GB2223203A - Knockdown type inflatable sailboat - Google Patents

Abstract

A knockdown type inflatable sailboat which has a carrier system (1) composed of two inflatable hulls (11, 12) assembled with a plurality of U-shaped fastening rods (21) having stress distribution means 23 coupled to the ends which are secured to the hulls and longitudinal stress rods 23. It uses a wind power system (4) which is located on the bow with a main mast (41) to support a sail (34). The sail is fastened by a rod 42 and two rigging. (43, 44). It also has a steering system composed of rudders (52, 53) and water breaker (51). <IMAGE>

Description

Knockdown tpe inflatable sailboat The present invention relates to a sailboat which is provided for use on water.

Principally the present invention aims to provide a strong and stable, reliable and very durable, easily manoeuvred sailboat with large loading space.

Also, it is a further aim of the present invention to eliminate the need for solid constructional materials such as wooden boards and fiber glass resins as well as provide for sufficient support effect which demerits prior arts.

The present invention has a simplified and cheap manufacturing process, easily assembled and disassembled rafts for convenient transportation and storage as it's additional advantage.

The present invention seeks to provide a knockdown type inflatable sailboat which is light and compact, strong and stable, reliable and very durable sailboat which is easily assembled and disassembled for transportation and convenient storacje.

Preferably, the sailboat comprises two kidney shaped inflatable rafts each having a plurlity of air valves.

The rafts may be fastened with a U-shaped fastening rod of stress elimination system on lateral sides.

Also, the sailboat may have a main mast for a sail which is fastened by a rod- and two riggings. The sailboats forward sailing may be controlled by the riggings. The sailboat may also use a rudder type steering system and water breaker for control and sailing.

The invention is further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a sailboat according to the present invention; Fig la illustrates a U-shaped fastening rod and connecting elements according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 2 is the front view of the rafts according to one embodiment of the sailboat of the present invention.

Fig 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; Fig 4 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention; Fig 4-1 illustrates the structure of a water breaker according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 5 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the present invention; Fig 5-1 illustrates the structure and fixing between stress rods and connecting elements according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 5-2 illustrates the structure of a fixing holder according to one embodiment of this present invention; Fig 5-3 illustrates the structure of connecting elements and a strut according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6-1 is a perspective view of thimble pipe according to one embodiment of the present invention;; Fig 6-2 is a perspective view of another thimble pipe according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6-3 is a cross sectional view of an upper cover plate according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6-4 illustrates the structure of an upper cover plate according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6-5 is another cross sectional view of an upper cover according to one embodiment of the present invention and; Fig 7 is a perspective view of yet a further embodiment of the present invention.

Fig 1 is a perspective view of a knockdown type inflatable sailboat, as embodied in the present invention. As in the drawings, it is mainly composed of carrier system (1), a stress elimination system (2), a hull assembly system (3) a wind power supply system 41, 42, 43, 44 and a steering system.

The carrier system (1) has two kidney shaped inflatable rafts (11 and 12). In Fig. 2 each inflatable raft (11 or 12) has four independent air valves (111, 112, 113, 114) bringing the number of air valves on this two rafts to eight. The rafts are inflated when air is introduced into it through the air valves.

Again, in Fig. 1, the stress elimination system (2) is incorporated with a plurality of U-shaped fastening rod (21) which holds the inflatable rafts on two lateral sides. Each fastening rod (21) has a stress distribution means (22 and 22') coupled at the ends of it and attached to a corresponding side of the rafts whereby weight disposed on the said fastening rods are carried by the sides of said rafts.

In this embodiment, there are twelve stress distribution means. At the recession of each fastening rod(21) is a stress rod (23) which is placed to support the inflatable raft and to eliminate stress thereon. The stress rod (23) according to the present invention may be extended or increased in number as needed.

The hull assembly -system (3) is composed of three connecting rods (31, 32 and 33) and incorporate with the two inflatable rafts. These three connecting rods (31, 32 and 33) are placed across the two fastening rods (21 and 21') and fixed above fastening rod (21) as shown in Fig. la. The longer the connecting rods (31, 32 or 33), the better the assembly, and the more stable the sailboat. Also, the sailboat carries more people with longer connecting rods. The sail (34) according to the present invention is tied between connecting rods (32) and stress rod (23 or 24) by ropes in four directions.

The wind power supply system (4) according to the present invention is located on the bow of the sailboat.

It has a mast (41) to support the sail (34) which is further held by a rod (42) and two riggings (43, 44) to improve its stability. Since the sail surface that receives wind power is large, the hull according to the present invention has a relative high carriage capacity.

The steering system according to the present inventidns -is composed of a water breaker .(513, two rudders (52, 53) and a handle (54). The water breaker (51) breaks water ahead and maintains sailing direction, while the rudders (52, 53) -are for manual steering via a handle (54), Said handle is attached to an axle (541) such that when the handle is pushed either to left or right, the axle is moved thus and the rudders too, giving direction to the sailboat. The water breaker is inserted through a square opening (92). 92 is shown only in Figure 7.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment according to the present invention. In it,is a carrier system (1) composed of a pair of inflatable rafts (101, 102) each in the form of a straight tube. The rafts (101 or 102r also has a plurality of independent air valves for inflation.

The stress elimination system (2) is substantially the same with that shown in Fig. 1. It includes a plurality of Ushaped fastening rods (201, 202, 203, 204) for fixing the inflatable rafts (101 and 102) at two lateral sides. The hull assembly system (3) has two connecting elements (301 and 302) each with its ends fixed to the fastening rods (201, 202, 203 and 204) for a complete assembly. A support rod (305) is connected at the middle of the stress rods (303 and 304) at an appropriate position. An upper cover plate (80) upon which the mast (401) is installed is held by a front rod (307) and the support rod (305). Front rod (307) also supports a sail which is fixed by three riggings (403, 404 and 405).

The wind power supply system (4) (includes 41, 42, and 44) shown in Fig. 3 is identical to that in Fig. 1. Their description is also the same. But its steering system has two water breakers 501 and 501 (501' is not visible in drawing) located at appropriate positions below the inflatable rafts (101 and 102). A rudder (505) is located in the middle of the connecting element (301) via a knuckle (506) for steering handle (507). The connecting rods (301 and 302), the stress rods (303 and 304) and the support rod (305) and front rod (307) are fastened firmly with the U-shaped fastening rods (201, 202, 203 and 204) and firmly fixed to the connecting rods (301 and 302) to increase the service life of the present invention.

The support rod (305) is designed for carriage of people and to bear loads. Space within the sail boat is extended such that it allows persons on it to repair sail directlyin the course of sailing and to return coast with its own power without towing. It is a design which eases repair and increases safety in operation.

As shown in Fig.4, the U-shaped fastening rods (201)(201)' (202) (202)' are of the same structure. The U-shaped fastening rods has hollow shaped sleeves (2013)(2013)' added to them to form receiving openings for connecting elements (301) (302).

Both ends of connecting elements (301) (302) are removably inserted into said hollow shaped sleeves through the opening.

Connecting elements are inserted without screws or nails.

There are two stress rods (303) (304) extending through the lenght of the rafts. When the deck (310) is mounted on the sailboat and hooked thereto by means of fixing clamps (311) the hull assembly is unitarily fixed.

Since the connecting elements (301) (302), the stress rods (303) (304) are removably fixed without screws or nails, when the deck (310) bears loads or carry people, the stressing of said deck enables both the connecting rods and the stress rods tobeurged forward towards each other making the ends of the rods to be tightly retained in the sleeves Though the connecting elements and the stress rods are fixed without screws or nails, same can not be detached withoout first dismantling the deck (310) especially if the sailboat bears load.

The connecting rod (301) has a rin (308) for insertion of a strut (508) from the handle (507) to contro staring via the rudder (505) and by means of a locking flanye (50 ) the ring (508) is locked. The connecting rod(302) has socket (309) in the middle for holding of a support rod (401) which is incoporated with a plurality of riggings (403,404, 405, 406). The tension of such riggings iscontrolled by a connector (407). The sail (310) is supported by support rods (312,313) To prevent connecting rods (301302) from loosening, the sail (504) of the present invention provides sleeves so as to attach the rods with stresss rods (303, 304) for a hull assembly by means of the tension of sail (310) when it is stressed.

Stress rods (303, 304) has the same structure. Each has two sleeve pipes (3031, 3032) fixed to stress rod (303) by bolt (3033) so that the sleeve pipes can undertake tension to prevent itself from gathering together while U-shaped fastening rod (201) is stressed by the sail.

For package purposes, the stress rods (303, 304) of the presentinvention can be folded as necessary. A piece of rod is inserted into a sleeve pipe (3031) ata proper position and firmly fixed thereto so that another piece of rod can also be insert into the sleeve pipe from the other end to form a united stress rod which is made more stable through the traction of canvas (310) as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4-1, shows the structure of water breaker beneath the raft. The block-shaped water breaker (501) has two holes (5011 and 5012) in the middle. Fixing rod (5013) is inserted into hole (5011) through holes (1061 and 1071) of fixing holders (106 and 107) which is beneath raft ( 101).

The rod (5013) comes out from hole (5012) of the water breaker and is properly locked by its locking flange (5014).

This arrangement makes the water breaker firmly fixed to each raft, when the rafts are filled with air.

The number of fixing rods can be increased according to the stress to be undertaken by water breaker. (501).

In figures 5 and 5-1, each raft comprises of two stress rods 1303, 303', 304 and 304')~respectively. The connecting rods (301, 301', 302 and 302') are placed superiorly across the stress rods (303, 303', 304 and 304'). In order to place the connecting rods on a firm location, all rods 301, 301', 302 and 302') and stress rods (303. 303' 304 and 304') has a curved dent at contact point with a fixing holder (6) attached thereto. Fig. 5-2 illustrates the structure of the fixing holder. The fixing holder has at one end a curved tube (61) for insertion of connecting rod (302) at one end. The other end of the fixing holder extends inferiorly over the stress rod (303) locking at the curve (62) of the fixing holder.Straight rods (63 and 63') of fixing rod (6) are designable according to requirement.

The longer the straight rods the easier, the fixing, though the longer it is the larger the space required for location.

The other ends of straight rods (63 63') comprise respectively of curved racks (64 64') connected to connecting rod (302).

Fig. 5-3 shows the fixing of water breaker wherein two struts (8 and 8') are placed between connecting rods (302 and 302') and well attached by means of holder {6tvwhich is arrangable by hand without tools.

A support rod (73) and a clamping rod (74) are firmly fixed by screws (71, 71', 72 and 72') respectively and each attached to water breaker. At the other end of support rod (73) is a round tube for insertion of strut (8). Clamping rod (74) has a curved clamp device (741), the clamping range of which is controlled by a pressure-control rod (742) in a manner that when the pressure-control rod is pressed, the clamping device is opened to receive strut (8). When the press is released, the clamping device clamps the strut firmly by means of its clamping muzzle. The water breaker is supported by support rod (73) and clamping rod (74) on both ends in order to maintain a standing position between them.

To prevent the water breaker (7) from damage due to the pressure of hull assembly, the clamping rod (74) can be dismantled to make the water breaker detachable.

The tension of each raft (101 and 102) produced by inflation keeps connecting rods (302, 302', 301 and 301') firmly attached to respective stress rod (303, 303', 304 and 304').

Raft (101) of the present invention has a fixing holder (105) for insertion of stress rods (303, 303'). Said stress rods can be folded into sections as may be required for convenient transportation. Because stress rods (303 and 303') are placed on the upper surface of raft (101) and connecting rods placed superiorly across the stress rods, pressure can be evenly distributed over the upper surface of raft (101) when the sailboat undertakes heavy load.

According to the perspective view of Fig. 6, one part of stress rod (303) is inserted into fixing holder (107) through fixing stand (3036) and blocked by fixing stand (3035). The other part of said stress rod is equally inserted into fixing holder (106 and 106') through fixing stand (3036'). It is extended intothimble pipe (3034) and finally blocked at fixing stand (3035'). Connecting elements (301' and 302') are inserted into fixing stand (3036, and 3036'). As stress rods are held by thimble pipe (3034) at one end and fixing ring (3037) at the other, when the canvas (310) bears heavy load, connecting rods (301. 301', 302 and 302') and stress rods (303, 303' 304, 304') are well supported.

Fig. 6-1 illustrates a structure of fixing stand (3036) and Fig. 6-2 illustrates a structure of fixing stand (3035) wherein the two thimble pipes are placed for receiving the stress rods and connecting rods.

As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 6-3, the upper cover plate (80) is a flat plate which comprises inferiorly of two curvedsurfaces (801 and 802) for locating connecting rods (303 and 303'). Two fixing bars (803 and 804) are provided for clamping water breaker (805).

Said fixing bars (803 and 804) has respective holes (8031 and 8041) throughwhich a bolt (808) could pass to connect them (fixing bars 803 and 804) to curved paths via another hole (806). Pierced holes (8032 and 8042) of fixing bars (803 and 804) are blocked by blocking bar (8071) through button (807). In Fig. 6-4 and 6-5, the structure of fixing button (807), has a blocking bar (8071) with spring (8072) slipped on it and a washer (8073).

In Fig. 7, two screws (93 and 94) are used to screw up connecting rods (301 and 302) when they are inserted into a box-like node (9). A notch (91) is made on said box-like node for insertion of mast (401).

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A knockdown type inflatable sailboat comprising: twin inflatable, elongated mutually spaced rafts having sides and fore and aft ends; breakwater means disposed beneath said rafts for stabilizing said sailboat; stress elimination system including a plurality of Ushaped fastening rods disposed on the upper surface of said rafts in a mutually spaced relationship with the ends thereof depending on opposite sides of said rafts; stress distribution means coupling the ends of each Ushaped rod to a corresponding side portion of said raft whereby weight disposed on said U-shaped rods will be carried by the sides of said rafts said means comprising a plurality of mutually spaced plates, each plate affixed to a side of a raft adjacent an end portion of each of said U-shaped rods and a plurality of sleeves, each mounted on one of said plates surrounding an end each of said U-shaped rods;; at least one stress rod extending substantially the length of each raft along the upper surface thereof interconnecting respective U-shaped fastening rods, and a plurality of connecting rods extending laterally between said rafts each releasably connecting a pair of U-shaped rods thereon; a deck extending between and releasably connected to said stress rods; each U-shaped rod mounting a laterally opening sleeve on the upper surface thereof which receives an end of a connecting rod therein so that when said deck is connected to said stress rods said connecting rod end are retained in said sleeves, and when said deck is loaded the stress rods will be urged together and the ends of the connecting rods will be tightly retained in the sleeves; rudder means carried by said sailboat at the aft end of said rafts for steering said sailboat;; sail means including a mast mounted on a connecting rod connecting the fore ends of said rafts.

2. A sailboat according to Claim 1 wherein the rafts are kidney shaped.

3. A sailboat according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said breakwater means includes a single breakwater disposed depending from a connecting rod between said rafts.

4. A sailboat according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said rudder means includes twin rudders, one disposed behind each of said rafts.

5. A sailboat according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said rudder means comprises a single rudder disposed to depend from a connecting rod and located between said rafts.

6. A sailboat according to any preceding claim wherein each raft comprises interconnected pontoons interconnected along a longitudinal side.

7. A knockdown type inflatable sailboat substantially a hereinbefore described with reference to Figs 1, la, 2, Fig 3, Figs 4, 4-1, Figs 5, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, Figs 6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, or Fig 7 of the accompanying drawings.