Stability meter for floating objects
US4918628A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 1989 |
| Grant date | Apr 17, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB63B79/40
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A stability meter comprises a translational accelerometer (1) which has a working axis along which it is sensitive to gravity. The meter is mounted on a vessel with the working axis horizontal when the vessel is in the upright position such that it transmits signals proportional to the sine of the angle of roll of the vessel to a microprocessor based apparatus (2). A microprocessor (12) conducts a Fast Fourier Transform on a plurality of samples from the accelerometer (1) in order to determine the dominant rolling frequency. The apparatus (2) comprises a display (8), a printer (9), a keyboard (10), a clock (14) and memory unit (16). The dominant rolling frequency is used to calculate the transverse metacentric height of the vessel. The value of the transverse metacentric height is transmitted to the display (8) as a measure of the stability of the vessel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.