RETRACTABLE WINDSHIELD FOR A BOAT

Abstract

A boat has a hull and a deck supported by the hull. The deck has a rearward passenger area. A seat is disposed in the rearward passenger area. A first console is disposed on the deck at a front of the rearward passenger area and forwardly of the seat. The first console has a top. A first windshield is disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the boat. The first windshield is movable between a first position where the first windshield extends a first distance vertically above the top of the first console and a second position where at least a portion of the first windshield extends a second distance vertically below the top of the first console. When the first windshield is in the second position the at least one portion of the first windshield is in a substantially vertical position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, as well as other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, taken from a left side, of a first embodiment of a boat in accordance with the present invention, with the windshields in a shielding position and the door in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, taken from a front, of the boat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, taken from a front, right side, of a windshield and door system of the boat of FIG. 1, with the windshields in the shielding position and the door in the closed position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, taken from a front, right side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 3, with the central windshield in a retracted position and the door in the closed position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, taken from a front, right side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 3, with the central windshield in the retracted position and the door in a pivoted position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, taken from a front, right side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 3, with the central windshield in the retracted position and the door in an opened position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, taken from a left side, of the boat of FIG. 1, with the windshields in the retracted position and the door in the opened position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, taken from a front, of the boat of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, taken from a front, right side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 3, with the windshields in the retracted position and the door in the opened position;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of a second embodiment of a boat in accordance with the present invention, with the windshields in a shielding position and the door in a closed position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view, taken from a rear, left side, of the boat of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of a windshield and door system of the boat of FIG. 10, with the windshields in the shielding position and the door in the closed position;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 12, with the left and right windshields in a partially retracted position;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 12, with the left and right windshields in a retracted position;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view, taken vertically through a center of the door and central windshield of FIG. 12, with the central windshield in the shielding position;

FIG. 16 is a close-up view of the section labelled FIG. 16 in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 12, with the central windshield in a partially retracted position and the door in the closed position;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view, taken from a rear, left side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 12, with the central windshield in a retracted position and the door in the closed position;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view, taken vertically through a center of the door and central windshield of FIG. 18, with the central windshield in the retracted position;

FIG. 20 is a close-up view of the section labelled FIG. 20 in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view, taken from a rear, left side, of the windshield and door system of FIG. 12, with the central windshield in a retracted position and the door in an opened position;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view, taken from a rear, left side, of the boat of FIG. 10, with the central windshield in a shielding position and the door in the opened position; and

FIG. 23A is a close perspective view, taken from a front, left side, of a boat with a side windshield in a shielding position; and

FIG. 23B is a perspective view, taken from the front left side, of the boat of FIG. 23A with the side windshield in a retracted position.

Claims

1. A boat comprising: a hull;a deck supported by the hull, the deck having a rearward passenger area;a seat disposed in the rearward passenger area;a first console disposed on the deck at a front of the rearward passenger area and forwardly of the seat, the first console having a top; anda first windshield disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the boat, the first windshield being movable between a first position where the first windshield extends a first distance vertically above the top of the first console and a second position where at least a portion of the first windshield extends a second distance vertically below the top of the first console, when the first windshield is in the second position the at least one portion of the first windshield is in a substantially vertical position.

2. The boat of claim 1, wherein, when in the second position, the at least one portion of the first windshield is disposed inside the first console.

3. The boat of claim 1, wherein, when in the second position, the first windshield is completely below the top of the first console.

4. The boat of claim 1, wherein the first windshield slides between the first and the second positions.

5. The boat of claim 4, further comprising a pair of slide frames connected to the first console; and wherein the first windshield slides in the slide frames when moving between the first and the second positions.

6. The boat of claim 1, further comprising a side windshield disposed at an angle to the first windshield; and wherein the side windshield is movable between a first position where the side windshield is disposed above a side of the deck and a second position where at least a portion of the side windshield is disposed below the side of the deck.

7. The boat of claim 6, wherein the side windshield pivots between the first and the second positions.

8. The boat of claim 1, wherein the first console and the first windshield are disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis of the boat, and the boat further comprises: a second console disposed on the deck on a second side of the longitudinal axis of the boat, the second console having a top; anda second windshield disposed on the second side of the longitudinal axis of the boat.

9. The boat of claim 8, wherein the second windshield is movable between a first position where the second windshield extends a third distance vertically above the top of the second console and a second position where at least a portion of the second windshield extends a fourth distance vertically below the top of the second console, when the second windshield is in the second position the at least one portion of the second windshield is in a substantially vertical position.

10. The boat of claim 9, wherein the first and second windshields slide between their respective first and second positions.

11. The boat of claim 9, wherein, when the first windshield is in its second position, the at least one portion of the first windshield is disposed inside the first console; and wherein, when the second windshield is in its second position, the at least one portion of the second windshield is disposed inside the second console.

12. The boat of claim 8, further comprising a third windshield disposed between the first and second windshields, such that when the first windshield is in the first position, the first, second, and third windshields form together a continuous windshield spanning a majority of a width of the deck.

13. The boat of claim 12, wherein the deck has a forward passenger area; and the boat further comprises: a passageway between the first and the second consoles allowing for communication between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area; anda door disposed on the deck for selectively closing the passageway between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area, the door having a top; andwherein the third windshield is operatively connected to the door.

14. The boat of claim 13, wherein the third windshield is movable between a first position where the third windshield extends a fifth distance vertically above the top of the door and a second position where at least a portion of the third windshield extends a sixth distance vertically below the top of the door.

15. The boat of claim 12, wherein each one of the second and third windshields is movable between a first position and a second position; and wherein when in their respective first positions, each of the first, second, and third windshields forms a portion of the continuous windshield.

16. The boat of claim 15, wherein each one of the first, second, and third windshields is movable independently of the others.

17. The boat of claim 15, wherein each one of the first, second, and third windshields is slidable between its respective first and second positions.

18. The boat of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second windshields is slidable between its respective first and second positions; and wherein the third windshield is rotatable between its first and second positions.

19. The boat of claim 1, further comprising an actuator for moving the first windshield between the first and the second positions.

20. The boat of claim 19, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor.

21. The boat of claim 1, wherein the seat is a driver's seat.