Patent Application
20200148087
Kayakers face one critical dilemma: transporting their kayak to the water. This is most challenging over soft sand and more daunting still if it means slogging uphill on the way back. A kayak cart should provide an easy, workable solution. However, kayakers expend so much energy with cart problems that it limits their enjoyment on the water and amount of time they can actually spend kayaking. This problem is pervasive for many women and for older persons or those with injuries or physical limitations. It presents barriers to youth participation. And even healthy and strong people struggle and get frustrated.
The poor functioning of kayak carts that dominant the market is the Achilles heel of an industry that has nonetheless experienced extraordinary growth over the last 25 years and a great deal of innovation in kayak design and material.
A number of equipment problems related to the main types of kayak carts on the market have produced these difficulties. One source of the problems concerns the way the cart is secured to the kayak. This is typically done with straps that have to be fed through metal teeth (a tedious routine) or sometimes with bungie cords. The kayak can slip from the cart with either system. The bungie cords can also stretch so much that the cart ends up far behind the kayak. A common cart design that uses the straps also has problems with stability. It tends to collapse on loading or while loading is underway.
Another source of problems concerns the position of the carts. Most are designed to go toward the rear of the kayak. This includes carts that use uprights to pass through the rear scuppers on Sit-on-Top kayaks. That means the kayaker, who will have to pull the boat from a handle at the very front, will end up bearing nearly the whole weight of the kayak instead of the cart carrying the load. Carts that go under the very end of the kayak cause even more strain.
Many carts weigh 7 to 12 pounds, adding to the weight load. Wheels designed especially for sand help move the kayak more easily, but not much if the cart is under the end of the boat.
Meanwhile, there are very few kayak cart models on the market for Sit-Inside kayaks that use the sand wheels. The carts sold for this kind of kayak also typically go under the stern; or if they can be placed under the mid-section of the kayak, they are often the type that is prone to collapse.
The present invention addresses these shortcomings of the art by providing an improved cart for transporting a kayak or other aquatic vessel. The kayak cart includes at least two wheels arranged on an axle, a frame including support posts to support the kayak and a pair of ties having wheel chocks arranged thereon to help stabilize the cart on loading and to secure the kayak to the cart quickly and dependably. The kayak cart is configured to be lightweight for ease of use and can be disassembled for easy storage.
In accordance with the present application, a cart for transporting an aquatic vessel is provided, comprising: an axle, at least two wheels arranged on the axle, a frame having support posts extending from the frame configured to support an aquatic vessel, at least two elongated ties secured to the frame or the support posts, each of the at least two elongated ties having a wheel chock arranged thereon configured to be removably placed adjacent to one of the at least two wheels to stabilize the cart at rest, and a kickstand.
In one embodiment of the cart, the frame comprises an elongated member and the support posts comprise at least two support posts secured to and extending from the elongated member. Each of the at least two support posts may be T-shaped support posts comprising an upright post secured to the frame and a cross post secured to the upright post, wherein the cross post comprises padding arranged thereon. In additional embodiments, each of the at least two T-shaped support posts may also be removable from the frame, have an adjustable height, and/or comprise a hook element, each hook element configured to receive an end of one of the at least two elongated ties. In a further embodiment, each of the at least two T-shaped support posts may also be rotatable at least 90 degrees relative to the elongated member
In a further embodiment of the cart, which may be in addition or alternative to the aforementioned embodiments, the kickstand extends from at least one of the cross post of at least one of the T-shaped support posts. In one such embodiment, the kickstand comprises: a foot at a first end of the kickstand and a swivel joint at an intermediate portion of the kickstand adjacent to the cross post configured to enable rotational movement of the kickstand, and the kickstand is configured to be retractable into and out of a hollow passage formed through the cross post. In a further such embodiment, the kickstand further comprises a flange at a second end of the kickstand disposed within the hollow passage, wherein the flange has a greater diameter than a lip or throat in the hollow passage formed through the cross post. In alternative embodiments, the kickstand is attached to the elongated member of the frame in between the support posts, or in between one of the support posts and one of the wheels.
In a further embodiment of the cart, which may be in addition or alternative to the aforementioned embodiments, the axle is received in the elongated member of the frame and may be secured to the frame by a spring release button clip. In certain embodiments, the axle has an adjustable length.
In a still further embodiment of the cart, which may be in addition or alternative to the aforementioned embodiments, the wheels are attached to the axle with a quick release pin and the wheels comprise a bushing configured to receive the axle. The cart may further comprise in additional embodiments, a coupling attached to the end of the axle configured to accommodate wheels of variable sizes.
In another embodiment of the cart, which may be in addition or alternative to the aforementioned embodiments, the at least two elongated ties are made of a flexible and moldable material, such as a material comprising a wire interior and an exterior comprising a gripping surface. The wheel chocks may also comprise a surface having a plurality of bumps, groove or projections thereon to providing a gripping surface, and the wheel chocks are configured to grip a side of the aquatic vessel during transport of the aquatic vessel on the cart.
The cart 100 of the present application will now be described with reference made to
In a preferred embodiment shown in the Figures, the cart 100 comprises two wheels 110, an axle 120, and a frame 130 including two uprights posts 140, each post 140 having a landing support bar 141 to support the bottom of the kayak 200.
The kayak cart 100 comprises a pair of wheels 110 arranged on an axle 120. In preferred embodiments of the cart 100, as shown for example in
The wheels 110 of the kayak cart 100 may be attached to the axle 120 with a quick release pin 111, as shown for example in
In the embodiments of the cart 100 shown for example in
The cart 100 can comprise a coupling/extender 114 that is the same diameter as the wheel bushing 112. An example of the coupling/extender 114 is shown in
The axle 120 of the kayak cart 100 may be a rod of an anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or another metal or plastic material. The cart 100 is also provided with a frame 130 that is configured to receive the axle 120 and support the kayak 200 during use of the cart 100. The frame 130 includes a hollow elongated section, arranged between the wheels 110, which is configured to receive the axle 120.
In alternate embodiments of the cart 100, the axle 120 may have an adjustable length, as shown in
The frame 130 can be fixed to the axle 120 using a double spring button clip 131. The frame 130 may be formed from hollow tubing, such as aluminum, stainless steel or PVC pipe having a diameter of 0.75 inches, or an alternate diameter configured to receive the axle 120. In alternative embodiments of the cart 100, the frame 130 may be made from other materials.
In certain embodiments of the cart 100, such as shown in
The frame 130 also comprises at least two upright support posts 140 that are configured to support the kayak 200 during use of the kayak cart 100. In a preferred embodiment shown in the Figures, the posts 140 are T-shaped with padded, support bars 141 arranged on the top of the posts 140. The posts 140 and supporting cross bars 141 may be made of a similar or different materials as the frame, including for example PVC pipe, anodized aluminum tube or stainless steel tube having a diameter of 0.5 or 0.75 or 1 inch. In embodiments in which the cross bars 141 are made from a hollow tube, the cross bars 141 may include end caps arranged over the hollow openings to close off the tubing. In embodiments of the cart 100 including wheels 110 having a diameter of nine inches, the upright posts 140 may have a height of at least 4.5 inches from the top surface of the frame 130 to the bottom surface of the cross bar 141.
The posts 140 can be permanently connected to the frame 130 or can be connected in a way that enables the posts 140 to be removed. In one embodiment shown in the Figures, each of the posts 140 can be attached to the frame 130 by way of a T-shaped snap clip 143, which has an opening to receive an end of the post 140 and a perpendicular section having a lengthwise opening that allows the clip 143 to snap onto or off of the frame 130. In other embodiments, each of the posts 140 can attached to the frame 130 by way of a T-shaped connector, which is similarly configured to the snap clip 143 but does not have a lengthwise opening, and the connector positioned on the frame 130 or removed from the frame 130 when one of the wheels 110 is removed from the axle 120. In alternative embodiments, the posts 140 can be removably attached to the frame 130 in other manners, such as by way of a screw thread arrangement, a press fit arrangement, or other suitable locking arrangements known in the art. In a further embodiment, the cart 100 has an axle 120 made of aluminum or stainless steel, for example, on which the posts 140 are directly attached, and the cross-posts 141 are in turn attached to the posts 140.
Each of the posts 140 can also be permanently connected to the perpendicular cross bar 141 or can be connected in a way that enables the posts 140 and cross bars to be separated. In one embodiment shown in the Figures, each the posts 140 can be connected to a cross bar 141 to the frame 130 by way of a T-shaped connector 144, which has an opening to receive an end of the post 140 and a hollow perpendicular section configured to receive the cross bar 141. Alternatively, the T-shaped connector 144 may be a snap-clip, having a lengthwise opening that allows the clip to snap onto or off of the cross bar 141. In alternative embodiments, the post 140 can be removably attached to cross bar 141 in other manners, such as by way of a screw thread arrangement, a press fit arrangement, or other suitable locking arrangements known in the art.
As shown in the embodiments illustrated in
The cross bars 141 of the posts 140 can be covered in a foam material 142, or another soft or padded material 142 known in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the foam or other padding 142 covering the cross bar 141 has a surface texture that is configured to provide a gripping effect on the kayak 200 to aid in preventing the kayak 200 from sliding off of the support bars 141. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the padded cross bars 141 have a diameter of approximately 2.25 inches and a length of approximately 10 inches.
The cart 100 further comprises an eyehook 148 on each upright post 140 to anchor a tie 150 under each cross-bar 141. The eyehook 148 may be affixed to the post 140 by inserting a threaded end of the eyehook 148 through an opening in one side of the post 140 and securing the eyehook 148 in place with a nut 149 over the threaded end on the opposite side of the post 140.
The tie 150 is used to secure the cart 100 to the kayak 200, as shown for example in
In a preferred embodiment, the tie 150 is made of a flexible but moldable material. The ties 150 utilized in the cart 100 may include GEAR TIE brand tie products made by Nite Ize, Inc., including those described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,776,322, 8,387,216 and 8,806,723, which may include a rubber exterior and a wire interior. The outer material of the tie 150 preferably comprises a rough exterior configured to provide a grip on the kayak 200, while the material of the tie 150 is also deformable, such that it is possible to mold and twist the tie 150 into many shapes that can be retained by the tie 150. The ties 150 can be attached and removed from the kayak 200 in seconds.
The tie 150 is also affixed to a sliding wheel chock 160 made from silicone or similar gripping material. The silicone chock 160 may comprise a plurality of bumps or projections that provide a gripping surface on the chock 160. Both the tie 150 and wheel chock 160 can be used to stabilize the cart 100 during loading. The chocks 160 can be arranged under the wheels 110 during loading of the kayak 200 to prevent the wheels 110 from moving during the loading of the kayak 200. The chock 160 is also configured to grip a side of the kayak 200 during transport, as shown for example in
In an alternative embodiment of the cart 100, shown in
The cart 100 can be stored as one piece on top of the kayak 200, as shown for example in
During loading, the cart 100 is preferably positioned under the mid-point of the weight of the kayak 200. This makes pulling the kayak 200 almost effortless. To load the kayak 200 on the cart 100, the cart 100 should be angled into the kayak 200 at about 20 degrees from the centerline, so that when the kayak 200 is placed on top, it is lined up and ready to be transported. The kayak 200 can be loaded onto the cart 100 by picking up the rear of the kayak 200 about one foot off the ground and moving it over top of the cart 100. It is also possible to engage the kickstand 170, 172, 174 to stabilize the cart 100, and the lift the kayak 200 into the air, and place it directly onto the cart 100 from above. The ties 150 of the cart 100 are secured to the kayak 200 as previously described so that the cart 100 and kayak 200 are secured together for transportation.
In a preferred embodiment, the cart 100 weighs approximately three to four pounds. It is ergonomic to carry in the hand, compact, and almost effortless to load, unload, and pull a kayak 200, or store on deck or in a hatch 210. The cart with polyurethane wheels 110 is also configured to float in the water. The cart 100 is stable and tracks straight even in soft sand.
An alternative, “heavy duty” version of the cart may also be provided, which may have a 1 inch, ½ inch or ¾ inch axle bushing 112, 11-12 inch diameter polyurethane balloon wheels 110, and overall axle length of 32 inches (extendable to about 35 inches). The rest of cart frame 130 would be proportional to these dimensions, including posts 140 having a lowest setting at least 2.5 inches higher than on the smaller cart 100.
Although the embodiments of the cart 100 are described herein in combination with a kayak 200, the cart 100 may be used to transport any number of aquatic vessels, including but not limited to canoes, small boats, and other watercraft.
While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/743,694 filed Oct. 10, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62743694 | Oct 2018 | US |
