Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Protective cover or shield
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-01
2002-03-19
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Protective cover or shield
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357379
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to temporary shelters or enclosures for watercraft vehicles and, more particularly, a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle which includes a roof adapted to be ejected and deployed from the floor of a flybridge and sidewalls raised from the hull of the watercraft vehicle. Moreover, the sidewalls are formed of stackable and linked independent sections which, when deployed, maintain a vertically erect sidewall and, when retracted, are generally concealed under the gunnel or floor of the watercraft vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Millions of dollars are spent building watercraft vehicles which are able to either cruise or fish. Some fishing boats have a cabin area which may be at least partially enclosed and an open stern to permit fishing. Additionally, some fishing boats have an elevated flybridge from which the boat may be navigated. These fishing boats are not manufactured with the same amenities as a yacht designed for cruising, Yachts for cruising typically provide for a fully enclosed cabin and stern.
Several devices have been patented which are directed to temporary watercraft enclosures.
PCT WO 94/06676, entitled “A COVER DEVICE” (international publication date Mar. 31, 1994), describes a cover device comprised of a fastening arch which seems to be secured to the hull of the boat. The fastening arch has coupled thereto a plurality of cover sheets which, when in a non-extracted position, are inside the fastening arch. Some of the cover sheets are adapted to be manually pulled or automatically extracted forward to the front portion of the boat (the visor). The remaining cover sheets are adapted to be manually pulled or automatically extracted rearward to the end of the hull and secured thereto via a strip. In one embodiment of the cover device, the cover sheets can be automatically extracted and retracted by means of a motor or the like.
The device of PCT 94/06676 appears to open and close along an arc thus forming a dome. The dome does not appear to enclose all of the potential “cabin-space” that exists between the stern portion of a flybridge and the stern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,411, issued to Wick, entitled “HATCH FOR BOAT”, describes a hatch assembly which is adapted to be slid in and out of the hatch cover. The hatch assembly includes a roof, a hinged front wall and hinged sidewalls. The hatch assembly is described as capable of being slid from three positions. In the first position, the roof is in a retracted position under the hatch cover. Sliding the hatch assembly rearward to the third position allows the hatch assembly to be raised. In other words, as the roof is slid rearward from under the hatch cover, the front wall is capable of being raised so that it becomes vertical. Thereafter, the sidewalls can be pulled out by hand and dropped into a vertical position. In an alternate embodiment, the Wick patent describes the addition of a rear wall. While the Wick patent provides a roof which is slid rearward in substantially the horizontal plane, the arrangement of the hatch assembly requires that the sidewalls, when retracted, be substantially parallel to the horizontal plane and are manually pulled down (rotated) to the vertical plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,438, issued to Richardson, Jr. et al., entitled “APPARATUS FOR FLEXIBLE MARINE WINDOWS,” is primarily directed to an apparatus to prevent singeing of the transparent material forming the windows of a temporary shelter for a marine vessel. However, the Richardson, Jr. et al. patent describes and illustrates the details of the temporary shelter with respect to the rear end of the vessel's hull. The temporary shelter includes a canvas roof and a plurality of side panels having windows, which are capable of being supported by a supporting framework. However, the framework of the Richardson, Jr. et al. appears to be fixed and not deployable. Further, Richardson, Jr. et al. does not describe an automatically deployable enclosure assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,762, issued to Hage, entitled “SLIDING TOP” describes a sliding top movable lengthwise of the hull. The sliding top is defined by two U-shaped sections which are slidably engaged with two parallel track formations. It should be further noted that the sliding top, in general, comprises sides having transparent panels; and, that the sides and roof form a unitary piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,663,347, issued to Miller, entitled “MARINE VESSEL,” describes a marine vessel having a permanent enclosure. This enclosure is described as having a door and a plurality of transparent panels. Miller does not teach deployment or retraction of the enclosure assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,016, issued to Hansen, entitled “COLLAPSIBLE FRAME STRUCTURE FOR BOAT ROOF” discloses a collapsible frame structure made of hollow aluminum tubing which is adapted to support a flexible covering to form a convertible top over the cockpit of the boat. The frame structure includes pivotal connections which allow the convertible top to be opened and closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,312, issued to Bouvart, entitled “CONVERTIBLE CRAFT,” discloses a removable stem which is adapted to cover the navigation cabin. The removable stem is coupleable between the visor and the frame.
Japanese Patent No. 55-72490, issued to Yui, entitled “CONFIGURATION ON DECK OF FRP SMALL BOAT” describes and illustrates an enclosure for a deck of a boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,601, issued to Robbins, entitled “CANOPY FOR PICKUP TRUCKS” describes a canopy for pickup trucks which includes, in general, a unitary structure (defined by a roof and side panels) which is made of a tough, optically transparent plastic. The rear panel includes a hinged swinging window.
There is a need for a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for use on a watercraft vehicle such as a fishing boat that permits the best of both cruising and fishing and which can be deployed and retracted on-demand, manually or automatically.
Further there is a continuing need to provide a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which provides a cabin-like area in an otherwise open stern of a vessel.
Moreover, there is a continuing need for a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which transforms a sportfishing vessel into a motor yacht vessel on-demand.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior temporary shelters or enclosures for watercraft vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of the retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems in a straight forward and simple manner.
Broadly, what is provided is a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft vehicle wherein the watercraft vehicle comprises a cabin, a hull, a gunnel, a stern and a flybridge. The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which comprises: a retractable/deployable roof secured and stored under the flybridge and adapted to be deployed in a horizontal plane therefrom; a plurality of retractable/deployable sidewalls disposed in a vertical plane wherein the plurality of sidewalls has a fully raised position, a partially raised position and a lowered position; and, a hydraulic lift system adapted to lift the plurality of sidewalls vertically to one of the partially raised position and the fully raised position and, alternately, lower the plurality of sidewalls to the lowered position.
The present invention contemplates a retractable/deployable enclosure assembly which comprises a plurality of retractable/deployable sidewalls which comprises: framed sidewall sections in side-by-side relation wherein each framed sidewall section has parallel vertical sides hingedly coupled together via pivot links which sequentially train adjacent framed sidewall section to unfold and lift or, alternately, fold and retract sequentially one-by-one said frame sidewall sections.
The present invention contemp
Areaux Raymond G.
Swinehart Ed
Valez Lisa
LandOfFree
Retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retractable/deployable enclosure assembly for a watercraft... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2887924