AU626830B2 - Portable folding boat - Google Patents

Description

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DPI DATE 25/08/89 AOJP DATE 28/09/89 APPLN. I D 30371 89 PCT NUMBER PCI/JP89/00101 I) gg~p 4 fVO 89/ 07067 B63B 7/00 Al J V 1(43) Mfflli8N 1989*8q JOE (10.08.89) (31) *M4#63-2240s' (32) fA c E 1988412.A2E (02, 02. 88) (33) f1 t3

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(DAI.\ARU KIKOU KABUSHIKI KA1SHfA)(JP/JF3 T340 A)APa4T2 *1 14 Sal tama, (JTP) (72) ~4 MMSA1 (TANABE, N4ohuaki)(JP?/JPJ T'248 4;sI1YA*fM L ih1A25*1 Kariagawa, (JP) (74) f .V IVN± *tE$ (YOSH-IMURA. Naokl) 702 KOTEIR3-3-1 4 7 i PZ30249 Tokyo, (JP) (81 taf 4) ,Title: PORTABLE, FOLDI NO BOAT

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0Y7) Abstract A portable folding boat consisting of a blow molded body composed maloly of a flexible synthetic resin and left and right broadsides which can be opened to vertical positions and rolded to the original positions, The retainer members (33) provided at the ends of the broadsides are provided with rectangular bores and the locking projec.

tions (30) or a support plate are inserted through and engaged with these bores (32) to hold the support plate When the support plate is to be removed, It can be positioned in the vicinity or the bow and the stern so that the support plate does not move, A mast support unit Is provided at that part of the support plate which Is on the side of the bow 3)or at the central portion of a bottom shell of a boat body so that the boat can be both sailed and rowed.

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2 Field of the Ir!vention This invention relates to a portable collapsible boat, sides of which can be folded or unfolded from a bottom, and more particularly to a boat which has an improved structure to maintain the unfolded condition of the boat and has a removable sailing equipment.

Background of the Invention Referring to USP 3,987,887, as one example of conventional collapsible boats, right and left sides of the boat can be folded onto a bottom of the boa-t and also can be unfolded back to form a shape of a boat. The Doat has a beam, which also serves as seats for occupants, to retain the abovementioned unfolded condition.

The body, an appearance of which is spindle-shaped as a whole, and having oval cross section, is made of flexible synthetic resins, by blow molding. Right and left sides of the boat are made of fiexible material so that they can be folded onto the bottom and can be unfolded from the,. bottom. A projection is provided at each inner side of right and left sides of the boat.

i The beam is installed between the projections so that it can retain the unfolded condition of the sides, The boat has spindle-shaped hollow form when the sides are folded to the bottom so that ['ha beam can be housed 25 Inside the boat.

o In the conventional collapsible type boat, the beam and the body are not firmly linked so that the beam may tend to move to a different position from the set position by vibration caused by movement, Such movement makes it 0 30 extremely difficult to maintain a proper housing condition. Further in the conventional collapsible type boat, setting up sides up from the collapsed condition is not so easy. Because the beam must firstly be taken out from *inside the body, then, maintaining the complete unfolded condition of the sides, the beam should be housed between the projections, Thus there remairs a problem to solve for smooth operation.

0G The conventional collapsible boat Is structured to sail with use of oars, and cannot move by using sails.

Sri4 c6~ B ;JA Ii 3 There is also disadvantage in the conventional collapsible boat in that the bow easily rises above the surface of water due to its light body weight when using an outboard motor in comparative high speed. Such disadvantage may occur when an occupant is seated at the stern or occupant's baggage and other installations are positioned in an improper manner.

An additional disadvantage is that the beam, serving as a seat, is fixed at a pre-determined position which causes certain inconvenience that occupants cannot move its seating position in order to balance the boat, otherwise the L 10 occupant is forced to remain in a half-sitting position after moving to balance the boat as there will be no beam to be sat upon at the balance position.

Although some other accessories, such as oars, can be housed together with the beam within a body. But such accessories may not be housed in a stable condition as the housed position of t*'e beam cannot be set at any fixed position.

The object of this invention is to provide a portable collapsible boat in which a supporting plate instead of the conventional beam is provided at 20 the bow and the stern of the boat to be fixed between the sides for linking the sides with the purpose of maintaining an unfolded condition and the supporting plates can be properly housed without taking it out from the sides so that smooth assembly can be assured.

r l i; 25 Disclosure of the Invention A portable collapsible boat of this invention comprises a body of a type in which right and left sides of the boat can be unfolded and folded from and to V6}, a bottom of the boat, and respective bow and stern supporting plates to retain such unfolded condition, which body is made of flexible synthetic resin, wherein the bow and stern supporting plates are provided at each end of the boat respectively between the ends of the right and left sides of the boat, retaining means mounted at each end on the sides of the boat and extending at right angles to the sides of the boat, and having an elongate aperture therein and a pair of hooked projections are provided at one end of each of the respective supporting plates, and each supporting plate being retained in its respective positlon in the bow and stern of the boat by p,.LIA insertion of respective projections into respective elongate apertures, SrE t 4 Accordingly, the respective supporting plates and the body are connected firmly to be positioned in a stable condition so that the supporting plates can be housed in a fixed manner without being effected by vibration during movement and transport, which assures smooth transfer from a collapsed Scondition to an unfolded condition.

Fixed positioning of the supporting plate within a body also results in proper installation in the boat of equipment such as oars.

This invention provides also a mast supporting equipment, which enables sailing with and without oars. The mast supporting equipment provides a hole to insert the mast at the supporting plate of the bow and is also provided a mast step at the bottom of the body straight down from the abovementioned hole. By easily handling of the mast, one can enjoy sailing without any difficulty in unfolding and folding in this type of portable collapsible boat.

The magt step comprises of a supporting body, having a hole to insert the low/er ends of the above mast, the supporting body may be halfsphere shaped and positioned upside down at the bottom of a boat, and have a plurality of installation brackets screwed to the bottom of a boat.

oThis makes the mast easy to be inserted and is mounted to rotate freely according to sailing operation "The supporting plate and the mast step may respectively include notches. The mrast may include a projection shaped to go through the notch of the mast supporting equipment, and the projection on the mast can be positioned to be hooked in the hole in the mast step.

A portable collapsible boat in this 'nvention can also be provided with a pair of floats each formed separaibly from the body and the floats can be ":removably fixed with the outer side of the body. Thus the floats can be separated from the body when transporting.

Also, at the time of Installation of the above floats with the body, a elongate hole to insert a centre board is formed between the body and the float, which eliminates installation of a hole for insertion of a centre board in the bottom Lof the hull.

4 0 t4 Further sailing condition can be stabilised under high speed when an outboard motor is used with light body weight by providing a flat-shaped stabilizer between the ends of the floats.

Ridge shaped projections to receive a seat plate may be provided and the seat plate may be supported on projections on corresponding positions on the sides of the hull and can be easily moved to balance the boat. When the both ends of seat plate are made in a trapezoid form, the position of oars can be changed according to the position of seat. The seat can be made slide- 1 0 proof by providing a plurality of ridges at both side ends which increase friction with inner surface of the sides of the hull, Equipment to support a mast can also be installed at the centre of right and left sides of a boat when the bottom is unfolded.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a portable collapsible boat as a preferred embodiment of this invention, in which a mast is set up and sails are hoisted; FIG, 2 is a side view of FIG. 1; '"FIG. 3 is a plan view of the boat without a mast and sail shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 Is a general view of the folded condition of FIG. 3; 25 FIG. 5 Is an enlarged view partially sectioned showing the mast i •V provided and the supporting plate; FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section of the supporting plate and the mast of FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of mast step; 30 FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross section of the mast supporting Installation taken along the line VIII-VIII; t FIG. 9 shows a condition In which a supporting plate is taken out frame position In FIG. 4; FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing an edg9 of a body of FIG. 9; j FIGS, 11 A and 11 B are views showing a supporting plate housed in i a body upon closing a bow;

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4 FIG. 12 is a cross section o& an unfolded condition of the body; S/ FIG. 13 is a cross section of a folded condition of the body; 6 FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of seats; FIG. 15 is a plan view in which seats in FIG. 13 are provided at the projection of the body; FIG. 16 is an enlarged partial view showing a rudd3r, a tiller and an outboard motor are provideC on the supporting plate of the stern; FIG. 17 shows a stabilizer provided at the stern end of a float; FIG, 18 is a plan view of the float; FIG. 19 is a side view of the float; FIG. 20 is a cross section taken along the line X-X of the float; 1 0 FIG. 21 is an enlarged perspective view showing moving condition of an oar rowlock provided at the sides of a boat; FIG. 22 is a perspective view of mast supporting equipment in the second embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 23 is a cross section of supporting instalment of a mast in FIG. 22.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment A couple of embodiments will be explained hereafter by referring figures.

The first embodiment of this Invention is shown FIG. 1 through FIG. 21.

s A body 1 is formed as a single hollow mold with by blow molding and made of waterproof flexible synthetic resin, and as seen from FIG. 1 and FIG, 4, 25 shaped as spindle having oval cross section.

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An opposite side to a bottom 2 of the body 1 Is cut through from a bow 3 to a stern 4 to form a pair of symmetrical sides 5, 5, The pair of symmetrical sides :o 5, 5, lie at opposite sides across slit 6 formed by the cut. The body 1 is t 30 unfolded by fixing a supporting plate 7 between sides 5, 5 at the end of the bow 3 and the stern 4. The bow portion of the body 1 is cut-off so as to enable to unfold a pair of the sides 5, 5, as seen from FIG. 9 and FIG, 10.

Covers 8, 8 are provided to prevent a flood of water at the bow 3 and the stern 4. The cover 8 Is made of flexible water-proof materials.

A curved connection part 9 between the bottom 2 and the side 5 is thicker /\Lb than other part of the body 1 in order to have enough force to recover when L) unfolding the side 5 on the bottom 2. Sides 5, 5 can be unfolded from the slit

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7 6 to the left and right directions respectively and also can be folded onto the upper bottom 2 by its own force of restitution. Curved connection part 9 is thicker than the other part of the body 1 and possesses enough durability and flexibility so that repeated use by unfolding and folding does not cause any damage to the body 1.

A pair of handles 10 are provided at the bottom 2 of the bow 3 and the stern 4 of the body 1. The handles 10 can be used for lifting and for tying up.

1 0 The supporting plate 7 is shaped like a trapezoid, and its centre portion illis hollowed in a trapezoid-shape. The hollow 11 can house equipment such as ropes. At the end adjacent to the hollow 11, a hole 12 provided to insert a mast 13.

1 5 The mast 13 Is inserted through the hole 12 of the supporting plate 7 to the inner side of a body 1, and Its lower end can be retained by a mast step 14, The mast step 14, as referred from FIG, 5 or 8, consists of supporting body and three fixing pieces 16 to mount the supporting body The supporting body 15 is made of synthetic resin like the body 1, having half sphere-shaped form and Its top provides a hole 17 to insert the lower end of the mast 13. The said hole 17 Is positioned straight below the hole 12 of the supporting plate 7 as shown In FIG. 6 and its diameter Is approximately the same as hole 12.

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At the edge of the hole 17 of the supporting body 15 a notch 20 is provided and also at the edge of the hole 12 of the supporting plate 7 a notch 19 Is provided to which a projection 18 of the mast 13 can be Inserted. The notches 19, 20 are provided to allow to Insert the lower end of the mast 13 30 having projection 18. The projection 18 of the mast 13 Is fixed In the edge of the hole 17 except the portion of the edge provided with the notch 20 of the supporting body 15. Namely after Insertion the lower end of mast 13 Into the hole 17 of the supporting body 15, then rotated to a certain angle, which hooks the projection 18 into the edge of the hole 17 to be positioned firmly, Liner 21 Is provided at the Inner side of the supporting body 15, which prevents the lower part of mast 13 directly touching the bottom 2. Thus the mast 13 may rotate freely around its axis.

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4 j 8 Three fixing pieces 16 of the supporting body 15 are provided to be fixed at the bottom 2 of the boat 1 by bolts 22 and bolt holes 23. Of course bolt holes are also provided at the bottom 2 of the boat 1. The mast step 14 is fixed on the bottom 2 by bolts 22 which are inserted through packing 24 from outside of the bottom 2 to fixing pieces 16. Bolts 22 are fixed by nuts Rigging of the boat is a particular type which provides a boom 26 and a yard 27 with slight angle at the upper part of the mast 13, between which a jib sail 28 and a main sail 29 are rigged together. Various types of rigging, 1 0 however, can be used for the boat in this invention, The supporting plate 7 is also molded by water-proof synthetic resin. The trapezoidal shape of the supporting plate 7 is made in such a manner that sides 5, 5 are unfolded and corresponding to its unfolded condition its side 1 5 edges are curved. At the side of a bow 3 of the supporting plate 7, a pair of mounting hooks 30 are provided (as seen from FIG, 9).

A holder 31 is firmly equipped at the upper inner edge of each side 5 for receiving the supporting plate 7. The supporting plate 7 is fixed between the holders 31, 31 at the bow 3 aid the stern 4, to retain the unfolded condition of sides 5, 5 and to give a deck structure at the bow 3 and the stern 4.

At the bow end of the holder 31 provided at the bow end (and at the stern end of the supporting plate 7 which is provided at the stern end), retaining hook 33 having an elongate aperture 32 along the straight line, which is projecting rectangularly against side 5, is provided. The projection of retaining hook 33 is curved towards the holder 31.

Mounting hooks 30, 30 of the supporting plate 7 are respectively inserted and hooked within the elongate apertures 32, and the edge of the supporting plate 7 is retained by retaining hooks 33, 33. The opening of elongate apertures 32 is larger than the inserted instalment hook 30, which enables supporting plate 7 to rotat freely while being retained by the retaining hook 33.

The retaining hook 33 rotates when the side 5 is folded to the bottom 2,.

BPLJA When it is folded completely, it lies vertically towards the bottom 2 from the side 5, as seen from FIGS 1 lA and 11 B. The supporting plate 7 is thus 9 housed within a space formed by the bottom 2 and the side Projection 34 is formed at the inner side of sides 5, 5 from the bow 3 to the stern 4, and between projection 34, 34, seat 35 is extended. The seat 35 is also made of water-proof synthetic resin as the body 1.

The seat 35 is formed to be trapezoidal by tapering both ends of a plate as seen from FIGS. 14 and 15. At the tapered ends a plurality of ridges 36 are formed. The seat 35 is so structured to be moved freely towards the bow 3 or 1 0 the stern 4 by sliding at the centre of the body 1 between projections 34, 34.

Where space becomes narrow in sides 5, 5 (seen from FIG. 15), the ridges at both ends of the seat plate 36 engage with inner surface of the side 5 to create large friction to keep the position of the seat 35 firm.

1 5 At sides 5, 5 of a body 1, floats 37, 37 are provided. Floats 37, 37 have a square cross section and are fixed at the projection 39 formed at the outside of the connection part 9 of the body 1. The float 37 is made of resin like the body 1 and water and other ballast are contained within to retain balance of light weight body 1.

Concave 40 is formed at the centre of the length of float 37 at the side of the body 1, This concave 40 Is provided to house an oxygen cylinder 41 for skin :i 'diving, At the bow 3 of concave 40, a long hole 42 is formed to inset centre board 43 to project below water then sailing to reduce the leeway of body 1, S 25 Centre board 43 is fixed to rowlock 44 at the side 5 by rope, and lower part of float 37 provided with ribs 45 as a reinforcing structure.

The float 37 is formed to hang down when the body 1 is not floated on water, a' which resulted from a consideration of floating force against the float 37.

When the body 1 is floated on water, the float 37 rotates upwardly and is S i retained horizontally, Between projection 46, 46 provided at stern side of the float 37, a flat stabilizer 47 can be screwed, (Fig. 17) In place of the stabilizer 47, a castor wheel 47a can be provided for convenience when moving or handling on land (Fig, 4).

A At the stern end of the side 5, a base plate 48 Is provided on the cover 8 to mount a rudder 49 and tiller 50. A seat plate 51 is provided at the base plate 48. Also an outboard motor 52 can be mounted on seat plate 51.

The seat plate 51 provides a rudder 49 and a block plate 54 for installation of the outboard motor 52 at the stern side of the trapezoidal plate 53. Outboard motor 52 is mounted by a hook 55 onto the block plate 54. Tiller 50 Installed upper end of the rudder 49 projects above the supporting plate 7 of the body 1 so that it does not interfere with the outboard motor 52. For installation of outboard motor, use of well-known hook is recommended, Bolt holes 56 1 0 (Fig. 21) ar& formed at three different points at upper ends of the side 5 to change fixing position of rowlock 44. Loop 44b Is connected to rotate freely at the base 44a which is U-shaped, Base 44a is fixed at the side 5, aind fixing screw 44c is screwed at the bolt hole 56, 1 5 The assembly of the boat is as follows, As seen from Fig, 4, body 1 Is folded at the beginning, Sides 5, 5 are unfolded, and at that time care must be taken that sides 5, 5 shall not be folded by its own force or restitution by putting seats between, The sides of supporting plate 7 are then fitted between hooked projections 31, 31 of the side 5, Force of restitution of the side 5 Is received by the supporting plate 7 and thus assembly is completed.

When folding the boat, one can fold the sides 5, 5 by removing the supporting plates 7, 7 from the hooked projections 31, 31 by adding slight to force, By removing the supporting plate 7, the side 5 Is folded to the bottom 25 2 by Its flexible force of restitution, o .An operation to unfold the mast 13 Is explained hereafter. The mast 13 Is kept as being unfolded, and Its lower end Is fixed at the hole 12 of the s- supporting plate 7 to match the projection 18 to the notch 19 to down Inside 30 the body 1, The lower end of the mast 13 Is fixed at the hole 17 of the mast step 14 to match the projection 18 to the notch 19 and to lower the mast 13, go whereby lower end of the mast 13 reaches above the liner 21, the mast 13 Is rotated to remove the projection 18 from the notch 20 to hook the mast 13, Mast 13 Is covered by sall beforehand, Another preferred embodiment will be explained hereinafter referring to Figs, S 22 and 23, r

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11 Mast supporting body 60 consists of base 62 providing supporting tube 61 of the mast 13, and a movable body 64 connected by two bolts 63, 63.

Body 62 provides projections 65a, 65b at both ends of flat plate, and at the centre part, supporting tube 61 is provided. The distance between projection and centre of a supporting tube 61 equals to that between centre of the body 1 and the side 5. Movable body 54 is provided so that space between the projection 65 and a base 62 can be changed. By opening the body 1 to locate the base 62 at the centre of the body 1, and rotating the bolt 63 to 1 0 operate movable body 64 to separate base 62 to make the projection 65a of the base 62 adjacent to the movable body 64 at the sides 5, 5 supporting the tube 61 of the mast 13 is located at the centre.

The supporting tube 61 Is square-shaped tube, and formed to insert a hole 1 5 66. From outer wall to insert the hole 66, three pin holes 67a, 87b, 67c are formed, Pin 68a Inserted to the lowest pin hole 67 support lower end of the mast 13, and the mast 13 Is fixed by the pins 68b, 68c inserting two pin holes 67b and 67c. At the lower end of the mast 13, holes 69, 69 are formed at the position corlnldo with the pin holes 67b, 67c.

Operation to set upright the mast 13 is now explained, Pin 68a Is firstly Inserted to the pin hole 67a at the lowest part of the supporting tube of 61., Mast body 60 is located at the centre part of the bocy 1, Bolt 63 is rotated to 25 separate the movable body 64 from the base 62 to make the projection of the base 62 to the movable body 64 at the sides 5, 5, This enables the supporting tube 61 of the mast 13 locate at the centre of the body 1.

The lower end of the mast 13 Is Inserted Into insert the hole 66 of the supporting tube 61, and the pins 68b, 68c are Inserted to the pin holes 67b, 67c through the pin holes 69, 69 of the mast 13, and the mast 13 Is then fixed and sail unfolded,

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Claims (9)

1. A portable collapsible boat, comprising of a body of a type in which right and left sides of the boat can be unfolded and folded from and to a bottom of the boat, and respective bow and stern supporting plates to retain such unfolded condition, which body is made of flexible synthetic resin, wherein the bow and stern supporting plates are provided at each end of the boat respectively between the ends of the right and left sides of the boat, 1 0 retaining means mounted at each end on the sides of the boat and extending at right angles to the sides of the boat, and having an elongate apertur,. thersin and a pair of hooked projections are provided at one end of each of the respective supporting plates, and each supporting plate being retained in its respective position in the bow and stern of the boat by 1 5 insertion of respective projections into respective elongate apertures.

2. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 1, in which a mast hole to insert a mast is provided in the suppo;iing plate at the bow end of the boat, and a mast step is provided to retain a lower end of the mast below the mast hole at the bottom of the boat,

3. A portable colapslble boat, according to claim 2, in which the mast step has a hole to insert the lower end of the mast and comprises a supporting body with half-spherical shape and a plurality of installation brackets to be screwed and fixed to the bottom of the boat, 4, A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 3, in which the supporting plate and mast step include notches at the edge of the respective holes, and the mast includes a corresponding projection to retain the mast in 30 the mast step, A portable collapsible boat, acconding to claim 1 or 2, further including a pair of floats, one provided at each side of the boat, and projecting parts of the said body and each of said floats are screwed together.,

6. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 5, in which at least one of the floats includes a longltudinal hole In which a centre board can be Lr^iy inserted. 4z _Q7' iN- 13

7. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 5, in which projecting pieces are formed to face each other at the stern sides of each of the floats to support a flat-shaped stabilizer, and screw holes in the projecting pieces are provided to install the said stabilizer.

8. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 7, in which screw holes to install the stabilizer can also be used for installing wheels for transportation.

9. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 7, in which a plu'ality of positions are provided for rowlocks to hold oars at the upper end of the sides of the boai. right and the left sides of the boat Include projections to receive seat means frictn with the nn ide the body i 1. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 1 or 2 further the° supporting plate at the stern end of the bapat,

12. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 11, in which the baends of the ncludseat means theoretion to provide a moplurality o ridges to increased motor, friction with the inner side of tie body.

13. A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 1 or 2, further including a base plate to install a rudder, the base plate being mounted on the supporting plate at the stern end of the boat. 14, A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 13, in which the base plate Includes a portion to provide a mounting for an thutboard motor, :i -i 7T. 14 A portable collapsible boat, according to claim 1, in whi;h a removable mast supporting assembly is provided at a centre with respect to the left and right sides of the body when the boat is unfolded, the mast supporting assembly comprising a base and a mast supporting cylinder mounted on the base, the base including a movable portion at the one end of the base, movable by means of connecting equipment, and the other end of the base and the movable portion being put between the inner sides of the right and left sides of the boat to position the mast supporting assembly firmly therebetween. Dated this 16th day of April 1992. DAIMARU KIKOU KABUSHIKI KAISHA By their Patent Attorneys, COLLISON CO. .9.999 9 **ooo* r e 9. 9 9 .9. 9 9 .9 9* 99 99 .9 9 *9 9 oe o o 9* ooo oo *o