Independent structural member drain channels
OwnerBenjamin S. Haasinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of manufacture including molded-in notches in the peripheral edge of long, uninterrupted molded-in compartments in a rotational molded boat hull for permitting the flush fitting of certain independent structural members in said notches to provide both structural support and drainage of water away from seams between adjacent deck panels and hatches secured over the compartments without resorting to elaborate pre-fabricated decks. The article of manufacture includes a body, wherein the body is a plastic molded boat hull comprised of numerous molded-in cavities and molded-in features to create an interior layout that is comparable to a conventional boat built of aluminum or fiber reinforced plastic.
Claims19
A system for enabling both structural support and drainage of water away from seams between adjacent deck panels and hatches over uninterrupted molded-in compartments in a rotational molded boat hull without resorting to elaborate pre-fabricated decks, comprising:
- one or more pairs of aligned molded-in notches formed in a peripheral edge of one of said molded-in compartments, said pairs of notches extending laterally through the peripheral edge and located on opposite sides of the compartment at a location in alignment with a seam to be formed between adjacent deck panels and/or hatches when secured over the compartment;
- and
- an independent structural member configured to be secured extending over the compartment with opposite ends supported in one of said pairs of notches, said structural member providing structural support for the deck panels or hatches to be secured over the compartment at said location.
A rotational molded plastic boat hull comprising:
- at least one uninterrupted male cavity positioned along a port or starboard side of the hull, said male cavity configured to serve as a storage compartment,
- a drain channel extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of said at least one male cavity, said drain channel having a raised lip portion adjacent the peripheral edge of the male cavity, and a drainage cavity along an outer edge of the raised lip portion;
- a plurality of oppositely positioned transverse recessed notches, at least one of which is molded into the raised lip portion of the perimeter drain channel,
- one or more independent structural members having outer ends affixed to the plastic hull in said transverse notches, said independent structural members located both for supporting deck panels or hatches positioned over the male cavity and acting as drain channels which direct water away from seams between adjacent deck panels or hatches.
A rotational molded plastic boat hull comprising:
- an uninterrupted molded-in male cavity formed in the plastic hull;
- a pair of aligned transverse notches formed in a perimeter of the male cavity, said notches including a mounting surface;
- a structural member dimensioned to be secured extending over the male cavity with opposing ends supported on said mounting surface, said structural member including an upwardly open drain channel extending between said opposing ends;
- wherein the structural member is positioned to provide structural support for adjacent deck panels or hatches secured over the male cavity, and the drain channel is positioned beneath a seam between said adjacent deck panels or hatches to collect water falling into the seam and direct the water away from the male cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.