# US 9,517,816 B2 · Stern hatch means > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,816 B2 - Document ID: US9517816B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/806,464 - Filed: 2011-06-20 - Published: 2013-08-29 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-21 - Applicants: Peter A. Mueller - Inventors: Peter A. Mueller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517816B2 ## CPC - B63B 27/14: of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders {; Pilot lifts} - B63B 27/146: {Pilot ladders or similar outboard ladders, e.g. bathing ladders; Pilot lifts} - B63B 2029/022: {Bathing platforms} - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) ## Abstract The invention relates to a foldout stern-lowering means (1) which constitutes an integral part of the watercraft (38) and has at least three sectors (A, B, C) which can be walked on and optionally three further sectors (D, E, F) which can be walked on, with three different foldout modes: gangway, stairs and tender, with a safety means on the lifting means (18) in order always to return the stern-lowering means (1) into the starting position, and a safety means by means of an emergency lifting means (31) for people, and also to compensate for the additional weight of a stern-lowering means (1) by means of buoyancy means (39, 39a) and to increase the comfort while underway and before anchoring, assisted by slosh plates (40). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stern hatch device comprising: a body that includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, wherein when the stern hatch device is attached to a watercraft: the body in its entirety can pivot about a single axis at one end of the body between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the first side of the body includes a first sector that is exposed and includes an upper surface that is substantially horizontally positioned when the body is in the closed configuration such that a user can walk on the first sector on the first side of the body, the second side of the body includes a second sector that is exposed and includes an upper surface that is substantially horizontally positioned and does not represent a staircase when the body is in the open configuration such that the user can walk on the second sector on the second side of the body, the second side of the body includes a third sector that represents a staircase that is exposed and inclines downward when the body is in the open configuration and the upper surface of the second sector is substantially horizontally positioned such that the user can walk on the third sector on the second side of the body, the second sector and the third sector are covered when the body is in the closed configuration such that the user cannot walk on the second sector or the third sector, and the second sector is closer to the watercraft than the third sector when the body is in the open configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stern hatch device according to claim 1, wherein the first sector is on the first side of the body opposite to the second sector on the second side of the body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stern hatch device according to claim 1, further comprising a water run-off, a hatch element, a foldout element, a foldout hand rail, a runner element set, or the hatch element is folded at a time delay when the body is moved to the open configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A watercraft comprising: a watercraft body; and the stern hatch device according to claim 1, wherein: the stern hatch device is attached to the watercraft body, and a swimming platform is located below the stern hatch device when the body is in the closed configuration, the stern hatch device and the swimming platform are connected to each other by a pivot bearing device, an emergency lifting device is located below the swimming platform at a position with a swing-out step ladder, activated by an emergency lift motor and an electrical switch or manually by levers, supported by a gas spring and a lock at a lift stop of a hand rail, which is activated by an auxiliary transmission, and in that the hand rail swings out faster and at a larger pivot angle in a same direction as the step ladder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stern hatch device according to claim 1, wherein, when the stern hatch device is attached to the watercraft, the body can move to an intermediate configuration between the open configuration and the closed configuration, or the body is activated by a sensor from the watercraft directly or via radio, or by a water-proof emergency switch on the body or on a swimming platform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A watercraft comprising: a watercraft body; and the stern hatch device according to claim 1, wherein: the stern hatch device is attached to the watercraft body, and hydrodynamic buoyancy units are disposed below the stern hatch device and/or on a stern of the watercraft body, or slosh plates are mounted on the buoyancy units, and in that extendable or inflatable buoyancy units are located on the stern, and/or in that the buoyancy units are activated by a controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A watercraft comprising: a watercraft body; and the stern hatch device according to claim 1, wherein: the stern hatch device is attached to the watercraft body; and support elements are mounted below a swimming platform and connected to a stern of the watercraft. ### Claim 8 A watercraft comprising: a stern hatch device comprising: at least three sectors that can be walked on, wherein at least one sector of the three sectors represents a staircase, one sector of the three sectors is located on an underside of the other sectors and the three sectors are configured to be pivoted as a whole above a pivot axis, or five sectors that can be walked on, wherein two sectors of the five sectors that can be walked on are located adjacently relative to each other and represent a staircase or a gangway staircase and the five sectors are configured to be pivoted as a whole about the pivot axis, or six sectors that can be walked on and of which an extension can be extended and the six sectors are configured to be pivoted as a whole about the pivot axis; and a swimming platform located below the stern hatch device, the stern hatch device and the swimming platform are connected to each other by a pivot bearing device, an emergency lifting device is located below the swimming platform at a position with a swing-out step ladder, activated by an emergency lift motor and an electrical switch or manually by levers, supported by a gas spring and a lock at a lift stop of a hand rail, which is activated by an auxiliary transmission, and in that the hand rail swings out faster and at a larger pivot angle in a same direction as the step ladder.