U.S. patent application number 12/221713 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for watercraft drogue system.
Invention is credited to Robert Lee Cardenas, Loren Hazard Howard, Thieu Truong.
Application Number | 20090038530 12/221713 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40341946 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090038530 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Truong; Thieu ; et
al. |
February 12, 2009 |
Watercraft drogue system
Abstract
A watercraft drogue system including a line deployable in the
water to be intercepted by the lower unit of the watercraft's
engine, at least a first drogue on one end of the line, a length of
stretchable line adjacent the drogue, and at least a first length
of slack line secured by a frangible tie. The frangible tie of the
watercraft drogue system is designed to break when the drogue is
deployed. The length of stretchable line of the drogue system
expands in length in order to reduce the tension in the line to
prevent kick up of the lower unit of the watercraft's engine and
thus arrest the watercraft.
Inventors: |
Truong; Thieu; (North
Easton, MA) ; Cardenas; Robert Lee; (Framingham,
MA) ; Howard; Loren Hazard; (Waban, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IANDIORIO TESKA & COLEMAN
260 BEAR HILL ROAD
WALTHAM
MA
02451-1018
US
|
Family ID: |
40341946 |
Appl. No.: |
12/221713 |
Filed: |
August 6, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60963972 |
Aug 8, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
114/382 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 21/48 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/382 |
International
Class: |
B63B 17/00 20060101
B63B017/00 |
Claims
1. A watercraft drogue system comprising: a line deployable in the
water to be intercepted by the lower unit of the watercraft engine;
at least a first drogue on one end of the line; a length of
stretchable line adjacent to the drogue; and at least a first
length of slack line secured by a frangible tie configured to break
when the drogue is deployed and the length of stretchable line
expands in length to reduce the tension in the line to prevent kick
up of the lower unit and thus arrest the watercraft.
2. The system of claim 1 in which there is a second drogue on the
other end of the line.
3. The system of claim 2 in which there are two lengths of slack
line each secured by a frangible tie on each end of the line.
4. A watercraft drogue system comprising: a line deployable in the
water to be intercepted by the lower unit of the watercraft's
engine; a drogue on one end of the line imparting a first force on
the line when deployed; and an entanglement payload on the other
end of the line imparting a second, lesser force on the line so the
drogue, when deployed causes the line to urge the entanglement
payload into contact with the lower unit of the engine of the
watercraft to arrest the watercraft.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application hereby claims the benefit of and priority
to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/963,972, filed on Aug.
8, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This subject invention relates to non-lethal watercraft
arresting systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various non-lethal devices have been devised to arrest
watercraft. One concept involves using a drogue chute to slow a
vessel. See the Report by the U.S. Coast Guard entitled "Non-Lethal
Weapons in Law Enforcement Operations," date and author unknown,
incorporated herein by this reference. Propeller entanglement
systems are also known. See Id.
[0004] Many watercraft, especially those with outboard motors, have
a lower unit designed to kick up when an object is struck by the
lower unit. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,058 incorporated herein
by this reference. Thus, when the lower unit of a high speed
watercraft strikes a drogue chute line and the drogue chute
deploys, the tension in the line may cause the lower unit to kick
up over the line defeating the arresting capability of the drogue
chute concept.
[0005] U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,417; 5,069,109; 6,325,015; and
Application No. 2005/0016372 are also incorporated herein by this
reference.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with the subject invention, the watercraft's
lower unit does not kick up when it strikes the drogue chute line
because the tension on the line is automatically lowered at the
point in time when the drogue chute deploys and then increased in a
controlled manner to slow the watercraft off plane. The drogue
chute system can be deployed into the water in the path of a
watercraft by a launcher (see the Coast Guard Report cited above),
by the deployment system of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/363,231 incorporated herein by this reference, or by other means
known to those skilled in the art.
[0007] This invention features a watercraft drogue system
comprising a line deployable in the water to be intercepted by the
lower unit of the watercraft's engine. The drogue system includes
at least a first drogue on one end of the line, a length of
stretchable line adjacent to the drogue, and at least a first
length of slack line secured by a frangible tie configured to break
when the drogue is deployed. The length of stretchable line expands
in length to reduce the tension in the line to prevent kick up of
the lower unit of the engine and thus arrest the watercraft. The
watercraft drogue system may include a second drogue on the other
end of the line and multiple lengths of slack line each secured by
a frangible tie on each end of the line.
[0008] One watercraft drogue system in accordance with the subject
invention features a line deployable in the water to be intercepted
by the lower unit of the watercraft's engine, a drogue on one end
of the line imparting a first force on the line when deployed, and
an entanglement payload on the other end of the line imparting a
second, lesser force on the line. In this embodiment, the drogue,
when deployed, causes the line to urge the entanglement payload
into contact with the lower unit of the watercraft's engine to
arrest the watercraft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those
skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred
embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1A is a schematic top view showing a watercraft just
before it intercepts one embodiment of a drogue chute system in
accordance with the subject invention;
[0011] FIG. 1B is a schematic showing a watercraft lower unit
engaging the drogue chute line of FIG. 1A;
[0012] FIG. 1C is a schematic showing how when the watercraft
stretches the line taught and the drogues deploy, the retarding
force reaches a level where a frangible ties of the first set of
slack lines break;
[0013] FIG. 1D is a schematic showing the watercraft now at a lower
speed where it continues to pull on the line and causes a tension
force sufficient to break a second set of frangible ties;
[0014] FIG. 1E is a schematic showing how the retarding force is
reapplied when the forward movement of the vessel re-tensions the
line; and
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic showing another embodiment of a
watercraft drogue system in accordance with the subject
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed
below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of construction and the arrangements of components set
forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.
If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are
not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof
are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and
convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction,
or disclaimer.
[0017] In one preferred embodiment, watercraft drogue system 10,
FIG. 1A includes drogue line 12 deployable in the water in the path
of watercraft 14. Drogues 16a and 16b are attached to the ends of
line 12. Adjacent drogue 16a is a length of stretchable line 18a
(bungee cord-like in construction) and lengths 20a and 20b of slack
line secured by frangible ties 22a and 22b, respectively. Adjacent
drogue 16b is a length of stretchable line 18b and lengths 20c and
20d of slack line secured by frangible ties 22c and 22d,
respectively.
[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1B-1E, when the outboard motor of
watercraft 14, FIG. 1B engages line 12 F.sub.T is the tension of
the line caused by the watercraft pulling on the deployed drogues
16a and 16b. F.sub.B is the tension required to break ties 22a-d.
F.sub.S is the tension pulling on the stretchable line 18 which is
equal to the spring force of the line times the stretch in the line
F.sub.S=KX. This allows the stopping force to be applied to the
speeding watercraft over a distance X (not shown). X is the
distance the line stretches when the watercraft engages line 12.
F.sub.T is equal to F.sub.S when the stretchable line is not fully
taught.
[0019] In FIG. 1C, as watercraft 14 stretches lines 18a and 18b
taught, the retarding force reaches the force needed to break the
first set of ties 22b and 22c. This is when F.sub.T is greater than
or equal to F.sub.B1. When this occurs, ties 22b and 22c will break
releasing an unstressed length of line 20b and 20c. This unstressed
length of line drops the tension in entire line 12 down to zero
which resets stretchable line's 18a and 18b spring line feature. As
the watercraft 14 continues to translate forward, the tension in
lines 18a and 18b is reestablished. Typically, F.sub.B1 is less
than F.sub.B2; F.sub.S is much less than F.sub.B1; and F.sub.S is
much less than F.sub.B2.
[0020] In FIG. 1D, the watercraft speed is at a level where it
continues to pull on the line and causes the tension force to reach
F.sub.B2 and the process described with respect to FIG. 1C is
repeated. In FIG. 1E, when the break-away ties snap, F.sub.T is
greater than or equal to F.sub.B2 and the untensioned line will be
released allowing stretched spring lines 18a and 18b to reset
(return to untensioned state). Retarding force is reapplied when
forward movement of the watercraft re-tensions the line.
[0021] Over a couple of cycles of the steps shown in FIGS. 1A-1E,
the speed of watercraft 14 will be reduced to a level where its
motor is working just to pull the deployed drogues. This will be
the equivalent to starting watercraft from a stand still and
dragging the two deployed drogues to move. The estimated speed of
the watercraft after it is taken off plane in this manner would be
less than 10 knots. The result is that the target watercraft will
be slowed to a speed suitable for intercepting and/or boarding by a
pursuing vessel.
[0022] One purpose of the invention is to serve as a non-lethal
method to hinder or stop the forward progress of high speed
watercraft. One objective is to bring a high speed outboard powered
watercraft down off-plane by engaging the line around the
outboard's lower unit. Once the watercraft begins to drag the line
the invention produces a steadily increasing drag load that slows
the watercraft and brings the watercraft off-plane.
[0023] The ability to stop or hinder the forward progress of
speeding watercraft is a problem that the US Coast Guard faces on a
regular basis. This need arises in situations such as capture of
drug traffickers along the U.S. coastline, stoppage of watercraft
for border security, and/or stoppage or deceleration of run away
watercraft to regain control.
[0024] The invention is a deployable device that effectively stops
high speed watercraft without injuring the occupants. This need for
a non-lethal watercraft entanglement system is addressed by this
invention.
[0025] The subject line and drogue system is capable of engaging
and applying a steadily increasing drag force to decelerate
speeding watercraft. This system is designed to be deployed in
front of the watercraft. Once the watercraft crosses over the line,
the lower unit of the outboard engine will engage the line causing
the drogues (one at each end of the line) to deploy. The deployed
drogues apply tension to the line which pulls at the lower unit of
the outboard engine in the opposite direction of the moving
watercraft to take the watercraft down from its plane on the
water.
[0026] It has been demonstrated that the use of a line and drogue
system alone will not effectively stop or slow watercraft due to
the ability of outboard engines to lift up and skip over
impediments. This is a built in safety feature of outboard engines
to protect the watercraft and its outboard engine in the event that
the lower unit hits an object that exerts a significant load. This
safety feature makes it difficult for a drogue and line system
alone to stop the watercraft because the stoppage force of the
drogue can easily exceed the lift-up force of the outboard engine.
Since the magnitude of this force increases exponentially with
increasing velocity, higher speed watercraft produce greater
stoppage forces from the drogue which increases the chance of
engine lift-up. The end result is that the outboard engine will
skip over the line completely and the watercraft will be free to
continue on its path.
[0027] The inventive line and drogue system is designed to dampen
and distribute the full stoppage force of a drogue over an
increment of time and distance. With this invention, the stopping
power generated by the drogue during watercraft engagement is
gradually transmitted to the watercraft. As the drag force to the
watercraft gradually increases, the watercraft will decrease in
velocity, which in turn decreases the load generated by the drogue.
There will be a point where the watercraft directly pulls on the
drogue but the velocity of the watercraft would be decreased to a
point where the drogue applies a drag force sufficient to hinder
the acceleration of the watercraft but not enough to kick up the
outboard engine. As a result, the watercraft will be slowed
significantly as it drags the drogue through the water.
[0028] One novel feature of this invention is the ability to
gradually introduce the drag force of the drogue to the speeding
watercraft. This feature is critical to maintain engagement of the
line and drogue system to the lower unit of the engine which leads
to the deceleration of the watercraft. The ability to gradually
introduce the drag force overcomes the built in safety feature of
most outboards (engine lift-up), hence maintaining engagement
between the watercraft and effector, where the effector is the
drogue system.
[0029] Another embodiment of this invention uses the ability of
this invention to maintain engagement between the effector and
watercraft where the effector features drogues with differential
drag forces. This causes the drogue with the lower drag force to be
pulled towards the lower unit. This feature provides the means to
introduce an entanglement or engine disabling device to the
outboard.
[0030] In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, watercraft drogue
system includes line 12' deployable in the water to be intercepted
by the lower unit of an engine of a watercraft 14, drogue 16b on
one end of the line imparting a first force on the line when
deployed and an entanglement payload on the other end of the line
imparting a second, lesser force on the line so that drogue 16b,
when deployed, causes the line 12' to urge the entanglement payload
30 into contact with the lower unit of the engine of the watercraft
to arrest the watercraft. Typically, entanglement payload 30 is a
net which entangles the propeller of the lower unit of the engine.
See the Coast Guard Report cited above. Other entanglement payloads
are known to those skilled in the art.
[0031] Although specific features of the invention are shown in
some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as
each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features
in accordance with the invention. The words "including,"
"comprising," "having," and "with" as used herein are to be
interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any
physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in
the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible
embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the
art and are within the following claims.
[0032] In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution
of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of
any claim element presented in the application as filed: those
skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim
that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many
equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and
are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if
anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more
than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are
many other reasons the applicant can not be expected to describe
certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element
amended.
* * * * *