Flex wing apparatus
AssigneeGaastra Sails International Limited
InventorJeffrey J. Magnan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flex wing apparatus comprising a support, a mast coupled to the support and a sail. Battens are carried by the sail, and couplings join the leading edge of the battens to the mast so that the sail and battens can pivot about the mast. The battens can be resiliently deformed varying magnitudes to induce the desired chamber into the battens and the sail.
Claims15
A flex wing apparatus comprising:
- a support;
- a mast coupled to the support and projecting therefrom;
- a sail of flexible material, said sail having a leading edge and a trailing edge;
- a plurality of resilient battens;
- means on the sail for carrying the battens with the battens extending toward the leading edge of the sail;
- first and second couplings for coupling first and second of the battens, respectively, to the mast for pivotal movement of the battens and sail about the mast, each of said first and second couplings including means for at least partially surrounding a region of the mast and pivotable about the mast, said first and second couplings resisting movement of the first and second battens toward said leading edge;
- said first and second couplings being free of interlocking driving engagement with each other in the pivotable movement of the first and second couplings about the mast;
- and
- means for resiliently deforming the battens varying magnitudes to induce the desired camber into the battens and the sail.
A flex wing comprising a mast, a sail of flexible material having a leading edge, a plurality of resilient battens, means on the sail for carrying the battens with the battens extending toward the leading edge of the sail, coupling means for coupling the battens to the mast for pivotal movement of the battens and sail about the mast, the coupling means including a plurality of couplings, each of the couplings having a collar at least partially surrounding the mast and rotatable about the mast and at least one leg coupling to the collar, said couplings being free of interlocking driving engagement with each other in the rotatable movement of the couplings about the mast, and the coupling means also including means for coupling the legs to the sail with the legs being adjacent associated battens with the couplings resisting forward movement of the battens, and means for resiliently deforming the battens varying magnitudes to induce the desired camber into the battens and the sail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.