The present invention provides a nose cone system that comprises an inflatable body, a plurality of retainer ribs, a retainer trough positioned below the inflatable body, a plurality of winches attached along the outer surface of the retainer trough, and a plurality of winch straps with which to pull in the inflatable body as it is deflated while holding it in place, in coordination with the winch.

A boat comprises a deck supported by one or more deck floats, and a paddle wheel cockpit comprising a seat proximal to a pedal-driven paddle wheel adapted to engage water and propel the boat; wherein the deck and the paddle wheel cockpit are joined by at least one cockpit hinge that allows the paddle wheel cockpit to fold over the deck, in some embodiments.

An augmentation amplifier is provided for aspirating gas flow from a surrounding medium. The amplifier connects at an inlet to a pressurized gas source and at an outlet to a gas receiver. Ambient gas from the medium supplements source provided compressed gas. The amplifier includes a Venturi conduit including a throat, an external cavity and a diffusion chamber. The conduit receives and flows pressurized gas from the inlet to the throat. The cavity receives ambient gas from the medium. The chamber expands and accelerates the pressurized gas from the throat to entrain the ambient gas via aspiration. The accelerated and ambient gases combine into an exhaust gas to the outlet.

An augmentation amplifier is provided for aspirating gas flow from a surrounding medium. The amplifier connects at an inlet to a pressurized gas source and at an outlet to a gas receiver. Ambient gas from the medium supplements source provided compressed gas. The amplifier includes a Venturi conduit including a throat, an external cavity and a diffusion chamber. The conduit receives and flows pressurized gas from the inlet to the throat. The cavity receives ambient gas from the medium. The chamber expands and accelerates the pressurized gas from the throat to entrain the ambient gas via aspiration. The accelerated and ambient gases combine into an exhaust gas to the outlet.

A watercraft includes a plurality of separable body sections (2101, 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105, 2106) configured for assembly into a single assembled structure (2100) having a first length, and for packing into a packed structure (3000) having a second length smaller than the first length. The single assembled structure may be held together using latching devices, one or more of the latching devices including a latch unit comprising a latch support, a spring mount and a band spring, the band spring having a first spring end and a second spring end, wherein the latch support includes a latch and a first shaft positioned in relationship to the latch, the first shaft configured for rotatably mounting the first spring end of the band spring, and the spring mount includes a second shaft configured for rotatably mounting the second spring end of the band spring.

A method and apparatus for the water-based transfer of heavy loads. The invention is a lightweight apparatus is reconfigurable, and it includes a gantry arrangement mounted on beams or a platform and the apparatus is used to transfer heavy load items. The apparatus reconfigurable and may be used in a water-based loading environments in performing a variety of loading functions in situations involving one or more watercrafts and/or a pier or the like.

A method and apparatus for the water-based transfer of heavy loads. The invention is a lightweight apparatus is reconfigurable, and it includes a gantry arrangement mounted on beams or a platform and the apparatus is used to transfer heavy load items. The apparatus reconfigurable and may be used in a water-based loading environments in performing a variety of loading functions in situations involving one or more watercrafts and/or a pier or the like.

A passenger transportation complex parent-subsidiary mobile carrier includes a parent carrier and at least one subsidiary carrier. The parent carrier has a parent carrying section. The subsidiary carrier has a subsidiary carrying section. The parent carrier includes a first connection section and the subsidiary carrier includes a second connection section releasably mated and connected with the first connection section. At least a part of the parent carrying section and at least a part of the subsidiary carrying section are mated and connected with each other and positioned on the same plane so that the parent carrier and the subsidiary carrier are connected to together form the complex carrier as an integrated assembly to move together or separate from each other to respectively move.

The present invention relates to two configurations of structure for a compact, pedal-propelled boat, a recumbent configuration and a conventional configuration, and to two possible propulsion systems, one with rigid transmission system and other with flexible transmission system. Both configurations are used with hulls arranged in parallel, catamaran configuration, preferably inflatable, allowing the volume and size of the assembly to be reduced so as to fit in a car trunk, making it easier to transport and store. In the recumbent configuration, the boat driver is in a sitting position, with his back supported by the seat, and actuates the pedals located in the front part of the structure while maneuvers the boat by means of handlebars located on the sides of the structure. In the conventional configuration, the boat driver is in the same position as the rider of a conventional bicycle, and the seat, pedals and handlebar are arranged in the same positions as in a bicycle. The invention seeks to provide simple solutions and the greatest quantity possible of shared components between these configurations, such that a production plant can produce these configurations through as few production processes as possible and sharing as many production processes as possible.

An anti-wave floating photovoltaic device comprises a folding panel frame, an elastic support leg, a buoy and a self-locking support rod. The folding panel frame includes multiple unit frames and configured to be folded or unfolded by Miura folding. The adjacent unit frames are connected by a hinge mechanism and a photovoltaic panel is provided on the front side of the folded panel frame. The elastic support leg includes a V-shaped support rod and a U-shaped support rod with a changeable opening and providing elasticity through springs. The buoy includes a power buoy, an intermediate buoy and a driven buoy. The power buoy connects the intermediate buoy and the driven buoy through a rod.