SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR A PERSONAL WATERCRAFT

Abstract

A seat assembly for a personal watercraft includes a base configured for selectively connecting to a deck of the personal watercraft, a damper connected to the base, a straddle seat that is operatively connected to the damper, which permits movement of the straddle seat relative to the base, and a locking assembly movable between locked and unlocked configurations. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the base is locked to the deck. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the base is removable from the deck. A system for assembling a personal watercraft of a family of personal watercraft including at least a first personal watercraft and a second personal watercraft is also disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present technology relates to seat assemblies for personal watercraft.

BACKGROUND

Some conventional personal watercraft are equipped with suspension systems, which can assist in absorbing shocks between the hull and waves during operation of the personal watercraft.

However, these suspension systems can be complex and expensive to manufacture. Additionally, these suspension systems conventionally cannot be modified after being manufactured, such that if a rider does not want the effects of a suspension system, the rider must use another personal watercraft. Furthermore, manufacturing a variety of personal watercraft to cater to different types of riders (e.g., riders that want a suspension system, and riders that do not), can be expensive in terms of manufacturing and assembling.

It would therefore be desirable to have a technology that can be selectively connected to a personal watercraft for providing a given characteristic, such as a suspension system, when desired and selectively disconnected when the given characteristic is no longer desired.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present technology to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art.

According to one aspect of the present technology, there is provided a seat assembly for a personal watercraft. The seat assembly includes a base, a damper, a straddle seat, and a locking assembly. The base is configured for selectively connecting to a deck of the personal watercraft. The damper is connected to the base. The straddle seat is operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the straddle seat relative to the base. The locking assembly is operatively connected to the base, and is movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the base is locked to the deck. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the base is removable from the deck.

In some embodiments, the base defines an aperture, the damper extends through the aperture, a first part of the damper extends on a first side of the base between the straddle seat and the base, and a second part of the damper extends on a second side of the base, the second side being opposite the first side.

In some embodiments, the base is configured to engage the deck via a groove configured to receive part of the deck.

In some embodiments, the base further includes a L-shaped portion connected to the base, the L-shaped portion and the base together defining the groove.

In some embodiments, the groove is disposed at a longitudinal end of the base.

In some embodiments, the groove is disposed at a first longitudinal end of the base, and the locking assembly is disposed at a second longitudinal end of the base, the second longitudinal end being opposite the first longitudinal end.

In some embodiments, the seat assembly further includes at least one guiding member operatively connected to at least one of the straddle seat and the base for guiding movement of the straddle seat relative to the base.

In some embodiments, the at least one guiding member includes a first guiding member and a second guiding member.

In some embodiments, the first guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat, and the second guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat.

In some embodiments, the base, the straddle seat, the first guiding member and the second guiding member form a four-bar linkage.

In some embodiments, the seat assembly further includes a coil spring connected to the damper, the damper extending inside the coil spring.

In some embodiments, the damper is an adjustable damper.

In some embodiments, the straddle seat includes a compressible top portion made of foam, and a cover covering the compressible top portion.

In some embodiments, the straddle seat assembly is toollessly connected to the deck.

In some embodiments, the locking assembly includes a locking member and a biasing member. The locking member is moveable between a first position, in which the locking assembly is in the locked configuration, and a second position, in which the locking assembly is in the unlocked configuration. The biasing member biases the locking member toward the first position.

In some embodiments, the base defines a retaining aperture configured to receive a retaining member of the deck. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the retaining member is received in the retaining aperture, and the locking member engages the retaining member for preventing movement of the base relative to the deck. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the retaining member is received in the retaining aperture, and the locking member is disengaged from the retaining member.

According to another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a personal watercraft including a hull, a deck disposed on the hull, the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment, a motor disposed in the motor compartment, and the seat assembly according to the above aspect or according to the above aspect and one or more of the above embodiments, the seat assembly being selectively connected to the deck.

In some embodiments, the deck defines an opening, and the base is configured to be connected to the deck to at least partially close the opening.

In some embodiments, the damper extends through the opening into the motor compartment.

In some embodiments, a lower end of the damper is lower than a top of the motor.

According to another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a system for assembling a personal watercraft including at least a first personal watercraft and a second personal watercraft. The system includes a hull, a deck having a plurality of seat connection points, a motor, and a group of straddle seats. The group of straddle seats include a first straddle seat and a second straddle seat, the first straddle seat corresponding to the first personal watercraft and the second straddle seat corresponding to the second personal watercraft. The first straddle seat is configured to connect to the deck via a damper. The second straddle seat is configured to rigidly connect to the deck. When the first personal watercraft is assembled using the first straddle seat, the deck is disposed on the hull, the hull and the deck at least partially define a motor compartment, the motor is disposed in the motor compartment, and the first straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points and the damper. When the second personal watercraft is assembled using the second straddle seat the deck is disposed on the hull, the motor is disposed in the motor compartment, and the second straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points.

In some embodiments, the first straddle seat is part of a first seat assembly, and the second straddle seat is part of a second seat assembly. The first seat assembly includes a first base, the damper and the first straddle seat. The first base is configured to connect to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points. The damper is connected to the base. The first straddle seat is operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the first straddle seat relative to the first base. The second seat assembly includes a second base configured to connect to deck via the plurality of seat connection points, and the second straddle seat rigidly connected to the second base.

In some embodiments, the first seat assembly further includes a locking assembly operatively connected to the first base, the locking assembly being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. With the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the first base is locked to the deck. With the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the first base is removable from the deck.

According to another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a method for attaching a straddle seat to a personal watercraft, where the watercraft has a hull, a deck disposed on the hull, the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment, and a motor disposed in the motor compartment. The method includes connecting a seat assembly as a unit to the deck, where the seat assembly includes a base, a damper and the straddle seat. The base is configured for selectively connecting to the deck. The damper is connected to the base. The straddle seat is operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the seat relative to the base.

In some embodiments, connecting the seat assembly to the deck comprises toollessly connecting the base to the deck.

For purposes of this application, terms related to spatial orientation such as forwardly, rearward, upwardly, downwardly, left, and right, are as they would normally be understood by an operator of the personal watercraft sitting thereon in a normal riding position. Terms related to spatial orientation when describing or referring to components or sub-assemblies of the personal watercraft, separately from the vehicle, such as a straddle seat for example, should be understood as they would be understood when these components or sub-assemblies are mounted to the personal watercraft, unless specified otherwise in this application. The term “straddle seat” refers to a seat on which a person normally sits astride and can also be referred to as a “saddle seat”. The term “motor” can refer to any component capable of driving the motion of a personal watercraft, which includes, but is not limited to, an internal combustion engine or an electric motor.

Embodiments of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned objects and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned object may not satisfy this object and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.

Additional and/or alternative features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present technology, 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 top, left, rear side of a personal watercraft having a seat assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, with the seat assembly being in a resting state;

FIG. 2 is a left side elevation view of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1 taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a close-up of a region of the seat assembly of the personal watercraft of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a close-up perspective view taken from a top, rear, left side of part of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1, with the seat assembly being in a lowered state, and with a straddle seat of the seat assembly removed;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view taken from a top, front, right side of the seat assembly of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1, with the seat assembly being in the resting state, and with the straddle seat removed;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view taken from a bottom, front, left side of the seat assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a left side elevation view of the seat assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a left side elevation view of the seat assembly of FIG. 7 in the lowered state; and

FIG. 11 is a left side elevation view of a personal watercraft with another seat assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present detailed description is intended to be a description of illustrative examples of the present technology.

The present technology relates to a seat assembly 100 for a personal watercraft 50, where the seat assembly 100 is selectively connected to the personal watercraft 50. This characteristic and other features described below permit another seat assembly having at least some characteristics that are different from the seat assembly 100 to in turn be selectively connected to the personal watercraft 50 for obtaining different riding characteristics.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, an embodiment of the personal watercraft 50 will be described. The personal watercraft 50 has a hull 52 and a deck 54. The hull 52 and the deck 54 are made of a composite material consisting of a blend of glass fibers and polypropylene, such as Polytec™. It is contemplated that other suitable materials, such as a glass-fiber reinforced polyester material, could be used to make the hull 52 and the deck 54. The hull 52 buoyantly supports the watercraft 50 in the water. The hull 52 has a bow 56 and a stern 58. A longitudinal center plane 60 (shown in FIG. 3) extends between the bow 56 and the stern 58 and splits the deck 54 into a left longitudinal side 61 and a right longitudinal side 62. For the purpose of the following description, the components that are qualified as “left” or “right” are positioned on the corresponding left longitudinal side 61 and right longitudinal side 62 of the deck 54, unless mentioned otherwise.

The deck 54 is designed to accommodate an operator referred to as a driver. The hull 52 and the deck 54 are joined together at a seam 64. The seam 64 comprises a bond line formed by an adhesive. Other known joining methods could be used to engage the parts together, including but not limited to thermal fusion, molding or fasteners such as rivets, bolts or screws. A bumper 66 generally covers the seam 64. The bumper 66 helps to prevent damage to the outer surface of the watercraft 50 when the watercraft 50 is docked, for example. The bumper 66 extends around the bow 56 and the stern 58, as shown, or could extend around any portion or the entire seam 64.

The space between the hull 52 and the deck 54 forms a volume commonly referred to as the motor compartment 59 (shown in FIG. 4). The motor compartment 59 accommodates various elements that are required or desirable in the personal watercraft 50 such as a motor 65 (shown schematically in FIG. 4), in the form of an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank 67 (also shown schematically in FIG. 4), an air intake system, an electrical system, an electronic control unit (ECU) and an exhaust system (not shown). It will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the personal watercraft 50, the motor 65 could be in the form of an electric motor, and the fuel tank 67 could be replaced by a battery. The motor 65 drives a water jet propulsion system (not shown) of the personal watercraft 50, although other types of propulsion systems are contemplated in other embodiments. As shown in FIG. 4, the motor 65 is longitudinally spaced from the fuel tank 67, thereby defining a spacing 63 between a front surface of the motor 65 and a rear surface of the fuel tank 67.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the deck 54 has a hood 68, a helm assembly 70 rearward of the hood 68 and an instrument cluster 72 forward of the helm assembly 70. A hinge (not shown) is attached between the hood 68 and the deck 54 to allow the hood 68 to move to an open position to provide access to a storage bin 69 (shown in FIG. 4). Left and right rear-view mirrors 74 (shown in FIG. 3) are positioned on corresponding left and right sides of the hood 68 to allow the driver to see behind the watercraft 50.

The deck 54 has, selectively connected thereto, the seat assembly 100 which is disposed generally centrally on the deck 54, and partially supported by a pedestal 78 formed by the deck 54. Accordingly, the seat assembly 100 and the pedestal 78 are aligned with the longitudinal center plane 60. The seat assembly 100 accommodates the driver in a straddling position. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, the seat assembly 100 could accommodate one or more passengers in addition to the driver. The deck 54 forms footwells 80 on either side of the pedestal 78 that provide support for the driver's feet. A pair of generally upwardly extending walls located on either side of the deck 54, known as gunwales or gunnels 82, are provided next to the footwells 80. The gunnels 82 help to reduce the entry of water in the footwells 80 of the watercraft 50, provide lateral support for the driver's feet, and also provide buoyancy when turning the watercraft 50, since the personal watercraft 50 can roll slightly when turning. Towards the bow 56, fairings 84 extend between the gunnels 82 and the hood 60 and further help reduce the entry of water in the footwells 80. Towards the stern 58, the gunnels 82 extend inwardly to act as heel rests 86. It is contemplated that the heel rests 86 could also be formed separately from the gunnels 82. The deck 54 includes a reboarding platform 90 at a rear thereof allowing a rider to easily reboard the watercraft 50 from the water.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the personal watercraft 50 has a rear platform 92 that is laterally centered on the deck 54 (i.e. laterally centered along the longitudinal center plane 60). The rear platform 92 extends forward from the reboarding platform 90 to the pedestal 78. It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the generally planar surface formed by the rear platform 92 and the reboarding platform 90 extends upwardly and forwardly from a rear end of the deck 54. In some embodiments, the rear platform 92 could have a texturized surface for enhancing traction to a rider boarding the personal watercraft 50 from the water. In some instances, the rear platform 92 can be used to lay thereupon. The rear platform 92 includes a deck panel 93 that can be selectively opened for providing access to the motor compartment 59.

Longitudinally forward from the rear platform 92, the deck 54 defines an opening 95 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) that is configured to receive part of the seat assembly 100 therein. The opening 95 is defined in a top of the pedestal 78. The deck 54 further includes a lip 96 that defines a front of the opening 95. In some embodiments, the lip 96 could only partially define the front of the opening 95. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, the lip 96 could define a rear of the opening 95. The deck 54 also includes, at a front end of the rear platform 92, retaining members 97 that extend generally vertically. As such, the retaining members 97 and the lip 96 are disposed on opposite sides of the opening 95. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four retaining members 97, but it is contemplated that the number of retaining members 97 could vary from one embodiment to another. Each one of the retaining members 97 is a bracket that defines an aperture 98 (FIG. 6). It is contemplated that a configuration of the retaining members 97 can differ without departing from the scope of the present technology. For example, the retaining members 97 could be provided as hooks. As will be described in greater detail below, the lip 96 and the retaining members 97 may be referred to as seat connection points, and are used to selectively connect the seat assembly 100 to the deck 54.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 10, the seat assembly 100 will be described in more detail. The seat assembly 100 includes a base 102, two guiding members 104, 105, a straddle seat 106, a damper assembly 108, and a locking assembly 110. It is contemplated that in some embodiments the seat assembly 100 could have additional or fewer components. As will be described in greater detail below, when the seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 50, the locking assembly 110 can be moved to a locked configuration for locking the seat assembly 100 to the personal watercraft 50. Additionally, as will also be described below, the seat assembly 100 is configured such that straddle seat 106 is moveable relative to the base 102 between a resting position (shown in FIGS. 4, and 7 to 9), in which the seat assembly 100 is in a resting state, and a lowered position (shown in FIGS. 6 and 10), in which the seat assembly 100 is in a lowered state.

The base 102, which is sized to cover the opening 95, has a generally trapezoidal shape, with a front of the base 102 being narrower than a back of the base 102. The shape of the base 102 may vary. The base 102 defines a damper aperture 122 (shown in FIG. 5), that is configured to receive part of the damper assembly 108 therethrough. A center of the damper aperture 122 is laterally and longitudinally offset from a center point of the base 102. The damper aperture 122 is defined on the base 102 such that when the base 102 is connected to the deck 54 (i.e., when the seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 50), the damper aperture 122 is generally longitudinally and laterally aligned with the spacing 63 that extends between the motor 65 and the fuel tank 67. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the position of the damper aperture 122 could vary as the size and/or location of the spacing 63 changes. At a rear end thereof, the base 102 defines retaining apertures 124 and retaining recesses 126. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two retaining apertures 124 and two retaining recesses 126. It is contemplated that the number of retaining apertures and recesses may vary from one embodiment to another. The retaining apertures and recesses 124, 126 are sized to receive the retaining members 97 therein.

The seat assembly 100 further includes an L-shaped portion 130 that is disposed at a front end of the base 102, on a lower side thereof. It should be understood that the L-shaped portion 130 could be connected at another end (e.g., lateral or rear end) of the base 102 in other embodiments. The L-shaped portion 130 is connected to the base 102 via fasteners 132. It is also contemplated that the L-shaped portion 130 could be connected to the base 102 differently. For example, the L-shaped portion 130 may be welded to the base 102, or the L-shaped portion 130 may be integral with the base 102. The L-shaped portion 130 spans a majority of a width of the front end of the base 102. The L-shaped portion 130 and the base 102 together define a groove 140 that is sized to receive the lip 96 therein. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, a groove may be defined by the deck 54 forward of the opening 95, and in which case the base 102 would have a lip configured to be received in the groove.

The guiding members 104, 105, which guide the movement of the straddle seat 106 between the resting and lowered positions, are pivotally connected to the base 102 via base brackets 150, 152, 154, 156 and to the straddle seat 106 via seat brackets 160, 162, 164, 166 as will be described in more detail below.

The guiding member 104 is disposed longitudinally rearward from the guiding member 105. The guiding member 104 has two base connecting portions 170, 172 that are laterally spaced from one another. The base connecting portions 170, 172 are interconnected by a body portion 174 that has a generally lower case h-shape. The guiding member 104 also has a seat connecting portion 176 that is disposed at the other end of the body portion 174. The base connecting portion 170 is pivotally connected to, and received in the base bracket 150. The base connecting portion 172 is pivotally connected to, and received in the base bracket 152. The seat connecting portion 176 is pivotally connected to, and received in the seat brackets 160, 162. It is contemplated that the configuration of the guiding member 104 could vary without departing from the scope of the present technology. For example, the guiding member 104 may have a linearly shaped body instead of an h-shaped body.

The guiding member 105 has a base connecting portion 180 at one longitudinal end thereof, and a seat connecting portion 182 at the other longitudinal end thereof. The base and seat connecting portions 180, 182 are interconnected by a base body 184 that has a laterally angled section, resulting in the base and connecting portions 180, 182 being laterally offset from one another. In some embodiments, the guiding member 105 could be linear. The base connecting portion 180 is pivotally connected to, and received in the base brackets 154, 156. The seat connecting portion 182 is pivotally connected to, and received in the seat brackets 164, 166.

It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the guiding members 104, 105 could be omitted. In such embodiments, the straddle seat 106 would be connected to base 102 only by the damper assembly 108. In other embodiments, there could be only a single guiding member or three or more guiding members. In one example, one of the guiding members 104, 105 is a housing connected to the base 102, and the other guiding member 104, 105 is a rod that is connected to the straddle seat 106, and that is received in the housing. In this example, the housing and the rod are configured to move relative to one another without providing any resistance therebetween. The guiding member 104, 105 guide the straddle seat 102 to move generally linearly. In another example, the guiding member is a shaft that is connected to the straddle seat 106 and that extends toward the base 102, the shaft being configured to be received in an aperture defined in the base 102 thereby guiding movement of the guiding member relative to the base 102.

Still referring to FIGS. 5 to 10, the straddle seat 106 will be described in more detail. The straddle seat 106 includes a bottom portion 200, a compressible top portion 202 and a cover 204, will now be provided.

The bottom portion 200 is rigid. The guiding members 104, 105 are connected to the bottom portion 200 via the seat brackets 160, 162, 164, 166. The seat brackets 160, 162, 164, 166 are disposed on a lower side of the bottom portion 200.

The compressible top portion 202 is disposed on an upper side of the bottom portion 200. The compressible top portion 202 fully covers an upper surface of the bottom portion 200. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, the compressible top portion 202 could only cover a certain portion of the upper surface of the bottom portion 200. The compressible top portion 202 is made of closed-cell foam, but it is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, other suitable compressible material could be used.

The cover 204 fully covers the compressible top portion 202. In some embodiments, the cover 204 is made of vinyl or synthetic leather. It is contemplated that other materials could be used. In some embodiments, the cover 204 is waterproof.

It is further contemplated that in some embodiments, the compressible top portion 202 and the cover 204 could be replaced by a self-skinning foam.

The base 102, the guiding members 104, 105, and the top portion 202 form a four-bar linkage, such that the straddle seat 106 moves between the resting and lowered positions along a generally arcuate path while maintaining a generally constant pitch.

The movement of the straddle seat 106 is damped by the damper assembly 108, a description of which will now be provided.

Still referring to FIGS. 5 to 10, the damper assembly 108 includes a damper 210, a coil spring 212, a flexible boot 214 and a damper support 220. It will be noted that some embodiments of the present technology, the damper assembly 108 could simply consist of a damper that is operatively connected between the base 102 and to the straddle seat 106. Thus, it is contemplated that the damper assembly 108 could have fewer or additional components.

The damper support 220 is connected to the base 102, and extends on the lower side thereof. More precisely, the damper support 220 extends below the damper aperture 122. The damper support 220 has two laterally spaced U-shaped portions 222, 223 and a portion 224. The portion 224, which extends laterally between the two U-shaped portions 222, 223, defines an aperture 226, through which part of the damper 210 extends. It will be noted that the damper support 220 is sized such that when the seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 50, the damper support 220 fits within the spacing 63.

Referring to FIG. 5, the damper 210 will now be described in greater detail. The damper 210 is an adjustable hydraulic damper that uses oil as the liquid. However, other types of dampers, such as, for example, non-adjustable pneumatic dampers, are contemplated. The damper 210 includes a housing 240, a piston rod 242, a piston (not shown), an external reservoir 244 and an actuator 250.

The housing 240 is pivotally connected to the damper support 220. More specifically, a lower end of the housing 240 is pivotally connected to the U-shaped portions 222, 223 proximate to the portion 224, such that part of the housing 240 extends through the aperture 226. The housing 240 defines a cavity 241 containing the oil. As will be described below, the cavity 241 is also configured to receive part of the piston rod 242 and the piston therein.

The piston rod 242 has an upper end that is pivotally connected to the bottom portion 200 of the straddle seat 106 via brackets 249. The piston rod 242 further has a lower end that has a piston (not shown) connected thereto. The lower end of the piston rod 242 and the piston are received in the cavity 241 of the housing 240. As the piston moves relative to the housing 240, the piston is configured to allow passage of some oil therethrough.

The external reservoir 244 is supported by the housing 240, and is fluidly connected to the cavity 241 of the housing 240. The external reservoir 244 is configured to receive some of the oil present within the cavity 241 in response to the piston rod 242 moving into the housing 240.

The actuator 250 is operable to modulate flow of the oil between the cavity 241 and the external reservoir 244, which modulates the damping effect provided by the damper 210. The actuator 250 is communicatively connected to the ECU of the personal watercraft 50, such that in response to a command provided to the ECU by the driver, the actuator 250 may cause the damper 210 to modulate the damping effect applied thereby.

When the damper 210 is connected to the straddle seat 106 and to the damper support 220 as described hereabove, the damper 210 extends through the damper aperture 122 of the base 102. More specifically, the damper 210 has an upper part 230 that extends on the upper side of the base 102, and a lower part 232 that extends on the lower side of the base 102. In some embodiments, a range of motion of the damper 210 relative to the damper support 220 can be limited by the engagement between the portion 224 and the part of the housing 240 that extends through the aperture 226.

The coil spring 212 is connected to the damper 210, such that the damper 210 is received inside the coil spring 212. More specifically, an upper end of the coil spring 212 is connected to an upper collar 252 that is rigidly mounted to the piston rod 252 (i.e., the upper collar 252 is generally fixed relative to the piston rod 252). In some embodiments, the upper collar 252 could be integral with the piston rod 252. A lower end of the coil spring 212 is connected to a lower collar 254 that is rigidly mounted to the housing 240. In some embodiments, the lower collar 254 could be integral with the housing 240. In some instances, the damper 210 and the coil spring 212 may be together referred to as a coilover suspension. The coil spring 212, as will be described below, can bias the straddle seat 106 toward the resting position.

The flexible boot 214 is an accordion-shaped cover that extends between the base 102 and the bottom portion 200. More specifically, the flexible boot 214 extends above the damper aperture 122 so as to cover the upper part 230 of the damper 210. When the seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 50, the flexible boot 214 can also limit entry of water within the motor compartment 59 through the damper aperture 122 and the opening 95. In some embodiments, the flexible boot 214 is sealingly engaged to the bottom portion 200 and sealingly engaged to the base 102. The flexible boot 214 is resiliently deformable, so that as the straddle seat 106 moves between the resting and lowered positions, the flexible boot 214 deforms accordingly.

As the straddle seat 106 moves toward the lowered position, movement thereof is resisted by the coil spring 212 and damped by the damper 210. More specifically, with reference to FIG. 5, the damper 210 pivots about axis 211 in a counter-clockwise direction (toward the front of the personal watercraft 50), while the piston rod 252 moves into the housing 240. Simultaneously, the coil spring 212 is being compressed as the upper and lower collars 252, 254 move toward one another.

When in the lowered state, the coil spring 212 can cause the straddle seat 106 to move back toward the resting position. As the straddle seat 106 moves toward the resting position, the damper 210 damps the movement of the straddle seat 106.

Still referring to FIGS. 5 to 10, the locking assembly 110 will now be described in greater detail. The locking assembly 110 is disposed on the upper side of the base 102, at the end opposite to where the L-shaped portion 130 is disposed. Thus, the locking assembly 110 is disposed at the rear end of the base 102. As will be described in greater detail below, the locking assembly 110 is movable between locked and unlocked configurations. In the locked configuration, the locking assembly 100 is configured to engage with the retaining members 97 of the deck 54 for locking the base 102 to the deck 54. The locking assembly 110 includes a locking member 260, two biasing members 262 (only one shown in FIG. 5), and two retaining pins 264.

The locking member 260 has a core portion 270 and two laterally spaced engaging portions 272. The core portion 270 defines two laterally spaced slots 274 that extend generally longitudinally. Both slots 274 are defined along an entire height of the locking member 260. As will be described below, the two slots 274 are configured to respectively receive the two retaining pins 264 therein. The two engaging portions 272 extend rearwardly from the core portion 270, and are configured to engage with corresponding retaining members 97. More specifically, the engaging portions 272 are sized to be received in the apertures 98 of the corresponding retaining members 97. As will be described below, due to the slots 274, the locking member 260 is moveable between a locked position (shown by solid lines in FIGS. 5 to 10) and an unlocked position (shown by dotted lines in FIG. 9).

The two retaining pins 264 are connected to the base 102 by passing through respective slots 274. The retaining pins 264 each have a head 280 that abuts a top surface of the core portion 270. The head 280 can prevent the locking member 260 from moving in a direction that is generally orthogonal from the base 102 (i.e., away from the base 102). The retaining pins 264 are fixed to the base 102 such that when the locking member 260 moves between the locked and unlocked positions, the retaining pins 264 do not move relative to the base 102.

The two biasing members 264 are disposed in respective slots 272, and each one of the biasing members 264 is operatively connected to the locking member 260 and to a respective one of the retaining pins 264 for biasing the locking member 260 toward the locked position. Thus, when the locking member 260 is moved to the unlocked position, the biasing members 264 are resiliently deformed, and bias the locking member 260 toward the locked position. In the present embodiment, the biasing members 264 are springs, but other resilient members are contemplated.

It will be appreciated that configuration of the locking assembly 110 may differ from one embodiment to another without departing from the scope of the present technology. For example, in some embodiments, there could be a single biasing member and a single retaining member. In other embodiments, the locking assembly 110 may consist of resiliently deformable hooks configured to engage with the retaining members 97. In yet other embodiments, retaining members 97 may be provided on the base 102, and a locking assembly may be provided on the deck 54.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 to 5, a method for connecting the seat assembly 100 to the personal watercraft 50 without any seat connected thereto, will now be described in greater detail.

The seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 50 as a unit. Thus, in this embodiment, the base 102, the guiding members 104, 105, the straddle seat 106, the damper assembly 108 and the locking assembly 110 are all connected to the personal watercraft at once.

The seat assembly 100 is positioned generally above the opening 95 of the deck 54. The seat assembly 100 is connected to the deck 54 via the seat connection points. More precisely, the lip 96 is received in the groove 140, and, while the locking assembly 110 is in the unlocked configuration, the retaining members 97 are received in the retaining apertures and recesses 124, 126. The lip 96 being received in the groove 140, and the retaining members 97 being received in the retaining apertures and recesses 124, 126 can assist in limiting longitudinal, lateral and vertical displacement of the base 102 (and thus of the seat assembly 100) relative to the deck 54. The locking assembly 110 can then be moved to the locked configuration, such that the engaging portions 272 engage the retaining members 97 as described hereabove. In some instances, the locking assembly 110 being opposite to the L-shaped portion 130 can assist in increasing stability of the seat assembly 110 when it is connected to the personal watercraft 50. At this point, the seat assembly 100 is generally locked to the deck 54, in that the seat assembly 100 cannot be disconnected from the personal watercraft by simply moving it in a given direction. It will be appreciated that the seat assembly 100 can be connected to the personal watercraft 50 toollessly. That is, the seat assembly 100 can be selectively connected to the personal watercraft 50 without requiring any tools (e.g., a screwdriver, a wrench, a hex key or another key to fasten a fastener).

Best seen in FIG. 5, it will be noted that when the seat assembly 100 is connected to the personal watercraft 100, the damper 210 is aligned with the spacing 63. More specifically, the damper 210 extends within the motor compartment 59, such that a lower end of the damper 210 is disposed lower than an upper surface of the motor 65. This configuration can assist in efficiently using available space, and maintain a general level of the straddle seat 100 close to the deck 54.

When the seat assembly 100 is connected to the deck 54, and when the locking assembly 110 is in the locked configuration, the locking member 260 is in the locked position such that the retaining pins 264 are generally disposed toward a front end of their corresponding slots 274. Additionally, the engaging portions 272 are received in the apertures 98 of corresponding retaining members 97, thereby locking the seat assembly 110 to the deck 54.

When the seat assembly 100 is connected to the deck 54, and when the locking assembly 110 is in the unlocked configuration, the locking member 260 is in the unlocked position such that the retaining pins 264 are generally disposed toward a rear end of their corresponding slots 274. Additionally, the engaging portions 272 are not received in the apertures 98 of corresponding retaining members 97, thereby enabling the user to disconnect the seat assembly 110 from the deck 54 if desired. It will be noted that because of the biasing members 264, the user has to keep the locking member 260 in the unlocked position for the locking assembly 110 to remain in the unlocked configuration.

To disconnect the seat assembly 100 from the personal watercraft 50, the locking assembly 110 is moved to the unlocked configuration by moving the locking member 260 to the unlocked position, and then the seat assembly 100 is removed from the personal watercraft. It will be appreciated that the seat assembly 100 can be disconnected from the personal watercraft 50 toollessly. That is, as mentioned above, the seat assembly 100 can be selectively disconnected from the personal watercraft 50 without requiring any tools (e.g., a screwdriver, a hex key or another key to fasten a fastener).

The above described personal watercraft 50 is a member of a family of personal watercraft. With reference to FIG. 11, another member 50′ of the family of personal watercraft will be described. Features of the personal watercraft 50′ similar to those of the personal watercraft 50 have been labeled with the same reference numerals, and will not be re-described herewith.

The personal watercraft 50′ notably differs from the personal watercraft 50 in that the personal watercraft 50′ has a seat assembly 100′ that is different from the seat assembly 100. The seat assembly 100′ includes a base 102′ and a straddle seat 106′. The base 102′ is similar to the base 102 in that the base 102′ is configured to connect to the deck 54 via the same seat connection points described hereabove. Thus, the base 102′ defines the groove 140 for receiving the lip 96, and has the locking assembly 110 for engaging with the retaining members 97. The seat assembly 100′ does not, however, have a damper. Instead, the straddle seat 106′ is rigidly mounted to the base 102′.

It is contemplated that the family of personal watercraft could have more than two members. All of the members of the family of personal watercraft are assembled using the same hull 52 and deck 54. In general, at least one member of the family of personal watercraft is assembled using a corresponding seat assembly that is different from the seat assembly used to assemble at least one other member of the family of personal watercraft. Thus, the family of personal watercraft includes at least a first member (personal watercraft 50) with a seat assembly 100 and a second member (personal watercraft 50′) with a second seat assembly 100′. The seat assemblies 100, 101′ of the first and second members differ in that one allows movement of the straddle seat and the other does not, but each seat assembly 100, 100′ is connected to the corresponding personal watercraft 50, 50′ in similar fashion.

The manufacture and assembly of a family of personal watercraft including a plurality of personal watercraft 50, 50′ is made more efficient by having a system for assembling a personal watercraft that uses components that are common to more than one member 50, 50′ of the family of personal watercraft. According to the system of the present technology, a personal watercraft without either of the seat assemblies 100, 100′ is manufactured. Then, depending on which family member of the above-mentioned family is desired, a corresponding one of the seat assemblies 100, 100′ can be connected to the personal watercraft using the connection points, thereby obtaining a corresponding one of the personal watercraft 50, 50′. Then, if the other family member is desired, only the corresponding seat assembly has to be disconnected from the personal watercraft and replaced by the other seat assembly.

As will be understood, the use of common components also leads to a reduction in the numbers of parts that need to be manufactured which could result in a reduction in manufacturing costs.

Modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiment of the present technology may become apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. The scope of the present technology is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A seat assembly for a personal watercraft, the seat assembly comprising: a base configured for selectively connecting to a deck of the personal watercraft;a damper connected to the base;a straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the straddle seat relative to the base; anda locking assembly operatively connected to the base, the locking assembly being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration,with the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the base being locked to the deck; andwith the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the base being removable from the deck.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein: the base defines an aperture;the damper extends through the aperture;a first part of the damper extends on a first side of the base between the straddle seat and the base; anda second part of the damper extends on a second side of the base, the second side being opposite the first side.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to engage the deck via a groove configured to receive part of the deck.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one guiding member operatively connected to at least one of the straddle seat and the base for guiding movement of the straddle seat relative to the base.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one guiding member comprises a first guiding member and a second guiding member.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5, wherein: the first guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat; andthe second guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat.

7. The seat assembly of claim 6, wherein the base, the straddle seat, the first guiding member and the second guiding member form a four-bar linkage.

8. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a coil spring connected to the damper, the damper extending inside the coil spring.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the damper is an adjustable damper.

10. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the straddle seat includes a compressible top portion made of foam, and a cover covering the compressible top portion.

11. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the straddle seat assembly is toollessly connected to the deck.

12. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking assembly includes: a locking member moveable between: a first position, in which the locking assembly is in the locked configuration; anda second position, in which the locking assembly is in the unlocked configuration,a biasing member biasing the locking member toward the first position.

13. A personal watercraft comprising: a hull;a deck disposed on the hull;the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment;a motor disposed in the motor compartment; andthe seat assembly of claim 1 selectively connected to the deck.

14. The personal watercraft of claim 13, wherein the deck defines an opening, and the base is configured to be connected to the deck to at least partially close the opening.

15. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the damper extends through the opening into the motor compartment.

16. The personal watercraft of claim 15, wherein a lower end of the damper is lower than a top of the motor.

17. A system for assembling a personal watercraft of a family of personal watercraft including at least a first personal watercraft and a second personal watercraft, the system comprising: a hull;a deck having a plurality of seat connection points;a motor;a group of straddle seats including a first straddle seat and a second straddle seat, the first straddle seat corresponding to the first personal watercraft and the second straddle seat corresponding to the second personal watercraft, the first straddle seat being configured to connect to the deck via a damper; andthe second straddle seat being configured to rigidly connect to the deck;wherein when the first personal watercraft is assembled using the first straddle seat: the deck is disposed on the hull;the hull and the deck at least partially define a motor compartment;the motor is disposed in the motor compartment; andthe first straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points and the damper,wherein when the second personal watercraft is assembled using the second straddle seat: the deck is disposed on the hull;the motor is disposed in the motor compartment; andthe second straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein: the first straddle seat is part of a first seat assembly, the first seat assembly including: a first base configured to connect to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points;the damper connected to the base; andthe first straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the first straddle seat relative to the first base, andthe second straddle seat is part of a second seat assembly, the second seat assembly including: a second base configured to connect to deck via the plurality of seat connection points; andthe second straddle seat rigidly connected to the second base.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first seat assembly further comprises a locking assembly operatively connected to the first base, the locking assembly being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, with the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the first base being locked to the deck; andwith the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the first base being removable from the deck.

20. A method for attaching a straddle seat to a personal watercraft, the watercraft having a hull, a deck disposed on the hull, the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment, and a motor disposed in the motor compartment,the method comprising: connecting a seat assembly as a unit to the deck, the seat assembly comprising: a base configured for selectively connecting to the deck;a damper connected to the base; andthe straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the seat relative to the base.