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US 6,675,735 B1Granted
Hydrofoil sail craft
OwnerStephen Bourninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sailing craft including a single hydrofoil assembly, an aerofoil assembly, and a hull assembly with a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull assembly. The hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, supported above the water by the rigid beam. The hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull assembly are preferably interconnected such that the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly are disposed at opposite ends of the rigid beam and the hull is connected to the beam therebetween.
Claims32
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly;
- an aerofoil assembly;
- a rigid beam;
- and
- a hull connected to the rigid beam wherein, the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly, are located at opposite ends of the rigid beam and the hull is separate and displaced from both the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly, and wherein during use, the aerofoil assembly is displaced either partially or fully downwind with respect to the hydrofoil assembly and wherein a line of action of a resultant force of the aerofoil assembly and a line of action of a resultant force of the hydrofoil assembly pass approximately through a common point located on a vertical line through the center of gravity of the craft, said resultant forces of the hydrofoil and aerofoil assemblies both being directed away from said common point, said resultant forces of the hydrofoil and aerofoil assemblies having horizontal components which are substantially equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, said resultant force of the aerofoil assembly having a vertical component which is directed upwards, said resultant force of the hydrofoil assembly having a vertical component which may vary continuously between an upwards and downwards direction and wherein the sum of the vertical components of said resultant forces of the hydrofoil and aerofoil assemblies is directed upwards and is substantially equal in magnitude to the weight of the craft.
2 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly comprising
- a hydrofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about an axis generally aligned with the flow of water past the hydrofoil member;
- and
- a hydrofoil boom and stabilizing foils attached thereto, the hydrofoil boom being fixedly attached to the hydrofoil assembly and extending downstream of the hydrofoil member and acting to assist maintaining the hydrofoil member lateral axis generally transverse to the flow of water passing the hydrofoil member and stabilizing yaw movements of the hydrofoil assembly;
- an aerofoil assembly comprising an aerofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about an axis generally aligned with the flow of air past the aerofoil member;
- a hull;
- and
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the Water by connection to the rigid beam wherein the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly are connected to the rigid beam such that, in use, they may rotate freely about generally vertical axes thereby maintaining the lateral axes of the hydrofoil and aerofoil members generally transverse to the flow of water and air respectively passing the hydrofoil and aerofoil members.
5 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly comprising a hydrofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about an axis generally aligned with the flow of water past the hydrofoil member;
- an aerofoil assembly comprising:
- an aerofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about
- an axis generally aligned with the flow of air past the aerofoil member;
- and
- an aerofoil boom and stabilizing foils attached thereto, the aerofoil boom being fixedly attached to the aerofoil assembly and extending downwind of the aerofoil member and acting to assist maintaining the aerofoil member lateral axis generally transverse to the flow of air passing the aerofoil member and stabilizing yaw movements of the aerofoil assembly;
- a hull;
- and
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the water by connection to the rigid beam wherein the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly are connected to the rigid beam such that, in use, they may rotate freely about generally vertical axes thereby maintaining the lateral axes of the hydrofoil and aerofoil members generally transverse to the flow of water and air respectively passing the hydrofoil and aerofoil members.
6 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly;
- an aerofoil assembly;
- a hull;
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from both the hydrofoil assembly and the aerofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the water by connection to the rigid bean;
- and
- a cowell extending over a substantial portion of the rigid beam wherein the cowell is attached to the rigid beam so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the rigid beam.
3 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly comprising a hydrofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about an axis generally aligned with the flow of water past the hydrofoil member;
- an aerofoil assembly comprising an aerofoil member having a lateral axis that, in use, is capable of rotation about an axis generally aligned with the flow of air past the aerofoil member and wherein the aerofoil member comprises a flexible and resilient member that is capable, in use, of being twisted about an axis generally transverse to the flow of air past the aerofoil member, the transverse axis also being generally aligned with the lateral axis of the aerofoil member;
- a hull;
- and
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the water by connection to the rigid beam.
2 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly;
- an aerofoil assembly comprises two aerofoil members of substantially similar configuration, each member being capable, in use, of rotation about an axis generally transverse to the flow of air past the aerofoil members with each axis also being generally aligned with the lateral axis of the individual aerofoil members;
- a hull;
- and
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the water by connection to the rigid beam.
2 more elements
A wind powered sailing craft comprising:
- a hydrofoil assembly comprising two hydrofoil members of substantially similar configuration, each member being capable, in use, of rotation about an axis generally transverse to the flow of water past the hydrofoil members, the axis also being generally aligned with the lateral axis of the hydrofoil members;
- an aerofoil assembly;
- a hull;
- and
- a rigid beam interconnecting the hydrofoil assembly, the aerofoil assembly, and the hull, wherein the hull is separate and displaced from the hydrofoil assembly and is, in use, at least partially supported above the water by connection to the rigid beam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.