Claims
- 1. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; and an air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container, said outlet port being communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake through said inlet port, said interior space and said outlet port, said air/water separating device having structure providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said container interior, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said generally vertical surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom to flow out from said container.
- 2. A watercraft according to claim 1, wherein said structure providing said surfaces comprises a plurality of generally vertically extending and generally parallel baffles.
- 3. A watercraft according to claim 1, wherein said angular portions in said tortuous paths are provided by arcuate curves in said baffles.
- 4. A watercraft according to claim 2, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending trapping flanges extending into said tortuous paths in proximity to said arcuate curves thereof, said trapping flanges being positioned such that water separated from the air drawn through said paths and flowing along said surfaces towards said outlet port is obstructed by said trapping flanges and caused to flow downwardly along said trapping flanges to said bottom of said container.
- 5. A watercraft according to claim 3, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending trapping flanges extending into said tortuous paths in proximity to said arcuate curves thereof, said trapping flanges being positioned such that water separated from the air drawn through said paths and flowing along said surfaces towards said outlet port is obstructed by said trapping flanges and caused to flow downwardly along said trapping flanges to said bottom of said container.
- 6. A watercraft according to claim 4, wherein said baffles are integrally formed with said container.
- 7. A watercraft according to claim 5, wherein said baffles are integrally formed with said container.
- 8. A watercraft according to claim 1, wherein said one or more apertures each has a check valve adapted to permit water to drain from said container through said one or more apertures while preventing water from entering said container through said one or more apertures.
- 9. A watercraft according to claim 2, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending ribs extending into said tortuous paths, said ribs being positioned to disrupt the laminar flow of the ambient air drawn through said paths towards said outlet port such that the ambient air will flow turbulently through said paths.
- 10. A watercraft according to claim 3, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending ribs extending into said tortuous paths, said ribs being positioned to disrupt the laminar flow of the ambient air drawn through said paths towards said outlet port such that the ambient air will flow turbulently through said paths.
- 11. A watercraft according to claim 4, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending ribs extending into said tortuous paths, said ribs being positioned to disrupt the laminar flow of the ambient air drawn through said paths towards said outlet port such that the ambient air will flow turbulently through said paths.
- 12. A watercraft according to claim 5, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending ribs extending into said tortuous paths, said ribs being positioned to disrupt the laminar flow of the ambient air drawn through said paths towards said outlet port such that the ambient air will flow turbulently through said paths.
- 13. A watercraft according to claim 6, wherein said baffles provide a plurality of generally vertically extending ribs extending into said tortuous paths, said ribs being positioned to disrupt the laminar flow of the ambient air drawn through said paths towards said outlet port such that the ambient air will flow turbulently through said paths.
- 14. A watercraft according to claim 1, wherein said inlet port is upwardly facing, and said air/water separating device comprises a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to inhibit water from travelling directly into said inlet port.
- 15. A watercraft according to claim 1, further comprising:
a conduit connected at one end to said air intake of said engine, wherein said air/water separating device is mounted within said hull in spaced apart relation from said engine, said outlet port connected to the other end of said conduit so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake through said inlet port, said interior space of said container, said outlet port, and said conduit.
- 16. A watercraft according to claim 15, wherein said air/water separating device is positioned in a bow portion of said hull such that, when said bow portion is elevated higher than a stem portion of said hull during operation of said watercraft, water present within said hull will flow downwardly by gravity away from said air/water separating device to said stem portion of said hull.
- 17. A watercraft according to claim 1, wherein said container comprises at least one wall defining a first chamber and a second chamber within said container, said wall having at least one opening formed therethrough to communicate said first and second chambers such that the ambient air being drawn by said engine flows from said first chamber to said second chamber via said opening, said at least one opening being spaced upwardly from a floor surface of said container and said wall being constructed and arranged to prevent any water that has become separated from the air in said container from flowing along said floor surface between said first and second chambers.
- 18. A watercraft according to claim 17, wherein each of said at least one openings has a tubular member extending therethrough with a first end in said first chamber and a second end in said second chamber.
- 19. A watercraft according to claim 17, wherein at least one said aperture is provided in said first chamber and at least said aperture is provided in said second chamber.
- 20. A watercraft according to claim 1, further comprising:
a fuel tank, wherein said fuel tank has a recess formed therein and said container of said air/water separating device is mounted to said fuel tank within said recess.
- 21. A watercraft according to claim 20, wherein each of said container and said recess on said fuel tank are generally L-shaped.
- 22. A watercraft according to claim 1, further comprising:
a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger connected to a component of the watercraft and adapted to draw heat therefrom, wherein said heat exchanger is mounted within an opening provided in said container of said air/water separating device such that said heat exchanger is positioned into the flow of air through said container to dissipate the heat drawn from said component.
- 23. A watercraft according to claim 22, wherein said component is an electrical component.
- 24. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; and an air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an upwardly facing inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container, said outlet port being communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air through said inlet port, said interior space and said outlet port, and a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to prevent water from travelling directly into said inlet port.
- 25. A watercraft according to claim 24, wherein said shield member has an upper wall and an annular flange depending downwardly from said upper wall, said shield member being positioned such that (a) said upper wall is disposed above said inlet port in covering relation thereto to prevent water from travelling into said inlet port and (b) said annular flange extends downwardly below said inlet port so that the ambient air must flow upwardly, interiorly of said flange, prior to entering the inlet port, said upward flow tending to separate water therefrom.
- 26. A watercraft according to claim 24, wherein said air/water separating device has structure providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said generally vertical surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom to flow out from said container.
- 27. A watercraft according to claim 24, wherein said container is generally L-shaped.
- 28. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; a conduit connected at a first end to said air intake; and an air/water separating device mounted within said hull in spaced apart relation from said engine, said air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container and an outlet port connected to a second end of said conduit so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake thereof through said inlet port, said interior space, said outlet port, and said conduit.
- 29. A watercraft according to claim 28, wherein said air/water separating device is positioned in a bow portion of said hull such that, when said bow portion is elevated higher than a stern portion of said hull during operation of said watercraft, water present within said hull will flow downwardly by gravity away from said air/water separating device to said stern portion of said hull.
- 30. A watercraft according to claim 28, further comprising:
a fuel tank, wherein said fuel tank includes a recess, said air/water separating device being mounted to said fuel tank within said recess.
- 31. A watercraft according to claim 28, wherein said air/water separating device has structure providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said generally vertical surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom to flow out from said container.
- 32. A watercraft according to claim 28, wherein said inlet port is upwardly facing, said air/water separating device comprises a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to inhibit water from travelling into said inlet port.
- 33. A watercraft according to claim 28, wherein said container is generally L-shaped.
- 34. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; fuel tank; an internal combustion engine communicated with said fuel tank and having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine from said fuel tank; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; and an air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container and an outlet port communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air through said inlet port, said interior space and said outlet port, wherein said fuel tank defines a recess formed therein and said container of said air/water separating device is mounted to said fuel tank within said recess.
- 35. A watercraft according to claim 34, wherein each of said container and said recess on said fuel tank are generally L-shaped.
- 36. A watercraft according to claim 34, wherein said air/water separating device has structure providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom to flow out from said container.
- 37. A watercraft according to claim 34, wherein said inlet port is upwardly facing, said air/water separating device comprises a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to inhibit water from travelling into said inlet port.
- 38. A watercraft according to claim 34, wherein said air/water separating device is positioned in a bow portion of said hull such that, when said bow portion is elevated higher than a stem portion of said hull during operation of said watercraft, water present within said hull will flow downwardly by gravity away from said air/water separating device to said stem portion of said hull.
- 39. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; a fuel tank; an internal combustion engine communicated with said fuel tank and having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine from said fuel tank; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; a conduit connected at a first end to said air intake; and an air/water separating device mounted within said hull in spaced apart relation from said engine, said air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an upwardly facing inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container and an outlet port connected to a second end of said conduit so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake thereof through said inlet port, said interior space, said outlet port, and said conduit, said air/water separating device having structure providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air force as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having at least one wall defining a first chamber and a second chamber within said container, said wall having at least one opening formed therethrough to communicate said first and second chambers such that the ambient air being drawn by said engine flows from said first chamber to said second chamber via said opening, said at least one opening being spaced upwardly from a floor surface of said container and said wall being constructed and arranged to prevent any water that has become separated from the ambient air in said container from flowing along said floor surface between said first and second chambers, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom of said container to flow out from said container, said air/water separating device including a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to prevent water present in the ambient air from travelling directly downwardly into said inlet port, wherein said fuel tank has a recess formed therein and said container of said air/water separating device is mounted to said fuel tank within said recess.
- 40. A watercraft according to claim 39, further comprising:
a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger connected to a component of the watercraft and adapted to draw heat therefrom, wherein said heat exchanger is mounted within an opening provided in said container of said air/water separating device such that said heat exchanger is positioned into the flow of air through said container to dissipate the heat drawn from said component.
- 41. A watercraft according to claim 40, wherein said component is an electrical component.
- 42. An air/water separating device for a watercraft, said air/water separating device having a top that is upwardly facing when the watercraft is in an upright position, the watercraft comprising an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to the engine, said air/water separating device comprising:
a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container, said outlet port being adapted to be communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake through said inlet port, said interior space of said container and said outlet port; structure within said container providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as said air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity; and one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom of said container to flow out from said container.
- 43. An air/water separating device according to claim 42, wherein said inlet port is upwardly facing and said air/water separating device further comprises a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to prevent water present in the ambient air from travelling directly downwardly into said inlet port.
- 44. An air/water separating device according to claim 42, wherein said container comprises at least one wall defining a first chamber and a second chamber within said container, said wall having at least one opening formed therethrough to communicate said first and second chambers such that the ambient air being drawn by said engine flows from said first chamber to said second chamber via said opening,
wherein said at least one opening is spaced upwardly from a floor surface of said container and said wall is constructed and arranged to prevent any water that has become separated from the ambient air in said container from flowing along said floor surface between said first and second chambers.
- 45. An air/water separating device according to claim 42, further comprising:
a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger being adapted to be connected to a component of the watercraft in order to draw heat therefrom, wherein said heat exchanger is configured to be mounted within an opening provided in said container of said air/water separating device such that said heat exchanger is positioned into the flow of air through the container in order to dissipate the heat drawn from said component.
- 46. An air/water separating device according to claim 45, wherein said component is an electrical component.
- 47. An air/water separating device for a watercraft, said air/water separating device having a top that is upwardly facing when the watercraft is in an upright position, the watercraft comprising an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to the engine, said air/water separating device comprising:
a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an upwardly facing inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container, said outlet port being adapted to be communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air through said inlet port, said interior space of said container and said outlet port; and a shield member disposed in covering relation above said inlet port to prevent water present in the ambient air from travelling directly downwardly into said inlet port.
- 48. An air/water separating device according to claim 47, further comprising structure within said container providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity,
said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom of said container to flow out from said container.
- 49. An air/water separating device for a watercraft, said air/water separating device having a top that is upwardly facing when the watercraft is in an upright position, the watercraft comprising an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to the engine and a fuel tank containing a supply of fuel, said air/water separating device comprising:
a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container and an outlet port adapted to be communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air through said inlet port, said interior space of said container and said outlet port, said container being configured to be mounted within a recess provided by said fuel tank.
- 50. An air/water separating device according to claim 49, further comprising structure in said container providing spaced apart generally vertical surfaces defining a plurality of elongated tortuous paths between said inlet and outlet ports, said tortuous paths having one or more angular portions and being positioned and configured such that, as said engine draws the ambient air through said interior space, the ambient air passes through said elongated tortuous paths so that water suspended in the ambient air is separated from the ambient air as the ambient air passes through angular portions of said paths with the separated water flowing downwardly along said surfaces to a bottom of said container by gravity, said container having one or more apertures at said bottom so as to enable the water flowing to said bottom of said container to flow out from said container.
- 51. An air/water separating device according to claim 50, further comprising baffles providing a plurality of generally vertically extending trapping flanges extending into said tortuous paths in proximity to said arcuate curves thereof, said trapping flanges being positioned such that water separated from the ambient air drawn through said paths and flowing along said surfaces towards said outlet port is obstructed by said trapping flanges and caused to flow downwardly along said trapping flanges to said bottom of said container.
- 52. A watercraft comprising:
a hull; an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to said engine; a propulsion system connected to said engine, said propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along a surface of a body of water using power from said engine; an air/water separating device comprising a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container, said outlet port being communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air into said air intake through said inlet port, said interior space of said container and said outlet port; and a heat exchanger connected to a component of the watercraft adapted to draw heat therefrom, wherein said heat exchanger is mounted within an opening provided in said container of said air/water separating device such that said heat exchanger is positioned into the flow of ambient air through said container to dissipate the heat drawn from said component.
- 53. A watercraft according to claim 52, wherein said component is an electrical component.
- 54. A watercraft according to claim 53, wherein said electrical component is a rectifier.
- 55. A watercraft according to claim 52, wherein said heat exchanger comprises:
a body portion mounted to said container, said body portion being adapted to be connected to said electrical component; and a plurality of elongated fins extending outwardly from said body portion, each of said plurality of fins protruding into said container when said heat exchanger is mounted to said container so that the flow of ambient air through said container flows across said fins to dissipate the heat drawn from said electrical component.
- 56. An air/water separating device for a watercraft, said air/water separating device having a top that is upwardly facing when the watercraft is in an upright position, the watercraft including an internal combustion engine having an air intake for receiving at least ambient air to be supplied to the engine, said air/water separating device comprising:
a container enclosing an interior space, said container having an inlet port enabling the ambient air to enter said container and an outlet port adapted to be communicated to said air intake of said engine so as to enable said engine to draw the ambient air through said inlet port, said interior space of said container and said outlet port; and a heat exchanger connected to a component of the watercraft adapted to draw heat therefrom, wherein said heat exchanger is mounted within an opening provided in said container of said air/water separating device such that said heat exchanger is positioned into the flow of ambient air through said container in order to dissipate the heat drawn from said component.
- 57. A watercraft according to claim 56, wherein said component is an electrical component.
- 58. A watercraft according to claim 57, wherein said electrical component is a rectifier.
- 59. A watercraft according to claim 56, wherein said heat exchanger includes:
a body portion mounted to the container, said body portion being adapted to be connected to said electrical component; and a plurality of elongated fins extending outwardly from said body portion, each of said plurality of fins protruding into said container when said heat exchanger is mounted to said container so that the flow of ambient air through said container flows across said fins to dissipate the heat drawn from said electrical component.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/224,355 filed on Aug. 11, 2000, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated into the present application by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60224355 |
Aug 2000 |
US |