A retractable handle apparatus is grasped and extended by an occupant of a marine craft to restrain motion of the occupant during sudden movement of the vessel. The apparatus includes a hand grip, a retracting mechanism, and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and retracting mechanism. The hand grip is pulled by the occupant to unwind the flexible member from the retracting mechanism. In the fully extended position, the apparatus provides resistance which the occupant uses to restrain against motion. When the hand grip is released, the retracting mechanism retrieves the flexible member.
|
0. 27. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip; a retracting mechanism; and a flexible member operatively associated with the hand grip and the retracting mechanism such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft the flexible member is extended from the retracting mechanism, and when the hand grip is released by the marine craft occupant the flexible member is retracted by the retracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanism is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
0. 33. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip; a retracting mechanism having an actuator with force; and a flexible member operatively associated with the hand grip and the retracting mechanism and being configured such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force of the actuator, the flexible member is extended from the retracting mechanism, and when the force applied by the occupant to the hand grip is less than the force of the actuator, the flexible member is retracted by the retracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanism is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
0. 37. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip; a retracting mechanism having: a movable member for being moved in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said movable member in the first direction; and a flexible member operatively associated with the hand grip and the retracting mechanism such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to the movable member by said actuator, the movable member is moved in the second direction to extend the flexible member from the retracting mechanism, and when the force applied to the hand grip by the marine craft occupant is less than the force applied to movable member by said actuator, the movable member is moved in the first direction to retract said flexible member into the retracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanism is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
1. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip; a tensile retraction device having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and being wound about said rotating member such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member, and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
9. A seat for supporting an occupant of a marine craft, the seat comprising:
a bottom; a back connected to said bottom; a hand grip sufficiently proximate the seat to allow an occupant of the seat to grasp the hand grip from a sitting position; a tensile retraction device attached to said bottom or said back having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and being wound about said rotating member such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member, and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
26. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip for being grasped by an occupant of a marine craft; a tensile retraction device anchored to the marine craft and having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating member in the first direction; a flexible member having a first end in opposed relation to a second end and defining a length therebetween, said first end being attached to said hand grip and said second end being attached to said rotating member, said flexible member being wound about the rotating member such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member and thereby extend the hand grip, and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotating member and thereby retract the hand grip; and wherein the length of the flexible member is sufficiently small to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to fully extend the hand grip such that, when fully extended, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
17. A marine craft having a seat for transporting an occupant of the marine craft across water, the marine craft comprising:
a seat comprising: a bottom; and a back connected to said bottom; a hand grip sufficiently proximate the seat to allow an occupant of the seat to grasp the hand grip from a sitting position; a structural support member; a tensile retraction device attached to said structural support member having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and being circularly wound about said rotating member such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member, and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
21. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising:
a hand grip capable of being grasped by an occupant of a marine craft, said hand grip including a loop with an inner circumference sufficiently large to enable the occupant to insert a substantial portion of the occupant's hand through the loop and sufficiently small to prevent insertion of the occupant's torso through the loop; a tensile retraction device having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and being wound about said rotating member such that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member, and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
4. An apparatus as described in
6. An apparatus as described in
7. An apparatus as described in
12. An apparatus as described in
14. An apparatus as described in
15. An apparatus as described in
20. An apparatus as described in
25. The apparatus of
0. 28. An apparatus as described in
0. 29. An apparatus as described in
0. 30. An apparatus as described in
0. 31. An apparatus as described in
a movable member for being moved in opposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging said movable member in the first direction.
0. 32. An apparatus as described in
0. 34. An apparatus as described in
0. 35. An apparatus as described in
0. 36. An apparatus as described in
0. 38. An apparatus as described in
0. 39. An apparatus as described in
0. 40. An apparatus as described in
|
This invention relates generally to restraint devices for occupants of a marine craft. More particularly, the invention relates to a retractable hand grip which an occupant of a marine craft may grasp and extend in order to restrain movement of the occupant when the marine craft is in motion.
Marine craft often travel at high speeds across water. The acceleration of the craft causes the occupants inside the craft to be affected by inertial forces, and for purposes of safety and comfort the occupants must restrain themselves against such forces. Sudden movements, particularly movement in a vertical plane due to wave bouncing, are most troubling because they give a marine craft occupant little time to prepare for restraint. This problem tends to be magnified in smaller craft which are more susceptible to small waves and disturbances on the surface of the water because of their shallow displacement. Seated occupants are bounced about in the seats and require equipment to restrain their movement. Unfortunately, most marine craft have few, if any, effective restraining devices.
Much of the prior art in seating restraining devices has been oriented toward land vehicles. This includes full restraints such as shoulder and waist restraints. In those vehicles, shoulder and waist restraints serve their purpose well in restraining a person during sudden acceleration or deceleration, particularly collision. In marine craft, however, full restraints are not practical. Collisions or other accidents often result in sunken or overturned vehicles. Shoulder and waist restraints can trap occupants below water in overturned or sunken vessels. Thus, full restraints are adverse to safety on marine craft and are generally not practical.
Other restraints such as hand-holds and loop-holds are useful and provide the marine craft occupant restraint when desired and mobility when the restraint is not necessary. Unfortunately, these restraints often obstruct or interfere with the utility of a space. Much of the equipment used on marine craft is bulky or awkward, such as fishing gear, scuba equipment, and water skis, and any obtrusive parts in the craft can interfere with the use and enjoyment of such equipment. There is very limited space in small marine craft, and it must be used efficiently. Thus, marine craft have the need for an unobtrusive, yet easily reached and effective restraint device that can be placed on or near a seat in a marine vessel.
With regard to the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides a retractable hand grip restraint capable of being grasped by a seated occupant of a marine craft. When not in use, a retracting feature allows the grip to be automatically restored to its original position out of the way of the occupants of the marine craft, reducing its obtrusiveness.
The invention includes a retracting mechanism which winds a flexible member, such as a woven web of polyester, about a rotating member when the rotating member is rotated in a first direction. When the rotating member is rotated in a second direction, the flexible member unwinds from the rotating member. The flexible member is connected to a hand grip which is pulled by an occupant of the marine craft to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member. The occupant may grasp and extend the hand grip in anticipation of movement. Upon complete extension, the hand grip and flexible member provide the occupant with resistance and a range of movement to counter the movement of the marine craft. Other than a woven web, the flexible member embodiments includes a line, such as a rope, string or cable.
In one embodiment, a guide member is provided between the retracting mechanism and the hand grip encompassing the flexible member. The guide member guides the flexible member through its extension. The guide member is narrow enough to prohibit movement of the hand grip through the guide member, thereby arresting motion of the flexible member in the first direction. Additional guide members may be utilized to route the flexible member when the retracting mechanism is placed remotely from the hand grip.
The present invention includes a hand grip made of a rigid loop. The loop has a sufficient opening to allow a marine craft occupant to comfortably insert a hand therethrough and form a fist about the end of the loop. It is important that the hand grip have a construction to facilitate a firm and stable grasp by the occupant.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a seat assembly containing a retractable handle apparatus, as described above. The hand grip is mounted on the seat within easy reach of the seat occupant. The retracting mechanism is placed in a void space within or beneath the seat. This prevents obstruction of other areas external to the seat. A guide member, as described above, can be mounted on the exterior surface of the seat, such as on the front side of the seat bottom. The guide member is positioned to arrest motion at the location desired for grasping the hand grip.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a marine craft includes a retractable handle apparatus, as described above. The retractable handle is adjacent to a seat assembly on a structural member of the marine craft. The retracting mechanism is mounted in any void space in order to prevent its interference with activity in the craft. A guide member, as described above, can be mounted on a structural member of the marine craft where the hand grip is desired to be located. If the retracting mechanism is removed far from the hand grip or awkwardly placed, additional guide members may be utilized to assist in routing the flexible member to the location of the retracting mechanism.
The above and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will now be discussed in the following detailed description and appended claims considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the several views,
The hand grip 10 is attached to a flexible member, such as a woven web 12 of polyester fibers. The web 12 is preferably attached to the hand grip 10 by way of a loop 15 formed around the hand grip 10 at one end of the web 12. In an alternative embodiment, shown in
With continued reference to
In operation, the hand grip 10 is grasped and extended away from the retracting mechanism 13 with force sufficient to overcome the force applied to the spool 18 by the actuator 21. This action causes the flexible member 12 to unwind from the spool 18 in a second direction 17, 17'. At full extension (which in a preferred embodiment is about six inches but may vary depending on placement) the spool 18 ceases rotation and provides resistance to the flexible member 12, and thus to the hand grip 10. The user may now use the resistance to restrain against marine craft motion.
As the hand grip 10 is released, the spool 18 is urged in the first direction 16 by the actuator 21, causing the flexible member 12 to rewind about the spool 18, and thereby retracting the hand grip 10 to its stowage position.
Also, shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the retractable handle 50 is positioned for use by a seated occupant of the marine craft. As illustrated in
In another embodiment, illustrated in
It is contemplated, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification, drawings, and examples that modifications and/or changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that the foregoing are only illustrative of preferred embodiments and modes of operation, not limiting thereto, and that the true spirit and scope of the present invention be determined by reference to the appended claims.
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
7677668, | Jan 08 2008 | Brunswick Corporation | Vehicle seats having a back support lock assembly |
Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
1462914, | |||
2480915, | |||
2488858, | |||
2878981, | |||
3052896, | |||
4431234, | Jun 30 1981 | Vehicle passenger restraint | |
4969610, | Dec 12 1988 | Rope rewinding device for a ski boat | |
5100354, | Feb 23 1989 | Water sports device | |
5570654, | Oct 10 1995 | Folding auxiliary seat for personal water craft | |
5755650, | Nov 08 1995 | Home and office health and fitness chair | |
5857246, | Jun 06 1995 | STRATUS SYSTEMS, INC | Liquid activated buckle release mechanism |
855139, |
Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
Jan 26 2004 | STOL: Pat Hldr no Longer Claims Small Ent Stat |
Feb 23 2004 | M1551: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Year, Large Entity. |
Jan 10 2008 | M1552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Year, Large Entity. |
Apr 09 2012 | REM: Maintenance Fee Reminder Mailed. |
Aug 29 2012 | EXP: Patent Expired for Failure to Pay Maintenance Fees. |
Date | Maintenance Schedule |
Nov 11 2006 | 4 years fee payment window open |
May 11 2007 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 11 2007 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
Nov 11 2009 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
Nov 11 2010 | 8 years fee payment window open |
May 11 2011 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 11 2011 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
Nov 11 2013 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
Nov 11 2014 | 12 years fee payment window open |
May 11 2015 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
Nov 11 2015 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
Nov 11 2017 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |