The disclosed kite comprises two right-angled triangular frameworks symmetric with respect to a common side which forms a right angle with another side of each triangle. The triangular frames are pivotably interconnected through that common side, and a bilateral symmetric wind-bearing surface is carried by the frameworks. An arcuate resilient member connects the free ends of the other sides of the triangles to each other and has a spring constant greater than five times the weight of the kite divided by a distance between a point of attachment of a line to the kite and a point of attachment of the resilient member to one of the triangular frameworks and less than one half a tensile strength of the line attached to the kite.
A tandem kite device has a head sheet, a first spine, a pair of first spars, a front limb sheet, a second spine, a second spar, at least a torso sheet, a third spine, a third spar, a rear limb sheet, a fourth spine, a fourth spar, a first decoration rod, a second decoration rod, and a third decoration rod. A flying line passes through the head sheet, the front limb sheet, the torso sheet, and the rear limb sheet. The first spine and the first spars are disposed on the head sheet. The first decoration rod, the second spine, and the second spar are disposed on the front limb sheet. The second decoration rod, the third spine, and the third spar are disposed on the torso sheet. The third decoration rod, the fourth spine, and the fourth spar are disposed on the rear limb sheet.
An airfoil having two (2) basic components, a sail and spoiler, associated with the leading edge of the sail, is herein disclosed. This unique airfoil design has application in flexible wing aircraft (i.e., ultralites), sport parachutes and sport kites. In the typical sport kite embodiment of this invention, there will generally be at least three (3) aerodynamic flight control surfaces: a sail, a keel, and a flexible resilient spoiler attached to the leading edge of the sail. The sail material is itself resilient, however, sufficiently rigid to maintain a preset configuration without the need for struts, spars or extrinsic physical support. A spoiler, which is located along the entire leading edge of the sail, provides additional structural reinforcement to the sail while undergoing controlled deformation in gusty or high winds. The effect of such deformation of the spoiler causes the sail to stall before any physical damage can occur. The resiliency of the spoiler immediately, thereafter, returns the sail to pre-stall configuration, and flight is thereupon resumed without physical damage to the kite. Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to further enhance the inherent physical strength of the sail along the centerline of the sail coincident with the area of the stress imparted upon the sail by the keel. This is readily accomplished by affixing an additional section of sail construction material, or its equivalent, along the topside surface of the sail, opposite to and coincident with the placement of the keel.
A kite is disclosed having a body and a supporting structure. The supporting structure has a central member, wing members, cross members, and a brace member. The central member is attached to the body such that the body has first and second wing portions on either side of the central member. The wing members are attached to each wing portion and are oriented substantially perpendicular to the central member. The cross members respectively support the wing members to the central member. First ends respectively couple to one of the wing members, intermediate portions cross one another and are held adjacent the central member, and second ends couple to the body. The brace member is capable of biasing the wing members apart. Ends of the brace member respectively couple to the wing members, and an intermediate portion is held adjacent the central member.
