Components of inflatable objects

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6283056
  • Patent Number
    6,283,056
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, May 25, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 4, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
Boats having one or more inflatable inner members or tubes incorporated into their fenders are described herein. Also described are valve assemblies for use with such inner tubes, the assemblies permitting relatively easy removal of the inner tubes when necessary as well as inflation and deflation thereof.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to fixtures for use in connection with inflatable objects and more particularly for valves or other components connected to inner tubes of inflatable boats.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,978 to Garnier, incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, illustrates an exemplary boat having inflatable tubes as fenders and, among other components, a transom. The tubes of the boat are designed to be inflated with air to make the boat buoyant in water. The transom, to which an outboard motor may be fitted, typically is formed of wood or another sturdy material such as (but not limited to) metal.




Because in use the exteriors of the tubes contact multiple objects, their puncture and wear characteristics may be significant. To reduce the likelihood of premature puncture or wear of many tubes, manufacturers coat or cover them with puncture-inhibiting chemicals or fabrics. Alternatively or additionally, manufacturers may fill the tubes with foam (rather than air) to minimize their buoyancy loss should the tubes be punctured or torn. U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,436 to Hansen describes certain variations of such foam-filled tubes, calling them “stabilizing members.” Notwithstanding inclusion of buoyant foam in the members, the boats of the Hansen patent may nevertheless need the exteriors of the stabilizing members to be coated or covered “with a protective material, such as a rubber, liquid vinyl or some other plastic material” to “increase damage tolerance.” See Hansen, col. 6, 11. 21-25.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,685 to Hemphill, et al., also incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, describes additional foam-collared boats. Disclosed in the Hemphill patent are two coatings for the collars, preferably a urethane elastomer for use as one coating and two-component polyurethane system for the other. Both coatings are detailed as being capable of providing at least some abrasion-resistance, with the first above-described coating also designed to supply “strength” and “elongation.” See Hemphill, col. 4, 11. 28-64.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides alternative methods of enhancing the damage resistance of objects such as boats, particularly those having inflatable tubes or “fenders.” Rather than filling foam into the fenders, the present invention incorporates one or more inflatable inner members or tubes into the fenders Additionally included as part of the invention is an innovative valve assembly, which facilitates inflation and deflation of the inner tubes.




Thus, rather than requiring the tubular fenders to be coated or covered with further protective material, the present invention permits the fenders themselves to function as protective material for the inflatable inner tubes. The fenders may, of course, be coated or covered for additional protection. Nevertheless, such coating or covering is not absolutely necessary for satisfactory damage resistance.




Inner tubes of the invention typically are inserted within the fenders and inflated so that the fenders fit snugly about them. However, because the fenders themselves are usually sealed (or nearly so) from the ambient environment, removal of the inner tubes from the fenders for repair, replacement, addition of air, or otherwise may be difficult. The invention therefore includes a valve assembly adapted for connection to both the inner tubes and fenders and which facilitates removal of the inner tubes when necessary.




In use, a valve assembly is attached to its associated inner tube, preferably (although not necessarily) near an end thereof. As attached, the valve assembly and inner tube combination presents a combined object capable of being sealed and thereby isolated from its ambient external environment. By opening a valve formed as part of the assembly, air (or other fluid) may be caused to flow into or out of the inner tube, hence inflating or deflating it.




Unlike existing devices, the valve assembly of the present invention also may be connected to the outer fenders and have portions detached therefrom without opening the valve. Stated differently, even after an inner tube is inserted into a fender and inflated, it may easily be deflated and removed from the fender merely by grasping part of the assembly and pulling to withdraw it from the corresponding fender. The present invention thus permits both facile removal of the inner tubes from a boat or other object and inflation and deflation thereof.




After removal of the detachable portion of the assembly and the inner tube connected thereto, the associated fender will have an opening large enough to reinsert an (uninflated) inner tube—either the same inner tube or, if the original inner tube is to be replaced, a new one. Because the inner tubes typically are elongated, the end of each inner tube opposite the assembly advantageously may have an end of a cord connected to it, with the other end of the cord capable of being pulled to draw the inner tube the length of the interior of the fender. This permits the shape of the inserted inner tube to match more closely that of the associated fender so as to facilitate inflating the inner tube therein.




It thus is an object of the present invention to provide inflatable inner tubes and associated valve assemblies for objects including boats.




It is also an object of the present invention to provide inflatable boats having enhanced damage-resistance without resort to use of foam or protective coatings or coverings for the fenders.




It is an additional object of the present invention to provide alternate valve assemblies for inflatable objects, the assemblies facilitating inflation and deflation of the inner tubes.




It is a further object of the present invention to provide valve assemblies adapted for connection jointly to both an inner tube and a corresponding fender and having a portion detachable from at least the fender to allow withdrawal of the inner tube from within the fender.




Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an exemplary boat of the present invention.





FIG. 2A

is a plan view of the outer base of a valve assembly of the present invention for use as part of the boat of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 2B

is a cross-sectional view of the outer base of

FIG. 2A

taken a along lines B—B of that figure.





FIG. 2C

is a cross-sectional view of the outer base of

FIG. 2A

taken along lines C—C of that figure.





FIG. 3A

is a plan view of the inner base of the valve assembly of present invention for use as part of the boat of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3B

is a cross-sectional view of the inner base of

FIG. 3A

taken along lines B—B of that figure.





FIG. 3C

is a cross-sectional view of the inner base of

FIG. 3A

taken along lines C—C of that figure.





FIG. 4A

is a side view of an inflatable inner tube of the present invention.





FIG. 4B

is a cross-sectional view of the inner tube of FIG.


4


A.





FIG. 5A

is a plan view of an external fitting of the valve assembly of the present invention for use as part of the boat of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 5B

is a cross-sectional view of the external fitting of

FIG. 5A

taken along lines B—B of that figure.





FIG. 5C

is a cross-sectional view of the external fitting of

FIG. 5A

taken along lines C—C of that figure.





FIG. 6A

is a side view of a fender of the boat of the present invention.





FIG. 6B

is a cross-sectional view of the fender of FIG.


6


A.





FIG. 7A

is a plan view of a ring of the valve assembly of the present invention for use as part of the boat of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 7B

is a cross-sectional view of the ring of

FIG. 7A

taken along lines B—B of that figure.





FIG. 7C

is a cross-sectional view of the ring of

FIG. 7A

taken along lines C—C of that figure.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Illustrated in

FIG. 1

is an exemplary boat


10


of the present invention. Boat


10


of

FIG. 1

includes two fenders


14


(denoted


14


A and


14


B), one forming each of the port and starboard sides thereof, and floor


18


. Optionally additionally included as part of boat


10


may be transom


22


, which if desired may comprise inflatable portion


26


and non-inflatable portion


30


, and generally frusto-conically-shaped segments


34


typically (but not necessarily) integrally formed with fenders


14


A and


14


B. Yet other options for boat


10


shown in

FIG. 1

include D-ring assemblies


38


, through which cord


42


may be strung to facilitate handling of boat


10


, and oar locks


46


. Assemblies


38


and locks


46


typically are attached to each of fenders


14


A and


14


B, although

FIG. 1

affirmatively illustrates such items connected only to fender


14


B.




In preferred embodiments of boat


10


, fenders


14


A and


14


B do not permit fluid communication therebetween, rather being sealed from each other in the area near bow


50


. Such isolation is not a requirement of the invention, however, so fenders


14


A and


14


B indeed may communicate if necessary or desired. Likewise, having exactly two fenders


14


A and


14


B as part of boat


10


is not mandated by the present invention, and fewer or greater numbers of fenders may be utilized instead.




Within each of fenders


14


A and


14


B may be an inflatable inner tube


52


shown in phantom lines in FIG.


1


. Inner tube


52


is formed of a material, such as (but not limited to) polyvinyl chloride, capable of retaining air for an extended period. Inner tube


52


also may (but need not necessarily) be generally cylindrically shaped and, when inflated, abut much of the interior surface of its associated fender


14


, thus causing the fender


14


to be shaped similarly. Each of fenders


14


A and


14


B may thus form a protective cover for its associated inner tube


52


, avoiding any requirement that the fenders


14


also be covered or coated for protection. As noted earlier, however, fenders


14


can be so coated or covered if desired.




Valve assembly


54


additionally appears in FIG.


1


. Typically, each inner tube


52


of boat


10


will have connected thereto a valve assembly


54


, which permits not only inflation and deflation of the inner tube


52


, but also facilitates removing the inner tube


52


from the corresponding fender


14


. Valve assembly


54


additionally may be attached to a fender


14


(see. e.g., fender


14


A in FIG.


1


), although detachably so in order to remove inner tube


52


from within. Preferred embodiments of boat


10


include one or more valve assemblies


54


, each having portions detachably connected to fender


14


and permanently connected to an inner tube


52


.





FIGS. 2A-5C

detail components of a sample valve assembly


54


of the present invention. Illustrated in

FIGS. 2A-C

, for example, are various views of outer base


58


of assembly


54


. Outer base


58


may comprise bottom


62


and side walls


66


integrally formed therewith, with bottom


62


defining central opening


70


therein. Walls


66


, moreover, may include serrations


74


, with one more recessed areas


78


being adapted to receive complimentary trusions


80


of inner base


82


.




Indeed, shown in

FIGS. 3A-C

is inner base


82


. Like outer base


58


, inner base


82


includes bottom


86


with a central opening


90


therein as well as side walls


94


. In use, inner base


82


is inserted into outer base


58


so that bottom


86


abuts bottom


68


and side walls


94


abut side walls


66


, with protrusions


80


received by recesses


78


. As so inserted, furthermore, inner base


82


has its central opening


90


aligned with central opening


70


of outer base


58


. If desired, inner base


82


may be permanently attached to outer base


58


once inserted therein.




Additionally included in many embodiments of inner base


82


are interior walls


98


and flange


102


, the latter protruding outward from side walls


94


. Inner base


82


thus creates two distinct recesses


106


and


110


, with recess


106


being formed between side walls


94


and interior walls


98


. Recess


110


, by contrast, is the area bounded by interior walls


98


.




As fitted together, inner base


82


and outer base


58


form a structure adapted to be connected to inflatable inner tube


52


of boat


10


, as detailed in

FIGS. 4A-B

. Underside


114


or, preferably, upper side


115


of flange


102


may be welded (using RF energy or otherwise) or attached, bonded, or connected in any suitable manner to (typically) exterior surface


116


of inner tube


52


, with side walls


66


and bottom


68


extending into the interior volume of tube


52


through an opening created therein. Because of the tight (friction) fit or other attachment between inner base


82


and outer base


58


, after the structure is connected to inner tube


52


, tube


52


remains sealed from the ambient environment except at aligned openings


70


and


90


, through which fluid may enter and exit the interior volume of tube


52


.





FIG. 4-B

also illustrate valve


118


useful as part of the present invention. In some embodiments of boat


10


, valve


118


is a valve commonly known as a “Boston” valve and is fitted into openings


70


and


90


. Those skilled in the art will, of course, recognize that other appropriate valving mechanisms may be substituted for the Boston-style valve shown in

FIG. 4-B

.




Nevertheless, if a Boston valve, valve


118


may include flanged retainer


122


, which may be fitted into openings


70


and


90


with its flanges retaining it in position. Retainer


122


need not be flanged, however, and instead may be welded or otherwise formed or fitted in place in any manner suitable for the plastics materials of which valve assembly


54


preferably (although not necessarily) is made. Retainer


122


additionally may have a threaded interior bore into which valving member


126


may be inserted, and member


126


may include cap


130


which, when removed, provides access to a chamber within member


126


to which a pump or other source of pressurized fluid may be connected. To inflate tube


52


with air, therefore, one need merely remove cap


130


, attach an air source to member


126


, and allow the air to flow through member


126


and retainer


122


of valve


118


into the interior


134


of tube


52


.




Detailed in

FIGS. 5A-C

is external fitting


138


. Fitting


138


may include flange


142


and side walls


146


extending downward therefrom. Formed intermediate flange


142


and walls


146


may be recess


150


, the base


154


of which includes one or more openings


158


. Side walls


146


, further, bound an opening


162


. In use, upper side


163


A or underside


163


B of flange


142


may be welded or otherwise attached to the exterior


164


of fender


14


A or


14


B (see FIGS.


6


A-B), with side walls


146


intending into interior


166


of the fender


14


through an opening therein. When inner tube


52


likewise is positioned within interior


166


, side walls


146


are adapted to fit into and be received by recess


106


of inner base


82


. Further, as so fitted, openings


158


are aligned with corresponding openings


170


of inner base


82


, with the openings


158


and


170


receiving screws or other fasteners to fasten fitting


138


and inner base


82


together.




Such screws or fasteners additionally may penetrate openings


174


of ring


178


(

FIGS. 7A-C

) and the fabric or other material from which fenders


14


is formed. In use, ring


178


fits into recess


150


and, like fitting


138


, bounds an opening


182


. Aligned openings


182


and


162


thus provide access to the interior


166


of fender


14


A or


14


B after flange


142


is connected to exterior


164


.




To position an inner tube


52


within interior


166


, the tube


52


(in an uninflated or partially-inflated state) may be fed, or “stuffed,” through aligned openings


182


and


162


. Because inner base


82


and outer base


58


(if present) are attached to inner tube


52


, they too must be inserted through aligned openings


182


and


162


(usually simply by turning or twisting them sideways) so that they are within interior


166


. After inner base


82


and outer base


58


have been positioned within interior


166


of a fender


14


, the fasteners may be inserted through openings


174


,


170


, and


158


to fasten the respective components of valve assembly


54


together.




Thereafter, inner tube


52


may be fully inflated from outside fender


14


through valve


118


, and as tube


52


expands with inflation fluid, fender


14


will conform its shape to that of tube


52


(analogous to the fender serving as a cover for a balloon). Similarly, if inner tube


52


needs additional air pressure at some later time for enhanced buoyancy, such air can be provided merely by opening valve


118


and connecting it to a source of pressurized air (and hence without needing first to deflate inner tube


52


and remove it from within fender


14


). Although careful application of inflation fluid may minimize the possibility of inner tube


52


kinking or otherwise not engaging in uniform expansion when being filled, an elongated section of cord may also be tied to end


186


of tube


52


and protrude through an (unshown) opening of fender


14


near bow


50


, so that someone can pull the cord so as to preposition tube


52


within the length of fender


14


before commencing inflation. If indeed such cord is used, it should be long enough to extend within fender


14


approximately the entire distance between the bow and aligned openings


162


and


182


, so that neither end of the cord is lost within interior


166


when inner tube


52


is removed.




In some circumstances inner tube


52


indeed may need to be removed from fender


14


, as for repair, examination, or replacement, for example. Merely by removing the fasteners, inner base


82


and outer base


58


can be disconnected from fitting


138


and ring


178


and then (typically turned sideways and) pulled through aligned openings


162


and


182


. Because inner base


82


and outer base


58


are connected to inner tube


52


, it too is pulled through aligned openings


162


and


182


to outside fender


14


.




The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. As (non-limiting) examples of such modifications, outer base


58


may be omitted in some embodiments, while in others it may comprise a simple sleeve or cover having a cross-section generally similar to that shown in FIG.


2


C. In such embodiments, the sleeve or cover may be welded or otherwise attached to inner base


82


. Additionally, having recesses


78


and protrusions


80


is not a requirement of the invention, and such recesses


78


and protrusions


80


may be omitted if appropriate or desired.



Claims
  • 1. An inflatable boat comprising:a. a fender having an exterior surface; b. an inflatable inner tube positioned at least partially within the fender; and c. a valve assembly connected to the inner tube and fender and adapted to permit inflation thereof while the inner tube is positioned within the fender, the valve assembly comprising: i. a base attached to the inner tube; and ii. a fitting attached to both the exterior surface of the fender and the base.
  • 2. A boat according to claim 1 further comprising a transom and in which the valve assembly is connected to the fender in a portion forward of the transom.
  • 3. A boat according to claim 1 in which the base comprises a flange attached to the inner tube.
  • 4. A boat according to claim 3 in which the fitting is attached to the base using at least one removable fastener.
  • 5. A boat according to claim 4 in which the base defines an opening and the valve assembly is inserted into the opening so as to be connected to the inner tube.
  • 6. A boat according to claim 5 further comprising:a. a second fender; b. a second inflatable inner tube positioned within the second fender; and c. a second valve assembly connected to the second inflatable inner tube.
  • 7. A boat according to claim 2 in which the transom has an inflatable portion.
  • 8. An inflatable boat comprising:a. a fender having an exterior surface and defining an interior space; b. an inflatable inner member positioned at least partially within the interior space; and c. a valve assembly connected to both the inflatable inner member and the fender and comprising a valve accessible from outside the exterior surface of the fender, the valve assembly comprising: i. a component permanently connected to the inflatable inner member; and ii. a component connected to but detachable from both the inflatable inner member and the exterior surface of the fender.
  • 9. A boat according to claim 8 further comprising a transom having an inflatable portion.
  • 10. An inflatable boat comprising:a. a fender; b. an inflatable inner tube defining an interior volume and positionable at least partially within the fender; and c. a valve assembly connected in use to the inner tube and fender and adapted to permit inflation thereof while the inner tube is positioned within the fender, the valve assembly comprising: i. a base attached to the inner tube so as to extend at least partially into the interior volume, the base having a first opening and a second opening; ii. a valve fitted into the first opening; iii. an external fitting attached to the fender and having a third opening alignable in use with the second opening; and iv. means, insertable through the aligned second and third openings, for fastening together the base and external fitting.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
2639750 Phane May 1953
3935607 Cantwell et al. Feb 1976
4919067 Wenstob et al. Apr 1990
5282436 Hansen Feb 1994
5732650 Peterson Mar 1998
5878685 Hemphill et al. Mar 1999
5943978 Garnier Aug 1999