Patent Application
20220388612
The invention relates generally to nautical equipment and specifically to a stabilization device for nautical vessels.
Conventional nautical vessels (“boats”) often experience an array of challenges during travel that affect their stability, efficiency, safety, passenger comfort, vessel longevity and thus their general viability as a means of travel in many environments. Turbulent waters and strong winds will often rock vessels, potentially violently, resulting in unsafe conditions that may capsize or damage the vessel. Even in less extreme conditions, the rocking of the vessel as a result of the wind or waves may result in seasickness for susceptible passengers. Additionally, the significant amount of drag exerted on the vessel's hull by the surrounding water during travel requires that a significant amount of force be used to propel it, resulting in slow speeds and short travel distances, as well as lower fuel efficiencies on powered vessels. Due to these shortcomings, several technologies have emerged in order to provide potential solutions.
Incorporation of hydrofoils into vessels to provide additional lift during travel may help alleviate some of the issues present for some conventional nautical vessels, but this technology has its limitations. Hydrofoils are typically incorporated as a permanent, non-adjustable part of the vessel, limiting the application of these vessels, especially in shallow waters or where subsurface vertical clearance is a concern due to aquatic flora, fauna or other hazards. The lift provided by a non-adjustable hydrofoil may not be helpful or even safe in instances where the effects of strong winds or turbulent waters may be exacerbated by the supplied lift force. Additionally, the unibody design of some hydrofoils can make replacement and maintenance of the device costly and difficult.
While usage of a standard sail attached to a vessel may result in the vessel being rocked back and forth, and potentially capsized, a parasail may provide propulsion to vessel without rocking it as severely. A conventional parasail may be employed on a vessel in order to take advantage of higher elevation air currents to propel the vessel. In addition to providing forward propulsion, said parasail may also exert a lift force on said vessel. This lift force, if not properly accommodated for may result in the vessel being lifted uncontrollably out of the water and into the air, creating a potentially hazardous situation. Therefore, there is a need to provide a boat stabilizer system that provide solutions to the issues and limitations detailed above.
The aspects or the problems and the associated solutions presented in this section could be or could have been pursued; they are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches presented in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their presence in this section of the application.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In an aspect, a boat stabilizer is provided, the boat stabilizer comprising: an upper harness having: a body and; an assembly control system having two wing angle controllers and four orientation locks; four wing assemblies attached to the body, each wing assembly comprising: a wing secured to a corresponding wing angle controller; a wing mount attached to the wing and a corresponding orientation lock, wherein the assembly control system is configured to adjust a pitch angle of each of the wings and to rotate each of the wing assemblies in and out of water; and a controllable parasail comprising: a parasail canopy; a plurality of parasail cords secured to the parasail canopy; a mount line secured to the plurality of parasail cords; a parasail mount secured to the mount line and the upper harness; a parasail control rudder pivotally secured to the parasail cords, the parasail control rudder comprising: a first adjustment panel having a tip end, a pivoting end, two opposite side ends and a yaw pivot screw attached to each opposite side end, wherein each yaw pivot screw is configured to be nested within a yaw screw port within a corresponding parasail cord and the first adjustment panel is configured to be rotated on a yaw rotational axis; a second adjustment panel having a tip end, a pivoting end, two opposite side ends and a pitch pivot screw attached to each opposite side end, wherein each pitch pivot screw is configured to be nested within a pitch screw port in a corresponding parasail cord and the second adjustment panel is configured to be rotated on a pitch rotational axis; wherein the pitch rotational axis and yaw rotational axis are perpendicular to each other; a yaw controller secured to the upper harness; a pitch controller secured to the upper harness; a yaw cable secured to the yaw controller and the tip end of the first adjustment panel, wherein the yaw cable is nested within cable slots within corresponding parasail cords and the yaw controller is configured to adjust the yaw cable to selectively rotate the first adjustment panel on the yaw rotational axis; and a pitch cable secured to the pitch controller and the tip end of the second adjustment panel, wherein the pitch cable is nested within cable slots within corresponding parasail cords and the pitch controller is configured to adjust the pitch cable to selectively rotate the second adjustment panel on the pitch rotational axis. One advantage is that as the boat travels forward, a lift force will be applied on the wings and thus, the attached boat, raising it out of the water, resulting in a reduced turbulence from being risen above some waves, preventing or lessening seasickness in passengers. Another advantage of the supplied lift is that it may increase speed, fuel milage and/or travel distance of the boat as a result of reducing the amount of drag experienced by the boat by the surrounding water during travel. Another advantage is that boat longevity may be increased as a result of decreased impact force and frequency from waves as a result of the supplied lift. Another advantage is that the wing angles may be adjusted to keep the boat steady and upright during strong winds, turbulent waters or other hazardous conditions. Another advantage is that this technology may be applied to a boat with only minor modifications and may be deployed or withdrawn at will. Another advantage is that the controllable parasail may be used to provide additional lift and propulsion to the attached boat, as well as steering capabilities in the form of directional control enabled by the yaw controller. Another advantage is any unwanted lift provided by the parasail may be compensated for by suitably adjusting the wings, preventing the boat from lifting uncontrollably out of the water, while optimally using the available wind.
In an aspect, a boat stabilizer is provided, the boat stabilizer comprising: an upper harness having: a body and; an assembly control system having a plurality of wing angle controllers and a plurality orientation locks; four wing assemblies attached to the body, each wing assembly comprising: a wing secured to a corresponding wing angle controller and a corresponding orientation lock; a controllable parasail comprising: a parasail canopy; a plurality of parasail cords secured to the parasail canopy; a parasail mount secured to the plurality of parasail cords and the upper harness; a parasail control rudder pivotally secured to the parasail cords, the parasail control rudder comprising: a first adjustment panel configured to be rotated on a yaw rotational axis; a second adjustment panel configured to be rotated on a pitch rotational axis, wherein the pitch rotational axis and yaw rotational axis are perpendicular to each other; a yaw controller secured to the upper harness; a pitch controller secured to the upper harness; a yaw cable secured to the yaw controller and the first adjustment panel, wherein the yaw controller is configured to adjust the yaw cable to selectively rotate the first adjustment panel on the yaw rotational axis; and a pitch cable secured to the pitch controller and the second adjustment panel, wherein the pitch controller is configured to adjust the pitch cable to selectively rotate the second adjustment panel on the pitch rotational axis. Again, an advantage is that as the boat travels forward, a lift force will be applied on the wings and thus, the attached boat, raising it out of the water, resulting in a reduced turbulence from being risen above some waves, preventing or lessening seasickness in passengers. Another advantage of the supplied lift is that it may increase speed, fuel milage and/or travel distance of the boat as a result of reducing the amount of drag experienced by the boat by the surrounding water during travel. Another advantage is that boat longevity may be increased as a result of decreased impact force and frequency from waves as a result of the supplied lift. Another advantage is that the wing angles may be adjusted to keep the boat steady and upright during strong winds, turbulent waters or other hazardous conditions. Another advantage is that this technology may be applied to a boat with only minor modifications and may be deployed or withdrawn at will. Another advantage is that the controllable parasail may be used to provide additional lift and propulsion to the attached boat, as well as steering capabilities in the form of directional control enabled by the yaw controller. Another advantage is any unwanted lift provided by the parasail may be compensated for by suitably adjusting the wings, preventing the boat from lifting uncontrollably out of the water, while optimally using the available wind.
In an aspect, A boat stabilizer is provided, the boat stabilizer comprising: a controllable parasail having: a parasail canopy; a plurality of parasail cords secured to the parasail canopy; a parasail mount secured to the plurality of parasail cords, wherein the parasail mount is configured to attach to a boat; a parasail control rudder pivotally secured to the parasail cords, the parasail control rudder comprising: a first adjustment panel configured to rotate on a yaw rotational axis; a second adjustment panel configured to rotate on a pitch rotational axis; a yaw controller; a pitch controller; a yaw cable secured to the yaw controller and the first adjustment panel, wherein the yaw controller is configured to adjust the yaw cable to selectively rotate the first adjustment panel on the yaw rotational axis; and a pitch cable secured to the pitch controller and the second adjustment panel, wherein the pitch controller is configured to adjust the pitch cable to selectively rotate the second adjustment panel on the pitch rotational axis. Again, an advantage is that the controllable parasail may be used to provide additional lift to an attached boat, as well as steering capabilities in the form of directional control enabled by the yaw controller. Another advantage is that a parasail deployer may be incorporated into the boat stabilizer in order to allow the parasail to reach the proper elevation to utilize higher elevation winds.
The above aspects or examples and advantages, as well as other aspects or examples and advantages, will become apparent from the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.
For exemplification purposes, and not for limitation purposes, aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:
What follows is a description of various aspects, embodiments and/or examples in which the invention may be practiced. Reference will be made to the attached drawings, and the information included in the drawings is part of this detailed description. The aspects, embodiments and/or examples described herein are presented for exemplification purposes, and not for limitation purposes. It should be understood that structural and/or logical modifications could be made by someone of ordinary skills in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents.
It should be understood that, for clarity of the drawings and of the specification, some or all details about some structural components or steps that are known in the art are not shown or described if they are not necessary for the invention to be understood by one of ordinary skills in the art.
For the following description, it can be assumed that most correspondingly labeled elements across the figures (e.g., 105 and 205, etc.) possess the same characteristics and are subject to the same structure and function. If there is a difference between correspondingly labeled elements that is not pointed out, and this difference results in a non-corresponding structure or function of an element for a particular embodiment, example or aspect, then the conflicting description given for that particular embodiment, example or aspect shall govern.
The boat stabilizer 102 described herein may be installed on a variety of different types of vessels with only minor modifications needed. The benefits afforded from the implementation of this boat stabilizer 102 may provide significant advantages to most vessels, regardless of size or propulsion method. The wing assemblies 103 may be rotated by the implemented assembly control system (not shown) such that the attached wings 106 are fully deployed below the vessel, in their operational position, or surfaced along the port and starboard sides of the vessel, in their non-operational position through manipulation of their respective orientation locks (not shown). When the wing assemblies 103 are rotated into the water, sharpened leading edges on the front part of the attached wing mounts may be facing in the intended travel direction, in order to take advantage of their superior hydrodynamic properties, as well as protect the rods from the force of the passing water as the vessel travels. The wing mounts 105 are attached to their respective wings 106 by wing poles 107 using pivot joints (not shown), such that wing mounts always retain their desired orientation, despite the angling of the wings. The rotational capability of the wing assemblies 103 allows the boat stabilizer 102 to deploy its wing assemblies as needed, affording the attached vessel enhanced versatility depending on the operation environment. The pitch angle of the wings 106 may be adjusted through manipulation of the proper wing pitch controller (not shown) located on the upper harness 104 Cables (not shown) incorporated in the assembly control system and located on the upper harness may connect each wing pitch controller to its respective wing assemblies 103, enabling manipulation of the rods (not shown) attached to each the wings 106, and thus manual adjustment of the pitch angle of each wing 106. A rudder (not shown) may also be implemented as part of the boat stabilizer 102 assembly, to allow for the attached vessel to be steered in the absence of a preexisting, functional steering mechanism. This rudder may be controlled by a passenger through means comparable to those used in the industry but must be a proper length such that it is always partially submerged in the water, despite any lift imparted on the vessel, and be capable of being rotated out of the water, much like the wing assemblies 103. The rudder may be attached to the upper harness 104 by an orientation lock (not shown) in such a way that the rudder is positioned of off the stern side of the attached vessel.
The implementation of a boat stabilizer on a vessel allows for the force exerted on the wings 106 while traveling forward to be converted into a lift force being applied to the attached vessel. When the vessel is elevated higher, it may experience less turbulence from the waves below, reducing both the likelihood and severity of seasickness in susceptible passengers. The elevation of the vessel higher above the waves may also have the added benefit of reducing both wave impact strength and frequency on the vessel hull, effectively improving vessel longevity. The elevation of the vessel higher out of the water reduces the water/vessel interface area, reducing the amount drag experienced by the vessel, and potentially increasing its speed, travel distance and fuel mileage, as applicable. The feature of active wing 106 pitch angle adjustment may provide safety benefits under strong wind, rough water or other hazardous conditions by allowing each wing to be adjusted at will to compensate for environmental factors to help keep the vessel upright, level and stable. Being able to deploy or withdraw the wings assemblies 103 to and from the water provides the vessel with additional versatility where sub-vessel clearance may become an issue. The versatility of the boat stabilizer 102 allows it to be incorporated into many different types of vessels, such that they may be enhanced by the benefits provided by this technology. Additionally, the modular nature of the boat stabilizer 102 may allow for easier modification or repair of components, when compared to existing technology.
The elements of the boat stabilizer 102 may be connected accordingly to allow for the required element functionality. The beams of the upper harness may be welded together or attached through similar means. The upper harness may be attached to the vessel by using rivets, welding, or other suitable method. Pivot joints capable of rotating about a singular axis may be used in the connection of various elements, including the connections between the rods and rod junctions, rods and wings 106, rod junctions and assembly control system, and wing poles 107 and wings 106. Each wing angle controllers is connected to its respective wing assemblies by a cable within a cable pulley system (not shown) to allow for manipulation of the wing pitch angle through usage of its attached handle, while also having its base suitably attached to the upper harness, through welding or comparable means. The control pole (not shown) may connect to the upper harness by being welded to an orientation lock, such that the rotation of the control pole results in the rotation of the whole wing assembly 103. In another example, the control pole may be included as part of the wing pole, with the resultant combined wing pole being attached to both the wing mount and the orientation lock. A rudder may also be connected to the upper harness 104 similarly to the control poles using an orientation lock such that it may also be manually rotated to and from the water at will. Due to the boat stabilizer 102 being composed of various unique and separable elements, the system may have many of its pieces modified or replaced with relative ease compared to many current technologies.
Aside from the passenger safety and vessel longevity benefits described above, the boat stabilizer 202 may also provide advantages for the vessel in terms of its efficiency. Since the angle of the wings 206 may result in a lift force being applied to the attached vessel, the amount of drag experienced by the vessel as it travels through the water may be reduced as a result of the reduction of water/vessel interface area. The reduction of drag on the vessel during travel allows a supplied propulsion method, including an attached sail or motor unit, to propel the boat with greater efficacy. This may result in faster speeds and greater travel distances for most types of vessels, including sailboats, and additionally enhanced fuel milage for vessels with fuel-based propulsion methods.
As can be seen in
As shown through
The usage of an assembly control system (not shown) may allow for the adjustment of wing 406 pitch angle through manipulation of the wing pitch controllers, and the deployment and withdrawal of the wing assemblies 403 into and out of the water through manual manipulation of their orientation locks (not shown). This assembly control system may adjust the boat stabilizer elements manually, electronically, through inputted user commands, or autonomously through an automated system. This may include incorporation of electric motor systems placed at the top of the wing assemblies 403 that may adjust both the wing 406 pitch and wing assembly 403 angles.
The capability of the boat stabilizer to manipulate the wing pitch angles of the port and starboard sides of the vessel independently of each other provides it with certain benefits. Vessels with uneven weight distributions may adjust each of the wings during travel to ensure that the vessel remains upright, level, and comfortable. Such an instance may occur if a vessel needed to carry a piece of cargo of significant weight, without having anything to use as a counterweight. Also, as mentioned previously, in the event of weather or water conditions that may rock the vessel, the individual wing adjustments may also help to compensate for these forces. While the wing pitch angle controllers described herein use only manual mechanisms for wing pitch angle adjustment, one may also implement comparable electronic mechanisms to achieve the same results, such as including a motor with an electronic controller.
As with the single rudder configurations described above, the rudders used with this assembly need to be of such a length that part of the rudders are submerged during travel, even with the associated lift, to provide directional control during travel. Additionally, the shape these rudders 808 behind the stern side wing mounts may be the same as their respective wing mounts 805, such that curved wing mounts have curved rudders, and straight wing mounts 805 have straight rudders 808. This will allow the rudders to be fit more closely to their respective wing mounts 805 while maximizing stern side clearance. While both the single and dual rudder layouts may be viable, the dual rudder 808 layout is preferred, as it provides superior steering control. Additionally, these dual rudders 808, may be rotated out of the water as a result of their attachment to the wing assemblies 803, removing the need for an additional rudder withdrawal mechanism. These rudders 808 may be the sole means of controlling vessel direction or be used in conjunction with other preexisting, operational directional control methods.
Unlike conventional sails, such as those found on a sailboat, a parasail 1110 may not exert a significant roll directional force upon the attached boat 1109, even during turbulent wind conditions, thus preventing a rocking motion that may cause the boat 1109 to capsize. A parasail may be comprised of a parasail canopy 1110a secured to a plurality of parasail cords 1110b, as seen in
Due to the capability of wings 1106 of the boat stabilizer 1102 to be adjusted to compensate for and moderate an upward force applied on the boat 1109 by the disclosed controllable parasail 1110, the forward momentum provided by said parasail 1110 may be fully utilized by the attached boat 1100 without fear of the capsizing or being lifted uncontrollably out of the water. In order to optimize the balance of directional forces exerted on the boat 1109 by the parasail 1110, a parasail control rudder (“parasail rudder”) 1123 may be utilized within the parasail assembly. The parasail control rudder 1123 may be comprised of two separate adjustment panels, a first adjustment panel (“first panel”) 1124 and a second adjustment panel (“second panel”) 1125, each of which is responsible for adjusting the parasail 1110 in a different direction. It should be understood that the first adjustment panel 1124 may be positioned closer to the boat 1109 than the second adjustment panel 1125 as seen in
Each panel may be suitably attached to two separate parasail cords 1110b by corresponding pivot screws, such as yaw pivot screws (“yaw screws”) 1124a disposed on the first panel 1124 and pitch pivot screws (“pitch screws”) 1125a disposed on the second panel 1125. The attachment of these pivot screws to corresponding parasail cords 1110b allows for the angle of each panel to be selectively adjusted by controllers 1127,1129, which will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. The yaw pivot screws 1124a may both be disposed on the yaw rotational axis (“yaw axis”), whereas the pitch pivot screws 1125a may both be disposed on the pitch rotational axis (“rotational axis”). As such, each panel, and thus the parasail control rudder 1123, may be pivotally secured to the parasail cords 1110b.
Through rotational adjustment of both the first adjustment panel 1124 and the second adjustment panel 1125, the parasail control rudder 1123 may be used to utilize high elevation wind 1130 in order to provide forward propulsion, the desired amount of vertical lift and additional steering capabilities to the attached boat 1109. When the parasail control rudder 1123 is used in conjunction disclosed wings 1106, the boat 1109 may achieve a desired balance of lift and forward propulsion, all while keeping the vessel stable and preventing capsizing. The panels of the parasail control rudder 1123 may be controlled using methods similar to the prior disclosed wings 1106 of the boat stabilizer, or comparable electronic methods known in the industry.
The disclosed parasail control rudder 1123 may be manipulated through mechanisms comparable to the cable pulley system 616a that is shown and described in
Each of the described controllers 1127, 1129 is configured to rotationally adjust a corresponding panel, thus enabling pitch or yaw adjustment of the controllable parasail canopy 1110a. For example, as can be seen in
In order to ensure proper rotational movement of each panel, their corresponding cables 1126, 1128 may also travel through cable slots 1110e in corresponding parasail cords 1110b. For example, the yaw cable 1126 may travel through cable slots in corresponding parasail cords, whereas the pitch cable 1128 may travel through cable slots in different corresponding parasail cords. By traveling through cable slots within the parasail cords, an optimal angle may be achieved between the attachment of a cable to its corresponding panel and the cable slot through which said cable travel, such that the adjustment of a cable from the controller may be done smoothly and evenly without undue force. During operation of the parasail 1110, the same tension provided by the wind that keeps the parasail cords 1110b taut may also be used to keep the yaw cable 1126 and pitch cable 1128 taut to ensure proper parasail control rudder 1123 functionality.
Each element of the controllable parasail may be made of a suitable material. The parasail canopy 1110a may be made of a lightweight plastic material that is sufficiently durable to endure strong winds without being damaged. The parasail cord 1110b, yaw cable 1126 and pitch cable 1128 may be made of a durable material such as metal or plastic having a suitable tensile strength to support their functions described herein. Each panel of the parasail control rudder 1123 may be made of a lightweight, but durable plastic or metal, in order to prevent deformation or damage that may occur due to exposure to high wind speeds. Each other element of the controllable parasail 11110 and boat stabilizer 1102 may be made of a suitably strong material, unless otherwise noted.
It should be noted that the yaw controller 1127 and the pitch controller 1129 may be positioned in a location that may be easily manipulated by a passenger on the boat 1109. The positioning of the pitch and yaw controllers in
The first adjustment panel 1224 of the parasail control rudder 1223 may be a flat rectangular plate having a tip end 1224b, a pivot end 1224c, two opposite side ends 1224d and rotation edge 1124e between each opposite side end 1224d and the pivot end 1224c, wherein the first panel 1124 is configured to adjust the yaw of the parasail (side-to-side motion), thus allowing the attached vessel to turn port or starboard more easily. The first panel 1124 may have a yaw pivot screw 1224a disposed on each opposite side end 1124d of said first panel 1224, such that each yaw pivot screw 1224a is disposed on a different corresponding rotation edge 1224e, wherein the yaw screws 1224a allow for selective pivoting of said first panel 1224 on the yaw axis 1232. A yaw cable 1226 may be nested within, or otherwise attached to, the tip end 1224b of the first panel 1224 to allow the yaw controller to selectively rotate the first panel 1224 on the yaw rotational axis 1232, as described hereinabove.
The second adjustment panel 1225 of the parasail control rudder 1223 may be also be a flat rectangular plate having a tip end 1225b, a pivot end 1225c, two opposite side ends 1225d and rotation edge 1125e between each opposite side end 1225d and the pivot end 1225c, wherein the second panel 1125 is configured to adjust the pitch of the parasail (up and down motion), thus allowing the attached vessel to adjust the balance between vertical lift and forward propulsion supplied by the parasail. The second panel 1125 may have a pitch pivot screw 1225a disposed on each opposite side end 1125d of said second panel 1225, such that each pitch pivot screw 1225a is disposed on a different corresponding rotation edge 1225e, wherein the pitch screws 1225a allow for selective pivoting of said second panel 1225 on the pitch axis 1233. A pitch cable 1228 may be nested within, or otherwise attached to, the tip end 1225b of the second panel 1225 to allow the pitch controller to selectively rotate the second panel 1225 on the pitch rotational axis 1233, as described hereinabove.
The second adjustment panel 1225 may be further comprised of a triangular notch 1234 on the tip end 1225b of the second panel 1225. This triangular notch 1234 may be used to seat the first panel 1224 such that the yaw rotational axis 1232 travels through said triangular notch 1234. By nesting or seating the first adjustment panel 1224 within the triangular notch 1234 of the second adjustment panel 1225, a sturdy parasail rudder 1223 configuration may be achieved, in which said parasail may greatly resist damage or deformation as a result of its exposure to high winds. Additionally, the shape and size of the triangular notch 1234 may limit the first panel's rotation range on the yaw rotational axis, allowing the triangular notch 1234 to be used to define the maximum operating angles for the first panel 1224 to prevent it from exceeding a desired yaw angle range.
It should be understood that the dimensions of each panel and the allowable pitch and yaw angles for each corresponding panel should be commensurate with the degree to which the parasail is meant to be adjusted. For example, by providing panels that both have small surface areas with regards to their faces that deflect the incoming wind, the extent to which each panel may influence the angle of the parasail canopy may be reduced, thus allowing for smaller, fine-tuned adjustments of the pitch and yaw angle to be made, rather than larger adjustment. Additional structures, such as the disclosed triangular notch 1234, may also be used to restrict the rotational capabilities of a panel, thus allowing it to remain within a desired operational angle range.
While both the first adjustment panel 1224 and the second adjustment panel 1225 are depicted as having their corresponding pivot ends closer to the boat than their corresponding tip ends, this may be reversed in an alternate configuration. In said alternate configuration, the pivot end 1224c, 1225c of each panel may be closer to the parasail canopy 1110a, while the tip end 1224b, 1225b of each panel is closer to the boat or vessel. This alternate configuration may allow each panel to be closer to a neutral, centered position during start up, as a result of gravity, rather than relying on tension established by the yaw cable and pitch cable during parasail operation to allow the panels of the parasail control rudder 1223 to assume said neutral, centered position. This alternate configuration may have a reduced maximum range of the rotation for each panel, as a result of the necessary adjustments made to the positions of the corresponding cord ports. For this reason, the disclosed embodiment of
Additionally, while the second panel 1225 is depicted throughout the figures as being closer to the parasail canopy than the first panel 1224, the positioning of the first and second panels may be altered such that the first panel 1224 is closer to the parasail than the second panel 1225. A panel that is positioned closer to the boat may partially deflect some of the incoming wind, such as wind 1130 of
Similarly to what was described for the wing pitch angle controllers, the pitch and yaw controllers may be completely manual and utilize no electronics, or may be integrated with electronic elements to enable easier adjustment of the corresponding panels. For example, one or more batteries may be connected to electric motors within the yaw controller and the pivot controller, wherein manipulating each controller results in adjustments being made to the corresponding cable, and thus the corresponding panel. Electric motors may be desirable for ease of use, but may require additional elements such as motors, batteries and wires, increasing device complexity.
Each controller 1327, 1329 may be implemented with a handle 1327a, 1329a to allow for manual manipulation by a user. For example, the yaw controller 1327 may have a yaw handle 1327a for controlling the first adjustment panel 1324, while the pitch controller 1329 may have a pitch handle 1329a for controlling the second adjustment panel 1325. Sliding of each handle within the controller may result in the rotation of the attached cable, and thus panel rotation Comparable control elements such as switches, buttons or other known control elements may also be utilized as part of each controller to facilitate the adjustment of each panel as disclosed herein. Each controller 1327, 1329 may also appear and function similarly to wing pitch angle controller 613 of
In addition to the yaw cable 1426 being secured to the tip end of the first panel 1424, the yaw cable 1426 may also travel through two cord ports 1410e in corresponding parasail cords 1410b in order to allow a suitable tension angle to be established between the first panel 1424 and each corresponding cord port 1410e to enable smooth rotation of the first panel. Also similarly, the pitch cable 1428, while being secured to the tip end of the second panel 1425, may travel through two cord ports 1410e in corresponding parasail cords 1410b in order to allow a suitable tension angle to be established between the first panel and each corresponding cord port 1410e to enable smooth rotation of the second panel 1425. The tension established by the parasail during operation may help to keep the yaw cable 1426 and the pitch cable 1428 taut and operational during parasail use.
It should be understood that each cable may be continuous as described hereinabove, wherein each continuous cable is nested within or secured to the tip end of a corresponding panel, or that each cable is broken up into separate segments, each of which attaches a corresponding face of each panel to a corresponding end of a controller to enable the same function. Additionally, each yaw screw port 1410c, pitch screw port 1410d and cord port 1410e may be disposed on, nested in or otherwise incorporated within any suitable position on any suitable parasail cord 1410b to achieve the desired rotational functionality of each panel disclosed herein. It should also be understood that the yaw screw ports 1410c, pitch screw ports 1410d and cord ports 1410e may not necessarily be to scale in
This expansion of the starter air stream 1539 as it exits the larger end of the spreader funnel 1538 allows said starter air stream 1539 to inflate and lift the parasail canopy 1510a into the air so that it may being to utilize high elevation air streams to being propelling the attached boat 1509. Such a starter compressor 1537 may utilize a power source known in the industry, such as gasoline, batteries, etc. The starter hose 1536 may also surround the entirety of the parasail mount 1511, such that parasail mount 1511 is fully nested within and surrounded by the starter hose 1536, in order to provide a secure attachment of the starter hose 1536 to said parasail mount 1511, as long as the presence of the parasail mount 1511 within the starter hose 1536 does not adversely affect device efficacy or performance. This starter compressor 1537 and the starter hose 1536 with the spreader funnel may also be utilized with a standard, non-controllable parasail, to initiate parasail lift as disclosed herein.
It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like.
Further, as used in this application, “plurality” means two or more. A “set” of items may include one or more of such items. Whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims.
If present, use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. These terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used in this application, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.
The term “bird shape” used within this application is defined as an arrowhead shape with an additional point at its rear, pointing opposite from the forward-facing tip, and disposed between and aligning with the two back facing points. Nautical terminology used within this application is understood to retain its known meanings including “bow” referring to the front of the vessel, “stern” referring to the back of the vessel, “port” referring to the left of the vessel and “starboard” referring to the right of the vessel.
Throughout this description, the aspects, embodiments or examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus or procedures disclosed or claimed. Although some of the examples may involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives.
Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one aspect, embodiment or example are not intended to be excluded from a similar role(s) in other aspects, embodiments or examples.
Aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention may be described as processes, which are usually depicted using a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may depict the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. With regard to flowcharts, it should be understood that additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined to achieve the described methods.
If means-plus-function limitations are recited in the claims, the means are not intended to be limited to the means disclosed in this application for performing the recited function, but are intended to cover in scope any equivalent means, known now or later developed, for performing the recited function.
Claim limitations should be construed as means-plus-function limitations only if the claim recites the term “means” in association with a recited function.
If any presented, the claims directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Although aspects, embodiments and/or examples have been illustrated and described herein, someone of ordinary skills in the art will easily detect alternate of the same and/or equivalent variations, which may be capable of achieving the same results, and which may be substituted for the aspects, embodiments and/or examples illustrated and described herein, without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of this application is intended to cover such alternate aspects, embodiments and/or examples. Hence, the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents. Further, each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification.
This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 17/339,882, filed on Jun. 4, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference, to the extent that it is not conflicting with the present application.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17339882 | Jun 2021 | US |
| Child | 17650369 | US |
