CA2287594A1

CA2287594A1 - Portable paddle assembly for a watercraft

Info

Publication number: CA2287594A1
Application number: CA002287594A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Grant Brooks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-26
Filing date: 1999-10-26
Publication date: 2001-04-26

Abstract

A propulsion system for a personal watercraft comprises a pair of paddle assemblies and a drive shaft extending between the paddle assemblies to induce co joint rotation thereof. A
drive mechanism is coupled to the drive shaft and a pair of supports connect the drive shaft to the watercraft on opposite sides thereof to permit rotation about a common axis.
The drive shaft is connected to the paddle assemblies by a releasable coupling to permit ready disassembly thereof.
The paddle assembly comprises a central hub and a plurality of paddles coupled to and radially extending from the central hub. Each of the plurality of paddles comprises a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the front surface of the paddles is oriented away from the personal watercraft when the paddle assembly is positioned adjacent thereto. The propulsion system is separable into a plurality of individual sections and is thereby portable.

Description

PORTABLE PADDLE ASSEMBLY FOR A WATERCRAFT
The present invention relates to a propulsion assembly for a personal watercraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A watercraft like a canoe or rowboat is traditionally propelled through the water by paddles or ores. The operation of paddles or oars can be tiresome on the arm and back muscles, in particular for people with physical ailments and disabilities. Few options exist to balance physical fatigue between the upper and lower body while operating a watercraft. In an emergency or adverse weather conditions propelling the watercraft by an individual, while keeping it in a desired direction without slowing or stopping can be difficult.
One solution is to use a propulsion aid such as a paddle wheel. Current means for attaching a paddle wheel assembly to a watercraft is taught by Le Blanc in Canadian Pat. No.
1,316,411 and by Carlton in Canadian Pat. No. 329,367. The means of clamping of the '411 and '367 patents require altering the watercraft which may damage or structurally weaken the craft, or to provide a clamping system which is not easily removed while providing adequate security during operation. Installation of the above taught clamping systems may also require the use of additional tools and skill.
The complexity of the clamping systems requires an undesirable amount of time to install or remove the clamping systems from the watercraft. As such these systems do not lend themselves to the practical activities of camping and portaging with a canoe, where one does not want to be bothered by having to remove and carry bulky equipment and extra gear. Moreover they lack the versatility to adjust to different users.
Because the canoes may be used in shallow water, the paddle assemblies are prone to damage from a variety of adjacent objects, such as rocks. Breakage of the paddle members may also occur during launching or removal of the watercraft from the water.
Damage to the paddles is sometimes not preventable but when damage does occur, the damaged components are difficult to replace with new components.
The use of the paddle assembly will generate splashing of water into the canoe and possible discomfort to the user. A number of paddle wheel assemblies in the prior art, such as the '411 patent, teach the use of splash guards to protect the user from splashing. A

disadvantage of this system is that the splash guards are bulky, they can restrict the surrounding view from the user, and they can hinder the user from access to the paddle members if desired.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate some or all of the above mentioned disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention relates to a propulsion system for a personal watercraft comprises a pair of paddle assemblies and a drive shaft extending between the paddle assemblies to induce co joint rotation thereof. A drive mechanism is coupled to the drive shaft and a pair of supports connect the drive shaft to the watercraft on opposite sides thereof to permit rotation about a common axis. The drive shaft is connected to the paddle assemblies by a releasable coupling to permit ready disassembly thereof. . The propulsion system is separable into individual sections and is thereby portable.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a paddle assembly for positioning adjacent to a personal watercraft. The paddle assembly comprises a central hub and a plurality of paddles coupled to and radially extending from the central hub. A connector mechanism is used to couple the paddle assembly to a drive shaft. Each of the plurality of paddles comprises a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the front surface of the paddles is oriented away from the personal watercraft when the paddle assembly is positioned adjacent thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an end view of a propulsion assembly.
Figure 2 is a side view of a propulsion assembly of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an unassembled joint of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section 4-4 view of an assembled joint of Figure 2.
Figure 5 shows grips used with the propulsion assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a side view of a clamp assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a side section 7-7 view of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a section 8-8 view of Figure 2.

Figure 9 shows variable position of a paddle assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 10 is a section view of Figure 2.
Figure 11 is an exploded view of the paddle assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 12 shows the propulsion assembly of Figure 1 in operation.
Figure 13 is an unassembled collection of components of the propulsion assembly of Figure 2.
Figure 14 is a further embodiment of Figure 2.
Figure 15 is a further embodiment of Figure 2.
Figure 16 is a further embodiment of a clamp assembly of Figure 6.
Figure 17 is a section 17-17 view of Figure 16.
Figure 18 demonstrates an operation of the embodiment of Figure 16.
Figure 19 another operation of the embodiment of Figure 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Refernng to Figures 1 and 2, a propulsion assembly 10 includes a crank assembly 12 connected to a pair of paddle assemblies 14 by two drive shafts 16. The drive shafts 16 are fastened to a pair of gunwhales 18 of a canoe 20, by a pair of clamp assemblies 22. The user 24 can operate the crank assembly 12, thereby rotating the paddle assemblies 14 as indicated by arrow 26 to propel the canoe 20 through the water 28.
As shown in Figure 2, the crank assembly 12 has a pair of cranks 30 into which the user 24 places their hands or feet. A pair of ergonomically designed grips 32 (Figure 5), adapted for either the hands or feet, are clipped onto a base member 34 of the crank 30.
An exterior surface of the base member 34 and an interior surface of the grips 32 are preferably smooth and of a circular cross section, to facilitate relative rotational displacement therebetween during operation of the crank assembly 12. The cranks 30 are connected to each other by a cross piece 38. A gap 25 is provided between the crank assembly 12 and the bottom 21 of the canoe 20, to facilitate prior positioning of the area for either hand or foot operation of the propulsion assembly 10.
Referring to Figure 3, a joint assembly 58 is used to connect the crank assembly 12 with the drive shafts 16. The joint assembly 58 includes a female connector 40 at opposite ends of the crank assembly 12 and an associated male connector 46. The female connector 40 is tubular in cross section, has a bore 42, and two holes 44. The male connector 46 is also tubular, with the exterior diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the bore 42.
This permits the male connector 46 to be received in the bore 42 of the female connector 40. The male connector 46 also has two holes 48, which are alignable with the holes 44 of the female connector 40. A
spring clip SO is attached to an interior 52 of the male connector 46 and has two nodules 60 that engage the holes 44, 48 to retain releasably the connection of the drive shafts 16 with the crank assembly 12.
The spring clip 50, preferably made of spring steel, has a base 54 attached to the interior 52 and a spring arm 56 attached to the base 54. The two nodules 60 are hollow, semi-spherical, and are spaced apart in a manner corresponding to the spacing of two sets of holes 44, 48. The holes 44, 48 and the nodules 60 are preferably of similar diameter. Refernng to Figure 4, the joint 58 is assembled when the male connector 46 is received by the bore 42 of the female connector 40. The spring force of the clip 50 forces the nodules 60 radially outwards and into a passageway 62 formed by the aligned holes 44, 48, thereby forming a releasably secure connection between the connectors 40, 46. The nodules 60 restrict relative rotational displacement between the connectors 40, 46 when assembled and permit a transfer of torque during rotation of the crank assembly 12. A steel ball 64 may be pressed into the interior 66 of the nodule 60, in order to resist deformation of the hollow nodule 60 due to shear forces between the female connector 40 and the male connector 46. The disassembly of the joint 58 is obtained by depressing the nodule 60 radially inward and removing the male connector 46 from the bore 42 of the female connector 40. Assembly and disassembly of the joint 58 can be accomplished by the user 24 without the aid of additional tools.
Referring to Figures 1 and 5, one of the male connectors 46 is positioned at one end 67 of the drive shaft 16. A series of holes 68 are distributed in an axially spaced relationship on the drive shaft 16. The holes 68 permit a placement of the clamp assembly 22 at various axial locations on the drive shaft 16, in order to accommodate canoes 20 of different dimensions.
Cotter pin 70 is clipped into a selected one of the holes 68 to restrict axial displacement of a clamp washer 72 towards the crank assembly 12. A similar cotter pin 74 and a clamp washer 76 are located on the opposite side the crank assembly 12. The two cotter pins 70, 74 and clamp washers 72, 76 locates the position of the crank assembly 12 between the gun whales 18, when the drive shafts 16 are attached to the canoe 20 by means of the clamp assemblies 22.

The clamp assemblies 22, shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, consist of a bushing 78 made of a resilient material such as plastic or hard rubber. A cutout 80 extends along the length of the bushing 78. The cutout 80 facilitates attachment of the clamp assembly 22 to the drive shaft 16, by passing the driveshaft 16 through the cutout 80 and into the interior 82.
The interior diameter of the bushing 78 is slightly smaller than that of the exterior diameter of the drive shaft 16. This difference in diameters provides retention of the drive shaft 16 in the interior 82, once inserted, and permits relative rotational displacement between the components 16, 22. A
reinforcement strip 84 is attached by threaded fasteners 86 to the bushing 78. Attached to the bushing 78 by the fastener 86 is a C-clamp 88, which permits the secure attachment of the clamp assembly 22 to be to the gunwhales 18 of the canoe 20. Protective pads 90, made out of resilient material such as rubber, may be employed to cover a mating surface 92 of the C-clamp 88. These pads 90 can be employed to protect the gunwhales 18 from damage during repeated installation on the canoe 20 of the propulsion assembly 10. A safety rope 93 can be employed to couple the propulsion assembly 10 to the canoe 20, in the event the drive shaft 16 is disconnected from the clamp assemblies 22. An additional safety rope 93 can be employed to connect the clamp assemblies 22 to the canoe 20, if desired.
A pair of extensions 94, shown in Figure 8, are attached to the drive shafts 16 by a pair of corresponding hinge plates 96. The hinge plates 96 are securely attached to an opposite end 98 of the drive shaft 16 by threaded fasteners 100. The extension 94 is securely attached to the hinge plate 96 by a pin joint 102, which allows for pivoting motion of the extension 94 with respect to the drive shaft 16 as shown in Figure 9. A series of aligned holes 104 in the plate 96 and the extension 94, in combination with a spring clip 106 attached to the interior 108 of the extension 94, permits a releasably secure connection when the extension 94 is rotated into one of the three positions 110, 112, 114. The operation of the releasable connection is similar to that described above with reference to Figure 4. As shown in Figure 9, position 110 is employed during operation of the propulsion assembly 10. Position 112 can be used when the canoe 20 is in shallow water to hold the paddle assemblies 14 out of the water, to prevent damage to the paddle assemblies 14. Position 114 can be employed when placing the canoe 20 beside a dock 116.
Positions 112 and 114 also facilitate the use of other paddles or oars white the propulsion 10 is attached to the canoe 20.
-S-The paddle assemblies 14, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, comprise a central hub 118 consisting of a plurality of spokes 119. The hub 118 is attached b~- the female connector t~ the male connector 46 of the extension 94. The female connector 40 is secured to the central hub 1 l 8 by means of a threaded fastener 120 and a series of washers 122. The washers 122 are employed to inhibit relative rotational displacement between the hub 118 and the connector .~0.
Each of a series of paddles 123 comprises a blade 124 attached to a paddle arm 126 by threaded fasteners 128. The paddle arm 126 is connected to the central hub 118 by means of the male connector 46, that is the same as that used to attach the drive shafts 16 to the crank assembly 12.
The holes 130 on the female connector of the hub 118 are positioned so as to orient a surface 132 of the paddle blades 124 outwardly away from the canoe 20. This outward orientation of the blades 124 inhibits splashing of the user 24 during operation of the propulsion assembly 10.
This is accomplished by directing water running off the blades 124, away from the canoe 20, as indicated by arrow 134 in Figure 12. The surface 132 of the blades 124 is of a cupped profile both axially and laterally. The lateral cupped profile enhances the redirection 134 of the water.
The axial cupped profile enhances axial rigidity of the blade 124 and inhibits bending 137 of the blade tip 136 during operation, shown in ghosted view in Figure 10.
In operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the individual unassembled components are removed from a case 136 as shown in Figure 13. The grips 32 are clipped onto the crank assembly 12, which is subsequently connected to the drive shafts 16. The paddles 123 are coupled to the spokes 119 of the central hubs 118, which is further coupled to the extensions 94. The bushings 78 of the clamp assemblies 22 are clipped onto the drive shafts 16. The location of the clamp assemblies 22 on the drive shafts 16 are fixed into position by the cotter pins 70, 74 and clamp washers 72, 76. The C-clamps 88 of the clamp assemblies 22 are then fastened to the gun-whales 18 of the canoe 20, thereby attaching the assembled propulsion assembly 10 to the canoe 20. The extensions 94 may then be placed in positions 112 or 114.
The user 24 then enters the canoe 20 and navigates by a traditional paddle (not shown) until the paddle assemblies 14 can be lowered into position 110. At this point the user 24 then places either his feet or his hands into the grips 132, depending upon the sitting position chosen in the canoe 20. The crank assembly 12 is then rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, thereby propelling the canoe 20 in either a forward or backward direction respectively.
The canoe 20 can be steered during operation of the propulsion assembly 10 by a traditional canoe paddle, or by adjusting ones position within the canoe 20. Upon disembarking from the canoe 20, the user 24 may choose to disassemble the propulsion assembly 10 in a reverse order to that described above. Upon disassembly, the individual components of the propulsion assembly 10 can be returned to the case 136. The case 136 is preferably compact enough to facilitate portability of the propulsion assembly 10 by the user 24 and for seasonal storage.
The resiliency of the bushings 78, and the provision of the cutout 80, permit the drive shafts 16 to automatically release from the clamp assemblies 22 if the paddle assemblies 24 hit an obstruction. This helps to prevent damage to the gunwhales 18, due to sudden forces applied to the C-clamps 88. The design of the clamp assemblies 22 also facilitates removal of the propulsion assembly 10 from the canoe 20, without first removing the C-clamps 88.
The propulsion assembly 10 is rigid enough to aid a user 24 in propulsion of the canoe 20, while at the same time is separable into individual sections that are managable and can be placed into a relatively small carrying bag 136 for ease of transportation, as shown in Figure 13.
The use of releasably secure joints 58 allows the user 24 to replace broken components, such as paddles 123, in situations where traditional tools such as a wrench are not available or are awkward to use. The option of using the hands or the feet to operate the crank assembly 12, provides for operation of the propulsion assembly 10 in a variety of situations.
An alternative embodiment, shown in Figure 14, includes a sail 138. The sail 138 may be is fastened at opposite ends to the extensions 94, when they are placed in position 112. A pin 139 may be inserted in an aligned hole 141 through the clamp assembly 22 and drive shaft 16, in order to restrict rotation of the drive shafts 16 in the bushings 78.
In a further embodiment, as shown in Figure 1 S, a pair of pontoons 140 are coupled to the extensions 94. The pontoon 140 is attached to the female connector 40 by a series of support arms 42. The pontoon 140 may be used in rough water conditions or in other situations where added stability of the canoe is desired.
A further embodiment of the present invention comprises a swing assembly 142, which includes a C-clamp 143 to attach the assembly 142 to a crossbar 144 of the canoe 20, as shown in Figure 16. A clevis 146 is connected to the C-clamp 143 by a pin joint 148.
The pin joint 148 includes an aligned hole 152 in both the clevis 146 and the C-clamp 143. A pin 154 is received in the hole 152 and retained by a cotter pin 156, as shown in Figure 17. The pin joint 148 allows for rotation of the assembly 142 about an axis 150.
_7_ A bar 158 is bolted to the clevis 146 at one end and is fastened to a clamp assembly 160 at the other end, by means of a pin joint 162. The clamp assembly 160 is supported by a "U"
shaped holder 165. The clamp assembly 160 is similar in form and function to the clamp assembly 22 of Figures 6 and 7 and will therefore not be described further.
The pin joint162 allows or rotation of the clamp assembly 160 about an axis 164. This rotation of the clamp assembly 160 facilitates steering of the propulsion assembly 10 connected to the swing assembly 142, as shown in Figure 18.
Use of the swing assembly 142, over that of the pair of clamp assemblies 22, provides for a transfer of the propulsion assembly 10 from the user 24 to a second user 166 in the canoe 20, shown in Figure 19. This transfer can be accomplished without the users 24 and 166 switching seating positions in the canoe 20.
It should be noted that although a canoe 20 is employed in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the propulsion assembly 10 could also be used with other watercraft such as rowboats, sailboats, kayaks and dugouts. Releasably secured joints other than those shown may also be employed, if desired. The hinge plate 96 can be attached to the end 98 of the drive shaft by a coupling similar to the joint assembly 58. The coupling can also facilitate the direct connection of the end 98 of the drive shaft 16 to the adjacent end of the extension 94. A length of the paddle arms 126 may be adjustable to accommodate various heights of watercraft, if desired. The shaft components are preferably made of aluminum tube, but other rigid materials could be substituted such as steel, plastic, or those manufactured from composite fibers. A
buoyant material, such as foam or cork, may be installed in the interiors of the tubes in order to provide for floatation of the components. Floatation devices may also be coupled to the exterior of the components as well. The paddle blades 124 are preferably made from a rigid yet resilient material, such as plastic, fiberglass, and wood.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent in those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto.
_g_

Claims

1. A propulsion system for a personal watercraft comprising:
a pair of paddle assemblies, a drive shaft extending between said paddle assemblies to induce co-joint rotation thereof, a drive mechanism coupled to said drive shaft, at least one support to connect said drive shaft to said watercraft on opposite sides thereof and permit rotation about a common axis; said drive shaft being connected to said paddle assemblies by a releasable coupling to permit ready disassembly thereof.

2. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft includes a releasable coupling to permit ready disassembly thereof.

3. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said support releasably engages said drive shaft to permit removal thereof from said watercraft independently of said supports.

4. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes a crank assembly.

5. A propulsion system according to claim 4, wherein a pair of foot grips are coupled to said crank assembly.

6. A propulsion system according to claim 4, wherein a pair of hand grips are coupled to said crank assembly.

7. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein each of said paddle assemblies comprises a plurality of paddles connected to a central hub.

8. A propulsion system according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of paddles are connected to said central hub by releasable couplings to permit ready disassembly thereof.

9. A propulsion system according to claim 7, wherein a blade of paddles is oriented non-orthogonally with respect to a side surface of said personal watercraft.

10. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft includes a pivot connection located between said drive mechanism and said paddle assembly.

11. A propulsion mechanism according to claim 10, wherein operation of said pivot connection is retainable at a variety of positions.

12. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft is extendable.

13. A propulsion system according to claim 3, wherein said supports are releasably secured to said personal watercraft.

14. A propulsion system according to claim 3, wherein a longitudinal position of said support on said drive shaft is variable.

15. A propulsion system according to claim 3, wherein said support includes a body to retain releasably said drive shaft.

16. A propulsion system according to claim 15, wherein said body is of a tubular shape comprising an annular wall and opposing end portions.

17. A propulsion mechanism according to claim 16, wherein a cutout in said annular wall extends axially between said end portions.

18. A propulsion system according to claim 16, wherein said cutout in said annular wall is oriented towards a user of said propulsion system.

19. A propulsion system according to claim 1, further including a plurality of tubular members.

20. A propulsion system according to claim 19, wherein an interior of said tubular members contains a medium whose density is less than that of water.

21. A propulsion system according to claim 19, wherein a plurality of floatation aids are coupled to said tubular members.

22. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said paddle assemblies are replaced by a sail assembly coupled to said drive shaft.

23. A propulsion system according to claim 1, wherein said paddle assemblies are replaced by a pair of buoyant bodies coupled to said drive shaft.

24. A paddle assembly for positioning adjacent to a personal watercraft comprising: a central hub, a plurality of paddles coupled to and radially extending from said hub, and a connector to couple said paddle assembly to a drive shaft; each of said plurality of paddles comprising a front surface; and a rear surface, wherein said front surface of said panels is oriented away from said personal watercraft when said paddle assembly is positioned adjacent thereto.

25. A paddle assembly according to claim 24, wherein said surfaces of said paddles are arcuately shaped.

26. A paddle assembly according to claim 24, wherein said paddle members are releasably secured to said central hub.

27. A paddle assembly according to claim 24, wherein said paddles are made of a resilient material.

28. A paddle assembly according to claim 24, wherein a number of said paddles is at least 3.