U.S. patent application number 09/953394 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-25 for dual tube float device.
Invention is credited to Ross, Peter.
Application Number | 20020049017 09/953394 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22873391 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020049017 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ross, Peter |
April 25, 2002 |
Dual tube float device
Abstract
The present invention comprises two V-shaped tubes held in a
nested and tensioned relationship with each other such that the
assembly is free of tensioning straps or rigid supports while
easily maintaining its relative legs angled relationship
effectively supporting in fishing activity in wave agitated lakes
and bodies of water persons weighing up to and over 250 pounds.
Inventors: |
Ross, Peter; (Cedar Glen,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David T. Bracken
The Law Office Of David T. Bracken
4839 Bond Avenue
Orange
CA
92869
US
|
Family ID: |
22873391 |
Appl. No.: |
09/953394 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09953394 |
Sep 13, 2001 |
|
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60232506 |
Sep 13, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
441/132 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 34/05 20200201;
B63B 34/52 20200201; B63B 2007/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
441/132 |
International
Class: |
B63C 009/08 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An inflatable float device adapted to support upright above
water at least the upper torso of a person while their legs are
immersed therein comprising: (a) at least two inflatable tubes
adapted to be maintained, in an inflated state, in a side by side
relationship such that a first tube forms an outer edge of the
V-shape, a second tube forms an inner edge of the V-shape, and the
total side to side width of the tubes in at least a legs part of
the V-shape is greater than the side view height of that legs part;
and (b) a flexible sheet or net covering stretched around the tubes
is adapted to, in the inflated state of the device, maintain the
leg parts in substantially a V-shape against side to side
deflection in the plane of the V-shape.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein along at least a portion of a
contact surface between the tubes such adjacent tubes are
integrally and effectively connected to resist relative movement of
the adjacent tubes.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubes are inflated to less
than 5 psig.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the tubes are inflated to less
than 3 psig.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the second tube in a vertex part
of the V-shape has a side view height substantially greater than
that the height of the adjacent tube in that vertex part.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein leg parts of the V-shape have
substantially the same length measured from the vertex part.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the leg parts' length is two feet
or more.
8. The device of claim 6 wherein the leg parts' length is three
feet or more.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the side to side width is less
than about three feet.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the adaptation to support the
person comprises a seat supportively connected at opposite ends to
at least the legs part of the V-shape.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the covering comprises one or
more of the group of webbed or latticed flexible material, porous
woven material, non-porous woven material, and non-porous polymer
sheets.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the covering comprises at least
a webbed or latticed material along at least an underside part of
the covering such that water will easily drain from a cavity formed
between the tubes and the covering when the device is in the
inflated state.
13. The device of claim 1 wherein separate means for user access to
inflate and deflate the tubes is located on an upper part of the
device.
14. An inflatable float device comprising: (a) at least two
inflatable tubes adapted to be maintained, in an inflated state, in
a side by side relationship such that a first tube forms an outer
edge of a V-shape, an I-shape or an O-shape, a second tube forms an
inner edge of those shapes, and the total side to side width of the
tubes in at least a major part of the shapes is greater than the
side view height of that major part; and (b) a flexible sheet or
net covering stretched around the tubes is adapted to, in the
inflated state of the device, maintain the major parts in
substantially its original shape against side to side deflection in
the major part.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein along at least a portion of a
contact surface between the tubes such adjacent tubes are
integrally and effectively connected to resist relative movement of
the adjacent tubes.
16. The device of claim 14 wherein the second tube in a vertex part
of the V-shape has a side view height substantially greater than
that the height of the adjacent tube in that vertex part.
17. The device of claim 14 wherein the covering comprises one or
more of the group of webbed or latticed flexible material, porous
woven material, non-porous woven material, and non-porous polymer
sheets.
18. The device of claim 17 wherein the covering comprises at least
a webbed or latticed material along at least an underside part of
the covering such that water will easily drain from a cavity formed
between the tubes and the covering when the device is in the
inflated state.
19. The device of claim 14 wherein the covering comprises one or
more of the group of webbed or latticed flexible material, porous
woven material, non-porous woven material, and non-porous polymer
sheets.
20. The device of claim 14 wherein two I-shaped devices are held
apart in the plane of their side to side orientation by means of
one or more rigid supports.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of application
60/232506 filed Sep. 13, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to U-shaped and V-shaped inflatable
float devices for humans engaged in fishing activities. The state
of the art of float tube technology is well disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. D341866, 5,217,400 and 5,171,178. The float tubes of those
patents have a common complexity that would be desirable to
eliminate. None of the float tubes have shaken free of the
tensioning strap required for maintenance of the U-shape or V-shape
disclosed therein as so necessary to effective use of the device.
It appears that others have solved the tensioning problem by
inserting a stiff support between the legs of the U-shaped devices
to keep the free ends of the U-shape from laterally drifting or
being moved substantially out of their original relationship with
the person sitting on the seat. The tension belt and rigid support
are directed to this problem.
[0003] It is easily appreciated that wave action and turning action
initiated by the user causes lateral drag on the leg extensions of
U-shaped and V-shaped float devices. The downward force of the
user's weight on the seat inevitably draws those legs laterally
together. Wave action on one side of one of the legs tends to cause
it to be driven towards the other free leg, reducing the flotation
stability of the device. A round float tube doesn't have these
limitations, although the above patents describe other problems
that arise from their use.
[0004] There is a need for a float tube that preserves the open
entry of the prior art U-shaped and V-shaped float tubes while
eliminating the tensioning belts or rigid supports.
INVENTION SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention comprises two V-shaped tubes held in a
nested and tensioned relationship with each other such that the
assembly is free of tensioning straps or rigid supports while
easily maintaining its relative legs angled relationship
effectively supporting in fishing activity in wave agitated lakes
and bodies of water persons weighing up to and over 250 pounds.
[0006] The present invention nesting of its two tubes provides a
very significant degree of safety for the fishing user. The
relative nesting structure and gas volumes of the two tubes makes
it possible to have the outer tube punctured and deflated by a hook
or other pointed object while maintaining flotation for the fully
equipped user. It has been found that the relatively equal gas
volumes in the two tubes that provides such effective angled
orientation support also provides survival flotation for the user
if one of the tubes is punctured.
[0007] The present invention further comprises several embodiments
of relatively low above-water profile float devices such that wind
blowing on a user in a body of water leaves the user relatively
unmoved. It is well known that wind drives in undesirable
directions the users of float tubes in inflatable forms such as
those with round tubes, V-shaped or U-shaped tubes or with two
substantially parallel inflatable pontoons. The prior art
above-water profiles of the inflatable float devices delivering
acceptable above-water altitude for the user have been found to
have substantially identical above-water profiles that are easily
wind driven. Replacing the single tubes of prior art inflatable
float devices with two tubes of substantially the same diameter
with substantially the same gas volume as the single inflatable
tube of prior art float devices substantially reduces the above
water profile of the float tube while maintaining substantially the
same altitude for the user. The prior art shows that in order to
provide enough flotation in a substantially round cross section
float tube for a fully equipped fisherman, a relatively large
diameter tube must be provided. The invention devices obtain by
their construction with a fabric covering of two adjacent tubes an
inherent increased stability and weighted resistance to tipping and
wind forces. It will be appreciated with this disclosure that in
one embodiment of the invention, round adjacent tubes are held
together and surrounded with a water permeable fabric cover whereby
pressing the lower side of the float tube in water causes water to
soak through the fabric to fill the generally triangular cross
section space formed by the inner surface of the fabric and the
lower non-contacting arcs of the adjacent tubes. Attempting to
quickly move the invention float tube will be resisted by the
weight of the water held in that space that does not quickly drain
through the fabric cover. Thus, wave and wind action is resisted by
the inertia of the retained water in that space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIGS. 1 and 2 are top and side views of a V-shaped prior art
device of the inventor requiring a tensioning strap.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an above water line profile of the FIG. 2
device.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention V-shaped float tube
having two tensioned and nested tubes contained in a fabric
covering.
[0011] FIG. 5 is an above water line profile of the FIG. 4
device.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a top view of the invention device.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a top view of the invention device without is
fabric covering showing the nesting of the inflatable tubes.
[0014] FIG. 8 is cross section I of FIG. 6.
[0015] FIG. 9 is cross section II of FIG. 6.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a top view of an invention low profile float
device with two pontoons.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a top view of an invention low profile round
float device.
[0018] FIG. 12 is an alternate cross section I of FIG. 6 without
the fabric covering to show a continuous joining of the two
inflatable tubes of FIG. 7.
[0019] FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are respectively the devices of FIGS. 6,
10 and 11 showing a similar cross section III.
[0020] FIGS. 16 and 17 are cross sections III demonstrating
deflection resistance of the dual tubes having tensioning abutment
where weight is applied to the invention devices to be floated.
[0021] FIG. 18 is an alternate embodiment of cross section I of
FIG. 6 with invention tensioning without the necessity of a fabric
covering.
[0022] FIGS. 19 and 20 are side and top views of an invention
embodiment having a wind break and back support.
[0023] FIG. 21 is section IV of FIG. 21.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The invention is now discussed with reference to the
Figures.
[0025] FIGS. 1-3 show a prior art V-shaped float tube. FIG. 1 and 2
shows that a tensioning strap is an absolute requirement of the
device. It was unknown in the prior art that this strap could be
eliminated while retaining the same or superior free leg form
retention of the invention V-shaped device. FIG. 1 shows an angle 1
wherein the general bisected V-shape angle 1 equals about 20
degrees. The prior art teaches the use of a single inflatable tube
beneath a fabric covering, whereby the fabric covering acts as a
support for the tensioning strap. FIG. 2 shows the outline of a
user a DESIRABLE ELEVATION above a WATER LEVEL. Maintaining the
desirable elevation for the user with the open entry of a V-shaped
or U-shaped device is one of the reasons the V-shaped and U-shaped
float devices are highly preferred currently. An invention device
preferably maintains these objects.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows the above water line side profile of the prior
art device of FIG. 3. It is a significant portion of the total wind
affectable profile of a user. A significant reduction in this
profile has been found to dramatically reduce wind driving of the
user to an undesirable location or direction.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows a side view of an invention embodiment float
device 100. Device 100 comprises a preferably water permeable
fabric covering holding together in a tensioned relationship two
inflatable tubes in a V-shape having free legs 100 and a back
supportable portion 103 at vertex 102 while maintaining desirable
elevation 104 as in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is shown as the above water line
side profile of device 100 and such profile is in proportion to the
profile of FIG. 3, whereby a reduction by about more than 30% is
achieved. It has been found that this reduction achieves the
desired reduction in wind driving of the user to an undesirable
location or direction while maintaining identical or better
desirable elevation and a front entry advantage of a V-shaped
device.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows the V-shape of device 100 having a bisected
angle 100'. Angle 100' has been found to be effective for the
present invention in from 4-30 degrees, although more preferably
from about 4-15 degrees. Fabric covering 1 10 is shown as
substantially continuous over the surface of device 100, although
some substantial openings or a lattice structure may be used to
achieve the invention objects. Gas fill stems 111 extend through
fabric openings to the inflatable tubes underneath covering
110.
[0029] The invention objects of the embodiment of FIG. 106 are
achieved in part by replacing the tensioning strap of the prior art
with a tensioning of the fabric outer edge from point 105 to point
106 to point 107 to point 108, where generally the prior art
instructed the skilled person to locate a tensioning strap. The use
of a minimum V-angle is critical to the invention embodiment's
maintenance of effective supportive relationship for a user seated
in seat 112. The inflatable tubes are pressured to only about 5
psia to achieve the invention objects, a relatively low pressure to
achieve such objects. The top view of the invention embodiment of
FIG. 6 and the top view of the prior art V-shaped device of FIG. 1
are substantially in proportion with each other. It may be seen
that the substantial reduction in side profile with the invention
device is achieved without substantial increase in free leg width
although the leg 101 length is somewhat increased to provide
generally equivalent gas volume for maintaining the desired
elevation for the user.
[0030] FIG. 7 shows the view and device of FIG. 6 without fabric
covering 110, which may comprise nylon or other synthetic fiber
having a resistance to absorb water into its fibers while having
water permeability. FIG. 7 shows two nested inflatable tubes, in
outside tube 114 and an inside tube 115, where tube 115 is
substantially protected from laterally applied sharp objects by the
tube 114, such that the typical reeling in of hooks on fishing
lines could tend to puncture tube 114 and leave tube 115 untouched.
Cross section I in FIG. 8 shows that it is preferable to maintain
generally equal cross section area of tubes 114 and 115 while in
the vertex area 102, cross section II of FIG. 9 shows that the
cross section area 116 of tube 114 is substantially smaller than
cross section area 117 of tube 115. It will be remembered that it
is an object of the invention to provide roughly equivalent
floatation for the user regardless of whether tube 114 or 115 is
deflated. Since tube 115 is nested in tube 114, the increase cross
section 117 is provided to increase the total gas volume in tube
115 to make it roughly equal to that of tube 114 while at the same
time providing effective back support for the user, where such
effective back support is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.
[0031] The invention also comprises the concept of dual and roughly
equivalent gas volume inflatable tubes for other shaped devices
such as U-shaped tubes having tensioning straps or other shape
maintenance means, two pontoon device 200 of FIG. 10 or the round
float tube of FIG. 201. To maintain roughly equal gas volumes in
the two tubes of FIG. 11, it may be preferable to form an increased
cross section portion of the inside tube of the device of FIG. 201
as in the comparative cross sections 116 and 117 of FIG. 7.
[0032] The invention tubes are preferably supportively joined at a
seam along their lateral and abutting lengths, although such a
relationship can be achieved with straps surrounding the two tubes
114 and 115. An example of the form of the continuous seam is shown
in FIG. 12, wherein the two tubes 114 and 115 are formed from two
sheets 122 and 123 of polymer or elastomer material, preferably PVC
of about 0.030 inches thickness. Heat sealed or RF welded seal
welds 120, 121, 124 and 125 are made to form two separately
inflatable tubes 114 and 115 with a joining section 119 between
them.
[0033] It is preferable that a zippered access (not shown) be
provided in the fabric covering 110 for inserting and removing the
deflated tubes 114 and 115.
[0034] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a generally triangular space 118
continuous along the underside of device 100. It is this space that
fills with water during use with the permeance of the fabric
covering 110 allowing water to so fill that space. Once filled, the
weight of the water and its inability to instantly drain from the
space provides an inertial mass resisting wave and wind action.
FIG. 8 shows that a grommet-reinforced hole 126 may be formed at
the free end of the legs 101 where the water that may accumulate in
the space 118 may drain freely from space 118. Alternately, a
continuous sheet of waterproof material may cover at least the
bottom portion 127 of the fabric covering as shown in FIG. 8. The
waterproof material may be of neoprene or Hypalon, whereby a
superior surface is obtained for puncture resistance and drag to
the user's paddle movement of the float device from one location to
another.
[0035] Another more general concept of the invention comprises two
held apart sets of two inflatable tubes, where the tubes of the set
are held, in flotation operation, substantially horizontal to the
water surface and side by side abutting each other in both the
weighted and unweighted state. The tube abutment tension means are
derived primarily from a sheet or web covering of the non-abutting
outer surfaces of the tubes as in FIG. 8 or direct tube to tube
connection as in FIG. 18. The tension means cause the two tubes of
each set to be held together so that when the device is used with a
person seated between the sets with their head at a desired
elevation above the water (the weighted state), the combination of
the effects of the joining means and the tension means effectively
reduce deflection of the relative axes of the adjacent tubes
between the weighted and unweighted states so that a relatively low
profile is maintained. Without such tension, the suspension of a
user's weight between the sets would cause the tubes adjacent to
the user to be pulled lower in the water than the more distal tubes
of the sets, thereby raising the distal tubes higher than in an
unweighted state and raising the above water profile of the device.
The flotation volume distribution is preferably about equal between
the two supportively adjacent tubes.
[0036] The prior art does not teach or lead the skilled person to
use a tensioned engagement of the dual tubes of the invention,
where the tensioned engagement can be made with fabric covering
(even with substantial openings), multiple straps, webbing or
additional heat sealing or RF welding of adjacent opposing tube
surfaces to effect the tensioning. The degree of tensioning should
be sufficient so that inflation of the two tubes above about 2-3
psia results in an inflated structure with two tube diameters of
about greater than 4 inches, two tube axes that lie in
approximately a plane parallel with the water when the tubes are in
use and having adjacent axes lengths of at least about greater than
two feet.
[0037] FIGS. 13-15 show that a common cross section III may be made
in the several float devices disclosed herein as capable of being
adapted to benefit from the invention sets of dual tubes. FIGS. 16
and 17 do not show the joining means for the held apart sets, as
such means are substantially different in the devices of FIGS.
13-15, although the effect of the joining means in combination with
the tensioning means still results in a relatively low profile
float device in the weighted and unweighted states.
[0038] FIGS. 16 and 17 shows two held apart sets of tubes tensioned
with a fabric covering as described above. FIG. 16 shows a rigid
connector 128 connected at connections 129 to covering 110. The
weight direction arrow 128' shows that connector 128 simply
depresses the two tube sets equally into the water at the tube-axes
width of connector 128. In this embodiment, the rigid connector
becomes part of the joining means that maintains the distance of
the tube sets apart as in FIG. 14.
[0039] FIG. 17 is a somewhat broader embodiment for suspending a
weight between the sets of dual tubes, as shown in the suspended
seat-type float tubes of FIGS. 13 and 15. For such suspension
seats, the attachment zone of the seat to the tube sets results in
variable torsion effects on the tube sets. It has been found that
the invention tensioning is sufficient to permit attachment of the
suspension seat to any of the radial surface points of the covering
110 without resulting in substantially adverse downward deflection
of the inside tubes 115 with upward deflection of outside tubes
114. Suspension sling or other means 130 and 132 are attached
respectively at points 131 and 133 on covering 110. Means 130 and
132 in the weighted state tend to pull covering 110 in direction
136 around the general radius of the tube sets, which rotation
inducing pull is negated by the appropriate tension of covering 110
and connection of the tube sets to joining means. Similarly,
suspension sling or other means 134 attached at points 135 induce
in the weighted state a rotation or pull in the direction 140,
which rotation inducing pull is negated by the appropriate tension
of covering 110 and connection of the tube sets to joining means.
It is intended that the invention in the weighted state not deflect
from water level angle 137 to upward angle 139 or downward angle
138 more than about 30 degrees without resulting in an undesirable
above water profile.
[0040] FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of cross section I where
tensioning of the adjacent tubes is achieved without a covering,
using instead RF welds or heat sealings 141 at a high and low
positions of polymer sheets 142 and 143. The suspension seat
attachments may be made by way of straps encircling the tube sets
in appropriate locations.
[0041] While a low profile is desirable for a float device, having
a back rest has been of great value in prior art devices. However,
the form of such back rests has undesirably raised the profile of
the float device. FIG. 19 shows an invention back rest means 300
incorporated into the invention device 100 by sewn in seam 301 of a
fabric shell filled with filling means 304 as in FIG. 21 to
maintain a front aerodynamic face 302 and a back rest 303 for the
user (shown in broken outline in FIG. 19). Seam 301 is preferably a
continuous attachment of the fabric shell of means 300 to covering
110. Filling means 304 comprises many different materials from
synthetic foam to user equipment accessed with a zipper (not
shown). It is preferable to provide that zippered access be
provided in the fabric shell for the user to insert and /or remove
filling means for improving back rest support or for collapsing to
store or carry the deflated device 100. The user is thus provided
with back rest 303 while obtaining a device 100 having
substantially reduced wind resistance over face 302.
[0042] The above design options will sometimes present the skilled
designer with considerable and wide ranges from which to choose
appropriate apparatus and method modifications for the above
examples. However, the objects of the present invention will still
be obtained by that skilled designer applying such design options
in an appropriate manner.
* * * * *