Marine propulsion – Jet drive – Direction control for fluid jet
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2001-12-25
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Jet drive
Direction control for fluid jet
C114S162000, C440S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332816
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a jet-propelled boat, equipped with a jet pump with a rotatable nozzle as a means of propulsion. The present invention more specifically relates to a jet-propelled boat, which is able to change course even when the jet stream from a jet pump is stopped or weak.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Jet-propelled boats are well known, such as in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei. 5-162689. As shown in
FIG. 5
, a boat
1
, in accordance with the background art, is equipped with an engine
3
mounted within a boat body
2
. A jet pump
3
a
is driven by the engine
3
. A nozzle
5
that can be rotated right or left, via a pair of upper and lower pins
6
, is provided at a jet opening
4
of the jet pump
3
a.
A rudder
8
is provided at a shaft
9
at a rear part of the nozzle
5
. The nozzle
5
is connected to handlebars
7
using a steering wire (not shown) and is rotated by operating the handlebars, so that the rudder
8
and the nozzle
5
rotate together.
According to this jet-propulsion boat, the course can be changed while the boat is being propelled by a jet stream from the jet pump
3
a
by rotating the nozzle
5
so as to change the direction of the jet stream. When the boat's engine is either stopped or decelerating, the jet stream of the jet pump is stopped or is weak. Even so, the course of the boat
1
can be changed using the rudder
8
, while the boat is advancing as a result of its own inertia. If the rudder
8
is not provided with this type of jet-propelled boat, the course cannot be changed when the boat is travelling under its own inertia. Therefore, the rudder
8
is advantageous in allowing steering of the boat when the boat's engine is either stopped or decelerating.
With the jet-propelled boat of
FIG. 5
, the construction is such that the course of the boat is changed by changing the direction of a water flow W moving along the boat bottom
2
a
using the rudder
8
. Therefore, in accordance with the background art, a lower end
8
a
of the rudder
8
must project further downwards than the boat bottom
2
a
, in order to function as a rudder. This results in a requirement that the boat not be used in shallow water, since the rudder
8
could be damaged upon contact with the water's bottom. When the center of rudder force and the rudder shaft become separated, the steering force required for the rudder to be effective increases dramatically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to resolve the aforementioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a jet-propelled boat capable of changing course, when the jet stream of the jet pump is halted or weak, and the boat continues to move under its own inertia.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jet-propelled boat with a rudder which does not project below a bottom of the boat, so that the rudder is protected in shallow waters.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a jet-propelled boat with a rudder which is activated when a driving speed of the jet pump is less than a predetermined value.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a jet-propelled boat with an improved rudder design, such as a duct shaped rudder.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a jet-propelled boat with a plate which is deployed from a lower portion of the boat's hull when the driving speed of the jet pump is less than a predetermined value, with the plate acting to slow the forward motion of the boat.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2369279 (1945-02-01), Carnaghan et al.
patent: 3302605 (1967-02-01), Kuether
patent: 3949700 (1976-04-01), Baroody
patent: 5167547 (1992-12-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5-162689-A (1993-06-01), None
Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Hei-5-162689 dated Jun. 29, 1993.
Abe Tomohisa
Tsuchiya Masahiko
Basinger Sherman
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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