Inflatable foilboard

Abstract

An inflatable foilboard or hydrofoil board comprises an inflatable board (12) having a rigid platform (14) on which a user stands. A mast (16) extends from the platform (14) through the board (12) and into the water below. A hydrofoil (18) is attached to the base of the mast (16). Figure for abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Inflatable foilboard Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to water sports boards. The invention relates in particular to a water sports board comprising an inflatable rim and a hydrofoil extending under the board. Background of the invention

[0002] Foilboards, also known as hydrofoil boards, are water sports boards that have a "mast" or "kick" extending underneath them, to which a hydrofoil is attached. This arrangement gives the board lift, such that above a certain speed the board will be lifted above the water level. This in turn reduces drag on the board, and allows for greater speeds and maneuverability compared to other water sports boards.

[0003] Such boards can be bulky. In order to create a board that can be more easily transported, and that offers better flotation at low speeds, a recent innovation is an inflatable foilboard. Inflatable foilboards include an inflatable body to which is attached a top plate (on which a user can stand) and a bottom plate (from which the hydrofoil extends).

[0004] Inflatable boards are inherently less rigid than solid boards. As such, they must be pumped to high internal pressures in an attempt to provide rigidity. In the case of inflatable foilboards, this is particularly problematic because control of the hydrofoil is achieved by the user's feet. The (compressed) air gap between the top plate and the bottom plate acts to dissipate changes in weight transfer, limiting the precision with which the hydrofoil can be controlled.

[0005] The present invention seeks to address this problem using inflatable foilboards. Abstract

[0006] The key to the present invention is that a hydrofoil mast passes through an inflatable board, and attaches directly to a top plate. When the inflatable board is above water level, all of a user's weight passes directly from the top plate to the hydrofoil mast, bypassing the inflatable board.

[0007] According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a water sports board comprising: (a) a rigid bearing surface; (b) a rigid mast extending downwardly from the bearing surface; (c) at least one hydrofoil attached to the mast; and (d) an inflatable body attached to the rigid bearing surface, the inflatable body having an opening through which the rigid mast can pass such that the inflatable body is located between the rigid bearing surface and the at least one hydrofoil.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the inflatable body defines an upper surface of the water sports board, the upper surface having a length, and whereby the rigid support surface has a length between 30% and 70% of that of the upper surface.

[0009] The rigid mast comprises an upper flange adapted to be connected to the rigid bearing surface. The upper flange may have a length between 15% and 25% of the length of the rigid bearing surface.

[0010] The opening in the inflatable body preferably has flexible side walls, such that inflation of the inflatable body causes the side walls to press against the rigid mast.

[0011] The opening of the inflatable body is preferably located closer to a tail of the water sports board than to a nose. Preferably, the opening of the inflatable body is centered between 15% and 35% of the distance from the tail of the water sports board to the nose of the water sports board.

[0012] The hydrofoil may be directly attached to the mast. Preferably, the hydrofoil is attached to a support structure which is itself attached to the mast. Brief description of the figures

[0013] It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments are possible, and accordingly the particularity of the following discussion should not be construed as superseding the generality of the foregoing description of the invention. In the drawings:

[0014] [Fig.l] is a top perspective of a water sports board in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] [Fig.2] is a lower perspective of the water sports board of [Fig.l]

[0016] [Fig.3] is a plan view of the water sports board of [Fig.l];

[0017] [Fig.4] is a cross-section through the water sports board of the [Fig.l];

[0018] [Fig.5] is a bottom view of a support surface in the water sports board of [Fig.l];

[0019] [Fig.6] is a top perspective of a rigid structure from inside the water sports board of [Fig.l];

[0020] [Fig.7] is a lower perspective of the rigid structure of [Fig.6]; and

[0021] [Fig.8] is a cutaway view of the rigid structure of [Fig.6].

[0022] Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0023] Referring to the Figures, there is illustrated a water sports board 10 comprising an inflatable body 12, a rigid support surface 14, a rigid mast 16, and a hydrofoil arrangement 18.

[0024] The inflatable body 12 has an upper surface 20, a lower surface 22, and a sidewall 24. Figures 1-4 illustrate the inflatable body 12 in a fully inflated state, whereby the upper surface 20 and the lower surface 22 are generally flat, and are spaced apart by the sidewall 24. The upper surface 20 and the lower surface 22 each extend from a nose 26 of the watersports board to a tail 28, defining the length of the watersports board 10.

[0025] The rigid bearing surface 14 is secured to the upper surface 20 of the inflatable body 12. The rigid bearing surface 14 has an upper surface 30 and a lower surface 32. The upper surface 30 includes a plurality of openings including outer openings 34 which may be used to secure the rigid bearing surface 14 to the upper surface 30; central openings 35 which may be used to attach a stiffening member; and smaller openings 36 to which foot straps (not shown) and other accessories may be mounted.

[0026] The rigid bearing surface 14 has a length approximately half that of the water sports board 10. The rigid bearing surface 14 is attached to generally a rear side of the upper surface 20 of the inflatable body 12. The arrangement is such that a rear end 37 of the rigid bearing surface 14 is located approximately 10% of the distance from the tail 28 to the nose 26 of the water sports board 10, and a front end 38 of the rigid bearing surface 14 is located approximately 40% of the distance from the nose 26 to the tail 28 of the water sports board 10.

[0027] The lower surface 32 of the rigid bearing surface 14 includes a plurality of mounting points 40 adapted to be affixed to the upper surface 20 of the inflatable body 12. The lower surface 32 includes a central reinforcing rib 42.

[0028] The rigid mast 16 has a flange plate 50 at an upper end thereof. The flange plate 50 is adapted to be secured to the central reinforcing rib 42 using bolts 52. The flange plate 50 has a length approximately 20% of that of the rigid bearing surface 14, and a width slightly greater than that of the central reinforcing rib 42. The flange plate 50 is secured toward a rear of the rigid bearing surface 14, with a rear end 54 located approximately 10% of the distance from the rear end 37 to the front end 38 of the rigid bearing surface 14.

[0029] The rigid mast 16 extends downwardly from the rigid bearing surface 14. The rigid mast 16 is designed to have minimal drag in the water. As such, it has a leading edge 56 oriented toward the nose 26 of the water sports board 10 and a trailing edge 58 oriented toward the tail 28 of the water sports board 10. The rigid mast 16 has a general hydrofoil shape.

[0030] The hydrofoil arrangement 18 is formed by a support structure comprising a longitudinal spar 60 extending from a lower edge of the rigid mast 16, with a leading hydrofoil 62 extending laterally at a forward end of the spar 60 and an aft hydrofoil 64 extending laterally at the aft end of the spar 60. It will be appreciated that other hydrofoil arrangements may be provided to establish different properties.

[0031] In order to accommodate the rigid mast 16, the inflatable body 12 includes an opening 70 extending between the upper surface 20 and the lower surface 22. The opening 70 has a length approximately 20% of that of the water sports board 10, and is centered approximately 25% of the distance from the tail 28 to the nose 26 of the water sports board 10.

[0032] The opening 70 comprises flexible side walls 72.

[0033] The opening 70 is sized such that, when the inflatable body 12 is deflated, the opening 70 is large enough for the flange plate 50 to pass through the opening 70 and be bolted to the rigid bearing surface 14 using the bolts 52.

[0034] Inflation of the inflatable body 12 causes the flexible sidewalls 72 to expand inwardly, pressing against the rigid mast 16. As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the flexible sidewalls 72 are spaced from the leading edge 56 and the trailing edge 58 of the rigid mast 16, with the flexible sidewalls 72 of the opening 70 pressing against the sidewalls of the rigid mast 16.

[0035] To use the water sports plate 10 (once inflated), a user stands on the upper surface 30 of the rigid support surface 14, with the lower surface 22 of the inflatable body 12 floating on the surface of the water.

[0036] When a required speed is reached, the hydrofoil arrangement 18 provides sufficient lift for the lower surface 22 of the inflatable body 12 to rise above the water surface. In this situation, all of the user's weight passes via the rigid support surface 14 and the mast 16 onto the hydrofoil arrangement 18, essentially bypassing the inflatable body 12. Control of the water sports board 10 is thus effected by the displacement of the user's weight onto the rigid support surface 14, with the inflatable body 12 having no effect other than to provide a small degree of aerodynamic resistance.

[0037] Modifications and variations such as would be obvious to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. A water sports board (10) comprising: (a) a rigid support surface (14); (b) a rigid mast (16) extending downwardly from the support surface (14); (c) at least one hydrofoil (18) attached to the mast (16); and (d) an inflatable body (12) secured to the rigid bearing surface (14), the inflatable body (12) having an opening (70) through which the rigid mast (16) can pass such that the inflatable body (12) is located between the rigid bearing surface (14) and the at least one hydrofoil (18) wherein the opening (70) of the inflatable body is located closer to a tail (28) of the water sports board (10) than to a nose (26) and is centered between 15% and 35% of the distance from the tail (28) of the water sports board (10) to the nose (26) of the water sports board (10).

2. The water sports board (10) of claim 1, wherein the inflatable body (12) defines an upper surface (20) of the water sports board (10), the upper surface (20) having a length, and whereby the rigid bearing surface (14) has a length between 30% and 70% of that of the upper surface (20).

3. A water sports board (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rigid mast (16) comprises an upper flange (50) arranged to be connected to the rigid bearing surface (14).

4. A water sports board (10) according to claim 3, wherein the upper flange (50) has a length between 15% and 25% of a length of the rigid bearing surface (14).

5. A water sports board (10) according to claim 1, wherein the opening (70) in the inflatable body (12) has flexible side walls (72), such that inflation of the inflatable body (12) causes the side walls (72) to press against the rigid mast (16).

6. A water sports board (10) according to claim 1 wherein the hydrofoil (18) is attached to a support structure (60) which is itself attached to the mast (16).

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