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US 5,964,176 AGranted
Inflatable keel
AssigneeWetco, Inc.
InventorsWilliam C. Grunau, Douglas A. R. Batson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for a water craft, for use on a body of water, having a bottom, and an inflatable keel, coupled to the bottom, wherein the keel contacts the surface of the water during operation of the craft, the keel comprising an inflatable bladder wherein inflating the bladder results in the keel at least partially transitioning from a collapsed state to an inflated state.
Claims10
A water craft for use on a body of water having
- a bottom, and
- an inflatable keel, coupled to the bottom, the keel comprising an inflatable bladder wherein the bladder, when inflated, has an at least roughly triangular shape comprising a base and two sides, wherein the base of the triangle comprises a portion of the bottom of the craft, and at least portions of the sides of the triangle contact the surface of the water during operation of the craft,
- and inflation of the bladder results in the keel substantially transitioning from a collapsed state to an inflated state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.