103results about "Drop keels" patented technology

An offshore floating production, storage, and off-loading vessel has a monolithic non ship-shaped hull of polygonal configuration surrounding a central double tapered conical moon pool and contains water ballast and oil storage compartments. The exterior side walls of the hull have flat surfaces and sharp corners to cut ice sheets, resist and break ice, and move ice pressure ridges away from the structure. An adjustable water ballast system induces heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of the vessel to dynamically position and maneuver the vessel to accomplish ice cutting, breaking and moving operations. The moon pool shape and other devices on the vessel provide added virtual mass capable of increasing the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reducing dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel. The vessel may be moored by a disconnectable turret buoy received in a support frame at the bottom of the moon pool and to which flexible well risers and mooring lines are connected.

An offshore floating production, storage, and off-loading vessel has a hull of generally cylindrical or polygonal configuration surrounding a central double tapered conical moon pool and contains water ballast and oil and / or liquefied gas storage compartments. The exterior side walls of the polygonal hull have flat surfaces and sharp corners to cut ice sheets, resist and break ice, and move ice pressure ridges away from the structure. An adjustable water ballast system induces heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of the vessel to dynamically position and maneuver the vessel to accomplish ice cutting, breaking and moving operations. The moon pool shape and other devices on the vessel provide added virtual mass for increasing the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reducing dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel. A disconnectable turret buoy at the bottom of the moon pool connects risers and mooring lines.

In an electronic apparatus having a touch panel and a chassis for supporting the touch panel, pair of fixing cushions are fixed to the touch panel along edges, which are parallel to each other, of the touch panel. Pair of vibration absorbing cushions are fixed to the chassis parallel to each other. A fixing flame is disposed between the touch panel and the chassis and fixed to the fixing cushions and the vibration absorbing cushions. Thus, the touch panel is supported against the chassis by the fixing cushions, the fixing frame and the vibration absorbing cushions. When the touch panel vibrates, the vibration absorbing cushions prevent transmission of the vibration from the touch panel to the chassis through fixing cushions and the fixing frame. Accordingly, the vibration of the touch panel hardly exercises a harmful influence on components mounted on the chassis.

Provided is a system including a fin box that allows surboard fins to be installed, removed or adjusted to the front or rear of the board within the box and a means for installing the box on the surfboard. More importantly, the fins can be installed in the fin box, and adjusted or removed from the fin box without the use of tools. By using the fin box installation system, manufacturers can effectively locate, align and install the fin box on the surfboard. More importantly, the manufacturers are able to lean and rotate the fins precisely at any desired angles and achieve precise and critical symmetrical mounting of the fins with relation to the centerline of the surfboard.

An apparatus and method for control of at least one of a plurality of semiautonomous marine vessels are provided. The system includes a control station with a communications system for network communication with marine vessels, and provides diagnostics and control for control and monitoring of the marine vessels, according to a mission plan.

Internal electrode layers are superimposed in a dielectric substrate 1 at intervals. Step absorption layers are respectively provided on lateral sides of the internal electrode layers. A side portion of the internal electrode layer forms an inclined surface, and the step absorption layer is superimposed so as to partially overlap the inclined surface of the internal electrode layer. This is also applied to the other internal electrode layers and step absorption layers.

The inflatable kayak includes an inflatable peripheral structure defining at least one buoyancy chamber having elongated side sections that come together at a fore section and a aft section to form a passenger compartment. An inflatable floor cushion supports a floor of the passenger compartment. The floor cushion includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one side gusset. The surface area of the top wall is less than the surface area of the bottom wall. A plurality of elongated, I-beam baffles extends between the top wall and the bottom wall. Each I-beam baffle has a midpoint, between the fore section and aft section, and an end, wherein the height of at least one I-beams baffle measured from the junction of the top wall to the junction of the bottom wall is greater at the midpoint of the baffle than at the end of the baffle. In another embodiment, the inflatable kayak includes an inflatable floor cushion wherein the distance between at least two I-beam baffles along the top wall is less than the distance between at least two I-beam baffles along the bottom wall.

A fleet of autonomous sailing vessels that are equipped with monitoring and communication equipment for reporting environmental and other conditions. For optimal stability, the autonomous sailing vessels are multi-hulled vessels (catamarans) with self-righting capabilities. Each sailing vessel sends and receives information via one or more satellite links, using solar power to power the communications equipment as well as the monitoring equipment. Each sailing vessel includes an auto-sailtrim system to maintain a desired attack angle with the wind, and electric propulsion for use as required to maintain a desired heading. A modular design is used to support mission-specific payloads.

A multi-hull design suitable for various size boats ranging from racing craft to the large military ships. The apparatus is a polygonal boat hull apparatus having a bow and stern wave penetrating feature. The hull is made from triangular-shaped essentially flat panels which provides for substantially stability and strength. The hull can be made in various configurations ranging from catamarans, triamarans to multiple hull designs in accordance with the projected use of the vessel. The invention includes a drive pod system having a plurality of propulsion units. The invention also provides at least one hydropneumatic cylinder that adjusts the angle of attack of the propulsion unit. The hull may also be rigged as a multi-masted sailing vessel.

A pivotal fin system, for use with an aquafoil, such as surfboards, body boards, wave skis, sail boards, wake boards and the like, comprising a pot (3) and a fin (2), having a tab (18) extending from the base (17) of the fin (2). The pot (3) has a central slot (11) and is mounted in the board (23) with the opening of the central slot (11) flush with the board (23). The slot (11) has a releasable locking means (6 &7) therein, and the tab (18) has a connection means (21 &22), which is releasably engaged by locking means (6 &7). Preferably the releasable locking means (6 &7) is a substantially c-shaped clamp, and the connection means (21 &22) has a recess or recesses (22) behind a bulbous extension (21), which is engaged in the c-shaped clamp, with arms (5) of the c-shaped clamp engaging in the recess or recesses (22).

A marine propulsion device is provided with a breakaway skeg having first and second attachment points. The first and second attachment points are configured to result in the second attachment points disengaging from a gear case or housing structure prior to the first attachment point. The attachment points can comprise open or closed slots and, when an open slot is used for the first attachment point, it can be provided with a first edge along which a first pin can exert a force along a preselected angle in response to an impact force on the skeg. The arrangement of attachment points allows a reaction force at the second pin to be predetermined in a way that assures the detachment of the skeg from the housing structure prior to the detachment of the housing structure from another structure, such as the boat hull, or transom.

A fin box for releasable attachment of a fin having at least one fin-tab, the fin box adapted for insertion into and retention within a water board, the fin box including: a generally elongate body provided with a substantially rectangular recess open at a first surface of the body, the recess extending to a base proximal to a second surface opposite the first surface, and the recess having a forward end and a rearward end; wherein the structure is provided with at least one angled threaded hole extending from the first surface of the body to emerge at a point within the recess between the first surface and the base of the recess.

The invention relates to a naval vessel bottom flexible heavy punch stabilization device capable of improving the naval vessel seakeeping performance and firing accuracy, and belongs to the naval vessel equipment invention. The naval vessel bottom flexible heavy punch stabilization device consists of a heavy punch, a flexible casing pipe and a winch. The naval vessel bottom flexible heavy punch stabilization device has an extremely simple structure, all works are completely handed to natural force-gravity to finish, and the naval vessel bottom flexible heavy punch stabilization device can be easily repaired and maintained and has an extraordinary function; the gravity of a naval vessel can be quickly moved down at any time and place, rolling and pitching can be quickly responded at any time and place, and a centralizing moment of force can be provided for the naval vessel at any time and place; the naval vessel bottom flexible heavy punch stabilization device can be applied to any offshore naval vessels, such as small vessels, aircraft carriers and ocean platforms; the seakeeping performance of the naval vessel can be improved to cope with violent storm and roaring waves; and meanwhile, the naval vessel weapon attacking accuracy and the takeoff and landing safety of a carrier plane in the fight can be greatly improved.

A hydrofoil trim tab for use with each of a pair of seaplane floats, each tab including a substantially planar shaped body secured to an inside facing location of each float such that a pair of tab bodies are arrayed in opposing and inwardly directed fashion relative to the floats. Each tab is further constructed as a two piece article, a first portion being either mechanically secured or welded to the surface of the float, with a second portion being releasably / breakaway attached to the first portion, such as by frangible fasteners engaging a slidably connection location between the portions. In this fashion, inadvertent breakage of a trim tab at the frangible location will prevent damage to the float.

This invention discloses a fin, for use on a surfboard and other watercraft, of a low-drag, high-lift, high-aspect-ratio, low-sweepback-angle planform of symmetrical foil section, with a fit root section that has a forwardly projecting leading edge and cutaway at the trailing edge, alone or in combination with winglets placed on the vertical fin element so as to minimize tip-vortex drag, so as to make the surfboard or watercraft more maneuverable, easier to propel through the water, and to stabilize the surfboard or watercraft.

The invention provides various aircraft carriers, warships, submarines and offshore platforms with efficient load-eliminating swing-stopping capsizing-resisting correction devices. Load-eliminating self-balancing swing-reducing devices, load-eliminating floating air bag cushion devices, externally-suspended weight-adjustable balancer devices, correction plate and wing-type swing-reducing plate devices, devices for accelerating floating and diving of the submarines, self-balancing control devices for accelerating underwater hovering, devices for horizontally pushing whole ship hulls to quickly shift to arrive at or depart harbors, safe quick-decelerating and quick-lagging electric propeller devices and top magnetic-field inertia moving weight balancer devices are provided. The aircraft carriers, the warships, the submarines and the offshore platforms have the advantages that according to the structures, swings, in six degrees of freedom, of ships, the warships, the aircraft carriers and the offshore platforms can be solved comprehensively, sailing ship hulls are timely and safely protected from sudden obstacles, perfect and efficient swing-reducing systems are formed, several major problems in the field of navigation ships are solved, balance stability and safety of aircrafts and spacecraft in the field of the ships, the aircraft carriers, the submarines or aerospace are improved, capability and confidence of human beings in control of offshore or aerial activities are greatly improved, swing reduction is changed into swing stop, and the aircrafts never lose their balance and fall down.

A watercraft having a hull, a mast with sail, an aft rudder and a hydrofoil projecting below the bottom of the hull. The hydrofoil is pivotly connected to the hull enabling the hydrofoil to pitch on a pivot axis which is essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hull. The hydrofoils have a vertical part which produces lateral forces to accelerate the boat in turns and resist lateral forces from the sail, and a vertical portion which curves into the horizontal portion which produces vertical lift. The angle of incidence of the hydrofoil is controlled by a sensor arm carrying a trailing sensor.

A pivotable deployable bulb mounted foil apparatus for a sailboat can pivot a foil mounted within a keel bulb remotely as needed to provide lateral resistance for the sailboat. The foil or foils can be rotated between a nested position for greater speed when the foils are not needed for lateral resistance in the water to an extended or operative position when needed for lateral resistance. The pivotal bulb mounted foil is especially adapted for use with a canting keel where the sailboat loses its lateral resistance from the keel when the keel is canted.

A submersible vessel having wing and keel assemblies that are extendable for wind-powered surface operation and retractable to reduce drag for submerged operation or to place the vessel in a more compact configuration. A deployment mechanism including an actuator and linkage pivots the wing and keel assemblies-simultaneously between the deployed and retracted configuration. The vessel may have first and second pressure hulls flanking the wing and keel assemblies. A drive mechanism including a motor and a gear train employing pulley-and-cable assemblies rotates either the wing and flap together such that the flap angle relative to the wing is constant, or to change the flap angle relative to the wing with the wing angle of incidence held constant. The invention also provides a retractable wind-powered propulsion apparatus that is mountable to the hull assembly of a submersible or non-submersible vessel.

This invention provides improvements in the efficiency of a sailing vessel through the use of flaps, hydrofoils, or members on the keel of a sailing vessel. One or more are positioned at the top, or root of the keel of the vessel, which primarily generate a force in the windward direction to provide a counter-leeward drift force. One or more are located at the bottom, or tip of the keel of the vessel, which primarily generate a force in the leeward direction to provide a counter-heeling moment. Among other benefits, operation of these flaps, hydrofoils, or members during sailing increases the vessel's efficiency, in particular its velocity made good. Further, since they are mounted on one appendage, sailing vessels of a rudder and keel design can be equipped with counter leeward-drift and counter-heeling attributes without the need for additional appendages.

A windsurfing catamaran with a self-stabilizing wing. The wing is moved to the correct position by counter balancing water pressure from a rotating central keel connected to a central mast. The keel rotates in the opposite direction of the wing when the wing is moved off center by wind. The keel rotates such that a greater surface area is presented to water flow striking the keel. Water pressure on the keel offsets wind pressure on the sails and returns the keel and mast back to an upright position. This increases stability, lift, driving force, and speed. A central catamaran platform provides hinged struts and shock absorbers between the rear end of the central platform and planing hulls to reduce impact damage. The hinged struts and shock absorbers reduce water drag and the braking effect of repeated hull impacts with water resulting in a further increase in speed.