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This is my Idea for the competition:
http://blog.grabcad.com/2011/08/usd2000-prize-for-a-new-yacht-deck-vent-design/

Main idea:
Use plates made of spring steel. The plates are attached to the rotating regulator. Plates are formed with hot bending the way that one part is straight, and another has the same radius as the main body wall. Then the plates are attached to regulator. When you turn the regulator the plates are forming the gap, the bigger the gap more air can access.

The first picture shows the plates in the half-turned position.

The structure is very simple and reliable, It can be mounted onto any deck regardless of deck thickness.

Materials:
Spring plates: spring steel
Regulation handle: Copper, wood
Guide rollers and sliding ring: copper or plastic.
Indicator: Copper
Th rest can be made of brass or stainless steel depending on what is cheaper, or easier for manufacturing.

There are couple of details that need to be discussed or changed depending on manufacturing process and tolerances (for example, spring plates are likely to be covered with something flexible (rubber?) in order to press nicely when fully closed. External air inlets can be increased almost to any size so more air can come in, cut-offs on inner panel are likely to be smaller so nothing can be seen from inside, design of the lid can be adjusted, the handle can be done in any form etc.), but the main thing is the idea. I will try however to make couple of slightly different versions and post them here later as well.

Comments:

  • Kir Ari
    Kir Ari over 1 year ago

    @lour: This is just a concept :) I stopped developing this one, 'cos I thought it will be very hard to satisfy the requirements. In reality I would make something like Margus suggested.

    However, returning to bolts - we've just done something like that with the tube and standard flat head screws, The trick is you have to drill bigger holes (at least 1mm bigger) and then you could insert it nicely angled. At the same time tappered head centralize itself in the hole and attaches nicely to the curved surface. Well, the thing that we've made just works perfectly.

  • lour
    lour over 1 year ago

    @Kir Ari, concept or not, the design is suppose to work otherwise, all designs would work! Your idea of enlarged holes would work for the screw body..the screw head may give you additional problems of them clashing with each other. my solution would be to make the center tube solid and put 3 tapped holes in it. then put the screws in from the other direction also changing the screws from flat head to pan or socket head..what ever fits the design

  • Kir Ari
    Kir Ari over 1 year ago

    @lour. Ok, thanks for the idea. I cannot change anything now though, 'cos the deadline has been passed long ago. :)

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