Patent Publication Number: US-2018037300-A1

Title: Vessel with a Hull and at Least a Float

Description:
The invention relates to a watercraft having a hull and at least one float, which is connected to the hull via at least one kinematic connection, wherein the kinematic connection comprises a first leg, which is linked at one end on the hull and at the other end on the float, and is variable in its length by a first actuator 
     DE 3518883 A1 discloses a hydrofoil boat consisting of a ship hull having sliding elements and having hydrofoils, which are arranged by means of stilts at a distance from the ship hull and are pivotable about an axis of rotation transversely to the ship longitudinal axis. 
     Watercraft are known from WO 2011/157660 A1 and WO 2011/157658 A1, in which booms can be moved into various positions and in which hydrofoils are vertically adjustable by pivot arms. 
     GB 1120612 A discloses a hydrofoil boat having a vertically adjustable arm, which has adjustable hydrofoils on its lower side. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,799 A discloses a watercraft, which has movable booms. A savings in space can thus be achieved during storage. However, the travel properties cannot be fundamentally changed. 
     Flexibly usable watercraft, which permit a plurality of configurations, are known from AT 509 946 A and AT 509 948 A of the applicant of the present application. 
     The goal of the present invention is to provide a watercraft having improved maneuverability and stability. The adaptation of the watercraft to different conditions, such as velocity, current conditions, and the like, is to be implemented using the simplest possible means and in a simple manner. The functionality of the watercraft is to be increased in this case. 
     This goal is achieved using a watercraft as mentioned at the outset in that the kinematic connection comprises
         a second leg, which is linked at the first end on the hull and at the other end on a leg extending between hull and float, preferably on the first leg, and is variable in its length by a second actuator, wherein the linkage point of the first leg on the hull is spaced apart from the linkage point of the second leg on the hull, and/or   a third leg, which is linked at one end on the first leg or on the hull and at the other end on the float and is variable in its length by a third actuator, wherein the linkage point of the first leg on the float is spaced apart from the linkage point of the third leg on the float.       

     The kinematic connection enables, in addition to a change of the distance between float and hull, pivoting and/or tilting of the float in relation to the hull. The height of the float and/or the orientation of the float can thus be adjusted using simple means. By way of correspondingly controlled adjustment of the float(s), the maneuverability and stability of the watercraft can be optimized in different conditions, such as velocity, cornering, currents, etc. Not only can the stability of the watercraft be increased by such optimized adaptation, but rather the fuel consumption can possibly also be reduced. 
     The float can be designed in the form of a water-side boom or a secondary hull or a pontoon and can be arranged on or below the water surface. The float can preferably be moved below the water surface from the water surface. The float can also be a sliding body or stabilizing body and/or can have hydrofoils. It is preferable, but not absolutely necessary, for the float to be buoyant considered per se or as such. The float is vertically and/or laterally adjustable by the kinematic connection according to the invention. 
     The hull, on which the float(s) is/are connected according to the invention, can be a main hull or a secondary hull of the watercraft, in particular of a catamaran or trimaran. 
     The watercraft can be in particular a sport and/or racing boat or a special vehicle. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the kinematic connection therefore comprises a distance change mechanism (first leg), a pivot mechanism (second leg), and a tilt mechanism (third leg). Only three variable-length legs are required for this purpose, which are linked to one another according to the present invention. 
     The pivot axes, which are defined in the linkage points of the kinematic connection, are preferably essentially parallel to one another. 
     It is preferable if—similarly as in WO 2011/157660 A1—two floats or booms are provided, which are located directly adjacent to one another in a position arranged below the (main) hull and form a shared compact envelope. In another position, the floats are on both sides of the hull. 
     In other words: In one preferred embodiment it is provided that the at least one float is arranged below the hull in a first position and is arranged adjacent to the hull in a second position. 
     In one preferred embodiment it is provided that the first leg is pivotable in the linkage point on the float around a first pivot axis and the third leg is pivotable in the linkage point on the float about a third pivot axis, wherein the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis are essentially parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the first and third pivot axes. A defined tilting movement is thus ensured when the first and the third actuators are actuated to different extents. A type of parallel kinematic connection is implemented in this case. 
     The linkage point of the second leg on the first leg and the linkage point of the third leg on the second leg are preferably arranged (directly) adjacent to one another or are entirely coincident. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the linkage point of the first leg on the hull is arranged in a lateral region of the hull. This enables, on the one hand, an arrangement of the float laterally to or at the same height as the hull, and, on the other hand, the accessibility to the kinematic connection. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the actuators are actuable independently of one another, whereby distance changes, pivot procedures, and/or tilt procedures can be carried out independently of one another. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that at least one of the actuators, preferably all actuators, are cylinder drives. In this case, for example, the legs can be formed by the cylinder drives themselves, i.e., one linkage point is formed on the cylinder and one linkage point is formed on the piston rod. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the first actuator and/or the third actuator is/are a telescopic cylinder, whereby large distance changes are possible. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the float is connected to the hull via at least two kinematic connections, which are spaced apart from one another in the travel direction of the watercraft. The float can be designed as oblong and can extend along the longitudinal axis of the hull. The provision of two kinematic connections ensures a stable attachment of the float on the hull, on the one hand, on the other hand, additional positions of the float can be implemented by an asynchronous actuation of the two kinematic connections. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the watercraft has at least two floats, which are preferably arranged on both sides of the hull, and which are each connected to the hull via at least one kinematic connection. 
     In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that the floats are essentially parallel to one another or to the travel direction in a first position and/or preferably extend in a V shape (or in a plow shape) toward one another or away from one another in the travel direction in a second position. The water resistance can be intentionally adjusted by adjusting the inclination of the floats in relation to the travel direction. Complex maneuvers are thus made easier. 
    
    
     
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail on the basis of the drawing hereafter. In the figures: 
         FIG. 1  shows a watercraft according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the watercraft from  FIG. 1  having the floats in a middle position; 
         FIG. 3  shows the watercraft from  FIG. 1  having the floats in an end position; 
         FIG. 4  shows a watercraft from below; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic illustration of the kinematic connection. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3  show—in various positions—a watercraft  10  having a hull  4  and two floats  5  arranged on both sides of the hull  4 , which are connected to the hull  4  in each case via a kinematic connection  6 . 
     The kinematic connection  6 —which is also schematically shown in  FIG. 5  for a single float  5 —comprises a first leg  1 , which is linked at one end on the hull  4  and at the other end on the float  5  and is variable in its length by a first actuator  11  (mechanism for distance change). 
     The kinematic connection  6  of the illustrated preferred embodiment furthermore comprises a second leg  2 , which is linked at one end on the hull  4  and at the other end on the first leg  1  and is variable in its length by a second actuator  12 . Alternatively, the second leg  2  can also be linked on another leg, which extends between hull  4  and float  5 , for example, the third leg  3  described hereafter. The linkage point  14  of the first leg  1  on the hull  4  is spaced apart from the linkage point  15  of the second leg  2  on the hull  4 . The second leg  2  forms a pivot mechanism, using which the float  5  is pivotable in relation to the hull  4 . 
     The kinematic connection  6  of the illustrated preferred embodiment furthermore comprises a third leg  3 , which is linked at one end on the first leg  1  (alternatively: on the hull  4 ) and at the other end on the float  5  and is variable in its length by a third actuator  13 . The linkage point  8  of the first leg  1  on the float  5  is spaced apart from the linkage point  9  of the third leg  3  on the float  5 . 
     In this case, the first leg  1  is pivotable in the linkage point  8  on the float  5  about a first pivot axis and the third leg  3  is pivotable in the linkage point  9  on the float  5  about a third pivot axis. The first pivot axis and the third pivot axis (both are transverse to the plane of the drawing of  FIGS. 1-3 ) are essentially parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the first and third pivot axes (in parallel to the direction extending in the plane of the drawing). The float  5  can thus be tilted in relation to the hull  4  (tilt mechanism). 
     The linkage point  17  on the second leg  2  on the first leg  1  and the linkage point  16  of the third leg  3  on the first leg  1  are preferably arranged (directly) adjacent to one another ( FIG. 5 ) or are entirely coincident ( FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 ). 
     The linkage point of the first leg  1  on the hull  4  is arranged in a lateral region of the hull  4 . 
     While in  FIG. 1 , the floats  5  are pivoted out—by the second actuator  2 —and/or are arranged adjacent to the hull  4  and in  FIG. 2  they are located in the middle position, in  FIG. 3  they are arranged below the hull  4 . In  FIG. 3 , the floats or booms are directly adjacent to one another and form a shared compact envelope, whereby a type of monohull is formed. 
     The actuators  11 ,  12 ,  13  are preferably actuable independently of one another. In the illustrated embodiment, they represent cylinder drives. The first actuator  11  and/or the third actuator  13  are preferably designed as telescopic cylinders, so that the distance to the hull  4  is variable to a large extent. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 4 , the floats  5  are each connected to the hull  4  via two kinematic connections  6 , which are spaced apart from one another in the travel direction  7  of the watercraft  10 . In this variant, the oblong floats  5  can be essentially parallel to one another and/or to the travel direction  7  of the watercraft  10  in a first position (solid line) and can preferably extend toward one another in a V shape in the travel direction  7  of the watercraft  10  in a second position (dashed line). A position in which the floats—viewed in the travel direction—extend away from one another would also be conceivable. This is achieved in that the kinematic connections  6  of the first legs  1  thereof in particular are actuated to different extents.