Suspension-based collapsible strakes for watercraft and watercraft including the same

US10683060B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• HRL Laboratories, LLC · US

Inventors

• Christopher P. Henry · Thousand Oaks, US
• Sloan P. Smith · Calabasas, US
• David W. Shahan · Los Angeles, US
• Joseph Creecy · Malibu, US
• Jeffrey Bowles · Malibu, US
• Christopher Swanhart · Malibu, US
• Robert Walling · Malibu, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 2, 2019
• Grant date: Jun 16, 2020
• Expiry date: Jan 2, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B63B2001/201
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A watercraft includes a hull having inner and outer surfaces and at least one collapsible strake coupled to the hull. The collapsible strake includes a movable skin hingedly coupled to the hull. The collapsible strake also includes a dampening element and a negative stiffness element each extending from an inner surface of the movable skin to the outer surface of the hull. The movable skin is configured to rotate between an uncollapsed configuration having a first stiffness and a collapsed configuration having a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.