Patent Application
20230356644
The present disclosure relates generally to devices for transporting personal aquatic vessels and similarly sized articles, and more specifically to a cart with a telescopic extension to facilitate individual loading and unloading of small watercrafts such as kayaks and canoes.
Small recreational watercrafts such as kayaks, canoes, small boats, dinghies, zodiacs and the like use over-the-road portable and detachable transport systems for the transportation of the watercraft on highways and roads to the water area for launching of the watercraft, as well as, the recovery of the watercraft from that water area after use has been completed. Typically, these transport systems have only intermittent use as they are constructed for long haul transporting on roads and are not usually suitable for portage.
Kayaking and canoeing, for example, often require portage over beach, sand, trail or other such rough terrain. Additionally, the vessel is often loaded with camping, fishing and/or other watercraft gear. Indeed, kayakers expend much energy with transport issues that it typically limits their enjoyment on the water and the amount of time they can spend kayaking. Without a so-called portage transport, such portages are often very difficult and tiresome or perhaps even virtually impossible for a single person.
As such, there have been numerous prior art portage transport designs to aid the traverse from the over-the-road transport system, over the rough terrain or beach sand, to a water area (river, lake, pond, stream, ocean, etc.). However, there have been a number of problems related to the main types of portage carts. For example, one source of problem concerns the way the cart is secured to the watercraft to attempt to provide stability through disruptive terrain. Another source of problems concerns the positioning of the watercraft on the cart. Additionally, there has been focus on unique constructions of substantial framing or a supportive unit intended to support the weight of the watercraft, as well as adjustably accommodating for a variety of sizes.
While these numerous designs have arguably addressed some of the issues, there nevertheless remains an issue of individual loading and unloading of watercraft and transport device. Accordingly, there remains a need for a watercraft transport design that is particularly suited for individual loading and unloading of the craft. The present disclosure overcomes the problems with conventional devices and fulfills this need. Accordingly, it is a general object of this disclosure to provide an improved small watercraft transport device.
It is another general object of the present disclosure to provide a watercraft transport device that can be loaded and unloaded by an individual.
It is a more specific object of the present disclosure to provide a small watercraft transport with a telescopic extension to better position the craft for loading and unloading.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a modular design to accommodate interchangeable attachments about a common wheelbase.
Yet another object pf the present disclosure is to provide a flat deck, canvas trough and J-hook attachment to the common wheelbase.
These and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a device for transporting articles having a wheelbase assembly and an article assembly. The wheelbase assembly includes a frame and at least two wheels and the article assembly includes at least two article support members. At least one of the members having an internal telescoping section for positioning the device for article loading.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for transporting an article by placing an article transporting device on an underlying support surface, extending a telescoping section from the device for positioning thereof for loading of the article thereon, lifting one end of the article and positioning same over the device, lowering the article onto the device and transporting the article with the device.
The present disclosure will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views and in which:
One or more embodiments of the subject disclosure will now be described with the aid of numerous drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, use of specific terms will be understood to include multiple versions and forms thereof.
Turning now to the figures, and in particular
The watercraft support assemblies 14 have a pair of vertical support members 28 adjustably coupled to the cross bars 22 and supporting the horizontal watercraft support members 30. This adjustability may be preferably of a T-track configuration, although any suitable adjustable coupling will suffice. The support members 30 can be covered in a foam material 32 known in the art. In the preferred embodiment, the material 32 covering the support members 30 has a surface texture that is configured to provide a gripping effect on the watercraft to aid in preventing same from sliding off the support members.
At least one of the support members 30 includes an internal telescoping support 34. This internal telescoping member 34 is shown in
The device may be first fit to the watercraft. This may be best accomplished by flipping the watercraft over, turning the device upside-down and adjusting the support assemblies to fit the bottom of the watercraft. Once the adjustable support assemblies are fit to the specific watercraft, the device is ready for use.
Upon lowering the watercraft upon the two support members 30 the transport device 10 tilts back up to match the angle of the watercraft hull 48. The user may then use tie down straps (or the like) before pushing (
The transport device 10 is made of light weight construction with the use of nuts, bolts, rivets, welding or the like. As such, once the watercraft 44 is launched, the device can fit into the watercraft and may be further designed to hold or store poles, tackle, etc. Accordingly, there is no worry of leaving the device 10 behind while enjoying the watercraft 44 on the water.
As previously noted, the preferred embodiment of the transport device 10 (now shown in
Examples of such attachments may include a flat deck assembly 50 (
The trough assembly or so-called hunter attachment 52 is better shown in
Alternatively, the hunter attachment (
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom. Accordingly, while one or more particular embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
