Environmental-sensor platform with curved foils, for displacing across a stream, powered by water flow and with tether control from just one shore

Abstract

A flow-powered platform carries envirosensors, under tether (or remote-transmission) control from one shore, driven by at least one active waterfoil (ideally remotely interchangeable), with surfaces curved horizontally across the flow. Preferably: there are plural foils; the platform is a single unitary body, best a planar flat shallow panel (deterring aft submersion) or volume-enclosing hull; the foil mounts beside, parallelling, the body, depending from and below it, and, if dual, at opposite sides; the foil has at least one force-enhancing flap, tether-adjustably extending longitudinally to trim an effective overall foil surface, and with laterally extending length roughly 0.05 to 0.4 times the waterfoil length, or 3 to 90 cm, best 60 to 250 cm; and the foil has greatest curvature radius, along a longitudinal surface, roughly 2 to 10 m, or forming a lateral excursion from 0.1 to 0.2 times the foil length, or 2½ to 25 cm.

1 . A platform for displacing an environmental sensor across a stream or portion thereof, powered by water flow of the stream and controlled by tether from just one shore; said platform comprising: 
 a flotation element;    at least one hydrodynamically active waterfoil, attached to or integrated with the flotation element, having surfaces curved horizontally transversely to such stream flow for interaction with such stream flow to generate substantially horizontal force transverse to such stream flow, for propelling the flotation element across such stream or portion thereof;    means for supporting such environmental sensor from the platform; and    means for responding to such tether control, from such one shore, to maneuver the flotation element relative to such stream.    
   
   
       2 . The platform of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil comprises at least two transversely curved foils, each interacting with such flow to generate said transverse force.    
   
   
       3 . The platform of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the flotation element is formed as a single, substantially unitary body.    
   
   
       4 . The platform of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the single, substantially unitary body is a single generally planar flat shallow panel.    
   
   
       5 . The platform of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the single, substantially unitary body is a single volume-enclosing hull.    
   
   
       6 . The platform of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil is mounted beside and very generally parallel to the single, substantially unitary body.    
   
   
       7 . The platform of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil comprises at least two transversely curved foils, mounted respectively at opposite sides of and very generally parallel to the single, substantially unitary body.    
   
   
       8 . The platform of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the at least one curved foil depends from, and below, the flotation element.    
   
   
       9 . The platform of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one flap attached to, or formed in, or integrated with the waterfoil, for perturbing the interaction with such stream flow to enhance the substantially horizontal force.    
   
   
       10 . The platform of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the foil has an effective longitudinal overall active surface; and    the flap adjustably extends from the foil longitudinally to lengthen or shorten the effective overall active surface of the foil;    whereby operation of the flap modifies the interaction.    
   
   
       11 . The platform of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 means for adjusting the flap via such tether control, from such one shore.    
   
   
       12 . The platform of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the flap adjustably extends laterally from the foil to actively trim the interaction.    
   
   
       13 . The platform of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the flap has laterally extending length in the range of roughly 0.05 to 0.4 times the waterfoil length.    
   
   
       14 . The platform of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 the flap has laterally extending length in the range of approximately 3 to 90 cm (roughly 1 to 40 inches).    
   
   
       15 . The platform of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the foil has length in the range of approximately 60 to 250 cm (roughly 25 to 100 inches).    
   
   
       16 . The platform of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the foil has length in the range of approximately 60 to 250 cm (roughly 25 to 100 inches).    
   
   
       17 . The platform of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the foil has curvature, along a most strongly curved segment of a longitudinal surface, characterized by a radius of curvature in the range of approximately 2 to 10 m (roughly 80 to 400 inches).    
   
   
       18 . The platform of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the foil has curvature, along a longitudinal surface, forming a lateral excursion in the range of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 times the foil length.    
   
   
       19 . The platform of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the foil has curvature, along a longitudinal surface, forming a lateral excursion in the range of approximately 2½ to 25 cm (roughly 1 to 10 inches).    
   
   
       20 . The platform of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the supporting means comprise means for supporting plural such environmental sensors.    
   
   
       21 . The platform of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a single tether for applying the tether control; and    a remote-transmission control system for supplementing the tether control.    
   
   
       22 . A platform for displacing an environmental sensor across a stream or portion thereof, powered by water flow of the stream and controlled by tether from just one shore; said platform comprising: 
 means for supporting such environmental sensor in flotation relative to such stream flow;    means for propelling such environmental sensor, together with the supporting means, across such stream or portion thereof;    said propelling means comprising at least one hydrodynamically active waterfoil, attached to or integrated with the flotation element;    said waterfoil having surfaces curved transversely to such stream flow for interaction with such stream flow to generate substantially horizontal force transverse to such stream flow; and    means for responding to such tether control, from such one shore, to maneuver the flotation element relative to such stream.    
   
   
       23 . The platform of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the supporting means comprise means for supporting a plurality of such environmental sensors in flotation relative to such stream flow; and    the propelling means comprise means for propelling a plurality of such environmental sensors, together with the supporting means, across such stream or portion thereof.    
   
   
       24 . The platform of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil comprises at least two transversely curved foils, each interacting with such flow to generate said transverse force.    
   
   
       25 . The platform of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the flotation element comprises means for deterring submersion of an aft end of the flotation element, particularly in relatively high flow;    said submersion-deterring means comprising configuration of at least the aft end of the flotation element as a single, generally planar flat shallow panel.    
   
   
       26 . The platform of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil is mounted beside and very generally parallel to the flat shallow panel.    
   
   
       27 . The platform of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 the at least one transversely curved foil comprises at least two transversely curved foils, mounted respectively at opposite sides and very generally parallel to the flat shallow panel.    
   
   
       28 . The platform of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 means for controllably extending or retracting the at least one curved foil in the fore-aft direction, with respect to the supporting means, for use at slower or faster stream-flow speeds respectively.    
   
   
       29 . The platform of  claim 28 , wherein: 
 the extending or retracting means are operable remotely.    
   
   
       30 . The platform of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 means for controllably extending or retracting a flap from the at least one curved foil, with respect to the supporting means, for use at faster or slower stream-flow speeds respectively.    
   
   
       31 . The platform of  claim 30 , wherein: 
 the extending or retracting means are operable remotely.    
   
   
       32 . A platform for displacing an environmental sensor across a stream or portion thereof, powered by water flow of the stream and controlled by tether from just one shore; said platform comprising: 
 means for supporting such environmental sensor in flotation relative to such stream flow;    means for propelling such environmental sensor, together with the supporting means, across such stream or portion thereof;    said propelling means comprising a plurality of interchangeable hydrodynamically active waterfoils for respective use, selectively, at different speeds of such stream flow;    means, fixed to the supporting means, for releasably securing any of the plurality of foils to the supporting means;    a selected one of the foils being attached to the flotation element by the securing means, for use at a corresponding speed of such stream flow;    said waterfoils having surfaces curved transversely to such stream flow for interaction with such stream flow to generate substantially horizontal force transverse to such stream flow; and    means for responding to such tether control, from such one shore, to maneuver the flotation element relative to such stream.    
   
   
       33 . The platform of  claim 32 , wherein: 
 the foils for use at higher flow speeds are smaller than the foils for use at lower flow speeds.    
   
   
       34 . The platform of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 means for selecting, and engaging with the releasably-securing means, any of the foils remotely.