Abstract:
A hand held, light weight, multi-purpose, extendable and collapsible omni-wind sail assembly for providing wind propulsion for vehicles such as kayaks, surfboards, small boats, iceboats, land vehicles, and the like. The assembly includes a flexible wind responsive sail surface having a transparent portion for user viewing therethrough, the sail surface attached at each side to masts having an attachable handle for manual maneuverability of the sail. The assembly may be stretched tautly, collapsed, tipped vertically, rotated horizontally, or all in combination simultaneously as the wind conditions may warrant, the masts having length extension means for varying the height of the sail.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts. 
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to wind sails, and more particularly, to an omni-wind hand held portable auxiliary frame-and-sail assembly. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Many versions of portable frame and sail assemblies are to be found in the prior art. There are sail assemblies, comprising many variations of hand maneuverable devices, for uses such as skate sailing, hang gliding, kayaks, surfboards, small boats, iceboats and land vehicles. One such sail is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,022 issued to Eastland on 25 Sep. 1984 wherein there is shown a hand maneuverable sailing rig suitable for use with roller skates or ice skates. Another such arrangement is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,081, issued to Mayer on 13 Dec. 1994, which includes a sail that is sized and shaped to define an airfoil configuration. A hand gripping member is disposed on the windward side of the sail and has top and bottom end portions pivotally secured respectively to the mast and a boom. 
         [0006]    Such devices are illustrative of arrangements whereby attempts have been made to provide improved frame-and-sail assemblies. However, in view of the prior art, there is still a need for a hand held auxiliary sail providing features shown in the present invention. It is thus an aspect of the present invention to provide a new and improved configuration for an omni-wind, light weight, multi-purpose hand held sail providing for easy and rapid maneuverability of vehicles not present in prior art sail assemblies. It is also an aspect of the invention to provide a frame-and-sail assembly configured with separable components for easy and convenient assembly and disassembly. It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a frame-and-sail assembly configured for easy attachment to and detachment from a vehicle. Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A hand held, light weight, multi-purpose, extendable and collapsible omni-wind sail assembly for providing wind propulsion for vehicles such as kayaks, surfboards, small boats, iceboats, land vehicles, and the like. The sail assembly is secured to the vehicle to be propelled and manually operated. The assembly includes a flexible wind responsive sail surface having a transparent portion for user viewing therethrough, the sail surface attached at each side to masts of rigid tubing, each mast having an attachable handle for manual operation of the sail. The assembly may be stretched tautly, collapsed, tipped vertically, rotated horizontally, or all in combination simultaneously as the wind conditions may warrant. The masts have length extension means for varying the height of the sail. Being manually operated and with the configuration described the invention can be utilized regardless of wind direction. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing use of the hand held sail of the invention as used in propulsion of a kayak; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hand held auxiliary sail of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the sail taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the sail of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is perspective view illustrating height extension features of the sail; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating collapsible features of the sail. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the sail as used with a surfboard; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the sail as may be used with a skateboard; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the sail as used with a boat. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements in the several views, there is illustrated an embodiment of the hand held auxiliary sail assembly of the invention. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the sail assembly of the invention, generally designated  10 , as may be used with a kayak  11 . As seen, the sail assembly  10  is securely attached by attachment means (one shown) generally designated  12 , to the kayak  11  in front of the seating arrangement  13  of the user  14 . The user  14  may then manually operate the sail  10  with independent multi-directional maneuverability of said masts to provide desired wind aided motion of the kayak  11 . The sail  20  may be easily stretched tautly, partially or totally collapsed, tipped vertically backward or forward, rotated horizontally, or all in combination simultaneously as the wind conditions may warrant. With such flexibility of operation, the invention can be utilized regardless of wind direction. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the sail assembly  10  of the invention. As shown, the major components of the sail assembly  10  are the sail  20  having a transparent portion  21 , support masts or tubing means  22 ,  23  and handles  24 ,  25  connected to masts  22  and  23  respectively. The sail  20  is constructed with side portions  26 ,  27  folded over tubing means  22 ,  23  respectively and then secured back to the main portion of the sail  20  thereby to form passageways, or sleeves, for the insertion of the respective masts  22 ,  23 . The side portions  26 ,  27  are folded in a manner to provide a linear downwardly converging direction to the inserted masts  22 ,  23 , that is, more material is increasingly folded over the masts  22 ,  23  to provide a downwardly converging, generally trapezoidal, configuration to the sail  10 . After folding, the side portions  26 ,  27  are shown secured to the main body of the sail  20  by grommets  20   a . Additional grommets  20   a  may be added along the bottom of the sail  20  for varying the convergence of the inserted masts  22 ,  23 . It is understood that other suitable means of securing the folded side portions  26 ,  27  to the sail may be used, such as matching hook and pile patches that can be easily pressed together or pulled apart. The sail  20  may include light reflective material  20   b  which for example is illustrated as provided at the upper corners of the folded side portions  26 ,  27 . 
         [0020]    After insertion of masts  22 ,  23  into their respective sleeves as indicated, the sail  20  is secured, at bottom corners thereof, to the masts  22 ,  23  by attachment means, generally designated  12 . Although any suitable means may be used, attachment means  12  is shown to include a grommet  20   a  at a respective corner of sail  20  secured by a tie-down  12   a  to an eyebolt  12   b  secured through a respective mast by a respective nut  12   c . The sail  20  is shown secured, at the top corners thereof, to the masts  22 ,  23  by attachment means  12  in a similar manner except that respective eyebolts  12   b  are inserted into respective caps  28 . Caps  28  are shown to include tassels  28   a  for indicating wind direction and strength. Protective caps  29  are shown connected to the bottom ends of the masts  22 ,  23 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the sail of the invention taken along the lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  further illustrating the components of the sail assembly  10 . Handles  24 ,  25  are shown to be attached respectively to masts  22 ,  23  by means of T-shaped connectors  22   a ,  23   a  shown having female threads for receiving male threads  24   a ,  25   a  of handles  24 ,  25 , respectively. Handles  24 ,  25  are shown secured to T-shaped connectors  22   a ,  23   a  and masts  22 ,  23  by means of threaded rods  30  and wing-nuts  31 . It is understood that the handle attachment means are by way of example and could be attached by any suitable means. Further, although not indicated, one or both of the handles  24 ,  25  may be of a different configuration so as to be more ergonomically configured to enhance either one or two handed use, and/or configured to provide safety attachment means, such as a lanyard attached to the vehicle or to the user. Caps  28  are attached to the masts  22 ,  23  that accept eyebolts  12   b  which are secured therein by nuts  12   c  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the sail of  FIG. 2  further illustrating the configuration and components of the sail assembly  10  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is perspective view illustrating height extension features of the sail assembly  10  wherein the masts  22 ,  23  are configured with elongating telescoping sections for varying the elevation of the sail assembly  10 . Masts  22 ,  23  are shown to include telescoping sections  22   b ,  23   b  and  22   c ,  23   c , respectively, mast section  22   c  receiving section  22   b , which receives mast  22 . Likewise, mast section  23   c  receives section  23   b , which receives mast  23 . Means for extending the masts  22 ,  23  may be of any conventional design that includes suitable hold and release features for such extension. Shown in phantom are attachment means  29   b  indicative of a design suitable for attaching sail assembly  10  to a skateboard. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view indicating collapsible features of the sail assembly  10  that provide for easy disassembly and convenient storage. Although the sail assembly  10  can be collapsed in various ways, indicated is a method wherein all telescoping masts are shortened or removed, sail portions  20 ,  21  folded vertically at the center and the masts  26 ,  27  brought together and rolled into a convenient configuration. Alternatively, the handles  24 ,  25 , the support masts  22 ,  23 , and the mast telescopic sections can be removed and then wrapped in the sail  20 . In these and other manners, the sail assembly  10  can be easily dismantled and collapsed resulting in a compact easily manageable configuration. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the sail of the invention as used with a surfboard  70 . In this manner of operation the masts  22 ,  23  of sail  10  are each configured with elongating telescoping sections, generally designated  71 , for elevating the sail  10  to a desired height above the surfboard  70 . The lower ends of the masts elongated telescoping sections  71  are shown secured by attachment means  72 ,  73  to port and starboard sides, respectively, of the surfboard  70 . The user  14  may then take a surfboard position as desired and grasping handles  24 ,  25  manipulate masts  26 ,  27  so that the sail  20  may be stretched tautly, partially or totally collapsed, tipped vertically backward or forward, rotated horizontally, or all in combination simultaneously as the wind conditions may warrant. With such flexibility of operation the sail assembly  10  has omni-wind capability in propelling the surfboard. 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the sail of the invention as used with a skateboard  80 . In this manner of operation the masts of sail  10  are again each configured with elongating telescoping sections, generally designated  81 , for elevating the sail  10  to a desired height above the skateboard  80 . The ends of the masts are securely attached to the skateboard by attachment means  29   b  (one shown) respectively to the left and right sides of the skateboard  80 . The user  14  may then take a position as desired relative to the skateboard  80  and sail  10  to operate the sail  10  in the manner as previously discussed, and thus propel the skateboard  80 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the sail of the invention as used with a small boat  90 . As shown, the sail assembly  10  of the invention is securely attached by suitable attachment means  91  (one shown) respectively to both sides of seating means  92 , which is in turn securely attached to the deck of the boat  90  by means of suitable attachment means  93 . When the user  14  is seated in the seating means  92 , the sail  20  is thus positioned in front of the user  14  who then may operate the sail  10  in the manner previously discussed to provide desired motion of the boat  90 . Although not shown, it will be obvious that more than one sail assembly  10  may be utilized to provide wind propulsion of a vehicle in accordance with the invention. 
         [0028]    In accordance with the above, there has been shown and described an improved hand operated light weight, multi-purpose, extendable and collapsible sail assembly for providing omni-wind propulsion for vehicles. While the invention has been described in connection with embodiments thereof, it is obvious that various modifications and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.