Abstract:
A stand up paddle surfboard (SUPS) and associated paddle is provided. The SUPS may have up to two containers affixed generally towards the bow. A first container is designed to retain refuse and a second container is designed to retain game ball(s). The paddle includes a removable handle on a first side of a shaft and a paddle with a securable net and hook on the second side of the shaft. The securable net and hook may be employed to remove refuse found in the water and place such in the first container. The removable handle may be replaced with a game net permitting a host of ball toss games and the like to be played, using the second container to retain such balls. The SUPS and associated paddle may be modified for watersports as well as environmental cleanup activities.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/560,346 filed on Nov. 16, 2011 and entitled Standup Paddleboard Sweeper. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     According to Wikipedia on the world wide web, stand up paddle surfing (SUP), is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and has recently reemerged as a popular sport in its own. 
     One reason for the rise in popularity of stand up paddle boarding is that, unlike surfing, paddle boarding is very easy to learn. It is not unreasonable that within one hour a person can become very comfortable in the water and on your board. 
     A stand up paddle is a type of paddle used in stand up paddle surfing. The stand up paddle is used to propel an individual across the surface of the water while standing on a surf board stand up paddle board. The paddle consists of a blade, a shaft and a handle. 
     Paddles used for stand up surfing are usually constructed from carbon, fiberglass or wood with flat blade on one end connecting to a handle on the other end by a long smooth shaft. The blade ranges from 6 to 10 inches in width with an oval or round shaft ranging from 67 to 86 inches in length with a 1 to 1.5 inch diameter. Blades are designed with several shapes and features. Normally the blade has a pizza stone shape sometimes having a slight keel on the back side of the blade. Other commonly used shapes include diamonds, or oar like blades, and other geometrical configurations. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a standup paddle with a variety of attachments thereto, a first set of attachments to assist in removing refuse from the water such as a net or sweeper to pick up trash in the water or nearby while stand up paddle boarding. The first set of attachments are proximal the paddle blade which is used for propulsion of the paddle board. The SUP sweeper allows a person to pick up trash from or in the water while on the board without having to bend their torso, allowing the user to keep from capsizing. When a person is paddle boarding and they see trash, using the present invention allows the person to pick up the trash easily without bending. The standup paddle of the present invention incorporates a net attached to the back of the paddle blade. The net preferably is no larger than the blade. The net is attached to the paddle shaft just above the blade. The net can be locked to the blade along the length of the shaft at different angles to the blade. In addition, a hook can be attached to the net or shaft for additional flexibility in picking up objects and removing them from the water. A first container, such as a laundry style basket or the like can be attached to the top side of the paddle board with suction cups or other attachment means. This basket or container is designed to receive refuse therein, after the refuse has been netted or hooked by the user of the stand up board paddle. 
     An alternate embodiment permits the handle of the stand up board paddle to be removed and be replaced by a game net. The game net functions in such a fashion to permit two or more people using stand up boards with the instant novel paddles of the invention to conduct any of a variety of ball oriented toss games while stand up boarding. In one version of the game the objective of the game is to pass, toss or shoot the ball with another person also on a paddle board, using the paddle stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball. 
     Particular rules of play may be implemented using ancillary devices such as floating goal posts, floating boundaries which have a plurality of floating elements connected by rope or the like. Teams may be chosen and scoring points may be a particular aim for such a sporting event. Since stand up boarding is generally performed on an open body of water it has been contemplated that such a game would be played on a lake, ocean or other natural body of water of sufficient size. Swimming pools, especially the larger ones, would certainly have sufficient room to play one of the many variants of the game. 
     It has been considered that the game version of the stand up board may include a second container placed atop the board to retain a game ball or the like therein. This second container could also be placed atop the board by suction cups or other attachment means. The second container may posses an inclined surface located inside the second container. The inclined surface would incline away from the user so that the ball while residing within the interior of the second container will roll forward within the container permitting it to be easily scooped out by the game net on the stand up board paddle. 
     It has also been considered that a single container may be employed which could perform both functions, the storage of refuse until it can be properly disposed of, as well as to store a game ball therein. 
     Stand up water boards with paddles including the accoutrements discussed herein, along with other devices which may be adapted to such a paddle would permit a great deal of water game variants to be played. It has further been contemplated that such paddles may be employed on a beach without the stand up board in order to play sporting events on the beach as well as allow the beach to be cleaned by employing the hook or trash net to grab and dispose of refuse. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a person on a stand up paddle board holding a first embodiment of the stand up paddle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a first side view of the first embodiment of the stand up paddle with a net and a hook of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a second side view of the first embodiment of the stand up paddle oriented to show the net, the hook and a face of the paddle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a sectional view along lines A-A taken from  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a partial first side view of the first embodiment of the stand up paddle with a net, hook, and paddle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a partial second side view of the first embodiment of the stand up paddle with a different angular orientation to show the net, hook and a face of the paddle of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows a first side view of the second embodiment of the present invention including a ball catching device located on the opposite end of the paddle and the other devices associated therewith. 
         FIG. 8  shows a second side view of the second embodiment of the present invention including a view of the pouch of the ball catching device located in the opposite end of the paddle and the other devices associated therewith. 
         FIG. 9  shows a partial side view of the second embodiment of the ball catching device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows a partial side view from another orientation of the second embodiment of the ball catching device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  shows a close up view coupled with partial cutaway view, showing a mechanical fastener which by rotation would permit one to remove the handle of the stand up paddle and permit it to be replaced by the game net, and conversely to permit the game net to be removed and be replaced by the handle of the stand up paddle. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the second container which would be mounted on the stand up board and would carry the ball used in the water game. 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the second container which would be mounted on the stand up board and would carry the ball used in the water game. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of the second container which would be mounted on the stand up board and would carry the ball used in the water game. 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom view of the second container which would be mounted on the stand up board. 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of the second container which would be mounted on the stand up board and would carry the ball used in the water game. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a person  10  or surfer is standing on a stand up paddle board  11 , holding a stand up paddle  12 . The board  11  is in the water  13 , generally floating or gliding on the water surface  13 . On paddle board  11  is a first container  14  attached to the board  11 . 
     First container  14  can be of any construction to hold trash or other items and is removably attached to the topside of board  11  with suction cups (not shown) or any other attachment means. 
     The stand up paddle  12  includes a blade  17 , a net  18 , a hook  110  and means to attach them to shaft  16  (which will be discussed in  FIGS. 4-6 ). The user  10  of the board  11  may capture debris, trash or the like with the net  18  or hook  110  an deposit it into the first container  14  to be disposed of properly. This has an advantage of cleaning eyesore trash from waterways and the like which has a positive environmental impact. 
     A second container  100  is provided in front of the first container  14 . The second container  100  will be discussed more thoroughly in  FIGS. 12-16 . The second container  100  is designed to hold a ball(s) which would be employed in a water sports game utilizing the stand up paddle  12  with a game net  120  disposed on the stand up paddle  12 , the game net  120  is best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The second container  100  has a specific construction which permits it to be employed in the game play and may be attached to the topside of the board  11  with suction cups (not shown) or any other attachment means. 
     Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 2 and 3  the stand up paddle  12  is shown in it&#39;s cleaning and it&#39;s propulsion configuration for use with the stand up paddle board  11  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The stand up paddle is shown in two side positions rotationally offset from each other in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  respectively in order to help visualize the components thereon. 
     Stand up paddle  12  includes a handle section  15 , a shaft portion  16  and a blade  17 . Handle section  15  is removable from the shaft portion  16  at approximately position  15 A. By removing handle section  15 , the game net  120  may be then inserted, converting the paddle  12  from it&#39;s cleaning and propulsion configuration into it&#39;s game play configuration.  FIG. 11  shows a structural device which would permit the easy exchange of the handle section  15  with the game net  120 . 
     Removably attached to the shaft  16  where it joins blade  17  is a net  18 . The net  18  includes a net rim  19  which defines the net&#39;s  18  perimeter. The net  18  includes a web  20 , which is comprised of matrix of interlocking fabric, which would permit the user to pick up refuse while stand up paddle searching. Web  20  may be made of any suitable material such as nylon or cotton. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , net  20  is large enough to have a portion suspended below net rim  19 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2  is shown. Rim  19  is attached to shaft  16  and held in position by a joint  21  which is attached to shaft  16 . Rim  19  is rigidly attached to an elongated cup  22  at joint  21 , which sandwiches rim  19  between cup  22  and shaft  16  which is held in place by an elastic cord  23 . One end of cord  23  is attached to cup  22  at opening  24  (best seen in  FIG. 6 ). The other end of cord  23  is attached to a small handle or ball  25  which is used to wrap cord  23  around cup  22  and shaft  16  and then ball  25  is secured to a pin  26  and held in place on cup  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , net rim  19  is loop shaped and conforms on a first side  19   a  to blade  17 , thus where the profile of blade  17  has a bend  27 , first side  19   a  has a corresponding bend  28 . The loop shape of rim  19  includes top portion  19   b , second side  19   c  and bottom portion  19   d . Side  19   a  and bottom  19   d  meet and form an elongated neck  19   e . The bottom portion of neck  19   e  is the portion that is gripped between cup  22  and shaft  16 . The hook  110  can be rigidly attached to shaft  16  at joint  21  or be attached to neck  19   e . Alternatively, the hook  110  can be attached to rim  19  by welding or other fastening techniques. It has been considered that the hook  110  may be an optional component on some embodiments of the invention. The hook  110  is essentially an extension of rim  19  extending parallel to the blade  17 . The hook  110  can be easily seen extending from the top portion of the rim  19   b  in  FIG. 5 . Whether the hook  110  is optional, welded or fastened on near the top portion of the rim  19   b  or an integral part of the rim  19  which is attached at joint  21  about the elongated neck  19   e  may be determined by the primary use of the invention. If the user has a greater affinity for group water sports, the hook  110  may be a superfluous element. However, it the user wishes to organize water clean up efforts and the like, the hook  110  with the paddle provides a vital role. In use, a surfer  10  may be surfing in water  13  and see a piece of garbage or other object to be retrieved. Using the present invention, the paddle  12  can be used to retrieve the object and place it into container  14 . This would typically be performed by the surfer  10  scooping up the object into the net  18  by getting the object into the web  20  or by hooking the object with hook  110 . Once the object is secured by the net  18  it is lifted out of the water and placed into the container  14 . 
     An alternate embodiment of the stand up paddle  12 ′ is shown in  FIGS. 7 to 10 . In  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the stand up paddle  12 ′, shaft  16 ′, the securing ball  25 ′ which is affixed to elastic cord  23 ′, net  18 ′, web  20 ′, rim  19 ′ hook  110 ′ and paddle blade  17 ′ are identical to those shown in earlier Figures. In this embodiment the handle section  15  is removed from the shaft  16 ′. Shaft  16 ′ has been tapped and the handle section  15  is threaded at an appropriate tolerance to allow it to be removed by simple rotation. Once the handle section  15  has been removed, the game net  120 , which is also threaded to the correct tolerance, is rotated snugly on the end of the shaft  16 ′ where the handle section  15  previously was. Once handle section  15  has been replaced by game net  120 , the stand up paddle  12 ′ will be in the play and propulsion configuration. Game net  120  has a frame  121  to support a net  122  to catch a game ball  108  that would have a diameter less than the width of frame  120 . When the stand up paddle  12 ′ is in the play and propulsion configuration, both the trash container  14  and the ball carrying container (second container)  100  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be present. However, it has been considered that the trash container  14  may be removed while in the play configuration to allow the player  10  to have move maneuverability on the top of the stand up paddle board  11  shown in  FIG. 1 , allowing greater freedom to make and catch ball tosses. 
       FIG. 11  shows a close up view coupled with partial cutaway view, showing a mechanical fastener which by rotation would permit one to remove the handle  15  of the stand up paddle and permit it to be replaced by the game net  120 , and conversely to permit the game net  120  to be removed and be replaced by the handle  15  of the stand up paddle. 
     The shaft  16  of stand up paddle  12  has an end portion to which threading  125  has been applied. Additionally handle element  15  and game net  120  have both been tapped to permit the threading  125  to allow both the removal of handle element  15  when desired, as well as the insertion of the game net  120  and visa versa. This happens on the stand up paddle  12  at approximately point designated by  15 A or  15 A′. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12-16 , various orientations of the second container  100  are shown. The second container  100  is designed to retain a ball or balls for the game aspect of the invention. This is when the handle  15  of the stand up paddle  12  has been replaced by the game net  120  to permit a ball to be tossed back at for the between users as well as other game modalities. 
     In  FIGS. 12-16 , the second container  100  is shown from a variety of perspectives which normally would be attached to board  11  as shown in  FIG. 1 . It has an angled interior surface, that is, it slopes downward from element  102  to  104 , where  104  is toward the front end of the board  11 . This has the effect of having a ball  108  to seek the lower level near element  104 . 
     This gives the user  10  the advantage of using the game net  120  to easily scoop the ball  108  from the second container  100 . A plurality of apertures  107  are shown also on the lower level proximal element  104 . Although 5 apertures  107  are shown in the Figures, the number of apertures  107  is in no way limiting. Depending on specific usage parameters the location and number of apertures  107  may be chosen to be anywhere within a range of 0 to 60. These apertures  107  permit water to flow out of the second container  100 , also allowing easier access to the ball  108  therein. Sidewalls  109  surround the interior portion of the second container  100 . Several apertures  106  are provided on the floor element  105  which is generally perpendicular to the sidewalls  109 . The apertures  106  permit the second container  100  to be mounted to stand up paddle board  11  by mechanical fasteners. Other means to mount the second container to the stand up paddle board have been considered, including, but not limited to, suction cups, adhesives, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, other mechanical fasteners, duct tape and other fastening means. 
     While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.