Abstract:
The auto-fastening skeg system comprises a skeg receiver and a skeg. The skeg has a male component that cooperates with a cavity of the skeg receiver. The cavity has front and rear ends, a spring disposed at said front end and at least one dowel disposed between the front and rear ends. The male component includes a front tip and at least one locking wedge, said locking wedge corresponds in number to the number of dowels. When the male component is set in the cavity and the locking wedge is aligned with the dowel of the receiver, the spring pushes the front tip of the male component against the rear wall of the cavity of the receiver and the locking wedge against the dowel providing a locking mechanism that holds the skeg to the receiver.

Description:
PRIORITY AND RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/198,973, filed Nov. 12, 2008, entitled “AUTO-FASTENING REMOVABLE MODULAR CONTROL SURFACE FOR WATERCRAFT,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to removable fins or skegs for use with water sports devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Most water craft devices include one or more fins for stability and control. The devices themselves are frequently of a foam core with laminate such as fiberglass with a laminating resin covering and sealing the core. Typically the fiberglass or wooden fins have been added to the device after it has been laminated. The fins are typically glued right to the surface of the device and then reinforcing fiberglass patches are laminated to the device and the sides of the fins for strength. Fiberglass roving is also positioned to either side of the fin to increase the radius of the fillets for added strength. More recently, fin mounting systems have been positioned into the foam core and bonded to the device. 
     Fin mounting systems (mounting boxes) that allow the removal of fins have been a common feature of devices such as surfboards for a number of years. This feature provides several benefits, for example, broken fins can be easily replaced, fins of different designs can be used interchangeably on the same board, and fins can be easily removed for storage or transportation to save space and reduce the risk of breakage. Existing designs require some form of tool to install or remove fins, which is a significant drawback. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The auto-fastening skeg system comprises a skeg receiver and a skeg. The skeg has a male component that is removably attachable to a cavity of the skeg receiver. The cavity has front and rear ends, a spring disposed at said front end and at least one dowel disposed between the front and rear ends. The male component includes a front tip and at least one locking wedge, said locking wedge corresponds in number to the number of dowels. When the male component is set in the cavity and the locking wedge is aligned with the dowel of the receiver, the spring pushes the front tip of the male component against the rear wall of the cavity of the receiver and the locking wedge against the dowel providing a locking mechanism that holds the skeg to the receiver. The dowel slides into an opening of the locking wedge and is secured in placed by a slope disposed by the opening of the locking wedge. The skeg may be disengaged from the receiver by pushing the skeg against the force of the spring and uncoupling the dowel from the opening of the locking wedge allowing the dowel to slide past the slope and out of the opening of the locking wedge and pulling the skeg out of the cavity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the removable fin system of the present invention disposed on a watercraft device. 
         FIG. 2A  is an side elevational view of a receiver of the system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a view of the receiver of  FIG. 2A  taken along lines  2 B- 2 B. 
         FIG. 3  is a view a fin of the system of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4A-4D  shows the insertion of the fin into the receiver. 
         FIG. 5  shows an alternative locking embodiment of the system of the present invention wherein a skeg is exploded from a receiver. 
         FIG. 6  shows another alternative locking embodiment of the system of the present invention wherein a skeg is exploded from a receiver. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings where similar parts are identified by like reference numerals,  FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of an auto-fastening removable fin system  100  of the present invention disposed on a watercraft device  10 . The watercraft device  10  may be a ocean wave surfing apparatus, surfboard or similar device. The system comprises a receiver  102  and skeg or fin  120 . The skeg  120  is designed to enhance stability and control of the watercraft  10 . In the system  100  of the present invention, the skeg  120  is detachable from the receiver  102  for convenience of travel, easy replacement in case of breakage, and modular capabilities. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B, the receiver  102  has a shoulder surface or lip  104 , which is intended to sit below the top surface of the watercraft  10 . The receiver  102  is permanently and rigidly retained in an opening on the watercraft  10  with a resin and woven fabric composite. Composite material covers the lip  104  to better retain the receiver  102  and prevent dislodging the receive  102  from the watercraft  10 . 
     The receiver  102  forms a female housing including an elongated cavity  106  with a front end and a rear wall  114 . An overhang portion  110  is disposed at the front end of the cavity  106  with a stainless steel preloaded compression spring  108  being retained inside the overhang  110  for example, by a small tab  109 . In one embodiment, a first dowel  116  is disposed near the overhang  110  and a second dowel  118  disposed near the rear wall  114 . The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4D  has two stainless steel dowels  116 ,  118 , however more or less dowels may be employed as will be discussed below. 
       FIG. 3  shows the skeg  120  of the system  100  having a control surface  121  and a male component disposed at the bottom surface of the skeg  120 . The male component is intended to cooperate with the female housing of the receiver  102 . The male component includes a front tip  122 , a first locking wedge  124 , a second locking wedge  128  and a rear edge  132 . Each locking wedge  124 ,  128  has a sloped area  126  and an opening  130  dimensioned and configured to receive the dowel  116 ,  118 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A-4D , the system  100  of the present invention is shown where the skeg  120  connects with the receiver  102 . Referring to  FIG. 4A  the front tip  122  of the skeg  120  is inserted into the cavity  106  of the receiver  102  at a downward angle directed toward the spring  108 . The front tip  122  of the skeg  120  will begin to compress the spring  108  until the sloped area  126  of the locking wedges  124 ,  128  are ahead of the dowels  116 ,  118 , respectively. See  FIG. 4B . Once the opening  130  of the locking wedges  124 ,  128  are aligned with the dowels  116 ,  118 , the skeg  120  can be rotated or pivoted downward until the skeg  120  is sitting within the cavity  106  of the receiver  102  and the dowels  116 ,  118  are slide into the opening  130  of the locking wedge  124 ,  128 , see  FIG. 4C . The compression loaded spring  108  then pushes the skeg  120  back toward the rear wall  114  thereby allowing the locking wedges  124 ,  128  to engage the dowels  116 ,  118 , see  FIG. 4D . Specifically, the dowels  116 ,  118  slide into the opening  130  and are held in position by the sloped area  126  which, in this engaged position, is aligned with the dowels  116 ,  118  to hold the skeg  120  within the receiver  102 . The compression force created by the spring  108  thereby holds the skeg  120  in place by pushing the skeg  120  to the rear wall of the cavity  106  and also pushing the locking wedges  124 ,  128  to engage the dowels  116 ,  118 . The elongated shape of the receiver  102  prevents rotation of the skeg  120  therefore increasing rigidity. 
     When installed, both the slope  126  and the spring  108  work concurrently to keep the skeg  120  in place. The small slope  126  on the locking wedges  124 ,  128  provide a downward force to aid in locking the skeg  120  to the receiver  102 . The slope  126  prevents the skeg  120  from being dislodged by a vertical force or pulling action and thus retains the skeg regardless of vertical force. See  FIG. 4D . The pre-loaded spring  108  provides a consistent horizontal holding force or lateral force to prevent disengagement of the skeg  120  from the receiver  102  while in normal use. See  FIG. 4D . 
     The skeg  120  is easily removed by reversing the installation steps. For instance, the skeg  120  is pushed toward the front end of the receiver  102  thereby compressing the spring  108 , the locking wedges  124 ,  128  are then uncoupled from the dowel  116 ,  118  allowing the dowels  116 ,  118  to exit the opening  130  of the wedges  124 ,  128  and thus permitting the user to lift the skeg  120  up and out of the cavity  106  of the receiver  102 . 
     When the receiver  102  is not in use and the skeg  120  is not attached, the spring  108  is retained inside the receiver  102  by the tab  109  that is engaged to a coil on the spring  108 . The dowels  116 ,  118  and spring  108  are used in conjunction with each other to create the locking action or a locking means of the system  100 . These components provide the ability to rigidly attach the skeg  120  to the receiver  102  without using any tools, such as screwdrivers or wrenches, and fixings such as screws or bolts. The system  100  of the present invention creates an easily removable and attachable skeg  120 . For instance the skeg  120  may be removed for storage, travel, and modular design to be interchanged with skegs  120  for different applications or water conditions. The system  100  provides convenience and flexibility to the user by allowing skegs  120  to be interchangeably used with the one receiver  102  design. 
     The receiver  102  may be made of tough, durable material such as chemically inert plastic or similar material for ease of manufacturing and long life cycle. Different grades can be used to achieve different levels of performance due to differences in stiffness of the grade. All materials are intended to be corrosion resistant and durable to ensure a long life cycle. This invention can be made easily via the injection molding techniques. The receiver  102  may be of any size and can be scaled for use with other applications. A preferred size for surfing application is 6.5″×1.5″×0.75″ and the skeg  120  would be dimensioned appropriately thereto. 
       FIGS. 1-4D  show a preferred embodiment with two dowel and two locking wedges. Other embodiments may also employed with modifications being made to the male component of the skeg  120  and/or female housing of the receiver  102  while keeping the installation of the skeg with the receiver the same. For instance, in an embodiment the male component of the skeg  220  may be modified wherein one of the two locking wedges  224 ,  228  has a different shape than the locking wedges  124 ,  128  of skeg  120  as shown in alternative skeg embodiment  220  of  FIG. 5 . Here the male component of the skeg  220  includes a first locking wedge  224  similar to locking wedge  124  of the preferred embodiment. The second locking wedge  228  has a sloped area  226 , an opening  230  and is open-backed. The skeg  220  would be able to cooperate with the receiver  102  of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4D . Alternatively, the cavity  106  of the receiver  102  could be modified to have two independent cavities (not shown) to cooperate with independent first and second locking wedges  224 ,  228  of the skeg  220 . The present invention should not be limited to the number of locking wedges as more than two locking wedges and thus cavities for each locking wedge could be employed in the present invention. 
     In another embodiment, both the male component of the skeg and the female housing of the receiver can be modified.  FIG. 6 , shows another alternative skeg embodiment  320 . Here the male component of the skeg  320  includes a first locking wedge  324  similar to locking wedge  124  of the preferred embodiment. The second locking wedge  328  has a sloped area  326 , an opening  330  which is open-backed. The receiver  320  would have to be modified to work with the skeg  320  wherein the rear wall  314  would have a projection  318  that would be dimensioned and configured to receive the opening  330  of the second locking wedge  328 . In this embodiment, the dowel  316  and projection  318  along with the spring  108  are used in conjunction with each other to create the locking action or a locking means. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of specific embodiments it is not so limited and is intended to cover various modifications as would be apparent to those skilled in this art area. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications.