Foil assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a foil assembly for a watercraft, in particular a windsurfing board or kiteboard, a mast foot being formed on a mast bearing a fuselage, said mast foot being inserted into a cut-out in a baseplate of the board. According to the invention, the mast foot and the baseplate are designed such that the insertion can take place by angling in. The invention also relates to a foil assembly in which a fastening device for fixing the mast foot on the baseplate is designed with a latching means and an additional bracing device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a foil arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such foil systems, known as hydrofoils, are used, for example, in kitesurfing and windsurfing, allowing riders to travel faster than the wind with relatively small kites / sails, even in very light winds (from force 2 onwards). More recently, SUP boards and surfboards have also been equipped with these foil systems, enabling significantly faster speeds than conventional boards in small waves or with sufficient forward momentum.

[0003] Typically, such foil setups are attached to the board via a base plate or box system, such as a Tuttle box, Future box, or similar, using their mast.

[0004] Such a foil arrangement is described, for example, in DE 10 2015 104 199 A1, which originates from the applicant.

[0005] Document US 2015 / 0017850 A1 discloses a foil arrangement for a watercraft in which the mast is inserted into corresponding recesses in a base plate attached to the watercraft by means of a multitude of projections. The necessary fitting elements on the base plate and on the mast or mast base are very complex, so that the foil arrangement can only be implemented with considerable effort in terms of tooling.

[0006] German patent DE 10 2015 103 553 A1 describes a foil arrangement that can be pivoted in shallow water or when passing over an obstacle to reduce the draft. Such a pivotable foil arrangement is inferior to generic solutions with regard to stiffness and the associated hydrodynamic loads at high speeds.

[0007] The subsequently published document WO 2020 / 021138 A1 discloses a foil arrangement in which the mast is fitted with an adapter plate that is attached to a base plate by means of two locking pins. These pins protrude from the base plate on both sides, thus obstructing the flow of air in this area and creating a risk of the locking pins being accidentally loosened.

[0008] Furthermore, DE 10 2018 106212 A1 discloses a foil arrangement with a mast and a base plate to be attached to the board, wherein the mast and the base plate are positively connected to each other via a sliding fit, the mast being pushed onto the base plate along a sliding direction of the sliding fit during assembly. The sliding fit is designed as a combination of dovetail-shaped grooves and matching counterparts.

[0009] In WO 2011 / 075808 A1 a foilboard is described which is equipped with a removable foil assembly, so that this board can be used for foiling as well as for conventional surfing or kitesurfing (without foil).

[0010] In this well-known solution, the foil assembly's mast is fitted with an adapter plate that is screwed to a base plate on the board. Attaching or detaching the foil assembly to the board is relatively complex, as a large number of screws have to be loosened or tightened.

[0011] To overcome this disadvantage, the applicant proposes in publication DE 10 2018 106 212 A1 that the connection between the board-side base plate and the mast be made by means of a quick-release mechanism, so that loosening and tightening can be done without tools. However, this very easy-to-use solution requires that the base plate receptacle and the corresponding mast-side counterpart, which is inserted into the base plate receptacle, be manufactured with the highest precision, and care must be taken during insertion to ensure that this fit is not damaged. Particular attention must be paid to preventing foreign bodies, such as grains of sand, from entering the mating area.

[0012] The document by Nsi: "Fast Mast Hydrofoil Quick Release - Liquid Surf and Sail", published on October 27, 2018, pages 1-4, found on the internet: URL: https: / / liquidsurfandsail.com / fastmast-hydrofoil-quick-release / is considered very relevant.

[0013] In contrast, the invention is based on the objective of creating a foil arrangement in which assembly is simplified.

[0014] This problem is solved by a foil arrangement according to claim 1.

[0015] Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0016] According to the invention, the foil arrangement intended for a watercraft, in particular a windsurf and kiteboard, has a base plate fixed to the watercraft, which is detachably connected to a mast carrying a fuselage by means of a fastening device. The mast has a mast base designed to be angled precisely into a recess in the base plate.

[0017] This angled insertion of the mast base into the recess of the base plate is significantly easier for the user than the previously required, fully inserting of the adapter plate into the base plate. Furthermore, the angled insertion process makes it very easy to remove any contaminants, such as sand or dirt, that may have entered the base. The recess is designed so that the mast base fits perfectly after the angled insertion.

[0018] According to the invention, a physical pivot axis is formed on the base plate or the mast base, which can be brought into operative engagement with at least one pivot sleeve formed on the respective other component (base plate or mast base). This pivot sleeve is designed such that, when the mast base is attached at an angle, it can be brought into contact with the pivot axis, so that the angling into the recess is precisely guided.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, the swivel cuff is designed such that it overlaps the swivel axis on the upper and lower sides approximately transversely to the swivel axis, so that reliable support is ensured when angling.

[0020] The pivot axis can have at least one nose that extends over or under the pivot axis on one side, to which at least one pivot sleeve projection is assigned, which extends approximately parallel to the nose at a distance corresponding to the pivot axis diameter, so that the nose and the pivot sleeve projection extend over and under the pivot axis section by section in a transverse direction.

[0021] The support of the mast base during angling is further improved if two spaced-apart noses engage the pivot axis (viewed in the direction of angling), with the pivot sleeve projection located between the noses when viewed from above.

[0022] Advantageously, the swivel cuff projection is slightly longer than at least one of the noses and dips into a corresponding pocket in the base plate when attached at an angle, thus simplifying the relative positioning by the insertion of the swivel cuff projection into the pocket.

[0023] In another solution, the mounting device for the foil assembly is designed with a locking mechanism and an additional clamping device. The locking mechanism is designed as a quick-release mechanism, but in the solution according to the invention, it can be designed with a certain amount of play, since the final relative positioning and clamping are achieved by means of the clamping device. This double locking device also allows for tool-free assembly / disassembly of the foil assembly, while this locking mechanism and additional clamping provide increased safety against loss of the very expensive hydrofoil assembly.

[0024] The applicant reserves the right to direct a separate independent patent claim to this double locking device with a latching mechanism and a clamping device.

[0025] The handling of the fastening device is particularly easy if the tensioning device is a tensioning screw mounted at the mast base, which can be brought into thread engagement with a corresponding thread in the base plate.

[0026] It is particularly advantageous if the clamping screw is designed with a knob for tightening by hand.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the locking mechanism can be implemented with a locking bolt that can be brought into engagement with a locking element, wherein the locking bolt is preferably provided at the mast base and the locking element at the base plate. Naturally, a kinematic reversal is also possible.

[0028] The design of the locking mechanism is particularly simple if the locking bolt has an approximately mushroom-shaped locking head which, in the locked state, is engaged by the spring-loaded locking element.

[0029] A release button can be provided for easy release of the locking mechanism.

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. These show: Figure 1 the basic structure of a foilboard for kitesurfing; Figure 2 a detailed representation of a mast base and a base plate of the foil arrangement according to Figure 1 ; Figure 3 the order according to Figure 2 , with a mast base attached to the base plate; Figure 4 a bottom view of a pivot-axis-side area of ​​the arrangement according to Figure 3 ; Figure 5 a bottom view of a fastening-side area of ​​the arrangement according to Figure 3 and Figure 6 a cross-sectional view of the area according to Figure 5 .

[0031] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a side view of a board 1 intended for surfing, kitesurfing, wave riding, stand-up paddleboarding ("SUP") or windsurfing, to which a foil arrangement 2 according to the invention is attached. This arrangement has a mast 4 which is detachably attached to the board 1 via a fixing device 6.

[0032] A fuselage 8 is attached to the end section of the mast 4 furthest from the board 1. This fuselage carries a front wing 10 at its front and a rear wing 12 at its rear. Both wings 10 and 12 are each equipped with winglets 14 and 16, respectively. In this embodiment, the winglets 14 on the front wing 10 extend downwards, and the winglets 16 on the rear wing 12 extend upwards – of course, other configurations are also possible.

[0033] The fuselage 8 is, for example, bolted to the mast 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the mast 4 is to be made of an anodized aluminum alloy or the like. The fuselage 8 and the two wings 10, 12 can also be made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic; naturally, these components can also be made entirely or partially of a metallic material.

[0034] Figure 2 shows essential components of the fixing device 6, which are shown in the view according to Figure 1 The view is shown from below with the mast 4 removed. Accordingly, the fixing device 6 has a base plate 18 attached to the board 1, into which a mast foot 20 – also called a shoe – attached to the mast 4 is inserted. In the illustrated embodiment, the base plate 18 is fastened to the board 1 with four fastening screws that pass through screw holes 21.

[0035] According to the representation in Figure 2 The base plate 18 has an approximately frame-shaped structure with a recess 22, which is designed in the manner of a double dovetail profile with central, parallel walls 24, 26 and adjoining, inclined inclined walls 28, 30, 32, 34. These are designed such that the clear width of the recesses 22 widens away from the walls 24, 26. At its end face, the recess 22 is bounded by a rounded and stepped end wall 38 and a somewhat flatter end wall 40. The latter is part of a fastening device 42, the construction of which will be described later with reference to the Figures 5 and 6 is described.

[0036] In the area of ​​the rounded end wall 38, a base web 44 is provided, which extends transversely through the recess 22. Adjoining this base web 44, the end wall 38 narrows to a continuous fitting recess 46, which has an approximately rectangular contour and transitions at its end face into a pocket 48, through which the fitting recess 46 is further narrowed. In the transition area between the fitting recess 46 and the pocket 48, a pivot axis 50 is inserted into the base plate 18. In the illustrated embodiment, this is formed by a cylindrical pin.

[0037] The mast base 20 has an outer contour formed according to the circumferential walls of the recess 22. Accordingly, the mast base 20 has mating walls on the side facing away from the mast 4 formed according to the dovetail contour of the recess 22, of which in the view according to Figure 2Only the visible fitting walls 52, 54, 56, which can be attached to the corresponding walls 26, 28, 32 of the recess 22, are provided with reference marks.

[0038] The in Figure 2 The right end section of the mast base 20 is formed according to the contour of the end wall 38, with a fitting projection 58 formed according to the fitting recess 46. Extending (to the right in Figure 2 ) of this pass projection 58 a pivot sleeve 60 open towards the pivot axis 50 is provided, which is limited towards the mast 4 by a pivot sleeve projection 62 and towards the base plate 18 by two lugs 64a, 64b, of which in Figure 2 Only the nose 64a is visible. The distance between the swivel cuff projection 62 on the one hand and the two noses 64a, 64b on the other hand is designed such that the base plate 18 is in the Figure 2The depicted angular position allows it to be attached obliquely to the pivot axis 50. This attachment is in Figure 3 depicted.

[0039] A receptacle 66 is formed on the mast-side base of the mast foot 20, into which the board-side end section of the mast 4 is inserted. The end section is provided with a cap 68, which is manufactured with a slight oversize in sections and is made of plastic. This plastic is designed such that when the mast 4 is screwed to the mast foot 20, some material is removed from the cap 68 or plastically deformed, thus ensuring a precise fit of the mast 4 in the receptacle 66. This fitting arrangement is the subject of a separate patent application filed parallel to the present patent application. For further details, reference is therefore made to the parallel application for the sake of simplicity.

[0040] As will be explained in more detail below, the fastening device 42 has a locking mechanism and a clamping device, the latter being shown in the view according to Figure 2 A rotary knob 70 of a clamping screw 72 is visible. The aforementioned locking mechanism is released via a release button 74 located on the base plate 18. Further details of the fastening device 42 are described – as mentioned above – with reference to the Figures 5 and 6 explained.

[0041] Figure 3 shows the state in which the mast base 20 with the swivel sleeve 60 is inserted at an angle into the pocket 48 of the base plate 18, so that the swivel sleeve 60 engages the swivel axis 50 (not visible in Figure 3) and thereby the fitting projection 58 dips section by section into the fitting recess 46, so that lateral tilting of the mast base 20 with respect to the base plate 18 is prevented during the subsequent angling. When the mast base 20 is attached to the base plate 18, the fastening device 42 is still disengaged.

[0042] Figure 4 shows a bottom view of the arrangement according to Figure 3 (The fastening device 42 is not shown for the sake of simplicity.) Accordingly, as mentioned above, the fitting projection 58 engages section by section with a sliding fit into the fitting recess 46. The two lugs 64a, 64b extending in the direction of the fitting projection 58 engage (in the angular direction) under the pivot axis 50, the contact contour 76 of the two lugs 64a, 64b being rounded according to the diameter of the pivot axis 50. The pivot sleeve projection 62 engages in the pocket 48.

[0043] From the views according to the Figures 3 and 4 It is clearly evident that in these connections of the mast 4 to the base plate 18, the essential fitting surfaces are still accessible and visible, so that any dirt, sand, etc. can be easily removed.

[0044] In a subsequent assembly step, the mast 4 is then angled towards the base plate 18, whereby the engagement of the swivel sleeve 60 with the swivel axis 50 and the precise insertion of the fitting projection 58 into the fitting recess 46 and the dovetail contour of the mast foot 20 into the recess 22 during the entire angled movement virtually eliminates any lateral displacement of the mast 4 and thus damage to the fitting surfaces.

[0045] In the angled position, the mast base 20 lies with its mating surfaces within the corresponding contours of the base plate 18 and is then locked by means of the fastening device 42. As explained above, the Figure 5 The fastening device 42 shown from below (i.e. seen from the board) has a latching mechanism 78 to which a clamping device 80 is associated.

[0046] The tensioning device 80 has the aforementioned tensioning screw 72 on the mast base side, which can be actuated by means of the rotary knob 70 and whose in Figure 5 The visible threaded section can be brought into thread engagement with a threaded bore 81 of the base plate 18.

[0047] The locking mechanism 78 has a locking bolt 82, projecting towards the base plate 18 and fixed in the mast base 20. This locking bolt has a locking head 84, which, when angled, can be brought into engagement with a spring element (locking element 86) mounted in the base plate 18. In the locked state, the spring element 86 engages behind the locking head 84. This locking element 86 can be formed, for example, by spring-loaded claws or by one or more spring elements that, when angled, are spread apart by the locking head 84, which has a tapered end face, or are displaced against preload. Alternatively, after the mast base 20 has fully inserted into the fitting contour of the base plate 18, the spring element 86 engages behind the locking head 84, for example, by entering a locking groove 88. This locked state is shown in the sectional view according to... Figure 6 depicted.

[0048] Accordingly, in the detent position, the detent element 86 engages behind the detent head 84 and thereby enters the detent groove 88. In the Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the locking element 86 is biased in the engagement direction. The locking element 86 is biased, for example, by a locking spring 90 in the direction of the locking engagement. This engagement can be released by pressing the release button 74, which is shown in the illustration. Figure 6 is moved to the right towards the base plate 18, so that the locking element 86 is moved out of the locking groove 88 in a radial direction.

[0049] As in Figure 6As indicated, this locking mechanism is not completely free of play. The play-free, precise connection between the base plate 18 and the mast base 20 is achieved by the clamping device 80, whose clamping screw 72 is manually screwed into the threaded bore 81 using the rotary knob 70. This clamping ensures a play-free connection between the base plate 18 and the mast base 20, and the relative position is maintained even if the locking mechanism is accidentally released. If the force applied manually is insufficient, a tool can be used for clamping.

[0050] In the representation according to Figure 6 A fastening screw 92 is also shown, by which the mast 4 with its cap 68 attached to it is fixed in position in the receptacle 66.

[0051] A foil arrangement for a watercraft, in particular a windsurf or kiteboard, is disclosed, wherein a mast base is provided on a mast carrying a fuselage and is inserted into a recess on the board side of a base plate. According to the invention, the mast base and the base plate are designed such that insertion can be effected by angling. Furthermore, a foil arrangement is disclosed in which a fastening device for securing the mast base to the base plate is designed with a locking mechanism and an additional tensioning device. Reference symbol list:

[0052] 1 Board 2 Foil assembly 4 Mast 6 Fixing device 8 Fuselage 10 Front wing 12 Rear wing 14 Winglet 16 Winglet 18 Base plate 20 Mast foot 21 Screw hole 22 Recess 24 Wall 26 Wall 28 Slanted wall 30 Slanted wall 32 Slanted wall 34 Slanted wall 36 Slanted wall 38 Rounded end wall 40 End wall 42 Mounting device 44 Bottom rib 46 Fitting recess 48 Pocket 50 Swivel axis 52 Side wall 54 Side wall 56 Side wall 58 Fitting projection 60 Swivel sleeve 62 Swivel sleeve projection 64 Nose 66 Mounting 68 Cap 70 Knob 72 Tension screw 74 Release button 76 Mounting contour 78 Detent 80 Clamping element 81 Threaded bore 82 Detent bolt 84 Detent head 86 Detent element 88 Detent groove 90 Detent spring 92 Fastening screw

Claims

1. Foil arrangement for a watercraft, in particular for a windsurfing or kiteboard, having a mast (4) which can be fastened to the watercraft by means of a base plate (18) and which carries a fuselage (8) at its end portion remote from the watercraft, wherein the base plate (18) and the mast (4) are releasably connected to one another by means of a fastening device (42), the mast (4) has a mast foot (20) which is designed to be inserted into a cutout (22) in the base plate (18) by being angled in, characterized in that a pivot axis (50) is formed on the base plate (18) and can be brought into pivoting engagement with at least one pivot collar (60), which can be placed on the pivot axis (50), of the mast foot (20), or a pivot axis (50) is formed on the mast foot (20) and can be brought into pivoting engagement with at least one pivot collar (60), which can be placed on the pivot axis (50), of the base plate (18), wherein the respective pivot collar (60) is designed such that, when the mast foot (20) is placed at an angle, it can be brought into abutment with the respective pivot axis (50) in order to form the respective pivoting engagement, with the result that angling of the mast foot (20) into the cutout (22) is guided precisely.

2. Foil arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the pivot collar (60) overlaps the pivot axis (50) on the upper side and underside approximately transversely with respect to the pivot axis (50).

3. Foil arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the pivot collar (60) has at least one lug (64) which engages over or under the pivot axis (50) on one side and at least one pivot collar projection (62) which extends parallel, approximately at a distance corresponding to the pivot axis diameter, wherein the lug (64) and the pivot collar projection (62) engage over or under the pivot axis (50) in sections in the transverse direction.

4. Foil arrangement according to claim 3, wherein two lugs (64a, 64b) which are arranged at a distance from one another engage under the pivot axis (50) in the angling direction, wherein the pivot collar projection (62) is arranged between the lugs (64a, 64b) as seen in a plan view.

5. Foil arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the pivot collar projection (62) is longer than the lugs (64) and, when placed, dips into a pocket (48) of the base plate (18).

6. Foil arrangement according to one of the preceding patent claims, wherein the fastening device (42) has a latching means (78) and a bracing device (80).

7. Foil arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the bracing device (80) has a clamping screw (72) which is mounted on the mast foot (20) and is designed to be brought into threaded engagement with a threaded bore (81) in the base plate (18).

8. Foil arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the clamping screw (72) has a rotary knob (70) for manual actuation.

9. Foil arrangement according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 8, wherein the latching means (78) has a latching bolt (82) which can be brought into latching engagement with a latching element (86), wherein the latching bolt (82) is preferably provided on the mast foot (20) and the resilient latching element (86) is provided on the base plate (18).

10. Foil arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the latching bolt (82) has a latching head (84) which, in the latched state, is engaged behind by the resilient latching element (86).

11. Foil arrangement according to claim 9 or 10, with an unlocking knob (74) for releasing the latching.

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