The present invention relates generally to underwater wings for providing lift to boats. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention comprise a hydrofoil system that attaches to the hull or hulls of a pontoon or tri-toon boat. The system preferably comprises one or more hydrofoils, mounting brackets, and a mechanism for raising and lowering the foils relative to the water, said mechanism ideally being controllable from the helm of the boat.
Boating and other water sports are popular outdoor activities that many people enjoy. Boats are generally inefficient because they are heavy and create a lot of drag in the water. While many solutions have been proposed for increasing efficiency for watercraft, including streamlining, reducing weight, and increasing buoyancy, most manufacturers today ignore the true problems of boat weight, drag, and efficiency, and instead attempt to overcome these problems simply by partnering with engine manufacturers who build bigger, more expensive motors to accommodate the performance demands of heavy and inefficient hulls.
One common solution in the industry is the use of hydrofoils to provide lift to the boat. A hydrofoil is basically a lifting surface that acts like a wing in the water, similar to the way an airfoil works to provide lift to aircraft. Traditional hydrofoils are nothing new. But while they have been around for decades, they have generally attempted to solve a different problem than the present invention. Traditional hydrofoils were created to lift military and commercial boats completely out of the water. They have also been used in sailing and watersports industries but have failed to become mainstream because of serious safety issues associated with loss of lift in the wings during flight due to ventilation and issues relating to landing the boat back in the water.
The problems of inefficient, heavy hulls are particularly pronounced in pontoon and tri-toon boats, since they are displacement hulls. Displacement hulls are designed to plow through the water instead of glide above it. These types of boats are generally slower, heavier, and carry larger loads than speedboats and other recreational watercraft, which have planing hulls that are designed to rise up and glide across the water's surface when enough propulsion is provided. Other efforts have been made to provide hydrofoil-type lift for pontoon and tri-toon boats, but these efforts do not provide the advantages and efficiencies of the present invention. For example, many pontoon manufacturers advertise and sell “lifting stakes,” which are essentially small protrusions extending from the edges of pontoons to help provide hydrodynamic efficiency. Additionally, another popular design in the art has been the Pontoon Water Glide, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,762. However, these products do not provide the design features or the designated lift of the present invention. For example, the product and patent mentioned above does not comprise a wing that extends substantially across the space between two pontoons and instead is designed as an additional displacement hull effectively resembling a third pontoon positioned in the middle of the hull. The present invention overcomes the above and other deficiencies by providing an efficient underwater wing system especially adapted for use in pontoon and tri-toon boats.
The present invention relates generally to a hydrofoil system for providing lift to boats. More particularly, the invention comprises an adjustable mounting system and underwater wing(s) that attach to the hull or hulls of a pontoon or tri-toon boat. The purpose of the wing system is to provide an adjustable and designated amount of lift to reduce drag and improve performance of the watercraft. This is different from a traditional hydrofoil, which is designed to lift a boat completely out of the water.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a system for providing lift to a watercraft during operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that provides a generally designated amount of lift to a watercraft during operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that provides a mechanism to adjust the foil depth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that provides lift to a watercraft without raising the watercraft completely out of the water during operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that can be attached to the hull of a pontoon boat.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that can be attached to the hull of a tri-toon boat.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that can be installed on a new or an existing watercraft.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that reduces drag on the water, provides increased efficiency, and allows for smaller engines, less fuel and oil, and reduced maintenance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that improves speed and performance, stabilizes the ride, and reduces pounding typically caused by waves while boating
These objectives are illustrative in nature. Additional advantages and applications for the present invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon a review of the invention and the disclosures contained herein.
The drawings referenced below are included so that the features and advantages of the presently disclosed invention may be better understood. It should be noted, however, that the attached drawings are meant only to be illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention and should not be considered limiting of its scope. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the attached drawings, which are summarized below:
Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. In describing the preferred embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
The present invention relates generally to a hydrofoil system for providing lift to boats. More particularly, the invention comprises hydrofoils, brackets, and a mechanism allowing the hydrofoils to be adjusted. The system could be attached to the hull or hulls of a pontoon or tri-toon boat. The invention described herein relates to watercraft with aluminum hulls such as pontoon or tri-toon boats or watercraft with hulls of similar material to which the wing structure may be attached.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a wing structure is attached to the bottom or inside hull of a pontoon or tri-toon boat. The purpose of the wing structure is to provide a designated amount of lift required to reduce drag and improve performance during operation. This approach is different than a typical hydrofoil, which is designed to lift a boat or other watercraft completely out of the water. In the design of the present invention, different wing types, sizes, or shapes may be fitted for different types of watercraft based upon the lift needs. This allows the wing structure of the present invention to deliver the performance metrics desired for each type of watercraft. Major factors that impact the wing design are the watercraft hull design, weight, length, and the horsepower of the engine. By providing a designated amount of lift, the wing structure reduces drag on the water, which in turn improves the performance and speed. This also decreases fuel and oil consumption and reduces stress on the watercraft motor.
The preferred design of the present invention generally comprises three major parts: (1) a wing; (2) one or more mounting brackets; and (3) a mechanism allowing the wing to be adjusted. Preferably, the wing structure, mounting bracket(s), and adjustable mechanism are each made from military-grade aluminum (e.g., 5083-H116 or 5086-H116), though other materials are also contemplated, such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, titanium, plastic, or other materials. A single, molded piece of high-strength aluminum is a preferred material at least for pontoon and tri-toon boats, because it may easily be welded or fastened to the hulls using structural adhesives such as methylmethacrylate. Additionally, the system of the present invention should be able to withstand intense pressure from water forces—such as 1,500 lbs. or more of pressure. The wings of the present invention should ideally also be thinner than one may expect—for example, in the order of 1 inch thick for a 24-foot pontoon boat where the wing span is 48 inches and the cord length is 12 inches. Thus, the wing should be as thin as possible while still having the strength necessary to carry the heavily load of the watercraft. The composition and internal design of the wing is an important consideration. For example, the appropriate foil for a given boat will take into consideration the size and weight of the boat itself and the expected passenger load. If the wing is too big, the boat may fly out of the water. If it is too small, the wing will not deliver the speed and performance goals. Additionally, the internal structure of the wing must be strong enough to support the weight of the boat at desired speeds. Accordingly, the foil itself may comprise internal ribs and braces (rather than being solid) to provide structural strength while minimizing the weight of the foil itself—much like an aircraft wing.
The wing size will be determined by the amount of lift needed. For example, an 18-foot pontoon boat would have a smaller wing than a 24-foot pontoon boat. The design of the present invention should be relatively low profile to reduce drag. Preferably, the angle of attack is between −2 and +2 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle of attack is adjustable. For example, the hydrofoil wing may comprise a plurality of bolts or other locking mechanisms that may be adjustable to change the angle of the front of the wing relative to the water surface. Preferably, the change in angle is adjustable at 1-degree increments, but other discrete and continuous variations are contemplated and intended to be within the scope of the disclosed embodiment. The angle may be changed by rotating the wing about an axis or by raising and lowering a portion of the wing (e.g., by sliding along a bracket or other slide) while the remainder of the wing is fixed in place, thus changing the angle of the wing relative to the surface of the water.
The shape of the wing itself is also an important factor. In various embodiments of the present invention, the wing is a surface piercing hydrofoil, which are typically “U”, “V”, “C”, “L”, or “J”-shaped. Alternately, the wing can be a fully submerged hydrofoil with an inverted “T” shape. Moreover, while various embodiments of the present invention comprise a single wing that is connected either to a stabilizing mast and plate or to two pontoon hulls, alternate embodiments are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention, including embodiments comprising two separate wings, each of which is attached to a separate pontoon hull. Additionally, the wing of the present invention preferably comprises fences positioned along the wing to promote laminar water flow. The fences are a critical component of the ideal wing design since they help reduce ventilation, which causes loss of lift in the wings.
The location where the wing is attached to the hull varies depending on the hull design of the watercraft, the length and weight of the watercraft, and the horsepower of the engine. For example, in some embodiments, the system comprises a single wing, which is preferably positioned toward a front half of the watercraft. In other embodiments, the system comprises a plurality of wings—e.g., a front wing positioned forward of a midpoint region of the watercraft and a second wing positioned aft of a midpoint of the watercraft. Each of the wings in such an embodiment may be manipulated as described herein. For example and without limitation, either or both wings may be raised or lowered as described herein, and/or the angle of attack of each wing may be adjustable relative to the surface of the water.
Additionally, the wing or wings of the present invention may be removable, such that a watercraft may use the hydrofoil wings when such use is desired or the wing or wings may be removed when the hydrofoil effect is not needed or when the wing or wings need to be maintained or repaired.
Additionally, in an alternate embodiment, the wing(s) may be raised or lowered—and/or the angle of attack adjusted—via a remote connection to a mobile device. For example, the adjustable mechanism responsible for raising and lowering the wing(s) and/or for adjusting the angle of attack of the wing(s) may be connected to a computer or other processing device, which itself may comprise or be connected to a communication module such as a modem, cellular device, or other telecommunications apparatus. Such a configuration may facilitate communication (e.g., over a wireless connection such as a cellular, Bluetooth, or other wireless connection) with a mobile device including an application for managing the configuration of one or more wing(s) and/or angle of attack of said wing(s). Such an application may permit a user to adjust the height of a hydrofoil wing or the angle of attack of said wing via an application on a smartphone rather than by mechanical or other adjustment from, e.g., a helm of the boat, as described herein.
Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments as well as alternative embodiments of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/957,508, filed on Apr. 19, 2018, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,562,592 on Feb. 18, 2020. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/488,709, filed on Apr. 22, 2017. The disclosures of the above-cited patent(s) and applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15957508 | Apr 2018 | US |
Child | 16792819 | US |