IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0309751
(2002-12-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
16 |
초록
▼
Adjustable angle sponsons and personal watercraft having adjustable angle sponsons. The present invention provides sponsons having at least two adjustable angular settings downward of horizontal for the sponson. Sponsons include a fin or blade having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the surfa
Adjustable angle sponsons and personal watercraft having adjustable angle sponsons. The present invention provides sponsons having at least two adjustable angular settings downward of horizontal for the sponson. Sponsons include a fin or blade having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the surface of the water. The angle of the fin preferably can be set to a vertically straight down position, as well as other, more benign, outwardly extending angular positions. The vertically downward position provides for a responsive, aggressive handling boat, while the more outward positions provide a less aggressive, gentler riding personal watercraft. One adjustable angle sponson includes a fin secured to a longitudinal shaft having a key extending along the shaft length. A sponson housing can include a cavity for receiving the shaft longitudinally as well as at least two longitudinal keyways for receiving the key in different angular positions. The adjustable angle sponsons provide driver adjustable sponsons, adaptable to the skill and changing desires of the driver, and adaptable to varying passenger loads and water conditions.
대표청구항
▼
1. A personal watercraft comprising:a hull having a bottom hull and top deck secured over the bottom hull, the hull defining an engine compartment sized to contain an internal combustion engine for powering a jet propulsion unit, the top deck having a raised longitudinally extending seat adapted to
1. A personal watercraft comprising:a hull having a bottom hull and top deck secured over the bottom hull, the hull defining an engine compartment sized to contain an internal combustion engine for powering a jet propulsion unit, the top deck having a raised longitudinally extending seat adapted to accommodate an operator in straddle fashion;left and right adjustable angle sponsons secured to and extending outward from respective left and right sides of the bottom hull, each sponson including an elongate fin, each fin having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the water and having a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, and each fin being angularly adjustable between at least two positions about the respective fin shaft longitudinal axis;a sponson housing secured to the watercraft hull and receiving the fin shaft, the fin being rotatable within the housing about the fin shaft; anda securing hole formed transversely through the sponson housing and a corresponding through-hole formed transversely through the fin shaft, such that a mounting bolt can be inserted through both the sponson housing securing hole and the fin shaft through-hole to secure the shaft and the housing to the personal watercraft hull. 2. A personal watercraft as in claim 1, wherein each fin is adjustable between a discrete number of fixed angular positions about the respective fin shaft longitudinal axis. 3. A personal watercraft as in claim 1, the longitudinal shaft having a longitudinal key disposed along at least part of its length, the housing having a cavity for receiving the shaft and a longitudinal keyway for receiving the shaft key therein. 4. A personal watercraft as in claim 3, wherein each housing includes at least two different keyways for receiving the respective shaft key therein, whereby, for a particular fin, the angular position of such fin is determined by which keyway receives the shaft key of such fin. 5. A personal watercraft as in claim 1, wherein each fin is adjustable about the respective fin shaft longitudinal axis by discrete angular amounts. 6. A personal watercraft as in claim 1, wherein each fin is adjustable about the respective fin shaft longitudinal axis to an angular position such that the fin is substantially vertical. 7. An adjustable angle sponson for securing to a personal watercraft hull, the adjustable angle sponson comprising:an elongate sponson fin having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the water,a longitudinal shaft disposed along an inward portion of the sponson fin;a housing mountable to a watercraft hull and receiving the longitudinal fin shaft, the fin being rotatable within the housing about the fin shaft;a lock that locks the fin shaft in at least two different positions such that the fin may be locked in at least two angular positions; anda securing hole formed transversely through the sponson housing and a corresponding through-hole formed transversely through the fin shaft, such that a mounting bolt can be inserted through both the sponson housing securing hole and the fin shaft through-hole to secure the shaft and the housing to the personal watercraft hull. 8. An adjustable angle sponson as in claim 7, wherein the lock includes a longitudinal key disposed longitudinally along the fin shaft, and at least two keyways in the housing that receive the longitudinal shaft key. 9. An adjustable angle sponson as in claim 7, wherein the housing includes at least two keyways for receiving the longitudinal shaft key in two different sponson fin positions downward of horizontal. 10. An adjustable angle sponson as in claim 7, wherein the fin may be locked in a substantially vertical position. 11. A personal watercraft as in claim 10, wherein the angular position of each fin is adjustable such that the fin is substantially vertical. 12. A personal watercraft comprising:a hull having a bottom hull and top deck secured over the bottom hull, the hull defining an engine compartment sized to contain an intern al combustion engine for powering a jet propulsion unit, the top deck having a raised longitudinally extending seat adapted to accommodate an operator in straddle fashion; andleft and right adjustable angle sponsons secured to and extending outward from respective left and right sides of the bottom hull at respective angular positions with respect to horizontal, each sponson including a longitudinal shaft and an elongate fin extending outwardly from the shaft, each fin having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the water, and the angular position of each fin with respect to horizontal being adjustable between at least two positions; wherein the longitudinal shaft includes a hole extending transversely through the shaft, further comprising a mounting member extending through the hole and further into the personal watercraft bottom hull. 13. A personal watercraft as in claim 12, wherein the angular position of each fin with respect to horizontal is adjustable by discrete angular amounts. 14. The personal watercraft of claim 1, wherein the fin shaft has a central axis and an external surface, wherein the through-hole is larger at the external surface than at the central axis. 15. The personal watercraft of claim 14, wherein the through-hole is longer at the external surface in a circumferential dimension than in a longitudinal dimension. 16. The adjustable angle sponson of claim 7, in which the shaft has a central axis, a distance from the central axis, and a circumferential path dimension which lies within a plane normal to the central axis and in which the distance from the central axis is constant, wherein the through-hole circumferential dimension increases with increasing distance from the central axis, such that the through-hole can receive the mounting bolt in a plurality of shaft angular positions. 17. The personal watercraft of claim 12, in which the shaft hole is longer at the external surface in a circumferential dimension than in a longitudinal dimension. 18. An adjustable angle sponson for securing to a personal watercraft hull, the adjustable angle sponson comprising:an elongate sponson fin having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the water;a longitudinal shaft disposed along an inward portion of the sponson fin;a housing mountable to a watercraft hull and slidably receiving the longitudinal fin shaft, the fin shaft being rotatable within the housing about the fin shaft;a lock that locks the fin shaft in at least two different positions such that the fin may be locked in at least two angular positions; andat least one end cap secured to the housing. 19. A personal watercraft comprising:a hull having a bottom hull and top deck secured over the bottom hull, the hull defining an engine compartment sized to contain an internal combustion engine for powering a jet propulsion unit, the top deck having a raised longitudinally extending seat adapted to accommodate an operator in straddle fashion; andleft and right sponson housings secured to respective left and right sides of the bottom hull, left and right adjustable angle sponsons slidably received within the sponson housings and extending outward from respective left and right sides of the bottom hull, each sponson including an elongate fin, each fin having an outward edge for penetrating beneath the water and having a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the shaft being slidably received within the respective sponson housing, each fin being angularly adjustable between at least two positions about the respective fin shaft longitudinal axis, wherein each sponson housing includes at least one.
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