U.S. patent application number 12/257783 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-29 for flow restrictive edge profile exhibited upon a surface of a fluid propelled/propelling implement.
Invention is credited to John K. Moore.
Application Number | 20100104448 12/257783 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42117682 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100104448 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moore; John K. |
April 29, 2010 |
FLOW RESTRICTIVE EDGE PROFILE EXHIBITED UPON A SURFACE OF A FLUID
PROPELLED/PROPELLING IMPLEMENT
Abstract
A flow restrictive edge profile applied to a fluid
propelled/propelling implement and for creating increased driving
force as a blade interacts with a fluid medium. An arcuate blade
face pattern, including such as a "horseshoe" or modified "U" shape
profile, is applied to one or two opposite faces of an oar design,
with a deepened and inner extending connecting (arcuate) edge
establishing a maximum of resistance (and a corresponding
minimization of fluid losses) when traveling through the fluid
medium. This in turn maximizes the amount of driving efficiency
(e.g. thrust) to the article, such as during it being physically
translated through a water medium or acted upon by a wind stream
medium. The flow restrictive edge profile also contemplates
application into one more blades associated with such as a rotating
propeller or a driven windmill.
Inventors: |
Moore; John K.; (Scottsdale,
AZ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GIFFORD, KRASS, SPRINKLE,ANDERSON & CITKOWSKI, P.C
PO BOX 7021
TROY
MI
48007-7021
US
|
Family ID: |
42117682 |
Appl. No.: |
12/257783 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
416/235 ;
440/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63H 16/04 20130101;
B63H 1/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
416/235 ;
440/101 |
International
Class: |
B63H 1/26 20060101
B63H001/26; B63H 16/04 20060101 B63H016/04 |
Claims
1. An article for creating increased efficiency when interacting
within a fluid medium, comprising: a body having a specified shape
and size and exhibiting a surface area; and a flow restrictive and
arcuate profile extending a distance along said surface area
including at least an edge portion of said body; a flow of fluid
across said body impacting said profile, thereby restricting flow
across said edge portion and increasing a resistance force exerted
upon or by the fluid medium in relation to said body.
2. The article as described in claim 1, said body further
comprising a paddle exhibiting a planar surface area.
3. The article as described in claim 2, said profile further
comprising a modified "U" shape profile including first and second
edge extending portions and a recessed and interconnecting central
portion.
4. The article as described in claim 3, further comprising said
edge extending portions increasing in thickness dimension from
forward-most locations approximate a front edge of said paddle to a
maximum thickness associated with said interconnecting central
portion.
5. The article as described in claim 4, said flow restrictive
profile further comprising first and second arcuate interconnecting
edges established between said central portion and said first and
second edge extending portions, said central portion further
comprising a width dimension separating said edge extending
portions.
6. The article as described in claim 2, further comprising a second
and identically configured profile being applied to an opposite
planar surface area of said paddle.
7. The article as described in claim 1, said body further
comprising a plurality of individual blades mounted in rotating
fashion about a common hub.
8. The article as described in claim 7, each of said blades further
comprising an arcuate surface area.
9. The article as described in claim 8, said flow restrictive
profile associated with each of said rotating blades further
comprising an edge extending configuration initiating at an
outermost location and increasing in thickness to an inner
contacting location with said hub.
10. An article for creating increased efficiency when interacting
within a fluid medium, comprising: a paddle shaped body having a
specified shape and size and exhibiting a planar surface area; and
a flow restrictive and arcuate profile extending a distance along
said surface area including at least an edge portion of said body;
said body being translated through the fluid medium, such that a
flow of fluid initially impacts said surface area and, upon
distributing across said body subsequently impacts said profile,
restricting flow across said edge portion and increasing a
resistance force exerted upon the fluid medium by said body.
11. The article as described in claim 10, said profile further
comprising a modified "U" shape profile including first and second
edge extending portions and a recessed and interconnecting central
portion.
12. The article as described in claim 11, further comprising said
edge extending portions increasing in thickness dimension from
forward-most locations approximate a front edge of said paddle to a
maximum thickness associated with said interconnecting central
portion.
13. The article as described in claim 12, said flow restrictive
profile further comprising first and second arcuate interconnecting
edges established between said central portion and said first and
second edge extending portions, said central portion further
comprising a width dimension separating said edge extending
portions.
14. The article as described in claim 10, further comprising a
second and identically configured profile being applied to an
opposite planar surface area of said paddle body.
15. An article for creating increased efficiency when interacting
within a fluid medium, comprising: a body including a plurality of
individual blades mounted in rotating fashion about a common hub;
and a flow restrictive profile associated with an arcuate edge
profile of each of said rotating blades, each of said profiles
initiating at an outermost location and increasing in thickness to
an inner contacting location with said hub; a flow of fluid
impacting each of said rotating blades and, upon distributing
across a surface area of each blade, subsequently impacting said
edge extending profile, thereby restricting flow across said edge
profile and increasing a resistance to a rotating force exerted
upon or by the fluid medium in relation to said body.
16. The article as described in claim 15, said body having a
specified shape and size and further comprising a multi-bladed and
powered propeller for increasing a driving force to the fluid
medium.
17. The article as described in claim 15, said body having a
specified shape and size and further comprising a freely rotating
and multi-bladed windmill exhibiting an increased driven force
exerted by the fluid medium.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to an improved blade
face design incorporating an enhanced flow restrictive edge profile
for creating increased thrust as a blade interacts with a fluid
(water/air) medium. More specifically, the present invention
discloses an arcuate blade face pattern, such as a "horseshoe" or
modified "U" shape profile applied to one or two opposite faces of
an oar design, and with a deepened and inner extending connecting
(arcuate) edge, which establishes a maximum of resistance (and a
corresponding minimization of fluid losses) when traveling through
the fluid medium. This in turn maximizes the amount of driving
efficiency (e.g. thrust) to the article, such as during it being
physically translated through a water medium or acted upon by a
wind stream medium. The flow restrictive edge profile of the
present design also contemplates application into one more blades
associated with such as a rotating propeller or windmill.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The prior art is well documented with examples of propelling
articles, such as employed within a fluid stream of some type. A
most basic example of such an article is a paddle design used to
propel a watercraft upon a body of water.
[0003] Also known among such prior art articles is the ability to
reconfigure a profile of such a propelling implement, a first
example of this being set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,364, to
Wagenknecht, and which teaches a foldable paddle blade and shaft
exhibiting a planar elongate polymer plastic substrate with two
angularly directed and weakened hinge lines, these extending
inwardly and angularly from a location at or near one elongated end
of the later edges, and in order to form a blade with sidewalls and
a free terminal end. Parallel weakened hinge lines extend parallel
and traverse either three or four faceted tubular shafts.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,402, issued to Gooding, teaches a paddle
for manually propelling a water craft with increased stroke
efficiency and which includes a cupped-shaped blade formed of a
foam injected plastic. The blade is angularly displaced from the
shaft of the paddle. The shaft further exhibits such as a hexagonal
shape and includes a T-shaped handle member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when
read in combination with the following detailed description,
wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
several views, and in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is an operational view of the improved blade face
design applied to a surface of an oar according to one preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blade face design of
FIG. 1 and further illustrating the arcuate or modified "U" shape
(horse shoe) profile applied to one or two opposite faces of an oar
blade, the profile further exhibiting shallow-most forward extended
side edges, these deepening in inner extending directions and
terminating at an inner arcuate interconnecting edge which
establishes a maximum of resistance (and a corresponding
minimization of fluid losses) when traveling through the fluid
medium;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a further rotated perspective of the oar blade
face design of FIG. 2;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the oar blade face design of FIG. 2
and further illustrating the restricted flow patterns created by
the traversing of the oar face in a normal direction relative to a
body of water, and as correspondingly illustrated in the
operational view of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a further partial perspective of a dual blade face
design in which a U" shape profile is applied to each of opposite
faces of an oar design;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an alternative flow resisting
profile applied to an oar blade face; and
[0012] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a multi-blade rotating element,
such as applied to a marine propeller or a windmill-type element,
and by which an edge extending and flow restricting profile is
associated with each blade face.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Referring now to the several illustrations described below,
the present invention relates generally to an improved blade face
design incorporating an enhanced flow restrictive edge profile for
creating increased thrust (whether by or upon the blade) as it
interacts within a fluid (e.g. water/air) medium.
[0014] More specifically, the present invention discloses an
arcuate blade face pattern, such as including any of a hook-shaped
or horseshoe/modified "U" shape profile. In one variant, a "U"
shaped profile is applied to one or two opposite faces of an oar
design, and with a deepened and inner extending connecting
(arcuate) edge, establishes a maximum of resistance (and a
corresponding minimization of fluid losses) when traveling through
the fluid medium. This in turn maximizes the amount of driving
efficiency (e.g. thrust) to the article, such as during it being
physically translated through a water medium or acted upon by a
wind stream medium. A further variant contemplates a flow
restrictive profile associated with an arcuate edge profile of each
of a plurality of rotating blades mounted about a common hub, such
as which can be associated with either a powered propeller or a
driven windmill.
[0015] Referring first to FIG. 1, an operational view is shown of
an improved blade face design applied to a surface of a paddle (or
oar) 10 according to one preferred embodiment of the present
invention. As further shown in the illustration of FIG. 1, the
paddle 10 is traversed, such as ideally in a generally
normal/parallel direction (generally referenced by arrow 2) through
a fluid (e.g. water) body 4, in this instance by an individual 6
seated upon a watercraft such as a canoe 8. That said, any
direction of travel of a surface area 12 exhibited by the paddle 10
at any angular direction relative the surrounding body of fluid 4
will provide a degree of driving force as will be described.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paddle 10 in FIG. 1 and
in which the identified surface area 12 better illustrates a blade
face design of die paddle. A flow restrictive and arcuate profile
associated with the paddle 10 includes a modified "U" shape (or
horseshoe shape) profile applied to the blade surface area 12. In
particular, the modified "U" shape profile includes first 14 and
second 16 edge extending portions, these having a shallowest
thickness dimension at a front edge 18 of the paddle and increasing
in a thickness dimension from their forward-most locations as they
extend in a lengthwise/linear direction toward a handle portion of
the paddle 10.
[0017] The extending edge portions 14 and 16 exhibit a thickest
dimension (this defined as a maximum height of the inwardly facing
edges of the sides 14 and 16 at the point in which they are
interconnected with a central portion 20, at an inward recessed
location of the paddle surface area 12. The central extending
portion 20 extends the substantial width of the surface area 12 and
further includes first 22 and second 24 arcuate interconnecting
edges established between the central portion 20 and the first 14
and second 16 edge extending portions.
[0018] As shown, the central portion 20 further exhibits a width
dimension separating the arcuate edge locations 22 and 24 (see as
best shown in the plan view of FIG. 4). The configuration of the
edge profile (again sides 14 and 16, and interconnecting central
portion 20 which rounded edges 22 and 24) is such that it serves to
restrict flow across the edges of the paddle surface area 12, this
in turn increasing a resistance force exerted by the paddle 10 upon
the fluid medium 4.
[0019] As shown, and upon the paddle body being translated through
the fluid medium 4 (arrow 2 in FIG. 1), a generated flow of fluid
initially impacts the surface area 12 of the paddle 12 (see arrow
26 in FIG. 4 and which further generically identifies
representative contact locations 28, 30, and 32 upon the face of
the paddle). The fluid flow impinging upon the face 12 of the
paddle 10 spreads outwardly and, upon distributing across the body
in directions towards the sides and inner ends, see arrows 34, 36
and 38, subsequently impacts each of the edge extending 14 and 16
profiles and interconnecting central/crosswise extending profile
20. At this point, and as again referenced in FIG. 4, flow
restriction occurs along each of the sides and recessed center (see
at identified locations 40, 42 and 44), thereby restricting flow
across the edge portions and increasing a resistance force exerted
upon the fluid medium 4 by the paddle body 10.
[0020] It is further understood that the modified horseshoe shaped
pattern can also be applied to both of first and second opposite
faces of an oar blade, see at 46, as further shown in FIG. 5. As
with the variant of FIG. 4, each opposite configured profile again
exhibits shallow-most forward extended side edges, these deepening
in inner extending directions and terminating at an inner arcuate
interconnecting edge which establishes a maximum of resistance (and
a corresponding minimization of fluid losses) when traveling
through the fluid medium.
[0021] The illustration of FIG. 5 largely hides the configuration
of the second flow restricting profile, with the exception of a
selected edge extending portion 48 positioned opposite
corresponding edge extending profile 14, it being otherwise
understood that each profile is identical in configuration.
Experimentation has established that incorporating a single flow
restricting profile (such as in FIG. 2) into a paddle/or results in
a 25% increase in exerted resistance (or driving) forces relative
the surrounding fluid medium. Incorporating the flow restricting
profile on both sides of the paddle further results in a 50%
improvement in exerted forces.
[0022] It is further understood that any polygonal/arcuate shaped
profile exhibiting an inner raised thickness (such as also
generally referred to as a dam like edge) will provide a selected
enhancement in the driving/driven properties of the body to which
it is applied. In particular, and referring now to FIG. 6, a
further example is shown at 50 of an oar/paddle in which either a
single or pair of arcuate edge profiles, see at 52 and 54, are
applied to either of first and/or second exposed faces, further at
56 and 58, of the paddle.
[0023] In contrast to the paddle with the horse-shoe shaped flow
restricting profiles in FIG. 4, the configuration of FIG. 6
exhibits a more generally arcuate, pseudo-hook shape, this
potentially exhibiting a dam-edge of constant thickness. That said,
it is also understood that a profile extending edge of increasing
thickness (similar to that shown for extending edges 14 and 16 in
the profile of FIG. 2) can also be incorporated into the selected
arcuate profile edge pattern of FIG. 6.
[0024] Referring finally to FIG. 7, an illustration is generally
shown at 60 of a multi-blade rotating element, such as applied to a
marine propeller or a windmill-type element, and by which an edge
extending and flow restricting profile is associated with each
blade face. As shown, a plurality of individual blades 62, 64, and
66 are mounted in rotating fashion about a common hub 68. Each of
the blades 62, 64 and 66 exhibits an exposed face which can be
substantially planar, however is typically somewhat arcuate (i.e.
non-planar) in surface configuration, and each of which further
exhibits an arcuate extending edge, at 68, 70 and 72.
[0025] A flow restrictive profile (see as correspondingly shown at
74, 76 and 78) is associated with each of the arcuate edge profiles
68, 70 and 72 of each of the rotating blades. As shown, each of the
profiles initiates at an outermost location (78, 80 and 82) and
increasing in thickness to a terminating and inner contacting
location (respectively at 84, 86 and 88) with the hub 68.
[0026] In this fashion, a flow of fluid impacts each of the
rotating blades 62, 64 & 66 and, upon distributing across a
surface area of each blade, subsequently impacts the arcuate edge
extending profiles 74, 76 and 78, thereby again restricting flow
across the edge profiles in a similar fashion as described in
reference to the paddle embodiment 10 in FIG. 4, and thus
increasing a resistance to a rotating force exerted upon or by the
fluid medium in relation to the body. Reference is further made to
generally surface directional arrows 90, 92 and 94 identifying the
flow of fluid across the surface area of the rotating blades, as
well as subsequent flow restricted arrow designations 96, 98 and
100 identifying the edge profile where resistance/force generation
occurs.
[0027] Known applications of the rotating blades include, in one
instance, a multi-bladed and powered propeller for increasing a
driving force to the fluid medium. Also contemplated is
incorporation of the rotating blades and common hub into a freely
rotating and multi-bladed windmill, this exhibiting an increased
driven force exerted by the fluid medium, and such that the
windmill element can in turn power any desired electro-magnetic
work output.
[0028] Having described my invention, other and additional
preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the
art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of
the appended claims:
* * * * *