RETRACTABLE WINDSHIELD FOR A BOAT

Abstract

A boat has a hull and a deck supported by the hull. The deck has a forward passenger area and a rearward passenger area. A seat is disposed in the rearward passenger area. A passageway allows for communication between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area. A door is disposed on the deck for selectively closing the passageway between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area. The door has a top, a front, a back, and two sides. A windshield is disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the boat. The windshield is movable between a first position where the windshield extends a first distance vertically above the top of the door and a second position where the windshield extends a second distance vertically above the top of the door. The second distance is less than the first distance.

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 forward passenger area and a rearward passenger area;a seat disposed in the rearward passenger area;a passageway allowing for communication between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area;a 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, a front, a back, and two sides; anda windshield disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the boat, the windshield being movable between a first position where the windshield extends a first distance vertically above the top of the door and a second position where the windshield extends a second distance vertically above the top of the door, the second distance being less than the first distance.

2. The boat of claim 1, wherein, when the windshield is in the second position, the windshield is in a substantially vertical position.

3. The boat of claim 1, wherein, when the windshield is in the second position, the second distance is zero and the windshield extends completely below the top of the door.

4. The boat of claim 1, wherein the windshield is slidable between the first position and the second position.

5. The boat of claim 4, wherein the windshield is disposed inside the door when in the second position.

6. The boat of claim 1, wherein the windshield is rotatable between the first position and the second position.

7. The boat of claim 6, further comprising a hinge movably connecting the windshield to the door.

8. The boat of claim 6, further comprising a strut connected between the door and the windshield.

9. The boat of claim 8, wherein the strut is connected to one of the two sides of the door.

10. The boat of claim 6, wherein the windshield lies against the back of the door when in the second position.

11. The boat of claim 1, wherein, when the windshield is in the second position, the door and the windshield are movable together for selectively closing the passageway between the forward passenger area and the rearward passenger area.

12. The boat of claim 11, further comprising a console disposed on the deck; and wherein the door and the windshield in the second position are slidable together inside the console for communicating the forward passenger area with the rearward passenger area.

13. The boat of claim 12, further comprising a strut having a first end connected inside the console and a second end connected to the door.

14. The boat of claim 12, wherein the door and the windshield in the second position first pivot together about a horizontal axis before sliding inside the console.

15. The boat of claim 12, further comprising slide rails operatively connected between the console and the door, and wherein the door and the windshield in the second position are slidable together on the slide rails.

16. The boat of claim 12, wherein the seat is a driver's seat and the console is disposed in front of the driver's seat.

17. The boat of claim 12, wherein when the door and the windshield in the second position are located inside the console for communicating the forward passenger area with the rearward passenger area, one of the two sides of the door is adjacent to the passageway, the one of the two sides having a handle.

18. The boat of claim 1, wherein the windshield is a central windshield; and the boat further comprises a right windshield disposed to the right of the central windshield and a left windshield disposed to the left of the central windshield; andwherein when the central windshield is in the first position, the right, left, and central windshields form together a continuous windshield spanning a majority of a width of the deck.

19. The boat of claim 18, further comprising a console disposed on the deck; and wherein one of the left and right windshields is movable between a first position where the one of the left and right windshields extends a third distance vertically above a top of the console and a second position where the one of the left and right windshields extends a fourth distance vertically above the top of the console, the fourth distance being less than the third distance.

20. The boat of claim 19, wherein the door and the central windshield in the second position are slidable together inside the console for communicating the forward passenger area with the rearward passenger area; and wherein the one of the left and right windshields when in the second position is disposed forwardly of the door and the central windshield when the door and the central windshield are located inside the console.