Human-Powered Boat Propulsion with Oscillating Foil
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing human-powered boat propulsion systems face challenges in maintaining propulsion efficiency while simplifying the structure, ensuring forward-facing rowing, securing space for foil oscillation, preventing foil damage, easy detachment, and reducing manufacturing costs, due to complexities and inefficiencies in prior art designs.
Innovation Solution
A human-powered boat with a simplified propulsion apparatus featuring a rotational post, handle crank, oscillating crank, and plate-shaped foil, where the oscillating crank is angled to increase motion range and a flapping hinge provides vertical rotation, allowing efficient propulsion without additional components like outriggers, and enabling easy detachment and manufacturing cost reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pivot is positioned at a middle portion of each oar in a wide beam boat, then the rider can generate propulsion force through pulling motion, but the boat undergoes backward-facing rowing which reduces psychological stability and forward view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional oar configuration by positioning the pivot at the front end of the oar instead of the middle, and extends the oar backward to couple with the foil. This inversion allows the rider to face forward while the foil oscillates to generate propulsion, reversing the traditional backward-facing rowing arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by extending the oar in the longitudinal direction of the boat body from the handle backward to couple with the foil. This dimensional change enables the conversion of forward-backward arm movement into left-right foil oscillation, achieving forward-facing rowing.
2Ease of operation
If an L-shaped oar with extended longitudinal portion is used to enable forward-facing rowing, then the rider can face forward, but the structure complexity increases due to additional components needed for foil oscillation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oar and foil into a single integrated propulsion apparatus. The oar's longitudinal extension directly couples with the foil, combining the functions of steering and propulsion generation into one unified structure, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The propulsion apparatus serves multiple functions: the handle crank receives rider input, the oscillating crank converts this to foil oscillation, and the foil generates propulsion. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate steering and propulsion components.
3Reliability
If additional components like outriggers are added to secure foil oscillation space, then the foil can oscillate effectively, but the manufacturing cost and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the foil oscillation function from a separate outrigger structure and integrates it directly into the oar's longitudinal extension. This extraction eliminates the need for additional outrigger components while maintaining effective foil oscillation space.
Solution Approach 2:
The foil is nested within the space created by the oar's longitudinal extension, allowing the foil oscillation mechanism to be contained within the existing propulsion apparatus structure rather than requiring external outrigger support.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for efficient forward-facing rowing with psychological stability, reduced manufacturing costs, and effective propulsion in crowded aquatic environments, while protecting the propulsion apparatus from underwater obstacles and facilitating easy handling and detachment.
Implementation Method 1
a first pivot 11 is disposed on a front end of an oscillating crank 32 having a predetermined length, and a plate-shaped foil 12 is coupled to a rear end of the oscillating crank 32 to allow the oscillating crank 32 to oscillate about the first pivot 11. As a result, the foil 12 pushes water backward to generate propulsion force F.
Implementation Method 2
a second pivot 13 is additionally disposed on a front portion of the foil 12 to allow the foil 12 to relatively rotate with respect to the oscillating crank 32, thereby more improving propulsion efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a human-powered boat that a user can easily operate with his/her own manual power even though the boat is in a form causing large resistance to propulsion, and the human-powered boat is equipped with a propulsion apparatus that imitates the tail fin of a fish. The propulsion apparatus, in which an oscillating foil mechanism is applied to an “L-shaped oar”, enables a rider to perform forward-facing rowing and can easily change a direction and prevent damage due to a collision with an underwater obstacle. Typically, the human-powered boat of the present invention has the following three limitations in order to maximize simplicity while maintaining propulsion efficiency, compared with prior arts in the same technical field: First, a rider has a specific limitation in tilting the propulsion apparatus through an up-down movement of his/her arm. Second, the foil of the propulsion apparatus does not make contact with the longitudinal axis of the boat body in a predetermined range of motion. Third, the propulsion apparatus has a predetermined level of limitation in generating a propulsion force below the submerged portion of the boat body.