EP0894706A1

EP0894706A1 - A rigid or half-rigid cell system with extensible ends, for recreation nautical hulls

Info

Publication number: EP0894706A1
Application number: EP97830397A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vincenzo Filice
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-07-28
Filing date: 1997-07-28
Publication date: 1999-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-28
Also published as: DE69710056T2; ATE212304T1; EP0894706B1; DE69710056D1

Abstract

The rigid or half-rigid system cell system with extensible ends, for recreation nautical hulls, consists of a rigid or half-rigid cell (1) that may be realized out of fibreglass, wood, aliminium or similar, to which one or more extensible parts (3) are fixed and/or joined, or inflatable parts passing through said cell, so as to keep the hull in small dimensions when it is not used while, at the moment of use, said parts are suitable extended or inflated so as to form a functional float.

Description

The present invention concerns a rigid or half-rigid cell system with extensible ends, for recreation nautical hulls.
It is well known that the recreation nautical hulls show even considerable lengths which involve considerable difficulties for what concerns transportation and garaging; a single-seater boating canoe may reach a length of 7 to 8 meters, in a fast line for reducing the friction with the water, with rigid structural parts for the fixing of the equipment, and that resist to the continuous efforts and stresses, and it is evident that such structure involves a transportation and garaging problem for the owners.
The prior art shown realization systems making use of dismountable frames onto which waterproof coatings may be applied for their whole length, as well as totally inflatable floating systems.
For mounting and disassemblying the first, a long time is used, while the inflateable means are not provided with really rigid parts resistant to the different stresses.
It is the aim of the present invention to solve a great deal of the requeste and difficulties mentioned, by means of a system that reduces the transportation and garaging encumbrance of recreation hulls of different kinds, thus allowing their use to an increasing number of persons.
The aim set forth is reached by means of the system according to the present invention, comprising a rigid or half-rigid cell that may be realized out of fibreglass, wood, aliminium or similar, to which one or more extensible parts are fixed and/or joined, or inflatable parts passing through said cell, so as to keep the hull in small dimensions when it is not used while, at the moment of use, said parts are suitable extended or inflated so as to form a functional float.
The advantages of the system according to the present invention are many and considerable:

a considerable operating safety is assured by the presence of independent watertight compartments, linked one to the other so as to allow the use of the floats provided with said system even as life-boats;
the quick operation of extension and reduction of the movable parts facilitates the coming out of the water, beyond the transportation;
the production cost is reduced;
the possibility of reducing the dimensions may allow beaches and nautical clubs for the garaging of a greater number of floats;
the rigid part of the float is resistant to crashes and cuts.

The present invention will be described hereinbelow relating to the enclosed drawings in which an embodiment is shown.
Figure 1 shows an axometric view of the scheme for the rigid or half-rigid cell system with extensible ends, for recreation nautical hulls.
Figures 2 and 3 show the top views of a hull reduced for transportation and garaging, ad of a hull extended for use.
Figures 4 and 5 show axonometric views of a hull in its reduced and extended condition.
The enclosed figures show a rigid or half-rigid cell system with extendible ends for recreation nautical hulls, comprising:

a rigid cell 1 consisting of a concave structure, provided with rowlocks 2, out of fibreglass, wood, aluminium or similar, or in mixtures for making it half-rigid;
a plurality of extensible and reductable means, like a tubular 3 or any other shape, fixed and/or joined to said cell 1 with a possible reiforcing structure 6 rolling it up completely or i part, with cloth coating 4 or similar, provided with closing and/or fixing means, like zips or other;
possible inflatable tubulars, passing through suitable housings provided in the keel and/or in the edges of cell 1, having the same function of the rigid elements.

The length of said cell 1 may vary, according to the present invention, according to the use, for collecting the means for operating the extensibility and the reductibility, for the housing of the user or of the users, for hooking and fixing supports and equipments also under stress.
The movable components may have external rigid hollow spaces at sight, or internal ones, like push-rods 5, on stem or on stern, horizontally or vertically, and that may be used for shaping the cloth and for giving a greater functionality to the hull and to its aesthetic.
In possible variants of the system according to the present invention, said structure 1 may also not be concave but full, and above it the housing means for the uses, and furthermore the system may be modular with different extensible or inflatable means, that may be applied to cell 1.

Claims

A rigid or half-rigid cell system with extensible ends, for recreation nautical hulls, characterized in:

a rigid cell (1) consisting of a concave structure, provided with rowlocks (2), out of fibreglass, wood, aluminium or similar, or in mixtures for making it half-rigid;

a plurality of extensible and reductable means, like a tubular (3) or any other shape, fixed and/or joined to said cell (1) with a possible reiforcing structure (6) rolling it up completely or i part, with cloth coating 4 or similar, provided with closing and/or fixing means, like zips or other.
A system according to claim 1, characterized in inflatable tubulars, passing through suitable housings provided in the keel and/or in the edges of cell (1), having the same function of the rigid elements.
A system according to claim 1, characterized in movable components may have external rigid hollow spaces at sight, or internal ones, like push-rods (5), on stem or on stern, horizontally or vertically, and that may be used for shaping the cloth and for giving a greater functionality to the hull and to its aesthetic.
A system according to claim 1, characterized i a full structure (1), overhung by the housing means for the users.
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is modular with different extensible and inflatable means, that may be applied to cell (1).