EP0056657A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Sail for sailing craft and method for making same
Assignee: North Sails Surf Antilles NV
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Filing: 1982-01-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A single panel sail is made by stretch forming a thermoplastic film or laminate of film and fibers against a shaped caul or mold, preferably with the use of heat and pressure, such that the film is permanently deformed into a three dimensioned shape having the desired profile or fullness required in the sail under actual sailing conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Eckart Wagner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 17:06
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H9/00; B63H9/04; B63H9/06; B63H9/067; B63H9/0671; B32; B32B; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B32B27/08; B32B38/00; B32B38/0036; B63H9/0678; B32B2305/00; B32B2305/08; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/70; B32B2307/732; B32B2605/00; B32B2605/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A sail for sailing craft having a three dimensional curvature for generating the forward drive for the sailing craft, characterized in that a principal portion of the sail comprising a continuous sheet of flexible thermoplastic material, said material being permanently deformed in the three dimensional curvature corresponding to the desired curvature under sailing conditions.'
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
A sail for sailing craft having a three dimensional curvature for generating the forward drive for the sailing craft, characterized in that a principal portion of the sail comprising a continuous sheet of flexible thermoplastic material, said material being permanently deformed in the three dimensional curvature corresponding to the desired curvature under sailing conditions.'
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The sail according to Claim 1, wherein said material is permanently deformed by stretch forming.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sail according to Claim 1 and 2, wherein said sheet is a reinforced or unreinforced thermoplastic foil or film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sail according to Claim 1 and 3 wherein said sheet material is reinforced by thermoplastic fiberous materials.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The sail according to Claim 4, wherein said fiberous materials are in the form of yarns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The sail according to Claim 4,wherein said fiberous materials are in the form of a mesh.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The sail according to Claim 5,wherein said yarns are provided in an intersecting pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
10 words
The sail according to Claim 7,wherein said yarns are woven.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The sail of Claim 1, wherein said flexible thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamids and polyolefins.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The sail of Claim 1,wherein said continuous sheet comprises a plurality of layers of thermoplastic material bonded together.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for making a sail comprising the steps of supporting a continuous sheet of thermoplastic material around its edges heating the sheet to a temperature below its melting point, applying pressure to the heated sheet to selectively elongate the sheet into the form of a sail and cooling the sheet to form a curved portion therein.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for making a sail comprising the steps of supporting a continuous sheet of thermoplastic material around its edges heating the sheet to a temperature below its melting point, applying pressure to the heated sheet to selectively elongate the sheet into the form of a sail and cooling the sheet to form a curved portion therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of Claim 10,wherein the sheet is elongated from about one to about 15 percent per unit length.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 10,wherein the sheet is heated to a temperature of from about 50 to about 200 degrees C.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of Claim 10 ; wherein the sheet is reinforced with thermoplastic polymer fibers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of Claim 14,wherein said sheet and fibers are selected from a class of thermoplastic polymers consisting of polyesters, polyamids, polyolefins and combinations thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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