Patent Application
20230322330
The field of the invention and its embodiments relates to surface transportation and more particularly to a convertible vessel.
Many vessels in today's market are designed in one of the existing categories referring to the type of deck layout used i.e. “bow rider” where the bow area is open with seating, “cuddy” where bow area has a deck, and/or “hard top” where a roof panel is rigidly attached to the boat. Further, it is currently known for a vessel to have an awning, including a rigid weather protection structure, e.g. a sunroof to cover and/or cover a covered portion of the vessel depending on the desired application. For instance, a covered helm console may be present on the open deck of a fishing boat. In another example, cockpits and cabins may be covered in passenger boats. In yet another example, it is common for work boats to have a covered deck configured to cover supplies and equipment during storage.
The layout of a vessel and its associated covered sections are heavily influenced by the application. Variation and/or reconfiguration of these covered sections may not be achievable post-production. A desire for a variation in covered sections of a vessel is currently being addressed with the use of removable canopies and/or covers being added to a vessel in an attempt to create additional shaded areas. However, removable canopies and/or covers are time consuming to install, a hardship to keep clean, may be misplaced, stolen, and/or damaged during a wind storm, and are bulky and require storage when not in use. Thus, there is a need for a vessel having convertible covered portions as per a desired application.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a system and method for storing and deploying a movable hardtop roof on a vessel is provided. A vessel may include a bow having a recess located between a first sidewall and a second sidewall. A vessel may include a panel configured to cover at least a portion of the recess. A vessel may include a console. A vessel may include at least one support structure, the at least one support structure having a first end located opposite a second end, the first end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the console, the second end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the panel, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a first orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the console, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a second orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the recess of the bow, and which also includes improvements that overcome the limitations of prior convertible vessels, is now met by a new, useful, and non-obvious invention.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vessel, including: a hull, the hull has a first sidewall located opposite a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall have a gunwale; a bow, the bow having a recess, the recess is located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall; a panel, the panel is configured to cover at least a portion of the recess; a console; and at least one support structure, the at least one support structure having a first end located opposite a second end, the first end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the console, the second end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the panel, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a first orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the console, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a second orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the recess of the bow.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vessel wherein the at least one support structure is configured to telescope from a first length to a second length.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of converting a hard-top roof of a vessel to a deck of the vessel, the method including the steps of providing the vessel including a hull, the hull has a first sidewall located opposite a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall have a gunwale; a bow, the bow having a recess, the recess is located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall; a panel, the panel is configured to cover at least a portion of the recess of the bow; a console; and at least one support structure, the at least one support structure having a first end located opposite a second end, the first end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the console, the second end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the panel; positioning the panel in a first orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the console; and positioning the panel in a second orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the recess of the bow.
Clause 1. A vessel, comprising: a hull, the hull has a first sidewall located opposite a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall have a gunwale; a bow, the bow having a recess, the recess is located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall; a panel, the panel is configured to cover at least a portion of the recess; a console; and at least one support structure, the at least one support structure having a first end located opposite a second end, the first end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the console, the second end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the panel, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a first orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the console, wherein the panel is configured to be positioned in a second orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the recess of the bow.
Clause 2. The vessel of clause 1 wherein the at least one support structure is configured to telescope from a first length to a second length.
Clause 3. A method of converting a hard-top roof of a vessel to a deck of the vessel, the method comprising the steps of providing the vessel comprising a hull, the hull has a first sidewall located opposite a second sidewall, the first sidewall and the second sidewall have a gunwale; a bow, the bow having a recess, the recess is located between the first sidewall and the second sidewall; a panel, the panel is configured to cover at least a portion of the recess of the bow; a console; and at least one support structure, the at least one support structure having a first end located opposite a second end, the first end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the console, the second end of the at least one support structure is pivotably connected to the panel; positioning the panel in a first orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the console; and positioning the panel in a second orientation when the panel covers at least a portion of the recess of the bow.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures may be identified with the same reference numerals. Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
This invention creates new category by the type of use case scenario to provide the ability to utilize the vessel as a “cruiser”, a “bow rider”, and/or a “center console.” It is within the scope of this invention for a vessel to include, but not be limited to, a ship, a watercraft, a small boat, and/or a large boat. Small craft (up to 12 m) are usually categorized by the type of use case scenario i.e. “cruiser” “bow rider” “center console” etc. Zin Boats will create a new category—a convertible, wherein the roof (hard top), is permanently attached to the deck and can be operated in upright and stowed positions. This is achieved via a mechanical device and may be operated manually and/or with power assist. The convertible category does not currently exist in production. It is within the scope of this invention for important for a dual-purpose boat configured for the method of lowering, raising, and/or securing the roof to facilitate the ability to use the boat in a plurality of reconfigurable configurations and/or orientations.
Boats traditionally are designed in one of the existing categories referring to the type of deck layout used i.e. “bow rider” where the bow area is open with seating, “cuddy” where bow area has a deck, “hard top” where a roof panel is rigidly attached to the boat. This invention creates new category by providing ability to use a vessel with a plurality of reconfigurable layouts as described above.
In an aspect, a hardtop convertible uses one rigid roof panel and mechanical arms connected at pivot points that allow for the roof to be lowered in to the bow area, thus creating a “cuddy” layout. With the roof in upright position the boat becomes a “hard top”.
In an aspect, the mechanical device configured for raising and lowering the roof may consist of at least one post. In an example, four posts are pivotably attached to the center console of the boat and the roof respectively. Arms may have gas shocks attached via cams to provide weight assistance and to make the operation possible with minimum effort. The shape of the arms is configured to allow a first arm to nest inside a second arm when oriented in a lowered position.
In an aspect, the roof may be operated using an electromechanical device.
In an aspect, the roof will lock in to deck using slides when oriented in a lowered position.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the description is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others or ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Similarly, the adjective “another,” when used to introduce an element, is intended to mean one or more elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.
Now that the invention has been described,
This application is a Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application entitled, “METHOD FOR STORING AND DEPLOYING A HARDTOP ROOF ON A BOAT,” which claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/328,211 filed Apr. 6, 2022, entitled, “METHOD FOR STORING AND DEPLOYING A HARDTOP ROOF ON A BOAT,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63328211 | Apr 2022 | US |
