pedestal guard and an instrument suspended via the
subject pad/pod, also showing the spacing of the instrument from the
compass mounted at the top of the pedestal;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic and front view of the installation of FIG. 1
showing the line of sight over the compass and through the suspended
instrument, also illustrating the relationship between the topmost part of
the instrument and the innermost portion of the arch of the guard;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the pad configuration of the
subject invention illustrating a channeled tang above the pad structure,
with the channel configuration matching that of the associated arched
portion of the pedestal guard;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic and back view of the pad of FIG. 3, illustrating
the integral attachment of the tang to the pad along with the position of
four corner mounting screws for attaching the instrument to the pad;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of the tang of FIGS. 3 and 4,
showing the relationship of its curved centerline to that of the arch of
the pedestal guard;
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation and side view of an instrument and
pad mounted to the arch of the pedestal guard showing the inclination of
the instrument/pad combination with respect to the vertical axis of the
pedestal guard;
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the pad mounting system shown in
FIG. 6 illustrating the upwardly pointing direction of viewing for an
instrument mounted on the pad;
FIG. 8 is a side and cross-sectional view of the pad embodiment of the
subject invention, illustrating the position of the tang relative to the
pad, and showing the flush mount of the instrument to the pad, also
showing mounting screws therefor, as well as an optional aperture in the
pad to accommodate the barrel of an instrument;
FIG. 9 is a side and cross-sectional view of the pod embodiment of the
subject invention, illustrating the interposition of an intermediary
member between the instrument and the face of the pod body, with the
instrument being mounted to the intermediate member, and with the
intermediate member being positioned with respect to the pod body through
the utilization of locator pins, and with the intermediate member being
secured to the pod body through screws which project from the rear of the
pod up through threaded apertures in the intermediate member, with the
length of the screws being such as not to project into the instrument
mounted thereon;
FIG. 10 shows a side view of a completed pod configuration illustrating the
instrument mounted flush to the intermediate member which is mounted flush
to the pod;
FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the pod of FIG. 10 illustrating an
instrument premounted to the intermediate member, with the intermediate
member being mounted to the pod through the utilization of screws which
project from the rear of the pod through the intermediate member;
FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the face of the pod of FIG. 11
illustrating the utilization of locating pins and integral screw guides
for utilization of mounting the intermediate member to the pod;
FIG. 13 is a side view of an alternative mounting and clamping system for
suspending the instrument pad/pod beneath the arch of the pedestal guard,
indicating a hose clamp-type configuration; and,
FIG. 14 is a front view of the mounting system of FIG. 13, illustrating the
utilization of an insert between the top of the pad/pod housing and the
interior of the pedestal guard arch, also illustrating screw tightening
apparatus within the pod for clamping the assembly to the guard.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIG. 1 in the typical configuration, a tubular pedestal
guard 10 having a circular arch 11 is positioned about a pedestal 12 atop
which is mounted a compass 14. The pedestal includes a shaft 15 to which a
wheel 16 is mounted.
An instrument 18 is mounted to the top 21 of the pedestal guard through the
utilization of a mounting fixture 20 which includes a tang 22 and a pad or
pod 24 onto which instrument 18 is mounted.
The mounting fixture 20 locates instrument 18 such that the face 26 of the
instrument points upwardly in the direction of the eyes of the helmsman
(not shown).
As can be seen, the instrument is located within the arch of the pedestal
guard at a position spaced from the top portion of the compass and in the
direction of the lubber line of the vessel. By mounting the instrument in
this position, the instrument is readily visible, with the display of the
instrument being visible in the line of sight of the helmsman as he peers
ahead over the wheel and compass. Moreover, the instrument is protected by
the arch of the pedestal guard from inadvertant contact, with keys 32 of
the instrument being readily accessible from the helm, such that the
helmsman can select displays on the instrument with ease.
Referring now to FIG. 2 instrument 18 presents navigational or other data
on screen 26. Because of the compact size of instruments having in general
an outside dimension of 4.5 inches on a side as illustrated by arrows 38
and 40, it is possible to locate the instrument within arch 21 such that
the top edge 42 of instrument 18 is nearly flush with the interior surface
44 of the top portion of the arch. This permits locating the instrument a
maximum distance 46 from the top of compass 14.
The above mounting system permits compact instruments to be mounted within
the arch of a pedestal guard close to the top of the arch to maximize the
distance between the instrument and the compass and to provide that the
instrument screen be in the line of sight of the helmsman.
In general, common pedestal guards have an inside diameter 48 of
approximately 8.5 inches. 4.5 inches is the normal lateral dimension for
common compact marine instruments. Thus the subject mounting fixture
permits convenient mounting for compact instruments within the arch.
Referring now to FIG. 3, mounting fixture in 21 in one embodiment includes
a mounting pad 50 to which an instrument is flush mounted, with the
mounting pad having the aforementioned tang 22 integrally or otherwise
attached thereto and projecting upwardly as illustrated. Tang 22 has an
open channel 52 contoured and configured to be pressed against the top of
the arch of the pedestal guard such that not only is the mounting fixture
secured to the top of the pedestal guard, but also is such that the face
of pad 50 is oriented upwardly, in one embodiment canted 15.degree. to the
vertical. Note, the pad may be provided with apertures 54 for mounting
screws for mounting the instrument thereupon.
Referring to FIG. 4, pad 50 is shown with a integral tang 52 projecting
from the back surface 56 of the pad and joined to pedestal guard 10 via
rivets, screws or bolts 58 which project through the tang and into the
pedestal guard. Dotted outline 60 shows that the vertical extent of the
pad may be extended to accommodate larger instruments, whereas the lateral
extent of the pad is determined by the diameter of the arch and the length
of the tang. It will be appreciated that tang length is kept to a minimum
so as to minimize the lever arm for increasing mechanical stability.
Referring now to FIG. 5, tang 22 is illustrated as being attached to a pad
or pod here illustrated at 62 with the channel 52 having an axis 64 which
is co-linear with an axis 66 of pedestal guard 10. With the surface of the
open channel 52 conforming to the outer surface 68 of pedestal guard 10,
it will be appreciated that, as illustrated in FIG. 6 mounting fixture 20
can be canted at an angle illustrated by .phi. such that pad 50 is
oriented at this angle, with the instrument 18 mounted to the face of the
pad. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the line of sight illustrated by
dotted arrow 70 can be set to any preset angle by virtue of the curvature
of surface 72 of tang 22.
Referring to FIG. 8, pad 50 is illustrated as having the aforementioned
apertures 54 to accommodate bolts 55 therethrough for insertion into
integral nuts 57 within the instrument 18 housing. Likewise, if the
instrument has a rearwardly projecting barrel 59, this may be accommodated
through an aperture 61 within pad 50. The routing of the wires from the
instrument may be along the pad and directly into the pedestal guard
immediately adjacent the tang to prevent undue chafing, with the tang
providing a certain amount of protection for the cable.
Referring now to FIG. 9 mounting fixture 20 may include a hanging pod
structure which includes a pod housing 80 to which tang 22 is fixedly
attached. The pod housing 80 has an interior cavity 82 opened outwardly,
with locator pins 84 mounted to struts 86 in at least 2 corners of the
housing.
An intermediate member 88 serves to mount instrument 18 to pod housing 80,
with intermediate member 88 having blind holes or slots 90 therein
corresponding in position to locator pins 84.
In operation, instrument 18 is mounted to intermediate member 88 via bolts
92 which project through apertures 94 into integral threaded nuts 96
within the back plate 98 of instrument 18.
The instrument optionally may have a barrel 100 projecting rearwardly as
shown, and intermediate member 88 is provided with a corresponding
aperture 102 as illustrated to accommodate the barrel. An interconnect
cable 104 is shown extending rearwardly from barrel 100 and is routed
through a channel 106 within tang 22 to the interior of the tubular
channel making up pedestal guard 10.
Once the instrument is mounted to the intermediate member, the combination
is mounted to pod housing 80 via threaded screws 107 which project through
integral screw guides 108, with the screw extending into threaded
apertures 110 in intermediate member 88. The length of the screws 107 is
such that, with the intermediate member 88 in place, they do not extend
past the top surface 112 of the intermediate member.
It will be appreciated that the pod mounting system illustrated in FIG. 9
can be made water resistant or waterproof with the sealing of the
instrument to the intermediate member and the sealing of the intermediate
member to the pod housing. As such the connection cable 104 is prevented
from chafing due to its enclosure within the housing and through channel
106 in tang 22 the pedestal guard. Optionally, it will be appreciated that
drip holes 116 may be provided in the base of the pod housing, should any
moisture accumulate within the pod housing itself.
It will also be noted that the lateral extent 63 of the pad is commensurate
with the lateral extent 65 of the instrument to provide a flush mounting
system, thereby precluding the necessity of providing an oversized pad
structure.
Referring now to FIG. 10 and the pod configuration of FIG. 9, instrument 18
is shown flush to intermediate member 88 and pod housing 80, with tang 22
locating the pod and its instrument so that it can be viewed from the
helm.
Referring to FIG. 11, instrument 18 is shown mounted on intermediate member
88, in which notches 90 are clearly shown. In the embodiment shown, the
pod housing 80 has a truncated pyramid shaped back portion 120 through
which apertures 108 extend, with corresponding apertures 110 in
intermediate member 88 being located as illustrated.
Referring now to FIG. 12, pod housing 80 is shown opened upwardly to
illustrate tang 22 with its open channel 52, also illustrating locator
pins 84, screws 107 and inwardly projecting integral screw guides 108.
Referring now to FIG. 13, in an alternative embodiment, pod housing 80 may
be strapped to the upper portion of the arch of pedestal guard 10 by a
strap 130 which is wrapped around pedestal guard 10 and over a spacer 132
through apertures 134 in the top of housing 80 and thence to a tensioning
screw or device 136 within the pod housing.
As illustrated in FIG. 14, strap 130 passes around spacer 132 which is
configured with the appropriate channel to match the corresponding surface
of the top portion of the pedestal guard.
Within the pod body is shown a second spacer 133 and hose clamp type
tensioning apparatus including a tightening screw 136, with the apparatus
within pod housing 80 being such that the clamping strap is provided with
tooth-engaging slits 138.
Whether the pod is slung from the top of the arch of the pedestal guard via
the tang arrangement of FIGS. 1-12 or the strap clamping arrangement of
FIGS. 13 and 14, the net result is that a compact instrument may be hung
or slung within the arch for both protection and line of sight viewing,
while at the same time being angled upwardly so as to provide the helmsman
with a convenient visual reference. As a result, for multi-function
instruments, the helmsman may select the display required within easy
reach of the helm. Rather than having to look some ten to twelve feet away
at a bulkhead on which instruments are mounted, or rather than having to
look to the side and down as with conventional pods, all of the
navigational data required is not only at his fingertips but within his
line of sight.
Having above indicated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it
will occur to those skilled in the art that modifications and alternatives
can be practiced within the spirit of the invention. It is accordingly
intended to define the scope of the invention only as indicated in the
following claims.
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