US20100304635A1

US20100304635A1 - Material improvements including the addition of a third airfoil to recreational flying ring having primary and secondary airfoils

Info

Publication number: US20100304635A1
Application number: US12/655,708
Authority: US
Inventors: William P. Bershak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-06
Filing date: 2010-01-06
Publication date: 2010-12-02

Abstract

This is the recreational flying ring of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 having material improvements added and made primarily to mitigate the premature curving of the flight path as the ring inherently slows in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity during the flight. The improved performance of the flying ring may permit it to be used on a Disc Golf Course or as a fun toy for young people if molded in soft integral skin foam.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art in this case is the recreational flying ring invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996.
After testing molded samples of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,669 it became increasing clear that the ring was curving unacceptably from a straight flight path much too early in the flight. A long period time had elapsed before it was realized that upon throwing, the ring would slow in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity which had not been anticipated but was found to be the cause of the premature curving of the flight path.
The material improvements added and applied to U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,669, including the addition of a third (helper airfoil) are made primarily to mitigate the premature curving of the flight path as the ring inherently slows in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity during the flight.

SUMMARY OF MATERIAL IMPROVEMENTS

Material Improvements made to the recreational flying ring of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 to mitigate the premature curving of the flight path include:
1) Relocation of the primary airfoil (now known as the Counterbalancing Airfoil) of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 to an inboard position.
2) A third airfoil “helper airfoil” was integrated into the nose of the ring.
3) The cross sectional profile of the new flying ring was reduced to a thinner profile to reduce the rate at which the ring would lose forward airspeed while in flight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an expanded left most cross-section of the Prior Art of the expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996.

FIG. 2 is the expanded left most cross-section of the poor performing thicker profile flying ring from which the following better performing thinner profiles of the flying ring were derived.

FIG. 3A is an expanded left most cross section of the flying ring having a clockwise spin and straight flight path. The cross section of FIG. 3A includes all of the material improvements added and incorporated into the recreational flying ring invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996.

FIG. 3B is an expanded left most cross section of an anticipated high performance configuration of the recreational flying ring invention and also having a clockwise spin and straight flight path.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 Nose of the ring.
11 Helper Airfoil integrated into the nose of the ring.
12 Top outer flat. The top outer flat in the Prior Art FIG. 1 comprises the top surface of the Counterbalancing Airfoil located at its outboard position. However after having moved the Counterbalancing Airfoil to its new inboard position FIG. 2 the top outer flat has become part of the elongated nose, FIG. 2 reference numeral 10.
13 Lifting Airfoil Advancing Side
14 Tail of the ring. The only criteria for the shape of the tail, located nearest the inside circumference of the ring, is that it must not have a sharp edge but rounded or blunted for safety.
15 Bottom Flat of the Lifting Airfoil. The Bottom Flat is defined as a substantially flat surface and may be somewhat concave. It is positioned with respect to the horizontal plane of the outer circumference mold parting line.
16 Counterbalancing Airfoil Advancing Side.
17 Dual function spoiler.

Note: An Airfoil pair is defined as a paired Lifting Airfoil and Counterbalancing Airfoil found on either the advancing or retreating side of the ring. Thus the Airfoil Pair shown in FIG. 2 is described as Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) and is denoted with referenced numerals (13&16).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Prior Art FIG. 1 shows the position of the Counterbalancing Airfoil at its original outboard position. Comprised of an outer top flat and substantially rounded underside, the contour of the Counterbalancing Airfoil of Prior Art begins at the outer circumference of the nose of the ring.
Prior Art FIG. 1 shows that the correct location of the Bottom Flat 15 of the Lifting Airfoil 13 is above the horizontal plane formed by the outer circumference mold parting line but below the horizontal plane of the inner circumference mold parting line.
The location of the Bottom Flat 15 of the Lifting Airfoil 13 is specified with respect to the horizontal plane of the outer circumference mold parting line and its position irrelevant to the horizontal plane of the inner circumference mold parting line. This detail was not claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996. The preferred position of the Bottom Flat 15 is now specified, in the claims of this present disclosure, to be above the horizontal plane of the outer mold parting line.
FIG. 2 shows a thicker cross-section of a poor performing earlier version of the ring from which the thinner cross-sections of better performing flying rings were derived. Note that the earlier thick cross-section version of the ring has neither Helper Airfoil 11 nor Spoiler 17 applied.
Note also that the Bottom Flat 15 of FIG. 2 is located in the undesirable position in the same plane as both the inner and outer circumference mold parting lines.
FIGS. 3A and 3B of the thinner profile flying ring show the Bottom Flat 15 in its preferred position which is specified to be above the horizontal plane of the outer circumference mold parting line.

Correction of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996

The following is a review of the flight properties of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,669 and correction of previous misconceptions about the Aerodynamic Counterbalancing Process which is the means (working principle) by which a straight flight path is produced and unique to the invention.
The Primary and Secondary Airfoils of flying ring U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,669 are now referred to as Counterbalancing and Lifting Airfoils.
The Aerodynamic Counterbalancing Process and aerodynamic lifting forces produced by Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils are now understood in terms of the Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity and Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity flowing over the respective airfoils.
A ring having a Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity only may be illustrated by a ring thrown forward without a spin and of course it wouldn't fly very far since there is no centripetal forces acting upon a non-spinning ring to stabilize it.
Upon the introduction of a spin to a ring, having forward speed only, divides the ring equally into advancing and retreating sides which are found on the right and left sides of the ring based upon the direction of rotation and referenced with respect to the direction of the flight path.
And upon introduction of a spin to the ring the Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils comprising the ring can then be further defined as being split into two Airfoil Pairs, each comprised of a Lifting Airfoil and Counterbalancing Airfoil, and found on opposite sides of the ring.
For example the Airfoil Pair (advancing side) for a ring given a clockwise spin is found on the left side of the ring and advances into the slipstream from the trailing most cross sectional of the ring to the leading most cross sectional.
And the Airfoil Pair (retreating side) of the ring then retreats on the right side of the ring from the leading most cross sectional to the trailing most cross sectional.
The leading most and trailing most cross sectionals are located in the plane which splits the ring into halves, point in the instantaneous direction of the flight path and are also the transitional cross sectionals which are neither advancing nor retreating and thus are the cross sectionals where the ring transitions from advancing side to retreating side and retreating to advancing,
The Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity is additive to the Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity on the advancing side of the ring and Subtractive of the Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity on the retreating side of the ring.
Thus increasing the RPM of the ring also increases additive value of the Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity to the Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity on the advancing side of the ring and also increases the subtractive value of the Rotational Component of Airflow velocity from the Forward Airspeed Component of Airspeed Velocity on the retreating side of the ring.
Therefore for any given Forward Airspeed Component of Airspeed Velocity the airspeed differential between Airfoil Pair (advancing side) and Airfoil Pair (retreating side) may be precisely increase decreased by increasing or decreasing the RPM of the ring.
The following examples illustrate the effect of increasing and decreasing the RPM of a ring having a constant Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity and straight flight path (aerodynamically balanced condition).
The RPM of the ring, given a constant Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity, is varied until the Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side)=Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) which is an aerodynamically balanced condition and results in a straight flight path.
Conventional wisdom may suggest that given a ring flying in a aerodynamically balanced condition and then increasing only the RPM of the ring relative to the given Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity would cause a ring having a clockwise spin to roll/curve rightward since the total airflow velocity passing over the Lifting Airfoil on the Advancing Side of the ring is increased and thus increasing its lift on the Advancing Side of the ring.
However the ring having a clockwise spin rolls leftward upon increasing only the RPM of the ring because a greater proportion of the total negative lift production of the outboard Counterbalancing airfoil is due to the Rotational Component Of Airflow velocity whereas a lesser proportion of the total positive lift production of the inboard Lifting Airfoil is due to the Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity.
Upon (increasing) only the clockwise RPM of a ring, which had been flying in an aerodynamically balanced condition, causes the Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (advancing side) to become <Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) resulting in a leftward roll of the ring.
Upon (decreasing) only the clockwise RPM of a ring, which had been flying in an aerodynamically balanced condition, causes Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) to become >Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) resulting in a rightward roll of the ring.
The Aerodynamic Counterbalancing Process which enables the ring to fly a straight flight path is its signature and defining process which identify the invention as unique.
Namely, Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) and Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) are designed to produce equivalent Resultant Net Lift on both advancing and retreating sides of the spinning flying ring having higher velocity airflow passing over airfoil surfaces found on the advancing side and lesser velocity airflow passing over airfoil surfaces on found on the retreating side of the ring.
The Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils comprising the Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) produces upward (positive) lift and downward (negative) lift respectively.
And likewise the Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils comprising Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) produces upward (positive lift) and downward (negative) lift respectively but of lesser magnitude since there is lesser velocity airflow occurring on the retreating side.
All of the greater aerodynamic (positive) lift produced by the Lifting Airfoil (Advancing Side) and all of the greater aerodynamic (negative) lift produced by the Counterbalancing Airfoil (Advancing Side) is then resolved into the Resultant Net Lift (Airfoil Pair Advancing Side) as air flows over the entirety of both Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces as both (Advance) as an Airfoil Pair from (Trailing Most Cross sectional) to (Leading Most Cross sectional).
All of the lesser aerodynamic (positive) lift produced by the Lifting Airfoil (Retreating Side) and all of the lesser aerodynamic (negative) lift produced by the Counterbalancing Airfoil (Retreating Side) is then resolved into the Resultant Net Lift (Airfoil Pair Retreating Side) as air flows over the entirety of both Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces as both (Retreat) as an Airfoil Pair from (Leading Most Cross sectional) to (Trailing Most Cross sectional).
Comprised a of Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil working precisely in tandem, Airfoil Pairs located on opposite sides of the ring may be termed Aerodynamic Resolvers since they resolve the (positive lift) production of the Lifting Airfoil and (negative lift) Production of the Counterbalancing Airfoil into Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) and Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (retreating side).
The Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) and Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) are applied, with respect to the leading most and trailing most cross sectionals, from opposite sides of the ring as direction changing aerodynamic lift.
A straight flight path is produced when the Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side)=Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) since direction changing aerodynamic lift originating and applied from the advancing side is equal to the direction changing aerodynamic lift originating and applied from the Retreating Side of the ring (Aerodynamically Balanced Condition).

Flight Performance of Flying Ring U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996

A ring thrown with a clockwise spin and is observed to fly straight upon release from the hand and then upon inherently slowing in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity begins a premature a leftward roll as it progresses downrange.
Therefore the ring has become aerodynamically unbalanced. In other words the direction changing lift originating on and applied from the (Advancing Side) of the ring has become less than the direction changing lift originating on and applied from the (Retreating Side) of the ring due to the inherent slowing of the ring in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity.
The Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity makes up greater proportion of the total airspeed velocity passing underneath the outboard Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces and lesser proportion of total airspeed velocity passing over the inboard Lifting Airfoil Surfaces for any given RPM of the ring. Therefore a greater proportion of the total (negative lift) production of the outboard Counterbalancing Airfoil and a lesser proportion of the total (positive lift) production of the inboard Lifting Airfoil is due to the Rotational Component of Airflow velocity.
Upon inherently slowing in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity the Forward Airspeed Component of Airflow Velocity is reduced at a faster rate than the Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity and therefore a ring given a clockwise spin will roll left since a greater proportion of the total negative lift production of the Counterbalancing Airfoil is due to the Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity.
NOTE: The means (working principle) by which a straight flight path is produced, namely the Aerodynamic Counterbalancing Process, which had not been correctly claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996, is now correctly claimed.

Claims

1) I claim a counterbalancing airfoil 16 originally integrated into the nose of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 relocated to an inboard position with respect to its previous outboard location thus reducing the difference in airflow velocities between lifting 13 and Counterbalancing Airfoil 16 due to the Rotational Component of Airflow velocity and thus mitigating the premature curving of the flight path as the ring inherently slows in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity.

2) I claim a dual function spoiler 17 added to the Counterbalancing Airfoil 16. The added spoiler has both spoiling and non-spoiling functions.

A) Spoiling function: The spoiler 17 added to the Counterbalancing Airfoil spoils the airflow underneath the Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces 16 thus reducing its negative lift production at the front and rearward (leading and trailing) vicinities of the ring. Spoiled air flowing underneath the Counterbalancing airfoil reduces its negative lift production at its at the front and rear vicinities leaving more of the positive lift produced by the Lifting Airfoil available to keep the ring airborne.

B) Non-Spoiling function of the Spoiler 17 leaves the airflow relatively unspoiled as it flows underneath the Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces 16 near the right and left most vicinities of the ring and thus leaving its (negative) lift production intact as a counterbalancing lift to the (positive) lift production of the Lifting Airfoil primarily on the right most and left most vicinities of the ring.

C) I claim the Counterbalancing Airfoil also as a grip which contributes to putting the proper spin on the ring when released from the hand.

3) I claim a new nose 10 added to U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 with integrated helper airfoil 11 having a contour rising above the outer top flat 12 and located nearest the outside circumference of the ring and thus having highest angular velocity for any given RPM of the ring and thus greatest proportion of lift production due to the Rotational Component of Airflow Velocity and thus mitigating the premature curving of the flight path as the ring slows in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity The third helper airfoil 11 also adds small amounts of positive lift to leading and trailing vicinities of the ring and rightward and leftward vicinities of the ring.

4) I claim as the preferred embodiment of the ring having Lifting 13 and Counterbalancing Airfoils 16 a thin profile thus reducing the aerodynamic drag thus reducing the rate at which the forward speed is rubbed off and thus mitigating the premature curving of the flight path since the ring slows in forward speed at a reduced rate with respect to rotational velocity thus allowing the ring to maintain an aerodynamically balanced condition for a longer period of time.

5) I claim the relocation of the inner Bottom Flat 15 of the Lifting Airfoil 13 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,996 to a position above the horizontal plane of the outer circumference mold parting line as the preferred embodiment of the ring. Offsetting the bottom flat 15 of the Lifting Airfoil above the outer circumference mold parting line reduces the weight and the amount of plastic required to mold the ring and thus the ring carries less inertia when thrown for added safety. Also the relocation of the bottom flat 15 above the mold parting line facilitates a flexing action and shock absorption properties upon impact, which is an added safety feature when thrown for recreation on a Disc Golf Course.

6) I claim the Aerodynamic Counterbalancing Process which enables the ring to fly a straight flight path and is its signature and defining process which identify the invention as unique.

Namely, Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) 13&16 and Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) (not shown) are designed to produce equivalent Resultant Net Lift on both advancing and retreating sides of the spinning flying ring having higher velocity airflow passing over airfoil surfaces found on the advancing side and lesser velocity airflow passing over airfoil surfaces on found on the retreating side of the ring.

The Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils comprising the Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) 13&16 produces upward (positive) lift and downward (negative) lift respectively.

And likewise the Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils comprising Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) produces upward (positive lift) and downward (negative) lift respectively but of lesser magnitude since there is lesser velocity airflow occurring on the retreating side.

All of the greater aerodynamic (positive) lift produced by the Lifting Airfoil (Advancing Side) 13 and all of the greater aerodynamic (negative) lift produced by the Counterbalancing Airfoil (Advancing Side) 16 is then resolved into the Resultant Net Lift (Airfoil Pair Advancing Side) 13&16 as air flows over the entirety of both Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces as both (Advance) as an Airfoil Pair from (Trailing Most Cross sectional) to (Leading Most Cross sectional).

All of the lesser aerodynamic (positive) lift produced by the Lifting Airfoil (Retreating Side) and all of the lesser aerodynamic (negative) lift produced by the Counterbalancing Airfoil (Retreating Side) is then resolved into the Resultant Net Lift (Airfoil Pair Retreating Side) as air flows over the entirety of both Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil Surfaces as both (Retreat) as an Airfoil Pair from (Leading Most Cross sectional) to (Trailing Most Cross sectional).

Comprised a of Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoil working precisely in tandem, Airfoil Pairs located on opposite sides of the ring may be termed Aerodynamic Resolvers since they resolve the (positive lift) production of the Lifting Airfoil and (negative lift) Production of the Counterbalancing Airfoil into Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) 13&16 and Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (retreating side).

The Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side) 13&16 and Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) (not shown) are applied, with respect to the leading most and trailing most cross sectionals, from opposite sides of the ring as direction changing aerodynamic lift.

A straight flight path is produced when the Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Advancing Side)=Resultant Net Lift Airfoil Pair (Retreating Side) since direction changing aerodynamic lift originating and applied from the advancing side is equal to the direction changing aerodynamic lift originating and applied from the Retreating Side of the ring (Aerodynamically Balanced Condition).

The Lifting and Counterbalancing Airfoils are adjusted to accommodate the positive lift by the third Helper Airfoil 11 its structure integrated into beveled nose 10 of the ring above the outer mold part line and produces (positive) lift to help in the counterbalancing process, increase lift, and mitigates premature curving of the flight path as the ring inherently slows in forward speed at a faster rate than rotational velocity.

7) I claim the drawing of FIG. 3A anticipates a higher performance version of this design by extending the Lifting Airfoil all the way to the nose of the ring but as it extends over the top outer flat 12 thus creating a third airfoil structure equivalent to a ring having the third helper airfoil 11 integrated into the nose 10 of the ring FIG. 3A

8) I claim the Prior Art FIG. 1 but leaving the Counterbalancing Airfoil untouched in its original outboard location, its contour originating at the outer circumference nose of the ring, and then incorporating into its cross-section the Helper Airfoil 11 and Spoiler 17. Extending the downward sloping outer surface of the Lifting Airfoil 13 over the Outer Flat 12 to the Nose 10 as shown in FIG. 3B creates a equivalent third Helper Airfoil near the Nose 10 whereas the Outer Flat 12 of Prior Art FIG. 1 has no positive lift production.