Patent Publication Number: US-2016244131-A1

Title: Bouy Board

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is related to water propelled recreational crafts known as jet skis. More specifically this invention is related to an enclosed jet ski, and more distinctly as a passenger enclosed wave surfing product. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Jet skis are watercrafts that use water as a medium of propulsion. This propulsion has in the prior art only taken advantage of rear propulsion. This invention makes up for this lack of physical advantage afforded by water in some several important respects. 
     The advantage of a jet ski watercraft is that it operates in a medium of water. Water can be used as a means of propulsion and cushion (e.g. water beds), and for complex and sudden change in the speed and direction of the vessel that is cushioned on impact. The prior art has not taken full advantage of the physical medium in which these crafts operate. In order to take advantage of the water, as propulsion medium and by and through waveforms, the Buoy Board specifications has now been designed. 
     A known flying watercraft is by De Masi, Sr., US Publication, 20110056422. This craft utilizes a telescoping water intake for the propulsion system. De Masi&#39;s craft is designed as both an open body concept and closed body concept and mainly uses one rear jet as commonly know with all jet skis. This craft uses an air pump to feed air into the craft to help occupants breath and feed the motor as well. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art includes enclosed Jet Skis, but not enclosed Jet Skis that are shock proof to the extent of protecting a passenger(s) in heavy surf and sudden speed and directional changes; hence the name Buoy Board, which always rights itself and is tough and durable. 
     The craft has durability not before seen in the prior art; allowing the craft to take a 20-foot wave for a unique thrill ride, and always right itself up and securing the passenger in a safe, comfortable, and thrilling ride. The prior art primarily concerned rear propulsion that limits the directional control of the craft to a forward or circular path. 
     The craft has water exhaust side ports or jets, and at least one port or jet underneath the carriage of the craft, which allows it to thrust water out on the sides, and to tumble left or right. The port underneath the craft allows the craft to launch—up into the air, without losing thrust by reasons of an intake probe that telescopes down into the water during the launch phase. 
     These ports and associated water thrusting pressures are controlled by a series of valves under the carriage of the craft that are also connected to a series of associated servo motors and solenoids that open and close the valves as is indicated by the pilot directional control steering mechanism. The pilot operates the craft by using specially designed ergonomic handlebars that is in one corresponding accord with the sitting position of the human form. The form of the handlebars resemble curved ones found on an English racing bike but uniquely novel in reverse. 
     The handlebars serve a dual safety purpose. Built into the handle bars steering columns is a hydraulic brake plunger that provides appropriate tension to the handle bar steering allowing the pilot to grip and hold the steering mechanism during the launch or tumble phase or wipe out phase of the craft during high speed operation or heavy or high surf. This brake mechanism is engaged when pressing a button switch on top of the handlebar itself. The brake mechanism also includes a safety feature that allows the craft to be turned with the application of appropriate physical force if the brake locks down and does not release, so that in essence the pilot can still turn the craft back to shore in an emergency should the brake lockdown and not release and malfunction. 
     The steering system includes two distinct bearings sensor control mechanisms. The upper most sensor is contained in the outer casing or spherical socket of a ball joint. Out from the socket extend out two arms of the steering mechanism or handlebars. The bearings are housed in a bearing harness whose assembly is accomplished by two plastic interlocking clips that secure the bearing to the spherical socket. The bearings ride on a circuit board racer whose circuitry is linked to a computer chip that sends electronic signals to the solenoids that control the servo motors and in turn control the various butterfly valves, which open and close the flow control of water thrusters to the right or left ports for tumbling the craft or rear port for ordinary forward directional controls. There is also a lower bearing sensor located at the base of the steering column that opens or closes that undercarriage ports. 
     The steering bearing sensors operate this way. The pilot holds both hands of the steering mechanism. Turing one of the handle bars in towards the left side of your chest, while level, turns the craft to the left. Turning one of the handlebars in towards the right side of your chest, while level, turns the craft to the right. 
     Pulling back on the handlebars engages the bearings on the lower portion of the steering column, and consequently opens the ports on the under carriage of the craft, launching the craft up. 
     Tilting the handle bar down and left; opens the right side port and tumbles the craft to the left. Tilting the handle bar down and right opens the left side port and tumbles the craft to the right. 
     There are two buttons on the tops of the grips of the handle bar controls. The button on the left can be readily engaged by the left thumb, and raises the RPM&#39;s of the motor into overdrive, providing additional acceleration during the launch phase of the vehicle. The button above the right hand can be readily engaged by the right thumb, engages and disengages the hydraulic brake, to stabilize the handle bar as a grip and hold safety feature during the tumble phase of the craft. 
     An additional feature of the craft is the body steel cushioned body harness that secures the chest and legs of the human form; during tumble and severe shock during turbulent, tumble, and wipe out we see contained in large waveforms. A unique feature of this body harness is that it retracts into the roof of the vessel, and is easily pulled down into place by the seated pilot. 
     A unique feature of human body protection is in two recessed footrests. The two footrests are angled and recessed into the floor of the vessel or placed on a pedestal. The heels can as well be recessed into a lower portion of the craft, while the top half of the feet protrude up. The pilot&#39;s bare feet are placed into a foam fitted cushion that is sized to the passenger. Each of the foam fitted shoe cushions snap in and out—of the floor recessed foot compartments, for easy sizing and cleaning. They hold the feet in place during tumble. 
     An additional unique aspect of this recessed and angular footrest is that the passenger can press down onto both their feet to help secure and stabilize them during a tumble and wipe out phase of the ride. In essence, this provides an additional securement to hold on—by pushing down on your feet and at the same time holding when the steering mechanism becomes locked while being harnessed into place as well. 
     An important feature of the vessel is the ability to operate while submerged. This is a necessary feature and takes into account that this vessel may operate in heavy surf. This ability to operate submerged means that the air intake port on the top of the craft has a small topside port hatch involved in air exchange: one for air intake that opens and closes by virtue of an optical sensor that detects a laser once the laser passes through a bubble moving in a donut shaped container filled with opaque fluid. This optical sensor is connected to the donut shaped container, which in turn is fixed to the body of the craft. When the optical sensor senses, it signals that the craft begins to tilt to one side during tumble. When this happens, the top port closes preventing water from flooding the passenger compartment. The optical sensor is bidirectional and dependent on the direction of tumble. Associated with this conduit airway are positive air vent fans taking air from the top into the enclosed passenger compartment and back out the rear of the craft. Within this vent conduit is a sump and associated pump to rid the air conduit of water. The air is exchanged and exited from the enclosed compartment via a conduit that has a rear craft port check valve to prevent water from flooding back into the craft during times of submersion. 
     The engine or engines can also operate submerged without stalling, as the engine has an air canister that has an associated air pump to feed the carburetor and motor. This distinction is a necessary feature, as the vessel may be submerged for an extended period of time, and maintaining operational control for example in the collapsed tube of a wave lends to the thrill and aids in effective operation. It should be noted that the craft can include a two passenger model that is useful for pilot training or certification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 2  shows a rear view of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 5  shows an isometric view of the bottom half of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 6  shows a top view of the bottom half of the buoy board. 
         FIG. 7  shows cross-sectional view  7 - 7  shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  shows an isometric view of the propelling system. 
         FIG. 9  shows a front view of a foot restrainer. 
         FIG. 10  shows an isometric view of a floor used in the buoy board. 
         FIG. 11  shows cross-sectional view  11 - 11  shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 12  shows a seat restrainer used in the buoy board. 
         FIG. 13  shows a front view of a tumble sensor. 
         FIG. 14  shows a side view of the tumble sensor. 
         FIG. 15  shows a front view of the tumble sensor when the craft is in a tilted position. 
         FIG. 16  shows a lower bearing sensor system as part of a steering mechanism. 
         FIG. 17  shows a top view of the lower bearing sensor system. 
         FIG. 18  shows cross-sectional view  18 - 18  shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  shows an isometric view of a steering mechanism. 
         FIG. 20  shows a side view of the steering mechanism. 
         FIG. 21  shows a top view of the steering mechanism shown in  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  shows cross-sectional view  22 - 22  shown in  FIG. 21 . 
         FIG. 23  shows blown-up cross-sectional view  23 - 23  shown in  FIG. 21 . 
         FIG. 24  shows a side view of a ball-bearing retaining system. 
         FIG. 25  shows a top view of the ball-bearing retaining system. 
         FIG. 26  shows cross-sectional view  26 - 26  shown in  FIG. 25 . 
         FIG. 27  shows a close up view of the socket used in the steering mechanism. 
         FIG. 28  shows cross-sectional view  28 - 28  showing the internals of the socket in  FIG. 27 . 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows an overall view of the buoy board or craft  1 . The craft  1  comprises a top shell  2  and a bottom shell  4 . It should be noted that the method of joining the two shells can be made with many different processes or connections and will not be discussed. One of ordinary skill in the art will know best how to join the two shells  2 ,  4 . In this design of craft, the top shell  2  includes several front windows  2   b ,  2   e    2   f  and rear windows  2   c ,  2   d . The windows  2   b - 2   f  are view shields made of polymer material and deep recessed into the top shell  2 . The design further includes a hatch door  2   a  that hinges horizontally to the craft  1  as seen in  FIG. 2 . As customary, the door  2   a  has a latch  2   f . A dashboard  6  provides the pilot with sensors and buttons to control aspects of the craft. As customary, the craft includes a steering system  10 . 
     On top of the top shell  2  is an air inlet port  2   f  to feed both the pilot and the engines  20 ,  22 . It should be noted that any type of engine can be used to provide power to shafts  4   g  which propel impellers  4   g  in  FIG. 7 . At the bottom of the bottom shell  4  is a water intake port  4   b  as seen in  FIG. 2 . At the rear of the bottom shell  4  is a rear jet  4   a  as commonly found in jet skis and are pivotable to make the ski go left or right. The bottom shell  4  further includes side jets  4   c ,  4   d , which can be seen in  FIG. 5 . Adjacent to the water intake port  4   b  is a bottom jet  4   e  as seen in  FIGS. 4, 5, and 7 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 3, 9, and 10  is a floor  5  which includes a pedestal  5   a  keeping a foot restraining system comprising two footrests  3   a ,  3   b  of which includes a housing and a padding that custom fits the pilot&#39;s feet. The craft  1  employs a seat restraining system  8  as commonly found in roller coasters. The seat restraining system, as seen in  FIG. 12  in detail, features a pair of backbones  8   c  that keep a hinging chest rest  8   b , which protects a pilot when sitting on seat  8   a.    
       FIGS. 5-8  show details of the propelling system. The water intake port  4   b  includes a dome housing  4   k  that is sealed relative to the bottom shell  4 . A first channel  4   n  projects from the dome  4   k  and houses an impeller  4   h , which pushes water through jet port  4   a . A drive shaft  4   g  projects through the first channel  4   n  which then connects to engine  20 . At the end of the first channel  4   n  is connected a flexible bellows  4   i  that is in continuous flow. The flexible bellows  4   i  makes the intake port  4   b  to be telescoping by the use of hydraulic cylinders  4   q . A piston  4   r  of the hydraulic cylinders  4   q  are connected to a grating  4   j , which is connected to the end of the flexible bellow  4   i . The grating  4   j  prevents any debris from entering through the water intake port  4   b . As seen in  FIG. 6 , a second channel  4   m  extends from the first channel  4   n , which contours and has a portion that is parallel to the first channel  4   n . Similar to the first channel  4   n , the second channel  4   m  houses another impeller  4   h  except that its shaft  4   g  extends through the second channel  4   m  in an opposite direction to that impeller  4   h  in the first channel  4   n . The impeller  4   h , in the second channel  4   m , is driven by a second engine  22 . The craft will have two independent engines  20 ,  22  to activate the jets. In particular, one of the engines  20  will activate the back port and the other engine  22  will activate the side ports and bottom port. 
     The second channel  4   m  connects to a Y-channel  4   p , which divides the flow into the left jet  4   c  and right jet  4   d . Between the Y-channel  4   p  and the second channel  4   m  is a butterfly valve  4   f  to block the flow path. It should be noted that the butterfly valve  4   f  can be manipulated by hydraulics, pneumatics, servo motors, or solenoids. The bottom jet  4   e  projects from the Y-channel  4   p  and is similar controlled by another butterfly valve  4   f . As seen in  FIG. 6 , the left jet  4   d  and the right jet  4   c  similar to the bottom jet  4   e  are blocked off by butterfly valves  4   f . The butterfly valves  4   f  are controlled based on the way the pilot handles the steering system  8  as will be later discussed. 
       FIGS. 13-15  show a tumble sensor  24  that controls the opening and closing of the air intake  2   f . The tumble sensor  24  includes a hollow donut  24   a  made of glass or a strong clear plastic that is fixed to the craft  1 . The hollow donut  24   a  houses an opaque fluid and a bubble  24   f  that moves freely when the craft  1  tilts. Attached to the donut  24   a  is a pair of lasers  24   b ,  24   c  that when projected and hit the opaque fluid scatters the laser beam  24   g . At the center of the donut  24   a  is a pair of beam detectors  24   d ,  24   e  that is fixed to the craft  1 . The operation of the tumble of the sensor  24  is as follows. When the craft  1  has tilted to the left side or right side, the donut  24   a  and detectors follow. The bubble  24   f  stays stationary to gravity and moves relative to the donut  24   a . When the beam  24   h , as shown in  FIG. 15 , hits the bubble  24   f , the beam  24   h  passes through the bubble  24   f  into the beam detector  24   d . When that occurs, it registers a signal to control a hatch of the air intake port. 
       FIGS. 19 and 20  show the steering system  10  including a steering column  10   c , a socket  10   a , ball  10   b , and a base  12 . The socket  10   a  and the ball  10   b  form part of a ball-and-socket joint, which allows a pilot to control the craft. A pair of handlebars  10   f  project from the socket  10   a . The handlebars  10   f  comprises a section  10   e  that projects outwardly from the socket  10   a  and bends into a backward U-shape  10   d . At an end of the handlebars  10   f  is a push button  10   g  that control the locking of both the steering column  10   c  and the socket  10   a . The steering column  10   c  has a cylindrical bearing  10   i  and a pair of bearing shafts  10   h  projecting from the bearing  10   i , as seen in  FIG. 23 . The bearing shafts  10   h  ride on an inner race  26   b  of a pair of ball bearings  26  with sensors  26   c , which are housed in part of an outer race  26   a , as seen in  FIGS. 16-18 . This sensors  26   c  detect when a ball bearing  26   d  has passed which detect the direction the steering column  10   c  has gone, which controls any of the jets. A pair of brackets  12   a  fasten the two sets of ball bearings  26 . The brackets  12   a  are bolted to the base  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 , the base  12  is fixed to a carriage  5   b  that is below the floor  5 . 
     A button  10   z  on the left handlebar  11   a  is used to raise RPM of the engines like a turbo. The right side handlebar  10   f  rotates on its axis to throttle the engines by twisting the handlebar  11   a  forward for faster and backward for slower. 
       FIG. 9  shows the pedestal  5   a  including an oval opening  5   c  where the steering column  10   c  passes through, as seen in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 23  shows the steering column  10   c  contains a hydraulic brake system within the bearing  10   i . A piston housing  10   j  is fastened to an opening  10   p  inside the bearing  10   i . A piston  10   k  projects from the piston housing  10   j  which then creates braking against the base  12  when hydraulically activated. To retract the piston  10   k , at least one tension spring  10   n  is connected to the piston  10   k  and the piston housing  10   j . The ends of the tension springs  10   n  are wrapped to a pair of pegs  10   r ,  10   m  that respectively project from the piston housing  10   j  and piston  10   k.    
       FIGS. 22 and 24-28  show a steering brake system being part of the ball-and-socket joint similar to the hydraulic brake system within the bearing  10   i . While it envisioned that both brake systems use hydraulics. The brake systems can be modified to use pneumatics or solenoid mechanism instead of hydraulics. The ball  10   b  includes spherically distributed openings  10   x , which house sensing bearings  14 . This reduces the friction normally created in ball-and-socket joints as well provide sensors  10   y  signals as they touch the sensors  10   y . The advantage is that these sensing bearings  14  work in conjunction with sensors  10   y  that are embedded in the socket  10   a  to detect steering motion which then propels the craft  1  to the left or right, or launch the craft up with the bottom jet  4   e . The sensor  10   y  are equally distributed as the openings  10   x  and are flush with an inner surface of the socket  10   a . As seen in  FIG. 28 , the ball  10   b  is hollowed out and the brake system is located within the hollow ball  10   b . The piston  10   k  projects out of the ball  10   b  to brake against the socket especially when button  10   g  is pressed during a tumble phase. 
       FIGS. 24-26  show the details of the sensing bearings  14 , which are part of the socket  10   a . The sensing bearings  14  comprise of two ball bearing housings  14   a ,  14   b , which are connected together via a snap click connection  14   d . Each of the ball bearing housings  14   a ,  14   b  contain a spherical opening  14   e  to keep a ball bearing  14   c  in place. Both ball bearing housings  14   a ,  14   b  together form a groove  14   f  that corresponds in shape to a spherical portion surrounding the opening  10   x . It is envisioned that the ball bearings housing  14   a ,  14   b  are to be made of hard plastic or metal. Alternatively, while no preferred reference is made to any particular material, one skilled in the art can use any hard material that can withstand impact since this craft is a high velocity vehicle. It should be noted that the sensors  10   y ,  26   c  are connected to a control unit  40  utilizing logic chips to activate all the ports.