Granted Patent B2

US 12,630,261 · App. 18/948,969 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventors: Richard Poe (Vail, CO); John Dixon (Fort Lauderdale, FL); David Bell (Naples, FL); Danilo Contreras (Davie, FL)

Assignee: Airglide AI, Inc

B63B1/38B63B19/00B63B49/00B63H25/42B63H25/46B63B2001/387B63B59/04

Abstract

Claims (68)

1 . A hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, comprising:

at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover;

an air lubrication nozzle assembly, wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly includes a sea chest having an open cavity therein, wherein said sea chest includes a gas flow inlet, and an open lower boundary;

a flow modulating nozzle flap, wherein said flap is configured to modulate a direction and flow rate of a gaseous flow;

said open lower boundary is configured to receive said flow modulating nozzle flap;

said sea chest having at least one longitudinal engagement area, wherein said at least one longitudinal engagement area is a rigidly fixed semi-circumferential bracket for mounting said flow modulating nozzle flap, wherein said rigidly fixed semi-circumferential bracket is affixed semi-circumferentially at a border of said open lower boundary;

said flow modulating nozzle flap is coupled to said at least one longitudinal engagement area;

wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is operable in a submerged environment; and

an engaged air layer created from an air supply of said gaseous flow.

2 . The hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, as recited in claim 1 , wherein each moveable transverse tunnel cover in said at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover includes an external submerged surface;

said external submerged surface having a plurality of superaerophilic inducing microscopic and nanoscopic structures imprinted within said external submerged surface, forming a superaerophilic inducing surface; and

each superaerophilic inducing microscopic structure of said plurality of superaerophilic inducing microscopic and nanoscopic structures defines a trench and a ridge geometry, wherein each ridge structure defines a protruding structure.

3 . The hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover comprises:

a substantially circular door having a continuous external surface and a shaft integrally formed therewith, wherein rotation of said door is accomplished by rotating said shaft.

4 . The hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover comprises:

a plurality of moveable parallel panels, each pivotable about its longitudinal axis, whereby said plurality of moveable parallel panels form a substantially solid surface in a closed state, and a louvred channel in an open state to permit fluid flow therethrough.

5 . The hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

an air jet positioned forward of said at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover, wherein said air jet is recessed into a bow section of said marine craft, and said air jet is positioned to disburse a flow of gas in an aft direction over an exterior surface of said at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover.

6 . A hydrodynamically optimized submerged surface of a marine craft, comprising:

at least one moveable transverse tunnel cover, wherein said at least one of said moveable transverse tunnel cover further comprises:

a moveable panel; and

an air discharge port positioned at an interior edge of said moveable panel, whereby said air discharge port provides air distribution when said moveable panel is partially opened during forward movement of said marine craft;

an air lubrication nozzle assembly, wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly includes a main body having an open cavity therein, a flow modulating nozzle flap coupled to at least one longitudinal engagement area, wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is operable in a submerged environment;

said main body of said air lubrication nozzle assembly includes a gas flow inlet, and an open lower boundary configured to receive said flow modulating nozzle flap;

said flap of said air lubrication nozzle assembly is configured to modulate a direction and flow rate of a gaseous flow; and

an engaged air layer created from an air supply of said gaseous flow.

7 . A method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, the method comprising:

configuring portions of a watercraft's hull for air delivery to said watercraft's hull's lower surface by providing at least one air delivery nozzle, wherein each of said at least one air delivery nozzle is an

air lubrication nozzle assembly, wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is capable of being immersed continuously in a liquid, and said air lubrication nozzle assembly includes:

a main body having an open cavity therein, wherein said main body includes a gas flow inlet, and an open air-interface boundary is disposed at a lower horizontal plane of a submerged hull of said watercraft surrounding said air-interface boundary; and

wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is operable in a submerged environment;

providing a stratified flow of water to said open interface boundary disposed at said lower horizontal plane by providing a pair of transverse tunnel covers at distal openings of each of said at least one submerged transverse tunnel at a bow of said watercraft, whereby water flows over an exposed surface of each of said transverse tunnel covers thereby reducing turbulence and hydrodynamic drag caused by non-hydrodynamically optimized surfaces, wherein each of said transverse tunnel covers further comprises:

a moveable panel; and

an air discharge port positioned at an interior edge of said moveable panel, whereby said air discharge port provides air distribution when said moveable panel is partially opened during forward movement of said watercraft; and

wherein each of said moveable transverse tunnel covers is disposed in a submerged substantially vertical plane.

8 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 7 , wherein said step of configuring portions of a watercraft's hull for air delivery to said watercraft's hull's lower surface by providing at least one air delivery nozzle further includes:

configuring said open air-interface boundary to be substantially coplanar with an adjacent surface of the watercraft's hull;

configuring said open air-interface to receive a flow modulating nozzle flap by providing a longitudinal engagement area;

providing a flow modulating nozzle flap, whereby said flow modulating nozzle is coupled to said longitudinal engagement area, wherein said flap is configured to modulate a direction and flow rate of a gaseous flow; and

wherein the main body of each nozzle is recessed up into the watercraft's hull.

9 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 8 , wherein the air lubrication nozzle assembly is capable of performing the steps of:

lowering said flow modulating nozzle flap by using a flow of gas received from said gas flow inlet to lower said flow modulating nozzle flap, wherein a flow of gas disburses uniformly in the open cavity of the main body, thereby pressing on said flow modulating nozzle flap to allow air bubbles to disburse to an underside of the watercraft's hull, when air is required under said watercraft's hull; and

raising said flow modulating nozzle flap by terminating a flow of gas received from said gas flow inlet, whereby a passive lifting system is incorporated into the flow modulating nozzle flap to allow for self-closure when said air is no longer required under said watercraft's hull.

10 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

providing an electronic valve upstream of each gas flow inlet of each air lubrication nozzle assembly;

providing an electronic actuation means for each moveable transverse tunnel cover; and

providing at least one dedicated control module electronically coupled to each electronic valve and each actuation means, wherein said at least one dedicated control module includes at least one processor, memory, and an input/output connection facilitating said electronic couplement, whereby said memory includes a program stored thereon, including at least the steps of:

expanding or constricting air flow to each air lubrication nozzle assembly by modulating the valve in a position in the range of fully open to fully closed based on feedback of a plurality of sensors measuring sea state conditions to selectively distribute air under the hull of the watercraft; and

actuating an opening or closing of each of said moveable transverse tunnel covers in a position in the range of fully open to fully closed based on feedback of a plurality of sensors measuring sea state conditions to selectively distribute air under the hull of the watercraft.

11 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:

optimizing at least a portion of each external submerged surface by providing a plurality of superaerophilic inducing microscopic and nanoscopic structures imprinted within said external submerged surface, forming a superaerophilic inducing surface;

each superaerophilic inducing microscopic structure of said plurality of superaerophilic inducing microscopic and nanoscopic structures defines a trench and a ridge geometry, wherein each ridge structure defines a protruding structure;

wherein each superaerophilic inducing nanoscopic structure of said plurality of superaerophilic inducing microscopic and nanoscopic structures defines a trench and a ridge geometry covering all surface area of said protruding structures of each of said superaerophilic inducing microscopic structure, wherein surfaces of adjacent ridges of the microscopic structures, extending between an intermediate trench to a respective ridge peak/top, progressively diverge away to define a V-shaped geometry; and

wherein each submerged surface includes an external surface of each said flow modulating nozzle flap, each moveable transverse tunnel cover, and said watercraft's hull.

12 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

configuring each of said transverse tunnel covers as a substantially circular door portion having a continuous external surface and a shaft portion integrally formed therewith, wherein rotation of said door is accomplished by rotating said shaft.

13 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:

configuring each of said transverse tunnel covers as a plurality of moveable parallel panels, each pivotable about its longitudinal axis, whereby said plurality of moveable parallel panels form a substantially solid surface in a closed state, and a louvred channel in an open state to permit fluid flow therethrough.

14 . The method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of:

providing at least a pair of air jets positioned forward of said pair of transverse tunnel covers, wherein each said air jet is recessed into a bow section of said watercraft, and each said air jet is positioned to disburse a flow of gas in an aft direction over an exterior surface of each of said transverse tunnel covers.

15 . A method for increasing efficiency of a watercraft by reducing drag, the method comprising:

configuring portions of a watercraft's hull for air delivery to said watercraft's hull's lower surface by providing at least one air delivery nozzle, wherein each of said at least one air delivery nozzle is an air lubrication nozzle assembly, wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is capable of being immersed continuously in a liquid, and said air lubrication nozzle assembly includes:

a main body having an open cavity therein, wherein said main body includes a gas flow inlet, and an open air-interface boundary is disposed at a lower horizontal plane of a submerged hull of said watercraft surrounding said air-interface boundary; and

wherein said air lubrication nozzle assembly is operable in a submerged environment;

providing a stratified flow of water to said open interface boundary disposed at said lower horizontal plane by providing a pair of transverse tunnel covers at distal openings of each of said at least one submerged transverse tunnel at a bow of said watercraft, whereby water flows over an exposed surface of each of said transverse tunnel covers thereby reducing turbulence and hydrodynamic drag caused by non-hydrodynamically optimized surfaces, wherein each of said transverse tunnel covers further comprises:

at least two moveable panels; and

an air discharge port positioned at an interior edge of at least one of said at least two moveable panels, whereby said air discharge port provides air distribution when said at least two moveable panels are partially opened during forward movement of said watercraft; and

wherein each of said moveable transverse tunnel covers is disposed in a submerged substantially vertical plane.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (10)