WO2015101980A1

WO2015101980A1 - Extendable surfing fin

Info

Publication number: WO2015101980A1
Application number: PCT/IL2014/051130
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dekel TABIBI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-12-30
Filing date: 2014-12-29
Publication date: 2015-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-30

Abstract

There is provided an extendible fin comprising at least two parts, a first base part, adapted to be connected to a water-borne vessel and to comprise a second inner part, adapted to be extended out of the base part to at least one degree.

Description

Extendable Surfing Fin

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an extensible surfing fin, which enables a surfer to extend the fin's tip in order to achieve different surfing experiences.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many watersports and aquatic activities use fins beneath the surface of a vessel in order to adjust the water flow of the floating vessel. Surfboarding, windsurfing, as well as numerous other aquatic vessels use fins attached beneath the vessel in order to adjust water flow beneath the vessel and thus provide the surfer the ability to steer the vessel accordingly.

The physical characteristics of a fin including its length affect the water flow beneath the vessel and as such, how said vessel reacts.

Due to versatility in the conditions of the ocean, as well as differences between the different oceans, coupled with different personal preferences of surfers, different fin lengths may be desirable in order to affect water flow differently, and thus to steer the vessel differently and create different surfing experiences.

Common surfboards manufactured today provide a base beneath the board, upon which the desired fin may be mounted. However, if a surfer desires a fin of different length, as a result of versatile oceanic conditions or a different surfing style, either a different board must be used or the fin must be dismounted, and an alternative fin be mounted in its stead. Thus, a surfer wishing to change the length of their fin, must spend time and effort replacing a fin every time they wish to change their surfing experience. This may occur once or more every time a surfer goes to surf, partially due to the inability to predict which fin they will need during the entirety of their surfing experience.

Generally speaking, replacing the fin with one of different length requires unbolting the currently attached fin, removing it, and bolting on a replacement fin. This requires time, manual dexterity, and tools.

US 4,733,496 describes a novel fin for surfboards and watercraft that includes a pivoting rudderlike section that swings out when a turn is commenced, enhancing the maneuverability of the surfboard by reducing the resistance of the fin as it moves sideways through the water in a turn and by redirecting the water flow through the pivoting rudder section in the direction of the turn. Although said fin does provide left-right maneuverability, it does not provide the ability to change other aspects, such as shape, of the fin.

US 7,896,718 describes a keel or fin for a watercraft such as a surfboard is conventional in shape but comprises major portion fixed to the board by peg and minor, flexible, trailing portion fixed to major portion. This invention however relates to a single adjustable fin which is comprised of an adjustable piece attached to it, giving it minimal variability with respect to shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a two-part fin having a fixed based and an extensible tip.

The fixed base is attached to a water-borne vessel by standard means such as bolts, press-fit, tongue- and-groove or the like. According to some demonstrative embodiments the waterborne vessel may selected from the group consisting of: surfboard; kitesurf board; windsurf board; boogie board; paddle board; wave board; wake board; kayak; canoe; sailing boat; waterski, jetski and the like.

According to some embodiments, the tip may be attached to the fixed base by means of a press- fit.

Protrusions in the base part allow for the tip part to 'click' into place at one of a discrete number of positions, thus securing it in place until moved to a different position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention with the tip completely inserted into the base portion.

Figures 2-5 shows an embodiment of the invention with the tip partially extended to different lengths.

Figure 6 illustrates the tip completely removed from the base portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is provided, alongside all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Furthermore just as every particular reference may embody particular methods/systems, yet not require such, ultimately such teaching is meant for all expressions notwithstanding the use of particular embodiments. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention may produce one or several other embodiments. According to some demonstrative embodiments, there is provided a fin for a surfboard, which may be modified in size, for example, extended from a basic position to an enlarged position.

According to some demonstrative embodiments, the basic position of the fin according to some demonstrative embodiments, includes a base section and a tip section encompassed within the base section entirely. According to some demonstrative embodiments, in the basic position, the fin may preferably be used when the surfer used the surfing board in shallow waters and/or when waves are relatively low.

Using the fin in its basic position enables a user of the surfing board to have more control of the board when waves are low and/or in shallow waters.

According to some embodiments, the fin may be extended, for example, enlarged, by pulling out the tip section from within the base section. According to some embodiments, extending the fin may enable a user of the surfing board to have a better "grip" of the board in deep waters and/or when waves are high.

It is to be understood that by using the term "better grip" it is referred to having the user be stable when waves are high.

Having a longer fin for a surfing board when waves are high, and having a shorter fin when waves are low is preferable in order to achieve a better surfing experience. However, the user is required to replace the fins of the surfing board in accordance with the conditions of the sea. The present invention provides for a superior solution for replacing the fins, and enables the surfer to adjust the length and/or dimensions of the fin of the present invention at will, for example, as explained in detail below. In some demonstrative embodiments, there is provided a fin adapted to be extendible, wherein the fin includes at least two parts, a first part (also referred to herein as "base part" or "base portion" or "base section") adapted to be connected to a water-borne vessel and contain a second part (also referred to herein as "inner part" or "tip portion" or "tip section" or "tip") adapted to extended out of the base part to at least one degree and/or to be pushed back into the base part. According to some demonstrative embodiments, extending the inner part out of the base part may alter the size of the fin, thereby creating a different degree of water grip by the water-borne vessel.

In some demonstrative embodiments, there is provided a surfing fin adapted to be extendible, wherein the fin includes the base part adapted to be connected to a surfing board and to contain the inner part, which may be adapted to extended out of the base part to two or more degrees and/or to be pushed back into the base part after extension.

According to some demonstrative embodiments, extending the inner part out of the base part may alter the size of the surfing fin, thereby creating a different degree of a surfing experience by a user of the surfing board.

According to some embodiments, the surfing fin may be extended by pulling out the inner part from within the base section. According to some embodiments, extending the fin may enable a user of the surfing board to have a better "grip" of the board in deep waters and/or when waves are high, whereby the user may be stable when waves are high if the fin is extended, in contrast to a situation whereby the inner part is completely immersed within the base part, thereby resembling a regular surfing fin as is known in the art.

According to some demonstrative embodiments, there is provided an extendible fin which may include at least two parts, a first base part which may be adapted to be connected to a water-borne vessel and to include a second inner part, which may be adapted to extended out of the base part to at least one degree, preferably to a plurality of discrete degrees.

According to some embodiments, the waterborne vessel may be selected from the group consisting of: surfboard; kitesurf board; windsurf board; boogie board; paddle board; wave board; wake board; kayak; canoe; sailing boat; waterski, jetski and the like.

According to some embodiments, the base part may include a plurality of indentations and involutions and the inner part may include a plurality of involutions and indentations, wherein the plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part and the plurality of involutions and indentations of the inner part may be corresponding to allow the inner part to be positioned into place.

According to some embodiments, the inner part may be adapted to be positioned in one of a plurality of possible positions within the base part.

According to some embodiments, the inner part may include at least one protrusion adapted to be positioned within one of the plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part, and reversibly lock the inner part in place.

According to some embodiments, the inner part may include a button connected to the protrusion, as explained in detail below and as depicted in the drawings.

According to some embodiments, the inner part may be released from a position by means of pressing the button thereby exerting a pulling force on the protrusion, and pulling the protrusion out of the one of plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part. According to some embodiments, the inner part may be moved freely in and/or out of the base part while the button is pressed. According to some embodiments, the base part may include one or more tongues adapted to fit into corresponding grooves on the bottom of the water-borne vessel to which the extendable fin may be attached. According to some embodiments, the inner part may be replaced by pulling the inner part out of the base part and replacing it with a different inner part, for example, the inner part may come in different shapes and sizes, and accordingly may be willingly replaced by a user of the fin.

A preferred embodiment 100 of this invention comprises a base section 103 and a tip section 101, as seen in Figs. 1-6. The base portion 103 has an indentation 102 taking the form of the 'negative space' left by the tip portion 101. A number of indentations and involutions 104 and corresponding involutions and indentations in the tip section 101 allow for the tip section to 'click' into place firmly such that it will withstand the hydrodynamic forces it may be subjected to without being dislodged. The tip portion is released from its current position by means of pressing button 110, which pulls a protrusion on the tip portion out of one the set of involutions 104, allowing the tip to move freely while the button 110 is pressed.

The base portion may have tongues 105 that fit into corresponding grooves on the bottom of the water- going vessel to which the device is to be attached. Alternatively the base section 103 may be bolted onto the vessel, glued, or otherwise attached.

The device (which may serve as a fin, rudder, blade or indeed any control or reaction surface of a hydrodynamic apparatus) is of variable length, with the tip portion 101 being positioned in a number of discrete positions by means of pressing button 110, and moving the tip portion relative to the base portion until the button 110 is released, and further movement causing the protrusion in the tip portion to settle into one of the set of involutions 104. The direction in which the tip portion is withdrawn is in some embodiments orthogonal or largely orthogonal to the main hydrodynamic forces it will experience in operation.

It is within provision of the invention that the tip portion 101 can be replaced by pulling it out of the base portion and replacing it with a different tip. The direction in which the tip portion is withdrawn is preferably orthogonal or largely orthogonal to the main hydrodynamic forces it will experience in operation.

The invention allows for a versatile surfing experience. It allows the surfer to extend the tip of the fin rapidly and without tools. The invention can in principle save money on purchasing a full set of fins of different lengths. The use of a single extensible fin reduces material resources required and waste.

Figures 1-6 show the tip of the device in various stages of being extended, from completely inserted in Fig. 1 to fully extended in Fig. 5, and removed in Fig. 6.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is used on a surf board, windsurfing board, as well as numerous other aquatic vessels which use fins to manipulate the water flow beneath the vessel and thus maneuver the vessel itself.

Another preferred embodiment of this invention is attached to any other type of aquatic vessel, allowing the rider of said vessel to replace the fin tip as mentioned above.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

Claims

What is claimed is

1. An extendible fin comprising at least two parts, a first base part, adapted to be connected to a water-borne vessel and to comprise a second inner part, adapted to be extended out of the base part to at least one degree.

2. The fin of claim 1 , wherein said waterborne vessel is selected from the group consisting of: surfboard; kitesurf board; windsurf board; boogie board; paddle board; wave board; wake board; kayak; canoe; sailing boat; waterski, jetski and the like.

3. The fin of claim 2, wherein said waterborne vessel is a surfboard.

4. The fin of claim 1, wherein said base part comprises a plurality of indentations and involutions and said inner part comprises a plurality of involutions and indentations, wherein said plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part and said plurality of involutions and indentations of said inner part are corresponding to allow said inner part to be positioned into place.

5. The fin of claim 4, wherein said inner part is adapted to be positioned in one of a plurality of possible positions within said base part.

6. The fin of claim 5, wherein said inner part comprises at least one protrusion adapted to be positioned within one of said plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part, and reversibly lock said inner part in place.

7. The fin of claim 6, wherein said inner part comprises a button connected to said protrusion.

8. The fin of claim 7, wherein said inner part is released from a position by means of pressing said button exerting a pulling force on said protrusion, and pulling said protrusion out of said one of said plurality of indentations and involutions of the base part.

9. The fin of claim 8, wherein said inner part is movable while said button is pressed.

10. The fin of claim 1, wherein said base part comprises one or more tongues adapted to fit into corresponding grooves on the bottom of said water-borne vessel to which said extendable fin is attached.

11. The fin of claim 1 , wherein said inner part is adapted to be replaced by pulling said inner part out of said base part and replacing it with a different inner part.