Sail with a wing profile, rig for wind propulsion means comprising said sail, and related wind propulsion means

Abstract

A sail includes at least two layers (36, 37) arranged side by side to form an aerodynamic profile. The wing includes at least one profiling device adapted to modify the aerodynamic profile.

1 . Sail with a wing profile comprising at least two layers ( 36 ,  37 ) arranged side by side to form a modifiable aerodynamic profile, with an adjustable thickness and at least one profiling device ( 40 ) of the sail, where said profiling device comprises at least one fork member ( 45 ), associated with said layers, shaped with a wing profile and deformable for generating said modification, said profiling device comprising at least one member ( 51 ) sliding inside the fork and in a direction parallel to its main extension direction (R) to modify said profile, each fork ( 40 ) has zones with different rigidity. 
     
     
         2 . Sail according to  claim 1 , wherein said member ( 51 ) is slidable between a maximum deformation position and a minimum or no deformation position of the fork. 
     
     
         3 . Sail according to  claim 1 , wherein said sliding member ( 51 ) deforms the fork member ( 45 ) during its travel. 
     
     
         4 . Sail according to  claim 3 , wherein said sliding member ( 51 ), during its travel, deforms the fork member ( 45 ) elastically, and/or generating the relative rotation between at least two portions ( 41 ,  42 ) of the fork member. 
     
     
         5 . Sail according to  claim 1 , wherein the fork member comprises two sections of stiffening batten ( 41 ,  42 ) of the sail which are facing each other, the sliding member ( 51 ) being movable between them between a position wherein it exerts a maximum displacement thrust between them and a position wherein it exerts a minimum displacement thrust. 
     
     
         6 . Sail according to  claim 5 , wherein the two batten sections ( 41 ,  42 ) are rotatably hinged at one end ( 43 ) thereof. 
     
     
         7 . Sail according to  claim 5 , wherein the two batten sections ( 41 ,  42 ) have different rigidity. 
     
     
         8 . Sail according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the two batten sections is longer than the other. 
     
     
         9 . Sail according to  claim 8 , wherein the least rigid section is the shortest ( 42 ). 
     
     
         10 . Sail according to  claim 5 , wherein during its travel, the sliding member ( 51 ) modifies the curvature of at least one of the two batten sections ( 42 ) between a concave or mainly concave curvature, and a convex or mainly convex curvature, and vice versa. 
     
     
         11 . Sail according to  claim 1 , wherein the sliding member is movable between a position wherein the wing profile is concave and a position wherein the wing profile is convex. 
     
     
         12 . Sail according to  claim 1 , further comprising return means ( 43 ) of the fork towards the minimum expansion configuration, and the sliding member ( 51 ) expands the fork during sliding in opposition to the return means. 
     
     
         13 . Sail according to  claim 12 , further comprising elastic return means ( 43 ) and/or movement limiting means of the fork's ends. 
     
     
         14 . Sail according to  claim 12 , wherein the fork member comprises a folded forked batten ( 45 ) and the elastic return means comprise at least one batten portion ( 43 ), where the sliding of the sliding member ( 51 ) elastically deforms the fork. 
     
     
         15 . Sail according to  claim 13 , wherein the fork comprises a pair of batten sections ( 41 ,  42 ) rotatably joined one with respect to the other, where the elastic return means are operatively interposed between the two battens. 
     
     
         16 . Sail according to  claim 1 , wherein the fork member ( 45 ) is normally in a resting configuration corresponding to the maximum thickness of the wing profile, and must be actively deformed to pass to a minimum thickness configuration, where the sliding member is a limiting means of the minimum thickness. 
     
     
         17 . Sail according to  claim 16 , wherein the sliding of the sliding member ( 51 ) regulates the minimum thickness (S). 
     
     
         18 . Sail according to  claim 16 , wherein the fork member ( 45 ) comprises two batten sections ( 41 ,  42 ) facing each other, and the profiling device comprises means for pulling ( 50 ) the battens towards each other to pass from the maximum thickness to the minimum thickness. 
     
     
         19 . Sail according to  claim 18 , wherein the profiling device comprises elastic means ( 43 ) arranged to maintain the fork member ( 45 ) in the resting position and to oppose said pulling for the passage to the deformed position. 
     
     
         20 . Sail according to  claim 19 , wherein the elastic means comprise at least one elastic section of at least one batten. 
     
     
         21 - 32 . (canceled)