Sailboat substantially free of heeling moments
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0785272
(2007-04-17)
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등록번호 |
US-8104415
(2012-01-31)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
2 |
초록
▼
A sailboat includes a sail assembly with opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The sail assembly is normally offset from the hull and oriented for generation of a propelling force substantially free of heeling moments. A support structure supports the sail assembly for r
A sailboat includes a sail assembly with opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The sail assembly is normally offset from the hull and oriented for generation of a propelling force substantially free of heeling moments. A support structure supports the sail assembly for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical and substantially parallel to the leading edge. The support structure includes an upper rotary joint mounting the upper end of the sail assembly to the support structure and a lower rotary joint mounting the lower end of the sail assembly to the support structure. The rotary joints are positioned to allow unobstructed rotation of the sail assembly fully through 360 degrees about the inclined axis. At least part of the support structure is mounted for rotation together with the sail assembly and the inclined axis relative to the hull, largely eliminating weather helm. Controls are provided to permit adjustment of the angular orientation of the sail assembly about the inclined axis thereby adjusting propelling force.
대표청구항
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1. A sailboat comprising: a hull, a keel, and a rudder;a sail assembly comprising a pair of opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge extending between the opposing ends, and a trailing edge extending between the opposing ends;support means supporting the sail assembly, the support means compris
1. A sailboat comprising: a hull, a keel, and a rudder;a sail assembly comprising a pair of opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge extending between the opposing ends, and a trailing edge extending between the opposing ends;support means supporting the sail assembly, the support means comprising a support structure supporting the sail assembly for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical and offset from the hull such that the plane defined by the line of action of the aerodynamic force of the sail assembly as it is rotated about the inclined axis passes substantially through the center of effort of the keel, the support structure comprising an upper rotary joint mounting the upper end of the sail assembly to the support structure and a lower rotary joint mounting the lower end of the sail assembly to the support structure, the rotary joints positioned to allow unobstructed rotation of the sail assembly fully through 360 degrees about the inclined axis;mounting means mounting at least part of the support structure together with the sail assembly and the inclined axis for rotation relative to the hull about a vertical axis; and,control means for controlling the angular orientation of the sail assembly about the inclined axis. 2. The sailboat of claim 1 in which the control means comprise: a line fastened to the sail assembly; and,decoupling means fully or partially decoupling the angle of attack of the sail assembly with respect to the wind from the rotation of the sail assembly about the vertical axis. 3. The sailboat of claim 2 in which the decoupling means comprise: moveable means engaged with the line to draw at least a partial loop of the line from the rest of the line; and,means cooperating with the moveable mean to pay out the partial loop to the rest of the line in response to rotation of the support structure in either angular direction from a predetermined angular position and for hauling in the partial loop from the rest of the line in response to rotation of the support structure toward the predetermined angular position. 4. The sailboat of claim 3 in which: the control means comprise a plurality of pulleys attached to the support structure and guiding movement of the line along a predetermined path; and,the moveable means comprise a frame and a pulley mounted to the frame and engaged with the line at a predetermined point along the path. 5. The sailboat of claim 4 in which: the line is one line comprised by the control means; and,the means cooperating with the moveable mean comprise (a) another line separate from the one line and coupled to the moveable means; and, (b) means displacing the other line in response to rotation of the support structure thereby to pull the moveable element away from the one line in response to rotation of the support structure toward the predetermined angular position and releasing the moveable element in response to rotation of the support structure away from the predetermined angular position. 6. The sailboat of claim 1 in which: the sail assembly comprises a flexible sheet and a shaft at the leading edge of the sail assembly to which the flexible sheet is fastened; and,a boom is fixed to the shaft in an orientation transverse to both the leading and trailing edges of the sail assembly; and,the control means comprise a line connected to the boom. 7. The sailboat of claim 1 in which: the sail assembly comprises a wing that defines the leading edge and trailing edges of the sail assembly; and,the control means comprise a line fastened to the wing. 8. The sailboat of claim 1 in which: the support structure comprises a generally vertical member that rotates about the vertical axis and a generally horizontal member that forms a junction with the generally vertical member and rotates with the generally vertical member about the vertical axis;the generally vertical member comprises an upper end distant from the junction and supporting the upper rotary joint; and,the generally horizontal member comprises one end distant from the junction and supporting the lower rotary joint. 9. The sailboat of claim 8 in which: the distant end of the generally horizontal member extends in a predetermined direction relative to the generally vertical member;the generally horizontal member comprises an end proximate to the junction that extends in an opposite direction relative to the generally vertical member; and,a seating structure for a person is mounted to the proximate end of the generally horizontal member whereby, in use, the weight of the person seated in the seating structure counterbalances the weight of the sail assembly and the support structure. 10. The sailboat of claim 8 in which: the distant end of the generally horizontal member extends in a predetermined direction relative to the generally vertical member;the generally horizontal member comprises an opposing end proximate to the junction that extends in an opposite direction relative to the generally vertical member; and,a counterweight is mounted to the proximate end of the generally horizontal member to counterbalance the weight of the sail assembly and the support structure. 11. The sailboat of claim 8 in which the junction comprises: a stub mast fixed to the hull in alignment with the vertical axis;a vertical sleeve surrounding and rotating about the stub mast;means mounting both the generally vertical member and the generally horizontal member to the sleeve for rotation together with the sleeve. 12. The sailboat of claim 8 in which the control means comprise biasing means for urging the sail assembly toward a rest position. 13. The sailboat of claim 12 in which the biasing means comprise: a cam rotating with the sail assembly about the inclined axis; and,a spring-biased follower mounted to one of the generally horizontal and generally vertical members and engaged with the cam. 14. A sailboat comprising: a plurality of hulls, a keel, and a rudder;a sail assembly comprising a pair of opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge extending between the opposing ends, and a trailing edge extending between the opposing ends;support means supporting the sail assembly, the support means comprising a support structure supporting the sail assembly for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical and offset from the keel such that the plane defined by the line of action of the aerodynamic force of the sail assembly as it is rotated about the inclined axis passes substantially through a point below the center of mass of the boat and laterally aligned with the center of effort of the keel, the support structure comprising an upper rotary joint mounting the upper end of the sail assembly to the support structure and a lower rotary joint mounting the lower end of the sail assembly to the support structure, the rotary joints positioned to allow unobstructed rotation of the sail assembly fully through 360 degrees about the inclined axis;mounting means mounting at least part of the support structure together with the sail assembly and the inclined axis for rotation relative to the hull about a vertical axis; and,control means for controlling the angular orientation of the sail assembly about the inclined axis.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
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Menegus Robert L. (62 Major St. Clifton NJ 07013), Automatically rotatable sloop rig.
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Newick Richard C. (R.F.D. Vineyard Haven MA 02568), Roller reefing system.
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