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US 8,893,640 B2Granted
Hydrofoil
AssigneeConcepts IP Pty Ltd
InventorsWilliam Peter Stephinson, Ian Alan Ward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydrofoil assembly for a waterborne vessel, comprising: a body; a hydrofoil mounted to the body, the hydrofoil being adjustable to vary its lift characteristics; and a control mechanism operative to control the adjustment of the hydrofoil assembly relative to the support.
Claims20
A hydrofoil assembly for a waterborne vessel, comprising:
- a body;
- a hydrofoil mounted to the body, wherein the hydrofoil is adjustable to vary its lift characteristics;
- and
- a control mechanism operative to control the adjustment of the hydrofoil relative to the body, wherein the control mechanism comprises a sensor responsive to the altitude of the vessel relative to the water, a controller to provide a control output based on responses of the sensor, and an actuator to vary lift in the hydrofoil based on the control output of the controller, wherein the control output is nonlinear such that in use the amount the actuator moves in response to the sensor sensing a change in the vessel altitude is less when the vessel is in a lifted position as compared to when the vessel is in a lowered position.
1 more element
A hydrofoil assembly for a waterborne vessel, comprising:
- a body;
- a hydrofoil mounted to the body, wherein the hydrofoil is adjustable to vary its lift characteristics;
- and
- a control mechanism operative to control the adjustment of the hydrofoil assembly relative to the body, wherein the control mechanism comprises a sensor responsive to the altitude of the vessel relative to the water, a controller to provide a control output based on responses of the sensor, and an actuator to vary lift in the hydrofoil based on the control output of the controller, wherein the controller has a contacting surface that contacts the actuator, and wherein the contacting surface is profiled and the control output is dependent on the position of the actuator on that contacting surface.
1 more element
A hydrofoil assembly for a waterborne vessel, comprising:
- a body;
- a hydrofoil pivotally attached to the body, wherein during forward motion of the vessel, water flowing across the hydrofoil biases the hydrofoil to pivot to a neutral position in which no lift is generated;
- and
- an actuator arranged to apply a biasing force to the hydrofoil to change the incidence of the hydrofoil relative to body to create lift,
- wherein the actuator provides a biasing force in only one direction and in the absence of biasing force by the actuator, the hydrofoil is configured so that it is biased in use to return to the neutral position by water flowing across the hydrofoil.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.