Patent Grant
11634200
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to paddle devices and more particularly pertains to a new paddle device for enhancing comfort while paddling a watercraft. The device includes a paddle and a roller attachment that is coupled to the paddle. The roller attachment has a roller section that is oriented perpendicular to a lengthwise axis of the paddle. A roller is rotatably positioned around the roller section which is gripped by a user during paddling.
The prior art relates to paddle devices including a kayak paddle with a crossbar structure incorporated into the kayak paddle for improving gripping the kayak paddle. The prior art discloses a kayak paddle which includes a pair of rollers that is each integrated into a handle section of the paddle and are positioned between pairs of paddle sections of the paddle. The prior art discloses a kayak paddle that has strategically positioned bends for enhancing efficiency of the kayak paddle. The prior art discloses a kayak paddle that includes a pair of rollers that are rotatably integrated into the kayak paddle and which are rotatable about a lengthwise axis of the kayak paddle. The prior art discloses a paint roller that includes a roller attachment and a roller that is rotatably integrated into the roller attachment.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a paddle that has a handle portion is elongated and a paddle portion. A roller attachment is coupled to the handle portion and the roller attachment is distally positioned with respect to paddle portion of the paddle. The roller attachment has an attached section that is oriented at an angle with a roller section. A roller is rotatably integrated into the roller section of the roller attachment such that the roller can be gripped by the user. The roller is oriented to rotate about an axis that is oriented perpendicular to a lengthwise axis of the paddle to facilitate the user to grip the roller and the handle portion of the paddle in a preferred manner for paddling.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A roller attachment 34 is provided and the roller attachment 34 is coupled to the handle portion 14. The roller attachment 34 is distally positioned with respect to paddle portion 16 of the paddle 12. Additionally, the roller attachment 34 has an attached section 36 that is oriented at an angle with a roller section 38 and the roller section 38 is spaced from the attached section 36. The attached section 36 is attached to the handle portion 14 having the roller section 38 being spaced from the handle portion 14 of the paddle 12. The roller attachment 34 has a first end 40 and a second end 42, the first end 40 is associated with the attached section 36 and the second end 42 is associated with the roller section 38. The first end 40 is coupled to the distal end 20 of the handle portion 14 of the paddle 12. Moreover, the attached section 36 is oriented to extend along the axis extending between the distal end 20 of the handle portion 14 and the paddle portion 16.
The roller attachment 34 has a series of bends 44 each being positioned between the first end 40 and the second end 42. The series of bends 44 defines a first section 46 that is oriented perpendicular to the attached section 36 having the first section 46 extending laterally away from the attached section 36. Additionally, the series of bends 44 defines a second section 48 that is oriented perpendicular to the first section 46 having the second section 48 extending along an axis that is oriented parallel to the axis extending through the distal end 20 of the handle portion 14 and the paddle portion 16 of the paddle 12. The bends 44 define the roller section 38 being oriented perpendicular to the second section 48. Moreover, the roller section 38 extends along an axis that is oriented perpendicular to the axis extending through the distal end 20 of the handle portion 14 and the paddle portion 16 of the paddle 12. Additionally, the roller section 38 is spaced from the first section 46 to define a hand space 50 between the roller section 38 and the first section 46 to accommodate the user's hand 52.
A roller 54 is provided and the roller 54 is rotatably integrated into the roller section 38 of the roller attachment 34 such that the roller 54 can be gripped by the user 24. The roller 54 is oriented to rotate about an axis that is oriented perpendicular to a lengthwise axis of the paddle 12. In this way the roller 54 facilitates the user 24 to grip the roller 54 and the handle portion 14 of the paddle 12 in a preferred manner for paddling. Thus, a user 24 that is standing on a paddleboard, for example, can more comfortably paddle the paddleboard as compared to a traditional paddle that has fixed gripping points.
The roller 54 has a primary end 56, a secondary end 58 and an outside surface 60 extending between the primary end 56 and the secondary end 58. The roller section 38 extends through the primary end 56 toward the secondary end 58 such that the roller 54 rotates about the roller section 38. In this way the roller 54 is configured to facilitate the user's forearm 62 associated with the hand 52 that is gripping the roller 54 to be oriented at a variety of angles with respect to the handle portion 14 while the user 24 is paddling. The roller 54 may be comprised of a resiliently compressible material to enhance comfort for the user 24, sand the outside surface 60 of the roller 54 may be textured to enhance gripping the roller 54. Additionally, the roller 54 may include friction reducing bearings that each engage the roller section 38 of the roller attachment 34 to enhance rotation of the roller 54.
In an alternative embodiment 64 as is most clearly shown in
In an alternative embodiment 76 as is most clearly shown in
Continuing in the alternative embodiment 76 as is most clearly shown in
In use, the user 24 grips the handle portion 14 of the paddle 12 and the roller 54 when the user 24 wishes to employ the paddle 12 for paddling the watercraft 18. In this way the user 24 can maintain a firm grip on the paddle 12 while allowing the user's hand 52 that is gripping the roller 54 to rotate about rotational axis of the roller 54. Thus, the user 24 can paddle 12 the watercraft 18 without having to continually bend their wrist that is associated with the hand 52 that is gripping the roller 54 as is required with paddles that have fixed gripping points. Moreover, the user 24 is less likely to develop joint discomfort or pain that could result from paddling for extended periods of time with a traditional paddle.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1107169 | Kerns | Aug 1914 | A |
| 4673361 | Harvey | Jan 1987 | A |
| 5851132 | Merrill | Dec 1998 | A |
| 6328617 | Gunnell | Dec 2001 | B1 |
| 6514109 | Carlow | Feb 2003 | B1 |
| 6702727 | Karsten | Mar 2004 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220396342 A1 | Dec 2022 | US |
