Patent Application
20240425150
Stand-up paddle boarding (or paddleboarding) is a popular and growing water sport in the United States and throughout the world, providing a fun water activity with excellent fitness and balance benefits. See, for example, “Stand Up Paddle Boarding: An Analysis of a New Sport and Recreational Activity,” Ben Schram, Bond University Doctoral Thesis, August 2015 (“Schram”). Schram notes, “ . . . the results from this research provide evidence for the anecdotal claims of the benefits for participation in this new aquatic activity of stand-up paddle boarding. Stand-up paddle boarding is associated with high levels of aerobic and anaerobic fitness, core muscle strength training, and balance. It is an enjoyable, alternative means of training with a multitude of health and fitness benefits.” A conventional stand-up paddle board (SUP) is operated by a user supported on the SUP in a standing or kneeling position. In exemplary embodiments, an SUP may have a solid or rigid board construction, for example, a foam core covered by fiberglass, carbon fiber, wood veneer, or the like, or an inflatable construction typically having a drop stitch core covered by a polymeric material, for example, polyvinyl chloride. SUPs differ from surfboards in their overall dimensions and will typically have a relatively long flat rocker (longitudinal curvature) providing better gliding, tracking, and stability.
A typical SUP outing may be much longer than a typical surfboard outing. Standing or kneeling, while propelling and balancing on an SUP for a long period of time, however, can be arduous and may deter users from taking up the sport. The paddle boarder may therefore become fatigued during longer outings and desire a rest break, or an option to continue an outing from a seated position. Also, a paddle boarder may want to pause and loiter at a particular location, for example to enjoy wildlife, scenery, and/or a lunch. Prior art SUPs are not conducive to comfortably sitting on the paddle board.
An inflatable SUP is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,834,220, to Hoge, Jr., which is hereby incorporated by reference. Hoge, Jr. discloses a main body employing a high pressure drop stitch material, with a deck formed on a top portion of the body, and a molded needle nose portion providing a V-shape bow. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 10,479,458, to Hall (hereinafter, “Hall”), which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an inflatable SUP with a separately inflatable U-shaped upper chamber fixed to a front end of the SUP. The chambers use a drop stitch construction “wherein two sheets of fabric (e.g., polyester woven support fabric or other suitable material) is joined by many (e.g., thousands) of threads of predetermined length(s).” (Hall at Col. 2, lines 40-45.)
Moreover, prior art SUPs are not configured to allow the user to propel the SUP from a seated position. It would be beneficial to provide an SUP that can be readily propelled by a user from a seated position as well as from a standing position and that is easily convertible between a seated configuration and a standing configuration.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A convertible inflatable stand-up paddle board is disclosed, having a main body member defining an aperture, a panel fixed to the main body member and covering a bottom end of the aperture; and a seat assembly disposed in the aperture. The seat assembly has a seat portion and a backrest portion, and the backrest portion is movable between (i) a folded position with a surface of the backrest portion and an upper surface of the main body member defining a standing surface for the stand-up paddle board, and (ii) an upright position wherein the backrest portion extends away from the seat portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board includes straps that attach the seat portion to the backrest portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board has a flexible panel that attaches a back end of the seat portion to the backrest portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board main body member has a uniform thickness.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board main body member is formed with a drop stitch construction.
In an embodiment the seat assembly is inflatable.
In an embodiment the first aperture comprises a square aperture with rounded corners.
In an embodiment the main body member has a second aperture and a second seat assembly disposed in the second aperture, and the second seat assembly is also movable between (i) a folded position, and (ii) an upright position.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board includes a handle fixed to an upper surf ace of the main body member.
A convertible inflatable stand-up paddle board system has a body member defining a recess configured to receive a seat assembly, the seat assembly having a seat portion and a backrest portion, and the backrest portion is movable between (i) a folded position with a surface of the backrest portion and an upper surface of the main body member defining a standing surface for the stand-up paddle board, and (ii) an upright position wherein the backrest portion extends away from the seat portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board has a plurality of straps that fixedly attach the seat portion to the backrest portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board includes a flexible panel that attaches a back end of the seat portion to the backrest portion.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board has a uniform thickness.
In an embodiment the seat assembly is inflatable.
In an embodiment the aperture is a square aperture with rounded corners.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board main body member has a second aperture, and the convertible stand-up paddle board includes a second seat assembly disposed in the second aperture. For example, the second seat assembly may also be movable between (i) a folded position, and (ii) an upright position.
In an embodiment the convertible stand-up paddle board has a handle fixed to an upper surface of the main body member to facilitate transporting the paddle board.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The main body member 102 defines a recess 108, for example, an aperture through the main body member 102. The recess 108 in this embodiment is generally rectangular with rounded corners and is centered along a longitudinal centerline of the main body member 102. A foldable seat assembly 120 is disposed in the recess 108. In
Referring now also to
A pair of oppositely disposed straps 126 (one visible in
In a current embodiment the backrest portion 122 and the seat portion 124 are also made with a drop stitch construction and include one or more inflation valves 129 (one shown) for inflating the backrest 120.
As shown in
In a currently preferred embodiment, the foldable seat assembly 120 is configured to be removable from the main body member 102. For example, in an embodiment the main body member 102 and the foldable seat assembly 120 further comprise releasable connection means, for example hook and loops fasteners, straps, adhesive panels, or the like, to releasably attach the seat assembly 120 to the main body member 102. In another embodiment the recess 108 defines an upper lip portion that has a smaller transverse dimension than other portions of the recess 108, and smaller than a corresponding transverse dimension of the seat assembly 120, such that the seat assembly is positively retained in the recess 108 by interference. In other embodiments the seat assembly is permanently affixed to the main body member 102.
Two foldable seat assemblies 120, are shown in an upright position and sized and configured to slidably engage a corresponding one of the two recesses 208 in the main body member 202. The two foldable seat assemblies 120 in the embodiment shown in
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/473,720, now allowed, which claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 63/082,921 filed Sep. 24, 2020, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63082921 | Sep 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17473720 | Sep 2021 | US |
| Child | 18426222 | US |
