FLUID-BASED PROPULSIVE MOTOR

Abstract

A motor for providing thrust to a vehicle moving in a fluid medium. The motor includes a first conduit having an interior and a fluid egress portion at a first end of the first conduit, a second conduit coupled to the first conduit, the second conduit being fluidly coupled to a source of pressurized fluid and to the interior of the first conduit, and a third conduit at least partially disposed within the first conduit at a second end of the first conduit and fluidly coupled to the fluid medium.

Description

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

This disclosure is protected under United States and/or/or International Copyright Laws. © 2024 AIR MOBILITY LLC. All Rights Reserved. A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and/or Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The marine industry faces several challenges that require innovative solutions. One such problem is the lack of revolutionary products that prioritize safety for both humans and/or marine life without unduly compromising propulsion performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top view of a motor according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1 including arrows depicting the water flow through the motor;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1 operating in conjunction with an impeller;

FIGS. 6-7 is a side view of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1 deployed in combination with conventional outboard motors;

FIG. 8 is a side view of multiple ones of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1 being used as propulsive elements for a submarine; and

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of multiple ones of the motor illustrated in FIG. 1 being used as propulsive elements for a large vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This application is intended to describe one or more embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the use of absolute terms, such as “must,” “will,” and/or the like, as well as specific quantities, is to be construed as being applicable to one or more of such embodiments, but not necessarily to all such embodiments. As such, embodiments of the invention may omit, or include a modification of, one or more features or functionalities described in the context of such absolute terms. In addition, the headings in this application are for reference purposes only and/or shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of the present invention.

One or more embodiments address several critical needs in the maritime industry and beyond: efficient mobility, decarbonization of vehicles, ability to manufacture cheaper engines, reliability etc. One or more embodiments also bring benefits applications outside of the maritime industry by allowing superior thrust in fluids, which applies to multiple product and service categories.

An embodiment of the present invention includes the design and development of a bladeless outboard motor. Our unique approach involves incorporating AI technology into our manufacturing process and/or implementing a digital twin for after-market asset management. Through these innovations, we aim to revolutionize the boating industry by offering a more efficient and/or sustainable solution for marine propulsion.

This invention is based on the principle of Venturi and/or uses fundamental physics laws to provide a safer and more efficient method of propulsion through the water. Thrust can be expressed as the pressure times the area. This equation describes the pressurized ring of water exiting the outlet of our thruster. This pressurized ring creates a vacuum on the inside tube pulling ambient water through the inner tube. The combination of the two flows creates a larger surface area of water exiting the thruster than a traditional jet with a similar amount of energy used giving the thruster more propulsive power than a jet. This power comes from conservation of momentum theory along with vacuum effect of the pressure differential.

Our revolutionary bladeless outboard motor offers a virtually silent underwater experience, eliminating the risk of propeller strikes and/or/or minimizing pollution. Our goal is to provide a fully electric and/or environmentally friendly option for marine enthusiasts.

The marine industry faces several challenges that require innovative solutions. One such problem is the lack of revolutionary products that prioritize safety for both humans and/or/or marine life. Traditional propellers spinning at high speeds pose significant risks to both. Additionally, the necessity of using boats remains unchanged. By eliminating the risks associated with traditional propellers while still meeting the needs of marine transportation, we contribute to solving these pressing problems.

Currently, we are utilizing AI in multiple aspects of our business to enhance growth and/or strengthen our operations. We leverage AI technology in grant writing, manufacturing, testing validation, and/or machine learning asset management. This strategic implementation of AI enables us to optimize our processes, deliver cost-effective products, and/or offer the best technological solutions to our customers.

To utilize AI in our quest for business growth and/or strengthen our operations, we have devised a comprehensive plan. Firstly, we aim to leverage AI technologies to attain a deeper understanding of our customer base and/or meet their evolving needs effectively. By analyzing vast amounts of customer data, we can identify patterns and/or trends, enabling us to tailor our products and/or services accordingly.

Moreover, AI can play an integral role in optimizing our manufacturing process. We intend to employ AI algorithms to streamline production, identify bottlenecks, and/or improve efficiency. This can ensure that we stay at the forefront of best manufacturing practices and/or maintain a competitive edge in the industry.

Additionally, with the advancements in battery technology, we anticipate the increased demand/or for greener power options. AI can be invaluable in monitoring and/or analyzing battery developments to ensure that we remain at the forefront of this market. This can enable us to adapt our offerings to meet the evolving demands of environmentally conscious consumers.

As we continue to grow, our aim is to leverage AI across every vertical we develop. This includes utilizing AI-powered digital twins for after-market asset management, allowing us to remotely monitor and/or maintain our products, enhancing customer satisfaction and/or extending the lifespan of our assets.

In conclusion, our plan to employ AI encompasses customer analysis, manufacturing optimization, monitoring battery developments, and/or utilizing digital twins. By harnessing the power of AI in these specific areas, we are confident in our ability to propel the growth and/or strengthen our business.

Embodiments of the present invention offer a low-cost alternative to augment thrust using fluid dynamics principles inspired from the venturi tube. There are no moving parts in the water, and it can be assembled very easily with little to no machinery. The present invention is practically silent in the water and can provide more thrust than a jet, making the solution of the present invention more powerful from a torque standpoint.

FIGS. 1-3 show multiple views of the component parts of a preferred embodiment of a motor 10 for providing thrust to a vehicle, such as a boat, moving in a fluid medium, such as water. Motor 10 includes a first conduit 20 having a fluid egress portion 22 at a first end of the first conduit and a fluid ingress portion 24 at a second end of the first conduit. Motor 10 further includes a second conduit 30 coupled to the first conduit 20. Second conduit 30 is fluidly coupled to a source of pressurized fluid and to the interior of the first conduit 20. Motor 10 further includes a third conduit 40 at least partially disposed within the first conduit 20 at the second end of the first conduit 20 and fluidly coupled to the fluid medium via a nozzle 45. In an embodiment, the second conduit 30 is not directly coupled to the third conduit 40.

FIG. 4 illustrates pressurized flow 400 of fluid from the fluid source through second conduit 30 into first conduit 20. Pressurized flow 400 traverses through first conduit 20 around third conduit 40 and exits the first conduit at a high-pressure and -flow rate. Such high-pressure flow creates a vacuum within third conduit 40 (i.e., low-pressure region at nozzle 45). In turn, this vacuum created by pressurized flow 400 traversing through first conduit 20 induces ambient fluid flow 410 through nozzle 45 creating more fluid volume and mass at the fluid egress portion 22.

Referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment of the invention may involve conversion of an existing bladed outboard motor to the bladeless motor 10 by removing the bladed portion of the outboard motor and replacing it with motor 10 and adding an impeller 50 within or proximal to second conduit 30 so as to provide pressurized fluid to the interior of first conduit 20.

Other exemplary uses of one or more embodiments of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 6-7 in which conventional outboard motors 600, 700 are reconfigured to employ the combination of motor 10 and impeller 50 in such manner that the impeller is positioned within a housing structure 610, 710.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, another application of motor(s) 10 could be use as propulsive elements for a submarine 800.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, another application of motor(s) 10 could be employment in a manifold operation to increase the output in the case of larger vessels 900 such as cargo ships.

An aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention is a lack of moving parts in the ambient fluid medium through which a vessel is moving and the ability to produce thrust using a venturi-type tube for thrust. The typical application of a venturi tube is for mixing fluids or for measuring flow. In contrast, using this application of a venturi tube, one can create a pressure differential that is extremely high, thereby increasing the thrust and augmenting it with ambient flow. In varying embodiments, the size of the gap between the first conduit 20 and the third conduit 40 can be adjusted to optimize thrust created by the motor 10. In varying embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of the first nozzle to the diameter of the third nozzle can be between 6:1 and 1.5:1, and in a preferred embodiment, the ratio is 2.4:1. In varying embodiments, the overall diameter of the nozzle 45 can be adjusted as this will affect overall drag and ambient intake of water.

In alternate embodiments, the gap between the third conduit 40 and first conduit 20 can be varied through various means. For example, the third conduit 40 diameter can be comprised of a semi-rigid but flexible tube with a longitudinal slit, so that the diameter of the third conduit can be increased or decreased by more or less overlap at the slit. In this way the optimal gap can be created for the conditions, which may vary based on speed, pressure and other variables.

An embodiment of the present invention can be mounted on the back of a jet ski to augment the jet ski's torque. In such an embodiment, one could take the second conduit 30 and adapt it to accept the output of a jet ski and bolt the combined first conduit 20 and third conduit 40 onto an adaptor. This configuration would allow a jet ski to pull more weight or handle more people from a power standpoint.

Another embodiment could be any water application where silence or near silence is paramount, such as special ops, competitive fishing, and marine science where disturbing marine life is not preferred. Other applications include, but are not limited to, high traffic marinas and tugboats.

The relative dimensions of the components are easily variable depending on the application. In alternate embodiments, components with very different geometries can perform the same function and utilize the same Venturi/Bernoulli principles. A preferred embodiment uses cylindrical/tubular components (round in cross section relative to water flow and watercraft motion) as they are readily available and structurally sound, but in alternate embodiments, the geometry could be rounded square, triangle, or any other shape so long as the pressurized flow goes around the third conduit 40 creating a vacuum where ambient flow goes through the third conduit.

An embodiment assumes pressurized pumped water from an external source such as but not limited to an electric water pump or other type of water pump. The fluid flowing through the second conduit 30 around the third conduit 40 creates a vacuum effect at the exit that pulls fluid through the third conduit. The sum of the two flows is greater than either of the two flows individually. The overall effect of the flow increases the surface area of thrust. The increase in surface area increases thrust. The shape of the conduits does not need to be round but can be any shape. The pumped water can vary in pressure and/or flow to change the speed and/or magnitude of the thrust. The input can be pumped fluid or can be pulled in via an impeller. The dimensions between the first conduit 20 and/or third conduit 40 can be variable with a telescoping function and/or as a flexible membrane. The length of the conduits can be variable. The dimensions of the tubes can be sized to maximize ambient flow.

The combination of a water pump with the “inversed venturi thruster”, provides additional thrust and energy efficiency compared to similar powered engines using propeller or jet based boat engines while eliminating the need for propellors.

The combination of a water pump with the “inversed venturi thruster”, provides design optionality to build a radically simpler and lower cost engine than traditional ones, including and not limited to a lower number of parts, a lower number of moving parts, the ability to build it with lower cost materials, and a likely higher reliability of the engine over its lifetime.

This combination provides benefits that apply not only to the outboard boat engine market, but also to any other application using that combination of our Inversed venturi thruster and any pump. The invention can be leveraged in a number of applications using pumps, and in the pump design business itself.

The combination shall apply to all fluids and gases, or other materials used through the combination of pump and inversed venturi, in any market and applications, including and not limited to boats, pipelines, industrial processes, water and other types of utilities, energy generation, oil and gas production and distribution etc.

One or more embodiments may include a database of all the use cases of the inverse venturi thruster concept, allowing one to document specific design options, and to be able to recommend optimal designs to customers interested in integrating such a device into their own operations. AI models can accelerate our ability to generate optimal designs for different applications based on the large set of data input into our model.

AI though the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of protection is defined by the words of the claims to follow. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and/or does not describe every possible embodiment because describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

Thus, many modifications and/or variations may be made in the techniques and/or structures described and/or illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and/or scope of the present claims. Accordingly, it should be understood that the methods and/or apparatus described herein are illustrative only and/or are not limiting upon the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A motor for providing thrust to a vehicle moving in a fluid medium, the motor comprising: a first conduit having an interior and a fluid egress portion at a first end of the first conduit;a second conduit coupled to the first conduit, the second conduit being fluidly coupled to a source of pressurized fluid and to the interior of the first conduit; anda third conduit at least partially disposed within the first conduit at a second end of the first conduit and fluidly coupled to the fluid medium.

2. The motor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second and third conduits is tubular.

3. The motor of claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, a portion of the third conduit disposed within the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, and the cross-sectional area of the portion of the third conduit disposed within the first conduit is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first conduit.

4. The motor of claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, the third conduit comprises a nozzle portion external to the first conduit and having a cross-sectional area, and the cross-sectional area of the nozzle is at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the first conduit.

5. The motor of claim 1, wherein the second conduit is not directly coupled to the third conduit.

6. A vehicle configured to move in a fluid medium, the vehicle comprising: a source of pressurized fluid;a first conduit having an interior and a fluid egress portion at a first end of the first conduit;a second conduit coupled to the first conduit, the second conduit being fluidly coupled to the source of pressurized fluid and to the interior of the first conduit; anda third conduit at least partially disposed within the first conduit at a second end of the first conduit and fluidly coupled to the fluid medium.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprises an impeller.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second and third conduits is tubular.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, a portion of the third conduit disposed within the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, and the cross-sectional area of the portion of the third conduit disposed within the first conduit is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first conduit.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a cross-sectional area, the third conduit comprises a nozzle portion external to the first conduit and having a cross-sectional area, and the cross-sectional area of the nozzle is at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the first conduit.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second conduit is not directly coupled to the third conduit.