Inflatable air foil

• US 4,722,498 A
• Filed: 10/29/1985
• Issued: 02/02/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Inventors: Cameron, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiorito, Lynn M.
• Application Number:
  US06/792,543
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 244/153 R, 244/155 R, 244/155 A, 244/DIG. 1.1, 244/DIG. 1.3, 244/33, 244/152, 244/198, 244/35 R, D21/88, D21/89, 116/210, 441/30, 441/31, 441/2, 441/6, 441/7, 441/9, 441/20, 441/23-26, 446/220, 446/225, 137/223, 141/10, 141/68, 141/114, 141/313, 141/19, 141/329, 141/330
• US Class Current: 244/153.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/50 Captive balloons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 31/06 Kites toy aspects A63H27/08; airborne towed targets, e.g. kites F41J9/10

Abstract

A non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil having a bulbous inflatable forward body and three spaced-apart rearwardly extending inflatable tails. The tails are attached to the rearward portion of the body and form with the body a single inflatable chamber. The central tail is yieldably biased into an upwardly inclined position, and a pair of sheets extend between the tails. The airfoil has a generally delta shape and provides a positive lift when exposed to wind. The airfoil is connected to a single tie down line by a single attachment member and swivel attached to a central portion of the underside of the body. The body and tails have sufficient interior gas containing volume that when filled with a lighter-than-air gas will offset the weight of the airfoil. The bulbous body contains enough lighter-than-air gas that the airfoil assumes a vertical orientation with the body above the tail when in the water or in the air without wind. The body exits the water first and assists in pulling the tails free of the water to allow the airfoil to be inflated underwater and overcome the adhesive force and the weight of the water on the airfoil to allow it to fully exit the water without assistance.

Claims

1. A non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil for use with an outwardly flared collar, comprising:

a bulbous, inflatable forward body having laterally outward side portions tapering forward, said body having a forward portion with a forwardly projecting, inflatable neck, said neck being forwardly tapering to be received within the outwardly flared collar and to interact therewith as said body is inflated, said neck expanding upon inflation of said body and providing a force pulling said neck from the collar for automatic release therefrom upon said body reaching a preselected inflation pressure;

a pair of spaced apart, rearwardly extending inflatable tails, said tails being attached by a forward end portion thereof to a rearward portion of said body;

a sheet extending between said tails and said body, said sheet being attached by a forward edge portion to said rearward portion of said body, and by opposite laterally outward edge portions to laterally inward side portions of said tails; and

means for attachment to said body of a tie down line, said attachment means being connected to an underside of said body at a central portion thereof.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 for use with a source of pressurized gas and injection means located in the collar for providing the gas under pressure to the airfoil, further including means for communicating the gas under pressure from the source to the interior of said body, said means being positioned in said neck of said body for interaction with the injection means in the collar.

3. A non-rigid, gas inflatable generally delta shaped airfoil, comprising:

a bulbous, inflatable forward body having a truncated forward end with a blunted and generally flattened forward face, said forward body further having laterally outward side portions tapering forward;

three spaced apart, rearwardly extending inflatable tails, said tails being attached by a forward end portion thereof to a rearward portion of said body, said three tails including a pair of laterally outward positioned tails and a central tail positioned therebetween, said central tail being yieldably and resiliently biased into a rearwardly extending, upwardly inclined position, said lateral tails each having a laterally outward side portion angled laterally inward relative to the corresponding one of said body side portions to position said tails inwardly from a conventional delta shape toward the longitudinal central axis of the airfoil;

a pair of sheets each extending between an opposite one of said lateral tails and said central tail, each of said sheets being attached by a forward edge portion of said rearward portion of said body, and by opposite laterally outward edge portions to laterally inward side portions of one of said lateral tails and said central tail, said sheets applying a laterally inward force on said tails to maintain said tails in said inward position, the exterior shape of the airfoil providing a positive lift when exposed to wind sufficient to offset the weight of the airfoil, said body and said tails have sufficient interior gas containing volume that when filled with a gas which, at the same temperature and pressure as the ambient air, is less dense than the air, will offset the weight of the airfoil in the ambient air, and when inflated with the gas when under water, will exit the water with said body above said tails and pull said tails free of the water;

at least one substantially transversely projecting and rearwardly extending fin attached to each of said pair of sheets, said fins being formed from darts in said sheets sized to provide said laterally inward force on said lateral tails to maintain said lateral tails in said inward position; and

means for attachment to said body of a tie down line.

4. A non-rigid, gas inflatable generally delta shaped airfoil, comprising:

a bulbous, inflatable forward body having a truncated forward end with a blunted and generally flattened forward face, said forward body further having laterally outward side portions tapering forward;

two spaced apart, rearwardly extending inflatable generally delta shaped tails, said tails being attached by a forward end portion thereof to a rearward portion of said body, said tails being yieldably and resiliently biased into a rearwardly extending, upwardly inclined position, said tails each having a laterally outward side portion angled laterally inward relative to the corresponding one of said body side portions to position said tails inwardly from a conventional delta shape toward the longitudinal central axis of the airfoil;

a sheet extending between said tails and attached by a forward edge portion to said rearward portion of said body, and by laterally outward edge portions to laterally inward side portions of said tails, said sheet applying a laterally inward force on said tails to maintain said tails in said inward position, the exterior shape of the airfoil providing a positive lift when exposed to wind sufficient to offset the weight of the airfoil, said body and said tails have sufficient interior gas containing volume that when filled with a gas which, at the same temperature and pressure as the ambient air, is less dense than the air, will offset the weight of the airfoil in the ambient air, and when inflated with the gas when under water, will exit the water with said body above said tails and pull said tails free of the water;

a substantially transversely projecting and rearwardly extending fin attached to said sheet, said fin being formed from a dart in said sheet sized to provide said laterally inward force on said tails to maintain said tails in said inward position; and

means for attachment to said body of a tie down line.

5. A non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil for use with a release collar, comprising:

a bulbous, inflatable forward body having laterally outward side portions tapering forward, said body having a forward portion with a width greater than the diameter of the collar and receivable within the collar, said forward portion interacting with the collar as said body is inflated and providing a force pulling said forward portion away from the collar for automatic release therefrom upon said body reaching a preselected inflation pressure;

a pair of spaced apart, rearwardly extending inflatable tails, said tails being attached by a forward end portion thereof to a rearward portion of said body;

a sheet extending between said tails and said body, said sheet being attached by a forward edge portion to said rearward portion of said body, and by opposite laterally outward edge portions to laterally inward side portions of said tails; and

means for attachment to said body of a tie down line, said attachment means being connected to an underside of said body at a central portion thereof.

6. A non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil for use with an outwardly flared collar, comprising an inflatable body having a portion with an outwardly projecting, inflatable neck, said neck being forwardly tapering to be received within the outwardly flared collar and to interact therewith as said body is inflated, said neck expanding upon inflation of said body and providing a force pulling said neck from the collar for automatic release therefrom upon said body reaching a preselected inflation pressure.

7. The airfoil of claim 6 for use with a source of pressurized gas and injection means located in the collar for providing the gas under pressure to the airfoil, further including means for communicating the gas under pressure from the source to the interior of said body, said means being positioned in said neck of said body for interaction with the injection means in the collar.

8. A non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil for use with a release collar, comprising an inflatable body having a portion with a width greater than the diameter of the collar and receivable within the collar, said portion interacting with the collar as said body is inflated and providing a force pulling said portion away from the collar for automatic release therefrom upon said body reaching a preselected inflation pressure.