Patent Publication Number: US-2022227464-A1

Title: Kayak with additional drive

Description:
PRIOR ART 
     This invention falls within the area of small vessels with an auxiliary engine and describes kayak with additional drive. 
     PRESENT PRIOR ART 
     Man powered small vessels are often completed with additional drive units by which is possible to use several different designs of their construction. In case of kayaks and canoes these are, for example various way designed suspended engines with propellers which are fixed to the side of vessels as it is described for example in the file US20140364020. This design requires, before each float, difficult assembly of drive unit equipment of the hull with next structural elements which are fixed to it. Also there are known designs when additional engine with propeller is placed under the bottom of vessel as is it described for example in the file WO2008134762. This type of design deepens draught of the vessel, which is solved with tilting of the body of drive unit into a cutout in the hull of the vessel, nevertheless, despite this is the use of this submersible engine limited only for places with sufficient depth. In the file US20070249241 is described a small vessel with kayak appearance but with a combustible engine which is only source of frontward movement thus it is not vessel which is primarily man powered. The combustion engine seems to be, for use in light vessels which are often carried in hands, completely unsuitable not only due to its weight but also its noisiness and likewise pollution of environment. Similar designs offer also the files U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,481,997 and 5,937,785, but there are the vessels powered by a turbine thus it is not kayak but a small motor boat. A kayak with engine which is also equipped with a paddle is described in the file US20020195039 but also in this case it is powered by a combustible four-stroke engine and whole drive system is quite complicated so even here are clear complications namely noisiness and weight and also there is difficult manipulation. Another possible design is fixation of an auxiliary electro-engine as a part of helm of the kayak as it is described for example in the file US2009198395. Yet here the performance of the engine is significantly limited by the helm design itself on which is the auxiliary engine fixed and where can come to emergency situation when comes to failure of the helm control with the engine in full performance mode. Control of engine performance seems to be also problematic and furthermore there is not a paddle at disposal which can lead in case of engine failure to occurrence of dangerous situation. In the file US20160229510 is described a kayak in whose inner space, which is accessible through a sealable waterproof lid, is placed a drive module which consists of an electric engine, a battery cage with batteries and a regulator. This module is placed on the bottom of the kayak, under seat of the pilot, approximately in the gravity center of the kayak or possibly battery cages are together with batteries placed along the sides of the seat. The electric engine is coupled by the help of a shaft with a pump in the rear part of the kayak which serves as a drive. The shaft can be connected to the electric engine either directly or through a chain gear. The alternative is to equip the kayak with screw-propeller. The battery cages can be equipped with a sliding device which enables their lengthwise movement for better front-back load of weight. Position of the drive module under the seat is disadvantageous from the point of view of the gravity center height after occupying of the seat with a kayaker hence the higher seat also means higher position of the torso of the kayaker, whose weight is for the height of the gravity center essential, whereas the higher gravity center means lower stability and higher risk of keel over. Placement of the batteries alongside of the seat then means wider width of the kayak which has negative impact on its sped and energy consumption. Likewise position of the electric engine in the gravity center of the vessel not only requires too long shaft, which negatively influences the weight and also energy consumption, but also with higher speed there comes to excessive lift of the bow and the kayak can become less stable and controllable. The kayaks are the most damage vulnerable just in the lace of the bottom under the kayaker which results from the structure itself thus even from this point of view placement of the drive unit in this area is not beneficial. General lay out therefore is not very suitable for use in common lake and sea kayaks where is important low weight and sufficient speed and controllability. 
     The aim of presented invention is to introduce a kayak with integrated auxiliary drive which would not excessively increase the draught of the vessel, would not increase weight and thus worsen controllability and which would have evenly distributed weight of the driving apparatus and at the same time this apparatus would be positioned in safe zones of the vessel. 
     The Essence of Technical Design 
     This goal is reached with an invention which is a kayak with additional drive which is formed by a hull whose part is a bottom in which is formed a crew chamber equipped with a seat and which is equipped not only with an electric engine, which is coupled with a propeller, but also with a battery which is electrically connected with the electric engine. The essence of the invention is that the electric engine is fixed on a supporting frame which is designed as a vertically flat element which is placed perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the kayak and which is fixed in the end part of the kayak, where the electric engine is on the supporting frame fixed by the help of a flat engine frame which is fixed on the supporting frame and it is with its plane parallel and also is by the help of a driving element, which is by its back end part waterproof way pivoted in the stern of the kayak in an axial direction, which is coupled with a screw-propeller, whereas the battery is placed in a battery box which is placed in front part of the kayak. 
     In smart design is the electric engine by the help of a transmission element coupled with a gear box which is fixed on the supporting frame whereas the entry shaft of the gear box is situated into the space between the supporting frame and the engine frame and is parallel with the engine shaft of the electric engine and on the output of the gear box is placed a drive element. 
     Likewise is advantageous when the drive element is connected directly to the engine shaft of the electric engine. 
     In another preferred design is the battery box designed waterproof. 
     Also is advantageous when the supporting frame is fixed in a waterproof chamber which is formed in the back end part of the kayak. 
     Also is advantageous when the battery box is placed in a waterproof bow chamber which is formed in the front end part of the kayak which is from the crew chamber separated with a waterproof front screen and which is accessible through a bow opening which is formed in the deck, whereas the bow opening is water proof way sealable with a bow cover. 
     Finally it is advantageous that in front of the engine chamber is in the hull of the kayak formed a storage chamber which is from the engine chamber separated with a waterproof back screen. 
     With this presented invention is reached new and higher efficiency as this design provides possibility of easier taking longer distances, makes easier counter flow sailing, whereas it does not significantly increase demand of deep water under the vessel and this all at keeping low weight of the vessel. Also another advantage is possibility to control the additional drive without necessity to unhand the paddle. 
    
    
     
       CLARIFICATION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The particular examples of invention designs are schematically illustrated in enclosed drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of side view on lengthwise cut of the kayak, 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of detailed side view of driving apparatus, 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of dorsal view on lengthwise cut of the kayak, 
         FIG. 4  is a scheme of connected electric elements, 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of detailed side view of an alternative lay out of the driving apparatus and 
         FIG. 6  is an alternative design of kayak bow with a bow chamber. 
     
    
    
     The drawings which illustrate presented invention and subsequently described examples of particular design do not in any case anyhow limit the extent of the protection stated in the definition yet merely clarify the essence of the invention. 
     THE EXAMPLES OF INVENTION DESIGNS 
     The kayak with additional drive is according to illustration in  FIGS. 1 to 3  formed by a hull  1  whose part is a bottom  11  and a deck  12 . In the hull  1  are formed a crew chamber  102  which is accessible from above through a boarding opening  121  which is made in the deck  12  and it is equipped with a seat  13 , a waterproof back storage chamber  103  and behind it, in the back end part of the hull  1  of the kayak, is placed an engine chamber  104 . The back storage chamber  103  is from the engine chamber  104  separated with a waterproof back screen  105 . In the engine chamber  104  is placed a supporting frame  2  which is designed as a vertical flat board which is situated perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the kayak. To the supporting frame  2  of the kayak are fixed two lengthwise placed cooling bodies  21  in the shape of thin strips or bars adjoining from inside along sides to the bottom  11  of the kayak which are made from a heat conductive material. On the supporting frame  2  is, by the help of a flat engine frame  22  which is fixed to the supporting frame  2  and it is parallel with its plane, placed an electric engine  23  which is by the help of a transmitting element  25 , preferably a chain or a toothed belt, coupled with a gear box  24  which is fixed on the supporting frame  2 . An input shaft  241  of the gear box  24  is then situated in the area between the supporting frame  2  and the engine frame  22 , whereas the input shaft  241  is parallel with an engine shaft  231  of the electric engine  23 . The electric engine  23  is connected with a regulator  233  which controls its performance. On an unmarked protrusion of the gear box  24  is placed a drive element  26 , preferably designed as a shaft, which is directed toward the stern of the kayak, in whose wall is waterproof way pivoted and is consequently in an axial direction taken out from the hull  1 . On the back end part of the drive element  26  is then fixed a screw-propeller  27 . The back end part of the hull  1  of the kayak is, in its lower line, finished with a protective barb  28  which overreaches not only lengthwise but also vertical outline line of the screw-propeller  27 . To the hull  1  of the kayak is, in its back end part, around the vertical axis pivoted a helm  29  whose working area is situated behind the screw-propeller  27 . In the front end part of the hull  1  of the kayak is removable placed a battery box  3 , preferably waterproof, with batteries  33  to which is, by the help of electric conductors  31  through a safety switch  32  connected the regulator  233  which is then connected with a wireless receiver  232 . The safety switch  32  is placed on an unmarked welt of a boarding opening  121 . On the side wall of the boarding opening  121  is placed a potentiometer  235  with an integrated non-illustrated wireless transmitter which is connected with the wireless receiver  232  through which is the potentiometer  235  connected to the regulator  233 . On the shaft  41  of kayak paddle  4  which is an essential part of the kayak, is placed a controller  234 , preferably a button type, with a non-illustrated integrated wireless transmitter through which is together with the wireless receiver  232  is the controller  234  connected with the regulator  233 . 
     Connection of the electric engine  23  with the drive shaft  26  by the help of a transmitting element and the gear box  24  is not only possible design. Alternatively the electric engine  23  can be connected directly to the drive shaft  26  as is it illustrated in  FIG. 0.5 . 
     In alternative design which is illustrated in  FIG. 6  is the battery box  3  placed in a waterproof bow chamber  106  which is formed in the front end part of the kayak and is from the crew chamber  102  separated by a waterproof front screen  107 . The bow chamber  106  is accessible through a bow opening  108  which is formed in the deck  12  and it is waterproof way sealable with a bow cover  109 . 
     INDUSTRIAL USABILITY 
     The invention is usable for structures of primarily man powered small vessels for example kayaks or canoes designed especially for leisure time purposes.