Fin arrangement for canted tower support

Abstract

An apparatus (206), including: a support (206) having: a strut (204) with a sleeve (214) disposed at a lower end (212); and a base (200) configured to be secured to the strut via a pivot joint (210) therebetween. The base has a fin (202) configured to fit within and cooperate with the sleeve to enable the strut to pivot about an axis of rotation (220) of the pivot joint while maintaining a cant angle (222) that is less than 90° relative to the axis of rotation. The fin includes a first fin section (230) that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation and a second fin section (232) that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation. The second fin section is disposed axially offset from the first fin section and radially outward from the first fin section relative to the axis of rotation.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a starboard support configured to support an upper structure and comprising: a starboard strut comprising a starboard lower sleeve disposed at a lower end of the starboard strut; and a starboard lower fin configured to be secured to a common structure and configured to fit within and cooperate with the starboard lower sleeve to enable the starboard strut to pivot about a lower common axis of rotation at a starboard lower pivot joint; and   a port support configured to support the upper structure and comprising: a port strut comprising a port lower sleeve disposed at a lower end of the port strut; and a port lower fin configured to be secured to the common structure and configured to fit within and cooperate with the port lower sleeve to enable the port strut to pivot about the lower common axis of rotation at a port lower pivot joint;   wherein the starboard strut and the port strut are canted towards each other and when pivoting each maintains a respective cant angle that is less than 90° relative to the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a starboard base comprising the starboard lower fin and configured to be secured to the common structure; and   a port base comprising the port lower fin and secured to the common structure.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the common structure comprises a hull of a boat. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the starboard support further comprises: a starboard upper sleeve disposed at an upper end of the starboard strut; and a starboard upper fin configured to be secured to the upper structure and configured to fit within and cooperate with the starboard upper sleeve to enable the upper structure to pivot about an upper common axis of rotation;
 wherein the port support further comprises: a port upper sleeve disposed at an upper end of the port strut; and a port upper fin configured to be secured to the upper structure and configured to fit within and cooperate with the port upper sleeve to enable the upper structure to pivot about the upper common axis of rotation; and   wherein the upper common axis of rotation is parallel to the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the starboard lower fin comprises a first lower fin section;   wherein the starboard lower sleeve comprises a first lower sleeve section that sandwiches the first lower fin section therein; and   wherein the first lower fin section guides the first lower sleeve section to ensure the starboard strut maintains the cant angle while pivoting about the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first lower fin section defines first lower fin section contact surfaces that extend circumferentially relative to the lower common axis of rotation; and   wherein the first lower sleeve section defines first lower sleeve section contact surfaces that sandwich therebetween the first lower fin section contact surfaces and that cooperate with the first lower fin section contact surfaces to ensure the starboard strut maintains the cant angle while pivoting about the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein in a cross section taken at a plane that extends radially from and axially along the lower common axis of rotation:
 the first lower fin section contact surfaces define a first lower fin section contact surfaces cross-sectional profile; and   the first lower sleeve section contact surfaces define a first lower sleeve section contact surfaces cross-sectional profile that at least partially mirrors a shape of the first lower fin section contact surfaces cross-sectional profile.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first lower fin section contact surfaces comprise two first lower fin section surfaces that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the lower common axis of rotation; and   wherein the first lower sleeve section contact surfaces comprise two first lower sleeve section surfaces that are parallel to the two first lower fin section surfaces.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the starboard lower fin further comprises a second lower fin section that is connected to the first lower fin section, that is disposed axially offset from the first lower fin section along the lower common axis of rotation in a direction of a cant of the starboard strut, and that is disposed radially outward from the first lower fin section relative to the lower common axis of rotation;   wherein the starboard lower sleeve further comprises a second lower sleeve section that sandwiches the second lower fin section therein; and   wherein the second lower fin section guides the second lower sleeve section to ensure the starboard strut maintains the cant angle while pivoting about the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a starboard base comprising the starboard lower fin and configured to be secured to the common structure;   wherein the starboard base, the starboard lower fin, and the starboard strut are all canted in the direction of the cant of the starboard strut;   wherein the first lower fin section defines first lower fin section contact surfaces that are configured to contact the first lower sleeve section and that are oriented perpendicular to the lower common axis of rotation; and   wherein the second lower fin section defines second lower fin section contact surfaces that are configured to contact the second lower sleeve section and that are oriented perpendicular to the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the starboard lower fin further comprises a third lower fin section that is connected to the second lower fin section, that is disposed axially offset from the second lower fin section along the lower common axis of rotation in the direction of the cant of the starboard strut, and that is disposed radially outward from the second lower fin section relative to the lower common axis of rotation;   wherein the starboard lower sleeve further comprises a third lower sleeve section that sandwiches the third lower fin section therein; and   wherein the third lower fin section guides the third lower sleeve section to ensure the starboard strut maintains the cant angle while pivoting about the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a starboard base comprising the starboard lower fin and configured to be secured to the common structure;   wherein the starboard base, the starboard lower fin, and the starboard strut are all canted in the direction of the cant of the starboard strut;   wherein the first lower fin section defines first lower fin section contact surfaces that are configured to contact the first lower sleeve section and that are oriented perpendicular to the lower common axis of rotation; and   wherein the second lower fin section defines second lower fin section contact surfaces that are configured to contact the second lower sleeve section and that are oriented perpendicular to the lower common axis of rotation.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a support configured to support an upper structure and comprising:
 a strut comprising a sleeve disposed at a lower end of the strut; and 
 a base configured to be secured to the strut via a pivot joint therebetween, to be secured to a common structure, and comprising a fin configured to fit within and cooperate with the sleeve to enable the strut to pivot about an axis of rotation of the pivot joint while maintaining a cant angle that is less than 90° relative to the axis of rotation; 
   wherein the fin comprises a first fin section that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation and a second fin section that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation, wherein the second fin section is connected to the first fin section, is disposed axially offset from the first fin section in a first direction along the axis of rotation, and is disposed radially outward from the first fin section relative to the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve comprises a first sleeve section that sandwiches the first fin section therein, and a second sleeve section that sandwiches the second fin section therein. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , the fin further comprising:
 a third fin section that is connected to the second fin section, that is disposed axially offset from the second fin section along the axis of rotation in the first direction, and that is disposed radially outward from the second fin section relative to the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sleeve comprises a first sleeve section that sandwiches the first fin section therein, a second sleeve section that sandwiches the second fin section therein, and a third sleeve section that sandwiches the third fin section therein. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first fin section comprises two first fin section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the sleeve;
 wherein the second fin section comprises two second fin section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the sleeve; and   wherein the third fin section comprises two third fin section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the sleeve.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the sleeve comprises:
 two first sleeve section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the two first fin section surfaces;   two second sleeve section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the two second fin section surfaces; and   two third sleeve section surfaces that are parallel to each other, that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and that are configured to contact the two third fin section surfaces.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve comprises a wear pad in contact with the first fin section. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the strut, the base, and the fin are all canted in the first direction.