Patent ID: 6877692
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: B63H,F42B

Abstract:
1. A propulsion system comprising: a pair of elongated spaced apart foil members; means for mounting said foil members to a body to be driven by said foil members through a fluid medium, said mounting means defining a pivot axis for each foil member, and each said foil member being attached to its respective mounting means for limited rotational movement with respect to said body on said pivot axis; means connected to said mounting means for driving said mounting means in a linear oscillatory manner along a common path normal to a desired thrust vector such that during such driving the foil members move towards and away from each other at the same rate; and means for damping the rotational movement of each said foil member relative to its respective mounting means during the oscillatory movement of the foil members, whereby damping torque generated by said damping means will offset dynamic torque on said foil members imposed thereon by said fluid medium during operation of said propulsion system.