Flyable hydrofoil vessel
First Claim
1. In a hydrofoil vehicle,(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable,(b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions,(c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith,(d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level,(c) and left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about at least one axis, said wings being respectively coupled to the left and right units to rotate therewith as the units pivot between said first and second positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high-performance hydrofoil craft is capable of achieving hullborne, foilborne and airborne configurations. Transition between modes may be driver controlled or automatic, as a function of forward speed. Emergency landings and quick stops are enabled.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (c) and left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about at least one axis, said wings being respectively coupled to the left and right units to rotate therewith as the units pivot between said first and second positions.
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11. In a hydrofoil vehicle
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) and left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about forwardly extending axis, said left and right wings being respectively coupled to the left and right units to rotate therewith as the units pivot between said first and second positions.
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13. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about forwardly extending axes, a stabilizer elevator carried by the vehicle, and water level feeler struts carried to pivot at the outboard ends of the wings, the wings having flaps operatively connected to said feeler struts, and also carried at the nose of the vehicle and operatively connected to the stabilizer elevator.
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14. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) and forward hydrofoil means carried at the nose of the vehicle, there being a canard control foil carried to pivot at said nose above water level, said canard foil operatively connected with said forward hydrofoil means to be pivotally controlled thereby.
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17. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) and including forward hydrofoil means carried at the nose of the vehicle, there being a horizontal airfoil stabilizer carried at the tail of the vehicle, said stabilizer operatively connected with said forward hydrofoil means to be pivotally controlled thereby.
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18. In an airborne vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) left and right wings carried by the hull, and (c) water level feeler struts carried to pivot up and down at the outboard ends of the wings, the wings having swingable roll control flaps connected with said feeler struts whereby pivoting of the struts in response to contact with the surface of a body of water effects swinging of the flaps to control roll of the vehicle about its longitudinal axis and establish a level attitude of the vehicle.
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20. In an airborne vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) left and right wings carried by the hull, (c) feeler struts carried to pivot up and down at the outboard ends of the wings, the wings having swingable flaps operatively connected with said feeler struts whereby pivoting of the struts effects swing of the flaps, (d) a forward feeler strut carried to pivot up and down at the hull nose, the vehicle including a horizontal airfoil stabilizer operatively connected to said forward feeler strut to pivot up and down in response to said pivoting of the forward feeler strut, the forward feeler strut trailing below the level of the hull nose, and including hydrofoil means carried by trailing extent of said forward strut, said stabilizer located at the tail of the vehicle.
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21. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) a hydrofoil system connected with the hull, said system including left and right hydrofoil units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including strut means and hydrofoil sections connected therewith, (d) said hydrofoil sections in said first positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said hydrofoil sections in said second positions of the units being partially submerged to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about at least one axis relative to the hull, (f) feeler struts carried to pivot up and down at the outboard ends of the wings, the wings having swingable roll control flaps operatively connected with the struts so that providing of the struts effects swinging of the flaps to control roll of the vehicle.
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22. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) left and right units, each unit having pivotal connection to the hull to rotate about a generally forwardly extending axis, and between first and second positions, (c) each unit including at least one planing section, (d) said sections in said first positions of the units being positioned to provide lift to urge the forwardly moving hull upwardly out of the water, and said sections in said second positions of the units being positioned to provide lift for maintaining the forwardly moving hull raised relative to water surface level, (e) and left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot about at least one axis, said wings being respectively coupled to the left and right units to rotate therewith as the units pivot between said first and second positions.
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23. In a hydrofoil vehicle,
(a) a forwardly extending hull having left and right sides, the hull being forwardly movable, (b) left and right wings carried by the hull to pivot between raised and lowered positions, (c) left and right hydrofoil units carried by the hull to pivot between extended and retracted positions, the units in extended positions having hydrofoils which are variably pivotable while submerged in water to vary lift transmission to the hull, and (d) said wings coupled to said units to pivot therewith.
Specification