EP3786051B1 - Water sports device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to water sports equipment.

Water sports equipment is, for example, in the form of surfboards in the prior art, for example from DE 20 2011 051071.9 , well known. This surfboard has a solid hull with a jet drive built into the tail section. The jet drive is controlled by a remote control. The surfboard is heavy and bulky and therefore difficult to transport.

From the WO 2013/036536 A2 Both an inflatable dinghy with a drive unit is known and a surfboard, which has in its middle part an optionally usable drive unit or an underwater surface unit closing the underwater surface. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to control this inflatable surfboard, and the efficiency of a jet drive located in the middle of the surfboard is not high because the incoming water has to be redirected below the water surface.

In the US 5,184,564 A discloses a boat with an inflatable, U-shaped tube that surrounds a jet ski.

In the US 4,811,682 A similar construction is revealed with a U-shaped, inflated tube into which a small boat for children is inserted.

The GB 2032871 A reveals an inflatable boat with a rear engine.

The JP 2003/026085 discloses a surfboard with an inflatable U-shaped tube and a rear motor inserted into a solid interior structure of the boat.

In the FR 2 261 175 An inflatable boat with a rear engine is also disclosed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a surfboard that avoids the disadvantages mentioned above.

The task is solved by a water sports device mentioned at the beginning with the features of claim 1.

The invention makes use of the idea of dismantling an inflatable water sports device into two parts, an inflatable hull component and a drive component, the drive component having an electric drive and forming or at least co-forming a rear of the water sports device. This makes the water sports equipment easier to transport.

The water sports device is particularly easy to control due to the design of the drive component as the rear of the water sports device and has a high level of efficiency.

Advantageously, the fuselage component and the drive component are detachably connected to one another, ie the drive component can be inserted into the inflated fuselage component and can also be removed from it again and inserted into another fuselage component with a suitable receptacle. This makes it advantageously possible for The drive component, which is expensive to purchase, can be combined with several fuselage components that are significantly cheaper to purchase.

According to the invention, the water sports device comprises an inflatable hull component with a longitudinal direction and inflatable arms which are spaced apart from one another and aligned in the longitudinal direction at a rear end and which form a receptacle with an inner contour between them.

The water sports device also includes the drive component with a tread surface and an underwater surface, which is formed on two spaced-apart longitudinal sides with a complementary outer contour and which can be inserted into the receptacle from the rear end, and the inner contour and the complementary outer contour form a connection with one another, and in such a way that a position of the drive component in the receptacle is in the direction of the tread surface, i.e. H. upwards and towards the underwater surface, i.e. H. fixed downwards and laterally, i.e. H. starboard and port is.

The connection can include a positive connection or clamp connection. After insertion, the drive component is fixed in the receptacle without any further means apart from the insertion direction. The connection can also be a pure clamp connection, which is additionally fixed against the direction of insertion.

The movement against the insertion direction is prevented after insertion by at least one fastening means. For this purpose, at least one fastening means for the drive component in the receptacle that can be opened and closed at the rear end of the drive component and the arms is provided, which prevents the drive component from slipping out of the receptacle at the rear.

The shape of the inner contour or the outer contour can be very diverse. All that matters is that the two contours hook into one another and/or additionally jam and prevent the drive component from slipping laterally as well as upwards and downwards and, in this regard, hold the drive component in position.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the fuselage component is made from a drop stitch material. The drop stitch material is produced using the drop stitch process, in which two or more plastic fabric panels, preferably denier polyester fabric panels, are placed on top of each other. The two plastic fabric panels are connected to each other by a large number, ie thousands, of polyester threads. The two fabric panels are kept at a distance from each other so that the space between the fabric panels filled with polyester threads can later be filled with compressed air. The polyester threads are, for example, using a drop-down stitch Sewing machine sewn the two fabric panels on both sides. The two fabric panels sewn together form the supporting framework that gives the fuselage component its mechanical strength when inflated.

The two interconnected fabric panels are cut to the desired shape. The upper and lower fabric panels are coated with PVC layers, preferably with three layers, pressed and glued in layers. The sides are glued with overlapping seam tape and pressed to create an airtight fuselage component.

The drop stitch process makes it possible to produce the inflatable fuselage component with excellent mechanical strength properties that can withstand both high tensile and compressive loads and heavy loads.

The drop stitch outer skin of the inflatable fuselage component is airtight and extremely resistant to deformation when inflated, so that a surfer can stand and surf on the fuselage component while maintaining the outer shape of the inflated fuselage component. The fuselage component is filled with high pressure. Filling can be done using a compressor. The compressor can be powered by the energy from the battery built into the surfboard.

The hull component made from the drop stitch material is preferably low-noise because the noise generated by waves, but also by propulsion, is dampened by the hull. The fuselage component has little vibration during operation because the drop stitch material reduces vibrations. Since the hull is easily deformable, shocks from waves etc. are advantageously absorbed. It is also advantageous that the hull, which is softer than conventional surfboards, causes fewer injuries if the surfboard collides with the surfer when the surfer falls down.

Preferably, a tread surface of the attachment is aligned with a tread surface of an inflated fuselage component, so that a common overall tread surface is formed by the fuselage component and the drive component. For this purpose, the drive component should be able to be inserted into the recess in a form-fitting manner without the formation of a gap.

Conveniently, the underwater surface of the drive component is also aligned with an underwater surface of the inflated hull component, so that a smooth, over the entire Longitudinal extension of the surfboard underwater surface is created, which promotes sliding of the surfboard.

According to the invention, the inflatable fuselage component has at a rear end spaced apart inflatable arms which are aligned in a longitudinal direction, which form the receptacle between them and which are each convex in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction on their mutually facing inner sides.

The water sports device also has the drive component, which fits into the receptacle in a form-fitting manner and is designed to be concave on two spaced-apart long sides, so that the concave long sides at least partially encompass the convex arms in a form-fitting manner.

At the rear end of the drive component and the arms, at least one openable and closable fastening means for the drive component is provided in the receptacle. This makes replacing the drive component easier.

The design of the receptacle as two inflatable arms with a convex cross-section on the inside makes it possible to dispense with a rail mechanism or a box-shaped receptacle or further fastening means on the inside of the receptacle. Due to its concave design, the drive component can easily be inserted into the receptacle from the rear side, and the drive component is arranged in a fixed position in the recess.

Preferably, the concave long side of the drive component surrounds the arms by at least a third, preferably more than a third, so that the drive component does not move upwards, i.e. H. side of the tread surface, or downwards, i.e. H. on the water surface side, can slip out of the holder.

Preferably, the inside of the receptacle is U-shaped and concave, preferably circular sector-shaped, preferably semi-circular, along the entire U-shape, and the outer sides of the drive component are also between a tread surface and an underwater surface along a horizontal cross-sectionally U-shaped contact surface with the recess concave, preferably semicircular, so that the concave U-shaped indentation of the drive component fits positively into the convex U-shaped bulge of the recess of the fuselage component when the fuselage component is firmly inflated.

According to the invention, fastening means for the drive component are provided in the receptacle at the preferably rear end of both the drive component and the arms. The fastening means can have very different shapes; it can be a snap lock, clip lock or similar provided in the arm, which can be placed around an arm arranged on the drive component. It is also conceivable that an elastic band with a thickened end is provided on each of the arms and a fork is provided on the drive component on the rear side into which the thickened ends can be inserted, the thickened ends engaging behind the fork and under tension Pull the drive component into the recesses.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the drive component comprises a jet drive with a chargeable battery, i.e. H. an accumulator. In particular, in this embodiment of the invention, it is also preferred to design the drive component in the form of two chambers arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction and detachable from one another, each of the chambers being watertight. At least the electrical components are encapsulated against contact with water. The accumulator is preferably provided in the one chamber arranged on the bow side, and the jet drive is preferably provided in the chamber on the rear side. The two chambers can preferably be plugged into one another by means of mechanical and electrical plug connections, and by the fastening device, which exerts a force in the direction of the bow of the water sports device, separating surfaces of the two chambers are pressed against one another and thus held against each other in a non-slip manner by the mechanical fastening means. However, further locks, such as screw connections etc., are not necessary, so that the drive component can be easily removed. In particular, after the jet propulsion chamber has been removed, the accumulator chamber can be removed and replaced by a new accumulator chamber with a charged accumulator, so that it is possible to keep the water sports device constantly in operation, the accumulator chambers being able to be charged alternately during operation of the water sports device and after it is in operation The accumulator that has been removed can be replaced by an accumulator that has already been recharged.

Fig. 1

ein erfindungsgemäßes aufblasbares Surfbrett mit einer Aufnahme für ein erfindungsgemäßes Antriebsbauteil,

Fig. 2

ein erfindungsgemäßes einteiliges Antriebsbauteil,

Fig. 3

ein erfindungsgemäßes zweiteiliges Antriebsbauteil,

Fig. 4

ein erfindungsgemäßes Surfbrett.

The invention is described using exemplary embodiments in four figures, showing:

Fig. 1

an inflatable surfboard according to the invention with a receptacle for a drive component according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a one-piece drive component according to the invention,

Fig. 3

a two-part drive component according to the invention,

Fig. 4

a surfboard according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an inflated fuselage component 1 of the surfboard according to the invention. The fuselage component 1 has a longitudinal direction L, which extends from the stern of the fuselage component 1 to a bow of the fuselage component 1. A recess 2 is provided in the rear of the fuselage component 1. The hull component 1 has an underwater surface 3 and a tread surface 4, which forms part of an upper water surface. A surfer stands on the tread surface 4 on his feet while surfing or he kneels on the tread surface 4. At the bow of the hull component 1 there is an eyelet 6 for a tether with which the surfer can hold on with one hand while surfing. In another hand, the surfer holds a control (not shown) for a drive component 7 according to Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 . The drive component 7 has a jet drive and an accumulator.

The speed of the surfboard can be changed using the control; for example, the control has a pistol grip. Turning is initiated by the surfer shifting his weight on the surfboard.

The fuselage component 1 consists of a drop stitch material. A drop stitch material is an air-permeable fabric with stabilizing longitudinal threads. The recess 2 at the rear of the fuselage component 1 is open against the direction of travel, which is usually oriented in the longitudinal direction L, i.e. H. the recess 2 is essentially U-shaped. The recess 2 has arms 8a, 8b which run laterally in the longitudinal direction L and are approximately circular in cross section. The arms are circular in cross section over their entire longitudinal extent. The two arms 8a, 8b, which are aligned in the longitudinal direction L, form the two U-legs of the U-shaped recess.

The U-bottom of the recess 2 is formed by a bead 9 which is semicircular in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. An inside of the U-shaped recess 2 is therefore curved inwards, ie convex, along the entire U-shaped inside of the recess.

The fuselage component 1 is in Fig. 1 shown in the inflated state, but the drive component 7 is not inserted into the inflated fuselage component 1. The fuselage component 1 in Fig. 1 is about 1 m to 4 m long and between 0.7 m to 1 m wide. The fuselage component 1 is inflatable with air, and air can also be released from it again.

Fig. 2 shows the drive component 7, whose external dimensions are precisely adapted to the internal dimensions of the recess 2 of the fuselage component 1 and can be inserted into the recess 2 in a form-fitting manner. The drive component 7 includes a jet drive, which is not shown and which can be supplied with power via an accumulator. A fin can be provided on an underwater surface 3 of the drive component 7.

The jet drive has a water inlet, not shown, on the underwater surface 3 of the drive component 7 and a water outlet at the rear of the drive component 7. A propeller is provided in a water channel connecting the water inlet and outlet. There is a nozzle at the water outlet through which the water is sprayed backwards against the direction of travel, thus giving the surfboard propulsion. The surfer standing on the surfboard can change the speed or feed of the drive component 7 inserted into the hull component 1 using the hand-held control and initiate and carry out the curve with the help of weight shift. A position of the nozzle could also be controlled with the controller, and the position of the fin could also be controlled with the controller. However, both are not necessarily the case.

The drive component 7 fits positively into the recess 2, with lateral outer walls 10a, 10b and a bow-side outer wall 11, which are arranged between the underwater surface 3 and the tread surface 4 of the drive component 7, also being U-shaped together and concave in a U-shaped circumference are shaped so that the drive component 7 can be pushed in the longitudinal direction L from the rear into the recess 2 of the fuselage component 1 and forms a positive connection with the fuselage component 1. The inflated fuselage component 1 has such strength that, due to the partial grip of the concave lateral outer walls 10a, 10b around the associated arms 8a, 8b and the bow-side outer wall 11 around the bead 9, a very stable holding of the drive component 7 in the fuselage component 1 is made possible.

In order to prevent the drive component 7 from slipping out of the recess 2 at the rear, two fastening means in the form of rubber bands 12a, 12b are provided, which are each fastened on the inside to the rear ends of one of the arms 8a, 8b and which each have a thickening at their free end. The forks 13a, 13b provided at the rear end of the drive component cooperate with the rubber bands 12a, 12b. The thickenings of the rubber bands 12a, 12b engage behind the forks 13a, 13b.

Fig. 3 shows the drive component 7 inserted into the fuselage component 1 according to Fig. 2 . The rubber bands 12a, 12b press the drive component 7 in the longitudinal direction L against the fuselage component 1 and hold it firmly on the fuselage component 1.

In a second embodiment of the drive component 7, the drive component 7 is designed to have two chambers. The drive component 7 is in both embodiments Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 waterproof, meaning the electrics of the jet drive are encapsulated and sealed against the ingress of water.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 The jet drive is arranged in a rear-side chamber 14a, while the accumulator is provided in a bow-side chamber 14b. Otherwise, the same reference numbers mean the same features as in Fig. 2 . Plug connections 15 are provided between the two chambers 14a, 14b, which, among other things, can also have an electrical connection. When inserting the two-chamber drive component 7 into the recess 2, the two chambers 14a, 14b are pressed against each other by the force that the two rubber bands 12a, 12b exert on the drive component 7 in the longitudinal direction L, a mechanical and electrical connection or contact is established, and thus both chambers 14a, 14b are held firmly in the recess 2. A separating surface between the accumulator chamber 14b and the jet propulsion chamber 14a can be flat and have both mechanical and electrical plug connections. However, other designs of the separating surface can also be used, such as. B. concave/convex interlockings or other positive connections may be possible.

Fig. 4 shows the surfboard according to the invention with the hull component 1 made of the drop stitch material and the drive component 7, the tread surface 4 of the surfboard is formed by tread surfaces 4 of the drive component 7 as well as the hull component 1.

Reference symbols

1

fuselage component

2

recess

3

Underwater surface

4

tread surface

6

eyelet

7

Drive component

8a

poor

8b

poor

9

bead

10a

lateral outer wall

10b

lateral outer wall

11

bow-side outer wall

12a

Rubber band

12b

Rubber band

13a

Fork

13b

Fork

14a

rear chamber

14b

bow side chamber

15

Plug connections

L

Longitudinal direction

Claims (10)

1. Water sports device with

   an inflatable hull component (1) with a longitudinal direction (L) and inflatable arms (8a, 8b) at a stern end which are spaced apart from one another and which are oriented in the longitudinal direction (L), said arms forming therebetween an receptacle (2) having an inner contour, and

   a drive component (7) having a tread surface (4) and an underwater surface (3), which drive component is formed with a complementary contour (10a, 10b, 11) on two spaced-apart longitudinal sides (10a, 10b) and can be inserted into the receptacle (2) from the stern end, wherein the inner contour and the complementary outer contour (10a, 10b, 11) form a connection with one another and a position of the inserted drive component (7) in the receptacle (2) is fixed in the direction of the tread surface (4) and the underwater surface (3) and laterally, and

   with at least one fastening means (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) for the drive component (7) in the receptacle (2), which fastening means can be opened and closed, is provided at the stern end of the drive component (7) and of the arms (8a, 8b) and prevents the drive component (7) from slipping out of the receptacle (2) at the stern end and no further fastening means are provided on the inner side of the receptacle (2).
2. Water sports device according to claim 1,
   characterized in that the connection forms a form-fitting connection.
3. Water sports device according to claim 1 or 2,

   characterised in that the two arms (8a, 8b) are formed convexly on their mutually facing inner sides in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), and

   the drive component (7) is formed concavely on the two spaced-apart longitudinal sides (10a, 10b) so that the concave longitudinal sides (10a, 10b) engage partially around the convex arms (8a, 8b) with a form fit.
4. Water sports device according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
   characterised in that the two arms (8a, 8b) are formed convexly on their mutually facing inner sides along their entire extension thereof in their longitudinal direction (L) in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).
5. Water sports device according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the two arms (8a, 8b) are formed circularly in their cross-sections.
6. Water sports device according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the longitudinal sides (10a, 10b) engage around the arms (8a, 8b) in the cross-section over at least ⅓ of the circumference.
7. Water sports device according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the drive component (7) comprises a jet drive and a rechargeable battery.
8. Water sports device according to claim 7,
   characterized in that the drive component (7) has at least two chambers (14a, 14b) which can be separated from one another, and a separating plane runs transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), and the fastening element (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b), upon being closed, exerts a force in the longitudinal direction (L) and presses the two chambers (14a, 14b) against one another.
9. Water sports device according to any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that in each case at least one fastening means (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) is arranged on each of the arms (8a, 8b).
10. Water sports device according to claim 9,
    characterized in that the at least one fastening means comprises an elastic rubber strap (12a, 12b) with a thickened end which is arranged on the longitudinal sides, and a fork (13a, 13b) which is arranged on the drive component (7) and which can engage behind the thickened end.

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