Patent Application
20220219789
The invention relates to a wind deflection apparatus for a helm disposed in an open environment.
Towers and T-Tops have long been used on boats (e.g. center console boats) as a useful part of the boat that can hold navigation equipment, outriggers, and/or a top (e.g. hard top or soft top) that can provide storage and/or provide shade. In a center console boat, the driver controlling the boat is typically positioned behind the center console at the helm, which typically includes the steering wheel and throttle controls. One or more passengers may also be located astride the driver and/or farther behind the center console.
When the boat is underway, oncoming wind in this open-air environment wraps around the center console and reaches the captain and passengers located behind the center console, forming vortices. The aerodynamic effect becomes more noticeable as speed increases. Approximately twenty miles per hour represents a common threshold speed at which the wind impact and noise can become a nuisance. Current center console boats cruise at speeds greater than this. For example, current boats have cruise speed starting in the twenty to thirty miles per hour range, while others can reach upwards of eighty miles per hour or more. Moreover, it is larger boats that reach the higher speeds, and increasing size (e.g. increased width) also increases the aerodynamic effect, thereby compounding the nuisance. Accordingly, there is room in the art for improvement.
The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show:
The inventor has devised a new and innovative wind deflection system designed to reduce the amount of wind a driver and passengers encounter when traveling in a boat with an open environment.
As can be seen by the streamlines 100, the oncoming airflow flows over the bow 130 of the boat 104 and is diverted laterally (up and down on the page) with respect to the bow-to-stern axis 120 around the center console 108 as well as up (out of the page) and over the center console 108 to accommodate the center console 108 while enroute to the stern 132. Once past the center console 108, the streamlines 100 quickly converge laterally back together and can even wrap around the center console 108 to form the vortices 102. This convergence happens relatively quickly and essentially directs the converging air onto the driver and any passengers located downstream of the center console 108.
As can be seen by the streamlines 200, the oncoming air similarly flows over the bow 230 of the boat 202 and is similarly diverted laterally (up and down on the page) with respect to the bow-to-stern axis 220 around the center console 206 as well as up (out of the page) and over the center console 206 to accommodate the center console 206 while enroute to the stern 232. However, this center console 206 is equipped with a wind deflection apparatus 240 that, in this example embodiment, includes a starboard fairing 242 secured to a starboard side 244 of the center console 206. In an example embodiment, the starboard fairing 242 is secured proximate a downstream end 246 of the center console 206. The wind deflection apparatus 240 also includes a port fairing 250 secured to a port side 252 of the center console 206. In an example embodiment, the port fairing 250 is secured proximate a downstream end 246 of the center console 206. As used herein, proximate means aft/downstream of a middle of the center console 206. Also as used herein, the bow 230 is considered upstream and the stern 232 is considered downstream. The overall design of the wind deflection apparatus 240 is configured to withstand oncoming airflows encountered at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.
The fairings 242, 250 alter the airflow by laterally deflecting the oncoming airflow so that the streamlines converge slower than they converge without the fairings 242, 250. The slower convergence results in the streamlines converging at a location that is farther downstream of the center console 206 than occurs in the prior art. This creates a relatively placid slipstream 260 downstream of the center console 206 that encompasses at least the driver's area 214 behind the center console 206, and at least some of the additional seating 222, and/or an open area 224.
The fairings 242, 250 accomplish this by forming an angle relative to the bow-to-stern axis 220 of the center console 206, which may coincide with a longitudinal axis 262 of the boat 202. The starboard fairing 242 forms a starboard fairing angle 264 with the bow-to-stern axis 220 and optionally with the longitudinal axis 262 of the boat 202. Similarly, the port fairing 250 forms a port fairing angle 266 with the bow-to-stern axis 220 and optionally with the longitudinal axis 262 of the boat 202. In an example embodiment, the starboard fairing angle 264 and the port fairing angle 266 can be any angle from twenty (20) to fifty (50) degrees. In an example embodiment, the starboard fairing angle 264 and the port fairing angle 266 are thirty-five (35) degrees.
The fairings 242, 250 have a perceived width that is a distance the fairing 242, 250 occupies laterally (up and down in
In an example embodiment, the starboard fairing 242 and the port fairing 250 are mirror images of each other. However, each may have its own shape necessary to accommodate a shape of the respective side of the center console 206 to which it is secured. Similarly, in an example embodiment, the starboard fairing angle 264 and the port fairing angle 266 may be the same or may be different. Likewise, the starboard fairing perceived width 270 and the port fairing perceived width 272 may be the same or may be different. Moreover, the fairing angle 264, 266 and/or the perceived width 270, 272 may be different for different locations along a height of the fairings 242, 250.
In an example embodiment, the material has a tensile strength of at least 8,000 psi (55.2 MPa) and a modulus of elasticity of at least 300,000 psi (2,100 MPa) as determined by ASTM Method D638. In an example embodiment, the panel 304 is composed of a transparent material. In an example embodiment, the material is acrylic, plastic, glass, or the like. An example acrylic material has a tensile strength of 10,000 psi (69 MPa) and a modulus of elasticity of 400,000 psi (2,800 MPa). In an example embodiment, the material is not transparent and may be, for example, aluminum, carbon fiber, or fiberglass.
In an example embodiment, the leading edge cushion 306 is composed of PVC, for example, clear PVC or the like. In an example embodiment, the top edge 324 may also be composed of a cushioning material.
In an example embodiment, a chord length between the leading edge 308 and the trailing edge 320 of the fairing 302 ranges from not less than ten (10) inches to not more than twenty (20) inches for any given location between the bottom edge 322 and the top edge 324. In an example embodiment, the chord length is fifteen (15) inches (plus or minus one (1) inch) between the tapers at the top edge 324 and the bottom edge 322. In an example embodiment, an overall height from the top edge 324 to the bottom edge 322 is sixty five (65) inches (plus or minus one (1) inch), an overall length is thirty (30) inches (plus or minus one (1) inch), and an overall width is twelve (12) inches (plus or minus one (1) inch).
Also included is a mounting apparatus 350 configured to secure the fairing 302 to the center console 206. In an example embodiment, the mounting apparatus 350 includes one or more braces 352 that secure the panel 304 to a bracket 354. The bracket, in turn, secures to the center console 206. In an example embodiment, each brace 352 includes a front piece 360 and a rear piece 362 that sandwich the panel 304 via fasteners 364. In an example embodiment, the rear piece 362 includes a J-shape or the like. The dimensions and shapes of the components of each brace 352 may be the same or different within the mounting apparatus 350. In an example embodiment, the front piece 360 and the rear piece 362 may be composed of aluminum, stainless steel, or the like.
In an example embodiment, the bracket 354 comprises a post clamp configured to clamp around a post of the center console 206. In an example embodiment, the post clamp form fits to the post of the center console 206. In an example embodiment, the post clamp includes a first clamp piece 370, a second clamp piece 372, and clamp pads 374, all held together via fasteners 376. The brace 352 is secured to the bracket 354 via fasteners 378. In an example embodiment, the first clamp piece 370 and the second clamp piece 372 may be composed of aluminum, for example 6061 aluminum, stainless steel, or the like. In an example embodiment, the clamp pads 374 may be composed of a plastic, for example, nylon 6/10.
The post 602 in this example embodiment defines a post profile/shape 612. The leading edge profile 606 of this example embodiment follows the post profile 612. For example, when moving upward from a bottom edge 322 of the fairing 302, the post profile 612 proceeds (moves forward toward the bow 130) along the bow-to-stern axis 120 until reaching an apex 614. Above the apex 614, the post profile 612 recedes (moves rearward toward the stern 132) along the bow-to-stern axis 120. The leading edge profile 606 likewise proceeds and then recedes, thereby matching the post profile 612. The resulting shape of the fairing 302 keeps the fairing 302 as far astern as possible, thereby reducing the magnitude of the starboard fairing angle 264 and the starboard fairing perceived width 270 necessary to create an appropriately placid slipstream 260. This, in turn, reduces an obtrusiveness (e.g. lateral obtrusiveness) of the fixed starboard side wind deflection apparatus 300.
In this example embodiment, the center console 600 includes a T-top 620 having a lip 622 and an underside 624. The top edge 324 of the fairing 302 cooperates with the underside 624. As used herein, cooperates with the underside 624 means that a shape of the top edge 324 matches a shape of the underside 624, the top edge 324 is closer to the underside 624 than a bottom edge 626 of the lip 622, and/or the top edge 324 forms a seal 628 with the underside 624.
The pivoting port side wind deflection apparatus 700 includes a mounting apparatus 720 that includes the pivot 712 and further includes a positioning assembly 722 secured to the fairing 710 and that can hold the fairing 710 in the retracted position shown, can hold the fairing 710 in an extended position, and can move the fairing 710 between the retracted position and the extended position. In this example embodiment, the center console 702 includes a T-top 730 having a lip 732 with a bottom edge 734, an underside 736, and a top edge 738 of the fairing 710 cooperates with the underside 736 when retracted and/or when extended. A pivoting starboard side wind deflection apparatus (not shown) may be secured to the starboard side of the center console 702 and may be a mirror image of the pivoting port side wind deflection apparatus 700 or may be modified to accommodate the shape/profile of the starboard side of the center console 702.
To retract the fairing 710 to the retracted position, the pin 908 is lifted and the handle 910 is moved as shown by arrow 920. This rotates the lever arm 804 as shown by arrow 922. This, in turn, rotates the rigidly attached arm bracket 904 as shown by arrow 924. The movement of the arm bracket 904 causes the intermediate linkage 902 to move as shown by arrow 926. These movements cause the arm bracket 904 and the intermediate linkage 902 to fold onto each other, which retracts the fairing 710. Since the lever arm 804 in this example embodiment is connected to both the first positioning arm 800 and the second positioning arm 802, the same movements occur in both positioning arms 800, 802. When the fairing 710 is in the retracted position, moving the lever arm 804 in the direction opposite of arrow 920 reverses this operation and moves the fairing 710 to the extended position, where the pin 908 can be installed in the intermediate linkage 902 to hold the fairing 710 in the extended position.
As disclosed above, the inventor has created a wind deflection apparatus that significantly increases a boating experience and yet is inexpensive, and simple to install and maintain. Accordingly, the wind deflection apparatus represents an improvement in the art.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, swapping of features among embodiments, changes, and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63137312 | Jan 2021 | US |
