UNDERWATER WING FOR A WATERCRAFT

Abstract

An underwater wing for a water sports apparatus, having an outer shaped body forming the profile of the wing and consisting of a material of a first type with a first hardness, and including at least one mast receiving portion arranged in the underwater wing. The underwater wing additionally includes a supporting structure consisting of at least one material of a second type with a second hardness, and the shaped body is molded onto the supporting structure and completely encloses the supporting structure, the second hardness being greater than the first hardness.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A hydrofoil for a water sports device comprising: an outer body forming a profile of the hydrofoil and comprising at least one first material of a first type having a first hardness; at least one mast mount arranged in the hydrofoil; and a support structure made of at least one second material of a second type with a second hardness; wherein the outer body is molded onto the support structure and completely surrounds the support structure; and wherein the second hardness is greater than the first hardness.

18. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the at least one first material of the first type is selected from one or more of the group consisting of elastomers for injection molding, polyurethane materials, silicone materials, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber.

19. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the at least one first material of the first type has a Shore A hardness of 40-90.

20. The hydrofoil according to claim 19, wherein the at least one first material of the first type has a Shore A hardness of 60-80.

21. The hydrofoil according to claim 20, wherein the at least one first material of the first type has a Shore A hardness of 65-75.

22. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the outer body comprises different regions made of different materials of the first type.

23. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the at least one second material of the second type is selected from the group consisting of fiber-reinforced plastics, glass fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.

24. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the support structure extends over a range of at least 60% of a span of the hydrofoil.

25. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein at least a part of the support structure is connected to the at least one mast mount.

26. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the support structure consists of at least one of a plurality of rods, a plurality of plates, and a plurality of rings.

27. The hydrofoil according to claim 26, wherein at least two of the plurality of rods, the plurality of plates, and the plurality of rings are connected to each other independently of the outer body.

28. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the support structure is milled in one piece from the material of the second type.

29. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the support structure is at least partially coated with an adhesion-promoting layer.

30. The hydrofoil according to claim 17, wherein the support structure is supplemented by a plurality of movable guide elements.

31. The hydrofoil according to claim 30, wherein the guide elements are movable by linkage elements penetrating the outer body or by hydraulic elements arranged in the outer body.

32. A method of manufacturing the hydrofoil according to claim 17, comprising at least the following steps: providing a support structure made of at least one material of a second type with a second hardness; arranging at least one mast mount in a region of the support structure, molding an outer body from at least one material of a first type with a first hardness.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the molding is carried out by casting the at least one first material of the first type into a mold containing the support structure, the at least one material of the first type being selected from one or more of the group consisting of elastomers for injection molding, polyurethane materials, silicone materials, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein different regions of the outer body are cast from different materials of the first type.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a hydrofoil according to the invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a support structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a support structure according to a second embodiment according to the invention,

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a view of the hydrofoil according to the invention partially in section and

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a support structure supplemented with guide elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In FIG. 1, a hydrofoil according to the invention is designated by the reference sign 1. The hydrofoil 1 has a leading edge 2 and a trailing edge 3 and can be connected to a flow-optimized mast not shown in the figures by means of a mast mount 4 on the upper side (suction side) of the wing or foil. FIG. 1 also shows, in particular, the outer body 5 forming the profile of the hydrofoil, which forms the main body and the surface of the hydrofoil. The foil tips are marked with the reference sign 6.

[0030] A support structure 7 is shown in perspective view in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the plurality of rods 8, plates 9 and rings 10 of the support structure 7 are connected to the mast mount 4 arranged centrally in the support structure 7. The support structure is also connected to the mast mount 4. However, it is also conceivable that the support structure is not connected to the mast mount 4 and lies freely in the outer body 5. It is also conceivable that a plurality of mast mounts, preferably two mast mounts, are provided.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a support structure 7 that is milled in one piece from the material of the second type. The support structure 7 has recesses 11 for a better connection with the outer body.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows that the outer body 5 is molded onto the support structure 7, whereby hydrodynamic forces are transferred from the outer body 5 to the support structure 7 and absorbed by it.

[0033] In FIG. 5, the support structure 7 is supplemented by guide elements 12, which can be moved by corresponding linkage elements 13. An outer body 5 is thus also deformed in this area, which can influence the buoyancy properties of the hydrofoil according to the invention. This enables active control of the hydrofoil.