Headlamp for personal watercraft

Abstract

A novel headlamp for installation onto a personal watercraft, such as a jet-ski, is disclosed and includes a housing, a lamp, and a wiring harness, for substantially watertight installation onto a cowling of a personal watercraft. The housing further includes a contoured base for fitting the housing onto the cowling, and a gasket for installation in between the housing and the cowling. The wiring harness is connected to the power supply of the personal watercraft and a backup battery may be included within the housing to allow the headlamp to be powered at times when the personal watercraft is not running.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING GOVERNMENTALLY FUNDED WORK

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a headlamp for personal watercraft. More particularly, the present invention relates to a kit for a headlamp that can be mounted onto existing personal watercraft.

The subject of personal watercraft entails different types of boat-like products that have become popular within the last two decades. These may be called a number of names and may be distinguished by different features, and include products that are known as jet skis, wave runners or sea-doos. Generally speaking, the term “personal watercraft” seems to cover the field and would include versions of watercraft that may carry one, two or perhaps even three people at a time. For the purposes of the present invention, the personal watercraft of interest are those that fit such categories but which do not typically come supplied with the gear and hardware that would normally be associated with a boat.

It has been noted that personal watercraft are not supplied with a nighttime running system. This may be due to regulations in some parts of the country where personal watercraft are not allowed to be operated at all after dark. In other circumstances it may be that the manufacturers of personal watercraft have decided against supplying such units with nighttime running lights or headlamps so as to avoid encouraging this type of operation. Nonetheless, it has been observed that owners of personal watercraft do operate their units at nighttime and at other times when nighttime running lights or headlamps would be of some importance and utility.

For whatever reasons the personal watercraft manufacturers may have had in not providing running lights or headlamps of any kind, there has remained a long standing problem associated with this particular lack of equipment. Attempts have been made in the prior art to satisfy this long-felt need, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,601 (Nester) discloses front and rear mounted posts with lamps mounted thereon to serve as running lights. These lights are meant to provide notice to other watercraft and do not provide the operator any forward lighting for driving purposes.

Another after market light system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,441 (McGee) and teaches a handlebar assembly, primarily directed towards bicycles, that has an integral safety light. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,867 (Neal) an after market running light for a boat is shown which includes a headlamp and where the whole assembly is affixable to boat by means of a C-clamp. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,915 (von Wolske) accessory lights are taught that can be mounted on a boat where the lights are housed in an adjustable mounting. In an instance where a set of running lights are associated with a personal watercraft, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,361 (Perry) teaches a set of such lights that are attached to a life preserver and worn by the user. Lastly, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D300,865 (Belletire, et al) reveals a boat light that is comprised of a triangular shaped housing.

The prior art does not teach the use of an after market light kit for establishing a headlamp on a personal watercraft. The considerations for a headlamp are different from those associated with running lights. As the terms are used herein, running lights will refer to the combination of lights that are used to establish a boat's front, rear, and port and starboard sides. These come in combinations of white, red and green lights and are not focused beam lights but are intended instead to merely give notice to other boaters of the presence and general whereabouts of the boat displaying the running lights. In contrast, headlamps are intended primarily for the benefit of the user of a watercraft and project a beam of light in the general direction of travel of the boat. Headlamps function to light the path ahead so as to allow the user to avoid hitting any debris or obstructions along the way. Headlamps are usually more powerful and as a result they are usually comprised of larger lamps and require more robust wiring. In addition, considerations as to where a headlamp may be mounted are much more critical since the housing must be oriented to allow the beam to broadcast ahead of the user.

The lack of headlamps for personal watercraft represents not only an inhibiting factor with respect to even limited nighttime usage, but it also represents a safety concern since there are many occasions when the headlamp would be useful outside of nighttime running. These deficiencies are overcome through the use of the present invention which will be discussed in more detail herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A novel headlamp and kit for a personal watercraft comprises a contoured housing for the watertight enclosing of a lamp, a wiring harness, and a battery backup, where the base of the housing generally conforms to the cowling of a personal watercraft and attaches thereto. The headlamp of the present invention provides a focused beam and is oriented to illuminate the pathway in front of the personal watercraft.

In one version of the present invention, a battery backup is supplied in order to allow select illumination from the headlamp at times when the engine of the personal watercraft is not running or when the electrical output from the personal watercraft engine is impaired or too low to adequately power the headlamp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a personal watercraft with a headlamp of the present invention installed on the cowling.

FIG. 2 is a partial isometric view of the headlamp of FIG. 1, shown in closer detail.

FIG. 3 is the isometric view of FIG. 2 in exploded form showing the headlamp kit assembly as mounted on the cowling of a personal watercraft.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the headlamp kit of FIG. 2, taken along section lines 4-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The headlamp of the present invention is shown in the drawings, generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, the headlamp 20 is shown on a personal watercraft 10 (sometimes termed a “jet ski”) where the personal watercraft includes a cowling 12, a seat 14, and handle bars 16. The headlamp 20 includes a lamp lens 22, a housing 24, mounting flanges 26, gasket 28, and mounting bolts 30. The headlamp 20 is divided between the headlamp front 32 and the headlamp rear 34. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 & 4, the mounting bolts 30 include the bolt head 36, the bolt shaft 38 and the nut 40. On the mounting flanges 26 are the flange mounting holes 50 and on the cowling 12 are the cowling mounting holes 54. In between the mounting flanges 26 and the cowling 12, the gasket 28 includes the gasket mounting holes 52.

On the gasket 28 there is the gasket conduit hole 56 that is aligned (when installed) with the cowling conduit hole 58 located on the cowling 12. In particular in FIG. 4, the wiring harness 60 is seen, with the backup battery 62, the backup battery leads 64, the lamp 66 which includes the lamp front 68 and the lamp base 70, the lamp housing 72, the lamp socket 74 and the lamp leads 76.

In use, the typical personal watercraft 10 does not come equipped with a headlamp of any type. The reasons why this is so are not clear, nonetheless, it is known that there are times when the user of a jet-ski may find themselves on the water under conditions when the use of a headlamp would be useful not only for lighting the way ahead, but also as a safety device for showing the location of the personal watercraft 10 to other boaters. The owner of the personal watercraft 10 may, with the availability of the present invention, now add a headlamp to his/her unit as a convenient and easy-to-install retrofit.

As may be best viewed in FIG. 3, the headlamp 20 of the present invention is mountable onto the cowling 12 of a typical personal watercraft 10. This results, in part, from the contoured shape of the mounting flanges 26 of the headlamp 20 which follow a slightly curved configuration. Since many cowlings 12 have a similarly curved configuration it is possible in most cases for the headlamp 20 to fit compatibly on many of the existing models in a manner that ensures a leak proof installation when the gasket 28 is inserted in between the mounting flanges 26 and the cowling 12. It also helps to have the mounting bolts 30 to draw down the headlamp 20 when the nuts 40 are tightened. The mounting bolts 30 are typically inserted into the flange mounting holes 50, the gasket mounting holes 52 and the cowling mounting holes 54. The flange mounting holes 50 and the gasket mounting holes 52 are typically pre-drilled or formed, however, the cowling mounting holes 54 need to be drilled by the installer of the headlamp 20. The placement of the cowling mounting hole 54 will dictate the location of the headlamp on the cowling 12 thus the fit between the cowling 12 and the headlamp 20 needs to be gauged by the installer before committing. If the fit looks acceptable, a template may be provided so the installer can coordinate the location each of the cowling mounting holes 54 when drilling commences. Lastly, it is possible to apply a sealant such as a caulk between the headlamp 20 and the gasket 28, or the gasket 28 and the cowling 12 as may be needed.

The headlamp 20 comes pre-wired in the preferred embodiment and it is merely a matter of tapping into the existing wiring of the personal watercraft 10 to power up the headlamp 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the wiring harness 60 supplies power from the personal watercraft 10 to the headlamp assembly, both to power the lamp 66 while the personal watercraft 10 is being used, but also to supply power to the backup battery 62 so that the lamp 66 can remained powered when the personal watercraft 10 is not running. It is preferred to include an on/off switch (not shown) which for the headlamp 20 so that it can be turned on by the user when warranted. This would allow the headlamp 20 to be selectively lit when the personal watercraft 10 is not running. The switch may be placed in a spot that is convenient for use such as on the handlebars 16 or on any surface within reach of the user.

The actual lamp 66 that may be used for the applications of the present invention is left up to one skilled in the art although it is preferable that one of the low voltage lamps normally used in recreational units such as ATVs, motorcycles and motorbikes, snowmobiles and the like would be logical components for consideration. The lamp housing 72 in enclosed inside the housing 24 and it is understood that the assembly inclusive of the lamp lens 22, the gasket 28 are all preferably watertight in order to keep the components free from damage or short circuits. The gasket 28 also serves to protect the finish of the cowling 12 from marring or scratching during the installation process. It is understood that the reference to being watertight may not be applicable in all circumstances. In some cases the interior of the cowling 12 may itself not be watertight in all circumstances (such as the submersion of the personal watercraft or when the personal watercraft would be flipped upside down) thus the headlamp 20 of the present invention will similarly be exposed. The primary reference to being watertight still applies with respect to the spray and waves that would impact the exterior of the personal watercraft 10, and therefore the headlamp 20. The headlamp 20, as taught herein, would be substantially watertight in that environment.

A part of the present invention includes the method for installing a headlamp 20 (of the type taught herein) on a personal watercraft 10. The steps of the method include selecting a headlamp kit of the present invention, locating the headlamp 20 on the cowling 12 of the personal watercraft 10 by gauging the fit between the housing 24 and the cowling 12, locating the cowling mounting holes 54 to be drilled in the cowling 12, drilling the cowling mounting holes 54, placing the gasket 28 in the location for the mounting onto the cowling 12, placing the housing 24 in the location for the mounting on the cowling 12 by aligning the flange mounting holes 50 with the cowling mounting holes 54, fixing the housing 24 to the cowling 12 by insertion of the mounting bolts 30 into the flange mounting holes 50 and the cowling mounting holes 54, and securing them with the nuts 40, and connecting the wiring harness 60 to the power supply of the personal watercraft 10. The installation should include consideration for an on/off switch (not shown) that is made accessible to a user of the personal watercraft 10 as well as consideration for a backup battery 62 if desired.

The headlamp 20 of the present invention may feasibly include two such assemblies that can be fitted onto a personal watercraft 10 if desired. The headlamp housing 24 may be fabricated from a plastic that is the result of an injection molding process to form the desired shape. It may be imparted with colors intended to match the colors of particular personal watercraft 10.

The teachings herein are not meant to limit or inhibit the scope of the invention but are meant to illustrate its use which may be modified or altered by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the concept as taught.

Claims

1. A headlamp for installation onto a personal watercraft, the headlamp being mounted onto the cowling of the personal watercraft, the headlamp comprising:

A lamp;

A wiring harness; and,

A housing with a lamp lens, where the housing is affixable onto the cowling of the personal watercraft and where the wiring harness is connectable to the power supply of the personal watercraft and allows for energizing the lamp at least during the operation of the personal watercraft, where said housing includes a contoured base for compatible mounting onto the cowling, where the housing provides for the watertight retention of the lamp and the wiring harness therein.

2. The headlamp of claim Number 1, where the headlamp assembly further includes a backup battery for powering the lamp when the personal watercraft is not running.

3. The headlamp of claim Number 1, where headlamp further includes a gasket for installation in between the housing and the cowling.

4. The headlamp of claim Number 1, where the housing further includes mounting flanges with mounting holes that correspond to mounting holes in the cowling, and which receive mounting bolts for affixing the headlamp to the cowling.

5. The headlamp of claim Number 1, where the cowling is further supplied with a conduit hole for communication of the wiring harness with the power supply from the personal watercraft.

6. A headlamp for installation onto a personal watercraft, the headlamp being mounted onto the cowling of the personal watercraft, the headlamp comprising:

A lamp;

A wiring harness; and,

A housing with a lamp lens, where the housing includes mounting flanges with mounting holes that correspond to mounting holes in the cowling, and which receive mounting bolts for affixing the headlamp to the cowling of the personal watercraft and where the wiring harness is connectable to the power supply of the personal watercraft and allows for energizing the lamp at least during the operation of the personal watercraft, where said housing includes a contoured base for compatible mounting onto the cowling, and a gasket for compatible insertion in between the housing and the cowling providing for the watertight retention of the lamp and the wiring harness therein.

7. The headlamp of claim Number 6, where the cowling is further supplied with a conduit hole for communication of the wiring harness with the power supply from the personal watercraft.

8. The headlamp of claim Number 6, where the headlamp assembly further includes a backup battery for powering the lamp when the personal watercraft is not running.

9. A method for installing a headlamp onto the cowling of a personal watercraft, the steps comprising:

Selecting a headlamp kit for installation on a personal watercraft;

Locating the headlamp on the cowling by gauging the fit between the housing of the headlamp and the cowling;

Locating the cowling mounting holes to be drilled into the cowling;

Drilling the cowling mounting holes;

Placing the gasket in location for mounting on the cowling;

Placing the housing in location for mounting on the cowling, where the housing includes mounting flanges with mounting holes thereon, by aligning the flange mounting holes with the cowling mounting holes;

Fixing the housing to the cowling by insertion of mounting bolts into the flange mounting holes and the cowling mounting holes and securing them with nuts;

Locating a conduit hole in the cowling for the communication of the wiring harness with the run for the power supply of the personal watercraft;

Drilling the conduit hole for the wiring harness; and,

Connecting the wiring harness of the headlamp kit to the power supply of the personal watercraft and installing an on/off switch for access by a user.

10. A method for installing a headlamp onto the cowling of a personal watercraft as in claim Number 9, where the gasket includes holes corresponding to the flange and cowling mounting holes.

11. A method for installing a headlamp onto the cowling of a personal watercraft as in claim Number 9, where the headlamp kit includes a backup battery for powering the headlamp when the personal watercraft is not running.