Moveable Bimini Shade Cover For A Boat
AssigneeTige Boats, Inc.
InventorDaniel V. Gutierrez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Boats having moveable bimini structures are described, particularly the bimini structure includes a sunshade moveable generally horizontally relative to its supporting posts to cover different occupant areas of the boat. For example, the bimini structure can be manipulated between a standard configuration, aft configuration, swim platform configuration, forward configuration and utilitarian configuration such as for trailering or storage. The sunshade has an aftmost edge and a forward most edge and is of a fixed construct having an unalterable lengthwise dimension between the aftmost edge and the forward most edge. In some cases, the bimini structure may be a wakeboard tower and include a tow rope attachment point fixedly coupled to one of the supporting posts or the sunshade structure.
Claims20
A boat comprising a deck, a hull, a helm and a bimini structure, wherein the bimini structure comprises:
- a support structure comprising two support posts respectively coupled to opposing port and starboard portions of the hull or of the deck, wherein the two support posts are configured to pivot their upper ends forward relative to their lower ends;
- and
- a sunshade arranged over the support structure, wherein the sunshade comprises an aftmost edge and a forward most edge, and wherein the sunshade is of a fixed construct having an unalterable lengthwise dimension between the aftmost edge and the forward most edge;
- wherein the support structure and the sunshade are configured such that the sunshade is suspended at an elevation higher than an uppermost surface of the helm, and
- wherein the bimini structure is configured such that the sunshade is moveable as a whole at the elevation between:
- a first lateral position at which the forward most edge is forward of the helm and the aftmost edge is aft of the two support posts;
- and
- a second lateral position at which the forward most edge is aft of the helm and is either forward or is over the two support posts.
A boat comprising a deck, a hull and a bimini structure, wherein the bimini structure comprises:
- a support structure comprising at least two support posts respectively coupled to opposing port and starboard portions of the hull or the deck;
- and
- a sunshade suspended above distal ends of the two support posts, wherein the sunshade comprises an aft edge and a forward edge, and wherein when the sunshade is suspended above the distal ends of the two support posts the sunshade is;
- moveable relative to the frame without changing its lengthwise dimension between the forward edge and the aft edge;
- and
- laterally moveable between a first position having more than half of its lengthwise dimension forward of the distal ends of the two support posts and a second position having more than half of its lengthwise dimension aft of the distal ends of the two support posts.
A wakeboard tower, comprising:
- two posts each comprising a first end for mounting the wakeboard tower to a boat and a second end opposing the first end;
- a top structure suspended between and slidingly engaged with distal end surfaces of the second ends of the two posts, wherein the wakeboard tower is configured to linearly displace the top structure relative to the two posts along a lengthwise dimension of the top structure without altering the lengthwise dimension of the top structure and while retaining suspension of the top structure between the two posts;
- and
- a tow rope attachment point fixedly coupled to one of the two posts or the top structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.