US 5,671,690 AGranted

Variable camber inflatable airfoil

OwnerMichael D. Trostinventor

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Abstract

A variable camber inflatable airfoil for primary use with sailing vessels. The airfoil consists of a port and a starboard airfoil panel connected to a mast to partially or entirely enclose the mast. The airfoil is further provided with various air-inlet ports to inflate the airfoil in either a dynamic fashion, with the airfoil being inflated via the air pressure from the ingress of air into the air-inlet ports during sailing, or alternatively, the airfoil may be inflated in a static fashion, with the air pressure within the airfoil remaining constant by being inflated and sealed off. Upon inflation, the shape of the airfoil may be adjusted by applying and removing tension from tension points on the port and starboard panels of the airfoil to obtain the optimal airfoil shape for the particular angle of attack and desired lift-to-drag ratio.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An airfoil assembly for use with a sailing vessel, comprising:

mast means having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end being coupled to said sailing vessel and said upper end extending generally vertically away therefrom;
boom means having a first end coupled to said mast means and a second end extending distally therefrom;
inflatable airfoil means having an internally disposed inflation cavity, said inflation cavity being bounded by leading edge means positioned adjacent to said mast means, foot edge means extending from said second end of said boom means toward said mast means, and trailing edge means extending between said second end of said boom means and said upper end of said mast means, said leading edge means including a first leading edge and a second leading edge disposed in spaced relation proximate said mast means, said airfoil means further including first tension point means disposed a predetermined distance away from said first leading edge, second tension point means disposed a predetermined distance away from said second leading edge, and air injection means for introducing a volume of air into said inflation cavity to force said airfoil means into an airfoil shape;
and
adjustment means attached to said first and second tension point means for selectively forming said trailing edge means at one of said first and second tension point means to thereby selectively adjust the camber of said airfoil means.

2 more elements

A method for improving the aerodynamic efficiency of a sailing vessel, said sailing vessel having a mast member and a boom member, comprising the steps of:

(i) providing airfoil means having an internally disposed inflation cavity, said inflation cavity being bounded by leading edge means, foot edge means, and trailing edge means, said airfoil means having first tension point means disposed a predetermined distance from said leading edge means, second tension point means disposed a predetermined distance from said leading edge means, and air injection means for introducing a volume of air into said inflation cavity;
(ii) introducing a volume of air into said inflation cavity to produce an internal air pressure capable of forcing said inflation cavity into spaced relation to assume a generally airfoil shape;
(iii) providing adjustment means in attachment with said first and second tension point means for selectively forming said trailing edge means at the approximate location of one of said first and second tension point means;
and
(iv) adjusting said adjustment means to vary the camber of said airfoil means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.