Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The invention relates generally to nautical equipment and specifically to a stabilization device for nautical vessels.
Conventional nautical vessels 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. Therefore, there is a need to provide a boat stabilizer system and method that provide solutions to the issues and shortcomings of the prior art 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 for attachment to a vessel, the vessel having a bow side, a stern side, a port side and a starboard side; the upper harness having: a bow beam running straight across the bow side of the vessel and beyond the port and starboard sides of the vessel, terminating in port and starboard end sections respectively; a stern beam running straight across the stern side of the vessel and beyond the port and starboard sides of the vessel, terminating in port and starboard end sections respectively; a port beam connecting the port side end sections of the bow and stern beams; a starboard beam connecting the starboard side end sections of the bow and stern beams; an assembly control system having four orientation locks, each one attached to a different end section and comprising a rotation couple, a locking key and a locking screw, and two wing angle controllers, each having a base and a handle, with the base attached to one of the upper harness beams and the handle attached to the base and four wing assemblies, each one attached to a different orientation lock and comprising: a rod junction, having an upper central portion attached to a corresponding wing angle controller by a control pivot joint, a front end pivot joint and a back end pivot joint; a front rod and a back rod, each rod having a top portion attached to a corresponding end pivot joint, a middle section and a bottom section; a wing having a front portion, a back portion, a central mount located between the front and back portion, a front mount on the front portion and attached to the bottom section of the front rod, and a back mount on the back portion attached to the back rod by the bottom section of the back rod; a wing pole having a bottom end attached to the central mount by a wing pivot joint, and a top end; a wing mount attached to the wing pole, the wing mount having a bottom part, a front part having a sharpened edge, a back part, a top part, a front slot surrounding the middle section of the front rod, and a back slot surrounding the middle section of the back rod and a control pole having a bottom end attached to the top part of the wing mount and top end attached to the rotation couple of the corresponding orientation lock; wherein each wing angle controller is configured to adjust pitch angles of their respective wings through manipulation of the wing angle controller handle; wherein each orientation lock is configured to rotate the attached wing assembly through manipulation of the corresponding locking key and locking screw; wherein the sharpened edges of the wing mounts face the same direction as the bow of the vessel when the wing assemblies are rotated below the vessel. One advantage is that as the vessel travels forward a lift force will be applied on the wings and thus, the attached vessel, 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 vessel as a result of reducing the amount of drag experienced by the vessel by the surrounding water during travel. Another advantage is that vessel 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 vessel steady and upright during strong winds, turbulent waters or other hazardous conditions. Another advantage is that this technology may be applied to a vessel with only minor modifications and may be deployed or withdrawn at will.
In an aspect, a boat stabilizer is provided, the boat stabilizer comprising: an upper harness having: a body comprised of a plurality of interconnected beams and an assembly control system having two wing angle controllers and four orientation locks and four wing assemblies attached to the body, each comprising: a rod junction, having an upper central portion attached to a corresponding wing angle controller, a front end pivot joint and a back end pivot joint; a front rod and a back rod, each rod having a top portion attached to a corresponding end pivot joint, a middle section and a bottom section; a wing having a front portion, a back portion, a central mount located between the front and back portion, a front mount on the front portion and attached to the bottom section of the front rod, and a back mount on the back portion attached to the back rod by the bottom section of the back rod; a wing pole having a bottom end attached to the central mount by a wing pivot joint, and a top end; a wing mount attached to the wing pole, the wing mount having a bottom part, a front part, a back part, a top part and two slots, each slot surrounding a different rod by the middle section and a control pole having a bottom end attached to the top part of the wing mount and top end attached to the orientation lock; wherein each wing angle controller is configured to adjust pitch angles of their respective wings and wherein each orientation lock is configured to rotate the attached wing assembly. Again, an advantage is that as an attached vessel travels forward a lift force will be applied on the wings and thus, the attached vessel, 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 vessel speeds, fuel milage and/or travel distance as a result of reducing the drag experienced by the vessel during travel. Another advantage is that vessel longevity may increase as a result of the 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 vessel steady, upright and level during strong winds, turbulent waters or other hazardous conditions. Another advantage is that this technology may be applied to a vessel with only minor modifications and may be deployed or withdrawn at will.
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 and four wing assemblies attached to the body, each comprising: a rod junction, having an upper central portion attached to a corresponding wing angle controller, a front end couple and a back end couple; a front rod and a back rod, each rod having a top portion attached to a corresponding end couple, a middle section and a bottom section; a wing having a front portion, a back portion, a central mount located between the front and back portion, a front mount on the front portion and attached to the bottom section of the front rod, and a back mount on the back portion attached to the back rod by the bottom section of the back rod; a wing pole having a bottom end attached to the central mount and a top end; a wing mount attached to the wing pole, the wing mount having a bottom part, a front part, a back part and a top part and a control pole having a bottom end attached to the top part of the wing mount and top end attached to the 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. Again, an advantage is that as an attached vessel travels forward a lift force will be applied on the wings and thus, the attached vessel, 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 is that the wings may be adjusted to compensate for hazardous conditions, such as high winds and strong waves, to maintain vessel stability and prevent capsizing.
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.
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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.
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.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2584347 | Hazard | Feb 1952 | A |
3150626 | Irgens | Sep 1964 | A |
5117776 | Thorpe | Jun 1992 | A |
7743720 | Salani | Jun 2010 | B1 |