Molded-in boat grip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012180-B2
Application number	US-202117447154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2021
Priority date	Aug 26, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

In one example, a method includes positioning, within a mold, a device with a movable element that defines a portion of a volume, and the volume is contained within the mold, as part of a molding process, at least partly defining a molded watercraft by introducing plastic into the mold, disposing the plastic about the movable element, and with the movable element, excluding the plastic from the portion of the volume that is defined by the movable element so as to define a recess and an undercut that are integral with the watercraft and extend lengthwise with respect to a centerline of the watercraft, and the recess and undercut are integral, and communicate, with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watercraft, comprising:
a hull comprising a unitary, single-piece structure that is substantially hollow, and made of plastic; and
a grip that is integral with the hull, the grip comprising:
a recess that is formed in a skin of the hull and is integral with the hull; and
an undercut that is formed in the skin of the hull proximate an edge of the recess, wherein the undercut is integral with the hull and communicates with the recess, and wherein the undercut is sized and configured to accommodate portions of one or more fingers of a hand of a user.

2. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an additional undercut formed in the skin of the hull and communicating with the recess, and the undercut and additional undercut are disposed on opposite respective sides of the recess.

3. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein the recess has an elongate configuration with first and second sides extending lengthwise and the undercut is located along one of the sides of the recess.

4. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein part of the undercut is located below an outer edge of the recess.

5. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein a distance from a center of the recess to a sidewall of the undercut is less than a distance from the center of the recess to an edge of the recess.

6. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the undercut is below a surface of the watercraft in which the recess is defined.

7. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein a wall height of the undercut is less than a wall height of the recess, and both the wall of the undercut and the wall of the recess terminate at a floor of the recess.

8. The watercraft as recited in claim 1 , wherein the undercut extends around less than an entire perimeter of the recess.

Assignees

• Lifetime Prod Inc

Inventors

• Robbins Samuel S
• Norman Dennis Jay

Classifications

• B63B34/20 Primary

  Canoes, kayaks or the like · CPC title

• B63B32/40

  Twintip boards; Wakeboards; Surfboards; Windsurfing boards; Paddle boards, e.g. SUP boards; Accessories specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B63B34/21

  characterised by constructional features · CPC title

• B63B34/26

  Accessories for canoes, kayaks or the like (effecting propulsion by muscle power B63H16/00; outboard propulsion units B63H20/00) · CPC title

• B63B32/57

  Boards characterised by the material, e.g. laminated materials · CPC title