Back to results
US 5,469,801 AGranted
Advanced marine vehicles for operation at high speed in or above rough water
AssigneeDynafoils, Inc.
InventorPeter R. Payne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrofoil craft has a hull supported above a water surface by a foil connected to the hull by means of a support arm. In accordance with one form of the invention, the support arm enables the foil to move up and down with respect to the hull in concert with upgusts and downgusts of water surrounding the foil so as to maintain the hull at an approximately constant elevation. In accordance with another form of the invention, the support arm is supported by the hull for pivoting about a longitudinal axis extending in substantially the fore and aft direction of the hull. When rolling forces act on the foil, the support arm can pivot about the axis from a vertical position in response to the rolling forces while enabling the hull to remain substantially level.
Claims62
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- a foil for supporting the hull above a water surface;
- a support arm having a first end connected to the foil and a second end connected to the hull in a manner enabling the support arm to pivot with respect to the hull in response to rolling forces from a center position about a first axis spaced from the first end and extending in generally a fore and aft direction of the hull and enabling the support arm to pivot with respect to the hull about a second axis spaced from the first end and extending roughly perpendicular to the first axis, whereby the foil can move in concert with upgusts and downgusts in the water surrounding the foil.
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- a foil for supporting the hull above a water surface;
- a frame pivotably supported by the hull for pivoting about the first axis extending in generally a fore and aft direction of the hull;
- and
- a support arm connected to the foil and connected to the frame in a manner enabling the support arm to pivot with respect to the hull in response to rolling forces from a center position about the first axis and pivotally supported by the frame for pivoting about a second axis extending roughly perpendicular to the first axis, whereby the foil can move in concert with upgusts and downgusts in the water surrounding the foil.
2 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- one or more aft-extending support arms supported by the hull for pivoting about an axis extending transversely with respect to a centerline plane of the hull;
- a foil disposed beneath the hull for supporting the hull above a water surface and connected to the one or more support arms such that an angle of incidence of the foil varies as the one or more support arms pivot about the axis, the foil being supported solely by the one or more aft-extending support arms;
- and
- biasing means for biasing the one or more support arms to pivot away from the hull,
- wherein an angle measured downwards from a horizontal line to a line connecting the axis with a quarter chord of the foil when the hull is foil-borne in calm water is at most approximately 60 degrees.
3 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- a support arm disposed beneath the hull and supported by the hull for pivoting about an axis extending transversely with respect to a centerline plane of the hull;
- a lift generating foil connected to the support arm below the hull;
- and
- a biasing member connected to the support arm for exerting a biasing force on the support arm to maintain the support arm substantially horizontal when the hull is raised above the water surface in calm water and permitting pivoting movement of the support arm about the axis to enable the foil to move up and down with respect to the hull in concert with upgusts and downgusts of water surrounding the foil.
2 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- a foil connected to the hull for supporting the hull above a water surface;
- a propeller supported by the hull;
- and
- a ventilating tube connecting the atmosphere with a suction side of the propeller when the propeller is submerged and the hull is supported above the water surface by the foil.
2 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull having a longitudinal centerline plane;
- a first foil and a second foil each extending transversely with respect to the centerline plane;
- a first support arm connected between the hull and the first foil;
- and
- a second support arm connected between the hull and the second foil for supporting the second foil in a submerged position with respect to a water surface,
- the first support arm being movable independently of the second support arm, while the hull is moving and raised above the water surface, between a lowered position in which the first foil is totally submerged and in close proximity to the second foil and the first and second foils overlap in a longitudinal direction of the hull, and a raised position in which the first foil is raised above the water surface and the second foil is totally submerged.
3 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull having a longitudinal centerline plane;
- a first foil and a second foil each extending transversely with respect to the centerline plane;
- a first support arm connected between the hull and the first foil;
- a second support arm connected between the hull and the second foil for supporting the second foil in a submerged position with respect to a water surface;
- and
- movement enabling means for enabling the second support arm and the second foil to move in concert with upgusts and downgusts of water located around the second foil so that the hull maintains an approximately constant elevation above the water,
- the first support arm being movable independently of the second support arm, while the hull is moving and raised above the water surface, between a lowered position in which the first foil is submerged and in close proximity to the second foil and a raised position in which the first foil is raised above the water surface and the second foil is submerged.
4 more elements
A method of operating a hydrofoil craft comprising:
- supporting a moving hull above a water surface by a first totally submerged foil and a second totally submerged foil disposed in close proximity to one another beneath the water surface when the speed of the hull is in a first speed range;
- and
- raising the first foil with respect to the second foil to above the water surface by pivoting a support arm for the first foil about an axis extending in a transverse direction of the hull and supporting the hull with the second foil when the speed is in a second speed range higher than the first speed range.
A method of operating a hydrofoil craft comprising:
- propelling a moving hull with a propeller disposed beneath a water surface and the hull supported above the water surface by a foil;
- and
- simultaneously introducing air through a conduit from the atmosphere to a suction side of the propeller at a rate such that an upper portion of the propeller is operating entirely in air introduced through the conduit while a lower portion is operating entirely in water.
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull;
- a foil for supporting the hull above a water surface;
- a propeller connected to the hull;
- a passage for air communicating between the atmosphere and a suction side of the propeller;
- a valve disposed in the passage for adjusting an air flow rate through the passage;
- and
- a controller controlling the valve in accordance with a speed of the hull such that approximately an upper half of the propeller operates in air and approximately a lower half of the propeller operates in water with the propeller submerged.
4 more elements
A hydrofoil craft comprising:
- a hull having a longitudinal centerline plane;
- a first foil and a second foil each extending transversely with respect to the centerline plane;
- a first support arm connected between the hull and the first foil;
- and
- a second support arm connected between the hull and the second foil for supporting the second foil in contact with a body of water so that the second foil generates lift,
- the first support arm being movable independently of the second support arm, while the hull is moving and raised above a water surface of the body of water, by pivoting about an axis extending in a transverse direction of the hull, between a lowered position in which the first foil is in close proximity to the second foil and in contact with the body of water so as to generate lift and a raised position in which the first foil is raised above the water surface and the second foil is contacting the body of water.
3 more elements
A method of operating a hydrofoil craft comprising:
- supporting a moving hull above a water surface by a first totally submerged foil and a second totally submerged foil disposed in close proximity to one another beneath the water surface and overlapping one another in a longitudinal direction of the hull when the speed of the hull is in a first speed range;
- and
- raising the first foil with respect to the second foil to above the water surface and supporting the hull with the second foil when the speed is in a second speed range higher than the first speed range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.