Patent Application
20240343352
The present disclosure generally relates to water sports board systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water sports board system comprising an inflatable hull defining a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening proximal to a tail end, wherein the inflatable hull is capable of receiving a vertical hydrodynamic member within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening.
This section is intended to provide information relating to the field of the invention and thus, any approach or functionality described below should not be assumed to be qualified as prior art merely by its inclusion in this section.
Water sports, such as but not limited to, surfing, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, standup paddle boarding, windsurfing, e-foiling (electric power foil board), wing-foiling, and the like, are commonly known to use a water sports board system. Various types of water sports board system may be known, such as but not limited to, a surfboard system and a hydrofoil board system. The present disclosure is directed towards an inflatable water sports board system, which can be used for performing the aforementioned water sports.
One example of the water sports board system is described in United States patent numbered U.S. Pat. No. 11,535,343 B2. The water sports board system includes an inflatable hull, a hard deck, and a vertical hydrodynamic member. The vertical hydrodynamic member may embody, such as but not limited to, a hydrofoil mast, a daggerboard, and a fin. A water sports board system deploying, the inflatable hull, the hard deck, and the hydrofoil mast (as the vertical hydrodynamic member), may be termed as a ‘hydrofoil board system’. Whereas, a water sports board system deploying, the inflatable hull, the hard deck, and the daggerboard or fin (as the vertical hydrodynamic member), may be termed as a surfboard system. For ease in reference and understanding, the concepts are described with reference to the hydrofoil board system, however, similar concepts may also be applicable to the surfboard system.
In conventional water sports board systems, the inflatable hull is made up of a flexible water-resistant fabric material stitched together by drop stitch technology, to define a plurality of inflatable bladders. The plurality of inflatable bladders of the inflatable hull is capable of being inflated or deflated, in an inflated state or deflated state of the inflatable hull. In the deflated state, the inflatable hull is capable of being stored and transported, whereas, in the inflated state, the inflatable hull is used as part of the water sports board system. Furthermore, the inflatable hull is suitably structured and arranged, such that it defines a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity proximal to a tail end thereof. The vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity is a through-opening, to receive the vertical hydrodynamic member. The hard deck is a flat-board made up of hard material, such as but not limited to, wood, foam, carbon, polymer, and/or combination of such materials thereof. The vertical hydrodynamic member can be any of the hydrofoil mast, the fin, and the daggerboard.
In assembly of the water sports board system, the vertical hydrodynamic member is initially inserted into the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity of the inflatable hull, while the inflatable hull is in deflated state thereof. Notably, the vertical hydrodynamic member is initially inserted into the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity of the inflatable hull from a lower surface towards a top surface of the inflatable hull. Thereafter, the hard deck is positioned on the top surface of the inflatable hull, to be bolted to a top flange plate of the vertical hydrodynamic member. Followed by this, the inflatable hull is inflated to the inflated state. Finally, the hard deck is fixedly attached to the inflatable hull. Notably, in such conventional water sports systems, an assembly of the water sports board system is cumbersome and is prone to mistakes. For example, in case, a user inflates the inflatable hull to the inflated state before inserting the vertical hydrodynamic member in the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity of the inflatable hull, it may not be possible to later insert the vertical hydrodynamic member in the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity of the inflatable hull. In such conditions, the inflatable hull is required to be deflated to the deflated state.
Accordingly in light of the aforementioned drawbacks and several other limitations inherent in the existing art, there is a well felt need to provide a water sports board system that provides ease of assembly thereof.
This section is intended to introduce certain aspects of the disclosed system in a simplified form and is not intended to identify the key advantages or features of the present disclosure.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a water sports board system. The water sports board system comprises an inflatable hull including a nose end and a tail end. The inflatable hull defining a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening. The vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening is extended from the tail end towards the nose end thereof, such that the inflatable hull is capable of receiving a vertical hydrodynamic member within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening through the tail end thereof.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a water sports board system. The water sports board system comprises an inflatable hull, a hard deck, and a vertical hydrodynamic member. The inflatable hull includes a nose end and a tail end. The inflatable hull defines a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening, wherein the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening is extended from the tail end towards the nose end thereof. The hard deck positioned onto or within the inflatable hull. The vertical hydrodynamic member is adapted to be received within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening in the inflatable hull through the tail end thereof. The vertical hydrodynamic member comprising a top portion supporting a flange plate, such that the flange plate is fixedly attached to the inflatable hull.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of assembling a water sports board system. The method initiates with: flatly positioning an inflatable hull, the inflatable hull including a nose end and a tail end, the inflatable hull defining a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening, wherein the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening is extended from the tail end towards the nose end thereof. Thereafter, the method proceeds to: fixedly attaching a hard deck to a flange plate of the vertical hydrodynamic member and then positioning the hard deck onto or within inflatable hull. After flat positioning, the method performs sliding of a vertical hydrodynamic member within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening through the tail end, the vertical hydrodynamic member comprising a top portion supporting the flange plate thereof that is connected to the hard deck. Lastly, the method incudes inflating the inflatable hull.
In order to explain the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application more clearly, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the application. For those ordinarily skilled in the art, without any creative work, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.
In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only one of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Exemplified embodiments of the present invention are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.
Referring to
The inflatable hull comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders made up of polymer composite material. The inflatable hull is normally in a distorted shape and form, to be stowed and transported, in a deflated state. Inflation of the inflatable hull provides a defined shape and form to the inflatable hull [12]. An air compressor may generally be used to inflate the inflatable hull [12]. Notably, various sides, surfaces, and ends of the inflatable hull can be defined, in the inflated state of the inflatable hull [12]. Accordingly, in the inflated state, the inflatable hull including a nose end [12a] and a tail end [12b], a top surface [12c] and a bottom surface [12d]. Furthermore, the inflatable hull defines a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity [12e], such that that the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity [12e] is defined proximal to and distant from the tail end [12b] thereof, and extends entirely between the top surface [12c] and the bottom surface [12d].
In a preferred embodiment of the prior arts, as is shown in
In the preferred embodiment of the prior arts, the hard deck is usually positioned over the top surface [12c] of the inflatable hull [12]. The hard deck is made up of hard material, such as wood, foam, carbon, polymer, and/or combination of such materials thereof. Although, in the preferred embodiment, the hard deck is deployed over the top surface [12c] of the inflatable hull [12], it is known to a person skilled in the art that the hard deck can also be deployed within, i.e. in the middle, or under the inflatable hull [12], as well.
In assembly of the prior known water sports board system [1], the inflatable hull [12], in the deflated state, is initially flatly positioned. Thereafter, the vertical hydrodynamic member is passed/inserted through the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity [12e] of the inflatable hull [12]. After such insertion, the hard deck is fixedly attached to the flange plate of the vertical hydrodynamic member [20]. Next, the inflatable hull [12] is inflate to the inflated state thereof. Finally, the hard deck is positioned onto the top surface of the inflatable hull [12]. It may be noted that the step of inflating the inflatable hull to the inflated state is done, after the step of passing/inserting the vertical hydrodynamic member through the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening [12e] of the inflatable hull [12]. In such prior known water sports system [1], an assembly of the water sports board system [1] is cumbersome and is prone to mistakes. Therefore, in case, a user accidently inflates the inflatable hull to the inflated state before inserting the vertical hydrodynamic member in the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity [12e] of the inflatable hull [12], it may not be possible to later insert the vertical hydrodynamic member in the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving cavity [12e] of the inflatable hull [12]. In such conditions, the inflatable hull is required to be deflated to the deflated state.
The inflatable hull comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders made up of polymer composite material. Notably, the inflatable hull can be made up of the polymer composite material defining the plurality of inflatable bladders, by a drop stitch technology. The inflatable hull is normally in a distorted shape and form, to be able to be stowed and transported, in a deflated state. Inflation of the inflatable hull provides a defined shape and form to the inflatable hull [102]. An air compressor may generally be used to inflate the inflatable hull [102]. Notably, various sides, surfaces, and ends of the inflatable hull can be defined, in the inflated state of the inflatable hull [102]. Accordingly, in the inflated state, the inflatable hull includes a nose end [102a] and a tail end [102b], a top surface [102c] and a bottom surface [102d], a first side surface [102e] and a second side surface [102f]. Furthermore, the inflatable hull defines a vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening [108], such that that the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening is extended from the tail end [102b] towards the nose end [102a] thereof. Notably, the inflatable hull defines an overall length, L, wherein the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening includes an opening length, I in a range of 10% to 50% of the overall length, L, of the inflatable hull [102]. In one embodiment, the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening has a uniform width throughout the opening length of the thereof. In another embodiment, the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening has a width of the vertical lesser at a portion closer to the tail end [102b] of the inflatable hull than a portion distant from the tail end [102b] of the inflatable hull [102]. Further, the inflatable hull includes at least one closing means that is capable of at least partially closing the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening of the inflatable hull [102]. For example, the closing means is a zipper closing means Although, the closing means is described to be the zipper closing means, it may be noted that the closing means may also embody a Velcro closing means, and/or similar closing means.
The hard deck is made up of hard material, such as wood, foam, carbon, polymer, and/or combination of such materials thereof. Although, in the preferred embodiment, the hard deck is shown to be deployed over the top surface [102c] of the inflatable hull [102], it is known to a person skilled in the art that the hard deck can also be deployed within, i.e. in the middle, or under the inflatable hull [102], as well. The hard deck is attached to each of the first side surface [102e] and the second side surface [102f] of the inflatable hull by an attachment means. The attachment means comprises, such as but not limited to, a bolt rope attachment means [112a] (as is shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the vertical hydrodynamic member is a hydrofoil mast [106]. Other embodiments of the vertical hydrodynamic member may also be envisioned and are within a scope of the present disclosure, for example, the vertical hydrodynamic member can be a daggerboard (as shown in
A method of assembling a water sports board system [100], comprises: flatly positioning an inflatable hull [102]. After flat positioning, the hard deck is positioned onto or within the inflatable hull [102]. In one embodiment, the hard deck is then attached to the inflatable hull by any of the aforementioned attachment means. Thereafter, vertical hydrodynamic member is sliding within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening through the tail end [102b]. Thereafter, the hard deck is fixedly attached to the flange plate of the vertical hydrodynamic member [106]. Notably, the inflatable hull is then inflated, either before the step of positioning the hard deck onto or within the inflatable hull [102], or after the step of fixedly attaching the hard deck to the flange plate [106d] of the vertical hydrodynamic member [106].
In light of the aforementioned disclosure, the water sports board system [100] disclosed in the present disclosure provides a flexibility to inflate the inflatable hull [102] at any step, i.e. either after the step of fixedly attaching the hard deck to the flange plate [106d] of the vertical hydrodynamic member [106], or before the step of positioning the hard deck onto or within the inflatable hull [102]. Therefore, the water sports board system disclosed in the present disclosure provides ease of assembly to the user. Particularly, as the vertical hydrodynamic member is sliding within the vertical hydrodynamic member receiving opening through the tail end [102b] of the inflatable hull [102], it provides the option of
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63458776 | Apr 2023 | US |
