Wind-driven water surface vehicle based on bionic design of velella velella

Abstract

This utility model discloses a wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired biomimetic design, comprising a float, a sail, an elastic diaphragm, stabilizing blades, an inflatable assembly, solar photovoltaic panels, and a controller. The float is an elliptical plate with an internal cavity. Multiple stabilizing blades are regularly arranged around the float. The surface of the sail is arranged at a relative angle to the long axis of the float. There are two sets of solar photovoltaic panels, arranged on both sides of the sail and electrically connected to the battery module inside the float. The elastic diaphragm covers the bottom of the float, forming an inflatable air chamber between the diaphragm and the bottom surface of the float. This surface vehicle can navigate in natural wind conditions without external power input, exhibiting good navigation stability and long endurance. It is particularly suitable for long-term drift monitoring of the ocean surface, support for distributed sensor network nodes, and surface micro-energy harvesting platforms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the fields of biomimetic engineering and marine engineering technology, specifically to a wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sail jellyfish. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demand for marine observation, environmental monitoring, hydrological data acquisition, and low-power autonomous navigation systems, surface vehicles are finding wider applications in marine engineering and unmanned systems. In nature, the sail jellyfish is a common planktonic organism found in tropical and subtropical oceans. Belonging to the genus *Velvetia* in the family Cypriniidae, it inhabits the sea surface and drifts with the wind. Its most prominent structural feature is a transparent, sail-like structure at a certain angle on its body surface. This sail is slightly curved and obliquely distributed on its float, with an offset connection between the sail and the float, forming its stabilizing system together with several tentacle-like extensions underwater. Currently, most surface platforms rely on mechanical propulsion and active control, resulting in complex structures and high energy consumption, making them unsuitable for long-term deployment and large-scale autonomous operation. On the other hand, existing wind-powered propulsion devices are mainly based on traditional sailboat design concepts, with a basically symmetrical structure, making it difficult to achieve adaptive wind field response and stable directional navigation without navigation control. The sail jellyfish, relying on this unique configuration, can drift on the water surface in a certain direction under the action of wind. Its direction of movement is determined by the deflection angle of the sail, and its posture is stabilized by underwater appendages, demonstrating a highly coordinated natural adjustment ability. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to propose a wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish biomimetic structure, which aims to solve the technical problems of existing surface navigation platforms in terms of complex structure, high energy consumption, unstable course and poor environmental adaptability.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0005] A wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sail jellyfish includes a float, a sail, an elastic membrane, stabilizing blades, an inflatable assembly, a solar photovoltaic panel, and a controller. The float is an elliptical plate with a hemispherical counterweight fixed at the center of its bottom. The float has a hollow internal structure. Multiple stabilizing blades are regularly arranged around the periphery of the float.

[0006] The sail is a rigid plate and is vertically fixed above the float. The surface of the sail is arranged at a relative angle to the long axis of the float.

[0007] The solar photovoltaic panels are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the sail and fixed to the upper surface of the float. Both sets of solar photovoltaic panels are electrically connected to the battery module located inside the float.

[0008] An elastic membrane covers the bottom of the float, and its edges are fixedly and sealed to the bottom surface of the float. An air chamber that can be inflated and deflated is formed between the elastic membrane and the bottom surface of the float.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower edge of the float adopts a rounded corner structure, and the elastic coating is made of a circular sheet cut from TPU composite airbag fabric.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper surface of the sail has a mounting hole, and a threaded connecting shaft is fixed to the bottom of the sail. The lower end of the connecting shaft passes through the mounting hole of the sail and is fixedly connected to the sail nut. The connecting shaft and the mounting hole are sealed together.

[0011] Furthermore, the sail is a streamlined plate with an approximate isosceles triangle shape, made of lightweight composite materials, fiberglass board, or thin-walled plastic board.

[0012] Furthermore, the stabilizing wing is a long strip-shaped sheet, and the stabilizing wing is made of flexible polymer sheet or rubber composite film, which has an S-shaped structure in its natural state.

[0013] All stabilizing vanes are arranged symmetrically on the outside of the float. One end of each stabilizing vane is inserted and fixedly connected to the edge of the float, while the other end is located below the float.

[0014] Furthermore, the inflation assembly includes an air inlet pipe, an air outlet pipe, and a micro air pump. Both the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are fixed to the sail, with their lower ends communicating with the interior of the air chamber and their upper ends extending through the upper surface of the sail and communicating with the outside.

[0015] A miniature air pump is installed on the air intake pipe and is powered by the battery module. The air intake pipe is equipped with an electromagnetic valve, and the signal terminal of the electromagnetic valve is connected to the controller for communication.

[0016] In practical use, when a wind-powered surface vehicle is deployed on the sea surface and is in a stationary floating state, the floats maintain neutral buoyancy. When the ambient wind speed exceeds a certain level, the slant sail begins to receive wind power. Due to the offset setting of the sail, the vehicle generates directional propulsion and moves in the direction of the wind's deviation. At this time, the stabilizing blades form underwater lateral drag, achieving attitude maintenance and wave resistance. If the draft increases due to increased load or changes in water surface density, the buoyancy of the floats can be increased by adding air into the air chambers, and the structural attitude can be automatically adjusted by inflating or deflating the air chambers.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial technical effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model uses the natural navigation mechanism of the sailing jellyfish as a biomimetic prototype, extracting the structural form and functional logic of the three elements of the oblique sail drive, floating body, and stable tentacle structure, forming a biomimetic coupling platform of "wind-driven - attitude self-stabilization - fluid response". The flexible stabilizing winglets imitate the shape of jellyfish tentacles and have good fluid response characteristics. They can automatically provide damping force and attitude recovery torque under hydrodynamic disturbances, significantly enhancing the course maintenance capability. Stable navigation is achieved through the natural coupling structure, possessing good directional stability, adaptive wind flow capability, and high adaptability. The wind-driven surface vehicle is lightweight and compact, enabling convenient transportation, rapid deployment, and reusability. Its design supports multi-unit cooperative drifting and can be used as a platform for distributed surface observation systems, drifting communication networks, and waterborne cooperative monitoring arrays, etc., with good scalability, engineering feasibility, and industrialization prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the sail jellyfish in the background section of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a side view of the wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish, which is the basis of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a top view of the present invention after the sailboard has been removed.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish, according to this utility model.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the inflation state of the wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sail jellyfish.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the working state of the wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0026] Combination Figure 1As shown, the sail jellyfish, as a planktonic organism, relies heavily on its unique structural configuration for survival. Its main features include: tilted sail-like tissues, symmetrical floats, and tentacle-like stabilizing structures. The sail jellyfish can achieve directional navigation using environmental wind power without relying on muscle control, exhibiting excellent directional control and navigational stability. Based on this biological prototype, this invention proposes an engineered structural scheme and provides a systematic design.

[0027] Combination Figures 2 to 7 A wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired biomimetic design includes a float 1, a sail 2, an elastic membrane 3, stabilizing blades 4, an inflatable assembly, a solar photovoltaic panel 5, and a controller. The float 1 is an elliptical plate with rounded corners at the lower edge. A mounting hole 11 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the float 1, and a hemispherical counterweight 12 is fixed at the center of the bottom of the float 1. The float 1 has an internal cavity structure. The counterweight 12 lowers the center of gravity of the wind-driven surface vehicle, improving its stability on the water surface and giving it higher anti-capsulation capability.

[0028] The surface vehicle disclosed in this embodiment is a passive surface vehicle that relies on the wind power of the sail 2 and the water flow to propel itself on the water surface. The surface vehicle moves on the water surface according to its direction and the water flow. The internal cavity of its float 1 can carry detection equipment, enabling it to collect hydrological and environmental data as the surface vehicle drifts naturally. This surface vehicle is entirely driven by natural wind power, without relying on active propulsion systems such as propellers, motors, or servos, and does not require electronic navigation or attitude control devices. This effectively reduces system complexity, energy consumption, and failure risks, making it suitable for long-term autonomous operation in unmanned environments such as remote areas, isolated islands, and polar regions.

[0029] The sail 2 is a rigid plate, approximately an isosceles triangle with a streamlined shape, made of lightweight composite materials, fiberglass board, or thin-walled plastic sheet, used to receive wind power to generate propulsion. The sail 2 is vertically fixed above the float 1, with its installation position offset relative to the geometric center of the float 1. That is, the installation position is slightly off-center from the long axis of the float 1, ensuring that the sail 2 is not located on the central symmetry line of the float 1, thus generating propulsion and yaw stabilizing torque under wind force. The surface of the sail 2 is arranged at a relative angle to the long axis of the float 1. The angle between the sail 2 and the long axis of the float 1 is fixed, and the offset arrangement relative to the geometric center of the float 1 allows for the coupling of propulsion and yaw torque under wind force, thereby achieving natural directional propulsion.

[0030] Specifically, a threaded connecting shaft 21 is fixed to the bottom of the sail 2. The upper end of the connecting shaft 21 is fixedly connected to the midpoint of the bottom of the sail 2. The lower end of the connecting shaft 21 is inserted into the mounting hole 21 of the sail 2. The mounting hole 21 extends to the bottom of the counterweight 12. Its inner wall has an internal thread that matches the connecting shaft 21. The lower end of the connecting shaft 21 is screwed into the mounting hole 21 and fixedly connected to the nut of the sail 2. The connecting shaft 21 and the top of the mounting hole 21 are sealed together to prevent water from entering the interior of the sail 2 through the mounting hole 21 during use.

[0031] The elastic membrane 3 is a circular sheet cut from TPU composite airbag fabric. Alternatively, the elastic membrane 3 can be a thin sheet of elastic rubber. The elastic membrane 3 covers the bottom of the float 1, and the edge of the elastic membrane 3 is fixedly and sealed to the bottom surface of the float 1, forming an inflatable and deflated air chamber between the elastic membrane 3 and the bottom surface of the float 1.

[0032] The inflation assembly includes an air inlet pipe 6, an exhaust pipe, and a micro air pump 61. Both the air inlet pipe 6 and the exhaust pipe are fixed to the sail 2, with their lower ends communicating with the interior of the air chamber and their upper ends extending beyond the upper surface of the sail 2 and communicating with the outside. The micro air pump 61 is mounted on the air inlet pipe 6 and is powered by the battery module. The air inlet pipe 6 is equipped with a solenoid valve, the signal terminal of which is communicatively connected to a controller to control the gas injection and discharge, thereby achieving real-time adjustment of buoyancy to adapt to different buoyancy states and sea conditions.

[0033] The volume of the air chamber can be flexibly adjusted according to mission load, water depth changes, or wave effects, enabling active adjustment of draft and buoyancy height, thereby enhancing the structure's adaptability to varying sea conditions. Through the integrated sealed airbag and inflation / deflation pipelines at the bottom of float 1, buoyancy and draft can be adjusted according to load changes and sea state fluctuations, providing excellent vertical buoyancy adjustment capabilities. This effectively addresses the impact of waters with different densities or waves, broadening the platform's application environment.

[0034] The solar photovoltaic panels 5 consist of two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the sail 2 and fixed to the upper surface of the float 1. Both sets of solar photovoltaic panels 5 are electrically connected to the battery module located inside the float 1. The solar photovoltaic panels 5 located on the upper surface of the float 1 enable the vehicle to operate independently for extended periods, reducing dependence on external energy and achieving energy self-sufficiency.

[0035] Specifically, the solar photovoltaic panel 5 located on the upper surface of the float 1 can preferably be a flexible solar panel, which is used to collect solar energy from the environment and convert it into electrical energy and store it in the battery module to power the micro air pump 61, solenoid valve, controller and detection equipment mounted on the float 1, so as to achieve the system's energy self-sufficiency and maintain long-term endurance.

[0036] There are four stabilizing vanes 4, which are regularly arranged around the periphery of the float 1. The number of stabilizing vanes 4 can also be selected to be six, eight, or twelve depending on the size of the float 1. Specifically, the stabilizing vanes 4 are elongated sheets, made of flexible polymer sheets or rubber composite films, and naturally have an S-shaped structure. All stabilizing vanes 4 are arranged axially symmetrically on the outside of the float 1, with one end of each vane 4 inserted and fixedly connected to the edge of the float 1, and the other end located below the float 1.

[0037] The stabilizing wing 4 is made of elastic material, its shape mimicking the tentacles of a sail-shaped jellyfish. It deforms under water flow, creating fluid damping and enhancing anti-yaw capability, thus improving heading stability and anti-interference stability. The float 1, sail 2, and stabilizing wing all adopt a modular design, with modular connections between the sail, float, and wing, facilitating disassembly, maintenance, and on-site replacement. Each component module uses lightweight materials and flexible components, resulting in a simple structure and easy assembly. Low-cost manufacturing can be achieved using processes such as 3D printing, composite material molding, and heat-sealed airbags.

[0038] This vehicle, inspired by the morphology of the sailing jellyfish, constructs a low-power autonomous surface navigation platform with integrated structure, complementary functions, and no need for active control. The wind-powered surface vehicle features a modular assembly structure, allowing for the separate disassembly, replacement, and independent maintenance of the floats, sails, and stabilizing wing components. This surface vehicle offers advantages such as light weight, low cost, and adjustable structure, making it suitable for modular manufacturing and rapid deployment. It is particularly well-suited for building multi-unit collaborative surface drift observation systems or distributed floating arrays.

[0039] The parts not mentioned in this utility model can be achieved by adopting or referencing existing technologies.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0042] Of course, the above description is not intended to limit the present utility model, and the present utility model is not limited to the examples given above. Any changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present utility model should also fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish, characterized in that, The system includes a float, a sail, an elastic liner, stabilizing blades, an inflatable assembly, a solar photovoltaic panel, and a controller. The float is an elliptical plate with a hemispherical counterweight fixed at the center of its bottom. The float has a hollow internal structure. There are multiple stabilizing blades arranged regularly around the periphery of the float. The sail is a rigid plate and is vertically fixed above the float. The surface of the sail is arranged at a relative angle to the long axis of the float. The solar photovoltaic panels are in two sets, which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the sail and fixed to the upper surface of the float. Both sets of solar photovoltaic panels are electrically connected to the battery module set inside the float. An elastic membrane covers the bottom of the float, and its edges are fixedly and sealed to the bottom surface of the float. An air chamber that can be inflated and deflated is formed between the elastic membrane and the bottom surface of the float.

2. The wind-driven surface vehicle based on the biomimetic design of a sailing jellyfish as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower edge of the float has a rounded corner structure, and the elastic film is made of TPU composite airbag fabric cut into an elliptical shape consistent with the shape of the float.

3. A wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the sail has a mounting hole, and a threaded connecting shaft is fixed to the bottom of the sail. The lower end of the connecting shaft passes through the mounting hole of the sail and is fixedly connected to the sail nut. The connecting shaft and the mounting hole are sealed together.

4. A wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired biomimetic design as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sail is a streamlined plate that is approximately an isosceles triangle and is made of lightweight composite materials, fiberglass board, or thin-walled plastic board.

5. A wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired design according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stabilizing wing is a long strip-shaped sheet, made of flexible polymer sheet or rubber composite film, and has an S-shaped structure in its natural state. All stabilizing vanes are arranged symmetrically on the outside of the float. One end of each stabilizing vane is inserted and fixedly connected to the edge of the float, while the other end is located below the float.

6. A wind-driven surface vehicle based on a jellyfish-inspired biomimetic design as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The inflation assembly includes an air inlet pipe, an air outlet pipe, and a miniature air pump. Both the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are fixed to the sail, with their lower ends communicating with the interior of the air chamber and their upper ends extending through the upper surface of the sail and communicating with the outside. A miniature air pump is installed on the air intake pipe and is powered by the battery module. The air intake pipe is equipped with an electromagnetic valve, and the signal terminal of the electromagnetic valve is connected to the controller for communication.

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