Hydrofoil craft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364974-B2
Application number	US-202016950286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A hydrofoil craft includes a hull including a bottom that spreads from a bow to a stern; and a hydrofoil mechanism provided on the bow side of the hull. The hull further includes an accommodating recess formed therein, and the accommodating recess is recessed toward the stern side between the bow and the bottom to accommodate the hydrofoil mechanism. A retreat surface is formed between the bottom and a recess main surface facing the bow side in the accommodating recess, and the retreat surface extends toward the stern side in a downward direction and is connected to the bottom.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hydrofoil craft comprising:
a hull including a bottom that spreads from a bow to a stern; and
a hydrofoil mechanism provided on a bow side of the hull;
wherein the hull further includes an accommodating recess formed therein, the accommodating recess being recessed toward a stern side between the bow and the bottom to accommodate the hydrofoil mechanism, and
wherein a retreat surface is formed between the bottom and a recess main surface facing the bow side in the accommodating recess, the retreat surface extending toward the stern side in a downward direction and being connected to the bottom.

2. The hydrofoil craft according to claim 1 , wherein the retreat surface has a planar shape.

3. The hydrofoil craft according to claim 1 , wherein the retreat surface has a curved shape protruding toward the bow side.

4. The hydrofoil craft according to claim 3 , wherein the retreat surface has a curved shape having a uniform curvature over a range from the bow side to a bottom side.

5. The hydrofoil craft according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil mechanism comprises:
a frame attached to the recess main surface and a recess top surface spreading in a plane intersecting the recess main surface;
a yoke supported by the frame and turnable about a first rotation axis orthogonal to a direction from the bow side toward the stern side;
a foil turning device below the yoke and turnable about a second rotation axis extending in a vertical direction;
a strut extending downward from the foil turning device and jointed to the foil turning device via a joint surface; and
a hydrofoil at a lower end of the strut,
wherein the joint surface is positioned in the vertical direction between a base end that is an upper end edge of the retreat surface and a terminal end that is a lower end edge thereof.

6. The hydrofoil craft according to claim 5 ,
wherein the hydrofoil mechanism further comprises a bolt coupling the foil turning device and the strut, and
wherein the bolt includes:
a pair of heads arranged on both sides in an extending direction; and
a small diameter part that connects the heads together and has a diameter dimension smaller than that of the heads.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shoda Katsuhiko
• Kubota Masaya
• Okafuji Takashi
• Sasaki Masashi

Classifications

• B63B1/244 Primary

  Safety systems, e.g. when striking an object · CPC title

• B63B1/28

  with movable hydrofoils · CPC title

• B63B1/242

  Mounting, suspension of the foils (B63B1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63B1/248 Primary

  Shape, hydrodynamic features, construction of the foil · CPC title

• B63B1/283

  movable around a vertical axis, e.g. for steering · CPC title