Flotation Pontoon Devices with Manual Propulsion Mechanisms and Corresponding Methods

Abstract

A watercraft includes a first pontoon slidably coupled to a second pontoon, at least one paddle coupled to the first pontoon, and at least one other paddle coupled to the second pontoon. A propulsion mechanism moves the paddles reciprocally when the pontoons move reciprocally relative to each other, with the paddles moving faster than the pontoons. The propulsion mechanism can include cables engaging pulleys carried by the pontoons, translating the reciprocating motion into paddle movement. The watercraft features paddle cavities on the undersides of the pontoons, housing paddle spacers and retaining rollers. A paddle retractor, such as a torsion spring, biases the paddles to retract when moving forward and deploy when moving rearward. A sliding connector with rollers ensures smooth reciprocal movement of the pontoons. Alternative propulsion mechanisms include racks and gears or belts and gears, optimizing the translation of reciprocating motion into forward thrust.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watercraft, comprising:
 a first pontoon slidably coupled to a second pontoon:   at least one paddle coupled to the first pontoon and at least one other paddle coupled to the second pontoon; and   a propulsion mechanism operable to move the at least one paddle and the at least one other paddle reciprocally when the first pontoon and the second pontoon move reciprocally relative to each other with a speed of movement of the at least one paddle and the at least one other paddle being greater than another speed of movement of the first pontoon and the second pontoon.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises:
 a first cable engaging a first pulley and a second pulley carried by the second pontoon: and   a second cable engaging a third pulley and a fourth pulley carried by the first pontoon:   wherein the at least one paddle is coupled to the second cable and the at least one other paddle is coupled to the first cable.   
     
     
         3 . The watercraft of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one paddle comprises a first paddle and a second paddle and the at least one other paddle comprises a third paddle and a fourth paddle, further comprising:
 a first paddle spacer separating the first paddle from the second paddle and coupling the first paddle and the second paddle to the second cable; and   a second paddle spacer separating the third paddle from the fourth paddle and coupling the third paddle and the fourth paddle to the first cable.   
     
     
         4 . The watercraft of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first pontoon defines a first paddle cavity on an underside of the first pontoon:   the second pontoon defines a second paddle cavity on an underside of the second pontoon;   the first paddle spacer is situated and moveable by the propulsion mechanism within the first paddle cavity; and   the second paddle spacer is situated and moveable by the propulsion mechanism within the second paddle cavity.   
     
     
         5 . The watercraft of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first pontoon defines a first paddle retaining roller receiver; and   the second pontoon defines a second paddle retaining roller receiver;   further comprising:
 at least two paddle retaining rollers coupled to the first paddle spacer and situated within the first paddle retaining roller receiver; and 
 at least two other paddle retaining rollers coupled to the second paddle spacer and situated within the second paddle retaining roller receiver. 
   
     
     
         6 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , wherein the first paddle retaining roller receiver and the second paddle retaining roller receiver are elliptical. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , further comprising a paddle retractor operable to cause the at least one paddle to situate within the first paddle cavity when the first pontoon moves forward and to allow the at least one paddle to extend distally from the first paddle cavity when the first pontoon moves rearward. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the paddle retractor comprises a torsion spring having a spring loop biased against the first paddle spacer and a spring arm biased against the first paddle. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , further comprising a sliding connector slidably coupling the first pontoon to the second pontoon. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft of  claim 9 , wherein the sliding connector comprises a sliding male connector coupled to one of the first pontoon or the second pontoon and a female sliding connector receiver coupled to another of the first pontoon or the second pontoon and engaging the sliding male connector. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft of  claim 10 , further comprising a first sliding male connector roller and a second sliding male roller connector coupled to the sliding male connector and engaging inner surfaces of the female sliding connector receiver. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , further comprising a first sliding male connector stabilization roller and a second sliding male connector stabilization roller coupled to the sliding male connector and engaging other inner surfaces of the female sliding connector receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises:
 a first rack coupled to the at least one paddle:   a second rack coupled to the second pontoon:   a third rack coupled to at least one other paddle:   a fourth rack coupled to the first pontoon:   a first gear, carried by the first pontoon and engaging the first rack and the second rack: and   a second gear, carried by the second pontoon and engaging the third rack and the fourth rack;   wherein the first gear and second gear are configured to rotate when the first pontoon and the second pontoon move reciprocally relative to each other.   
     
     
         14 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises:
 a first belt coupled to the at least one paddle:   a first gear carried by the second pontoon;   a second belt coupled to the at least one other paddle: and   a second gear carried by the first pontoon:   wherein the first gear and second gear are configured to rotate when the first pontoon and the second pontoon move reciprocally relative to each other.   
     
     
         15 . A method in a watercraft, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a propulsion mechanism carried by the watercraft, energy from a first pontoon slidably moving in an opposite direction relative to a second pontoon coupled to the first pontoon: and   driving, by the propulsion mechanism, a first set of paddles coupled to an underside of the first pontoon and a second set of paddles coupled to an underside of the second pontoon with a linear velocity that is greater than another linear velocity experienced by the first pontoon and the second pontoon.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing, by a biasing assembly, the first set of paddles to retract into a first paddle cavity when the first pontoon and the first set of paddles move forward. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the driving comprises causing cable passing about two pulleys and coupled to the first set of paddles to rotate the two pulleys. 
     
     
         18 . A watercraft, comprising:
 a pair of floatation pontoons:   paddles slidably coupled under the pair of flotation pontoons:   a propulsion mechanism configured to harness a reciprocating motion of the pair of pontoons to drive the paddles under the pair of flotation pontoons faster than motion of the pair of flotation pontoons when moving with a reciprocal motion relative to each other:   a sliding rail system configured to slidably couple the pair of flotation pontoons together: and   a paddle retraction mechanism configured pivot the paddles upwards when moving forward and deploy the paddles downward when moving rearward.   
     
     
         19 . The watercraft of  claim 18 , wherein:
 a first flotation pontoon of the pair of flotation pontoons defines a first paddle cavity; and   a second flotation pontoon of the pair of flotation pontoons defines a second paddle cavity;   the paddles comprise:
 a first paddle and a second paddle coupled under the first flotation pontoon; and 
 a third paddle and a fourth paddle coupled under the second flotation pontoon; and 
   the paddle retraction mechanism comprises:
 a first paddle retractor causing the first paddle and the second paddle to situate within the first paddle cavity when the first flotation pontoon moves forward while deploying when the first flotation pontoon moves backward; and 
 a second paddle retractor causing the third paddle and the fourth paddle to situate within the second paddle cavity when the second flotation pontoon moves forward while deploying when the second flotation pontoon moves backward. 
   
     
     
         20 . The watercraft of  claim 19 , wherein the propulsion mechanism comprises a set of pulleys and cables, gears and pinions, or belts and gears, configured to translate the paddles under the pair of flotation pontoons faster than motion of the pair of flotation pontoons with a reciprocating movement, thereby generating forward thrust for the watercraft.