DE29815500U1 - Amphibious vehicle - Google Patents

Description

Amphibious vehicle Description

The invention relates to a single-track, open amphibious vehicle with a buoyant vehicle hull, a water drive for propulsion in water, two wheels and a land drive for propulsion on land.

State of the art

Well-known amphibious vehicles are usually moved by four or more wheels, sometimes by chains, propeller drive or air cushions. This type of vehicle has large dimensions combined with a high weight in common.

Furthermore, the known amphibious vehicles are limited in their mobility either on land or in water due to the necessary compromises in their construction. Wheeled and tracked vehicles, as described for example in US-A-5,562,066, - have only a limited closed, aquadynamic hull shape, even with the wheels retracted. They are therefore slow, not very maneuverable and difficult to control when traveling on water. . —

Hovercraft or propeller-driven amphibious vehicles, on the other hand, are generally not suitable for land travel and encounter major problems with road approval ^. High prices and the status of a special vehicle further reduce the acceptance of such solutions. ; ^;; _■ -.:_. . _!=.'"

Land vehicles that have been converted with accessories

■ ■· ■ ■ . &igr;

can be made watertight .. _as in ¹ - the

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&igr; . US-B-472,591 are not suitable for practical use due to the high logistical effort and the complex conversion;

?7 5 Description of the invention

;" This is where the invention comes in. The invention, as characterized in the '■':■' patent claims, is based on the task of creating an amphibious vehicle that, due to

10 its design makes it fast and maneuverable in the water and mobile and easy to handle on land. The amphibious vehicle should be able to manage without complex conversions when changing between land and water. This

_ The task is carried out by the single-track, open amphibious vehicle

~ ■■ 15 solved according to claim 1.

According to the invention, in the single-track, open amphibious vehicle with a buoyant vehicle hull, a water drive for movement in water, two wheels, 20 and a land drive for movement on land, the wheels ■_ are completely retractable into the vehicle body, and the '>- vehicle hull forms a completely &Ggr;: closed, aerodynamic hull after the wheels have been retracted.

^: 25 ,., The invention is based on the idea of making the amphibious vehicle single-track, i.e. two-wheeled. Such an amphibious vehicle allows the transport of one to two people one behind the other along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. : , On land, the amphibious vehicle can be moved like a normal scooter. For water travel, the wheels can be completely retracted into the vehicle body.~ By avoiding open wheel housings or other indentations, a completely closed, aerodynamically shaped vehicle body is created after the wheels are retracted. 35 ; As a result, and due to the low overall weight and small dimensions due to the single-track system , the vehicle offers

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The amphibious vehicle according to the invention has advantages in terms of speed and maneuverability in water compared to conventional amphibious vehicles, and is also a small and maneuverable vehicle on land.

Compared to conventional pure watercraft of comparable speed and maneuverability, such as so-called jet skis, the vehicle according to the invention has significantly increased mobility. In addition, costly and complex measures such as the need for a mooring, a separate transport trailer or even refueling the watercraft using canisters are eliminated.

The inventive design of the amphibious vehicle allows the vehicle to be designed in such a way that it appears on land like a conventional scooter and in the water like a conventional jet ski. By relying on familiar and proven structures, the acceptance of the amphibious vehicle is increased. Furthermore, the amphibious vehicle does not appear to be a compromise in either medium, but allows its dual functionality to be combined with a coherent design in both media.

■ The amphibious vehicle according to the invention can, due to its

I" 25-- relatively inexpensive construction at a price that makes its use in a wide range of areas possible. In addition to use for military purposes,. -

lt ^v - . Disaster relief, life-saving and^ expeditions- offers

,"■ the leisure sector, especially in

'■ ^: :'"-■ 30 water sports areas, at. . ' ,

'(■■:'■"■: .: The amphibious vehicle is preferably of integral construction and does not require any additional components for switching between land and water operations. The amphibious vehicle has an advantageous...

&idigr; 35 Amphibious vehicle for water propulsion and land propulsion "%}'■■"■ -a common engine. For the requirements of the ■

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■ For land travel, the engine is air-cooled. The engine is preferably installed as low as possible in the vehicle body in order to lower the vehicle's center of gravity. The exhaust system is, however, conveniently located well above the

waterline. ^;

The water drive is preferably a',"water jet drive, in which the water intake takes place as close to the stern as possible in order to achieve a high level of efficiency. .. The land drive is preferably achieved by a cardan-driven rear wheel.

The wheel cutout at the front is conveniently closed by two front flaps when the wheels are retracted. For good off-road capability of the vehicle on land, it can be advantageous to use large, wide and coarse-tread tires. However, larger tires tend to move the water intake further away from the rear, which reduces the maximum speed that can be achieved in the water. Depending on the requirements of the amphibious vehicle, the optimum can be found by weighing up both requirements.

The amphibious vehicle preferably has two side-case-like floats at the rear, which are mounted so that they can move around the vehicle's longitudinal axis. The movement around the longitudinal axis includes a rotational movement around this axis, but also translational movements perpendicular to the axis. When travelling on land, the floats are arranged in a first, raised position, where they do not hinder normal movement on land. When travelling on water, the floats are brought into a second, lowered position, thus closing the rear of the vehicle in a streamlined manner and at the same time widening it in order to increase the buoyancy area of the vehicle.

■_.··■ . / vehicle to enlarge. ~" . . '''

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·.... It can be useful if the movement of the side-case-like floats from the first to the second position· is essentially carried out by a rotational movement of the &ngr; floats around the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

In a preferred embodiment, the amphibious vehicle further comprises a device for dividing the water jet in front of the rear wheel and pipe sections arranged in the side case-like floats.

The raw pieces are mounted in the floats in such a way that when driving on water, i.e. when the floats are set low, they absorb the divided water jet and direct it on both sides of the retracted rear wheel to the jet outlet at the rear of the vehicle.

The vehicle is conveniently equipped with a hydrodynamic coupling that allows one or both of the drive types, land drive or water drive, to be used at the same time. This enables the water jet to exit uncontrolled from stubby nozzles in front of the rear wheel when landing, with the rear wheel extended and driven and with the side case-like floats raised, thus giving the vehicle additional forward thrust.

,;. The extension or retraction of the undercarriage is carried out along the respective spring travel of the wheels, preferably either hydropneumatically or mechanically, for example by changing the oil pressure or by engaging a relieved spring. Although the hull of the amphibious vehicle is relatively low due to the requirements of water travel, retraction via the spring travel ensures sufficient ground clearance when on land .

.; - In order to achieve a high level of buoyancy, the vehicle body T; ^: .'\is suitably chambered. ■ ■"" _:

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The vehicle body is preferably tapered in the area of the running board in the driver's position in order to enable the legs to be safely placed on land despite the relatively large vehicle width.

i§f Further advantageous embodiments, features and details

|j of the invention result from the dependent claims, the

'%;■ Description of the embodiments and the drawings.

K' The invention will be explained below with reference to a

;" .. 10 Implementation examples in connection with the drawings

I will be explained in more detail.

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I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a

,; embodiment of the invention in the land state;

'&xgr; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the

;· Embodiment of Fig. 1 in the water state;

fe Fig. 3 .a side view of an embodiment of the

K invention in the country state;

I Fig. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig.

I ■■'·■■ -in the water state; ..

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| ^: .... Fig. 5- .;. a partial perspective view of the rear part of a

;f ^; . : -; amphibious vehicle according to the invention in land mode;

|&iacgr; ■■■. ■■;.'· Fig. -~ Qk a perspective partial view^ of the;'rear part".of a

'$■"■■■ :..''■'■ :&lgr;. amphibious vehicle according to the invention in the'water state;

!■"' . "'·.-■'■'·■'■-·■ ■■ " ■ ■ ■ ■ ■.■■■■·'-.'' . ■ ■

h \ ■ FigJ 7äi. 'Rear view of an amphibious vehicle according to the invention

'$:■ . ;■',.:"■;■'·■.'?<in land state; _&lgr; . ' ■ . ¹ T^"".·"·.'

&psgr;'. Fig. ^; 7bv Rear view of an amphibious vehicle according to the invention

!■' .··■.'-." in the water state;

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... Fig. 8a-c Sections through the amphibious vehicle of Fig. 4 with covering,-

Only the elements essential for understanding the invention are shown. For example, the details of the engine, the land and water drive and the like are not shown. The vehicle cladding is usually omitted or only indicated.

Ways to implement the invention

Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the amphibious vehicle 10 in the land or water state without

.1.

Fairing. The outline of the amphibious vehicle with fairing is shown in dashed lines in Figures 3 and 4 and is discussed below. In the land state, the amphibious vehicle 10 appears like a scooter with a front wheel 12 and a rear wheel 14. The rear wheel 14 is driven by the air-cooled engine 20 via a sprung cardan shaft 44. The steering rod 16 is connected to the handlebar 18 and controls the steering angle of the front wheel 12. · The wheel cutout is sufficiently dimensioned for a normal steering angle. The seating position corresponds approximately to that on a normal scooter. The design enables |, ., a narrow leg position, which allows a narrow footboard 60 f?. This enables the driver to have both legs on the

C; 25 footboard 60 to bring it to the ground. . ■·

|C . In order to reach the water state (Figure 2), the amphibious vehicle 10 is driven into the water on its wheels. &psgr;;. \ Due to the chambering of the vehicle body, the amphibious vehicle already has enough buoyancy in the land state to float. Then the wheels 12, -__14.., are retracted along^ the corresponding spring paths. The wheel cutout at the front is closed by folding down two bow flaps 50 -v.:. Furthermore, the side cases are_ like

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Floats 40 are folded down and close the rear. This creates a completely closed vehicle hull. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the side-case-like floats 40 are designed in such a way that when folded down they widen the hull in order to give the amphibious vehicle additional buoyancy. The water still remaining in the hull is, as is usual with a jet ski, sucked in and expelled by the water jet pump 30, which lifts the vehicle further out of the water. In the water state, the handlebar 18 is separated from the steering rod 16 and controls the jet control nozzles 36 via Bowden cables (not shown).

In the water state, the motor 20 drives an impeller arranged in the water jet pump 30. As can best be seen in Figure 6, the water is sucked in at the bottom of the hull, accelerated and the resulting water jet is split in front of the rear wheel 14. The floats 40 contain pipe sections 34 which, when the floats 40 are folded down, connect to the water jet pump 30 and direct the split water jet to the right and left of the rear wheel 14 to the control nozzles at the rear of the vehicle.

When in the water, the amphibious vehicle 10 is relatively wide due to the folded-down floats 40 in order to generate a high level of buoyancy. The driver has a

■;■ continuous footboard 60,- which increases comfort and maneuverability through weight shifting. *The engine 20' is mounted as low as possible in order to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle. The battery 26 and the exhaust system 22 are mounted so that they are clearly above the waterline. The fuel tank 24 is located in the belly of the vehicle and has a tank ventilation system.~~The example of the amphibious vehicle shown is equipped with

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&bull; Fuel mixture-operated, so that an oil tank 28 is also provided.

To get to land, the driver drives the

5 chassis. In the example, this is done mechanically, namely at the front by varying the oil pressure and at the rear by engaging the relieved spring. At the front

. the bow flaps 50 open inwards into the hollow hull of the vehicle. At the stern, the floats 40 are pushed upwards

10, whereby the pipe sections 34 and the control nozzles 36 are separated from the water jet pump 30. The vehicle sinks deeper, but is still able to float stably due to its chambering. In the ideal case, for example on a non-slip landing stage, the rear wheel 14 already has sufficient

15 ground contact, so that the drive of the rear wheel is sufficient to drive the amphibious vehicle on land. Is the

If the rear wheel drive is not sufficient, the water jet drive is additionally activated via a hydrodynamic ^coupling . Since the pipe sections 34 contained in the float 40 are folded up £ 20, the divided water jet emerges uncontrolled from the nozzles 32 in front of the rear wheel. The additional forward thrust drives the vehicle towards the bank until the rear wheel has sufficient contact with the ground.

§; 25 > Figures 3 and 4 show the amphibious vehicle in

|r: -Side view. The panel is marked with dashed lines

|; .;:; indicated. In the land position (Figure 3) the wheels 12, 14

p ^: .p extended, the bow hatch 50 is opened and the floats

'%'■'■ ".":■'■ \ 40 with. the pipe sections 34 are folded up. . The

fr 30 Amphibious vehicle appears as a scooter. In water state

i\S ,V:'- (Figure 4) is the front wheel 12 over the spring travel ^.42, the

rc';' .&igr;. /Rear wheel; retracted over the spring travel 44. At the front are the

:;. Bow flaps 5 0 closed. At the stern the floats" 4O _x ,

&' folded down, thereby bringing the pipe sections 34 with the

¥ 35 control nozzles 3 6 in connection with the stub nozzles 32.

H-; - At the same time the rear is closed and widened. The

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:·■■■· &epsi;

The shape of the amphibious vehicle with cladding in the water state can be seen from the sections through the planes a-a, b-b and c-c shown in Figure 4 (Figure 8). Figure 8b once again shows the narrow design in the leg area, which allows the driver to place his legs on either side of the vehicle when on land.

Figure 7 shows a rear view of the amphibious vehicle with the floats 40 folded up in the land state (Figure 7a) and with the floats 40 folded down in the water state (Figure 7b). ■ - _; . ■ - -" , .

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Claims (5)

Amphibious vehicle demanding;&mdash;■ ...: - J 1. Single-track, open amphibious vehicle (10) with a "buoyant vehicle hull, a water drive for movement in water, two wheels (12, 14), and a land drive for movement on land, characterized in that the wheels (12, 14) can be completely retracted into the vehicle body, and the vehicle hull forms a completely closed, aerodynamic hull after the wheels (12, 14) have been retracted. 2. Amphibious vehicle according to claim 1, which is designed in integral .;.. .construction to allow for the change between Land operation and water operation do not require any additional parts to JL '. . . . _ &id; ²⁰ ' s 3. Amphibious vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, which is designed for £■ Water propulsion and land propulsion a common engine y; (20) . I25 , 4. Amphibious vehicle according to one of the preceding I' claims, in which the - water drive _a %■: ■ Water jet drive (30) is. . · ;i 5. Amphibious vehicle according to one of the preceding &iacgr; 30 claims, in which the wheels .(12, 14) have a.spring travel i*;. \ . retractable . - preferably mechanically'^ "or- g ^; '■;;·'. are hydropneumatically retractable. ' ^ ~~~7 \ 6.· Amphibious vehicle according to one of the preceding claims , which has a hydrodynamic coupling, § - ^:: · ^&Ggr; ; which allows one or both types of drive at the same time/. &iacgr;&eacgr;- ■; "&bull;.&bull;:' ^: . ^L ·-:·^ ':.■.. . P:\TEXnPATEKT\7685DEAN.DOC 7. Amphibious vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, which has two side-case-like floats at the rear (40) which are movably mounted around the vehicle's longitudinal axis, which are arranged in a first, raised position when travelling on land, and which close and widen the rear of the vehicle in a streamlined manner in a second, lowered position when travelling on water. 8. Amphibious vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the movement of the side-case-like floats (40) from the first into the second position is effected essentially by a rotational movement of the floats (40) about the vehicle's longitudinal axis. 9. Amphibious vehicle according to claim 7 or 8, which has a water jet drive (30) for water travel and which has a device in the water jet pump (30) for dividing the water jet in front of the rear wheel, and which further has pipe sections (34) in the side case-like floats (40) which, in the second, lowered position, guide the divided water jet on both sides of the retracted rear wheel to the jet outlet at the rear of the vehicle. 10. Amphibious vehicle according to one of claims 7 to 9, in which the water jet during landing with the extended and &mdash;driven rear wheel (14) and with" raised ; ·.. side case-like floats (40) in front of the rear wheel &lgr;&thgr;vngr; ■ (14).; emerges uncontrolled from stub nozzles (32) and \ - . thereby gives the vehicle additional forward thrust. 11. Amphibious vehicle after one of the preceding .' - - ·.,'.: "■■■ ■ . '/' .Claims, in which the vehicle body is tapered in the area of the running board (60) and the legs can be placed on either side of the body. P:\TEXnPATENTi768JDEAN.DOC