U.S. patent application number 10/801376 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for self-propelled watercraft.
Invention is credited to Jerabek, Jesse J., Lee, Anthony E..
Application Number | 20050199172 10/801376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34920846 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050199172 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Anthony E. ; et
al. |
September 15, 2005 |
Self-propelled watercraft
Abstract
A self-propelled watercraft is disclosed, wherein the watercraft
includes a body made at least partially of a polymer material, the
body including a surface and at least one of a deck and a hull,
wherein the watercraft includes an item of outfitting welded to the
surface of the body. Methods of manufacturing a self-propelled
watercraft are also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Lee, Anthony E.; (Easley,
SC) ; Jerabek, Jesse J.; (Greenville, SC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KOLISCH HARTWELL, P.C.
520 S.W. YAMHILL STREET
SUITE 200
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Family ID: |
34920846 |
Appl. No.: |
10/801376 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/347 ;
114/357 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 34/20 20200201 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/347 ;
114/357 |
International
Class: |
B63H 011/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A self-propelled watercraft, comprising: a body made at least
partially of a weldable polymer material, wherein the body includes
a surface and at least one of a deck and a hull; and an item of
outfitting welded to the surface of the body.
2. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the watercraft is a
kayak.
3. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the item of
outfitting is a seat support.
4. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the item of
outfitting is a structural member that supports the hull of the
watercraft.
5. The personal watercraft of claim 4, wherein the item of
outfitting is a pillar that supports the hull of the
watercraft.
6. The personal watercraft of claim 1, further comprising an
electrically conductive member disposed at least partially between
the item of outfitting and the interior surface of the
watercraft.
7. The personal watercraft of claim 6, wherein the electrically
conductive member is an electrically conductive cable with a
weldable thermoplastic coating.
8. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the item of
outfitting is welded to an interior surface of the body.
9. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the weldable polymer
material is polyethylene.
10. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the weldable
polymer material is a composite polyethylene material having a
fiberous material dispersed within the polyethylene.
11. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
deck and the hull is thermoformed.
12. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the watercraft is
rotationally molded.
13. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the item of
outfitting is at least partially made of the weldable polymer
material.
14. A self-propelled watercraft, comprising: a body made at least
partially of a weldable polymer material, wherein the body includes
an interior surface; an item of outfitting welded to the interior
surface of the body; and an electrical conductor disposed at least
partially between the surface of the body and the item of
outfitting.
15. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the item of
outfitting is a seat support.
16. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the watercraft is
a kayak.
17. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the item of
outfitting is a structural member that supports at least one of the
hull and the deck of the watercraft.
18. The personal watercraft of claim 17, wherein the item of
outfitting is a pillar that supports the deck and hull of the
watercraft.
19. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the weldable
polymer material is a thermoplastic material.
20. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the thermoplastic
material is polyethylene.
21. The personal watercraft of claim of claim 14, wherein the item
of outfitting is made at least partially of the weldable polymer
material.
22. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the electrical
conductor is contained within a weldable intermediate that is
disposed between and welded to the item of outfitting and the
interior surface.
23. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the weldable
intermediate includes an electrically conductive cable contained
within an outer polyethylene portion.
24. A method of manufacturing a self-propelled watercraft, wherein
the watercraft includes a body made at least partially of a
weldable polymer material and also includes an item of outfitting
coupled to the body, the method comprising: placing a weldable
intermediate structure between the item of outfitting and the body
such that the weldable intermediate structure is in contact with a
surface of the item of outfitting and a surface of the body; and
heating the weldable intermediate structure to weld the weldable
intermediate structure to the item of outfitting and the body.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the weldable intermediate
structure, the body and the item of outfitting are each at least
partially made of the same material.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the weldable intermediate
structure includes an electrical conductor at least partially
enclosed by a weldable polymer outer layer, and wherein heating the
weldable intermediate structure includes running an electric
current through the electrical conductor.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein running an electric current
through the weldable intermediate structure heats the surface of
the body and the surface of the item of outfitting sufficiently to
bring the surface of the item of outfitting and the surface of the
body to a temperature at which welding can occur.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the item of outfitting is a
seat support.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the item of outfitting is a
structural member that supports at least one of the deck and the
hull of the watercraft.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the item of outfitting is a
pillar that supports the deck and hull of the watercraft.
31. The method of claim 24, wherein the watercraft is a kayak.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein the weldable polymer material
is polyethylene.
33. The method of claim 24, wherein the item of outfitting is made
at least partially of the weldable polymer material.
34. A method of manufacturing a self-propelled watercraft, wherein
the watercraft includes a body made at least partially of a
weldable polymer material, and also includes an item of outfitting
made of the weldable material and coupled to the body, the method
comprising: placing an electrically conductive element between a
surface of the body and a surface of the item of outfitting,
wherein the electrically conductive element is at least partially
covered by a layer of the weldable material; and heating the
electrically conductive element by passing an electrical current
through the electrically conductive element to cause the layer of
the weldable material to weld to the surface of the item of
outfitting to the surface of the body of the watercraft.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the item of outfitting is a
seat support.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the body includes a deck and a
hull, and wherein the item of outfitting is a structural member
that supports at least one of the deck and the hull.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein the item of outfitting is a
pillar that supports the deck and hull of the watercraft.
38. The method of claim 34, wherein the weldable material is
polyethylene.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Self-propelled watercraft, such as kayaks, open and decked
canoes, etc., whether designed for use in whitewater, the sea, or
flat water, may includes various items of outfitting configured to
improve the comfort, fit, performance and safety of the watercraft.
For example, a whitewater kayak may include a contoured seat to
position and support the user within the cockpit, a seat support to
support the seat in the cockpit and to provide structural support
to the hull in the cockpit region of the watercraft, pillars to
support the deck and hull in the bow and stern regions of the
watercraft, and various types of thigh braces, foot braces and hip
braces against which the user may exert force to control the boat,
and which help to hold the user in the boat.
[0002] These and other items of outfitting are generally secured to
the watercraft in some manner to hold them in the correct location
within the watercraft, and to prevent them from falling out of the
watercraft during transport, a capsize, etc. In plastic watercraft,
outfitting is typically attached to the watercraft by forming a
hole in or through the deck or hull, and then attaching the item of
outfitting to the watercraft with a bolt or other fastener.
However, this method of attaching outfitting may pose various
problems. For example, because a seat support is typically attached
to the bottom of a watercraft, bolting the item of outfitting to
the watercraft may cause a bolt head or nut to protrude into the
water past the plane of the hull, and thus may affect the
performance of the watercraft. Furthermore, such a hole may present
a risk of water leakage during use of the watercraft. For these
reasons, items of outfitting such as seats, seat supports, etc.
have typically been designed to include attachment features that
can be attached to the sides of the hull or the deck of the
watercraft.
SUMMARY
[0003] One embodiment provides a self-propelled watercraft, wherein
the watercraft includes a body made at least partially of a polymer
material, the body including a surface and at least one of a deck
and a hull, and wherein the watercraft includes an item of
outfitting welded to the surface of the body.
[0004] Another embodiment provides a self-propelled watercraft,
wherein the watercraft includes a body made at least partially of a
weldable polymer material, and wherein the body includes an
interior surface, an item of outfitting welded to the interior
surface of the body, and an electrical conductor disposed at least
partially between the surface of the body and the item of
outfitting.
[0005] Another embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a
self-propelled watercraft, wherein the watercraft includes a body
made at least partially of a weldable polymer material and also
includes an item of outfitting coupled to the body, wherein the
method includes placing a weldable intermediate structure between
the item of outfitting and the body such that the weldable
intermediate is in contact with a surface of the item of outfitting
and a surface of the body, and heating the weldable intermediate
structure to weld the weldable intermediate structure to the item
of outfitting and the body.
[0006] Yet another embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a
self-propelled watercraft, wherein the watercraft includes a body
made at least partially of a weldable polymer material, and also
includes an item of outfitting made of the weldable material and
coupled to the body. The method includes placing an electrically
conductive element between a surface of the body and a surface of
the item of outfitting, wherein the electrically conductive element
is at least partially covered by a layer of the weldable material,
and heating the electrically conductive element by passing an
electrical current through the electrically conductive element to
cause the layer of the weldable material at least partially
covering the electrically conductive element to weld to the surface
of the item of outfitting to the surface of the body of the
watercraft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] FIG. 1 is a view of a first embodiment of a self-propelled
watercraft.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cockpit region of the
embodiment of FIG. 1, showing a weldable intermediate positioned
between the seat support and the watercraft hull.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the hull, seat support and
weldable intermediate of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method of making a
self-propelled watercraft according to another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPICTED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows, generally at 10, a first embodiment of a
self-propelled watercraft according to the present invention, in
the form of a whitewater kayak. Watercraft 10 includes a hull 12,
and a deck 14 substantially covering the hull to form an enclosed
body. Deck 14 includes a cockpit 16 configured to accommodate a
user. Watercraft 10 also includes a seat 18 positioned within the
cockpit, and a seat support, such as seat support 20, on which seat
18 rests. Seat support 20 both supports seat 18 within cockpit 16,
and also provides structural support for hull 12 to help prevent
hull 12 from collapsing if watercraft 10 is pinned against a rock
or other object in a heavy current.
[0012] Watercraft 10 may also include other items of outfitting.
For example, watercraft 10 may include a back support 22, one or
more hip pads 24 supported by hip braces 26, thigh braces 28, foot
braces (not shown), bulkheads (not shown), etc. Hip pads 24, thigh
braces 28, back support 22, seat 18 or any other suitable item of
outfitting may be connected to a fluid-activated fitting system
controlled by a squeeze bulb 30, or other suitable pump and release
valve system. Examples of suitable fluid fitting systems are
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/215,361, filed
Aug. 7, 2002, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/726,969,
filed Dec. 2, 2003, the disclosures of which are hereby
incorporated by reference. Also, watercraft 10 may include pillars,
such as those shown at 32 in FIG. 2, that extend from hull 12 to
deck 14 in bow and stern regions of the watercraft to help prevent
the deck from collapsing under stress caused by water pressure
against the deck and/or hull.
[0013] Conventionally, each of these items of outfitting is
attached to the hull or deck via one or more fasteners, or in an
indirect manner. For example, in some watercraft, the seat support
is not attached directly to the hull or deck, but instead includes
fore and aft extensions that extend beneath the bow and stern
pillars such that the seat support is held in place by the pillars.
In these watercraft, the seat is typically not mounted directly to
the seat support. Instead, the seat includes upturned sides
configured to be connected to the side of the hull via fasteners to
ensure the seat does not shift within the cockpit during use. In
other prior watercraft, the seat support is bolted directly to the
bottom of the watercraft, either via a hole formed through the
hull, or via a threaded insert that is insert-molded into the hull.
Adhesives have also been used to attach some items of outfitting to
the inside of watercraft, such as closed-cell foam pads that pad
the surfaces of hip braces, thigh braces, seats, etc.
[0014] In contrast, seat support 20 is attached to hull 12 via
welding. Welding is the joining or bonding of metal or
thermoplastic surfaces by application of temperatures high enough
to melt the materials so that they fuse to a permanent union on
cooling. On a molecular level, the polymer chains within the
thermoplastic melt and flow together during the welding process.
Upon cooling, the polymer chains from one part are fused with
chains from the other part to which it is welded. The result is the
formation of an extremely strong bond between the welded parts. In
contrast, adhesives cause bonding only by surface interactions
between the adhesive and each individual part, rather than by the
commingling of polymer chains from the parts themselves in a melted
phase. Therefore, adhesives may not provide enough bonding strength
for adhering items of outfitting such as seat support 20 to the
surface of hull 12.
[0015] Welding seat support 20 to hull 12 may offer several
advantages over conventional methods of attaching outfitting to a
watercraft. For example, welding seat support 20 to hull 12 may
greatly increase the stiffness of the hull compared to conventional
watercraft in which the seat support is bolted or indirectly
attached to the hull. This is because the welded seat support is
attached firmly to the hull along its entire length, and therefore
does not separate from the hull at any point along its length when
the hull is under stress. This may help to prevent the hull from
deforming under stress. Furthermore, welding seat support 20 to
hull 12 also may allow the seat to be attached directly to the seat
support, rather than to the interior sides of watercraft 10. This
is because the weld holds seat support 20 firmly in its correct
position within cockpit 16, and does not allow the seat support,
and therefore the seat, to shift within the cockpit.
[0016] Hull 12 and seat support 20 may be made from any suitable
weldable materials. One example of a suitable material is the
weldable thermoplastic material polyethylene. Other examples
include, but are not limited to, polypropylene.
[0017] Hull 12 and/or seat support 20 may also be made from a
composite material. One example of a suitable composite material is
TWINTEX, manufactured by the Saint-Gobain Vetrotex Corp., which
includes a fiberous cloth disposed within a polyethylene matrix.
This material is typically molded via thermoforming, in which a
sheet of the material is heated and pressed into a desired shape
within a mold, rather than via rotational molding, in which a
polymer powder is molded in a heated mold while the mold is
rotated. The use of welding to attach seat support 20 to hull 12 in
a watercraft made of a thermoformed, composite thermoplastic
material allows the seat support to be strongly attached to the
hull without having to insert mold a fastener into the hull (which
may be difficult to do when thermoforming a composite material such
as TWINTEX), or having to drill or otherwise form a hole through
the deck or hull.
[0018] Seat support 20 may be welded to hull 12 in any suitable
manner. FIG. 2 illustrates structures suitable for performing one
method of welding seat support 20 to hull 12. In FIG. 2, a weldable
intermediate 40 is disposed between hull 12 and seat support 20.
Weldable intermediate 40 includes an outer portion 42, such as a
sheath or coating, made of the same material as hull 12 and seat
support 20. The use of a coating made of the same material as the
hull and the item of outfitting allows the weldable intermediate to
form a strong bond to both the hull and the seat support to thereby
weld the seat support to the hull. Alternatively, outer portion 42
may be formed from a different material than hull 12 and/or seat
support 20, as long as the material from which outer portion 42 is
formed can be welded to the material or materials from which the
hull and seat support are made.
[0019] Weldable intermediate 40 also includes an electrically
conductive core 44. Electrically conductive core 44 may be
connected to a power source 46, and current may be run through
electrically conductive core 44 to heat the weldable intermediate
40. When the weldable intermediate 40 is in contact with seat
support 20 and hull 12, heating the weldable intermediate 40 also
heats the surfaces of seat support 20 and of hull 12 to similar
temperatures. Weldable polymers typically have particular
temperatures or temperature ranges at which welding is able to
occur. By contacting the surfaces of seat support 20 and hull 12 to
weldable intermediate 40 as the weldable intermediate is heated,
the surfaces of the seat support and hull reach a desired welding
temperature substantially contemporaneously with the surfaces of
weldable intermediate 40, thus allowing welding to take place.
After welding has taken place, weldable intermediate may be simply
disconnected from power source 46 to complete the welding
process.
[0020] Weldable intermediate 40 may have any suitable
configuration. In the depicted embodiment, weldable intermediate 40
takes the form of a length of cable coated with a weldable polymer
material. The cable extends along one side of seat support 20, then
loops around and extends along the other side of the seat support.
In this manner, each side of seat support 20 is welded to hull 12,
as illustrated in FIG. 3, thus strongly bonding the seat support to
the hull. However, weldable intermediate 40 may have any other
suitable configuration. For example, weldable intermediate 40 may
have a broad, flat, sheet-like configuration that extends
substantially the width of seat support 20, or a broad shape with
perforations to form a lattice-like or net-like shape.
[0021] Likewise, weldable intermediate 40 may be arranged in any
suitable pattern between seat support 20 and hull 12 besides that
depicted in FIG. 2. For example, a length of weldable intermediate
may be run along the center of seat support 20 in addition to along
the sides, or in a zig-zag pattern beneath the seat support. It
will be appreciated that these alternate constructions and
arrangements for weldable intermediate 40 are set forth for the
purpose of example, and that weldable intermediate 40 may have any
other suitable construction, and any other suitable arrangement
between seat support 20 and hull 12.
[0022] Any other suitable method of welding besides the use of
weldable intermediate 40 may be used to weld seat support 20 to
hull 12. Examples of other suitable welding methods include, but
are not limited to, extrusion welding, induction welding and
injection welding. One example of a suitable injection welding
system is that manufactured by Drader Injectiweld of Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada. An example of a suitable induction welding system
is the EMABOND system manufactured by Ashland Specialty Chemical
Company of Ashland, Ohio.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows, generally at 100, a method of manufacturing a
personal watercraft according to another embodiment. Method 100
includes first placing an item of outfitting into the watercraft at
102, placing a weldable intermediate material between the item of
outfitting and the watercraft at 104, and then causing the weldable
intermediate to weld to the item of outfitting and the surface of
the watercraft at 106, thus welding the item of outfitting to the
surface of the watercraft. It will be appreciated that the weldable
intermediate may be placed between the item of outfitting and the
surface of the watercraft either before causing the weldable
intermediate to weld to the item of outfitting and the watercraft,
or may be placed between the item of outfitting and watercraft
surface during the welding process.
[0024] The weldable intermediate may be caused to weld to the item
of outfitting in any suitable manner. Generally, the manner in
which the item of outfitting is caused to weld to the weldable
material varies depending upon the welding method used. For
example, where injection welding is used, the weldable material is
heated by the welding tool, and the weld is created by a
combination of the heated tip of the welding tool and the pressure
with which the weldable material is injected into the space between
the surface of the watercraft and the item of outfitting. Likewise,
where weldable intermediate 40 is used, the weld is caused by
running an electrical current through the electrical conductor,
causing the conductor to heat the weldable intermediate, the item
of outfitting and the surface of the watercraft to cause these
structures to weld to one another. Pressure may be applied during
these welding processes to help the weld form.
[0025] Any suitable item of outfitting besides the seat support may
be attached to the watercraft utilizing method 100. For example,
many items of outfitting commonly used within the interior of a
watercraft or other personal watercraft may be attached to the
watercraft utilizing method 100. Examples of such items of
outfitting include, but are not limited to, seats, back braces,
thigh or knee braces, foot braces, and bulkheads.
[0026] Furthermore, method 100 may be used to attach support
pillars to the interior of the watercraft. In conventional kayaks
and other decked self-propelled watercraft, support pillars,
typically made of closed cell foam, are put in the bow and stern
regions of the boat to support the deck and/or hull, and to help
prevent collapse of the deck and/or hull if the watercraft pins
against an object. However, via method 100, pillars (or other
support structures) made of a more rigid material, such as
polyethylene or polypropylene, may be welded directly to interior
surfaces of the hull and deck, thereby forming a stronger and more
rigid support for the deck and hull. Such pillars may run either
along the long axis of the watercraft, substantially perpendicular
to the long axis of the watercraft, or in any other suitable
direction to provide a desired amount of reinforcement to the deck
and hull.
[0027] Furthermore, method 100 may be used to attach various items
of outfitting to exterior surfaces of watercraft. For example, many
sea kayaks and flat-water watercraft include fittings connected to
the bow and deck surfaces that accommodate cords, ropes and/or
other features for holding down gear, etc. These types of
watercraft also may include mounting features configured to allow
the attachment of rudders and other mechanical devices. Such
fittings and mounting features may be attached to exterior surfaces
of a watercraft via method 100 without having to drill or otherwise
form holes extending through the watercraft deck and/or hull for a
bolt or other fastener. As another example, whitewater watercraft
often includes such exterior outfitting as grab loops which may be
used to rescue other boaters who have capsized and come out of
their boats, and rigid bars attached to the bow and stern decks to
provide a location at which a line may be attached to the
watercraft to extract the watercraft from a pin in heavy current.
Any of these outfitting items may likewise be attached according to
method 100.
[0028] Although the present disclosure includes specific
embodiments of watercraft, outfitting for watercraft, and methods
of manufacturing watercraft, specific embodiments are not to be
considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations of
watercraft and outfitting are possible. The subject matter of the
present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations
and subcombinations of the various methods, watercraft, outfitting,
and other elements, features, functions, and/or properties
disclosed herein. The following claims particularly point out
certain combinations and subcombinations regarded as novel and
nonobvious. These claims may refer to "an" element or "a first"
element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood
to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither
requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other
combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements,
and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present
claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related
application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or
different in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as
included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.
* * * * *