Abstract:
A steel frame assembly that attaches to a 5-chamber, side-by-side inflatable water sled. The frame assembly supports a surface area that consists of a cargo mat and a polypropylene trampoline mat with protective pads. The water sled is slightly modified and structurally reinforced to allow a frame to be attached. The frame assembly converts the water sled into a portable, multi-use product that can be towed behind a boat.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a collapsible, portable, multi-use, inflatable device that can be used as a water sled, a water trailer, a floating platform (or raft) or a water trampoline.  
           [0002]    Personal watercraft are now very popular. However, such personal watercraft have very limited or no space for storing cargo. Consequently, if a user wishes to transport cargo using such a watercraft, it is necessary to make multiple trips.  
           [0003]    Water sleds have been used in the past as recreational vehicles for towing behind a boat. However, such water sleds have typically had no cargo transporting capability, but rather have been used solely as a recreational vehicle for carrying people and are comprised of inflatable tubes.  
           [0004]    A water sled that can be used to transport cargo is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,511. However, the device is not usable as a swim platform or trampoline because the support frame is not enclosed, and users may be hurt if they come into contact with the support frame.  
           [0005]    Water trampolines are known, in which a floating structure has a deformable mat that can be used as a trampoline.  
           [0006]    There is a need for a single, portable, multi-use inflatable device that can be used as a water sled, a water trailer, a floating water platform or as a water trampoline.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    A steel frame assembly that attaches to a 5-chamber, side-by-side inflatable water sled. The frame assembly supports a surface area that consists of a cargo mat and a polypropylene trampoline mat with protective pads. The water sled is slightly modified and structurally reinforced to allow a frame to be attached. The frame assembly converts the water sled into a portable, multi-use product that can be towed behind a boat.  
           [0008]    A principle object and advantage of the present invention is that it converts a water sled into a water trailer that can be pulled behind a personal watercraft or any watercraft with sufficient pulling power.  
           [0009]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that the water trailer allows the owner to carry cargo easily on the top of the cargo mat and allows the owner to tie off and secure the cargo to tie-down grommets provided on the mat.  
           [0010]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that the water sled converts to a swim platform, or trampoline including attachable safety pads that protect the user from hitting the steel frame.  
           [0011]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that it includes D-rings that allow the invention to be anchored to the bottom of a lake, creating a stable swim deck or water platform.  
           [0012]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that the water platform can be used as a swimmers assist platform, a hunting platform, a portable water ski take-off platform or for any activity where a floating platform is needed.  
           [0013]    Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that it can be used as a sun deck and is collapsible for storage or transportation. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the device as a water trailer.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the frame on top of the water sled shown in phantom outline.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the device converted to a swim platform or trampoline.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1, with the trampoline mat added to further enclose the frame with the addition of a swim ladder, the device being anchored.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a broken and cut away view of the frame showing the disassembly mechanism.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device used as a cargo trailer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    The collapsible, multi-use water device is generally designated by numeral  10  and may be viewed in FIGS.  1 - 6 . The device  10  generally comprises a multi-chambered inflatable water sled  12 , a stainless steel frame  34  capturing the water sled  12 , cargo mat  64  and a padded mat  78 .  
         [0021]    The details of the water sled  12  may be appreciated by viewing FIGS.  1 - 4  and  6 . The sled  12  has inflatable large tubes  14  with coned ends  16 , inner opposing support rings  18 , and outer anchor rings  18  are on the forward cone ends  16  of tubes  14 . In between the inflatable large tubes  14  is intermediate buoyancy tube  22 , also having coned ends  24 . Lateral stabilizing wings  26  extend outwardly from the large tubes  14 . The lateral stabilizing rope  28  connects the inner support rings  18  located frontwardly and rearwardly on the large tubes  14  to further capture intermediate buoyancy tube  28  and to prevent the inflatable large tubes  14  from separating away from each other in a downwardly and outwardly fashion. The tow or anchor rope  30  is secured to the outer anchor rings  20  and may be used to anchor the device  10  to the bottom of the lake or otherwise tow the device  10  with a self-propelled watercraft.  
         [0022]    The details of the stainless steel tubular frame  34  may be greatly appreciated by viewing all of the FIGS.  1 - 6 . Steel frame  34  is suitably U-shaped when viewing from a front or rear view and is longitudinally linear front to back while retaining strength to permit the water device  10  to move through the water with minimal resistance. Steel frame  34  includes rigidifying top cross beams  35 ,  36  and  37  with an optional fourth cross beam  37  shown in phantom in FIG. 2. Cross beams  35  and  37  have intermediate depending tube buoyancy supports  38 , which rest upon intermediate buoyancy tube  22 . Stabilizing strut  39  extends from outermost top cross beams  35  and  37  to supports  38  to add strength to the overall frame  34 . Top longitudinal beams  40  are connected to the cross beams  35 ,  36  and  37  suitably by welding.  
         [0023]    From the top longitudinal beams  40  are depending and opposing rectangular subframes  48  which capture the large tubes  14 . The subframes  42  include intermediate longitudinal members  44  and bottom longitudinal members  46 . The intermediate and bottom members  44  and  46  capture the lateral stabilizing wings  26  of the water sled  12  when the water sled is inflated with the steel frame  34  therearound.  
         [0024]    While it is known that the water sled  12  may be deflated and folded or rolled up for transportation, the steel frame  34  has frame joints  50  shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The joints  50  are positioned intermediately in the top longitudinal beams  40 , intermediate longitudinal members  44  and bottom longitudinal members  46 . The frame joints  50  each have an elongate sleeve  52  with an aperture  54  therein. The sleeve  52  captures the opposing frame end  56  sufficiently to assure rigidity of the overall frame, while a spring-loaded securing button  60  locks into aperture  54  of sleeve  52 . Thus, steel frame structure  34  comprised of tubes, may be broken in half for easy transportation or storage.  
         [0025]    The cargo mat  64  of the water device  10  may best be viewed in FIGS. 1, 3,  5  and  6 . The cargo mat  64  has peripheral grommets  66  and two opposing longitudinal sleeves  68  which capture the top longitudinal beams  40  clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and  6 . Cargo flaps  70  extend laterally from the cargo mat  64  and suitably support gripping handles  72  as well as the previously disclosed grommet  66 . Inwardly and adjacent to the steel frame  34  on top of the cargo mat  64  is a rectangular hook and loop strip as will be appreciated later.  
         [0026]    The cargo flaps  70  may be lifted upwardly onto the mat  64  to further enclose cargo and to permit the cargo net or rope  76  to be interwoven with grommet  66 , as clearly depicted in FIG. 6.  
         [0027]    The padded mat  78  permits the device  10  to be used as a sun deck, swim platform or trampoline. The underside of padded mat  78  has cooperating rectangular hook and loop strips  80  to match with the rectangular hook and loop strip  74  on the cargo mat  64  to secure the padded mat  78  to the cargo mat  64 . The padded mat  78  has extending frame pads  82  peripherally located therearound to cover all of the steel frame  34 . Handles  84  and ladder  86  may also be secured to the padded mat  78 , as is conventionally known.  
         [0028]    In use, the water device  10  may be used simply as a water sled  12  upon which people may sit and hold onto the handles shown in FIG. 2 (unnumbered) in phantom outline. Alternatively, the water sled  12  may be somewhat or completely deflated and the steel frame  34  placed thereover. Upon inflation of the sled  12 , the lateral stabilizing wings  26  pass through and in between intermediate and bottom longitudinal members  44  and  46  to capture the water sled  12  underneath the frame  34 . The depending intermediate two buoyancy supports  38  further secured by strut  39  rest upon intermediate buoyancy tube  22  to give the water device further support from below and when the device  10  is used as a trampoline.  
         [0029]    As may be appreciated, cargo may be loaded on top of the water device  10  and secured, as shown in FIG. 6, to be towed by a self-propelled watercraft. The padded mat  78  may be laid upon the cargo mat  64  and held securely by the hook and loop strips  74  and  80  with the extending frame pads  82  extending over the steel frame  34 . Padded mat  78  may also be secured to frame  34 . In this condition, the water device  10  may be used as a sun deck, swim platform or trampoline by young children. Handles  84  and ladder  86  may be attached to padded mat  78  to make the water device  10  more user friendly.