WATER ROCKET FIN ATTACHMENT SYSTEM
A plastic sheet that can be formed into a cylinder or truncated cone and attached to a pressure vessel by use of integral self-adhesive tabs. The cylinder or truncated cone is then used as an extension and structure for the attachment of rocket fins.
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BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONIn many water rocket systems the body of the rocket requires a plastic carbonated drink bottle that uses the addition of a nose cone and fins to achieve stable rocket flight. Many of the existing methods used to build water rockets are impractical, heavy, unreliable, time consuming, and ineffective. This fin attachment system is unique, practical, light weight, reliable, and effective.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a flat plastic sheet, of the appropriate dimensions, is used as an extension attached to a plastic carbonated drink bottle. This extension functions as an attachment point for application of fins on a plastic drink bottle. The flat plastic sheet is formed into a cylinder using high strength double sided adhesive tape on an overlapping seam. The cylinder is attached to a plastic drink bottle using tabs that are an integral part of the plastic sheet. High-strength double-sided adhesive tape strips are strategically applied to the tabs to allow the tabs to be bent away from the bottle for removal of the paper backing from the adhesive and adhered to the bottle. Once applied to the plastic drink bottle the cylinder provides an attachment point for the application of stabilizing fins. The cylinder positions the fins lower on the bottle than can be achieved without the cylinder, increasing their aerodynamic effectivity. The fin attachment system is resilient with minimal aerodynamic drag.
In the included figures the fin attachment system is shown as a flat sheet, formed into a cylinder, attached to a plastic bottle, and with fins and nose attached in a rocket configuration.
Claims
1. A plastic water rocket fin attachment system consisting of a flat sheet of the appropriate dimensioned plastic with double sided adhesive placed in locations so that the sheet can be formed into a cylinder or truncated cone and then attached to a carbonated drink bottle using adhesive backed tabs, to provide an easy functional attachment point for rocket fins to achieve stable rocket flight.
2. A fin attachment system of claim 1 can be sized to be used on any appropriate plastic drink bottle.
3. A fin attachment system of claim 1 can be used on rockets with any form of propulsion systems including water, air, solid and liquid fuel systems.
4. A fin attachment system of claim 1 can use various size and shape adhesive tabs to attach to the plastic drink bottle.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 11, 2015
Publication Date: May 11, 2017
Inventors: William S Howell (Lynn Haven, FL), Scott Douglas Farner (Panama City, FL)
Application Number: 14/938,813