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US 12,122,201 B2Granted
Amphibious vehicle
OwnerJ. David Marchinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An Amphibious Vehicle (AV) is capable of planing with less power than prior similar size amphibious vehicles and using mostly off-the-shelf part. Leading rear wheel well flaps are biased forward against the hull bottom for on-road use, and pivot back to fill a gap between the hull and retracted rear wheel, reducing drag during in-water use.
Claims20
An Amphibious Vehicle (AV) comprising:
- a body including:
- a body bottom;
- rear wheel wells;
- and
- wheel well gaps under a forward portion the rear wheel wells;
- front and rear wheels, the rear wheels residing in or under the rear wheel wells;
- rear wheel well flaps comprising:
- a flap body;
- a hinged end pivotally attached to the AV proximal to the body bottom of the AV ahead of the rear wheel wells;
- a biasing element biasing the wheel well flap forward under the AV;
- and
- a free end opposite to the hinged end;
- in a forward position, the rear wheel well flaps reside proximal to or touching the body bottom ahead of the rear wheel wells;
- and
- in a rearward position, the rear wheel well flaps overlap at least part of the wheel well gaps.
12 more elements
An Amphibious Vehicle (AV) comprising:
- a body including:
- a body bottom;
- rear wheel wells;
- and
- wheel well gaps under a forward portion the rear wheel wells;
- front and rear wheels, the rear wheels residing in or under the rear wheel wells;
- rear wheel well flaps comprising:
- a flap body;
- a hinged end pivotally attached to the AV proximal to the body bottom of the AV;
- a free end opposite to the hinged end;
- the free end of the wheel well flaps urged to a forward position under the body bottom and opposite to the rear wheel wells during on-land operation;
- and
- the free end of the wheel well flaps urged to a rearward position under the wheel well gaps during in-water operation;
- and
- in a rearward position, the rear wheel well flaps touch the rear wheels.
12 more elements
An Amphibious Vehicle (AV) comprising:
- a body including:
- a body bottom;
- rear wheel wells;
- and
- wheel well gaps under a forward portion the rear wheel wells;
- front and rear wheels, the rear wheels residing under the rear wheel wells;
- rear wheel well flaps comprising:
- a flap body;
- a hinged end pivotally attached to the AV proximal to the body bottom of the AV;
- a free end opposite to the hinged end;
- the free end of the wheel well flaps urged to a forward position under the body bottom and opposite to the rear wheel wells during on-land operation;
- and
- the free end of the wheel well flaps urged to a rearward position under the wheel well gaps during in-water operation;
- and
- in a rearward position, the rear wheel well flaps overlapping the wheel well gaps and do not touch the rear wheels.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.