Marine propulsion – Operator powered drive for propelling means
Patent
1998-08-12
2000-08-08
Swinehart, Ed
Marine propulsion
Operator powered drive for propelling means
440 14, 114274, B63H 1600
Patent
active
060993693
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a water vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a water vehicle which includes first and second foils which are at least partly submersible and which are movable, at least to a limited extent, relatively to each other.
The relative foil movement may cause, or be due to, at least one of the following: at least limited rotational movement of the first foil about an axis which is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first foil; a variation in the inclination of the first foil about an axis which may extend generally in a direction which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first foil.
The water vehicle may include water skimmer means and connection means which is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis and which connects the skimmer means to the first foil.
The water vehicle may include a third foil which is at least partly submersible and which is connected by means of the connecting means to the skimmer means.
The water vehicle may include a support stucture and means securing the foils to the support structure, the said-relative foil movement being due to or caused by at least one of the following: relative movement between at least two sections or components of the support structure; relative movement between the support structure and the securing means; relative movement between at least one foil and the support structure; relative movement between at least one foil and the securing means.
The water vehicle may include biasing means which, at least to a limited extent, dampens the said relative foil movement. The biasing means may take on any suitable form and may, for example, include a resiliently deflectable or deformable member, a spring, a shock absorber mechanism, or the like.
The force which is exerted by the biasing means may be adjustable in order to vary the characteristics of the water vehicle.
According to a different aspect of the invention there is provided a water vehicle which includes a support structure, at least first and second foils which are at least partly submersible and which are secured to the support structure, means which permits limited movement of the first foil relatively to at least part of the support structure, and steering means for controlling the direction of movement of the vehicle.
The steering means may comprise rudder means of any suitable type, or means for causing at least limited rotational or pivotal movement of the first foil relatively to the second foil.
The aforementioned support structure, which may be in the form of a frame, may include a platform or the like in order to provide support for a user. The user may stand on the platform which may include feet engaging formations such as straps or the like. The frame may be made from any suitable material such as aluminium, a composite material such as fibre reinforced resin or the like, or be moulded from suitable material such as a pressure moulded plastics material.
The foils may be similarly formed and, according to a preferred aspect of the invention, the foils are formed from extruded or pultruded sections of a suitable material, e.g. aluminium, or are pressure moulded from a suitable plastics material.
The invention also provides a method of propelling a water vehicle which includes the steps of at least partially submerging at least first and second foils of the vehicle in a body of water, and repeatedly varying the inclination of the first foil in the body of water.
The surface of the body of water may be contacted by skimmer means which may be used to control the depth to which the first foil is submerged in the body of water.
The method may include the additional step of repeatedly varying the inclination of a third foil, which is at least partly submerged in the body of water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water vehicle accordin
REFERENCES:
patent: 3718109 (1973-02-01), Skitsko
patent: 4100876 (1978-07-01), Felews
patent: 5816871 (1998-10-01), Proverbio
"Tragfluelboote Entwichlung, Theorie Und Anwendung" Von Schertel, VD1-Verlag GmbH, pp. 1-12.
LandOfFree
Water vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Water vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Water vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1144910