Surfboard Fin Rearward Offset Arm for Lateral Flexion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surfboard fins are relatively inflexible laterally, limiting the lateral drift of the board and providing little dynamic characteristic, which restricts control and propulsion during turns and waves.
Innovation Solution
A surfboard fin design featuring a main body with a rearward extension arm, allowing greater flexion and lateral twist, enhancing control and propulsion by modulating the arm's length, geometry, and support surface dimensions, and incorporating materials like glass or carbon fibers for optimal flexibility and resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the fin is made compact with a short rear point, then the fin provides good penetration into the water and reduces drag, but the fin becomes relatively inflexible laterally and limits lateral drift control
Solution Approach 1:
The fin is divided into a main body and a separate rear point connected by a long arm. This segmentation allows the main body to remain compact for water penetration while the rear point can move independently to provide lateral flexibility and drift control.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear point is made dynamic by connecting it to the main body through a long arm that allows lateral movement and rotation. This dynamic connection enables the fin to adapt to different water conditions and surfer movements, providing both penetration and flexibility.
2Strength
If the rear point is made high and massive, then the fin increases resistance to lateral movement, but the fin loses dynamic characteristics and becomes too stiff
Solution Approach 1:
The rear point is connected to the main body through a long arm that allows controlled movement. This dynamic connection maintains the necessary lateral resistance while preserving dynamic characteristics by allowing the rear point to move and rotate in response to water forces and surfer input.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm length is specifically designed to be greater than 8cm, which changes the physical parameters of the fin system. This parameter change allows the rear point to be positioned far from the main body, creating a lever arm that provides both lateral resistance and dynamic movement capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the arm length is increased to greater than 8cm, then the fin gains greater flexion and lateral twist capability, but the fin structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fin structure is segmented into a main body and a rear point connected by a long arm. This segmentation simplifies the overall design by creating distinct functional zones: the main body for water penetration and the rear point for lateral control, connected by a simple longitudinal arm structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
The subject of the invention is a surfboard fin, having a main body (12) which comprises a first edge (20) in contact with the board when said fin is fixed to the board, a leading edge (22) at the front and a trailing edge (26) at the rear, a rear curvature connecting the leading edge (22) and the trailing edge (26), the trailing edge (26) comprising a forwardmost tip (31), characterized in that the main body (12) is extended towards the rear by an arm (14) which extends from a straight line perpendicular to the first edge (20) and passing through the tip of the trailing edge (26) as far as the rear curvature, said arm (14) having a length greater than about 8 cm.