Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Boarding aids
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-09
2001-02-06
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Boarding aids
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182598
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stair assembly for a watercraft and, more specifically, to a stairway having hinged step members fitted within a cavity formed in the bow, side walls or transom of a watercraft, wherein the stair assembly is movable between a compact, stowed position within the cavity and a deployed, outboard extending position to thereby permit boarding and deboarding of the watercraft.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Various stairways and ladders are well known in the marine industry to permit passage between a watercraft and a dock, body of water, adjacent vessel and the like. For instance, there are numerous types of gangways which are normally used on larger vessels to permit boarding and deboarding when the vessel is tied up along side a pier or dock. Furthermore, swim ladders are extensively used on boats of all sizes to enable passengers to climb aboard the boat from within the water.
While the various stair and ladder structures known in the industry are generally suitable for their intended purpose, there still exists a need for a stair assembly which is structured to permit easy passage when boarding and deboarding a watercraft. More particularly, there exists a need for a stair assembly which accommodates people of all ages and sizes, permitting easy boarding and deboarding from the watercraft into the water, onto a beach or onto an adjacent structure such as a dock or another vessel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a stair assembly for use on a watercraft to permit easy boarding and deboarding between the watercraft and a body of water, a beach, or a rigid structure such as a dock or adjacent vessel. The stair assembly includes one or more step members hingedly fixed to one another and to the watercraft. The step members are collapsible into a compact, stowed position so that the assembly fits within a cavity formed in the bow, side walls or transom of the watercraft. When in the stowed position, the stair assembly is integral with the surrounding bow, side wall, or transom structure. A joint between the stair assembly and hull structure is watertight, thereby providing a seaworthy structure which prevents water from entering the watercraft when travelling on the water.
The stair assembly swings open, in a rolling movement, from the stowed position to an extended, deployed position. In the deployed position, the stair assembly extends outboard of the watercraft to expose step surfaces which may be provided with a non-skid texture or paint. In the deployed position, the stair assembly can be extended into the water so that a distal free end of the stair assembly is positioned below the surface of the water. In this manner, a person swimming in the surrounding water can easily climb aboard the watercraft by walking up the stairway. Likewise, the stairway can be extended to an adjacent shoreline, a dock, or another vessel. To assist a person travelling the stair assembly, handrails may be fitted along the opposite sides, extending the length of the stair assembly.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the stair assembly is specifically structured and configured for installation on a rigid hull inflatable watercraft. In this particular embodiment, the under side of the step members are provided with a radius so that when the stair assembly is collapsed to the stowed position, the assembly assumes a cylindrical configuration which is congruent with the inflatable tube sections surrounding the watercraft. Thus, the diameter of the formed cylinder of the stair assembly is the same as the diameter of the inflatable tubes of the watercraft thereby providing an integral structure.
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Downey P.A. Robert M.
Morano S. Joseph
Vasudeva Ajay
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