US20240375754A1

US20240375754A1 - Quick connect foil for watercraft

Info

Publication number: US20240375754A1
Application number: US18/658,653
Authority: US
Inventors: Brian Scott Wieczorek
Original assignee: Slingshot Sports
Current assignee: Slingshot Sports
Priority date: 2023-05-09
Filing date: 2024-05-08
Publication date: 2024-11-14

Abstract

A hydrofoil attachment system for a watercraft board includes sleds extending from a mast pedestal portion that are positioned within tracks of a watercraft board. The mast pedestal portion has a planar surface and the sleds engage with cleats associated with the track.

Description

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to use of a hydrofoil with a watercraft, such as a surfboard, windsurf board, kite board, or the like. More particularly, aspects of the disclosure focus on techniques for securing components of the hydrofoil together in a robust, reliable and expedited manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hydrofoils are wings that are adapted to function in water as opposed to air but share many similar attributes. Notably, a hydrofoil provides a significant amount of lift, even at relatively slow speeds. Accordingly, the benefits of a hydrofoil may be extended to any number of applications involving movement through the water. For example, nearly any recreational pursuit that involves riding a board may take advantage of a hydrofoil, including kitesurfing, wind surfing, stand up paddle boarding, wake boarding, water skiing, tow-in surfing, conventional surfing and others.
Nevertheless, use of a hydrofoil necessitates use of a mast to separate the hydrofoil from the board in order to allow the board to be suspended above the water surface when the hydrofoil is flying. Depending on user preferences, water condition, skill level and other factors, the length of the mast typically ranges from 50 cm to 100 cm or more. Coupled with the wingspan of the hydrofoil and the dimensions of the board itself, the assembled system therefore is relatively cumbersome and convenience often makes some disassembly of the hydrofoil and board system desirable, particularly during transport. Correspondingly, there exists a need for techniques that allow rapid connection and disconnection of system components such as between the mast and the board. This disclosure satisfies this and other needs.

SUMMARY

This disclosure includes a hydrofoil attachment system with at least one sled extending from a mast pedestal portion and configured to be positioned within a track of a watercraft board and at least one cleat associated with the track of the watercraft board. The mast pedestal portion has a planar surface and the at least one sled engages with the at least one cleat when the planar surface of the mast pedestal portion is in contact with a surface of the watercraft board adjacent the track.
In one aspect, the system has two laterally opposed sleds and two cleats, so that each cleat may be associated with parallel tracks of the watercraft board.
In one aspect, each sled may be removably secured to the mast pedestal portion.
In one aspect, each cleat may be removably secured to each of the parallel tracks.
In one aspect, the system also has two removable connections that are configured to secure the mast pedestal portion at positions longitudinally opposed to the two sleds. The removable connections may be screws with ratcheting heads.
In one aspect, each sled may engage each cleat within the respective tracks and below the surface of the watercraft board.
This disclosure is also directed to a method for assembling a hydrofoil system. The method involves positioning at least one sled extending from a mast pedestal portion within a track of a watercraft board and engaging at least one cleat associated with the track of the watercraft board. The mast pedestal portion has a planar surface and the at least one sled engages with the at least one cleat when the planar surface of the mast pedestal portion is in contact with a surface of the watercraft board adjacent the track.
In one aspect, the mast pedestal portion may have two laterally opposed sleds and two cleats associated with parallel tracks of the watercraft board, such that the method involves positioning each sled within each track and engaging each cleat with each sled.
In one aspect, each sled may be removably secured to the mast pedestal portion.
In one aspect, each cleat may be removably secured to each of the parallel tracks.
In one aspect, two removable connections may be employed to secure the mast pedestal portion at positions longitudinally opposed to the two sleds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following and more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which like referenced characters generally refer to the same parts or elements throughout the views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a watercraft board and hydrofoil assembly, including a mast extending between the board and the hydrofoil fuselage according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a hydrofoil attachment system, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a hydrofoil attachment system, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 4 is side view of a hydrofoil attachment system, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing engagement between sleds and cleats of a hydrofoil attachment system, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particularly exemplified materials, methods or structures as such may, of course, vary. Thus, although a number of materials and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.
It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only and is not intended to be limiting.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains.
Further, all publications, patents and patent applications cited herein, whether supra or infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Finally, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
Described herein are certain exemplary embodiments. However, one skilled in the art that pertains to the present embodiments will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be extended easily with appropriate modifications to other applications.
To help illustrate aspects of the disclosure, reference is first made to FIG. 1 , which shows one embodiment of a board 10 that may be equipped with a hydrofoil 12. Again, virtually any craft that may be ridden or propelled through water may benefit from these techniques. As shown in greater detail, hydrofoil 12 generally includes a mast 14 that extends from the board 10 to a fuselage 16. The length of mast 14 may be varied to alter handling characteristics as known in the art. Generally, a longer mast allows for the board to be positioned relatively higher from the surface of the water when the hydrofoil is “flying” and generating sufficient lift. As a result, the board is isolated from the surface conditions, including chop and other disturbances. However, a longer mast may be more difficult to control for the rider, such that a relatively shorter mast be beneficial, particularly for those learning. In turn, a fore wing 18 and an aft wing (stabilizer) 20 may be mounted to the fuselage. As implied by the names, the fore and aft wings provide the lift generated by hydrofoil 12. Many different designs and/or configurations of wings may be employed, any of which may be utilized when implementing the techniques of this disclosure. As detailed below, the techniques of this disclosure include a system 22 configured to allow quick connection and disconnection between mast 14 and board 10.
Although other methods exist, a current standard involves providing mast 14 with a planar surface that is perpendicular to the length of the mast that interfaces with a corresponding planar surface of board 10. This feature of the mast is termed a pedestal and may be implemented as a separate component, such as exemplified by pedestal 26 shown in FIG. 2 to which the mast is correspondingly secured or may be formed as an integral part of mast 14. This disclosure applies to both implementations. As will be appreciated, the planar surface of the pedestal that interfaces with board 10 provides the primary structural connection that transmits forces from mast 14. It is desirable to increase the rigidity of this connection, generally to the greatest extent possible, to more effectively transfer forces between the user and hydrofoil 12. Conventionally, this is achieved with a “4-bolt” connection. Board 10 is constructed with two parallel, recessed tracks 24 as shown in FIG. 2 so that bolts positioned around the perimeter of the pedestal can be threaded into T-nuts within the tracks. Tracks 24 are flush with the bottom surface of board 10 so that the planar surface of the pedestal can be in direct contact. The position of mast 14 can be adjusted by sliding the T-nuts to the appropriate locations to engage the bolts passed through the pedestal. As is well known, varying the position of mast 14 relative to board 10 dramatically affects the system performance and may be tailored for different hydrofoil characteristics, board handling, the desired position of the user on the board and other factors. In some cases, a given user may have an optimal mast position for each specific combination of hydrofoils and boards, making it useful to be able to repeatedly connect mast 14 to board 10 at a precise location within tracks 24.
Although such conventional systems provide a reliable and robust connection, to attach the mast the user must generally tighten each bolt with a tool to an appropriate torque, which often involves initiating the threaded engagement by aligning the T-nut with the aperture in pedestal through which the bolt passes and can be difficult given that the T-nut is within the track and may be covered by the pedestal. Likewise, disconnecting the mast typically involves completely unthreading each bolt. Even if completely disengaging each bolt is not necessary, such as by employing a pedestal with slots as opposed to apertures, the tightening or loosening operation must still be manually performed on each bolt. Moreover, each time the T-nuts are loosened, they can slide within tracks 24, potentially losing the position selected for mast 14. As previously mentioned, the combination of mast, wings and board is relatively cumbersome when assembled and correspondingly, it is often necessary or at least more convenient to disconnect mast 14 from board 10 during transport. Further, interchanging components to achieve different performance characteristics may also necessitate disconnecting and reconnecting the mast and board.
In light of the above discussion, it will be appreciated that the techniques of this offer a number of benefits as detailed below with regard to the embodiment of a suitable quick connect system 22 shown in FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, pedestal 26 is a separate element that accepts a mast within receptacle 28, which is then secured via through and/or side bolts. Alternatively, a pedestal is formed as an integral part of the mast in other embodiments. Regardless, either the separate pedestal 26 or an integral pedestal has the features noted above, including a planar surface configured to engage board 10 and points through which a connection can be made using the conventional 4-bolt configuration noted above. As such, quick connect system 22 is fully compatible with conventional mast and pedestal designs. Moreover, even though the techniques are discussed in the context of board 10 having two parallel tracks, it will be appreciated that systems having either one or more than two are within the scope of this disclosure.
In the context of pedestal 26, it may be seen that multiple connection points are provided, including slots 30 at the distal edges and complete apertures 32 inboard, so that a set of both is in each quadrant of pedestal 26. Slots 30 allow a bolt that is loosened but still engaged with a T-nut to be slid into and out of engagement with pedestal 26. Additional components of quick connect system 22 are configured to coordinate with the conventional design of pedestal 26 and include laterally opposed sleds 34 that bolt to either the fore or aft edge of pedestal 26 and cleats 36 that bolt to T-nut 38, which is retained within track 24 during use. Each sled 34 is configured to extend within track 24 and engage cleat 36. Once in place, cleats 36 may be left secured within track 24 when sleds 34 are disengaged and the mast is removed, thereby maintaining their precise position.
Alternatively, sleds 34 may be formed as integral portions of pedestal 26 and/or cleats may be formed as integral portions of track 24 even though the latter option would forego adjustability of the position of mast 14. Further, suitable areas of pedestal 26 could be extended to allow for an additional aperture (not shown in this view for the sake of clarity), if it were desired to employ the conventional 4-bolt connection described above to be used in lieu of the sleds 34.
The connection of pedestal 26 to board 10 is completed with a removable connection, such as flag screws 40 that thread into corresponding T-nuts 38 at a longitudinally opposing end to the location of the sleds 34. In this embodiment, flag screws 40 feature a spring-loaded, ratcheting head that may be used to tighten them to a sufficient torque without the need for a separate tool. The ratcheting characteristic allows the head to be aligned longitudinally with the board once tightened to minimize drag. Although flag screws 40 could be used to make all four connections, the user would lose the quick connection provided by the engagement of sleds 34 and cleats 36 as well as the maintenance of precise positioning of the mast. In other embodiments, alternative tool-less bolt designs or a conventional, tool-driven bolt may be used. As will be appreciated, the use of sleds 34 and cleats 36 effectively halves the number of manual operations that are performed during connection or disconnection.
Additional depictions of system 22 include the top view shown in FIG. 3 and the side view shown in FIG. 4 . In particular, it may be seen that when mounted using system 22, pedestal 26 is flush with the top of tracks 24 and therefore directly contacts the surface of board 24 with no intervening elements. Further, in this embodiment the engagement between sled 34 and cleat 36 is achieved with hook shaped nose 42 of sled 34 and ridge 44 of cleat 36. As shown in FIG. 5 , mast 14 is tilted when positioning sleds 34 within tracks 24, allowing nose 42 to extend under ridge 44. Other cooperating configurations of sled 34 and cleat 36 may be used as desired.
When flag screws 40 are loosened and allowed to slide away from pedestal 26, the respective edge of pedestal can pivot at sleds 34 to disengage nose 42 from ridge 44 so that pedestal 26 may be removed. It may also be seen that this engagement is made within track 24, increasing the stability and security of the connection. Moreover, repositioning the location of mast 14 requires only adjustment of the two cleats 36. Still further, quick connect system 22 represents a minimal and low weight technique to adapt a conventional pedestal as it requires only the addition of two sleds 34 and two cleats 36.
Another advantage is the direct engagement between pedestal 26 and board 10 with no intervening components separating them that would have the potential to cause undesirable play in mast 14. Nevertheless, it is still contemplated that in other embodiments a shim could be placed between pedestal 26 and board 10 to adjust the angle of mast 14 as known in the art. Similarly, a thin sheet of resilient material could also be positioned between pedestal 26 and board 10 for protection and/or to compensate for minor imperfections in the respective interfacing surfaces. Even if such intervening components are used, the attachment is still created between the sleds 34 and the cleats 36, with the engagement occurring within track 24.
The various components may also be formed materials such as metal, alloys or others to create a component having sufficient structural strength. Further, the components may be formed using any suitable technique, such as injection molding, three-dimensional printing, computer number controlled (CNC) milling and others. In some embodiments, composite materials are used that can optionally be reinforced by embedding components in a binder matrix. For example, the reinforcing components may be formed from fibers, fabrics or the like of any suitable material, including carbon, glass, boron, basalt, Nylon, Kevlar and the like. The binder matrix may be formed from suitable polymeric materials, including polyester and epoxy. The reinforcing members may be “wet out” or saturated with the polymer prior to curing to achieve desired structural characteristics. In some embodiments, the reinforcing member may have a three-dimensional structure such as a honeycomb configuration or the like. By employing such materials, the various hydrofoil components may exhibit increased structural integrity and can be adapted based on the expected forces. In some embodiments, use of metals or alloys may be minimized or eliminated to mitigate the risk of corrosion.
Described herein are certain exemplary embodiments. However, one skilled in the art that pertains to the present embodiments will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be extended easily with appropriate modifications to other applications.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hydrofoil attachment system comprising at least one sled extending from a mast pedestal portion and configured to be positioned within a track of a watercraft board and at least one cleat associated with the track of the watercraft board; wherein the mast pedestal portion has a planar surface and wherein the at least one sled engages with the at least one cleat when the planar surface of the mast pedestal portion is in contact with a surface of the watercraft board adjacent the track.

2. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 1, further comprising two laterally opposed sleds and two cleats, wherein each cleat is associated with parallel tracks of the watercraft board.

3. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 2, wherein each sled is removably secured to the mast pedestal portion.

4. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 2, wherein each cleat is removably secured to each of the parallel tracks.

5. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 2, further comprising two removable connections that are configured to secure the mast pedestal portion at positions longitudinally opposed to the two sleds.

6. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 5, wherein the removable connections comprise screws with ratcheting heads.

7. The hydrofoil attachment system of claim 2, wherein each sled engages each cleat within the respective tracks and below the surface of the watercraft board.

8. A method for assembling a hydrofoil system comprising positioning at least one sled extending from a mast pedestal portion within a track of a watercraft board and engaging at least one cleat associated with the track of the watercraft board; wherein the mast pedestal portion has a planar surface and wherein the at least one sled engages with the at least one cleat when the planar surface of the mast pedestal portion is in contact with a surface of the watercraft board adjacent the track.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mast pedestal portion comprises two laterally opposed sleds, wherein two cleats are associated with parallel tracks of the watercraft board and further comprising positioning each sled within each track and engaging each cleat with each sled.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising removably securing each sled to the mast pedestal portion.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising removably securing each cleat to each of the parallel tracks.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising employing two removable connections to secure the mast pedestal portion at positions longitudinally opposed to the two sleds.