Patent Application
20230356812
The present invention relates to boats using two or more pontoons, and, more particularly, to the chassis of such boats.
Certain boats (which can be referred to herein as watercraft) may include two or more pontoons as floatation devices. Boats that use two pontoons are herein referred to as pontoon boats, and boats that use three pontoons are herein referred to as tritoon boats. Pontoons are tubes (which can be referred to as floatation tubes) or hulls that are airtight and hollow so that they are able to float, and they are made of known materials.
Existing pontoon/tritoon watercraft experience problems with their chassis design. More specifically, existing pontoon/tritoon watercraft chassis designs require at least 100 man-hours to construct, suffer from poor tolerances in the construction, and experience excessive twisting of the pontoon frame system under high speed and/or rough water conditions. Such twisting results in weakening of the connective fasteners attached to the flotation tubes and the chassis, as well as of the connections between the chassis, the flooring, the furniture, the helm, the railings, the trim, the motor mounts, and other structures mounted above the chassis. Additionally, such twisting creates an unpleasant ride for the passengers, thus diminishing the ride experience.
Such chassis designs have a plurality of transverse beams coupled with each of the pontoons. Each beam extends transversely across, and thus perpendicular to, the pontoons. The pontoons extend longitudinally running fore to aft. Further, a forward-most transverse beam is attached to the forward end of the pontoons, a rearward-most transverse beam is attached to the rearward end of the pontoons, and a plurality of transverse beams are spaced apart between these forward-most and rearward-most transverse beams.
What is needed in the art is an improved, cost-effective way to mitigate the aforementioned problems associated with pontoon/tritoon watercraft.
The present invention provides a pontoon/tritoon chassis including a composite structure with various attachment features.
The invention in one form is directed to a pontoon frame system of a watercraft including a watercraft body, the pontoon frame system being coupled with the watercraft body, the pontoon frame system including: a plurality of pontoons spaced apart from one another and including a forward end, a rearward end, a first outboard pontoon, and a second outboard pontoon; and a chassis configured for being coupled with and for at least partially supporting the watercraft body, the chassis supported by and coupling together the plurality of pontoons, the chassis including a composite body coupled with the first outboard pontoon and the second outboard pontoon at the forward end and the rearward end.
The invention in another form is directed to a watercraft including: a watercraft body; and a pontoon frame system coupled with the watercraft body, the pontoon frame system including: a plurality of pontoons spaced apart from one another and including a forward end, a rearward end, a first outboard pontoon, and a second outboard pontoon; and a chassis coupled with and at least partially supporting the watercraft body, the chassis supported by and coupling together the plurality of pontoons, the chassis including a composite body coupled with the first outboard pontoon and the second outboard pontoon at the forward end and the rearward end.
The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of using a watercraft, the method including the steps of: providing that the watercraft includes: a watercraft body; and a pontoon frame system coupled with the watercraft body, the pontoon frame system including: a plurality of pontoons spaced apart from one another and including a forward end, a rearward end, a first outboard pontoon, and a second outboard pontoon; and a chassis coupled with and at least partially supporting the watercraft body, the chassis supported by and coupling together the plurality of pontoons, the chassis including a composite body coupled with the first outboard pontoon and the second outboard pontoon at the forward end and the rearward end; and floating the watercraft.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides for making a pontoon/tritoon watercraft chassis with considerably lower cost and ease of build.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a pontoon/tritoon watercraft chassis that is easier to maintain.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a pontoon/tritoon watercraft chassis that is more rigid and stable under rough water and/or high-speed operation. The chassis provides stability to an entire platform, eliminating twisting and flexing associated with known pontoon/tritoon watercraft.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
The terms “forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used herein in connection with the watercraft and/or components thereof, are usually determined with reference to the direction of forward operative travel of the watercraft, but they should not be construed as limiting. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” are determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of the watercraft and are equally not to be construed as limiting. The terms “downstream” and “upstream” are analogous to “rearward” and “forward,” respectively.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Pontoon frame system 104 incudes a plurality of pontoons 106 and a chassis 108. Pontoons 106 are spaced apart from one another in a transverse direction and extend in a longitudinal direction of watercraft 100. As is known, watercraft 100 with pontoons 106 typically includes two pontoons 106 (a pontoon boat) or three pontoons 106 (a tritoon boat). Though the figures show watercraft 100 of the present invention formed as a tritoon boat, it can be readily appreciated that the watercraft of the present invention can be formed as a pontoon boat in the figures by removing the middle pontoon (as well as features of watercraft 100 associated with the middle pontoon 106). Pontoons 106 include a forward end 110, a rearward end 112, a first outboard pontoon 114, and a second outboard pontoon 116. Regarding a tritoon boat (as shown), the outboard pontoons 114, 116 are the transverse side pontoons 106. It can be appreciated that if the watercraft has only two pontoons 106 (a pontoon boat), then the two pontoons 106 can still be deemed to be first and second outboard pontoons, respectively. Pontoons 106 include risers 120 attached thereto.
Chassis 108 of pontoon frame system 104 is coupled with and at least partially supports watercraft body 102. Chassis 108 can be coupled with watercraft body 102 in any suitable manner, though one way is shown and discussed below with respect to fasteners 324 in conjunction with
To couple together composite body 118 with pontoons 106, a plurality of risers 120 attached to pontoons 106 can be slidably received in corresponding slots 122 formed in composite body 118. Risers 120 can be made of any suitable material, such as a metal (such as aluminum, or steel), a polymer, carbon fiber, and/or fiberglass, and can be made in any suitable manner. Risers 120 are coupled with pontoons 106 in any suitable manner, such as by way of brackets, fasteners, and/or welding, and any devices making these connections can be made of any suitable material, such as aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and/or the like. A single riser 120 can be attached to a respective platoon 106 and run substantially the length of the respective pontoon 106 from forward end 110 to rearward end 112 of the pontoon 106. Alternatively, rather than a single, long riser 120, a plurality of risers 120—shorter in their longitudinal extent—can be attached to and spaced longitudinally apart from one another along the length of the respective pontoon 106 from forward end 110 to rearward end 112 of the pontoon 106. Each riser 120 can be formed with a right-angle and thus have substantially an L-shape. Further, composite body 118 can include slots 122 which matingly receive respective risers 120. Slots 122, as shown, can thus have a right-angle and thus have substantially an L-shape. These slots 122 can be formed in composite body 118 when composite body 118 is, for example, molded, or can be cut or machined into composite body 118 subsequent to molding of composite body 118. During assembly of pontoon frame system 104, risers 120 can be slidably received by slots 122, either before or after risers 120 are attached to pontoons 106.
Referring now to
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Another substantial difference is that composite body 318 includes a high-voltage battery pack 326 embedded therein. Pack 326 is thus captured within composite body 318, which is thick enough to embed such a pack 326. In this way, pack 326, being under the floor (part of watercraft body 102), is isolated from passengers above the floor. Access can be had to pack 326 in any suitable manner. Further, though pack 326 is shown in
Referring now to
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In sum, the present invention has been made in view of the complexity, material cost (typically) aluminum, and man-hours required to measure, cut, drill, and mount all of the required hardware to attach pontoons 106 (the floatation tubes) on the bottom of chassis 508, including splash pans, motor mounts, conduit and piping and other structures under the flooring, as well as the furniture, railings, trim pieces, motor mounts, helm and all other fixtures mounted on top of the floor (summarized as watercraft body 102 and/or device 530, depending upon whether fasteners 324 or recesses 528 are used).
In use, during manufacture, chassis 108, 308, 508 can be formed including a formed, molded, or cast (or other suitable way of manufacturing) structure, namely, composite body 118, 318, 518. Composite body 118, 318, 518 can be molded, for example, to include slots 122 and recesses 528 therein, and to embed fasteners 324. Any suitable manufacturing process can be used, such as any suitable forming process, molding process, or casting process, for example. Risers 120 can be slid into slots 122, either before or after attaching risers 120 to pontoons 106. Further, any additional structures associated with watercraft body 102 and/or device 530 can be connected to fasteners 324 and stored or routed in recesses 528, respectively. Devices 530 stored or routed in recesses 528 can be attached to composite body 518 in any suitable manner. Upon assembling watercraft 100, watercraft 100 can be floated or otherwise used on a body of water.
Referring now to
While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
