Patent ID: 7862395
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a hydrofoil comprising: (a) providing a predetermined body that is arranged to experience reciprocating motion cycles within surrounding water; (b) providing at least one substantially flexible elongated rib member connected to said predetermined body, said rib member having a rib root portion near said predetermined body and a rib forward portion remote from said rib root portion and said predetermined body, said rib member having a predetermined length between said rib root portion and said rib forward portion, said rib having a longitudinal midpoint, said rib member having a first half portion between said longitudinal midpoint and said rib root portion, said rib member having a second half portion between said midpoint and said rib forward portion; (c) connecting a blade member to said rib member, said blade member having outer side edges, opposing surfaces, a blade free end portion spaced from said predetermined body and said rib root portion, and a blade root portion between said blade-free end portion and said predetermined body; and (d) providing said rib member with sufficient flexibility along said predetermined length to cause a significant portion of said second half portion to have an opposite movement portion experiencing opposite movement that occurs in the opposite direction to the movement of said predetermined body during at least one inversion phase of said reciprocating motion cycles, a significant portion of said opposite movement portion and said predetermined body are each moving vertically away from each other through said surrounding water during said at least one inversion phase of said reciprocating motion cycles, and said rib root portion has a substantially ovular cross sectional shape and said rib forward portion has a substantially circular cross sectional shape.