Fastening system for fastening a hydrofoil to a water-sports board
The fastening system addresses the challenges of jamming and tilting by using deformable connector parts in grooves with multiple through-openings, ensuring a secure and damage-free attachment of hydrofoils to watersports boards.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/IB2024/057691
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing fastening systems for attaching hydrofoils to watersports boards face challenges such as jamming of mounting hardware and potential damage due to tilting during installation, particularly under real-world conditions with factors like wind and sand.
A fastening system with grooves and a connecting piece featuring deformable connector parts and multiple through-openings, allowing for secure and easy attachment of hydrofoils by ensuring the connector parts remain fixed within the grooves, even after loosening the screw or clamp connection.
The system prevents jamming and tilting of mounting hardware, ensuring a secure and reliable connection while minimizing damage to the watersports board and hydrofoil, facilitating easy assembly and disassembly.
Smart Images

Figure IB2024057691_12022026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] 1190PP017WG
[0002] 1 / 19
[0003] Mounting system for attaching a hydrofoil to a watersports board
[0004] The invention relates to a fastening system for the indirect or direct attachment of a hydrofoil to a watersports board. The fastening system has at least two grooves arranged in a mounting rail area of the watersports board and a connecting piece that is indirectly or directly connected to the hydrofoil. This connecting piece can be attached to the watersports board and fixed in a desired position on the watersports board by means of suitable connecting elements that can be inserted into the grooves and fastening elements connected to the connecting piece.
[0005] Generally speaking, a hydrofoil is a wing mounted beneath a watercraft to lift the craft as speed increases due to the dynamic lift generated by the underwater wing. Since only a small portion of the hull remains below the water's surface after it lifts, displacement and drag are significantly reduced, allowing for higher speeds.
[0006] Hydrofoils of this type are also used in kitesurfing, mounted beneath the board, the so-called foilboard. At sufficiently high speeds, the board is lifted upwards by the dynamic lift forces acting on the hydrofoil, so that at high speeds only the hydrofoil is in contact with the water, resulting in correspondingly high speeds. It is also advantageous that, with the help of these hydrofoils, considerable speeds can be achieved even with low propulsive forces caused by waves, wind, body power, and / or engine power.
[0007] The well-known hydrofoils have a mast that extends vertically into the water. A foil-like structure, forming the hydrofoil's hull, is attached to the lower end of this mast, and rear and front wings are mounted on this foil, positioned transversely to the direction of travel. Such hydrofoils are manufactured either as single components or as assemblies that combine at least some of the aforementioned components.
[0008] In this context, a hydrofoil of this type is known from EP 3 461 734 A1, which can be attached to the underside of a foilboard used for kitesurfing. The described hydrofoil in turn has a mast that can be attached to the underside of a board via a mounting plate and which is connected to its 1190PP017WQ
[0009] 2 / 19
[0010] The mounting plate has a fuselage at the end furthest from the mast, which includes a front and a rear wing. A key feature of the described technical solution is that the mounting plate is bonded to the mast. The mounting plate, bonded to the mast, can be attached either with screws or by inserting it into a designated recess on the underside of a foilboard.
[0011] Since hydrofoils are subjected to comparatively high dynamic forces, the reliable transmission of these forces, as well as bending and torsional moments, between the individual components of a hydrofoil and their proper introduction into the board is of considerable importance. It must be taken into account that at the connection points of the individual components, the applied forces are at least partially redirected. For this reason, significant torques sometimes occur in the corresponding connection areas.
[0012] To attach a hydrofoil to a foilboard designed for kitesurfing, a mounting rail area is located at the rear, where the fin would normally be mounted on other boards. A mounting adapter allows the hydrofoil to be attached to this rail. Crucially, for the fin boxes described below, the mounting adapter is attached from the underside of the board, similar to the so-called US box fins. A T-nut is inserted into a groove in the mounting rail area and screwed in from below. This means the screw does not pass through the board, allowing for stepless positioning of the mounting adapter relative to the groove.
[0013] Typically, a slot box, also known as a US box or US fin box, is located within the groove. This box has an internal channel for a T-nut, creating an indirect connection between the T-nut positioned in the slot box channel and the mounting rail area of the board. Together with the reinforced tail section of the board, the mounting rail area with the slot provides the necessary stability to accommodate the fasteners and connect to the mounting adapter attached to the mast head of the hydrofoil, ensuring that the forces transmitted between the hydrofoil and the board during surfing are safely transferred to the board.
[0014] To accommodate a T-nut in the mounting rail area, the groove or T-slot box has an opening with an enlarged cross-section. This allows the T-nut to be inserted into the groove or T-slot box channel, moved lengthwise with the attached adapter, and finally fixed in the desired position relative to the groove and thus to the board using a screw. Further details are available in the special 1190PP017WÖ series.
[0015] 3 / 19
[0016] Fin boxes, so-called double US boxes, are known, which have two parallel grooves for receiving suitable fastening elements and thus for connecting a hydrofoil to the mounting rail area, wherein an opening for the insertion of a fastening element, in particular a T-nut, is provided in each groove.
[0017] A common problem when attaching hydrofoils to the underside of a watersports board, such as a kitesurfboard, is inserting the necessary mounting hardware into the grooves provided on the board's underside. Typically, the mounting adapter, along with its fasteners (primarily screws and T-nuts), must be held at an angle to insert the T-nuts through the designated opening into the groove on the board's underside. This poses two risks: firstly, the fasteners may jam during insertion, and secondly, the mounting adapter, with the hydrofoil attached, may tip over, potentially damaging the watersports board and / or the hydrofoil.
[0018] Against this background, DE 10 2021 119 503 A1 describes a fastening system in which a connecting piece can be connected to a connecting element within a groove of a water sports board via a screw connection.
[0019] Based on the solutions known from the prior art for attaching a hydrofoil to the underside of a water sports board and the problem described above, the invention is based on the objective of providing an improved fastening system, in particular a fastening system with a particularly simple and robust fastening of the connecting piece to the water sports board.
[0020] The problem described above is solved by a fastening system according to claim 1. A set consisting of a suitable fastening system and a watersports board that solves the problem underlying the invention is specified in claim 16. Furthermore, claims 17 and 18 specify specially designed watersports boards with which the invention is realized.
[0021] The invention relates to a fastening system for attaching a hydrofoil to a watersports board, which has a fastening rail area with at least two grooves arranged in the watersports board and a connecting piece that is directly or indirectly connected to the hydrofoil and that can be connected to the watersports board, 1190PP017WQ
[0022] 4 / 19 wherein the connector has a plurality of through-openings through which a fastening element, in particular a screw element, can be inserted to provide a screw or clamp connection between the connector and the watersports board, wherein the grooves are designed to accommodate at least one connecting element that can be connected to the connector via the screw or clamp connection and that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the groove relative to the groove, and wherein the grooves have groove openings with a cross-section that is at least partially enlarged compared to an adjacent groove area, through which the at least one connecting element can be inserted into the grooves, characterized in that the fastening system has at least one connector part, in particular a flexible connector part,and that, for the screw or clamp connection, the respective fastening element between the through-hole and the connecting element is also inserted through the at least one connector part, which deforms when the screw or clamp connection is provided, in particular deforms irreversibly.
[0023] Within the scope of the invention, it was recognized that attaching the connector to the watersports board can be difficult under real-world conditions. Wind, sand, and similar factors can hinder the insertion of the fastener. Therefore, the use of a connector part is proposed that deforms after the initial screw or clamp connection. This allows the connector part, and thus the connecting element, to be at least partially fixed within the groove. Advantageously, after loosening the screw or clamp connection, the connector can be moved relative to the watersports board, but the deformed connector part prevents the connecting element from moving freely within the groove. Furthermore, by providing multiple fasteners for multiple through-holes in the connector, a particularly secure force transmission between the hydrofoil and the watersports board is ensured.
[0024] The connector part is preferably flexible in the sense that it does not break into different pieces when deformed, but bends reliably so that after deformation it can have more support within the groove due to existing friction than before deformation.
[0025] The fastening element can be a screw and / or a bolt to enable, for example, a screw connection or a clamping connection, such as a connection via a quick-release assembly. 1190PP017WÖ
[0026] 5 / 19
[0027] A symmetrical connection structure is preferably provided by an arrangement of the grooves and through-holes, enabling a particularly secure attachment of a hydrofoil to a watersports board. Providing multiple openings per groove, preferably two openings, for the insertion of connecting elements that can be indirectly connected to a hydrofoil via a connector, offers the advantage that multiple connecting elements can be inserted into the grooves lying in one plane and at least almost simultaneously, thus preventing jamming of the connecting elements and / or tilting of the connector during hydrofoil assembly. Shifting the connecting elements relative to the grooves and subsequent fixing is also easily possible.The connector can be a separate mounting adapter that can be connected to both the mast head of a hydrofoil and the mounting rail area of the watersports board, or it can be designed as a single piece with the hydrofoil, so that the connector with the through-holes for the insertion of mounting elements forms an integral part of the hydrofoil.
[0028] In general, it is conceivable that the connector and / or the hydrofoil is made of a plastic reinforced with carbon fibers or particles. Likewise, the connector and / or the hydrofoil can be made of aluminum, e.g., an aluminum casting, and / or, most preferably, manufactured using a 3D printing process.
[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the fastening system according to the invention, the connector part is irreversibly deformed by a contact pressure between the connecting piece and the fastener. In this embodiment, the connector part deforms due to the pressure generated during the process of forming the screw or clamp connection, as the connecting piece and the fastener are pressed against the connector part. During the deformation, at least part of the width of the connector part preferably changes. This preferably partially fixes the position of the connector part within the groove. Partial fixing here means that the position of the connector part remains unchanged, at least under slight forces.
[0030] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, at least one connector part is designed as an elongated web which is arranged for at least two different screw or clamp connections of the fastening system between the connector piece in the area of two through-holes and two connecting elements. This elongated web can permanently and easily fix the position of two connecting elements within the groove in the frame of the screw or clamp connection. This facilitates repeated assembly and disassembly of the connector piece on the water sports board 1190PP017WQ.
[0031] 6 / 19 makes this particularly easy. In particular, it is not necessary to repeatedly push the connecting elements into a suitable position to make the connection, as the deformed connector part can provide sufficient friction to fix the corresponding connecting element.
[0032] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the at least one connector part has a screw opening through which the respective fastening element can be inserted to provide the screw or clamp connection. In this embodiment, a through-opening is advantageously provided through the connector part and the screw opening through the connector part for the screw or clamp connection. The screw opening can have a screw thread for the screw connection or no screw thread, for example, in the case of a clamp connection. If these two openings are aligned, the screw or clamp connection can be provided by inserting the fastening element. The screw opening can have a screw profile corresponding to that of the fastening element to be used. Alternatively or additionally, the screw opening can also have an area without a screw profile.
[0033] In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one connector part has a narrower width than the connecting element, such that it can also be inserted into the groove outside the extended cross-section. In this embodiment, the connector part is part of the fastening system, which can be inserted into the corresponding groove before the initial screw or clamp connection is made. The connector part can have the same width as the narrowest part of the groove, allowing it to be placed or inserted into the groove. Alternatively, it can have a slightly greater width than the narrowest part of the groove, allowing it to be pressed into the groove.
[0034] In a further particularly preferred embodiment, the at least one connector part within a screw or clamp connection is pressed against the corresponding connecting element within the groove in such a way that the connecting element remains fixed even after the fastener has been removed. In this embodiment, the deformation of the connector part enables a long-term, controllable hold of the connecting element within the groove by bearing against the deformed connector part, which is thereby held in the groove. 1190PP017WQ
[0035] 7 / 19
[0036] Preferably, the groove has a groove profile. Such a groove profile can further improve friction between the groove and the connector part, so that the deformed connector part is held particularly reliably in the groove.
[0037] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the through-openings of the connector has a round or oval cross-section and / or is designed in the form of an open or closed elongated hole. Preferably, at least two, preferably four, of the through-openings are spaced apart from each other at a distance corresponding to the distance between at least two groove openings of one of the grooves. Preferably, four through-openings are provided in the connector and four groove openings in the mounting rail area, arranged in rectangles with identical side edge lengths, wherein the distances between the groove openings of each groove, as well as between the through-openings of the connector provided for mounting, are greater in the longitudinal direction of the watersports board and the grooves, and thus in the direction of flow of the hydrofoil, than the perpendicular distances between the groove openings of two different grooves.the through-openings in the transverse direction of the connecting piece arranged in the assembled state.
[0038] It is particularly advantageous if a first opening of at least two openings in a groove is located at the end of the groove, and a second opening is positioned between the first opening and the end of the groove opposite the first opening. This makes it especially easy for a user to identify a starting point for attaching a hydrofoil and / or a connector that is directly or indirectly connected to, or can be connected to, a hydrofoil. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the distance between the openings of the at least two grooves is equal.
[0039] Preferably, at least two openings of a groove have a rectangular cross-section with respect to the insertion direction of the connecting element. This is particularly advantageous when T-nuts are used as connecting elements, which are usually cube- or cuboid-shaped and have an internal thread into which a screw, threaded bolt, or the like can be screwed and / or inserted.
[0040] In a further specific embodiment of the invention, a section of the watersports board in which the mounting rail area is located has increased strength compared to at least one other section of the board. In this case, the watersports board is thus reinforced in the area where the mounting rail area with the grooves is located. This particular design takes into account the fact that, due to the attachment of the hydrofoil in this area, which is usually located in the stern of a watersports board, comparatively high torsional, rotational, and bending moments, as well as forces, are transmitted from the hydrofoil into the watersports board, at least temporarily. The reinforcement of the watersports board in the area of the mounting rail area ensures that the forces transmitted into the watersports board via the mounting rail area are distributed evenly throughout the board.This avoids local peak loads.
[0041] According to a specific embodiment of the invention, a groove box is arranged in at least one of the grooves, preferably in at least two grooves, through which an indirect connection is established between the connecting elements and the grooves provided in the watersports board. Advantageously, such a groove box is made of a plastic, wherein the outer contour essentially corresponds to the inner contour of the groove in the watersports board. In this context, it is generally conceivable that the outer contour of the groove box is at least slightly larger than the inner contour of the groove in the board, so that the groove box forms a clamping connection with the watersports board when installed within the groove. Furthermore, it is conceivable to connect the groove box to the groove provided in the watersports board via at least one screw and / or an adhesive connection.
[0042] Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that such a groove box, which ultimately serves to accommodate the connecting elements inside, is laminated together with the surrounding area of the mounting rail area.
[0043] Both the grooves of the watersports board and the advantageously used groove boxes each have a slot on the side facing the surface of the watersports board in the installed position, so that fasteners screwed and / or inserted into the connecting elements guided within the grooves or groove boxes can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the grooves or groove box channels into the position desired by the user.
[0044] Advantageously, the groove box is made of a different material than the board core, in which the grooves are formed adjacent to the groove box. In this context, the board core refers to the material of a watersports board that does not form the surface layer, but rather the supporting structure of the board beneath the surface layer, into which forces occurring during use of the board are transferred. Since the material of the groove boxes is different from the material of the board core, particularly in the area of the mounting rails, a demand-adapted force transmission between the hydrofoil and the 1190PP017WÖ is possible.
[0045] 9 / 19
[0046] Watersports boards can be constructed, for example, because the groove boxes have a certain flexibility, allowing for a preferential force transmission into the supporting structure of the watersports board.
[0047] Furthermore, it is advantageously possible to replace a groove box if it becomes worn, without having to replace the entire board. This replacement is particularly easy if the groove boxes are clamped into the designated grooves of the watersports board.
[0048] Advantageously, at least one, preferably the plurality of, slot boxes each has a slot channel in which the at least one connecting element, in particular a T-nut, is guided and movable in the longitudinal direction. It is essential here that the connecting element is indeed displaceable in the longitudinal direction within the slot channel, but that it cannot perform any movement, in particular no rotational movement, within a plane in which the slot channel extends. In this way, it is ensured that, for example, a screw or a bolt can be screwed into the internal thread of a connecting element, in particular a T-nut, without the connecting element rotating in the direction of rotation of the fastening element.
[0049] Advantageously, the groove boxes each have at least two groove box openings through which the connecting elements intended for attaching a hydrofoil are inserted into the respective groove box channel. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the groove boxes used are arranged within the grooves of a watersports board such that the groove box openings form the openings of the grooves arranged in the watersports board or are aligned with openings that represent extensions of the grooves themselves. In both cases, it is possible to insert the connecting elements intended for attaching a hydrofoil through the openings of the groove boxes and finally move them longitudinally along the groove box channels into the position desired by the user for fixing the hydrofoil.
[0050] According to the invention, the connecting elements, preferably together with the further fastening elements already attached to them, are inserted into the at least two openings of the at least two grooves arranged parallel to each other, moved in the longitudinal direction relative to the grooves or the grooves and the groove channels into the desired position and fixed there.
[0051] By using suitable fasteners, a hydrofoil can be attached by utilizing the fixed distances between the groove opening and / or the groove box openings. The preferably four connecting elements with the 1190PP017WÖ
[0052] The additional fastening elements attached to the 10 / 19 are advantageously inserted into the openings in the groove area, which can be at least partially formed by groove box openings, in a plane parallel to the surface of the underside of the watersports board and at least almost simultaneously. This reliably prevents the fastening elements, especially the T-nuts used for this purpose, from jamming, thus enabling a comparatively simple and safe fastening process. Furthermore, this minimizes the risk of damage to the watersports board, the grooves, and / or the hydrofoil during its attachment.
[0053] The invention also relates to a set comprising a fastening system designed according to at least one of the previously described embodiments, and a watersports board in the rear region of which grooves are arranged for the releasable fixing of the connector, which serves for the indirect or direct, releasable attachment of a hydrofoil. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the connector is formed integrally with the hydrofoil, such that the mast base of the hydrofoil merges into the connector or the connector forms at least a part of the mast base.
[0054] According to a specific embodiment of the invention, the connector used is characterized by a suitable connection structure into which the head of the hydrofoil mast can be inserted and in which it can be fixed, for example, by a clamp or screw connection. According to the invention, such a connector has a further suitable connection structure for attaching it to the mounting rail area of a watersports board. Particularly preferably, such a connector has a connection structure with at least four through-openings, through which fastening elements can be inserted up to a stop, wherein the fastening elements preferably have an external thread that can be screwed into the internal threads of the respective connecting elements.When mounting a hydrofoil on the underside of a watersports board designed according to the invention, four fastening elements are first attached to the connector piece, onto which four connecting elements and connector parts are screwed. The connector piece, together with the attached screws and connecting elements, can then be attached to the mounting rail area of the watersports board by inserting the connecting elements, lying in one plane and at least nearly simultaneously, into the at least four openings in the area of the at least two parallel grooves, which are preferably formed by groove box openings, and then sliding them in the longitudinal direction of the grooves or groove boxes. 1190PP017WÖ.
[0055] 11 / 19 and finally, the fastening elements are tightened in the desired position. Furthermore, the connector advantageously features a plate-shaped element that, after installation, rests against the underside of the watersports board over as large an area as possible.
[0056] The connector can generally be attached to the watersports board whether the board is already connected to the hydrofoil or not. However, assembly is usually carried out with the hydrofoil already attached to the connector, as the screw or clamp connection used for this purpose is no longer accessible once the connector is attached to the underside of the watersports board.
[0057] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the connecting piece has at least four through-openings into which fastening elements, screwable into the connecting element, can be inserted until they reach a stop. The centers of the four through-openings are arranged in a rectangle, the first side edge of which has a length that corresponds at least approximately to the perpendicular distance between the longitudinal centers of the parallel grooves, while the second side edge adjoining the first has a length that corresponds at least approximately to the distance between the centers of a cross-section of the openings in the area of the grooves. With regard to this embodiment, it should be noted that the corresponding dimensions of the connecting piece and / or the mounting rail area are limited by the usual manufacturing tolerances.A key aspect of the invention is that both the through-openings in the connector and the openings in the area of the grooves, in particular the groove box openings, are arranged in a rectangular configuration relative to each other, thus enabling a comparatively simple assembly of a connector on a mounting rail area designed according to the invention. It is generally irrelevant whether the corresponding openings are square or rectangular, the longer side of which is arranged in the main flow direction of the hydrofoil or perpendicular to it.
[0058] It is particularly advantageous, however, if the grooves arranged in the mounting rail area of the watersports board, and preferably the groove boxes arranged therein with their groove box channels, as well as the through-openings of the connector, are arranged such that the longitudinal distance between the openings in the area of the grooves is longer than the distance between the parallel grooves, so that the connector has a longer contact surface on the watersports board in the main flow direction of the hydrofoil, which accordingly transfers the tilting forces introduced into the connector to the underside of the watersports board. With regard to the through-openings in the connector, it is conceivable that at least one of the through-openings 1190PP017WQ
[0059] 12 / 19 has at least a partially round or oval cross-section or is designed in the form of an open or closed elongated hole.
[0060] A particular embodiment of the set designed according to the invention further provides at least four T-nuts and / or screw nuts as connecting elements, as well as at least four external hexagon, internal hexagon, internal Torx, slotted and / or Phillips head screws. The set designed according to the invention thus enables the suitable attachment of a hydrofoil to a watersports board by using a watersports board designed according to the invention together with a suitable connector and the connecting and fastening elements described above.
[0061] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a watersports board with a mounting system designed according to at least one of the previously described embodiments, to which a hydrofoil is attached directly or indirectly via the connecting piece. Such a watersports board is preferably a wakeboard, surfboard, kitesurfboard, windwing foilboard, SUP foilboard, prone foilboard, and / or windsurfboard.
[0062] Of general importance is the fact that the invention enables the attachment of a hydrofoil, which, due to movement through the water, lifts the underside of the watersports board from the water surface. A watersports board equipped in this way allows for comparatively rapid progress even with low propulsive forces, which can be caused by waves, wind, muscle power and / or machine power.
[0063] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and the figures, without limiting the general concept of the invention. The figures show:
[0064] Fig. 1: Perspective view of a water sports board with a mounting rail area designed according to the invention and a groove box placed on it,
[0065] Fig. 2: Perspective view of two groove boxes for a mounting rail area of a water sports board designed according to the invention,
[0066] Fig. 3: Process for attaching a hydrofoil to a watersports board designed according to the invention in three views,
[0067] Fig. 4: Detailed view of a connecting element and a connector part,
[0068] Fig. 5: Perspective view of the components of the fastening system according to the invention, 1190PP017WÖ
[0069] 13 / 19
[0070] Fig. 6: Cross-sectional view through the groove of a mounting rail area of a water sports board designed according to the invention with a connecting piece attached thereto,
[0071] Fig. 7: Perspective view of a special embodiment of connecting element and connector part as well as
[0072] Fig. 8: Perspective view of different embodiments of connecting elements.
[0073] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the underside of a watersports board 1 with a mounting rail area 2 designed to at least indirectly attach a hydrofoil 11. Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows a groove box 4 placed on the watersports board 1 and a connecting piece 8 also placed on the watersports board 1, which, according to the embodiment shown here, serves for the indirect attachment of a hydrofoil to the watersports board 1.
[0074] The mounting rail area 2 has two parallel grooves 3 formed within the water sports board 1, each of which has two groove openings 5 with a cross-section larger than that of the rest of the groove area. According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the four groove openings 5 are arranged in a rectangle, with the longer of the two side edges of the rectangle oriented longitudinally along the water sports board 1 and thus in the direction of flow of a hydrofoil 11 attached to the water sports board 1.
[0075] Furthermore, it can be seen in Fig. 1 that a total of two parallel grooves 3 with two openings 5 each are provided, so that during the assembly of a hydrofoil 11, at least almost simultaneously four connecting elements 9 arranged in one plane, in particular in the form of T-nuts, to which fastening elements 10, namely screw elements, and a connecting piece 8, which is connected to the hydrofoil 11, and connecting parts 14 arranged thereon are preferably already attached, can be inserted into the grooves 3, moved in the longitudinal direction relative to the grooves 3 into the desired position and fixed in this position by means of a connecting part 14.Due to the special design of the mounting rail area 2 shown, jamming of the connecting elements 9 during insertion into the openings 5 of the grooves 3 is excluded and the risk of damage to the underside of the water sports board 1, for example by tilting the connecting piece 8 with the hydrofoil 11 attached to it, is minimized.
[0076] Groove boxes 4 are inserted into the grooves 5 of the water sports board shown in Fig. 1, corresponding to the 1190PP017WÖ placed on the water sports board in this view.
[0077] 14 / 19
[0078] The groove boxes 4 are designed as groove boxes. The groove boxes 4 are located within the grooves 3 of the water sports board 1 and each has two groove box openings 6, which represent cross-sectional extensions for the insertion of the connecting elements 9, in particular T-nuts, and longitudinally arranged groove box channels 7 in which the inserted connecting elements 9 can be moved and fixed in the desired position. According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the groove box openings 6 are arranged in alignment with the openings 5 of the grooves 3 provided in the water sports board 1, so that suitable connecting elements 9 can be inserted into and removed from the groove box channels 7 of the groove boxes 4 located within the grooves 3.
[0079] When attaching a hydrofoil 11 to the watersports board 1 shown, the connecting elements 9, preferably designed as T-nuts having a bore with an internal thread, are first inserted through the groove openings 5 and the groove box openings 6 into the groove box channels 7, which are arranged parallel to each other and in the longitudinal direction of the watersports board 1. Additionally, the connector parts 14 associated with the connecting elements 9 are inserted into the respective groove. Fig. 2 additionally shows a perspective view of the two groove boxes 4, which are arranged in the grooves 3 of the mounting rail area 2 of a watersports board 1 designed according to the invention. The groove box openings 6, and thus also the groove openings 5 of the grooves 3 that receive the groove boxes 4, are arranged such that a first groove box opening 6a is located at one end of the groove box channel 7.the groove 3 is arranged, while the second groove box opening 6b is arranged at a distance from the first groove box opening 6a and at a distance from the end of the groove box channel 7 opposite the first groove box opening 6a.
[0080] Fig. 3 shows in three perspective views the process of attaching a hydrofoil 11 to a watersports board 1 according to the invention. Fig. 3a) shows an assembly state in which the hydrofoil 11 is connected via its mast head 12 to a connector 11, four fastening elements 10 (in this case, countersunk screws with a cross-slot connection), and four clamping blocks 9 via four corresponding connector parts 14, and is still spaced apart from the underside of the watersports board 1. The watersports board 1 shown has a mounting rail area 2 with two parallel grooves 3, in which groove boxes 4 with groove box channels 7 and groove box openings 6 for inserting the connecting elements 9 are arranged. The connector parts 1190PP017WÖ
[0081] 15 / 19 can, for example, be inserted into the groove channels via a suitable connecting element before the first provision of a screw or clamp connection.
[0082] Figure 3b) further shows an assembly state in which the connecting piece 8 has already been placed on the underside of the water sports board 1, such that four through-openings 13 provided in the connecting piece 8 are arranged above the groove openings 5 and the groove box openings 6 of the mounting rail area 2. The connecting elements 9 are located below the openings 5 of the grooves 3 and in the groove box channels 7 of the groove boxes 4, with the four fastening elements 10 having already been screwed with their external threads into the internal threads of the four connecting elements 9, which are designed as clamping blocks, but not yet tightened. The fastening elements have also been inserted through a respective screw opening of the connector parts 14, so that the connector part and the connecting element are now aligned one above the other.In this state, the hydrofoil 11, together with the connecting piece 8, the fastening elements 10, the connector parts 14 and the connecting elements 9, can be moved longitudinally to the desired position relative to the grooves 3 and the groove boxes 4.
[0083] Finally, Figure 3c) shows an assembly state in which the hydrofoil 11, together with the connector 8, the fastening elements 9, and the connecting parts 14, has been moved into the desired position and simply fixed by tightening the four fastening elements 10. Tightening the four fastening elements 10 draws the connecting elements 9 against the suitably profiled inner wall of the grooved channels 6, securely fixing the connector 8 with the attached hydrofoil 11 against movement relative to the watersports board 1. Forces and torques introduced into the hydrofoil 11 are transferred evenly to the watersports board 1 via the connector 8 and the four fastening points in the mounting rail area 2.
[0084] Fig. 4 shows a detailed view of a connecting element and a connector part, which is preferably flexible.
[0085] Figure 4a) shows a connecting element 9 according to the invention, with an opening for guiding the fastening element to provide the screw or clamp connection. A serrated recess is also visible on a top surface of the connecting element 9. The connector part 14 shown in Figure 4b) engages in this top surface when the screw or clamp connection is provided. The connector part 14 is narrower than the connecting element 9, so that it fits into the groove 3. 1190PP017WQ
[0086] 16 / 19. The connector part 14 has a screw opening 15 which must be aligned with the opening of the connecting element to provide the screw or clamp connection. In the preferred embodiment shown, the connector part 14 deforms so that it securely fixes the connector part within the groove 3 even after the fastening element has been removed.
[0087] In an embodiment of the invention not shown, the connector part is designed as an elongated web which at least partially fixes at least two connecting elements of the fastening system in their respective position within the groove.
[0088] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the components of the fastening system according to the invention. The connecting element 9 from Fig. 4a) and the connector part 14 from Fig. 4b) are combined to form an exploded view of the screw or clamp connection, as indicated, for example, in Fig. 3a). For clarity, the fastening element 10 is not shown separately, but is already depicted within the corresponding through-opening 13 of the connecting piece 8. Preferably, at least the connecting element 9 has a screw thread for providing the screw or clamp connection with the fastening element 10. Particularly preferably, the connector part 14 has no or only a partial screw thread.
[0089] Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view in the transverse direction through the groove 3 of a mounting rail area of a water sports board 1 designed according to the invention with a connecting piece 8 attached to it.
[0090] The fastening system 2 in turn has two grooves 3 in which each has a suitably profiled groove box channel 7 with two groove box openings 6 which have an enlarged cross-section with respect to a slot facing the board surface, so that connecting elements 9 can be inserted into the groove box channels 7 and removed again through the groove box openings 6.
[0091] Within the grooved channels 7 are the connecting elements 9, designed as T-nuts, which, in the loosened state, are displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the grooved channel 7 relative to the groove 3. In the assembly state shown in Fig. 3, the connecting piece 8 is already in a position fixed on the watersports board 1, in which the fastening elements 10 have been screwed into the connecting elements 9, designed as clamping blocks, and into the connector parts 14 and tightened until the required clamping effect within the grooved channels 7 is achieved and the connector parts are deformed, preferably irreversibly deformed. 1190PP017WG
[0092] 17 / 19
[0093] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the fastening elements 10 are already screwed into the clamping blocks, but not yet tightened, so that the connecting piece 8 can still be moved longitudinally along the groove 3 and the groove box channel 7 into the desired position. This movement takes place into the plane of Fig. 6.
[0094] The essential idea of the invention is that, in addition to the connecting element 9, a respective connector part 14 is used to at least partially fix the position of the connecting element by deforming the connector part, thereby enabling repeated assembly and disassembly of the fastening system.
[0095] In this context, Fig. 7 shows a further particular embodiment of the invention in partial views a) and b). Partial view a) of Fig. 7 shows a sectional view depicting the two main components, connector part 14 and connecting element 9, in a position where the pin-like connector part projects into a groove on the upper side of the connecting element 9, which is designed as a T-nut. To improve the visualization of these components, the other components, such as the water sports board 1, groove 3, groove box 4, and connector 8 for a hydrofoil 11, have been omitted from Fig. 7.
[0096] With the aid of the pin-like connecting parts 14, a particularly advantageous fixing of the connecting parts 9, here the T-nuts, can be achieved, so that, for example, when a screw is screwed into the internal thread provided within the connecting elements 9, twisting and / or slipping of the connecting elements 9 within the grooves or groove boxes is reliably avoided or the risk is at least significantly minimized.
[0097] A key feature of the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is that the respective connector parts 14, four in the illustrated variant, are formed integrally with a rectangular-O-shaped intermediate element 16 made of a plastic material, in particular polyurethane (PU). In the assembled state, the intermediate element 16 is located between the connecting element 8 and the water sports board 1, thus preventing damage to the underside of the water sports board and / or the connecting element 8, particularly from sand penetrating this area. The pin-like connector parts 14 arranged on the underside of the intermediate element 16 project into the respective grooves 3 or groove box channels 7 in the area of the groove openings 5 and secure the connecting elements 9, typically designed as T-nuts, in their position. According to the illustration in Fig.In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the connecting elements 9, here T-nuts, have a notch 17 on their upper side into which the pin-like connecting parts 14 protrude at least partially.
[0098] Additionally, partial view b) of Fig. 7 shows one half of the intermediate layer element 16 with two connector parts 14 and two connecting elements 9 in a perspective view. To achieve a better representation of these components, they are shown spaced apart from each other in Fig. 7 b), and the representation of the other components would again be omitted.
[0099] It is essential that the pin-like connector parts 14 are formed in one piece, as pin-like extensions on the intermediate element 16. It is clearly evident in this context that each connecting element 9 is assigned two connector parts 14. Between the connection areas of adjacent connector parts 14 on the flat part of the intermediate element 16, through holes 18 are provided, which, during the assembly of a connector piece for attaching a hydrofoil 11 to the watersports board 1, serve to guide screws that are screwed into the connecting elements designed as T-nuts.
[0100] In addition to Fig. 7, Fig. 8 shows, in views a) to j), different embodiments of T-nuts that can be used as connecting elements 9 with internal threads for the technical solution according to the invention. Fig. 8 clearly shows that the connecting elements 9 can be designed to meet specific requirements. The connecting elements shown in perspective in Fig. 8 have a notch on their upper side into which, as described above, a connector part can be at least partially inserted to prevent the connecting elements 9 from becoming stuck in grooves or grooved channels during the assembly of a connector 8 for attaching a hydrofoil to a watersports board.
[0101] Reference symbol list
[0102] 1 watersports board
[0103] 2 fastening system
[0104] 3 groove
[0105] 4 slotted boxes
[0106] 5 groove opening
[0107] 6 Groove box opening
[0108] 7 Grooved box channel
[0109] 8 connector
[0110] 9 Connecting element
[0111] 10 Fastening element
[0112] 11 Hydrofoil
[0113] 12 Hydrofoil mast
[0114] 13 Passage opening
[0115] 14 connector part
[0116] 15 screw opening
[0117] 16 Intermediate layer element
[0118] 17th notch
[0119] 18 through hole
Claims
1190PP017WQ 1 / 3 Patentansprüche 1. Fastening system (2) for attaching a hydrofoil to a water sports board (1), which has a mounting rail area with at least two grooves (3) arranged in the water sports board (1) and a connecting piece (8) that is directly or indirectly connected to the hydrofoil (11) and that can be connected to the water sports board (1), wherein the connecting piece (8) has a plurality of through-openings (13) through which a fastening element (10), in particular a screw element, can be inserted to provide a screw or clamp connection between the connecting piece (8) and the water sports board (1), wherein the grooves (3) are designed to accommodate at least one connecting element (9) that can be connected to the connecting piece (8) via the screw or clamp connection and that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the groove relative to the groove (3),to accommodate and wherein the grooves (3) have groove openings (6) with a cross-section that is at least partially enlarged compared to an adjacent groove area, through which the at least one connecting element (9) can be inserted into the grooves (3), characterized in that the fastening system (2) has at least one connector part (14), and that for the screw or clamp connection the respective fastening element (10) is also inserted between the through-opening (13) and the connecting element (9) through the at least one connector part (14), which deforms when the screw or clamp connection is provided.
2. Fastening system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the connector part is deformed by a contact pressure between the connecting piece (8) and the connecting element (9).
3. Fastening system (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one connector part (14) is designed as an elongated web which is arranged for at least two different screw or clamp connections of the fastening system (2) between the connecting piece (8) in the area of two through openings (13) and two connecting elements (9).
4. Fastening system (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one connector part (14) has a screw opening (15) through which the respective fastening element (10) can be inserted to provide the screw or clamp connection. 1190PP017WQ 2 / 3 5. Fastening system (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one connector part (14) has a smaller width than the connecting element (9) such that it can also be inserted into the groove (3) outside the extended cross-section.
6. Fastening system (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one connector part (14) is pressed against the corresponding connecting element (9) within the groove (3) in such a way that the connecting element (9) is fixed even after the fastening element (10) has been removed.
7. Fastening system (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting piece (8) is part of a connecting piece (8) that can be attached both to a mast head of the hydrofoil (11) and to the mounting rail area of the water sports board (1).
8. Fastening system (2) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting piece (8) is formed integrally with the hydrofoil (11).
9. Fastening system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the through openings (13) has a round or oval cross-section and / or is designed in the form of an open or closed elongated hole.
10. Fastening system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the groove openings (5) of a groove (3) have a rectangular cross-section with respect to the insertion direction of the connecting element (9).
11. Fastening system (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a groove box (4) is arranged in each of the at least two grooves (3), via which an indirect connection between the groove (3) and the connecting element (9) can be established via the connector part (14).
12. Fastening system (2) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the groove box (4) has a different material than the fastening rail area in which the grooves (3) are formed adjacent to the groove box (4). 1190PP017WQ 3 / 3 13. Fastening system (2) according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the groove boxes (4) each have a groove box channel (7) with a cross-section that is at least partially rectangular and / or in the form of a polygon.
14. Fastening system (2) according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the groove boxes (4) each have at least two groove box openings (6) with a cross-section that is at least partially enlarged compared to an adjacent groove box channel area, through which the connecting element (9) can be inserted into the groove box channel (7).
15. Fastening system (2) according to claim 14, characterized in that the groove boxes (4) are arranged within the grooves (3) such that the groove box openings (6) and the groove openings (5) are aligned.
16. Set comprising a fastening system (2) according to one of the preceding claims and a water sports board (1) in the rear area of which the grooves (3) for the releasable fixing of the connecting piece (8), which serves for the indirect, releasable fastening of a hydrofoil (11), are arranged.
17. Watersports board (1) with an associated fastening system (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 15, to which a hydrofoil (11) is attached directly or indirectly.
18. Water sports board (1) according to claim 17 designed as a wakeboard, surfboard, kite surfboard, wind wing foilboard, SUP foilboard, prone foil board and / or windsurf board.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Fastening system for attaching a hydrofoil to a water sports board
DE102021119503A1
Foil arrangement
EP3461734A1
Sliding anchorage plate for heavy loads on automotive load platform engages with floor-mounted rails
DE102006004998A1
Fastening device for pipe holder, has sliding nut and disk arranged at distance from each other by elastically deformable unit, where unit has length larger than breadth of nut opening, such that unit braces device with side parts of rail
DE102007043499A1
Securing element for insertion into C-section rails
EP0016384B1