Water Sport Device

Abstract

A water sports apparatus is provided, and includes a propulsion device which is provided for the propulsion of the water sports apparatus and whose motor, arranged on the float-body side, is connected in terms of drive to at least one propulsion element via an angularly and/or longitudinally movable propulsion train. The angularly and/or longitudinally movable propulsion train allows the propulsion element to be positioned optimally on the body-of-water side. The motor is arranged in a region which does not cause any body-of-water-side resistance in the operating position with a float body lifted off from the water surface. That part of the water sports apparatus which is situated in the water is optimized with regard to the design which is relevant to flow resistance in the water.

Claims

1. A water sports apparatus comprising: a float body; a foil device which is fastened to the float body by means of a holding device, a propulsion device which is provided for the propulsion of the water sports apparatus, the propulsion device having a motor arranged on the float-body side and connected in terms of drive to at least one propulsion element via an angularly and/or longitudinally movable propulsion train; wherein the foil device, which is arranged on a link of the holding device, has one or more foils and, via the holding device, can be transferred from a rest and/or starting position close to the float body into an operating position below the float body, wherein, in the operating position and during a forward movement, on account of lift generated by the foil device, the float body can be transferred into a position in which it is spaced apart from a water surface.

2. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion train extends through or along said link of the holding device.

3. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion element is part of the foil device and/or of the holding device.

4. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion train has at least one constant-velocity joint.

5. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion train has at least one cardan joint.

6. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion train has at least one electromagnetic coupling and/or at least one bevel-gear set.

7. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion train has at least one belt drive.

8. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein both in a rest and/or starting position of the foil device close to the float body and in an operating position remote therefrom, the propulsion element is connected in terms of drive to the motor and can be driven by the latter.

9. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including an energy store for the propulsion device, which energy store is arranged in the float body.

10. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding device has a drive which is provided with the or a further energy store and via which the foil device can be transferred from a rest and/or starting position into the operating position and/or from the operating position into the rest and/or starting position.

11. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one sensor from a group comprising gyro sensors, speed sensors, position sensors (GPS, Glonass, BeiDou), distance sensors (echo sounder, sonar), infrared sensors, and inclination sensors.

12. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the propulsion device is configured for thrust control, and the water sports apparatus has a control unit provided for this purpose.

13. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured for self-stabilization of the water sports apparatus by means of thrust vector control of the propulsion device.

14. The water sports apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the water sports apparatus has a sensor arrangement, which can be used for determination of position, and a control unit, which is configured for generating control signals on the basis of signals of the sensor arrangement for the purpose of geofencing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a first article according to the invention in a perspective view.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the article in FIG. 1 in a side view.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the detail C of the article in FIG. 2 in a partially cut-away view.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a further article according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows the article in FIG. 4 in a further operating position.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a detail of the article in FIG. 5.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a further article according to the invention in a perspective view.

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a detail of the article in FIG. 7.

[0037] FIG. 9 shows the article in FIG. 8 in a further position of the holding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments described below may also result, in combination with the features of the independent claim, to refinements according to the invention. Where expedient, functionally identical parts are denoted by identical reference signs.

[0039] A water sports apparatus 2 according to the invention, in the form of a foilboard in the present case, has a float body 4 which is connected via a holding device 8 comprising a link 10 to a foil device 6 having foils 16. The two foils 16 of the foil device 6 generate lift during riding, which lift, for a sufficiently high speed and correspondingly fast riding in a direction F, results in the float body 4 lifting out of the water and consequently in the foilboard gliding with little water resistance. In the illustrated operating position, as well as in an rest and/or starting position of the foil device 6 close to the float body 4, the rear links 10 are situated in a recess 68 of the float body 4, for example.

[0040] A propulsion device has a motor 100 (indicated only by dashed lines due to being arranged in the interior of the float body), which, together with a propulsion element in the form of a propeller 64, is part of a propulsion device. The motor 100 is connected to a propeller 64 via a propulsion train, which is of angularly movable form and in the present case is in the form of an articulated-shaft combination. The articulated-shaft combination comprises an articulated shaft 102, which in FIG. 1 extends parallel to the two rear links 10 and is connected via two cardan joints 106 to a propeller shaft 104.

[0041] Via a supply line 103, the motor is supplied with drive energy from a propulsion energy store 101, which may for example be an accumulator or a liquefied-gas store. In a variant of the bearing (not illustrated in any more detail), at least one of the three shafts 102, 108 and 104 is longitudinally movable, for example by means of a prismatic joint, in order to avoid a blockage for the case in which the foil device 6 is transferred into the rest and/or starting position situated close to the float body 4. Instead of longitudinal displaceability by way of a corresponding displaceable portion of the respective shaft, the shafts, in the present case, can be pivoted from their shown position, whereby a change in the shaft length is avoided (cf. also FIGS. 2 and 3). Similarly to the situation in the transition between holding device 8 and foil device 6, on the float-body side, the propulsion train may form, with cardan joints, an angularly movable transition to the propulsion shaft of a motor. Furthermore, said transition may alternatively or additionally be (if appropriate concomitantly) formed by way of constant-velocity joints.

[0042] For the purpose of avoiding injuries and fouling, the region in which the propulsion train moves may also be at least partially encapsulated.

[0043] FIG. 4 discloses a further exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a water sports apparatus 2, which has an alternatively formed propulsion train. Instead of an articulated-shaft connection, a belt 110 of a belt drive transmits the force from a motor to the propeller 64. In the region of the foil device 6, the belt 110 (cf. FIG. 6) drives a bevel-gear shaft with a bevel gear 112, which acts on a bevel gear 114 seated on the propeller shaft 104. An identically acting construction is present at the float-body-side connection between the belt 110 and the motor shaft. Through the use of bevel gears which roll on one another, pivoting of the foil device 6 into a rest and starting position, in which the link 10 is arranged in the recess 68, via the intermediate position shown in FIG. 5 results in the propeller 64 being able to provide for propulsion both in one position and in the other position of the propeller 64. Thus, with the water sports apparatus according to the invention, in all the illustrated variants, starting and riding are already possible close to the beach and in shallow water, while it is then the case, during transition into deeper water and simultaneous riding, that the foil device 6 can be transferred into the operating position shown in FIG. 4.

[0044] Instead of a belt drive with at least one circulating belt 110, in the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 7 to 9, use is made along the links 10 of a shaft 121 provided with bevel gears 120. Only the lower bevel gear 120 can be seen by way of example in FIG. 8, while the upper one is concealed by the float body 4. During pivoting from the position illustrated in FIG. 7 into a position analogous to that in FIG. 5, the bevel gear 120 meshes continuously with the bevel gear 112. The same applies to the transition from the bevel gear 112 to the bevel gear 114, so that, in this exemplary embodiment too, it is possible for drive energy to be directed to the propeller 64 both in the position shown in FIG. 8 and in the position shown in FIG. 9 of the foil device.