Boat buoyancy aid
OwnerDru Woodinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dinghy has a hull with gunwales supporting a Bimini top. The Bimini top includes a primary bow supporting secondary and intermediate bows. A UV stabilized polyester Bimini canvas is supported on the bows by fore, aft, and intermediate sleeve portions. The underside of the Bimini canvas supports port and starboard buoyancy aid assemblies each comprising a bladder which is inflatable by an inflation mechanism and CO2 cartridge, and is maintained in its collapsed state by tape loop assemblies adjustable by hook-pile self-fastenings which are frangible on inflation. A protective cover is stitched to the Bimini canvas and is provided with hook-pile fastening means frangible on inflation. A toggle handle pulls a lanyard which passes into the primary bow to operate the mechanism to inflate the bladder.
Claims20
A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers include an open celled, self-inflating foam core in a compressed state, and wherein said inflation gas supply comprises self-inflation valves selectively operable to open the interior of a respective said buoyancy chamber to atmosphere to expand said foam core.
A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said fabric cover member is supported on and forms part of a Bimini top and is supported on two or more tubular bows by integral bow sleeves spaced fore and aft in said fabric cover member, the tubular bows each having a substantially central bow sleeve supporting portion bounded by respective strut portions adapted to elevate the fabric cover member above respective gunwales of a boat hull, said bows in assembly being pivoted to said gunwales to permit folding and having stays to secure the Bimini top in a deployed position.
A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, and a hydrostatic trigger activated by submergence of the trigger to an activation depth corresponding to an expected depth of submergence on capsize of the boat hull, wherein the inflation gas supply comprises CO2 delivered from a CO2 cartridge.
A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable by trigger means to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein the trigger means is mechanical and operated remotely by means of a cable terminated by a remote pull handle or toggle protected from accidental deployment by a cover, wherein said fabric cover is supported by a Bimini top and said cable is laid internally of a bow thereof and led there through to adjacent a gunwale through a lead.
A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said each said buoyancy chamber comprises an inflatable bladder enclosed by a fabric closure portion frangibly secured to said fabric cover portion and adapted to retain and protect each said inflatable buoyancy chamber in its deflated state, wherein said fabric closure portion frangibly secured to said fabric cover member comprises a low stretch canvas cover closed by a closure such as a clip-together means or hook-pile fastening, selected to be frangible to release the inflating inflatable buoyancy chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.