NL2010508C2

NL2010508C2 - A watercraft.

Info

Publication number: NL2010508C2
Application number: NL2010508A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Jan Arie Frederik Grootveld
Original assignee: Jan Arie Frederik Grootveld
Priority date: 2013-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2014-09-24

Description

A watercraft

The present invention relates a human powered watercraft comprising a floatation support member and a propulsion mechanism.

Such a watercraft is disclosed in US-A1-2012/0276792. An exemplary embodiment of the watercraft of US-A1-2012/0276792 includes a board body having a top rider surface, a bottom submerged surface, a front section half, a rear section half, a board centreline and a board plane. A leg engagement mechanism is pivotally connected to the board body positioned generally along the rear section half. The leg engagement mechanism engages a rider's legs while lying in a prone position on the top rider surface. A fin propulsion mechanism is pivotally connected to the board body positioned generally below a water line and mechanically coupled to the leg engagement mechanism. Rotating the leg engagement mechanism rotates the fin propulsion mechanism, thus creating a forward thrust.

Watercraft of the prior art, such as the watercraft of US-A1-2012/0276792, suffer disadvantages: (1) The propulsion mechanism typically comprises numerous moving parts. The joints between these moving parts are weak points in the mechanism that are prone to failure e.g. through mechanical failure, clogging and/or as a result of corrosion of joining parts.

(2) The depth of water required for their operation typically means that they cannot be operated in the shallows, such as close to the beach.

(3) In order for the (complex) propulsion mechanisms to be sufficiently strong (at a reasonable price), it is necessarily heavy. Such is inconvenient for transport of the watercraft .

(4) Only the legs of a rider are exercised.

It is an object of the invention to overcome one or more disadvantages of watercraft of the prior art. Furthermore it is an object that the watercraft of the invention is an alternative to watercraft of the prior art, offering fur- ther advantages thereover.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a watercraft comprising a floatation support member and a propulsion mechanism wherein the propulsion mechanism is configured to be powered by the arms of a rider.

The watercraft of the invention is primarily intended for leisure use; however it may also be used, for example, for developing fitness, in competitive sport, to facilitate recovery after injury, or by lifeguards.

A human-powered watercraft is a non-motorised watercraft that is suitable for being powered by a human.

Regarding the floatation support member:

The floatation support member is sufficiently buoyant that in use, a rider on the floatation support member is kept at- or above- the surface of the water. Thus the watercraft can also be used by riders having only limited swimming abilities .

The buoyancy of the floatation support member may, for example, be derived from the material from which it is constructed, or by being filled with a material having a density less than the density of water.

In a simple embodiment, the floatation support member is e.g. a board composed of an expanded plastic.

The floatation support member preferably has a rider surface for receiving the torso of a rider in a prone position. Furthermore, the floatation support member preferably has a length and width that are approximately equivalent to the length and width of an average child- or adult- torso.

Having a rider surface upon which a rider may lie in a prone position offers a number of advantages: a low centre of gravity is beneficial for stability; the watercraft may be ridden by riders that have a physical handicap, such as a rider having missing limbs; and, the watercraft is operable by a rider having received only minimal instruction.

By limiting the dimensions of the floatation support member to approximately those of the torso of a rider, the weight of the floatation support member can be kept to a min imum which is beneficial for transporting the board; a minimum of material can be used for its construction keeping costs low; and furthermore a small watercraft is more manoeuvrable than a large watercraft.

In a complex embodiment, the floatation support member is based on a modern bodyboard. Bodyboard design has reached quite an advanced level and a person of skill in the art is able to tune technical features of the bodyboard, such as relating to the design of the nose, deck, tail, rails, stringer, bottom and/or rocker, to give particular ride characteristics .

Whereas the simple embodiment of the floatation support member described above may only be of use in calm water such as a swimming pool, a more advanced embodiment, such as one wherein the floatation support member is (or is based on) a bodyboard, can be used even on the sea in the presence of significant swell or waves.

Regarding the propulsion mechanism:

In a preferred embodiment, the propulsion mechanism comprises an arm engagement mechanism and propulsion means wherein rotation of the arm engagement mechanism drives the propulsion means.

A person of skill in the art is able to envisage numerous ways in which an arm engagement mechanism and propulsion means can be arranged such that rotation of the arm engagement mechanism drives the propulsion means. An preferred example of such an arrangement is given below with reference to the drawing.

An arm engagement mechanism is a mechanism that is positioned to be operable by the arms of a rider i.e. when the watercraft is in use. The pedals of a conventional bicycle, although in principle operable by arms, cannot be considered an arm engagement mechanism since they are not positioned to be operable by a rider whilst using the bicycle for cycling.

The arm engagement mechanism may be directly coupled to the propulsion means, or indirectly coupled e.g. by means of linkages, cogs and/or chains.

In a preferred embodiment, the arm engagement mechanism comprises a bicycle-like pedal mechanism comprising an axle passing through a tubular housing mounted in or on the floatation support member, a crank arm at each extremity of the axle, and a pedal at the outermost extremity of each crank arm. Preferably the axis and crank arms are a single shaped part. The fewer the number of moving parts, the lighter and more robust the system.

The arm engagement mechanism is preferably arranged relative to the floatation support member so as to be operable by a rider lying prone on the flotation support member, such as by performing a front crawl-type swimming motion.

Such a motion can be sustained for relatively long periods and is effective for exercising the arms and upper body.

The propulsion means preferably comprise one or more paddles and/or propellers. Wherein the propulsion means comprise paddles, the paddles are preferably mounted to the pedals. Such an arrangement can be achieved with a minimum of moving parts since it does not require complex mechanical interconnects between the arm engagement mechanism and propulsion means. The paddles preferably have a larger (active) surface area than the surface area of an average riders hands in order to provide a larger thrust than a rider could achieve without the propulsion mechanism.

In a second aspect of the invention, the watercraft has a bow section and a stern section, wherein the stern section comprises a preselected number of buoyant stern section parts, the preselected number being related to the height and/or weight of a rider. Thus a single watercraft can be adjusted for riders of different height and/or weight.

The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the Drawings of Figures 1 and 2 showing a preferred embodiment of the watercraft of the invention. The Drawings provide an illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention; the invention is not to be considered limited thereto .

Figure 1 is an illustration of the watercraft of the invention in use.

Figure 2 is an illustration of the watercraft of the invention without rider.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the human-powered watercraft 1 of the invention is shown. The watercraft 1 comprises a floatation support member 2 and a propulsion mechanism 3. The propulsion mechanism 3 is configured to be powered by the arms of a rider i.e. such that in use, a rider is able to drive the watercraft 1 through water through the use of his arms. The rider may provide additional thrust through use of his legs, although it should be appreciated that the watercraft 1 may be powered by arms alone and as such is also suitable for handicapped riders who for example have lost, or do not have use of their legs. The floatation support member 2 is based on a bodyboard and has a rider surface 4 for receiving the torso of a rider in a prone position. In this embodiment, the length and width of the floatation support member 2 are approximately equivalent to the length and width of an average adult torso. In an alternative embodiment, the length and width of the floatation support member 2 are approximately equivalent to the length and width of an average child torso. Embodiments of the watercraft 1 of the invention are intended for riders of all ages from the very young to the very old. Since the floatation support member 2 facilitates floatation, the watercraft is also suitable for riders who are poor swimmers .

The propulsion mechanism 3 comprises an arm engagement mechanism 5 and propulsion means 6 wherein rotation of the arm engagement mechanism 5 drives the propulsion means 6. The arm engagement mechanism 5 is arranged relative to the floatation support member 2 so as to be operable by a rider lying prone on the flotation support member 2 by performing a front crawl-type swimming motion.

The arm engagement mechanism 5 comprises a bicyclelike pedal mechanism 7 comprising an axle 8 passing through a tubular housing 9 mounted in the floatation support member 2, a crank arm 10 at each extremity of the axle 8, and a pedal 11 at the outermost extremity of each crank arm 10. The axis and crank arms are a single part. The propulsion means comprise two scoop-shaped paddles 6, said paddles 6 being mounted to the pedals. The pedals may of course have a suitable alternative shape, such as the shape of paddles that are in use with standup surfing. An appropriate material for the paddles is carbon, although also in this respect other materials are feasible. It may be beneficial to construe the paddles with means to adjust their orientation with respect to the water. The pedals are freely rotatable about an imaginary axis in the plane of the watercraft and perpendicular to the long-axis thereof. The paddles have a fixed orientation relative to the pedals.

The watercraft 1 further has a bow section B and a stern section S wherein the stern section S comprises a preselected number of buoyant stern section parts 13, the preselected number being related to the height and/or weight of a rider. Thus the number of buoyant stern section parts 13 can be adjusted to suite a rider. The bow section B and the stern section S may be made in one piece, or they may be separable. It is also possible to make these parts or one of them inflatable .

Claims

1. Vaartuig (1) omvattende een drijvend steundeel (2) en een voortstuwingsmechanisme (3), met het kenmerk, dat het voortstuwingsmechanisme (3) is ingericht om aangedreven te worden met armen van een gebruiker.Vessel (1) comprising a floating support part (2) and a propulsion mechanism (3), characterized in that the propulsion mechanism (3) is adapted to be driven with the arms of a user.

2. Vaartuig (1) volgens conclusie 1, met het kenmerk, dat het drijvend steundeel (2) een gebruikersoppervlak (4) heeft voor het dragen van een torso van een gebruiker in een vooroverliggende positie.Vessel (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the floating support part (2) has a user surface (4) for supporting a user's torso in a forward position.

3. Vaartuig (1) volgens één of meer van de voorgaande conclusies, met het kenmerk, dat het drijvend steundeel (2) een lengte en breedte bezit die ongeveer gelijk zijn aan de lengte en breedte van een gemiddelde kind- of volwassene-torso.Vessel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floating support part (2) has a length and width that are approximately equal to the length and width of an average child or adult torso.

4. Vaartuig (1) volgens één of meer van de voorgaande conclusies, met het kenmerk, dat het voortstuwingsmechanisme (3) een armkoppelingsmechanisme (5) en voortstuwingsmiddelen (6) die daarop gemonteerd zijn, omvatten teneinde te veroorzaken dat rotatie van het armkoppelingsmechanisme (5) de voortstuwingsmiddelen (6) aandrijft.Vessel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the propulsion mechanism (3) comprises an arm coupling mechanism (5) and propulsion means (6) mounted thereon to cause rotation of the arm coupling mechanism ( 5) drives the propulsion means (6).

5. Vaartuig (1) volgens één of meer van de voorgaande conclusies, met het kenmerk, dat het armkoppelingsmechanisme (5) is ingericht ten opzichte van het drijvend steundeel (2) teneinde bedienbaar te zijn door een gebruiker die vooroverligt op het drijvend steundeel (2), bijvoorbeeld door het uitvoeren van een borstcrawl-type zwembeweging.Vessel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arm coupling mechanism (5) is arranged with respect to the floating support part (2) in order to be operable by a user who is leaning forward on the floating support part (2). 2), for example by performing a breast crawl-type swimming movement.

6. Vaartuig (1) volgens conclusie 4 of 5, met het kenmerk, dat het armkoppelingsmechanisme (5) een fietsgelij-kend pedaalmechanisme (7) omvat met een as (8) die door een buisvormige behuizing (9) reikt die gemonteerd is in of op het drijvend steundeel (2), een krukasarm (10) aan ieder uiteinde van de as, en een pedaal (11) aan het meest buitengele-gen uiteinde van iedere krukasarm (10).Vessel (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the arm coupling mechanism (5) comprises a bicycle-like pedal mechanism (7) with a shaft (8) extending through a tubular housing (9) mounted in or on the floating support member (2), a crankshaft arm (10) at each end of the axle, and a pedal (11) at the outermost end of each crankshaft arm (10).

7. Vaartuig (1) volgens één of meer van de conclusies 4 tot 6, met het kenmerk, dat de voortstuwingsmiddelen (3) één of meer peddels en/of propellers (12) omvatten.Vessel (1) according to one or more of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the propulsion means (3) comprise one or more paddles and / or propellers (12).

8. Vaartuig (1) volgens conclusie 7, met het ken- merk, dat de voortstuwingsmiddelen peddels (12) zijn, welke peddels gemonteerd zijn op de pedalen (11).Vessel (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the propulsion means are paddles (12), which paddles are mounted on the pedals (11).

9. Vaartuig (1) volgens één of meer van de voorgaande conclusies waarbij het vaartuig (1) een boegdeel (B) en een achterschipdeel (S) omvat, met het kenmerk, dat het ach-terschipdeel (S) een voorafbepaald aantal drijvende achter-schipdelen (13) heeft, waarbij het voorafbepaalde aantal gerelateerd is aan de lengte en/of het gewicht van een gebruiker .Vessel (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the vessel (1) comprises a bow part (B) and a stern part (S), characterized in that the aft part (S) floats a predetermined number of floating has ship parts (13), the predetermined number being related to the length and / or weight of a user.