Hydrofoil boat
By designing the forewing assembly to deploy to provide main lift and retract to emerge above the water surface, combined with limiters and aileron control, the problems of biological growth and space occupation when the hydrofoil is moored are solved, thus improving the stability and maneuverability of the hydrofoil.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN WEIDU INTELLIGENT TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing hydrofoil systems are prone to marine growth when moored for extended periods, and when retracted, they occupy internal space, affecting fluid performance and transmission structure.
Design a hydrofoil boat where the front wing assembly provides main lift when deployed, is close to the boat's center of gravity, and rotates forward to emerge from the water when retracted to avoid contact with seawater. A limiting structure and ailerons are used for stabilization control, and the rear wing assembly is used to adjust the pitch angle.
It achieves stability and balance for the hydrofoil during operation, prevents the growth of marine life, does not occupy internal space of the hull, and improves the service life and maneuverability of the hydrofoil system.
Smart Images
Figure CN2026071955_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
A hydrofoil Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of water transport vehicles, and more specifically, to a hydrofoil. Background Technology
[0002] A hydrofoil is a vehicle that travels on water using a hydrofoil system. As speed increases, the hydrofoil generates lift in the water. When a critical point is exceeded, the lift generated by the hydrofoil lifts the hull through the mast and lifts it off the water, thus achieving lower energy consumption and smoother navigation.
[0003] Because the hydrofoil system is submerged in water, hydrofoil boats typically have a mechanism for retracting the hydrofoil system in order to adapt to the needs of driving and mooring in shallow water areas. On the other hand, especially in seawater, if the hydrofoil system is submerged in seawater for a long time, marine organisms such as shellfish will grow on the surface of the hydrofoil and transmission mechanism, which will greatly damage the hydrofoil system's fluid performance and even jam the transmission structure, thus causing the hydrofoil system to fail. Therefore, when not driving for a long time, the hydrofoil system needs to be removed from the water. Technical issues
[0004] In the prior art, US patent application with publication number US2023033965A1 proposes a hydrofoil system retraction mechanism for a hydrofoil boat. The front hydrofoil is retracted by raising the front mast in the vertical direction, thereby storing the front hydrofoil in a slot placed under the hull. Similarly, the rear mast is raised vertically, and the rear hydrofoil is retracted to the bottom of the stern.
[0005] The existing technology still has the following problems: on the one hand, the hydrofoil is stored at the bottom of the hull, and there is still a high probability that it will come into contact with seawater. If it stays on the sea surface for a long time, organisms such as shellfish may still grow on the bottom of the hull and the surface of the hydrofoil; on the other hand, it requires sacrificing the internal space of the hull to achieve the space for storing the hydrofoil at the bottom of the hull.
[0006] Therefore, those skilled in the art need to make improvements to current hydrofoils to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings. Technical solutions
[0007] The main purpose of this application is to provide a hydrofoil boat that not only provides stable lift, but also makes the hydrofoil boat easier to control. Furthermore, when the hydrofoil is folded up, it protrudes above the water surface to prevent the growth of marine life, and the folding up of the hydrofoil does not occupy the internal space of the hull.
[0008] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a hydrofoil, including a hull and a forewing assembly. The forewing assembly includes a foremast and a forewing body fixedly disposed at one end of the foremast. The other end of the foremast is rotatably connected to the hull, and the rotatable connection point is located between the bow of the hydrofoil and its center of gravity. The forewing body has an extended position and a retracted position. When it is in the extended position, the forewing assembly is swept back and provides the main lift force to support the hull leaving the water surface. When it is retracted, the forewing body rotates forward until it emerges from the water surface.
[0009] Optionally, when the forewing body is in the deployed position, the extension line of the main lift vector is close to the center of gravity of the hydrofoil.
[0010] Optionally, the foremast includes a left foremast and a right foremast, which are rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the ship's hull.
[0011] Optionally, a limiting structure is provided between the ship body and the foremast.
[0012] Optionally, the limiting structure includes a limiting part disposed on the ship body, and when the forewing body is in the deployed position, the foremast abuts against the limiting part.
[0013] Optionally, the forewing body is an integral structure.
[0014] Optionally, a left aileron and a right aileron are rotatably provided at both ends of the forewing body, and the rotation axis of the left aileron and the right aileron extends along the length direction of the forewing body.
[0015] Optionally, it also includes a rear wing assembly disposed at the stern of the hull for adjusting the pitch angle.
[0016] Optionally, the aft wing assembly includes a rear mast disposed at the stern of the ship body and a rear wing body at least partially rotatably connected to the rear mast, wherein the axis of rotation of the rear wing body and the rear mast is perpendicular to the length direction of the rear mast.
[0017] Optionally, a vertical lifting mechanism and a tilting mechanism are respectively provided between the aft mast and the ship body. Beneficial effects
[0018] The hydrofoil provided by this invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: First, when the foreplane is deployed, it provides the main lift force, which is located close to the center of gravity, thus improving stability. It can also effectively balance the pitch, reducing pitch instability caused by changes in the center of gravity or other factors during the hydrofoil's operation. Second, when the foreplane is retracted, it retracts forward, thus eliminating the need to occupy space in the hull for folding. Finally, the hydrofoil is exposed above the water surface when retracted, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of marine life growth. Attached Figure Description
[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the application and to make other features, objects, and advantages of the application more apparent. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain the application and do not constitute an undue limitation of the application. In the drawings:
[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the present invention.
[0022] The components are: 1. hull, 2. port foremast, 3. starboard foremast, 4. forewing body, 5. port aileron, 6. starboard aileron, 7. aft mast, 8. aft wing body, 9. propulsion mechanism, and 10. limiting part. The best embodiment of the present invention
[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0024] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.
[0025] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.
[0026] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0027] In addition, the term "multiple" should mean two or more.
[0028] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0029] Example 1:
[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a hydrofoil includes a hull body 1 and a forewing assembly. The forewing assembly includes a foremast and a forewing body 4 fixedly mounted at one end of the foremast. One end of the foremast is rotatably connected to the hull body 1, and the rotatable connection point is located between the bow of the hull body 1 and its center of gravity. The forewing body 4 has an extended position and a retracted position. When it is in the extended position, the foremast is swept back, and the forewing body 4 provides the main lift. When it is retracted, the forewing rotates forward of the hull body 1 until the forewing body 4 leaves the water.
[0031] It should be noted that the above-mentioned forward and backward positional relationships are based on the hydrofoil's movement, with the forward direction being forward and the backward direction being backward.
[0032] The aforementioned swept-back fore wing assembly refers to the angle between the axis of the foremast and the horizontal plane containing the axis of the ship body 1 being less than 90 degrees, i.e., the sweep angle is less than 90°.
[0033] Since the rotating connection between the two is located between the bow of the hydrofoil and its center of gravity, and the front wing assembly is swept back, in the deployed state, the position of the front wing assembly, which provides the main lift, is just close to the center of gravity of the hydrofoil. The main lift can lift the hull 1 off the water while maintaining the basic balance of the hull 1. More preferably, when the front wing 4 is in the deployed position, the front wing 4 intersects the vertical line where the center of gravity of the hydrofoil is located. Thus, the optimal state is that the position providing the main lift is exactly on the vertical line where the center of gravity is located.
[0034] Preferably, in this embodiment, to avoid interference when the forewing is retracted, the foremast includes a left foremast 2 and a right foremast 3. The left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 are respectively rotatably mounted on both sides of the hull 1. Thus, when the forewing changes from the deployed state to the retracted state, the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 rotate forward relative to the hull 1 about the rotatable connection point between themselves and the hull 1, until the forewing body 4 leaves the water surface and stops in front of the bow, i.e., at the retracted position of the forewing. This not only enables a smooth transition of the forewing from the swept-back deployed state to the retracted state, but also eliminates the need to occupy space in the hull 1 for retraction. In addition, the hydrofoil is completely exposed above the water surface when retracted, preventing the growth of marine life.
[0035] Preferably, in this embodiment, the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 are fixedly connected to both ends of the forewing body 4, and the forewing body 4 is an integral structure. Thus, the left foremast 2, the right foremast 3, the forewing body 4, and the ship body 1 form a closed integral structure, which can effectively avoid the occurrence of vibration. If the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 are respectively connected to independent left and right forewings, vibration will occur not only during operation, but also when docked, the left and right forewings will rise to the left and right sides of the ship, which will affect the loading and unloading of personnel or cargo from the left and right sides of the hydrofoil. However, the forewings provided in this embodiment are retracted to the front edge of the ship, which will not hinder the loading and unloading operation.
[0036] To ensure that the forewing assembly can support the hull 1 in a relatively balanced manner as it leaves the water when the foremast is swept back, a limiting structure is provided between the hull 1 and the foremast. Specifically, the hull 1 has a rigid limiting part 10 near the connection between the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3. This limiting part 10 can restrict the rearward rotation of the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 in the deployed state. To ensure stability, the rigid limiting part 10 is relatively wide, meaning that in the deployed state, the wider limiting part 10 forms line or surface contact with the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3, rather than point contact. Preferably, the wider limiting part 10 can be integrally formed with the hull 1, providing a limiting function for the left foremast 2 and the right foremast 3 while also meeting the requirements of fluid performance and aesthetic appearance.
[0037] It should be further explained that, in the deployed state, the forewing body 4 is subjected to the vertical upward main lift force and the rearward drag force of the water. Since the main lift force is much greater than the drag force, it can be regarded that the resultant force of the main lift force and the drag force is perpendicular to the forewing body 4 and equal to the main lift force. Since the foremast is swept back, the main lift force can be decomposed into a supporting force upward along the foremast axis and a main lift torque perpendicular to the foremast axis. The foremast and the ship body 1 have a foremast pivot shaft arranged laterally along the ship body 1. The main lift torque will generate a main lift torque that causes the foremast to rotate rearward relative to the ship body 1 along the foremast pivot shaft. According to the principles of mechanics, when the foremast is swept back, the hydrofoil needs to achieve basic balance as a whole through the main lift force. On the one hand, the extension line of the main lift force vector should be near the center of gravity of the hydrofoil. On the other hand, a rigid structural relationship must be formed between the hull body 1, the foremast, and the forewing body 4 in the deployed position. That is to say, the foremast must be in a state of force balance. In other words, a balancing torque that counteracts the torque of the main lift force needs to be applied to the foremast. The balancing torque is achieved by applying a balancing torque with the opposite rotation direction to the foremast pivot, or by applying a balancing torque with the opposite rotation direction to the foremast. This can be achieved by using a rigid limiting part that restricts the rotation of the foremast pivot or restricts the rotation of the foremast to achieve the balancing torque.
[0038] Preferably, to facilitate control of the hydrofoil, a rear wing assembly is also included at the stern of the hull 1 for adjusting the pitch angle. The main lift is provided by the front hydrofoil, and the rear hydrofoil is mainly responsible for adjusting the pitch angle during the hydrofoil's movement. Specifically, the rear wing assembly includes a rear mast 7 located at the stern of the hull 1 and a rear wing body 8 at least partially rotatably connected to the rear mast 7. The rotation axis of the rear wing body 8 and the rear mast 7 is perpendicular to the length direction of the rear mast 7. A vertical lifting mechanism and a tilting mechanism are respectively provided between the rear mast 7 and the hull 1. In addition, the rear wing assembly also includes a propulsion mechanism 9, which preferably uses a propeller propulsion method. When the rear mast 7 is deployed, it extends downward in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the hull axis. When the rear hydrofoil is retracted, the rear mast 7 is first vertically lifted off the water surface by the vertical lifting mechanism, and then tilted by the tilting mechanism. Alternatively, other known rear hydrofoil folding schemes in the prior art can be used. It should be noted that the specific structure of the vertical lifting mechanism and the flipping mechanism is not the design focus of this application, and the specific structure will not be described in detail here.
[0039] Example 2:
[0040] The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the forewing assembly can also perform roll control of the hydrofoil. Specifically, a left aileron 5 and a right aileron 6 are rotatably provided at both ends of the forewing body 4. The rotation axis of the left aileron 5 and the right aileron 6 extends along the length of the forewing body 4. The left aileron 5 and the right aileron 6 deflect up and down relative to the forewing body 4 along the rotation axis of the aileron, thereby realizing roll control of the hydrofoil.
[0041] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.
[0042] Type the free content description paragraph for the sequence list here.
Claims
1. A hydrofoil, comprising a hull and a forewing assembly, the forewing assembly comprising a foremast and a forewing body fixedly disposed at one end of the foremast, characterized in that, The other end of the foremast is rotatably connected to the hull, and the rotatable connection is located between the bow of the hydrofoil and its center of gravity. The forewing body has an extended position and a retracted position. When it is in the extended position, the forewing assembly is swept back and provides the main lift force to support the hull as it leaves the water. When it is retracted, the forewing body rotates forward until it emerges from the water.
2. A hydrofoil boat as described in claim 1, characterized in that: With the forewing body in the deployed position, the extension line of the main lift vector is close to the center of gravity of the hydrofoil.
3. A hydrofoil as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The foremast includes a left foremast and a right foremast, which are rotatably mounted on both sides of the ship's hull.
4. A hydrofoil as described in claim 1, characterized in that: A limiting structure is provided between the ship body and the foremast.
5. A hydrofoil as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The limiting structure includes a limiting part disposed on the ship body. When the forewing body is in the deployed position, the foremast abuts against the limiting part.
6. A hydrofoil as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The forewing body is an integral structure.
7. A hydrofoil as described in claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The forewing body has a left aileron and a right aileron rotatably mounted at both ends, and the rotation axis of the left aileron and the right aileron extends along the length of the forewing body.
8. A hydrofoil as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a rear wing assembly located at the stern of the ship body for adjusting the pitch angle.
9. A hydrofoil as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The aft wing assembly includes an aft mast located at the stern of the ship body and an aft wing body rotatably connected to at least part of the aft mast, wherein the axis of rotation of the aft wing body and the aft mast is perpendicular to the length direction of the aft mast.
10. A hydrofoil as described in claim 8, characterized in that: A vertical lifting mechanism and a tilting mechanism are respectively provided between the aft mast and the ship body.