Paddleboard propulsion system and method
AssigneeImpossible R&D, Inc.
InventorHoward Cohen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for propelling a paddleboard or surfboard along the surface of a body of water, comprising a controller motor coupled to a propeller, a rechargeable battery, a controller which may be wearable on the wrist of a user, and a housing structure that is adapted to be attached to the fin box of a paddleboard without the need to remove the fin. The apparatus presents a low-drag profile, has a long battery life for extended range, and is able to be controlled so that user may operate the paddleboard at any desired speed, and in a forward or rearward direction, or in a controllable direction of thrust. The housing structure is adaptable to various fin box T-bolt separation distances.
Claims20
A controllable apparatus for propelling a paddleboard along the surface of a body of water, comprising:
- a structure adapted to be attached to a water-facing surface of a paddleboard, said structure comprising a housing having an opening therethrough allowing a fin mounted in a fin box of the paddleboard to protrude through the structure;
- a controllable electric motor attached to said structure, said controllable motor having a rotable shaft with a propeller attached thereto, said controllable electric motor operable to rotate the propeller such that thrust is developed when the paddleboard is floating on a body of water, said thrust tending to motivate said paddleboard in a direction of travel along the surface of the body of water;
- and
- a controller in communication with said controllable electric motor, said controller having a user interface for receiving input commands from a user for controlling the controllable electric motor shaft rotation speed;
- and
- a battery in electrical communication with said controllable electric motor for providing electric power to said motor;
- wherein the amount of thrust produced when said propeller is rotated is controllable by a user inputting commands for controlling the controllable electric motor shaft rotation speed into the controller user interface;
- and
- wherein the structure is adapted to be attached to a water-facing surface of said paddleboard without requiring said fin to be removed.
A controllable apparatus for propelling a paddleboard along the surface of a body of water, comprising:
- a structure adapted to be attached to a water-facing surface of a paddleboard, said structure comprising a housing having an opening therethrough allowing a fin mounted in a fin box of the paddleboard to protrude through the structure;
- a controllable electric motor attached to said structure, said controllable electric motor having a rotable shaft with a propeller attached thereto, said controllable electric motor operable to rotate the propeller such that thrust is developed when the paddleboard is floating on a body of water, said thrust tending to motivate said paddleboard in a direction of travel along the surface of the body of water;
- a controller in communication with said controllable electric motor, said controller having a user interface for receiving input commands from a user for controlling the controllable electric motor shaft rotation speed;
- and
- a battery in electrical communication with said motor for providing electric power to said controllable electric motor;
- wherein the amount of thrust produced when said propeller is rotated is controllable by a user inputting commands for controlling the controllable electric motor shaft rotation speed into the controller user interface;
- wherein a direction of rotation of said controllable electric motor shaft is controllable by a user inputting commands into said controller user interface such that the direction of thrust generated by said propeller is reversible upon command by a user;
- wherein the structure is adapted to be attached to a water-facing surface of said paddleboard without requiring said fin to be removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.