초록 ▼

A watercraft device according to the invention includes a central body and two lateral hulls, each having a shape optimized to reduce resistance to the advance motion and connected to the central body through at least one connecting arm, causing the central body to be in raised position with respect

A watercraft device according to the invention includes a central body and two lateral hulls, each having a shape optimized to reduce resistance to the advance motion and connected to the central body through at least one connecting arm, causing the central body to be in raised position with respect to the lateral hulls. The connecting arms have a given angle from the horizontal plan of the device, and the lateral hulls and the central body are oriented with longitudinal axes, or axes in the bow-stern direction, essentially parallel to each other. The central body connecting the lateral hulls is shaped like wing, which helps in sustaining the weight of the vehicle at high speed and exploits ground effect to increase aerodynamic efficiency. In addition, each of the lateral hulls has one or more mobile and/or fixed hydrofoil elements that extend below the corresponding lateral hull.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A watercraft device comprising: a central body;two lateral hulls; andtwo or more connecting arms each connecting the central body to one of the lateral hulls, such to cause the central body to be in a raised position relative to the lateral hulls, the two or more connecting arms having a given in

1. A watercraft device comprising: a central body;two lateral hulls; andtwo or more connecting arms each connecting the central body to one of the lateral hulls, such to cause the central body to be in a raised position relative to the lateral hulls, the two or more connecting arms having a given inclination relative to a horizontal plane of the watercraft device,wherein the two lateral hulls and the central body have longitudinal axes parallel to each other,wherein each of the two lateral hulls has a hydrofoil element disposed therebelow,wherein the hydrofoil element extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a respective lateral hull, andwherein each hydrofoil element is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the respective lateral hull, thereby moving from an immersed state, in which the hydrofoil element is entirely located below the respective lateral hull, to an idle state, in which at least an end of the hydrofoil element facing the opposite lateral hull of said hydrofoil element is located above the respective lateral hull. 2. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each hydrofoil element is disposed toward an outside of the respective lateral hull. 3. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each hydrofoil element extends is disposed toward the opposite lateral hull, andwherein both hydrofoil elements are located at a same distance from bow and stern of the respective lateral hull, andwherein each hydrofoil element has one end facing towards the opposite lateral hull, the ends of the hydrofoil elements being in mutual contact, such that the hydrofoil elements are joined together to form a single wing surface. 4. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the immersed state, the hydrofoil elements are connected together to form a single hydrofoil surface. 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an automatic control unit configured to switch from the immersed state to the idle state of the hydrofoil element. 6. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting arms are of such a size that the watercraft device has an area between the central body and the two lateral hulls suited for receiving the hydrofoil elements in the idle state. 7. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the connecting arms includes a housing compartment for receiving each hydrofoil element in the idle state, and wherein each of the connecting arms is located at a same distance as the hydrofoil element corresponding thereto from bow to stern of the respective lateral hull. 8. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydrofoil element hangs from an annular support, which is rotatable and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the respective lateral hull. 9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the annular support comprises an annular band forming part of a shell surface of the respective lateral hull. 10. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hydrofoil element comprises a first branch extending below the annular support of the respective lateral hull in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the watercraft device, and a second branch connected to the first branch and extending toward the opposite lateral hull with a given inclination, the second branch being connected to a third branch extending substantially parallel to the horizontal plane of the watercraft device, the third branch being connected with a corresponding third branch of the opposite hydrofoil element such that, in the immersed state, two hydrofoil elements form a seamless V-shaped wing surface having a vertex with a flattened central portion, formed of the two third branches. 11. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second branch extends toward the opposite lateral hull, stretching in a direction of the opposite lateral hull and in a direction of the respective lateral hull, such that an end of the second branch proximate to the first branch extends beyond the first branch. 12. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydrofoil element has a section profile in a vertical plane oriented along a bow-stern direction comprising a fore part and an aft part, wherein the fore part comprises two divergent curved surfaces and the aft part comprises two convergent curved surfaces, the convergent curved surfaces joining the divergent curved surfaces,wherein a junction device between the convergent and divergent curved surfaces defines a step, andwherein a cross-section of the fore part is shorter than a cross-section of the aft part of the step. 13. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each lateral hull has two hydrofoil elements, each hydrofoil element being mounted proximate to stern and bow respectively of each of the two lateral hulls to form an aft hydrofoil surface and a fore hydrofoil surface in an immersed state. 14. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the aft wing surface and the fore wing surface, in the immersed state, are in such position that the aft wing surface has a different distance from the horizontal plane of the watercraft device than the aft wing surface. 15. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connecting arm has a hydrofoil profile. 16. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each lateral hull has two connecting arms connecting to the central body, and wherein each connecting arm is mounted proximate to stern and bow of each of the lateral hulls at each hydrofoil element. 17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the given inclination of the connecting arms is such that the two connecting arms proximate to bows of the lateral hulls have a diverging direction relative to the lateral hulls, and wherein the two connecting arms proximate to sterns of the lateral hulls have a converging direction relative to the lateral hulls, or vice versa. 18. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the lateral hulls comprises a body having a substantially cylindrical symmetry, with an annular constriction between bow and stern of the lateral hull. 19. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central body comprises a flattened element that is flattened along the horizontal plane of the watercraft device, wherein the flattened element is symmetrical relative to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft device, such that the flattened element has two identical halves, andwherein the flattened element has a longitudinal section and a transverse section both with a hydrofoil profile. 20. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the two halves of the central body are connected along a longitudinal axis of the flattened element, thereby forming a bow keel having a V-shaped section and curved walls, the bow keel having a parabolic profile, symmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis of the flattened element, the bow keel protruding downward in a fore area. 21. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the two halves of said central body are connected along a longitudinal axis of the flattened element, thereby forming a tail keel having a profile, which is symmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis of the flattened element, the tail keel protruding downward an aft area. 22. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the flattened element has a parabolic section relative to the horizontal plane, with a vertex proximate to a fore area. 23. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the flattened element has an end piece for each of the two halves of the central body, the two end pieces being located at an aft area, such that one end piece is opposite the other end piece, each of the two end pieces being rotatable about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the central body, andwherein the two end pieces are rotatable from a position in which the two end pieces are coplanar with a horizontal plane of the central body to a position in which the two end pieces are inclined relative to the horizontal plane of the central body. 24. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising propulsion device disposed on a surface of the flattened element for propelling the watercraft device. 25. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a centerboard element on an upper surface of the flattened element, the centerboard element being located proximate to a stern of the watercraft device. 26. The watercraft device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flap element located proximate a stern of the central body. 27. A central hull for a small waterline area twin hull (SWATH) watercraft, comprising: a flattened element disposed along a horizontal plane of a central hull,wherein the flattened element is symmetrical relative to a longitudinal axis of a watercraft device, the flattened element being divided into two identical halves,wherein the flattened element has a longitudinal section and a transverse section both having a hydrofoil profile, andwherein the SWATH watercraft further comprises:two lateral hulls; andtwo or more connecting arms each connecting the central hulls to one of the lateral hulls, such to cause the central hull to be in a raised position relative to the lateral hulls, the two or more connecting arms having a given inclination relative to a horizontal plane of the watercraft device,wherein the two lateral hulls and the central hull have longitudinal axes parallel to each other,wherein each of the two lateral hulls has a hydrofoil element disposed therebelow,wherein the hydrofoil element extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a respective lateral hull, andwherein each hydrofoil element is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the respective lateral hull, thereby moving from an immersed state, in which the hydrofoil element is entirely located below the respective lateral hull, to an idle state, in which at least an end of the hydrofoil element facing the opposite lateral hull of said hydrofoil element is located above the respective lateral hull. 28. The central hull as claimed in claim 27, wherein, in the immersed state, the hydrofoil elements are connected together to form a single hydrofoil surface.