CATAMARAN
20180001962 · 2018-01-04
Inventors
Cpc classification
B63B2003/085
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/22
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/107
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/322
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/20
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/042
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Y02T70/10
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
International classification
B63B1/20
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/22
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B63B1/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
A catamaran which has a centre tunnel, the opposite sides (105a, 105b) of which form asymmetrical pontoons, which are mirror images of each other, and which pontoons have buoyancy, which has been adapted so that when the catamaran moves in water, the centre tunnel functions as a combined water and air tunnel. When the catamaran is stationary in water, the ceiling (108) of the centre tunnel is in water. The ceiling of the centre tunnel further curves in a cylindrically convex manner downwards when going from the bow (116) to the direction of the stern (118) only after an essentially horizontal portion (401) of a distance (d), which essentially horizontal portion is located between the pontoons.
Claims
1. A catamaran (100) which has a centre tunnel (102), the opposite sides (105a, 105b) of which form asymmetrical pontoons (106a, 106b), which are mirror images of each other, and which pontoons (106a, 106b) have buoyancy, which has been adapted so that when the catamaran (100) moves in water, the centre tunnel (102) functions as a combined water and air tunnel, and when the catamaran (100) is stationary in water, a ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) is in water, characterised in that the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) curves in a cylindrically convex manner downwards when going from a bow region (116) of the catamaran (100) in direction of a stern region (118) of the catamaran (100) only after an essentially horizontal portion (401) of distance (d), which essentially horizontal portion (401) is located between the pontoons (106a, 106b).
2. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein pontoons (106a, 106b) further comprise an oblique bottom region (107), said oblique bottom region (107) oriented in a width direction (302) of the catamaran (100) at an angle (α) upwards from the plane of the normal of the examination point at the edge of the surface of the side (105a, 105b) when the angle (α) opens to the direction of a flank plate (120), and which oblique bottom region (107) in the area of the bow (116) of the catamaran (100) from the stern (118) to the direction of the bow (116) has an upward curve and essentially at the same time turned inwards so that said angle (α) increases when moving from the area of the stern (118) of the catamaran (100) to the area of the bow (116).
3. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein in the centre tunnel (102) in the longitudinal direction (201) of the catamaran (100) there are two adjacent portions (210, 212), of which the bow-most portion (210) is at a greater angle towards the bow (116) than the stern-most portion (212).
4. A catamaran (100) according to claim 3, wherein the bow-most portion (210) located closest to the bow (116) is shorter than the stern-most portion (212) located closest to the stern (118), and wherein the stern-most portion (212) located closest to the stern (118) extends from the bow-most portion (210) located closest to the bow (116) towards the stern (118).
5. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein the pontoons (106a, 106b) have elongated buoyancy plates (114), which extend in their longitudinal direction (302) between the stern (118) and the bow (116) and in their width direction between the pontoons (106a, 106b).
6. The catamaran (100) according to claim 5, wherein the distance of the buoyancy plates (114) to the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) decreases from the bow (116) towards the stern (118).
7. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein the catamaran (100) has a water guide module (320) on the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) in order to accomplish a laminar flow to the propeller of an outboard motor, a cavitation plate of which outboard motor is behind the water guide module (320).
8. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein the catamaran (100) has uniform flank plates (120) on the outer edges of the pontoons (106a, 106b), which flank plates (120) combine to each other the structures above and beneath the deck from the bow (116) to the stern (118).
9. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein sides (105a, 105b) are essentially vertical, planar and parallel over the entire length of the centre tunnel 102.
10. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, where a height (d1) of a mouth region of the centre tunnel (102) becomes lower after the essentially horizontal portion (401) over distance (d2) so that on the stern-most portion (212) located closest to the stern (118), the distance (d3) of the centre tunnel (102) from the bottom (107) of the pontoons (106a, 106b) is at its highest less than 50% of the height (d1) of the mouth of the centre tunnel 102 at the bow (116).
11. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein there is a point of intersection (402) between the surfaces of the bow-most portion (210) and the stern-most portion (212) of the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102), at which point of intersection (402) the gradients of the surfaces of the bow-most portion (210) and the stern-most portion (212) are equally great, and at which point of intersection (402) the distance (d3) of the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) from the bottom (107) of the pontoons (106a, 106b) is greater than the distance (d4) of the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) from the bottom (107) of the pontoons (106a, 106b) at the stern (118).
12. The catamaran (100) according to claim 1, wherein the pontoons (106a, 106b) and the ceiling region (108) of the centre tunnel (102) are manufactured from aluminium and belong to the hull (109) of the catamaran (100), which hull (109) has been manufactured from aluminium.
Description
LIST OF DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention is described below in more detail in connection with preferred embodiments by making reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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[0029]
[0030] The same reference numbers refer to the same or corresponding technical characteristics in all drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] In what follows, a catamaran 100 is described by making reference to
[0032] A catamaran 100 has a centre tunnel 102, the opposite sides 105a, 105b of which form asymmetrical pontoons 106a, 106b, which are mirror images of each other in respect of the longitudinal direction 201 of the catamaran. The bottoms 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b are towards water 202a, 202b. The centre tunnel 102 has mouths at the bow 116 and at the stern 118. The centre tunnel 102 has a ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel, which ceiling 108 is off water 202b during driving, and when the catamaran 100 is stationary, the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel is in water 202a. During driving, the centre tunnel 102 functions as a combined water and air tunnel, in which case both water and air travel through the centre tunnel 102. When moving forward, water and air enter the centre tunnel 102 from the bow 116 and come out of the stern 118. During driving, there is therefore a distance by between water 202b and the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel.
[0033] The opposite sides 105a, 105b of the centre tunnel 102 function as the inner sides of the pontoons 106a, 106b. The outer sides of the pontoons 106a, 106b are composed of the outer shells of the catamaran. The outer shells are preferably uniform shell plates 120, which combine to each other the structures above and beneath the deck from the bow 116 to the stern 118. The inner sides 105a, 105b can be vertical, and the outer shells 120 can be slightly inclined in respect of the vertical.
[0034] In one embodiment, the centre tunnel 102 of the catamaran 100 has in the longitudinal direction 201 of the catamaran 100 two consecutive portions, of which the bow-most portion 210 is at a greater angle φ towards the bow 116, than the stern-most portion 212. In this way, it is possible to get the air mass received at the bow 116 of the catamaran 100 forced between the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel and water and to make the centre tunnel 102 to function as a combined water and air tunnel. Of the two consecutive portions 210, 212 of the centre tunnel 102, the bow-most portion 210 is therefore closer to the bow 116 and the stern-most portion 212 is closer to the stern 118. The portions 210, 212 are preferably arranged in respect of the stern 118 and the bow 116 so that the pressure of the air mass in the centre tunnel 102 increases from the bow 116 to the stern 118. The longitudinal direction 201 of the catamaran 100 can be defined as a direction running from the stern 118 to the bow 116.
[0035] Each portion 210, 212 is composed of the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel and of the opposite sides 105a, 105b of the pontoons 106a, 106b located around the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel. The pontoons 106a, 106b of the catamaran 100 border the bow-most portion 210 and the stern-most portion 212 in the width direction 302 of the catamaran 100, in which case when the catamaran 100 is driven, the bow 116 of the catamaran 100 collects in the centre tunnel 102 an air mass, and the centre tunnel 102 guides the air mass so that the air mass received at the bow 116 comes out from the mouth of the centre tunnel 102 on the side of the stern 118. The angle φ towards the bow 116 can be defined as an angle of the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel in relation to the longitudinal direction 201 of the catamaran 100, which longitudinal direction 201 runs from the stern 118 to the bow 116.
[0036] In one embodiment, the bow-most portion 210 located closer to the bow 116 is shorter than the stern-most portion 212 located closer to the stern 118 and the stern-most portion 212 located closer to the stern 118 extends from the bow-most portion 210 located closer to the bow 116 towards the stern 118. In this way, even at small driving speeds, it is possible to make the centre tunnel 102 to function as a combined air and water tunnel.
[0037] The above-described settings of the portions 210, 212 of the centre tunnel 102 enable the functioning of the centre tunnel 102 as a ram air wing, which produces, when the catamaran 100 is driven, an air pressure, which increases with the driving speed, between the catamaran 100 and water.
[0038] In one embodiment, the pontoons 106a, 106b of the catamaran 100 have elongated buoyancy plates 114, which extend in their longitudinal direction between the stern 118 and the bow 116 and in their width direction 302 between the pontoons 106a, 106b. When the catamaran 100 is driven, the buoyancy plates 114 turn the flow of the water flowing through the centre tunnel 102 downwards, in which case buoyancy is created. In other words, the water flowing through the centre tunnel 102 tends to rise up and the buoyancy plates 114 turn the water, which tends to rise up, at a desired angle back downwards, in which case more buoyancy and a water mass of the correct direction before the propeller are obtained. The turning of the flow direction of water reduces the splashing of water upwards at the stern 118 when the catamaran 100 is driven and water discharges out of the centre tunnel 102. When the catamaran 100 is driven, there is air between the buoyancy plates 114 and the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel, in which case the centre tunnel 102 forms an air tunnel from the bow 116 to the stern 118. When the catamaran 100 is driven, the water flowing through the centre tunnel 102 travels in the centre tunnel 102 in the height direction at the level of the buoyancy plates 114 and under them. Since the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel is off water 202b when driving, there is no friction with the movement of the catamaran 100 over its portion. In this way, it is possible to obtain a high efficiency of the power transmitted from the motor into motion.
[0039] The buoyancy plates 114 extend in the longitudinal direction 201 of the catamaran 100 on both sides of the centre tunnel 102 towards the centre of the centre tunnel 102 in the width direction 302 of the catamaran 100. The length and width of the buoyancy plates 114 can be dimensioned on the basis of the purpose of use of the boat, such as the necessary load-carrying capacity and driving speed. Distance h.sub.1 between the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel and the buoyancy plates 114 decreases from the bow 116 towards the stern 118. During driving, h.sub.1 is essentially h.sub.v. On the outer sides of the pontoons 106a, 106b, on the shell plates 120 of the catamaran, the water line runs at the uppermost point of the bottom angle, in other words approximately at the level of the outer edge, where the bottom 107 and the shell plate 120 meet each other. The buoyancy plates 114 can be installed at a constant distance from the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b. In this way, the displacement of the catamaran 100 is very small when driving. The rise of water, in other words the height of water is on the inner sides 105a, 105b of the pontoons 106a, 106b below the buoyancy plates 114. On the outer sides of the pontoons 106a, 106b, in other words on the shells of the catamaran 100, the height of water is lower than on the inner sides 105a, 105b. On the other hand, when the catamaran 100 is driven, an air mass is pressed between the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel and water, the buoyancy effect of which air mass increases from the bow 116 of the boat to the stern 118 as the distance between the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel and the buoyancy plates 114 decreases. The shape of the buoyancy plate 114 is preferably the shape of the bottom 107 of the pontoon 106a, 106b in the travel direction of the boat. In this way, when the catamaran 100 is driven, the buoyancy plate 114 cuts the water mass that “climbs” along the vertical inner wall 105a, 105b of the pontoon 106a, 106b. It is possible to preferably shape the buoyancy plate 114 to be curved. The buoyancy plate 114 can be curved, for example convex, upwards towards the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel, in which case it is possible to make the water mass travelling from under the buoyancy plate 114 large without increasing the size of the buoyancy plate 114 in the width direction 302 of the catamaran 100.
[0040] In one embodiment, the catamaran 100 has a water guide module 320 on the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel 102 in order to accomplish a laminar flow to the propeller of an outboard motor, the cavitation plate of which outboard motor is behind the water guide module 320. The water guide module 320 guides the water mass flowing in the centre tunnel 102 from the bow 116 towards the stern 118 so that the collision of the water mass and the outboard motor above the propeller can be prevented completely or at least partially. By means of the water guide module 320, it is possible to guide the water mass coming from the bow 116 direction laminarilly past the outboard motor, in other words “beside” it, on both sides to a free air space. In this case, the resistance of water encountered by the outboard motor is reduced essentially and the total efficiency of the propulsive force increases. In other words, the outboard motor obtains a “pure”, unmixed water mass laminar in the direction of the boat, in which case it does not cavitate easily and the propeller does not need to do extra work in order to direct the flow of water to the desired direction of propulsion. Owing to the water guide module 320, it is possible to reduce the planing of the boat in a direction diverging from the course, in which case the accuracy of driving of the catamaran 100 improves.
[0041] In one embodiment, the catamaran 100 has uniform shell plates 120, which combine to each other the structures above and beneath the deck from the bow 116 to the stern 118. The shell plates 120 extend in the vertical direction from the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b upwards preferably to a height, which is higher than the deck level, in which case the shell plates 120 form edges and prevent water, for example splashes or flowing water, from getting to the deck from a level higher than the deck plate. The structures below the deck can comprise one or more of the following: bottoms 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b, sides 105a, 105b of the pontoons, ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel 102. The parts above the deck can comprise one or more of the following: deck plate and stern board.
[0042] In addition to what has been described above, it can be seen in
[0043] The prismatic coefficient of the displacement of the pontoons 106a, 106b can be greater than conventional V-bottom catamarans, because the cross-section of the pontoons 106a, 106b on the straight area of the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b is almost a rectangular quadrangle. Most preferably, the prismatic coefficient of the cross-section of the pontoons 106a, 106b on the straight area of the bottom 107 can be over 0.9.
[0044] The width of the pontoon at the height of the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel 102 can be 300-1000 mm. In one embodiment, the width d5 of the pontoon at the height of the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel 102 can be most preferably 550 mm.
[0045] The height d1 of the mouth of the centre tunnel 102 can become lower after the essentially horizontal portion 401 over distance d2 so that on the stern-most portion 212 located closest to the stern 118; the distance d3 of the centre tunnel 102 from the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b is at its highest less than 50% of the height d1 of the mouth of the bottom tunnel at the bow 116. There is a point of intersection 402 between the surfaces of the bow-most portion 210 and the stern-most portion 212 of the ceiling 102 of the centre tunnel 102, at which point of intersection 402 the gradients of the surfaces of the bow-most portion 210 and the stern-most portion 212 are equally great. At the point of intersection 402, the distance d3 of the ceiling 108 of the air tunnel 102 from the bottom 107, 107b of the pontoons 106a, 106b is greater than the distance d4 of the ceiling 108 of the air tunnel from the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b at the stern 118. In one embodiment, the distance d4 of the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel from the bottom 107 of the pontoons 106a, 106b is most preferably 275 mm and at the point of intersection 402 most preferably 372 mm.
[0046] The pontoons 106a, 106b can have elongated buoyancy plates 114, which extend in their longitudinal direction between the stern 118 and the bow 118 and in their width direction between the pontoons 106a, 106b. The distance of the buoyancy plates 114 to the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel decreases from the bow 116 towards the stern 118.
[0047] In addition to what has been described above, it can be seen that
[0048]
[0049] The catamaran 100 can start to plane without a planing threshold, because the shape of the bottom 107 is such that when starting to move from a stationary position, there are really no forces at the bottom 107 in the travel direction that resist water. In this case, the power of the engine can be utilised almost entirely in order to achieve the planning threshold.
[0050] The catamaran 100 can stop without the sinking of the stern and the creation of a wash. The catamaran 100 does not necessarily displace almost any water to the sides. This is why the entire bottom 107 carries the catamaran 100, and when stopping and accelerating, the bearing surface of the catamaran 100 is almost as long as the entire catamaran 100, in which case the catamaran 100 sinks into water evenly over the length of its entire hull 109. In comparison, in a V-hull boat the stern is load-bearing. This may cause the stern to sink, because the bearing surface area is at the stern when accelerating and braking.
[0051] The catamaran 100 can turn in waves without hitting the waves, because water is not moved to the side, but it is allowed to travel in the direction of the bottom of the catamaran 100 through the catamaran 100.
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[0058] It is possible to manufacture a catamaran according to the above-described embodiments from aluminium. The pontoons 106a, 106b and the ceiling 108 of the centre tunnel of the catamaran 100 have been manufactured from aluminium and belong to the hull 109 of the catamaran 100, which hull 109 has been manufactured from aluminium. The parts manufactured from aluminium have most preferably been joined together by welding, but it is also possible to use riveting, adhesive bonding or other joining methods applicable in the future.
[0059] The length of the catamaran 100 according to the above-described embodiments can be 3-10 m, most preferably 3-8.5 m.
[0060] For a person having ordinary skill in the art, it is obvious that as technology makes further progress, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted to the examples described above, but they may vary within the claims and their legal equivalents.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS USED
[0061] α angle
[0062] β angle
[0063] γ angle
[0064] φ angle
[0065] h.sub.1 distance
[0066] h.sub.v distance
[0067] d distance
[0068] d1 height
[0069] d2 distance
[0070] d3 distance
[0071] d4 distance
[0072] d5 width
[0073] d6 length
[0074] d7 length
[0075] 100 catamaran
[0076] 102 centre tunnel
[0077] 105a side
[0078] 105b side
[0079] 106a pontoon
[0080] 106b pontoon
[0081] 107 bottom
[0082] 108 ceiling of centre tunnel
[0083] 109 hull
[0084] 114 buoyancy plate
[0085] 116 bow
[0086] 118 stern
[0087] 120 shell plate
[0088] 201 longitudinal direction of catamaran
[0089] 202a water (catamaran is stationary)
[0090] 202b water (catamaran is moving)
[0091] 202c water (catamaran is moving)
[0092] 210 bow-most portion
[0093] 212 stern-most portion
[0094] 302 width direction of catamaran
[0095] 320 water guide module
[0096] 401 essentially horizontal portion
[0097] 402 point of intersection