Patent Application
20080087210
A removable table 30 is mounted to a side wall 16 according to the present invention. It should thus be appreciated that the table 30 may be used to allow passengers around it to place items on the table 30. For example, persons sitting on the adjacent benches 20 may conveniently place their drinks on the table 30 and reach them when they want another sip as they enjoy a leisurely time on the boat 10.
It should be appreciated, however, that the location of the table 30 on the illustrated boat 10 is merely an example, and that in other configuration boats the table 30 may be mounted at a selected one of a plurality of provided positions along a side of the boat 10, near the aft or stern, and on the port or starboard sides. Suitable positions for one or more tables 30 according to the present invention can be determined based on the configuration of the passenger area 12 of the boat 10.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that the support or mount 40 of the present invention may be used to removably secure many different devices which may be desired, from time to time in the passenger area 12, including, for example, a video display monitor, a gas grill, and still other devices which may add to the enjoyment of the passengers on the boat 10.
As best illustrated in
The clamping plate 50 includes an open top, generally U-shaped slot 60 having a width or horizontal dimension which, in its most firm mounting configuration, is essentially only slightly greater than the diameter of the support arm 44 at the base plate end. Further, the back side of the clamping plate 50 is recessed around the slot 60 (e.g., includes a raised portion 62 around the outer edge of the clamping plate 50) to define an open top space between the clamping plate 50 and the backing plate 52.
By sizing the raised portion 62 defining the sides of the open top space to match the flat sides of the base plate 46 (e.g., shaping the base plate 46 to substantially match the open top space between the clamping and backing plates 50, 52), it should be appreciated that the support arm 44 will be suitably secured against rotating. However, it should also be appreciated that other structures including, for example, flat sides on the bottom end of the support arm 44 received between matching flat sides of the open top slot 60, could also be used to ensure that the support arm 44 will not rotate when mounted.
The device attachment 48 may be fixed or removably secured to the upper end of the support arm 44, and may be configured so as to suitably attach to the desired device. For example, as illustrated in
As illustrated, the support arm 44 is a curved or bent tube having its lower end generally horizontal and a generally vertical upper end. However, it should be appreciated that still different support arm configurations could be used within the broad scope of the present invention, depending upon the size of the supported device and its desired orientation of the supported device, as well as other factors such as the slope, if any, of the boat side wall 16 relative to vertical. Generally, however, the support arm 44 should be sized and configured so as to cause the particular supported device, such as the table top 70, to be supported vertically above the deck 14 and laterally away from the boat side wall 16 in a convenient desirable position, while also allowing the arm base plate 46 to be conveniently received and supported in the open top space between the plates 50, 52 with the adjacent end of the support arm resting securely in the slot 60 of the clamping plate 50.
It should thus be appreciated that a single support arm 44 may be interchangeably used to mount different devices, in which case different attachments 48 may be used for different devices (or universal mounting attachments may be used). Alternatively, different support arms may be used for different devices (for example, a table top 70 may use one support arm configured to support a device at a significant distance from the side wall 16, whereas a grill (which would not be intended to extend into the passenger area 12 very far) could use a different support arm.
In order to secure a device in a boat passenger area 12, the base plate 46 of the support arm 44 is lowered into the open top space between the plates 50, 52, whereby the mount 40 will be rigidly secured with its support arm 44 resting in the bottom of the slot 60 (see, e.g.,
The components of the mount 40 may be of any material having suitable strength to support the intended device and other objects which can be expected to be supported (e.g., food and drink on the table top 70). For example, the support arm 44 and clamping plate 50 may be of stainless steel, for strength, weather resistance, and appearance. Further, the backing plate 52 may be made of a hard plastic sufficient to stand up to the forces during mounting (as it is compressed between the base plate 46 and the boat side wall 16), while also providing some small amount of give and reduced friction to minimize binding of the base plate 46 when it is moved into and out of the open top space.
metal
It should be appreciated that the above described invention will allow a variety of desirable devices to be removably mounted in the limited space of a boat passenger area 12, whenever such a device is desired by the passengers. Moreover, this mount 40 requires no structures in the deck 14 of the boat 10, and therefore does not create a safety risk for the passengers who may stumble over irregularities in the deck, nor does it require that undesirable holes be cut in the deck.
Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.
