Retractable drive system for watercraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623944-B2
Application number	US-201514727501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jun 1, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A drive system pivot assembly for a personal user powered watercraft is provided. The drive system pivot assembly pivots a drive system between a deployed position and a parked position. The drive system pivot assembly includes a catch arrangement for securing the drive system pivot assembly in the parked position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watercraft comprising:
a hull defining an opening therethrough from a top side to a bottom side;
a drive system having an input for receiving input force from a user and an output operably coupled to the input for providing motive force to the hull;
a drive system pivot assembly for transitioning the drive system between a deployed position and a parked position, the drive system pivot assembly including:
a first linkage member carrying the output of the drive system;
a second linkage member pivotably coupled to the first linkage member at a first pivot and pivotably coupled to the hull at a second pivot spaced from the first pivot;
a catch arrangement between the first linkage member and the hull for securing the drive system pivot assembly in the parked position, the catch arrangement including a first linkage catch member provided by the first linkage member and a first hull catch member provided by the hull, the first linkage catch member and first hull catch member engage to prevent the drive system pivot assembly from transitioning from the parked position to the deployed position.

2. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage member pivots about the first and second pivots when transitioning between the deployed and parked positions.

3. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein one of the first linkage catch member and first hull catch member is a projection and the other one of the first linkage catch member and first hull catch member is a groove configured to receive the projection when engaged.

4. The watercraft of claim 3 , wherein the groove and projection are configured such that the first linkage member must transition vertically against the force of gravity to disengage the projection from the groove.

5. The watercraft of claim 3 , wherein the pivot assembly includes a cam surface adjacent the catch member in the form of a groove, the projection sliding on the cam surface during at least part of the transition from the deployed position to the parked position.

6. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the second linkage member pivots about the second pivot in a direction away from a user operating location when transitioning from the deployed position to the parked position.

7. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the input is a pedal system and the output is a rotating propeller operably coupled to the pedal system such that actuation of the pedal system drives the propeller.

8. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein:
in the deployed position, the output extends a first distance below a bottom of the hull; and
in the parked position, the output extends a second distance below the bottom of the hull being less than the first distance or is positioned above the bottom of the hull.

9. The watercraft of claim 6 , further including a docking feature interposed between the first and second linkage members limiting the pivoting motion of the first and second linkage members when in the parked position.

10. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the hull provides a pivot groove pivotably receiving a pivot member of the second linkage member to provide the pivotable coupling between the hull and the second linkage member.

11. The watercraft of claim 10 , wherein the pivot groove extends longitudinally in a direction generally perpendicular to a centerline of the hull extending between a bow and a stern of the hull.

12. The watercraft of claim 10 , wherein one of the pivot groove and the pivot member has a curved surface portion providing a sliding interface between a surface defining the pivot groove and the pivot member when the pivot member is rotated about a longitudinal axis thereof as the drive system pivot assembly is transitioned between the deployed and park positions.

13. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the hull is the hull of a kayak.

14. The watercraft of claim 9 , wherein the docking feature is a U-shaped member engaging the first linkage member in the parked position.

15. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the hull includes a hull body and an attachment plate attached to the hull body, the attachment plate providing the first hull catch member.

16. The watercraft of claim 15 , wherein the attachment plate further including a second hull catch member in which the first linkage catch member resides in the parked position.

17. The watercraft of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism for biasing the drive system pivot assembly from the deployed position to the parked position.

18. The watercraft of claim 17 , wherein the biasing mechanism is connected between the first and second linkage members.

19. A pivoting drive system for a watercraft, the watercraft having a first mounting component and a first hull catch member, the pivoting drive system comprising:
an output for providing motive force when operated within water;
a drive system pivot assembly for transitioning the output between a deployed position and a parked position, the drive system pivot assembly including:
a first linkage member carrying the output;
a second linkage member pivotably coupled to the first linkage member at a first pivot and having a pivotable coupling configured to pivotably attach the second linkage member to the first mounting component;
a linkage catch member coupled to the first linkage member configured to engage the first hull catch member for securing the drive system pivot assembly in the parked position, the linkage catch member and first hull catch member engaging in the parked position to prevent the drive system pivot assembly from transitioning from the parked position to the deployed position.

20. The pivoting drive system of claim 19 , wherein the first hull catch member is a groove and the linkage catch member is a projection configured to extend into the groove in such a manner to fix the location of the first linkage member to the second linkage member and maintain the drive system pivot assembly in the parked position.

21. The pivoting drive system of claim 20 , wherein the projection is configured relative to the groove such that the first linkage member must transition vertically against the force of gravity to disengage the projection from the groove.

22. The pivoting drive system of claim 19 , wherein the first mounting component is a groove extending perpendicular to a centerline of the watercraft extending between the stern and the bow of the watercraft, the pivotable coupling being a rod having an outer periphery including a curved pivot surface.

Assignees

• Kuehmichel Blaine G
• Mcdonough Robert J
• Bergmark Geoffrey Michael
• Johnson Outdoors Inc

Inventors

• Kuehmichel Blaine G
• Mcdonough Robert J
• Bergmark Geoffrey Michael

Classifications

• B63H2016/202

  specially adapted or arranged for being actuated by the feet of the user, e.g. using bicycle-like pedals · 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

• B63H16/20 Primary

  using rotary cranking arm · CPC title

• B63B35/71

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B63H16/18

  using sliding {or pivoting} handle or pedal, i.e. the motive force being transmitted to a propelling means by means of a lever operated by the hand or foot of the occupant · CPC title