AU2007100053B4 - Human powered surfboard - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

C, HUMAN POWERED SURFBOARD SThis invention relates to improvements in surfboard devices.

For many people the lack of the ocean beaches waves causes impossibility to use surfing as the recreational activity and sport in spite of the fact that they live not far from water like lakes, rivers and seas where there are no waves the same as on the ocean beaches.

Furthermore, sometimes surfers wait for waves on the ocean beaches for hours staying Sstill in water. There have been many proposals to develop a surfboard for surfing on quiet water as well as on waves. For example one previous device proposes to utilize for Ssurfing the muscle power of the surfers comprising a surfboard with a foot platform arranged at a distance above the surface of the surfboard body and mounted like a lever.

One free end of the foot platform is operatively attached via a connecting rod to a drive Sfin mounted like a lever on the underside of the surfboard, as a result of which the rocking movement applied by the surfer to the foot platform by alternately putting weight on each leg is converted into a wagging movement of the free end of the drive fin imitating dolphin horizontal flukes locomotion and propelling the surfboard. This surfboard is also provided with stabilizing fin arrangements underside surface and ankle or wrist and hand holding leashes on a top side surface. This proposal has disadvantages because the axis of the drive fin is disposed across the surfboard and as a result a vertical cross support of the drive fin and its free opposite part create significant drag for swimming and because dolphin flukes themselves without a flexible dolphin body performing sinusoidal vibrations are not efficient. A dolphin swims by moving a head up and down and sends waves down its body. These waves increase in intensity along the body with the help of body muscles and finally reach the flukes, which then swings up and down and propels the dolphin through the water. It means that every part of dolphin body in every moment of the time takes part in pushing swimming dolphin through the water. That is why its stroke is so powerful and it can swim with a top speed of about 50 km/h.

These problems are overcome by the present invention, which provides a surfboard with a human powered propulsion device based on a principle of the penguin fly under water and comprising a foot platform mounted like a lever on the top side surface of the surfboard and having a substantially vertical support in the centre, about which this platform is swinging responsive to input of force from user's feet, flexible flippers mounted on underside surface of the surfboard and having substantially horizontal lengthwise axes, about which they make strokes, and connecting rods connecting ends of said foot platform to said flippers; swinging foot platform transmits user's power to said flippers to propel surfboard over water by means of powerful flapping flippers. The faster one push both ends of the platform evenly the faster one swims. As swims the rider can make maneuvers the similar way as a surfer.

In one form of the invention, the human powered propulsion device comprising just one pair of said flippers connecting to one of the ends of said foot platform.

In another form of the invention, said propulsion device is keeping in operation two pair of.said flippers connecting.to both of the.ends of said foot.platform.

The ends of the connecting rods are provided with ball joints to avoid the loose fit of pinned connections with said foot platform and flippers.

The surfboard may be made of any suitable material providing board buoyancy with a rider on it, such as the inner part is made from polymer.foam to reduce weight and an outer casing of a fiber reinforced composite for strength and stiffness. The foot platform may be made of composites, aluminum, nylon, Plexiglas, fiberglass, foam, and other artificial materials. Flippers may be preferably made of rubber and provided with metal stiffening ribs inside operatively connecting to appropriate connecting rods. Connecting rods and ball joints may be made of steel or plastic.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show one example of the invention.

The drawings show one example of the invention. In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a prospective view of one embodiment of the invention as it is operated; FIG. 2 shows an underside view of the invention with fin arrangements and two pair of flippers; FIG. 3 shows a top view of the invention with the foot platform mounted on the deck; FIG. 4 shows the prospective view of the human powered propulsion device to be used with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 it can be seen a surfboard 1 with a surfer 2 standing on the foot platform 3 and holding a handle 4 of the front leash 5, that attaches to the front leash cup 6; a leash cup 7 designed for an ankle/wrist leash 8. It keeps a surfer from losing a board.

Standing on the foot platform 3 rider 2 shifts one's weight from the front of the platform 3 to the rear and then from rear to front, repeats this action generating the platform's seesaw movement. Connecting rods 9 transmit this movement to flippers 10 to make up and down flippers' strokes. At the start of each stroke, the flippers 10 twist and flex in such a way that they assume the shape of a propeller blade and propel the surfboard 1 forward. Once the surfboard's flippers 10 are flapping and the surfboard 1 is swimming rider 2 can shift one's weight from foot to foot to build up speed. The faster surfer pushes both ends of the platform by feet evenly the faster one swims.

Referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen two pair of flippers 10 and fin arrangements 11 on it.

Every flipper has a ball joint 12 with a corresponding connecting rod 9, that passing through the hole 13 in the surfboard to the foot platform 3.

On FIG. 3 is shown the foot platform 3 mounted on the deck, the front leash cup 6, and the ankle/wrist leash.cup 7.At can be seen .also two connecting rods 9 which have ball joints with the foot platform 3 and flippers Referring to FIG. 4 it can be seen a kinematics' scheme of the human powered propulsion device, that comprises a foot platform 3, hinged support 14 mounted on the deck place of the surfboard 1 and attached to the foot platform 3 by hinged connection and two pair of flippers 10 attached to the underside surface of the surfboard by a hinged joint 16 mounted on the underside surface of the surfboard; platform 3 is swinging about hinge axes 15 responsive to input of a force from user's feet; flippers have axes in the hinge joint 16, about which they make strokes; platform 3 attached to flippers 10 by connecting rods 9 with ball joints 12 on both ends for rocking flippers about their axes responsive to swinging of the foot platform 3 about its hinge axis.

Flippers 10 have preferably metal stiffening ribs 17 inside elastic material connecting to appropriate ball joints 12 and hinged joints 16. The arrow on the foot platfom points toward the front.

Claims (4)

1. A human powered surfboard device comprising a surfboard adapted for support by water having an underside surface with fin arrangements on it and a top side surface, a tail and a nose with leash cups for ankle and hand holding leashes; a human powered propulsion device comprising a foot platform mounted like a lever on the top side surface of the surfboard and having a substantially vertical support in the centre, about which this platform is swinging responsive to input of force from user's feet, elastic flexible flippers mounted on underside surface of the surfboard and having substantially horizontal lengthwise axes, about which they make strokes, and connecting rods connecting ends of said foot platform to said flippers.

2. A human powered surfboard device of claim 1 wherein the human powered propulsion device comprising one pair of said flippers operatively connecting to one of the ends of said foot platform with the aid of said connecting rods.

3. A human powered surfboard device of claim 1 wherein the human powered propulsion device comprising two pair of said flippers operatively connecting to both of the ends of said foot platform with the aid of said connecting rods.

4. A human powered surfboard device of claim I to 3 wherein the ends of the connecting rods are provided with ball joints to avoid the loose fit of pinned connections with said foot platform and flippers. A human powered surfboard device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. V Zenin 2May 2007