SHADE ASSEMBLY FOR PERSONAL WATERCRAFT
A shade assembly for personal watercraft to provide shade for the user from direct exposure of at least some sunlight. The shade assembly comprises a shade top, a front fixing structure, and a rear supporting structure. The shade top is designed to be attached to the front fixing structure and the rear supporting structure to create a shade that extends over the user. The front fixing structure comprises two or more fasteners to securely attach the shade top to the steering control handle or two or more supporting pillars, while the rear supporting structure comprises two or more supporting pillars to be fixed on the aft side of the personal watercraft. This shade assembly provides a simple and efficient solution to protect the user of personal watercraft from harmful sun exposure.
The present application, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the U.S. provisional patent application, Application No. 63/382,962, filed on Nov. 9, 2022, and entitled “SHADE FOR PERSONAL WATERCRAFT”, which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDThis disclosure relates to a shade assembly for personal watercraft. Additionally, the disclosure relates to personal watercraft with a shade assembly. More specifically, it relates to a detachable shade assembly for deployment in personal watercraft.
A personal watercraft is a popular watercraft mainly used for recreational purposes. One style of personal watercraft is the runabout of “sit down,” where one or more riders sit on a seat installed on the upper deck of the personal watercraft.
A driver of a personal watercraft uses a motorcycle-like steering control handle to control the direction and speed of the personal watercraft. A throttle lever attached to the handle controls the rotational speed of an inboard motor that crates water jet thrust for propulsion via a screw-shaped impeller installed in a water channel submerged under water. An angular change of the handle corresponds to an angular change of a steering nozzle that changes the direction of the water jet thrust for turning the propulsion angle of the personal watercraft.
Generally described, aspects of the present application correspond to accessories for a personal watercraft. More specifically, one or more aspects of the present application correspond to a structure that is mountable on a personal watercraft. The structure is illustratively mounted on a personal watercraft in a manner that allows for at least one rider/user to be seated on the personal watercraft while the structure is fully deployed. The structure can be generally referred to as a “tent structure,” “shade,” or “shade assembly” for purposes simplicity. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least some portion of the shade assembly can be mounted in a manner to mitigate or discourage the operation of the personal watercraft while the shade assembly is fully deployed.
Aspects of the present application disclosed herein are described below in the context of accessories for personal watercraft as having particular utility in this context. However, one or more aspects disclosed herein are applicable to other contexts as well. Further, one or more aspects of the present application relate to an illustrative personal watercraft embodiment for mounting and deploying a shade assembly. Specifically, in one embodiment, personal watercraft the personal watercraft can include a personal watercraft having an additional a deck extender accessory as discussed and described herein. An exemplary disclosure of such personal watercraft is disclosed in United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2021/0371056 A1 and entitled “DECK EXTENDER FOR WATERCRAFT,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, such personal watercraft configuration is illustrative in nature and one or more aspects of the present application should not be limited to any particular configuration of personal watercraft, including whether such personal watercraft includes a deck extender accessory or relevant portions of mounting mechanisms may be considered integrated in a personal watercraft without need for additional accessories.
By way of general reference,
With continued reference to
In accordance with some embodiments, the deck extender 100 can be configured such that its upper surface 120 extends generally parallel to the waterline when the personal watercraft 1 is at rest and floating in water. In some embodiments, the upper support surface 120 of the deck extender 100 is not perfectly parallel with the waterline, however, may be closer to parallel with the waterline than the surface of the platform 8. The deck extender 100 includes accessory mounting rails that can be configured for adjustably mounting accessories to the deck member. In some embodiments, the deck extender 100 may be integrated a kit that is disposed on the deck 8 of the personal watercraft 1. In other embodiments, the deck extender 100 may be integrated (in whole or in part) with the deck 8 or other body portions of the personal watercraft 1. Still further, in some embodiments, the personal watercraft 1 may not include a deck extender 100, such as the embodiments described below in with regard to
As further described below, the shade assembly 201 includes a rear supporting structure that can be in the form of two pillar assemblies (or supporting poles) 203, 205 that extend upwardly from the rear mounting location of the personal watercraft. The two pillar assemblies 203, 205 are illustratively of equal length and connect to a fabric top or shad top 207 of the shade assembly 201. Each of the pillar assemblies 203, 205 has two pole sub-assemblies with different diameters so that an upper pole 213 can be slotted into a lower pole 215. Additionally, in some embodiments, the total length of the individual pillar assemblies 203, 205 may be variable based on adjustment of the upper pole 213 to the lower pole 215 sub-assemblies. Such adjustments may be manual or automated in various embodiments. Additionally, the individual variability of the pillar assemblies 203, 205 can result in different lengths for the pillar assemblies, which may place the shade top 207 at various angles (relative to the personal watercraft). Illustratively, the length of the pillar assemblies 203, 205 may be fixed by a locking mechanism 221, such as clutch locks, split collar locks, cam locks, shock cord, spring button, snap locks, set knobs, set screws and the like.
Illustratively, the shade top 207 may be made of fabric material, including any number of knitted or woven materials, such as tightly woven, high-density polyethylene fabric (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or nylon fabric. The shade assembly 201 further includes two cross members or pole assemblies 209, 211 that support the shade top 207 upwardly.
The shade assembly 201 further includes two pole assemblies that provide additional support for the shade top 207. Illustratively in some embodiment, the two pole assemblies are configured to cross and will be referred to as pole assemblies 209, 211. Each individual cross pole assembly 209, 211 may individually include a plurality of sub-assemblies. The sub-assemblies for the cross poll assemblies 209, 211 may also be fixed by a locking mechanism, such as clutch locks, split collar locks, cam locks, shock cord, spring button, snap locks, set knobs, set screws and the like. In other embodiments, the pole assemblies may be configured in a manner to provide support for the shade top 207 without crossing, such as running along respective edges of the shade top 207. Accordingly, reference to cross pole assemblies or an individual cross pole assembly should be considered to be general to different implementations of a pole assembly, regardless of whether two or more pole assemblies are configured in a cross arrangements.
The shade assembly further incorporates a front supporting structure 220 that that can be in the form of material configured to attach the shade top to a fore side of the personal watercraft, such as a steering control handle 5 of the personal watercraft 1. Generally, the front supporting structure 220 is configured with two or more fasteners (e.g., loop fasteners) that attach the shade top to a steering control handle of the personal watercraft 1. As will be described in detail below, the front supporting structure 220 can be in the form of loops that can be detachably coupled to the steering control handle 5. In other embodiments, the front supporting structure 220 can also incorporate additional pole assemblies (not illustrated) that attach to the personal watercraft 1 and project the front portion of the shade 207 higher. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the pole assemblies may be disposed or mounted on the deck portion or gunwale of the personal watercraft 1.
Illustratively, each base plate 303, 305 has a cylindrically reinforced base hole 401 that is receives at least a portion of the pole assemblies 203, 205 of the shade assembly 201. As described below, the base hole 401 is configured to receive the lower sub-assembly 215 in manner that the pole assembly is temporarily fixed to the base plate 303, 305 (e.g., an anchor point for the pole assemblies). For example, the base hole 401 may be configured such that the lower sub-assembly 215, once fixed to the base hole 401, is not allowed to have substantial downward vertical movement or lateral movement, relative to the personal watercraft 1. By way of example, the base hole 401 has a cylindrical shape.
With reference now to
As previously described with regard to
The loops 501, 503 of the front supporting structure 220 may be the same material as fabric or plastic sheet to create a loop gap a little wider than the diameter of the steering control handle end and detachable (open and close) with sewn in Velcro® strips to open and fix the loop accommodating part 501, 503. (Note: “VELCRO® is a registered trademark of Velcro IP Holdings LLC.) The loops 501, 503 may also be ties or other types of fasteners and can depend on additional mechanism or attachment points associated with the steering control handle (or other attachment point).
As illustrated in
Additionally, the crossing point 705 of the cross pole assemblies 209, 211 is illustrative equidistant along a width of the shade top 207 (defined in parallel with the personal watercraft width). In this embodiment, the crossing point offset in combination with the tension provided by the pole assemblies 209, 211 allows for a shifting of the height of the shade (as illustrated in
With reference now to
Alternatively, any part larger than the hole 801 in the pillar top 807 that can support the tension from the pole assembly 209, 211 can be attached to one end of the pole assemblies 209, 211, as shown in
The cross pole assemblies 209, 211 are attached to the shade top 207 with tension to create a dome-like contour shade top 207 or a rounded top. As a result, the space formed above the sheet of personal watercraft and under the shade top 207 becomes broader than a flat top shade. By adding the middle pocket 901, the shade top 207 supported by the pole assemblies 209, 211 becomes more secure and stable. As previously described, in other embodiments, the pole assemblies may not be arranged in a crossing pattern, such as running along the edge of the shade top 207. In those embodiment, the pockets 901, 903 may be disposed on a different location.
As previously described, the shade top 207 is supported by the extendable supporting pillar assemblies 203, 205, the height of a rear portion of the shade top 207 becomes higher than a head of a rider of the personal watercraft. As a result, a rider can comfortably stay under the shade for a long time for fishing or just enjoy floating on the surface of the water, sitting backwardly on the seat of the personal watercraft.
As another embodiment, the front supporting structure 220 can alternatively include a similar pair of supporting pillar assemblies can be deployed at the bow side of the personal watercraft using a similar structure as the cylindrically reinforced base holes used for the stern mounting points. In such a case, the shade top shape can be either rectangular or trapezoidal with a wider upper base. By installing such additional support pillar assemblies, the space under the shade top 207 becomes even broader, and the restriction of the steering control handle can be eliminated so that more than one person can stay under the shade more comfortably for a long time. As previously described, the additional supporting pillar assemblies can be disposed, or mounted on various aspects of the personal watercraft, including the steering handle, deck, gunwale and the like.
While the shade top 207 is useful to block direct sunlight, it is also useful to block other environmental conditions, such as wind, precipitation, noise, and the like. Accordingly, reference in the present application to the term “shade” or “shade top” does not limit the environmental conditions that may be managed or mitigated.
In accordance with additional aspects of the present application, separate fixed or detachable two stern mounting points can be attached to the personal watercraft without using the deck extender, to the extent the points securely support the pillar assemblies 203, 205.
The shade assembly including the shade top 207, supporting pillar assemblies 203, 205, stern mounting points (metal base plates 303,305 and screws 307, 309, 311 in the case of a watercraft with the deck extender), and poll assemblies 209, 211 can be distributed or sold as a kit with an enclosure box or bag as an aftermarket accessory. Illustratively, the deck extender 100 can be considered to be part of a kit including the shade assembly. Alternatively, the shade assembly may be distributed as a separate kit from the deck extender or can be configured for personal watercraft that may already have portions of the deck extender installed or otherwise have aspects of the deck extender integrated into the personal watercraft.
Without limitations, one or more aspects of the present application can have various benefits over existing approaches to shades or with regard to personal watercraft not including any type of shade. In one aspect, the shade may be assembled while the personal watercraft is on the water and without specific need for tool. Specifically, the shade may be deployed so that it can be done without any outside equipment and in various weather or environmental conditions. Still further, the shade is easily stowable on the unit. We designed it so all sections fold up to a size that fits in the front hatch. We are also looking at making a bag for easy storage. Although the embodiments of the present application have been described above, the embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Such a novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and can be omitted, replaced, and changed without departing from the gist of the invention. The embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the aspects of the application.
Claims
1. A shade assembly for a personal watercraft comprising:
- a shade top;
- a front supporting structure comprising two or more fasteners configured to attach the shade top to a steering control handle of the personal watercraft; and
- a rear supporting structure comprising two or more supporting pillars assemblies configured to be attached to an aft side of the personal watercraft;
- wherein the shade top is configured to be attached to the rear supporting structure and the steering control handle to form a shade that extends over a user of the personal watercraft.
2. The shade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rear supporting structure include two sub-assemblies, wherein a first sub-assembly has a larger diameter respective to a second sub-assembly, wherein the first and second sub-assemblies are adjustable to adjust total length of the rear supporting structure.
3. The shade assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one pole assembly that support the shade top upwardly to extend space under the shade top.
4. The shade assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one pole assembly includes two pole assemblies and wherein a crossing point of the two pole assemblies is not equidistant along a length of the shade top.
5. The shade assembly according to claim 4, wherein the crossing point is closer to a front edge of the shade top.
6. The shade assembly according to claim 4, wherein a crossing point of the two pole assemblies is equidistant along a width of the shade top.
7. The shade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rear supporting structure and the front supporting structure are configured to be detachably attached to the personal watercraft.
8. The shade assembly according to claim 1, wherein a top of the rear supporting structure is attached with a pillar cap that has a through hole accommodating one end of the pole assembly and a recess accommodating a metal pin configured to engage and hold the shade top.
9. A personal watercraft comprising:
- a shade top;
- a front supporting structure configured to attach the shade top to a fore side of the personal watercraft; and
- a rear supporting structure comprising two or more supporting pillars configured to be attached to an aft side of the personal watercraft;
- wherein the shade top is configured to be attached to the front supporting structure and the rear supporting structure.
10. The personal watercraft according to claim 9, wherein individual supporting pillars of the rear supporting structure include two sub-assemblies.
11. The personal watercraft according to claim 10, wherein a first sub-assembly has a larger diameter respective to a second sub-assembly, wherein the first and second sub-assemblies are adjustable to adjust total length of the rear supporting pillar.
12. The personal watercraft according to claim 8, further comprising at least one pole assembly that support the shade top upwardly to extend space under the shade top.
13. The personal watercraft according to claim 9, wherein the front supporting structure includes two or more fasteners configured to attach the shade top to a steering control handle of the personal watercraft
14. The personal watercraft according to claim 9, wherein the front supporting structure includes two or more supporting pillars configured to be attached to the fore side of the personal watercraft.
15. The personal watercraft according to claim 9, further comprising a rear deck extender accessory, a pair of metal base plates and screws to attach the metal base plates to a rear deck extender, and each of the base plates has a cylindrically reinforced base hole to accommodate the rear supporting structure.
16. A kit for creating a shade assembly for a personal watercraft comprising:
- a shade top;
- a front supporting structure comprising means for connecting the shade top to a fore side of the personal watercraft; and
- a rear supporting structure comprising means for connecting the shade top to an aft side of the personal watercraft;
- wherein the shade top is configured to be attached to the rear supporting structure and the front supporting structure to form a shade.
17. The kit for creating a shade assembly for a personal watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the front supporting structure includes two or more fasteners configured to attach the shade top to a steering control handle of the personal watercraft.
18. The kit for creating a shade assembly for a personal watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the front supporting structure includes two or more supporting pillars configured to be attached to the fore side of the personal watercraft.
19. The kit for creating a shade assembly for a personal watercraft according to claim 16, wherein the rear supporting structure includes two or more supporting pillars configured to be attached to the aft side of the personal watercraft.
20. The kit for creating a shade assembly for a personal watercraft according to claim 16, further comprising at least one pole assembly that supports the shade top upwardly to extend space under the shade top.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 7, 2023
Publication Date: May 9, 2024
Inventors: Andrew Marchman (Acworth, GA), Brian Johnson (Canton, GA)
Application Number: 18/504,002