Inflatable watercraft and method of making same
AssigneeBote, LLC
InventorCorey Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A watercraft is made of at least two inflatable members, each being made of a drop-stitch which provides strength and stiffness comparable to a solid material. Air pressures of twenty to thirty pounds are possible with drop-stitch material. Using near net shape structures, a cockpit is formed by stacking one inflatable member on top of the other. The two members are separately inflatable and bound together adhesively or with heat welding or tacking. Advantageously, the watercraft can function as both a board type watercraft or as a boat, capable of being paddled while standing up, or motored with an outboard motor.
Claims10
An inflatable watercraft comprising:
- a first inflatable member having a forward end, an aft end, a bottom surface, a top surface and a peripheral side surface between the bottom and top surfaces;
- and
- a second inflatable member having a forward end, an aft end, a bottom surface, a top surface and a peripheral side surface between the bottom and top surfaces, wherein
- the bottom surface of the second inflatable member is positioned in contact with the upper surface of the first inflatable member to define a hull and deck which are rigid when both the first and second inflatable members are inflated,
- the second inflatable member includes an open space extending from the aft end towards the forward end, and defining a cockpit area when both the first and second inflatable members are inflated, and
- the first inflatable member includes an open space extending from the aft end towards the forward end, and together with a portion of the open space of the second inflatable member defining an engine well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.