Pontoon or hull adjustment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077261-B2
Application number	US-202318157238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	Oct 9, 2020
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A boat may have a deck and a plurality of pontoons or hulls supporting the deck of the boat. The boat may include a starboard side pontoon, a port side pontoon, and possibly a middle pontoon. A positioning assembly may be provided with one or more of the foregoing pontoons. Each of the positioning assemblies may comprise a link assembly and an actuator provided to position the toon between the retracted position and the extended position. The boat may further include a leveling control system having a controller and a level sensor configured to detect an attitude of the deck, the controller in communication with the actuators and cause actuation of either or both of the actuators to extend or retract the port side toon and/or the starboard side toon based on data received from the level sensor indicative of the deck attitude.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A leveling control system for adjusting an attitude of a boat deck supported by at least a starboard side pontoon, a port side pontoon, and a middle pontoon arranged between the port side pontoon and the starboard side pontoon, the leveling control system comprising:
a starboard side actuator operable to move the starboard side pontoon relative to the boat deck from a retracted position, where the starboard side pontoon is proximate to an underside of the boat deck, to an extended position, where the starboard side pontoon is moved further from the underside;
a port side actuator operable to move the port side pontoon relative to the boat deck from a retracted position, where the port side pontoon is proximate to an underside of the boat deck, to an extended position, where the port side pontoon is moved further from the underside;
a middle actuator operable to move the middle pontoon relative to the boat deck from a retracted position, where the middle pontoon is proximate to an underside of the boat deck, to an extended position, where the middle pontoon is moved further from the underside;
a level sensor providing readings indicative of the attitude of the boat deck;
a controller for activating the starboard side actuator, the middle actuator, and/or the port side actuator to thereby cause extension or retraction of the starboard side pontoon, the middle pontoon, and/or the port side pontoon, respectively, wherein the controller is configured to adjust position of the port side pontoon, the middle pontoon, and/or the starboard side pontoon to thereby orient the boat deck in a desired attitude.

2. The leveling control system of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of switches, where a first of the pair of switches is configured to activate the port side actuator and thereby extend or retract the port side pontoon, and a second of the pair of switches is configured to activate the starboard side actuator and thereby extend or retract the starboard side pontoon.

3. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the level sensor is a bubble level or visual level indicator providing visual readings indicative of the attitude.

4. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the readings from level sensor and communicate control signals to the starboard side actuator and the port side actuator to extend and retract the starboard side pontoon and the port side pontoon based on the readings to position the boat deck into the desired attitude.

5. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is in communication with the middle actuator and configured to cause actuation thereof to extend or retract the middle pontoon based on data received from the level sensor indicative of the attitude of the boat deck.

6. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the desired attitude is a level attitude as indicated by the level sensor.

7. The leveling control system of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator operable to adjust vertical positioning of a boat motor, the controller configured to control vertical position of the boat motor relative to the boat deck based on extension and retraction of the starboard side and port side pontoons.

8. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the readings from level sensor and communicate control signals to the middle actuator to extend and retract the middle pontoon based on the readings to position the boat deck into the desired attitude.

9. The leveling control system of claim 1 , wherein the starboard side pontoon and the port side pontoon each extend lengthwise, the starboard side pontoon is moved in either lengthwise or a vertical direction relative to the boat deck, and the port side pontoon is moved in either lengthwise or the vertical direction relative to the boat deck.

Assignees

• Norco Ind Inc

Inventors

• Garceau Bernard F

Classifications

• B63B35/38

  Rigidly-interconnected pontoons · CPC title

• B63B39/14

  for indicating inclination or duration of roll · CPC title

• B63B2241/06

  circular · CPC title

• B63B2029/022

  Bathing platforms · CPC title

• B63B2221/24

  by means that allow one or more degrees of translational freedom, e.g. telescopic joints, not otherwise provided for in this class · CPC title