PEDAL DRIVE MECHANISM FOR FLOATING DEVICES

Technical Field

[0001] Technical solution relates to pedal drive mechanism for floating devices, especially floating devices included in group of floating objects for leisure, fun, exercising on water or water sports. Particularly, the technical solution relates to pedal drive mechanism, which comprises deflectable vanes driven by pedals.

Background Art

[0002] Document WO 2008/039103 A1 discloses small individual floating

transport means, which can be used for aquatic recreation, tourism, sports competitions, for passing water obstacles, and in the form of a training device. This water cycle comprises floating body and carrying elements in the form of a front underwater wing connected to a handlebar, which is fastened to the body, and a rear underwater wing. Said cycle also comprises a blade impeller embodied in the form of a monofin which is located behind the rear underwater wing and is hingedly connected thereto by means of the front ridge thereof in such a way that it is rotatable with respect to said rear underwater wing. The cycle is provided with a pedal drive comprising right and left levers, which are mounted on the same axis, and rods which are hingedly connected to said levers and to the blade impeller, wherein the rear underwater wing is fixedly fastened to the body.

[0003] Document DE 3431659 A1 discloses floating device with floating body and rear drive, where this rear drive is composed of two plates and pedals and an intermediate transmission gear, where the plates are hinged on one axle and are moved alternately by pedals through connecting rods.

Disclosure of Invention

[0004] The pedal drive mechanism for floating devices according to this technical solution improves efficiency of the floating device drive. [0005] The pedal drive mechanism for floating devices according to this technical solution, which comprises pedals mounted on pedal levers, which are rotatably placed in one axis and which actuate a rocking vane drive, is characterized in that the rocking vane drive comprises a rocker frame having its main axis parallel to the mounting axis of the pedal levers, the frame having frame bars arranged transversely to the frame main axis, wherein at least one bar is provided on at least one side of the main axis with the torsionally resilient elastic mount for deflectable vanes of the drive, where the vanes have hydrofoil shape and their pivotal mount is in the leading edge part of the hydrofoil.

[0006] It is advantageous if the pedal levers mounting axis and the frame main axis are located on the same support.

[0007] It is advantageous if the torsionally resilient elastic mount is composed of a shaft attached to elastic rubber element, which is tight fit in a hole at the end of the bar.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0008] The pedal drive mechanism for floating devices according to this technical solution is further described with reference to the figures in the

accompanying drawings where,

[0009] Fig. 1 shows side view of the pedal drive mechanism;

[0010] Fig. 2 shows top view of the pedal drive mechanism;

[001 1] Fig. 3 shows top side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism;

[0012] Fig. 4 shows bottom side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism;

[0013] Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of vanes of the pedal drive mechanism in detail;

[0014] Fig. 6 shows sectional view of vane mounts and the torsionally resilient elastic mount of the vanes of the pedal drive mechanism;

[0015] Fig. 7 shows sectional view of the vane of the pedal drive mechanism;

[0016] Fig. 8, a, b, c, shows side view of the pedal drive mechanism in three

phases of its movement;

[0017] Fig. 9 shows bottom side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on three-floats floating device (trimaran); [0018] Fig. 10 shows top side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on three-floats floating device (trimaran);

[0019] Fig. 1 1 shows bottom side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on two-floats floating device (catamaran);

[0020] Fig. 12 shows top side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on two-floats floating device (catamaran);

[0021] Fig. 13 shows bottom side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on a floating device having single float;

[0022] Fig. 14 shows top side axonometric view of the pedal drive mechanism mounted on a floating device having a single float.

Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] The most preferred embodiment of the pedal drive mechanism for floating devices is shown in Fig. 1 to 14. The pedal drive mechanism has pedals 12 mounted on pedal levers 7 which are rotatably mounted on the axle 6 on the support 8. The pedal levers 7 are coupled by the rods 13 to the rocker frame of the vane drive.

[0024] The rocker frame 1_ of the vane drive has its main axis 2 parallel with the axis 6 of the mount of pedal levers 7. The main axle 2 of the frame 1_ is in this example of embodiment mounted on the support 8 together with the axle 6 of the pedal levers 7. Frame 1_ bars 3 are arranged transversely to the main axis 2. In this example of embodiment, three bars 3 are arranged on the main axle 2, while one bar 3 is in the centre of the frame and two bars 3 are at the edges of the frame 1

[0025] The bars 3 are mounted on the main axle 2 at their centres and mounts for the vanes 5 of the drive are provided at the ends of the bars 3 on one and on the other side of the main axle 2. In this example of embodiment, torsionally resilient elastic mounts 4 for the vanes 5 are provided on central bar 3, and also one rod 13 of one pedal lever 7 is connected on one side aside of the main axle 2 and the other rod 13 of the other pedal lever 7 is connected on the other side of the main axle 2. Mounts of the vanes 5 at the ends of outer bars 3 are in this case plainly pivotal. [0026] The vanes 5 have the hydrofoil shape and are mounted in the mounts on bars 3 in the leading edge part of the hydrofoil, where the vanes 5, their longitudinal axis of rotation respectively, are parallel with the main axis 2.

[0027] The torsionally resilient elastic mount 4, in this example of embodiment on central bar 3, is composed of the shaft 9 attached to elastic rubber element 10, which is tightly fit in the hole V\_ at the end of this bar 3.

Mounts on outer bars 3 comprise only pivotal mount composed of the shaft 9 in the hole at the end of respective bar 3. The vanes 5 are in this example of embodiment composed of the tube 14 onto which hydrofoil surfaces 15 of the vane 5 are attached, the surfaces 15 are on the other end joined in the trailing edge of the hydrofoil, while the tube 14 forms the leading edge of this hydrofoil. The tubes 14 are then slipped over the respective shafts 9 in the mounts on the bars 3. In this example of embodiment, the shafts 9 are connected with the tubes 14 through slot and feather keys. Connection of the shafts 9 and the tubes 14 can also be realized by any other type of connections capable to transmit torsion forces. Such connections are well known. Arrangement of the vanes 5, such that the tubes 14 directly form the shaft 9 mounted in respective mounts on the bars 3, is not excluded. Resilient mount 4 is not to be provided on central bar 3 only, as described above, but it can be also provided on other bars 3 of the rocker frame

[0028] The pedal drive mechanism according to this technical solution is arranged on the floating device of Figs. 9 to 14 as follows:

[0029] The floating device according to Fig. 9 and 10, with three floats, trimaran, comprises the support frame 16 with two floats 17 placed alongside and the third float 18 placed centrally in the front part between the two floats 17. The floats 17 are provided in their lower part with brackets 19 which comprise pivotal mounts 20 for the main axle 2 of the frame 1_ of the rocking vane drive. On the upper side, the deck 2j is placed between the floats 17, the deck 2j having an opening for pedals 12 of the pedal drive mechanism according to this technical solution. The support frame 16 is further provided with steering bar 22 which is connected to the rudder 23 located on the floats 17. The floating device in the trimaran configuration has hydrodynamic efficiency and high stability.

[0030] The pedal drive mechanism according to this technical solution can also be mounted on other floating devices, e.g. with two floats 17 as shown in Fig. 1 1 and 12, the arrangement being practically identical to that of the device according to Fig. 9 or 10, or it is also possible to mount this drive mechanism on a single float 17 where the opening for the pedals 12 is formed directly in the float 17 as shown in figures 13 and 14.

[0031] The pedal drive mechanism according to this technical solution is

designed particularly for propelling a floating device while standing, i.e. to actuate the drive, the weight of a person and leg muscles pressing on the pedals are employed. The drive is actuated by pedalling with the pedals 12, thus, when one pedal 12 is pressed, respective rod 13 acts on one part of the bar 3 aside from the main axle 2 and at the same time the second pedal 12 is lifted, the second pedal 12 being connected through the rod 13 to the other part of the bar 3 on the other side of the main axle 2. Thus, the whole frame with the vanes 5 performs rocking motion. The vanes 5 are held in straight position in the torsionally resilient elastic mount 4, i.e. if no force is acting on the pedals 12, the vanes 5 are not deflected relative to the frame 1_ and are held in position by resilience of the elastic mount 4. When a force is acting on the pedals 12, i.e. during pedalling, the vanes 5 on one side of the main axle 2 of the frame 1_ start to move upward and the vanes 5 on the opposite side of the main axle 2 of the frame start to move downwards. By pedalling, these directions of movement of the vanes 5 alternate accordingly, i.e. they perform reciprocating motion. By moving the vane 5 against the water, a force is acting on the vane 5 which by counteracting the force of the torsionally resilient elastic mount 4 is deflecting the vane 5 from its position, thus changing the angle of the vane 5. Thereby the vane 5 produces a pressure propelling a floating device, while the angle of the vane 5 is permanently driven / corrected by the force of the torsionally resilient elastic mount 4, which returns the vane 5 to its original, straight position. Said movement of the pedal mechanism is schematically shown in the three basic phases according to Fig. 8a, 8b and 8c, i.e., one pedal 12 pressed, the pedals 12 in aligned position, and subsequently the second pedal 12 pressed.