Abstract:
Disclosed is a slide piece for a stowable bimini frame associable with a tower structure of a watercraft, the slide piece including a slide piece body portion, at least one frame association structure extending from the body portion, the at least one frame association structure being configured to slidingly associate the bimini frame with the slide piece body portion, and an affixing surface of the slide piece body portion, the affixing surface being positioned and configured for associating the slide piece body portion with the tower structure of the watercraft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/750,343, filed on Jun. 25, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/611,696, filed on Sep. 12, 2012, which is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/533,574 filed on Ser. 12, 2011 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/665,701 filed on Jun. 28, 2012, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosure relates generally to a bimini top, and more particularly to a stowable bimini top. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Stowing a bimini top for a tower structure that is associable with a watercraft can be difficult and inefficient from a standpoint of both a time and storage space. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a bimini top that can be easily and efficiently stowed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Disclosed is a slide piece for a stowable bimini frame associable with a tower structure of a watercraft, the slide piece including a slide piece body portion, at least one frame association structure extending from the body portion, the at least one frame association structure being configured to slidingly associate the bimini frame with the slide piece body portion, and an affixing surface of the slide piece body portion, the affixing surface being positioned and configured for associating the slide piece body portion with the tower structure of the watercraft. 
         [0005]    Also disclosed is a stowable bimini frame associable with a tower structure of a watercraft, the bimini frame including a first frame portion, a second frame portion, a hinge associating the first portion and the second portion, the second portion being foldable in a direction of the first portion via rotation about the hinge, a slide piece in sliding association with the first frame portion via at least one frame association structure extending from the slide piece, and an affixing surface of the slide piece, the affixing surface being positioned and configured for associating the slide piece with the tower structure of the watercraft. 
         [0006]    Further disclosed is a bimini top system for a watercraft, the system including a tower structure extending the watercraft, a stowable frame including a first frame portion and a second frame portion a hinge associating the first portion and the second portion, the second portion being foldable in a direction of the first portion via rotation about the hinge, and a slide piece affixed to the tower structure and in sliding association with the first frame portion via at least one frame association structure extending from the slide piece, wherein the sliding association allows the stowable frame to be configured between an openable position extended relatively away from the tower structure and a stowable position disposed in relative proximity to the tower structure via a sliding of the stowable frame relative to the slide piece and the tower structure to which the slide piece is affixed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of schematic bimini frame in an open position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic partial and exploded view of a hinge and slide area of the frame shown in  FIG. 1 , as well as a portion of a tower structure of a watercraft; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 3-9  are various partial and full perspective views of a bimini top shown in positions intermediate to the open position shown in  FIG. 1  and a stowed position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a bimini in a stowed position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged end view of the slide piece shown in  FIG. 1  as configured in a first, unlocked configuration; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged end view of the slide piece shown in  FIG. 1  as configured in a second, locked configuration 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a bimini frame  10  that may fold and slide in a manner that allows a bimini top to be stowed against a tower/arch type structures mounted on any desirable style of watercraft (such as but not limited to a sport, ski, wakeboard, fishing, or other watercraft). As is best shown in  FIG. 2 , the frame  10  includes a hinge  12 , slide piece  14 , and cam locking device  16 . These elements of the frame  10  allow the frame  10  to fold, slide, and lock in the manner alluded to above and discussed in greater detail below. Along with the frame  10 , these elements may be made of any desirable material, such as but not limited to various metals and hard plastics. The frame  10  and/or tower  20  are also typically equipped with a cover portion  17  (such as but not limited to canvas, plastic, etc.) stretching around and across the bars of the frame  10  and secured via affixing mechanisms such as but not limited to Velcro, snaps, and ties. 
         [0014]    As shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the slide piece  14  includes a slide piece body portion  15 , which may be affixed to a handle  18  of a boat tower structure  20  at affixing surface  19  via any association means such as but not limited to mechanical fasteners  21 . In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the body portion  15  is not directly affixed to the handle portion  18 , as spacer  23  is disposed between the affixable surfaces of the handle  18  and the slide piece  14  to create clearance therebetween. Of course, embodiments wherein the surface  19  is directly affixed to the handle  18  and embodiments wherein some or all of the handle  18 , slide piece  14 , and/or spacer  23  elements are of unitary construction with each other are also contemplated. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the frame  10  includes a relatively front portion  22  and a relatively rear portion  30 . The front portion  22  of the frame  10  is associated with the slide piece  14  via frame association structures or slide parts  24 . These slide parts  24  may be affixed to the body  15  of the slide piece  14  via any association means such as but not limited to mechanical fasteners, welding, and unitary construction. In use, slide part portion of the piece  14  may be covered with a protective cover of similar material to the piece  14 . When in the open position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the cams  16  are locked so as to prevent the front portion  22  (and frame  10  in general) from sliding relative to the slide piece  14  and the tower structure  20  to which the slide piece  14  is affixed. The front portion  22  and back portion  30  of the frame may also be locked in this open position at the hinge  12 . 
         [0016]    As is best shown in  FIG. 4 , which illustrates an upper portion of a bimini top system  8  (including the frame  10  and a portion of the tower structure  20  mounted on a. watercraft), the back portion  30  of the frame  10  may be moved towards a folded (and eventually stowed) position by folding the frame  10  at hinge  12 . This is achieved by disengaging rear legs  32  from the tower structure  20  and folding the back portion  30  of the frame  10  (which is fully locked against sliding in a forward position by the cams  16 ) upwards and onto the front portion  22 . As is best shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , the front and back portions of the frame  10  may then be clipped together via clips  34 , and the back legs  32  may be stored under Velcro flaps. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8-10 , the fully folded frame  10  (which remains locked against sliding via cams  16  in  FIG. 8  is positioned for sliding into the stowed position. This stowed position is shown in  FIG. 10 , wherein the folded front and back portions of the frame  10  are slid backwards from the folded position of  FIG. 9  to the stowed position. This sliding occurs by first unlocking the cams  16 , and then sliding the front portion  22  of the frame  20  backwards through the slide parts  24 . As the slide parts  24  are in a fixed position relative to the tower structure  20  (via the affixing of the slide piece  14  to the tower  20 ), the sliding of the front portion  22  moves the frame  10  backward relative to the tower structure  20 , and into the folded, slid, and stowed position shown in  FIG. 10 . The cams  16  are then again locked to prevent the frame  10  from sliding out of the stowed position. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , an exemplary embodiment of the slide piece  14  and cam  16  is shown. In  FIG. 11  the slide piece  14  and cam  16  are shown in an unlocked configuration. When in this unlocked configuration, a clearance is present between the front portion  22  of the frame and the innermost walls of the slide piece  14 . In an exemplary embodiment, this clearance is at least ⅜ of an inch on either lateral side of the frame bar. 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 12  the slide piece  14  and cam  16  are shown in a locked configuration. When in this locked configuration, the cam  16  is positioned in a manner that biases the frame bar towards and into contact with one of the walls (the wall away from slide piece connection with the handle  18  in the embodiment of  FIG. 12 ), causing the bar to traverse and close the clearance that is present on one side of the bar when in the open position of  FIG. 11 . The bias caused by the above discussed locking (or any other desirable locking mechanism) is designed to hold the frame  10  in position while traveling at any acceptable speeds of highway or water transportation. 
         [0020]    While the front and back portions of the frame  10  are shown to be “U” shaped in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , it should be appreciated that the frame may include any shape conducive to use with any known tower configuration. In addition, though the sliding of the frame  10  is shown to occur through the slide parts  24  in the exemplary embodiments of  FIGS. 2-10 , it should be appreciated that this sliding may occur via any known mechanical mechanism, such as but not limited to telescoping portions and additional hinges. 
         [0021]    It should be noted that though portions  20 ,  30  of the frame  10  are referred to as “front” and “back” respectively, these qualifiers are merely provided for descriptive purposes. In fact, the portions may be positioned in any desirable orientation relative to a front or back of a watercraft on which the frame is mounted. 
         [0022]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0023]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0024]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.