Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Seat and foot support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-02
2001-10-16
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Seat and foot support
C160S333000, C297S184140, C004S460000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302053
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to equipment usable on movable platforms, such as watercraft, to enhance usage and convenience of such vehicles. More particularly, the invention pertains to a vehicle mountable, changing or privacy enclosure which can easily be deployed or stowed away without taking up valuable vehicle space when not in use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Movable platforms, such as watercraft, are very popular and extensively used for both commercial and recreational purposes. Watercraft usually have a size and a shape which promote efficiency of usage of the available square footage of deck. Despite manufacturing advances which incorporate resins and glass fibers along with associated construction techniques, it is at times difficult to cost justify increasing the size of the given craft merely to provide a heightened level of convenience or ease of use.
Watercraft are often used for extended recreational and vacation trips on both inland lakes, and waterways as well as along various coasts, as typified by the intercostal waterway. Certain types of watercraft, such as pontoon boats, are cost effectively constructed without enclosed cabins. There are times when on day trips or longer overnight trips that it would be useful and convenient for an individual riding such watercraft to have a cabin or other area of privacy available for changing or for other purposes. It is not at all unusual in recreational boating for the users to wrap themselves in towels for changing purposes while on the water or to temporarily tie up at a marina to use publicly available facilities.
To improve boating enjoyment and convenience, it would be useful and desirable to be able to temporarily provide a changing enclosure or region of privacy on watercraft which do not have cabins. It would also be preferable to provide such functionality without permanently occupying portions of the available deck space when the facility is not being used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for deploying and then storing away a changing enclosure or region of privacy, mountable on a movable platform such as a watercraft, includes a pivotable assembly, such as a hinge, for attaching the apparatus to a transom or other portion of the watercraft. An integral seat and transom cover are carried on a pivotable bracket which is attached to the hinge.
The seat can be rotated downwardly, toward the deck of the craft, to a stable position corresponding to normal sitting position. When so-located, individuals on the watercraft can sit or use the seat for its normal purpose. In this configuration, the enclosure is stored out of the way and out of sight.
The seat, the portion of the transom cover, and attached bracket can be rotated upwardly, away from the deck, to a second, stable position. In this position, the seat has been tipped back relative to the deck and can no longer be used for its normal purpose.
A curtain hoop, rotatably attached to the bottom of the seat, can be rotated from its stored position, adjacent to and extending along the bottom of the seat, to an extended position substantially perpendicular thereto. In this position, an opaque, planar, flexible fabric member, perhaps formed of a selected plastic, will extend substantially vertical to the deck of the craft supported to form an enclosed region formed by the hoop.
The fabric can be opened, such as by unzipping same, and moved aside to enable a boater to enter the enclosed region. The fabric can then be reclosed, such as by zipping it shut, thereby forming an enclosed private region adjacent to the bottom of the seat wherein a boater can change clothes or carry out any other desired function.
When finished, the boater can exit the enclosed region, and restow the enclosing fabric adjacent to the bottom of the seat. The assembly can then be rotated downwardly toward the deck restowing the fabric under the seat and out of the way. The seat can then be used for normal purposes.
In one embodiment, shock absorbers, such as gas struts, coupled between the bracket and adjacent transom areas can be used to keep the assembly in an upright position when in use. Similarly, the curtain hoop or loop can be springloaded with a biasing member, such as a gas strut, to maintain the fabric in an extended position while in use.
It will be understood that a variety of fabrics or fabric configurations can be supported on the hoop, a substantially U-shaped member, without departing form the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4883016 (1989-11-01), Larson
patent: 5029348 (1991-07-01), Boren
patent: 5862540 (1999-01-01), Chuan
Kobe Keith Arnold
Seconsky Anthony J.
Tomczak Joseph B.
Basinger Sherman
Maurell Products, Inc.
Rockey Milnamow & Katz Ltd.
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