Abstract:
A boat having a jump seat is provided. The boat includes a boat hull having a recessed passenger compartment. The jump seat includes a support assembly comprising a support deck and a sleeve. A seat cushion is provided for selectively resting on a portion of the deck assembly and being stowed within the pocket. The deck assembly can be used both as a seat support and as a standing deck eliminating the need to stand on a cushion to thereby provide a more stable convertible standing area.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/755,648, filed Dec. 30, 2005, entitled BOAT CONSTRUCTION WITH STOWABLE SEAT, which document is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent permitted by law. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Small boats such as runabouts and fishing boats are well known. These boats will typically have a length on the order of about 12 to about 22 feet. Such boats are typically well appointed with features and in particular a variety of types and locations of seats. Many of the seats are designed to provide a variety of uses in a variety of locations. Examples of these seats may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,217, 5,136,963, 5,497,724 and 6,283,059. The seats or decks disclosed therein provide certain advantages along with certain disadvantages. It is noted that a seat may also function as a deck and a deck may also function as a seat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,059 discloses a deck construction that is convertible to a seat. It uses a complex construction utilizing hinge pins and grooves for effecting movement and securement of one portion of the deck either in a deck forming position or a seat back position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,963 discloses a deck extension that is movable from a deck forming position to a stowed position over the stem of the boat. It utilizes a complex series of arms, pivots and hinges. U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,217 discloses a stem seat that can be converted to a casting platform. It to uses a complex series of hinges and seat components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,724 discloses a boat construction having a jump seat with a cushion that can be used at one of two elevations to provide either seating or as a sun pad.  
         [0003]     While such constructions are useful, they are complicated structures, large, cumbersome, expensive or lacking in versatility. Such constructions may also require complex movements to operate. Another problem with such structures is their retention in their various orientations. Some such seat structures utilizes the weight of the seat or deck portion solely as the means for retaining them in a selected orientation. Boats are often subjected to harsh rides in choppy water and if components of the boat and articles in the boat are not restrained, they are subjected to large and potentially damaging forces from the choppy rides.  
         [0004]     There is thus a need for an improved seat construction wherein the seat may be securely stowed for periods of non use providing walking and standing deck portions and may be easily moved between a secure stowed position and a secure use position.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention involves the provision of a boat construction with stowable seat. The boat construction includes a hull which will include a recessed passenger compartment, an interior floor and gunnels. A sleeve is provided having an open end opening into a storage pocket or compartment at an elevation between the floor and gunnels. A deck member is adjacent to and extending away from the open end of the pocket. The deck has an upwardly facing surface on which a seat cushion may be placed for support. A seat cushion is provided having a bottom portion adapted to rest on the upwardly facing surface of the deck portion to selectively provide a seat. The seat cushion may be selectively moved into the pocket for retention therein whereby the deck portion is exposed to be used as a walking, stepping, or standing surface. Interengagable members are provided and are operable to selectively and releasably retain the seat cushion in at least its stowed position and preferably in its stowed position and its extended seat forming position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a boat construction as viewed generally from above the boat.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary view of the stowable seat construction with a seat cushion in a position for use as a seat.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 2  but with the seat cushion in a stowed position.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the seat, the seat cushion being shown upside down to show details thereof. 
     
    
       [0010]     Like numbers throughout the various Figures designate like or similar parts or construction.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The reference numeral  1  designates generally a boat having a hull  2  with a bow portion  3 , stern portion  4 , sidewalls  5 , a bottom  6  and an interior floor  7 . The hull  2  further includes gunnels  9  along the top edges of the sidewalls  5 . The gunnels are spaced from the interior floor  7 . The hull  2  includes a recessed passenger compartment  10  which may be appointed with such things as seats  8 , console  11 , instrumentation, storage and various assorted items as are known in the art. The compartment  10  is accessible via a top opening  12 . The top opening  12  may be substantially the same size as the hull  2  or smaller by the provision of a covered bow or a partially covered stem. The boat  1  may also be of a walk thru design. The hull  2  may be a deep draft or shallow draft as desired. There is a provision in the boat  1  for some motive source which is preferably a motor which can be an inboard, and inboard/outboard or an outboard motor as desired. In the event of an outboard, a transom at the stem portion  4  may be provided. A motor may be contained in housing  18 .  
         [0012]     The present invention includes a stowable seat assembly such as a jump seat the details of which are best seen in  FIGS. 2-4 . The seat assembly is designated generally  16  and may be positioned at any suitable location within the compartment  10  of hull  2 . As seen, a seat  16  is positioned adjacent the stem  4  on one side of the housing  18 . The boat  1  may include a plurality of seats  16  and, as shown, there are two, one on each side of the housing  18 . A seat  16  is operable to allow a seat cushion  20  to be selectively moved between a stowed position,  FIG. 3 , and a seating position,  FIG. 2 , as more fully described below. The seat  16  includes a sleeve  22  forming a generally horizontally extending pocket  23  having an access opening  24 . (Position and orientation references are used herein as if the boat were floating level in still water.) In the illustrated structure, the sleeve  22  includes a mounting flange  25  that is suitably secured to a deck assembly  26  as by gluing or as illustrated, with one or more mechanical fasteners  27  such as rust resistant screws. The sleeve  22  preferably includes a bottom wall  28 , top wall  29  and sidewalls  30  preferably formed as an integral structure as by molding. In a preferred embodiment, the back side (not shown) of the sleeve  22  may be either closed or open to facilitate the manufacture thereof. As shown, the flange  25  extends outwardly from the top wall  29  and the sidewalls  30  and overlies a portion of an upstanding wall  32  of the deck assembly  26 .  
         [0013]     In the illustrated structure, the deck assembly  26  is secured to portions of the boat  1  and includes a generally horizontal deck or floor member  34  having an exposed surface  35  that is preferably textured to provide a slip resistant surface on at least a substantial portion thereof. The texture may be molded in with the floor member or may be an applied coating or may be an attached layer of slip resistant material. The floor member  34  is positioned in the hull  2  at an elevation between those of the interior floor  7  and the gunnels  9 . As shown, the floor member  34  extends between the respective sidewall  5  and the engine housing  18  and is positioned at an elevation from the interior floor  7  suitable for seating when a seat cushion  20  is positioned thereon. As shown, the deck assembly  26  also includes a wall  36  that extends upwardly from the floor  7  to the floor member  34  to provide support for the front portion of the floor  34 . The floor  34  is suitably supported on opposite sides  37 ,  38  thereof as by connection to portions of the hull  2 . Side cushions  39 A,  39 B may be provided for arm support or the like when the seat assembly  16  is being used as a seat. Cup holders and other storage devices  40  may also be provided adjacent to a seat  16  for the convenience of the seat user. The flange  25  is preferably secured to the wall  32  that extends between the floor member  34  and a second generally horizontal deck or floor member  43  which can be utilized as a second step or deck. The floor member  43  may also be provided with a textured surface for slip resistance as described above for the floor member  34 . Either of the floor members  34  or  43  may be used as a platform for standing and provide a solid generally inflexible surface for standing, kneeling or the like or even sitting. The use of a cushion to stand on can be unstable depending on its hardness and size. The walls  32 ,  36  and floor members  34 ,  43  are preferably formed as an integral structure, as by molding, and suitably mounted as an assembly within the boat hull  2  and secured in place as by adhesion. The deck assembly  26  may be formed of a resin infused fibrous material as for example fiberglass as is known in the art. A seat back  45  may be secured to the wall  32  projecting therefrom and over the opening  24 . The bottom portion  46  of the seat back  45  may be positioned within the opening  24  for purpose later described. Preferably, the seat back  45  can have a fabric cover and a foam core, such as vinyl covered resilient foam material providing resilient deformation as can the cushion  20 .  
         [0014]     The seat cushion  20 , is preferably sized and shaped such as to rest on the upper surfaces  35 ,  42  of the floor member  34  and wall  28  respectively, and project upwardly therefrom. It is preferred that the floor member surface  35  and wall surface  42  be substantially co-extensive to provide a substantially continuous upwardly facing surface to facilitate support and movement of the cushion  20  in a generally horizontal plane between stowed and extended positions. The length, width and thickness of a cushion  20  are selected for the particular size seat and amount of cushioning as desired. Preferably, the seat cushion  20  has a relatively rigid back or bottom  47  ( FIG. 4 ) that will overlie the floor member  34  and wall  28 .  
         [0015]     Means is provided for limiting the movement of the seat cushion  20  into and out of the pocket  23 . The seat cushion  20  moves substantially in a plane generally linearly and horizontally throughout its movement between its stowed and seat forming (extended) positions wherein a substantial portion of the surface  35  is exposed. As shown, interengagable members are operable to selectively retain the seat cushion in at least its stowed position wherein a substantial portion of the seat cushion  20  is positioned within the pocket  23 . A handle device  49 , as for example, a vinyl loop can be secured to the front portion of the seat cushion  20  to facilitate movement of the seat cushion  20  from its stowed position to its seat forming position overlying a substantial portion of the floor member  34 . The interengagable members, as shown, includes a bar type stop  50  which is suitably secured to one or both of the floor member  34  and the bottom wall  28  of the sleeve  22 . As shown, a portion of the floor member  34  underlies a portion of the bottom wall  28  wherein there are overlapping end margin portions. Mechanical fasteners  52  such as screws may be used to extend through the stop  50 , a portion of the floor member  34  and a portion of the bottom wall  28  to secure the stop in place. Alternatively, the stop  50  may be adhesively secured in place. The stop  50  has a shoulder  53  on the pocket side thereof. The interengagable members also include a pair of longitudinally spaced projections  54  that may have heads  55  with an inclined surface, for example domed or half round heads. The projections  54  are fastened to and project from the seat bottom  47 . The longitudinal spacing S between the projections  54  is such as to provide for the desired amount of longitudinal movement of the seat cushion  20  into and out of the pocket  23 . The projections  54  releasably limit the amount of movement of the seat cushion  20  by acting against the stop  50 . Friction between the seat cushion  20  and the floor member  34  and optionally between the back  45  and the top surface  57  of the cushion  20  may also be used to restrict or resist movement of the seat cushion  20 . Because the seat cushion  20  has a resilient member therein, the resilience of the cushion can be used to resist the projections  54  from moving over the stop  50 . The heads  55  of the projections  54  can provide a camming action to permit the seat cushion and its projection  54  to move into and out of the pocket  23  past the stop  50 . The front edge  60  of the stop  50  may be beveled or otherwise inclined to facilitate movement of the cushion  20  into the pocket  23 . Bouncing of the seat cushion into and out of engagement with the floor member  34  may also be limited by the resilient engagement between the seat back  45  and the seat cushion  20  which engagement may also be used to retain the cushion  20  in a selected position.  
         [0016]     Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present construction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.