Personal watercraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643175-B2
Application number	US-202017127320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A personal watercraft includes a watercraft body including a deck. The deck includes a side-opening storage recessed inward to accommodate items. The side-opening storage has an opening facing outward in a width direction of the watercraft body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A personal watercraft comprising:
a watercraft body including a hull and a deck covering an upper portion of the hull;
a handle for steering maneuver;
a steering shaft extending from the handle to the watercraft body, the steering shaft being pivotable relative to the watercraft body in response to the steering maneuver performed using the handle; and
a lid, wherein
the deck includes a side-opening storage recessed inward to accommodate items, the side-opening storage having at least one opening facing outward in a width direction of the watercraft body,
the lid is configured to cover the opening of the side-opening storage,
the lid is pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the deck to cover and uncover the opening of the side-opening storage, and
the pivot axis extends in a direction having a vertical component.

2. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , wherein the direction in which the pivot axis extends further has a horizontal component.

3. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , wherein
one of the lid and the deck is provided with a lock,
the other of the lid and the deck is provided with a retainer configured to retain the lock, and
the lock and the retainer are engageable to hold the lid closed on the deck.

4. The personal watercraft according to claim 3 , further comprising a biasing structure biasing the lid to a predetermined position, wherein
the lid or the deck includes a disengaging structure configured to, when the lock and the retainer are in engagement and the lock is retained by the retainer, release the lock from the retainer and disengage the lock and the retainer,
once the lock and the retainer are disengaged by the disengaging structure, the lid becomes movable to be opened, and
the opened lid is held open by being biased to the predetermined position by the biasing structure.

5. The personal watercraft according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined position is where the entire lid is inward of an outer end of the deck in the width direction of the watercraft body.

6. The personal watercraft according to claim 4 , further comprising an operation unit operable to actuate the disengaging structure and cause the disengaging structure to disengage the lock and the retainer, the operation unit being located below and in proximity to the handle.

7. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening includes two openings located respectively at opposite outer sides of the watercraft body in the width direction of the watercraft body.

8. The personal watercraft according to claim 7 , wherein the side-opening storage is configured to allow the two openings to communicate with each other.

9. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pocket smaller than the side-opening storage and disposed inside the side-opening storage;
a pocket lid configured to cover an opening of the pocket; and
a seal configured to provide sealing between the pocket lid closed and a periphery of the opening of the pocket.

10. The personal watercraft according to claim 9 , wherein
the pocket is closer to the opening of the side-opening storage than a center of the watercraft body in the width direction of the watercraft body, and
the opening of the pocket faces outward in the width direction of the watercraft body.

11. The personal watercraft according to claim 9 , wherein the pocket is closer to a seat on which a rider sits than a center of the side-opening storage in a front-rear direction of the watercraft body.

12. The personal watercraft according to claim 10 , wherein the pocket includes an electric power supply connector located inside the pocket.

13. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , wherein the deck further includes an upper-opening storage recessed inward to accommodate items, the upper-opening storage having an opening facing upward.

14. The personal watercraft according to claim 13 , wherein a part of the opening of the side-opening storage is located in a region posterior to the upper-opening storage.

15. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a side mirror, the side mirror being mounted on the lid.

16. The personal watercraft according to claim 15 , wherein with the lid closed, a part of the opening of the side-opening storage is located posterior to the side mirror.

17. The personal watercraft according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the opening of the side-opening storage is located in a region posterior to the steering shaft.

18. A personal watercraft comprising:
a watercraft body including a hull and a deck covering an upper portion of the hull;
a handle for steering maneuver;
a steering shaft extending from the handle to the watercraft body, the steering shaft being pivotable relative to the watercraft body in response to the steering maneuver performed using the handle; and
a lid, wherein
the deck includes a storage including a front portion anterior to the steering shaft and opposite outer side portions outward of the steering shaft in a width direction of the watercraft body,
the steering shaft is interposed between the opposite outer side portions of the storage in a plan view of the watercraft body,
the lid is configured to cover an opening of the storage,
the lid is pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the deck to cover and uncover the opening of the storage, and
the pivot axis extends in a direction having a vertical component.

19. A personal watercraft comprising:
a watercraft body including a hull and a deck covering an upper portion of the hull; and
a lid, wherein
the deck includes a storage recessed inward to accommodate items, the storage having an opening facing an outside environment,
the lid is configured to cover the opening of the storage and pivotable about a pivot axis to cover and uncover the opening of the storage, and
the pivot axis extends in a direction having both a vertical component and a horizontal component.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Motors Ltd

Inventors

• Araki Toshio
• Shibuta Yu
• Yamada Kazunori

Classifications

• B63B34/10 Primary

  Power-driven personal watercraft, e.g. water scooters (water jet propulsion B63H11/00; jet steering B63H25/46); Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B63H25/02

  Initiating means for steering {, for slowing down, otherwise than by use of propulsive elements, or for dynamic anchoring} · CPC title

• B63B11/00

  Interior subdivision of hulls (bulkhead space construction B63B3/56) · CPC title

• B63B3/48

  Decks (planking B63B5/06) · CPC title

• B63H2025/024

  Handle-bars; Posts for supporting handle-bars, e.g. adjustable posts · CPC title