This disclosure relates to electrically propelled watercraft devices that include hydrofoils.
Some watercraft include hydrofoils that extend below a board or inflatable platform on which a user rides. One such hydrofoiling watercraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,940,917, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Many existing hydrofoiling watercraft include a battery in a cavity of the board, an electric motor mounted to a strut of the hydrofoil to propel the watercraft, with power wires extending within the strut between the battery and the electric motor. The hydrofoils of these electric watercraft are not easily detachable from the board due to these wires extending within the strut and into the board. Additionally, since the battery is housed within a cavity of the board, the upper end of the strut may need to form a watertight seal with the board to prevent fluid from entering the cavity of the board and damaging the battery or other electronics within the cavity of the board.
Another problem with existing watercraft having a board and an electric motor is that radio frequency signals are blocked by the board or noise from the motor causes interference with the radio frequency communications of the watercraft, for example, between the watercraft and a wireless remote controller. Another problem with existing hydrofoiling watercraft is that the ride height of the board when in the foiling mode is not accurately determined. For example, current hydrofoiling watercraft include a radar or ultrasonic sensor mounted to the underside of the board to detect the distance between the board and the surface of the water. However, due to the waves and splashing that occurs above the surface of the water, the ride height measurements are often inaccurate.
Many existing hydrofoiling watercraft are steered by the rider shifting their weight to one side of the board or the other. As a result, riders must keep their balance while operating the hydrofoiling watercraft while shifting their weight to steer the watercraft. As a result, operating the watercraft requires skill and experience. Thus, there is a need for a hydrofoiling watercraft that may be steered or controlled by other methods to make the hydrofoiling watercraft easier to operate or ride.
Generally speaking and pursuant to these various embodiments, a watercraft is provided comprising a board having a top surface and a bottom surface. The watercraft includes a hydrofoil having a strut attached at the bottom surface of the board. The watercraft further includes a movable portion coupled to the top surface of the board such that the movable portion is configured to move relative to a fixed portion of the board. This device allows a rider to shift the center of gravity of the hydrofoiling board, allowing the device to enter and exit a hydrofoiling mode while the rider remains seated or prone on the watercraft.
In some examples, the movable portion is a plate configured to slide longitudinally relative to the board. In other examples, the movable portion is a saddle configured to support a rider, the saddle movable longitudinally relative to the board.
With reference to
The hydrofoiling watercraft 100 may further include a battery box 112 that is mounted into a cavity 113 on the top side of the board 102. The battery box 112 may house a battery for powering the watercraft 100, an intelligent power unit (IPU) that controls the power provided to the electric propulsion unit 106, communication circuitry, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) circuitry, and/or a computer (e.g., processor and memory) for controlling the watercraft or processing data collected by one or more sensors of the watercraft 100. The watercraft 100 may determine the location of the watercraft at any given time using the GNSS circuitry. The communication circuitry may be configured to communicate with a wireless remote controller, such as the wireless handheld remote controllers 200 of
The communication circuitry may further be configured to communicate via Bluetooth, cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee and the like. The IPU or computer may communicate with remote devices via the communication circuitry. For example, the communication circuitry enables the watercraft 100 to communicate with a server computer. The watercraft 100 may communicate information pertaining to the performance of the watercraft to the server computer for processing and/or storage. For example, the watercraft 100 may communicate information including the location of the watercraft, performance, operating conditions, status of the components of the watercraft, detected problems with the watercraft 100, rider information (e.g., experience level, height, weight). The watercraft may record information regarding trips taken by the watercraft 100 including the route taken, the speed of the watercraft, number of times the rider fell off, etc. In some embodiments, the watercraft 100 may be configured to automatically communicate the location of the watercraft 100 to a remote device when the battery is low or dead, or some other component of the watercraft 100 has been determined to have failed. This may alert or notify another that the rider may be stranded on the watercraft 100 and may need help returning back to shore.
The hydrofoil 104 includes a strut 114 and one or more hydrofoil wings 116. The propulsion unit 106 may be mounted to the strut 114. The propulsion unit 106 may be mounted to the strut 114 by a bracket 107 that permits the propulsion unit 106 to be mounted to or clamped onto the strut 114 at varying heights or positions along the strut. Power wires and a communication cable may extend through the strut 114 from the battery box 112 to provide power and operating instructions to the propulsion unit 106. The propulsion unit 106 may contain an electronic speed controller (ESC) and a motor. In some embodiments, the propulsion unit 106 also includes the battery and/or the IPU. The motor includes a shaft that is coupled to a propeller 118. The ESC provides power to the motor based on the control signals received from the IPU of the battery box 112 to operate the motor and cause the shaft of the motor to rotate. Rotation of the shaft turns the propeller which drives the watercraft through the water. In other forms, a waterjet may be used in place of the propeller to drive the watercraft through the water.
As the hydrofoiling watercraft 100 is driven through the water by way of the motor, the water flowing over the hydrofoil wings 116 provides lift. This causes the board 102 to rise above the surface of the water when the watercraft 100 is operated at or above certain speeds such that sufficient lift is created. While the hydrofoil wings 116 are shown mounted to the base of the strut 114, in other forms, the hydrofoil wings 116 may extend from the propulsion unit 106. The propulsion unit 106 thus may be a fuselage from which hydrofoil wings 116 extend. In some forms, the hydrofoil wings 116 are mounted above the propulsion unit 106 and closer to the board 102 than the propulsion unit 106. In some forms, the hydrofoil wings 116 and/or the propulsion unit 106 include movable control surfaces that may be adjusted to provide increased or decreased lift and/or to steer the watercraft 100. For instance, the movable control surfaces may be pivoted to adjust the flow of fluid over the hydrofoil wing or the propulsion unit 106 to adjust the lift provided by the hydrofoil wing, increase the drag, and/or turn the watercraft 100. The wings 116 may include an actuator, such as a motor, linear actuator or dynamic servo, that is coupled to the movable control surface and configured to move the control surfaces between various positions. The position of the movable control surface may be adjusted by a computer of the watercraft 100, for instance, the IPU or propulsion unit 106. The actuators may receive a control signal from a computing device of the watercraft 100 via the power wires and/or a communication cable extending through the strut 114 and/or the wings 116 to adjust to the position of the control surfaces. The computing device may operate the actuator and cause the actuator to adjust the position of one or more movable control surfaces. The position of the movable control surfaces may be adjusted to maintain a ride height of the board 102 of the watercraft above the surface of the water.
The upper end of the strut 114 may be removably coupled to the board 102. As shown in
In alternative embodiments the strut 114 includes a rotating mast that folds into a compact position when the watercraft is not in use. In some such embodiments, a single screw may be used to release the mast or lock the strut 114 in the operable position. Alternatively, a quick release/attachment mechanism could be used for attaching the strut 114 to the board easily and quickly and without use of additional tools.
In one embodiment, the holes 134 of the board 102 include threaded inserts that are mounted in a composite structural support within the board 102 (e.g., a series of posts or supporting wall within the board 102). The structural support within the board 102 may extend from the top to the bottom surface of the board 102. In one form, a series of direct fiber links between the top and the bottom of the board 102 are created in this area of the board 102 to provide structural rigidity to the board. The structural threaded inserts serve as mounting holes for receiving mounting bolts or fasteners 132.
With reference to
In one embodiment, the strut 114 is formed of an upper member and a lower member that are connected by a spring, e.g., in a telescoping configuration. This enables the upper member and lower members of the strut 114 to move relative to one another along the length of the strut 114, for instance when the rider jumps or pumps the board 102. By including a spring in the strut, a rider may somewhat rhythmically shift their weight upward and downward relative to the board 102 to induce foil pumping.
With respect to
The front wall 144 of the cavity 113 of the board 102 may be formed of a non-conductive material (e.g., glass fiber) that allows electrical signals such as radio frequency communications to pass through. This allows the communication circuitry of the watercraft 110 to communicate with the remote devices, including, as examples, a wireless controller 200 or a server computer through the portion of the board 102 formed of non-conductive material. This improves communication of the watercraft 100 and/or remote controller 200 via radio frequencies because the front portion of the board 102 and the front wall 144 remain out of the water even when the board 102 is stationary. For instance, when the rider is on the board 102 in the water, but not moving, the rear portion of the board 102 may be submerged in the water. The water, especially saltwater, may interfere with or block the radio frequency communications with the watercraft 100. By having the front wall 144 of the cavity 113, that remains above the water even when stationary, formed of a non-conductive material, the quality and reliability of the radio frequency communications are improved. This is due in part to there being no conductive or radio frequency blocking barriers (e.g., carbon fiber, water) between the communication circuitry of the watercraft 100 and the air.
With respect to
With respect to
In another embodiment, with reference to
In another embodiment, with respect to
In another embodiment, with respect to
Determining the ride height of the watercraft 100 may be useful in embodiments where the watercraft 100 is configured to automatically navigate or transport the rider. For instance, the rider may select to have the watercraft 100 autonomously take the rider to along a route (e.g., a predefined route). The watercraft 100 may adjust the speed of the motor or movable control surface of the watercraft 100 to maintain a certain ride height. For example, a computing device of the watercraft 100 may receive the ride height data from one or more sensors of the watercraft 100 and adjust the speed of the motor and/or the movable control surface(s) to maintain the ride height at a certain distance or within a certain range. The watercraft 100 may also include a sensor to monitor the height of the waves in the water and adjust the ride height to keep the board 102 above the waves. In another embodiment, the rider may select to have the watercraft 100 automatically maintain the board in a foiling mode while the ride steers the watercraft 100 (e.g., via weight shifting). The rider may, for example, select to have the watercraft 100 automatically maintain the board 102 in a foiling mode via the wireless controller 200. In some forms, the rider may select a ride height for the watercraft 100 to automatically maintain. In other forms, the rider may select a ride height that the user does not desire to exceed. The watercraft 100 may automatically adjust the speed of the motor and/or the movable control surfaces to prevent the user from exceeding the selected ride height.
In one embodiment, the watercraft 100 and/or the wireless controller 200 includes a microphone into which a rider may speak commands. For instance, the rider may speak a command to move forward, turn to the left, turn to the right, increase or decrease the ride height, accelerate, decelerate, stop, and/or travel at a certain speed.
In some embodiments, the watercraft 100 may be controlled by the rider shifting their weight on the surface of the board 102. The board 102 may include weight and/or pressure sensors on the top surface of the board 102 to detect where the rider is placing their weight and how much weight the rider has placed on a certain area of the board 102. The rider may lean their weight forward to increase the speed of the watercraft 100, shift their weight backward or remove their weight from the front of the board 102 to decrease the speed, lean left to steer left, and lean right to steer right. Based on the weight shift or differential across the pressure sensors of the board 102, the watercraft 100 may determine how to operate the watercraft 100. For example, based on the pressure applied toward the front end of the board 102, the watercraft 100 may operate the motor at a certain speed. The speed may correspond to the detected weight differential between the front and rear portions of the board. The watercraft 100 may adjust a movable control surface of the watercraft (e.g., on the hydrofoil wings 116) to cause the watercraft to turn based on the weight differential between the left and right sides of the board 102. The rate at which the watercraft is turned may correspond to the degree of weight difference detected on the right and left sides of the board 102.
The watercraft 100 may be configured to control the rate of deceleration of the watercraft 100 so that the watercraft 100 does not abruptly decelerate (which may cause the rider to fall), but instead has a smooth transition to a slower speed or to a stop. For example, when the rider releases the throttle, the IPU may be configured to continue rotating the propeller at progressively decreasing speeds to lower the rate of deceleration. Using this approach, the rider experiences a smooth transition toward a slower speed without the watercraft 100 jerking in response to the rider easing up on the throttle. The watercraft 100 thus provides an artificial glide to the watercraft 100 when the user disengages or reduces the throttle control value. With reference to
The watercraft 100 may include sensor for determining whether a rider is still on the board 102 or has fallen off. In one example, the sensor is a pressure sensor similar to those used for detecting weight shift control. In another example, the sensor is a radar or ultrasonic sensor directed upward from the board 102. Using a radar or ultrasonic sensor may aid to ensure that the user has actually fallen of the board 102 and has not simply jumped off of the surface of the board 102, since the sensors may determine if the rider is still above the surface of the board 102, even if not currently contacting the board 102. Use of radar or ultrasonic sensors may result in a faster determination that the rider has fallen as compared to pressure sensors since the sensors can detect immediately when the rider is not above the board 102. In the pressure sensor approach, there may be a delay from the time the rider is not detected on the board 102 to ensure that the rider has not simply jumped and will be returning to the board 102 momentarily. In another form, a magleash may be used. One end of the magleash may be affixed to the rider while the other end includes a magnet that is magnetically coupled to a sensor on the board 102. As the rider falls, the magleash pulls the magnet from the board 102. The watercraft 100 may determine the rider has fallen when the sensor does not detect the magnet of the magleash.
The watercraft 100 may further include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that detects how far the watercraft 100 has tilted. The IMU may be within the strut 114, battery box 112 or board 102 as examples. The angle of the board 102 relative to the surface of the water may be monitored to determine whether the rider has fallen off of the board. For example, if the board 102 tips more than 45 degrees from the vertical, the watercraft 100 may determine that the rider has fallen off and stop the motor.
The IMU may also be used to determine whether the rider is on the board 102 by monitoring the acceleration of the watercraft 100. For example, when the rider is on the board 102, the acceleration (e.g., bouncing due to a wave) of the watercraft 100 has acceleration characteristics that correspond to the total mass of the watercraft 100 and the rider. When the rider has fallen off the board 102, the acceleration of the watercraft 100 has acceleration characteristics that correspond to only the mass of the watercraft 100, i.e., a significantly lower mass. Thus, when the IMU detects acceleration characteristics corresponding to a mass of only the watercraft and not the rider, the IMU may determine that the rider is not on the board and may have fallen off.
The watercraft 100 may be configured to only slow the watercraft or motor at the set rate of maximum deceleration only if it determined that the rider is still on the board 102 based on the sensors. If it is determined that the rider has fallen off the board 102, then the IPU or motor controller may immediately cut the power provided to the motor to stop the motor from spinning the propeller. Under this approach, the motor will not continue to power the propeller after the rider is in the water and potentially in proximity to the propeller. The propeller may be a foldable propeller such that the propeller folds when the motor is not spinning or the user has let off the throttle. In some forms, the propeller folds when the watercraft 100 detects that the rider has fallen or is no longer on the board 102.
Similarly, the rate of acceleration may be limited to prevent the watercraft 100 from accelerating or decelerating too quickly. In some forms, the rider may select or adjust the acceleration and deceleration rate limits via the wireless controller 200. In other forms, these acceleration and deceleration rate limits may be selected or set via an application on a user device (e.g., a smartphone) that is in wireless communication with the watercraft 100, for example, via Bluetooth. Other operational parameters and limits may similarly be set. For example, the watercraft 100 may be configured to set the top speed and or limit the torque output of the motor. The rate at which the watercraft 100 turns via the movable control surface may also be similarly limited.
With reference to
The throttle control mechanism 204A of the first embodiment of
In preferred embodiments, the thumbwheel position is sensed by a 3D magnetic sensor (hall effect). This allows the magnet sensor to detect rotation and/or translation of the magnetic field from the magnets mounted in the thumbwheel (or a joystick). The use of 3D sensors allows actuation of additional features as the thumbwheel is slid to the left/right, for example to change motor response profiles to simulate “gear shifting.” An indicator spring mechanism is preferably used to re-center the control mechanism 204. The use of a 3D hall effect sensor also allows detection of false signals arising from stray magnetic fields (random magnets present near the controller). For example, a safety cutoff leash or other magnetic may be used with the watercraft, or other magnetic fields may be present in the environment.
The processor of the wireless remote controller 200 may receive the throttle control input from the rider via the throttle control input mechanism 204 (e.g., 204A and 204B) and communicate the throttle control information to the watercraft 100 via the communication circuitry.
In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 includes a button that causes the watercraft 100 to “shift gears.” The rider may operate the watercraft 100 in a first mode where the watercraft 100 has a limited amount of power/speed, then select the button to transition to a second mode where the watercraft 100 has an increased amount of power/speed. The rider may have three, four, or more modes that unlock progressively more power/speed. As one example, in the first mode, moving the throttle to a full throttle position allows the watercraft 100 to travel at about 10 knots. By switching to the second mode, movement of the throttle to the full throttle position allows the watercraft 100 to travel up to 20 knots. Those having skill in the art will readily appreciate that the speed within each mode may be adjusted and that more modes may be used, with each mode having a maximum amount of power/speed at which the watercraft 100 will operate. The user may select the button to “shift up” to the next mode to unlock a greater amount of power/speed to be selected using the thumb wheel. The remote controller 200 may similarly include a button for “shifting down” to the lower power/speed mode.
The user interface 202 may include a display screen 206, one or more buttons 208, a speaker, a microphone, and one or more indicator lights. With reference to
The wireless remote controller 200 may include a plurality of profiles or ride modes that are selected to control the operation of the watercraft 100. For instance, a new user may start at a beginner level where the watercraft is limited to lower speed and rates of acceleration. After a period of time, the user may progress through an intermediate, advanced, and expert levels unlocking increasingly more power, higher speeds, rates of acceleration. Additional features may also be unlocked including a wave-riding mode and a reverse mode. In some forms, the watercraft may assist the rider (e.g., provide stability to the board 102 via movable control surfaces) in the lower levels and progressively provide less and less assistance as the user gains more experience.
In some embodiments, the riders usage and performance data is collected by the watercraft (e.g., the IPU) and/or wireless controller 200. The rider's usage and performance data (e.g., time of use, number of falls, etc.) may be uploaded to a cloud for storage and analysis. A determination of the appropriate ride mode for the rider may be determined based on the rider analysis. The rider may have a profile associated with a smartphone application that enables the user to transfer their rider profile information between different watercraft 100 so that the unlocked ride modes and features are available to that rider on other watercraft 100. The rider profile may include biometric information of the rider including their height, weight, image of their face for facial recognition of a user to authenticate the user, login information, ride style data, and ride height data. The watercraft 100, remote controller 200, and/or cloud may be used to automatically identify and track riders based on their unique rider characteristics.
In the embodiment shown, the remote controller 200 includes an idle mode, lock mode, easy mode, intermediate mode, and advanced mode. In the idle mode, the throttle cannot be applied. This is the default mode of the remote controller 200 on startup. The remote controller 200 may also revert to this mode from any normal ride mode as a failsafe if the user does not provide throttle input after 30 seconds. In the lock mode, the throttle also cannot be applied. This explicitly locks the remote to throttle input for safety around children, pets, or other non-participants on land or water.
The easy mode is for new riders. The easy mode may limit acceleration performance, available power to approximately 60 percent, and top speed to approximately 12 knots or 14 mph. The intermediate mode is for riders proficient in falling. The intermediate mode has higher acceleration performance, limits power to approximately 70 percent, and top speed to approximately 16 knots or 18 mph. The advanced mode is for experienced riders. The advanced mode provides unrestricted acceleration performance and has no limits on power, producing a top speed in excess of 20 knots or 23 mph.
The remote controller 200 may include a pressure sensor that indicates when the remote controller 200 is underwater. The remote controller 200 may stop sending a throttle control signal upon detecting the remote controller 200 is underwater. The remote controller 200 may be underwater when, for example, the rider falls off of the board 102. Thus, by ceasing to transmit a throttle control signal, the motor of the watercraft 100 may be shut off automatically when the rider falls in the water. When the watercraft 100 ceases to receive the throttle control signal from the remote controller 200, the IPU may immediately cease to provide power to the propulsion unit 106, thus causing the propeller to cease rotating. The IPU may be configured to disregard the deceleration limits that may be selected or set to disable the motor if the rider falls overboard.
In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 may include a reed switch or a magnetic sensor that is used to activate the ride mode. For example, the rider may bring a portion of the remote controller 200 into contact with a magnet or contact on the top surface of the board 102. The reed switch or magnetic sensor may detect that the remote controller 200 was brought into contact with the board 102 and switch the remote controller 200 into a ride mode (out of the idle or locked modes). In one example, upon touching the board 102 with the remote controller 200, a countdown is started until the remote controller 200 switches into the ride mode at which point the rider may control the watercraft 100 via the remote controller 200. The ride mode may time out after a period of inactivity. For example, if the user does not engage the throttle control mechanism 204 within 30 seconds, the remote controller 200 may switch back to the idle or locked mode.
In one embodiment, touching the remote controller 200 to the board 102 causes the remote controller 200 and the watercraft 100 to be linked or paired such that the remote controller 200 will send control signals to the watercraft 100 the rider touched the remote controller 200 to. This prevents a user for inadvertently controlling another watercraft 100 with a remote controller 100, which could cause otherwise potentially cause damage to the other watercraft 100 and/or injure someone nearby. The remote controller 200 may unpair or disconnect from the watercraft 100 after a period of inactivity following contact with the board 102. For example, if the user does not engage the throttle control mechanism 204 within 30 seconds, the remote controller 200 may unpair from the watercraft 100. The user will then need to contact the board 102 with the remote controller 200 again to control the watercraft 100.
The remote controller 200 may include a hole 222 for a leash pin or through which a strap or cord may be attached. The strap or cord may be wrapped or loops around a riders wrist or arm to tether the remote controller 200 to the rider. If the rider falls and drops the remote controller 200, the remote controller 200 may remain attached to the rider. In some forms, the remote controller 200 is floats. This may be due in part to the sealed watertight cavity within the controller 200.
In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 is wirelessly tethered to the watercraft 100 so that the remote controller 200 and the watercraft 100 remain linked and in communication with one another. The watercraft 100 may determine the distance that the remote controller 200 is from the watercraft 100 which the watercraft 100 may use in determining whether the rider has fallen off of the watercraft 100. If the remote controller 200 is more than a predetermined distance (e.g., 8 feet) from the watercraft 100, the watercraft 100 may cease operation.
In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 includes a summon feature where the rider can send a signal to the watercraft 100 to cause the watercraft 100 to autonomously operate and move toward the rider. This may be beneficial to the rider when the rider falls off the watercraft 100. The rider then does not have to swim after the watercraft 100 when the rider falls off, but can simply summon the watercraft 100 to return to the rider. The rider may summon the watercraft 100 by pressing a button on and/or speaking a command to the remote controller 200. The watercraft 100 may determine the location of the remote controller 200 and automatically navigate toward the remote controller 200. The location of the remote controller 200 may be determined via the Bluetooth communication with the remote controller 200 to determine the distance the watercraft 100 is from the remote controller 200 and the angle at which the watercraft 100 is approaching the remote controller 200. As another example, the remote controller 200 further includes GNSS circuitry to determine the location of the remote controller 200. The remote controller 200 may communicate its location to the watercraft 100 and the watercraft 100 may navigate toward the remote controller 200. The watercraft 100 may determine its location also using the GNSS circuitry of the watercraft 100. In some forms, the watercraft 100 cannot be summoned when the remote controller 200 is within a certain distance, e.g., 10 feet to reduce the risk of collision between the rider and the watercraft 100. Similarly, when summoned, the watercraft 100 may head toward the user, but cease operating when the remote controller 200 is within a predetermined distance, e.g., 10 feet. This summon feature is particularly beneficial when there is a strong wind or current that could cause the watercraft 100 to get carried away from the rider when the rider falls off.
With respect to
With respect to
With respect to
The rider may position their feet 306 to rest against and engage the pushing block 302. As shown in
The sliding plate 300 may be a seat on which the rider 304 sits on the watercraft 100. The board 102 may include a track or rails extending along the length of the board 102 that guide the sliding plate 300 as it slides along the board 102. The plate 300 may include wheels or rollers 308 that engage the track or rails of the board 102. The rails may be a channel into which wheels 308 of the sliding plate 300 extend into. The channel may guide the wheels 308 of the sliding plate 300 longitudinally as the plate 300 slides along the board 102. In some embodiments, the sliding plate 300 includes one or more low friction feet or skis on which the sliding plate 300 slides along the channel or a track. The one or more feet or skis may be positioned within the guide channel to guide the sliding plate 300 as it moves along the board 102. In some forms, the rails are below the top surface of the deck 108 and set within the board 102. In the embodiment shown, the plate 300 slides slightly above the surface of the deck 108. In other embodiments, the top surface of the plate 300 may be flush with the deck 108. In yet other embodiments, the plate 300 may be elevated from the deck 108. For example, the plate may be elevated in the range of about two to about 12 inches off the board 102.
In some embodiments, the plate 300 includes two or more sets of wheel assemblies similar to those of a roller coaster. Each wheel assembly includes three wheels that engage a rail of the board 102, such as a rod, bar, or tube. Each wheel assembly may include a top wheel that engages the top side of the rail, a bottom wheel that engages the bottom side of the rail, and a side wheel that engages the inner or outer side of the rail. In still other embodiments, the plate 300 is coupled to a plurality of linear bearings that are configured to slide along the rails of the board 102.
The watercraft 100 may include one or more springs biasing (e.g., pulling) the plate toward the front of the board 102. This keeps tension on the plate 300 so that when the rider desires to shift their weight forward the spring pulls or aids in pulling the rider toward the pushing block 302. Additionally, this aids to ensure that the rider's feet are always engaging the pushing block 302 so that the rider is always able be in control of where their weight is shifted along the board. Thus, to shift their weight forward, a rider may only need to bend their knees and allow the plate 300 to slide forward due to the force of the springs. To slide toward the rear of the watercraft 100, the rider may extend their legs and push off the pushing block 302 to overcome the biasing force of the springs.
In some embodiments, the watercraft 100 includes a locking mechanism to lock the sliding plate 300 to a position on the board 102. For instance, if the rider desires to sit on the plate 300 but does not desire to slide along the length of the board 102, the rider may lock the plate 300 in place relative to the board 102. The locking mechanism may engage the rail, the board 102 or both to lock the plate 300 in place.
In some forms, the sliding plate 300 may have a longitudinal length sized to enable the rider 304 to lay down on the sliding plate 300 to operate the watercraft 100 when desired. The watercraft 100 may include a handle for the rider to grab at the rear and/or front of the watercraft 100 to enable the user to push and/or pull themselves to shift their weight and ride in various alternative positions.
With reference to
The sliding plate 300 may include wheels or linear bearings that slide along rails as described with regard to
With reference to
In addition or alternative to any of the embodiments described herein, the plate 300 may be able to slide laterally or side-to-side relative to the board 102. This may enable the rider to shift their weight from one side to the other to steer the hydrofoiling watercraft 100. For example, a rider may shift their weight to the left or right side of the board 102 to cause the board 102 to tilt and turn the watercraft in the direction the board 102 is tilting. In some embodiments, the board 300 includes rails that extend laterally. The plate 300 may include wheels or linear bearings that travel along the rails enabling the plate 300 to move laterally across the board 102 similar to rails facilitating longitudinal motion described above. Where the plate 300 is able to move longitudinally and laterally, the plate 300 may be mounted to a first set of rails extending laterally enabling the plate 300 to move laterally. The first set of rails may include wheels or linear bearings attached thereto that engage a second set of rails enabling the first set of rails to move longitudinally along the second set of rails. The plate 300 may thus move laterally and longitudinally relative to the board. In some forms, the plate 300 may include wheels configured to move in all directions (e.g., swivel caster wheels, spherical wheels, or the like) enabling the plate 300 to slide longitudinally and/or laterally relative to the board 102. The plate 300 may include a linkage coupling the plate 300 to the board 102 and preventing the plate 300 from moving substantially vertically relative to the board 102 or becoming detached.
In one form, the rails are arcuate or parabolic. The rails may extend substantially laterally across the board 102. As the rider slides the plate 300 left or right relative to the board 102, the plate 300 may follow the arcuate path of the rails. For example, as the user moves left of right of the center of the board 102 on the plate 300, the user moves slightly forward. This may enable the user to keep their feet planted against or anchored to the pushing block 302, with the remainder of their body pivoting about their feet/the pushing block 302. This ensures that the rider's feet remain in contact with the pushing block 302 so that the rider remains in control of the watercraft 100.
In yet another embodiment, the watercraft 100 may include a saddle or swing seat on which the rider sits during operation of the watercraft 100. The rider may straddle the saddle to sit thereon and place their feet on the top surface of the board 102. The watercraft 100 may include one or more posts at the front of the board 102 and one or more posts at the rear of the board 102 that support the saddle above the top surface of the board 102. The front end of the saddle may be coupled to the front post(s) and the rear end of the saddle may be coupled to the rear post(s) by linkage. The linkage may be flexible and/or elastic to allow the rider to move the saddle longitudinally and laterally relative to the board 102. For example, the linkage may be a rope, elastic cord (e.g., a bungee cord) or chains. In other forms, the linkage includes a rigid bar that attaches to a post and the saddle to form a joint enabling the bar to move or pivot relative to the post and/or saddle. Thus during operation, the rider may sit on the saddle and shift their weight longitudinally (e.g., forward and backward) and/or laterally (e.g., left and right) relative to the board 102. The rider may user their feet that rest on the board 102 to push off the board and shift their weight in a direction relative to the board 102 to adjust the center of gravity of the board 102.
Uses of singular terms such as “a,” “an,” are intended to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms. It is intended that the phrase “at least one of” as used herein be interpreted in the disjunctive sense. For example, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to encompass A, B, or both A and B.
While there have been illustrated and described particular embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/238,085, filed Apr. 22, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/079,769 filed Sep. 17, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/014,014 filed Apr. 22, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The related U.S. application Ser. No. 17/077,784 filed Oct. 22, 2020, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,946,939; U.S. application Ser. No. 17/162,918 filed Jan. 29, 2021, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,091,232; International Application Number PCT/US21/28717 filed on Apr. 22, 2021; and International Application Number PCT/US21/28716 filed Apr. 22, 2021, are all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63014014 | Apr 2020 | US | |
63079769 | Sep 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17238085 | Apr 2021 | US |
Child | 18411165 | US |