WO2004000637A1

WO2004000637A1 - Spray cover

Info

Publication number: WO2004000637A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/006549
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christoph Lang
Original assignee: Christoph Lang
Priority date: 2002-06-21
Filing date: 2003-06-20
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: DE20209672U1; US20050204993A1; EP1517828A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a spray cover or hatch cover for boats, e.g. kayaks (10), comprising a pull element, which is provided on one edge of the cover (20) and which extends in a peripheral direction, for detachably fixing the cover to a collar (the coaming) (14) surrounding the opening to be covered and protruding away from the body of the kayak. The pull element is a tightening strap which cannot be directly expanded by hand or which can only be thus expanded with difficulty. At least one manually actuatable tightening element (35) is inserted therein.

Description

spraydeck

The invention relates to a spray or hatch cover for boats, in particular kayaks, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Kayaks have a largely closed hull with a seat opening at the top from which the upper body of the driver sitting in the hull protrudes upwards. So-called spray covers are used to seal the opening against the ingress of water. These are flat structures made of a waterproof, flexible material, usually neoprene with laminated stretch fabric, but also PVC or nylon. The spray blanket has a first section, the so-called chimney, which the driver puts on like a piece of clothing and tightly encloses his upper body, as well as a second, ring-shaped projecting section, which is sealingly connected to the hull at its outer edge after the driver / the driver has boarded the boat. For attachment to the hull, the so-called coaming is provided there, a collar that surrounds the opening to be covered and protrudes upwards with an undercut contour, ie. H. a diameter that gradually increases from bottom to top, forming an outer circumferential throat.

For connection to the coaming, the known spray ceilings have a continuous tensile element made of rubber-elastic material on the edge, which is stretched by hand and inserted into the throat of the coaming with elastic pretension. The rubber-elastic tension element, e.g. B. a rubber rope can be sewn on the edge of the spray blanket or inserted into a hemstitch. Often it is also a molded or glued profile, which is specially adapted to improve the seal on the outer contour of the coaming. Since the traction element lies in the throat of the coaming and is under tension, the spray blanket cannot be easily removed from the coaming. The strength of the connection, but also the sealing against the water, is always based on the elastic pre-tension that is applied by hand when the spray blanket is put on. However, this is naturally limited. Women, in particular, are often unable to apply the force necessary to securely fasten the spraydeck to the coaming. Therefore, it happens again and again that the known spray ceilings in extreme situations in which they are loaded from the outside with strong water pressure, e.g. B. with splash water or wave pressure during white water rides, unintentionally detach from the coaming and the boat is no longer protected against the ingress of water.

The same problem, if not in such a pronounced form, exists with spray covers for other types of boats, e.g. B. for canoes in which kneeling, and in the so-called hatch covers, with which luggage or seat openings of boats are covered. Of course, hatch ceilings do not have a fireplace, but are continuous ceilings, but are attached to the coaming around the luggage opening using the same means as spray covers.

The invention has for its object to develop known spray or hatch covers so that the security against unwanted loosening from the coaming is significantly increased without the need for effort when fastening, which is uncomfortably high or can not be applied by weaker people.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the spray or hatch cover characterized in claim 1, advantageous developments being apparent from the subclaims.

In the spray or hatch cover according to the invention, the tension element is a tension band that is practically no longer stretchable by hand. To hold the blanket on the coaming and to The seal between the ceiling and the edge of the coaming is applied by at least one manually operated tensioning fitting, which is inserted into the tensioning strap. The tensioning fitting is designed so that it is shortened by manual actuation, usually a lever, and thus generates the pretension in the tensioning band. The spray or hatch cover according to the invention can also be easily attached to the coaming by weaker people with the aid of the at least one tensioning fitting, by inserting the tensioning strap into the throat of the coaming when the tensioning fitting is open and then closing the tensioning fitting. This attachment also withstands high external loads, since the tensioning strap is only stretched lying in the throat of the coaming and thus the spray or hatch cover is held almost positively on the coaming. The requirement that the tension band should not be stretchable by hand or only with difficulty is to be understood in connection with this mode of operation: it must be so difficult to stretch that the forces acting on the ceiling from outside are not able to cause stretching , which is sufficient to let the strap finally come out of the throat of the coaming. Suitable straps are preferably made of a plastic, e.g. B. made of polypropylene.

Two tensioning fittings are preferably inserted into the tensioning strap. Depending on the design of the tensioning fitting and the depth of the throat of the coaming, it may not be sufficient to lengthen the tensioning strap so that it can be inserted comfortably over the top edge of the coaming into the throat. In addition, two tensioning fittings fulfill a security function, in particular if they are arranged according to claim 3 in the direction of travel of the boat at the front and rear ends of the ceiling. There are so-called clamping accidents in kayaks, in which the boat either with the bow or the stern under an obstacle, e.g. B. gets into a rock and is held there. The helper who wants to free the driver from the boat in this situation must be able to detach the spraydeck and must find at least one accessible tensioning fitting, which is what design according to claim 3 is almost always the case. In this case, of course, each individual tensioning fitting must be dimensioned such that the spray blanket is completely free from the coaming edge when the tensioning fitting is open and can be removed.

A tension lock is particularly suitable as a tension fitting, which is known per se, for example, from locking tires for barrels. The turnbuckle has an actuating lever which can be pivoted from an open position past a dead center into a closed position and shortens the tensioning band when pivoting into the closed position. Because of the leverage, a high tensile stress can easily be generated in the tension band; the dead center construction ensures that the operating lever remains stable in the closed position.

Since the tensioning stroke of a turnbuckle is limited, if you use turnbuckles, you will advantageously insert at least one adjustment fitting into the tensioning strap to preset the length of the tensioning strap. With the adjustable fitting, the tensioning strap can be precisely adapted to different coaming edges.

The adjustment fitting can also have a manually operable opening means for the spontaneous extension or opening of the tensioning strap. This opening means is then used in an emergency of the type described above instead of the turnbuckle for emergency opening. The opening means can be designed so that lower forces are sufficient for opening than with the turnbuckle. For example, the adjustment fitting can be a self-clamping fitting on which one end of the tensioning strap protrudes and a short pull on the protruding end releases the clamping. In the event of an emergency opening on the adjustment fitting, two adjustment fittings are preferably provided for the same reasons and in the same arrangement as was previously shown in relation to the turnbuckles. As a very advantageous alternative to the turnbuckle, a so-called pump buckle can be used as a tensioning fitting. Pump buckles are also known per se. They are designed to interact with a ratchet strap or toothed belt, which is gradually pulled into the pump buckle by repeated actuation of a swivel lever. As a result, the length of the tensioning strap, which is fastened at one end to the ratchet strap and at the other end to the actual fitting, can be changed over a wide adjustment range and finally shortened so that the necessary tension is created. Special adjustment fittings are therefore not necessary in connection with pump closures.

Pump closures have the further advantage that they can also be opened very easily and spontaneously completely, either with the aid of a release button or by adjusting the pivoting lever used for tensioning to a special release position. The three functions of presetting, tightening and, if necessary, spontaneous, complete release of the tensioning strap are thus realized in a very advantageous manner with one component.

Pump closures suitable for the purposes of the invention are supplied, for example, by GUDO AG, 8618 Oetwil, Switzerland, under the designations Mini N 4, order number 1663 or Mega K 4, order number 1751.

For the security reasons already outlined, it is also advisable to insert two pump closures into the strap when using pump closures as tension fittings. Here, however, the arrangement will be such that the two pump closures are arranged on the two sides of the boat in the use position of the spray cover and can therefore be easily operated by the seated driver, since here, unlike the turnbuckle, multiple actuation of the swivel lever is necessary until the strap is tight. If a boat capsizes, the driver must be able to get out of the boat easily and spontaneously, even if panic arises, for which the spray skirt has to be loosened. In known spray blankets, this is done simply by the person sitting in the boat pressing the legs against the spray blanket from below and thereby pulling the rubber-elastic tension element away from the coaming. The design of the spraying cover according to the invention according to claim 9 enables the same, virtually reflex-like solution of the spraying cover, in that the driver indirectly acts on the opening means of at least one tensioning fitting and / or adjusting fitting with the knees via the release device provided on the top of the spraying cover. Preferably, the trigger device according to claim 10 comprises a release band which spans the thighs or knees of the person sitting under the spray blanket, participates in the upward movement of the legs and, according to claim 11, transmits to the opening means by means of at least one tension band, so that the fitting reaches the opening position and releases the strap.

In order to facilitate the initial application of the spray or hatch cover on the coaming, a rubber-elastic band which extends in the circumferential direction and extends by hand at the edge of the ceiling can additionally be provided according to claim 12, which is first inserted into the throat of the coaming before the tensioning strap is used the tensioning fitting or the tensioning fittings is tightened. In contrast to the prior art, this rubber-elastic band has practically no holding function during use of the blanket. It only facilitates the provisional fixation of the blanket to the coaming as long as the strap is still loose. The elastic band can e.g. B. be a simple rubber rope as used for expanders. The elastic rubber band is preferably sewn onto the edge of the blanket. The seam used for this can also be used to form a hemstitch on the edge of the ceiling, in which the tensioning band is held. Alternatively, the rubber-elastic band or the tensioning band can be designed as a tube, in the interior of which the other band runs. It can suffice that the rubber-elastic band does not run over the entire circumference of the coaming, but is only fastened over a shorter part of this path and with its ends to the tensioning band running next to it. As a result, the tensioning band is first shortened between the fastening points by the rubber-elastic band, with a slight pretension sufficient for fixing the spray blanket, until it is then shortened and tensioned by the tensioning fitting and the shortening by the rubber-elastic band disappears.

In a further embodiment, the tensioning strap can be held in a row of loops or rings on the edge of the ceiling.

In the use position of the blanket, the or each tensioning fitting for the tensioning strap lies in the throat of the coaming. In particular, if this is quite deep, it may be advantageous for easier handling to assign a molded part to each tensioning fitting according to claim 18, which comes to lie between the tensioning fitting and the coaming in the use position of the ceiling and which specifies a specific position relative to the coaming in which the Tension fitting is easy to use and / or the train of the triggering device discussed above is particularly easily accessible. The molded parts are made of synthetic foam, for example. Separate molded parts enable the use of standard tension fittings. Alternatively, the shape of the tensioning fittings themselves can be adapted to the contour of the coaming.

The invention is explained in more detail below with further advantageous details using a schematically illustrated exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a kayak with a spray cover according to the invention in

Oblique view, FIG. 2 shows a top view of the spray blanket, FIG. 3 shows a section through the edge of the spray blanket, 4 shows a section through the coaming of the kayak with a spray blanket applied, FIG. 5 shows a top view of a section of the spray blanket with turnbuckle and adjustment fitting, FIG. 6 shows a section along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 shows a top view of a section of another

Spray blanket with ratchet strap and pump buckle, Figure 8 Details of the pump buckle of Figure 7 in a simplified, exploded view.

According to Figure 1, a kayak 10 comprises a hull 11 with a seat opening 12 for the driver. The seat opening 12 is surrounded by a raised collar that is integral with the hull, the so-called coaming 14. Figure 4. Süllrand 14 increases gradually in diameter from the hull upwards, whereby an outer circumferential throat 16 is formed.

The seat opening 12 is covered against ingress of water with a spray blanket 20, which consists of neoprene with laminated stretch fabric. The spray blanket 20 comprises two sections, namely the so-called chimney 28 and a ring section 26 projecting therefrom. The chimney 28 surrounds the driver's upper body like a piece of clothing and is held as close as possible to the upper body by means of a cord 29. The ring section 26 extends laterally from the lower end of the fireplace and covers the hatch area of the seat opening between the driver's body and the coaming 14.

If the driver has taken a seat in the kayak 10 with the spray cover applied, the spray cover 20 or its ring section 26 is fastened in a sealing manner on the coaming. For this purpose, the spray blanket 20 has at the edge a continuous hem 30 in the circumferential direction, which is formed by turning in the spray blanket material and fixed with a seam 31. The seam 31 at the same time holds a rubber cord 32 which extends relatively easily in the circumferential direction by hand. In the hemstitch 30 a flat, practically inextensible tensioning band 33 made of polypropylene is drawn in. At the front end of the spray blanket 20 in the direction of travel, a turnbuckle 35 is inserted into the tensioning strap 33, for which purpose the tensioning strap is led out of the hemstitch 30 there. The turnbuckle 35 has an actuating lever 36 which can be pivoted from an open position, not shown, in which the actuating lever 36 projects from the body of the turnbuckle into the closed position shown in FIG. 5, dead center being overcome. In the open position, the two ends of the tension band on the turnbuckle are at a greater distance from one another, which is reduced by pivoting the actuating lever into the closed position, the leverage allowing the tension band to be put under tension.

A molded body 40 made of synthetic foam is inserted between the turnbuckle 35 and the coaming 14, which is adapted on the one hand to the cross section of the coaming and on the other hand to the shape of the turnbuckle 35 and thus gives the turnbuckle 35 a secure positioning somewhat outside the throat 16 of the coaming 14 , see. Figure 6. In addition, the molded body 40 tapers at the ends, so that the drawstring from the throat 16 finds a gradual transition to the slightly outside turnbuckle 35.

Directly next to the turnbuckle 35, an adjustment fitting 50 is inserted into the tensioning strap 33, with which the length of the tensioning strap can be changed as long as it is not under tension. It is a self-locking fitting of conventional design, the holding force of which increases with increasing tension in the strap. If the maximum possible holding force of the adjustment fitting is exceeded, the tensioning strap can be deflected one or more times via a conventional device to reduce the tensile force on the fitting before it is held by the adjustment fitting. The strap that is clamped in the fitting stands out with a short end on the fitting. By pulling at this end approximately transversely to the main direction of the tensioning strap, the clamping force can be completely released and the tensioning strap can thus be completely released immediately. Another self-locking adjustment fitting 51 of the same design is inserted into the tensioning strap 33 at the rear end of the spray blanket in the direction of travel.

In the front area, where the driver's legs are under the spray blanket 20, a release band 60 is provided on the spray blanket. The release band consists of two sections 61 and 62 which meet at an obtuse angle in the middle. At both ends the release band is connected at the edge to the spray blanket 20, so that it extends approximately transversely to the direction of travel, with the acute angle pointing forward and lying on the spray blanket without loosely. One section 61 of the release band is extended away from the center and forms a tension band 63 which is connected with its free end to the actuating lever 36 of the turnbuckle 35.

To attach the spray skirt to the coaming, the rubber cord 32 is first stretched by hand and inserted into the throat 16 of the coaming. This initially fixes the spray blanket on the coaming. The turnbuckle 35 is open. Subsequently, the turnbuckle 35 is closed by actuating the actuating lever 36 and thereby the tensioning band 33 is placed under tension in the hemstitch 30. If the turnbuckle cannot be closed or the tension band is still loose after closing, the length of the tension band 33 on the adjustment fitting 50 or also on the rear adjustment fitting 51 can be changed accordingly. The tensioning band, which is under tension when the turnbuckle is closed, lies like the rubber rope in the throat 16 of the coaming and holds the spray blanket practically positively there, so that even high water forces acting on the spray blanket from the outside cannot lead to the spray blanket being pulled off the coaming edge.

In an emergency, helpers can remove the spray cover immediately and without difficulty by either attaching the adjustable fitting 50 to the protruding end of the tensioning strap or, if this is not accessible, the rear adjustable Pull fitting 51 and thereby completely release the tensioning strap and thus the spray cover.

The driver himself can detach the spray cover immediately, even in panic situations, by lifting the release strap 60 with his knees and thereby pivoting the actuating lever 36 of the turnbuckle 35 into the open position via the pull strap 63, in which the tension strap is also loose, that the spray cover can be pulled off over the coaming.

Another embodiment of the spray blanket according to the invention differs from the one described above in that the two turnbuckles 35 are replaced by two pump buckles 46, each interacting with a ratchet strap 45, and there are no separate adjustment fittings 50, 51. In addition, instead of at the front and rear end of the spray blanket, the two buckles are arranged on both sides, where they can be easily reached and operated by the person sitting in the kayak. FIG. 7 shows, in a representation analogous to FIG. 5, the arrangement of the one pump buckle 46. The second pump buckle is not shown, but is designed in exactly the same way as the pump buckle 46 and is arranged in mirror image with respect to the spray cover.

According to FIG. 7, the tensioning strap 33, which runs at the edge of the spray blanket and is separated on the pump buckle 46, is connected at its one end, which is on the left in FIG. 7, to a commercially available ratchet strap 45, which extends in the extension of the tensioning strap 33. At the other end of the tension band 33, the pump buckle 46 is firmly attached. It has a cross-sectionally U-shaped body 42 through which the ratchet strap 45 extends. The arrangement of ratchet strap 45 and pump buckle 46 is located like the turnbuckle 35 of the first exemplary embodiment in the throat 16 of the coaming 14, but is so far lifted out of the throat 16 by the molded body 40 inserted therebetween that the user operates the tensioning lever 41 of the pump buckle 46 can. In the open state of the spray blanket, the ratchet strap 45 is located with its free end in the area of the buckle body 42. The length of the ratchet strap 45 is dimensioned such that the spray blanket with the tension strap 33 in this state is easily inserted from above into the throat 16 of the coaming rim 14 can be. The user then actuates the tensioning lever 41 repeatedly. Each time the buckle body 42 swings away, the tensioning band 45 is pulled one more tooth pitch into the pumping buckle 46 by the tensioning lever 41. A pawl 43 mounted in the interior of the buckle body 42, see FIG. 8, engages in the teeth of the ratchet strap 45 and prevents it from slipping back. The process is continued until the tensioning strap 33 lies tight against the coaming 14 and is under such tension that the spray blanket cannot be removed from the coaming.

In the interior of the buckle body 42, a release lever 44 is additionally pivotally mounted, see FIG. 8, which projects outward with an actuation extension through a corresponding recess in the tensioning lever 41 and acts with a nose on the pawl 43 in the sense that the pawl is pressed by pressing the actuation extension is lifted out of the teeth of the ratchet strap 45. As a result, the ratchet strap 45 is released from the pump buckle 46 and can slide out of it again to such an extent that the looseness of the tensioning strap 33 is sufficient to be able to pull the spray blanket off the coaming. The user or even a rescue person can get rid of the kayak without any delay by actuating the release lever 44 with the spray blanket.

Claims

Expectations

1.

Spray or hatch cover for boats, e.g. B. kayaks, with an am

Edge of the ceiling provided, extending in the circumferential direction

Pulling element for detachable fastening of the ceiling to one of the

Protruding hull of the kayak that surrounds the opening to be covered (coaming), characterized in that the tension element is a tension band that cannot be stretched directly by hand or is difficult to stretch, into which at least one manually operated tension fitting is inserted.

Second

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 1, characterized in that two tensioning fittings are inserted into the tensioning strap.

Third

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 2, characterized in that one tensioning fitting in the use position of the cover at the front end in the direction of travel of the boat and the other

Tension fitting is arranged at the rear end of the ceiling.

4th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that each tensioning fitting is a turnbuckle.

5th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one adjustment fitting is inserted into the tensioning strap for presetting the length of the tensioning strap.

6th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 5, characterized in that each adjustment fitting has a manually operable opening means for the spontaneous extension or separation of the tensioning strap.

7th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 6, characterized in that a first adjustment fitting is arranged in the use position of the cover at the front end in the direction of travel of the boat and a second adjustment fitting at the rear end of the cover.

8th.

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that each tensioning fitting is a pump closure which interacts with a ratchet strap.

9th

Spray blanket according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a trigger device is provided on the top of the spray blanket, which is in the use position of the spray blanket above the legs of the person sitting under the spray blanket, can be actuated by lifting the legs and on Opening means acts on at least one of the provided tensioning fittings and / or adjustment fittings.

10th

Spray blanket according to claim 9, characterized in that the triggering device is connected at both ends to the

Spray cover connected trigger band, which is in the use position of the spray cover approximately transverse to the

Legs of the person sitting under the spray blanket and has practically no loose parts, whereby the spray blanket due to the elasticity of their material and / or their larger dimensions compared to the opening of the boat can be deflected transversely to their plane.

11th

Spray blanket according to Claim 10, characterized in that a drawstring extends approximately from the center of the release band to the opening means of a tensioning or adjusting fitting arranged at the front end of the spray blanket in the direction of travel.

12th

Spray or hatch cover according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a rubber-elastic band extending in the circumferential direction and extending by hand is additionally provided on the edge for the provisional fixing of the cover to the coaming.

13th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 12, characterized in that the rubber-elastic band is sewn onto the edge of the cover.

14th

Spray or hatch cover according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the tensioning band is held in a hemstitch on the edge of the ceiling.

15th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 13 and 14, characterized in that the elastic rubber band is sewn with the seam used to form the hemstitch. Spray or hatch cover according to claim 12, characterized in that the rubber-elastic band or the tensioning band is designed as a hose, in the interior of which the tensioning band or the rubber-elastic band runs.

17th

Spray or hatch cover according to claim 1 to 13, characterized in that the tension band in a series of loops or rings on

Edge of the ceiling is held.

18th

Spray or hatch cover according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that a molded part is assigned to each tensioning fitting, which in the position of use of the blanket between the tensioning fitting and

Süllrand is arranged and its shape on one

Side of the contour of the coaming and on the other side of the

Shape of the fitting is adjusted.

19th

Spray or hatch cover according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the shape of the tensioning fitting on its back is adapted to the contour of the coaming.