Abstract:
An accessory bracket is provided for mounting an accessory in a desired position. A mirror other instrument may be mounted close to the field of vision of a pilot of a boat, for instance. The bracket may be mounted to a tower or other structure with a mount forming a clamp so that the bracket and an attached accessory are above the lines of sight of the pilot, thereby avoiding obstructing the pilot&#39;s view of the environment of the boat. The bracket includes an arm extending from the mount and a post extending from the arm. The mount is adjustable relative to the structure, and the bracket is accordingly adjustable. The accessory is mounted to the post and is adjustable relative to the post such that the accessory may rotate around the post and may pivot relative to the post, or vice versa. The arm may be raised and lowered. These adjustment characteristics an accessory to be mounted in a desired position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/441,523, filed May 20, 2003, entitled “Accessory Device,” the specification of which is entirely incorporated herein and which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/402,401, filed Aug. 9, 2002, entitled “Tower Mounted Mirror Bracket,” is related to U.S. Design patent application No. 29/182,104, filed May 20, 2003, entitled “Bracket,” and is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/764,895, filed Jan. 26, 2004, entitled “Accessory Device.” 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to an accessory bracket and, in particular, to a bracket for an accessory such as a mirror for a pleasure craft boat.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Currently, pleasure craft boats such as speedboats, cruising vessels, and yachts are often used for watersports such as water skiing and wakeboarding. Typically, these watersports involve the boat traveling at a relatively high velocity. As is known, a boat is unable to simply apply brakes and stop. Instead, a boat must cut or reverse its throttle to reduce its linear forward velocity. In addition, a boat&#39;s ability to turn involves adjusting the direction of a rudder that creates a turning resistance against the water or involves adjusting the direction of the screws on the engine itself relative to the line of travel of the boat. In turning the boat, the turning radius of the boat is dependent upon the boat&#39;s speed. This is so because the adjusting of the rudder or direction of the engine screws turns the boat physically but does not directly change its path. The path is only altered by altering the momentum of the boat which is overcome by the resistance of the water against the keel or other hull shape of the boat.  
           [0004]    During watersports such as water skiing or wakeboarding, a person on a ski or wakeboard, for instance, grips and holds a rope tethered to the boat. The speed of the boat allows the person holding onto the rope to be pulled along behind the boat while using the ski or wakeboard to ride generally atop the water&#39;s surface. The wakeboarder or skier is often not directly behind the boat, as the person will attempt to ride across the wake of the boat or over ramps and the like, as well as being to a side of the boat as the boat turns. During this activity, the boat pilot or another on-board person must watch the skiing or wakeboarding person whose only method for stopping is signaling the pilot or releasing the grip on the rope. If the person falls or otherwise releases the rope, the boat must return to the person for retrieval. Oftentimes, the only signs of the fallen person&#39;s presence in the water are the person&#39;s life vest and ski or wakeboard, for instance.  
           [0005]    A boat pilot must be keenly aware of all surroundings and instruments. Because a boat operated at a high speed has attendant issues with its ability to stop and/or turn, the margin for error in reacting to another ship or craft, such as a much faster jet ski that may cross the boat&#39;s path, is relatively small. In addition, the pilot must be aware of a person, such as a skier or wakeboarder, who is being pulled by boat in order to recognize the person has fallen, quickly locate the person, and provide protection to and retrieve the otherwise stranded person.  
           [0006]    Similarly, lights, radar or other navigation equipment, instrument displays, speakers, or other accessories may be mounted on a boat. In each of these instances, it is desirable that the accessory is mounted in particular position. Accordingly, there has been a need for an accessory bracket that mounts or holds accessories or instrumentation out of the forward and peripheral lines of sight of a boat pilot. There has been a need for a bracket for a rearview mirror which mounts out of these lines of sight while also providing a clear view of a person, such as a skier or wakeboarder, who is being pulled behind the boat. In addition, there has been a need for a bracket to mount navigation equipment so that a standing pilot can easily glance at the equipment without significant deviation from watching the boat&#39;s environment and path. Lights are desired to be mounted so that the light may be cast upon the interior of the boat, cast outboard toward the direction the boat is traveling, cast outboard and rearward to light up the path of a skier or wakeboarder, or the field in which a person may be fishing, or cast outboard in any direction to investigate the environment of the boat or other vehicle. In many instances, then, it is desirable to have an accessory bracket that can mount an accessory in a particular orientation, and preferably an accessory bracket that is adjustable mounted.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an accessory bracket is disclosed. Preferably, the bracket is used with a boat and mounted on a tower or other structure that extends above or to the side of a pilot so that the structure does not impede movement of the pilot or other occupants within the boat. The bracket, then, is mounted so that it does not impede the movement of a passenger in the boat while making the accessory available to the pilot. The bracket includes an adjustable mount for securing to the structure, and includes an arm and a post for adjustably securing an accessory thereto. The arm and the post may be separate, fixed components or may be formed integral. The mount may include a clamp member. As a typical structure is a tower formed of tubular members, the mount may form a cylindrical opening which secures around a portion of a tubular member of the tower.  
           [0008]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an accessory bracket is disclosed that may be utilized with a variety of accessories benefitting the enjoyment of a vehicle such as a boat. For instance, lights may be mounted in a particular orientation for casting light in a particular area, speakers may be directed towards people would desire to hear sounds produced by the speakers, and instrumentation or displays may be mounted to provide ease of use, adjustment, or viewing of the instruments. Preferably, the accessory is adjustably mounted by an adjustable mount between the accessory bracket and the boat, an adjustable mount between the accessory and the bracket, an adjustable mount as part of the accessory bracket, or a combination of these.  
           [0009]    In some preferred embodiments, the accessory bracket is adjustable by its mount to provide a variety of positions for locating the bracket on the boat structure. This allows the bracket to be adjusted according to the sight lines of a pilot so as not to obstruct these sight lines. In addition, the arm itself may have cooperating components, one component being secured at the mount and a second component moving relative to the secured component. The second component may have the post and accessory attached thereto. The two components of the arm may cooperate and move relative to each other with a hinge so that the second component may be raised or lowered depending on the pilot&#39;s sight lines.  
           [0010]    The accessory itself is attached to the post and/or second component of a hinged arm. The accessory may rotate around by its attachment to adjust the accessory to a desired position. The accessory may be attached by a clamp that further includes a pivot with the accessory so that the position of the accessory may be further adjusted.  
           [0011]    In one embodiment, the accessory may be a mirror assembly. The mirror assembly is then mounted above the view of the pilot so that the pilot can see in a direction rearward of the boat with an unobstructed view, and the mirror assembly is tilted downward so that a mirror attached thereto provides the pilot with the rearward view. The pivot of the clamp provides the ability to adjust the desired portion of the rearward view that is directed towards the pilot.  
           [0012]    In this manner, the accessory such as a mirror or other instrument may be adjusted to provide the pilot with a clear view of the accessory. The pilot&#39;s position in the boat may shift left to right, and the pilot may be standing or sitting. Accordingly, the accessory bracket provides the pilot with the ability to adjust, according to need, the direction and position of the accessory bracket. The position of the accessory, such as a rearview mirror, is maintained close to the field of vision of the pilot without obstructing the pilot&#39;s view of the environment, and the viewing of the accessory is simple and unobstructed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of an accessory bracket in a form of the present invention including an attached rearview mirror and being attached to a tower of a boat;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1A is partial side elevation view of the boat and tower of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a partially exploded front elevation view of a second embodiment of an accessory bracket in a form of the present invention including an attached rearview mirror;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a first position of a third embodiment of an accessory bracket in a form of the present invention including an attached mirror, a second position being depicted in phantom;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a partially exploded front elevation view of the accessory bracket of FIG. 3;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a joint of the embodiment of FIG. 3;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of an accessory bracket in a form of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the accessory bracket of FIG. 6;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a first portion of the accessory bracket of FIG. 6; and,  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a second portion of the accessory bracket of FIG. 6.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    Referring initially to FIG. 1, a representation of a boat B with an accessory bracket  10  of the present invention is depicted. The boat B is equipped with a tower T that may be equipped with various items such as satellite equipment, radar, or other antennae, as well as speakers or any other desired accessory. As depicted, the tower T includes a pair of lights L and a mount M. The mount M is used, as an example, for attaching a rope (not shown) by which a wakeboarder may be towed. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the tower T is a structure with a forward most point of front tubular members F mounted at approximately the middle of the boat B and angled toward the stern of the boat B as the front members rise from the boat B. The front members F meet rear tubular members R at a point above the stern of the boat where a crossbar C connects the members F, R. It should be noted that a tower, a superstructure, or other apparatus may be on a mount in a different configuration. In addition, the tower or other apparatus may be permanently fixed to the boat, collapsible, or removable. In any event, it is preferable that any accessory and the accessory bracket  10  are easily and quickly removable.  
         [0024]    A pilot P is standing at controls on the starboard side of the boat B. Ideally, the need of pilot P to look in a direction other than forward or peripherally across the surface of the water is minimized. When the pilot P reads the instruments on the boat or otherwise monitors the information necessary for operating the boat, only a slight movement of the pilot&#39;s eyes is preferable. As used herein, lines of sight or vision lines generally refer to a 360° environmental field view out-board from the boat B and includes from approximately horizontal to the surface of the water. Accordingly, the accessory bracket  10  may provide a position for an accessory that is used in piloting the boat so that, for instance, a standing pilot need not look to the dashboard or control panel of the boat to make a determination of speed, direction, fuel supply, or other indicators, and the bracket  10  preferably does so with minimal obscuring of the pilot&#39;s lines of sight.  
         [0025]    The accessory bracket  10  provides a mount for an accessory A above the plane of the standing pilot&#39;s sight. The bracket  10  is mounted to a front tubular member F of the tower T. As can be seen, the bracket  10  is mounted at a sufficient height so that the accessory is above the pilot&#39;s lines of sight. However, the portion of the front member F providing the sufficient height is not necessarily in front of the pilot&#39;s position at the controls. Accordingly, the bracket  10  is arcuate or curved so that a first, riser portion rises vertically and is directed somewhat towards the bow of the boat B, and a second part turns to form an extension in a direction lateral to the boat.  
         [0026]    The bracket  10  may hold an accessory A such as a mirror assembly  12  including a mirror  42 . In order to provide a large field of rear vision to the pilot P, the mirror  42  is large or oversized, or may be curved as is typical of rearview mirrors. For instance, the mirror may be larger than a foot (12 inches) across with a height of four or more inches. Therefore, the curved shaped, as well as a taper, of the bracket  10  enables the bracket  10  to support a large accessory A or mirror assembly  12  while simultaneously being configured to avoid unnecessary obstruction of a pilot&#39;s view.  
         [0027]    When the boat is operated under certain conditions, it is necessary to protect the pilot&#39;s vision and view. Accordingly, a windshield section S is in front of the pilot, and a second windshield section S is provided on the port side of the boat B for a navigator, co-pilot, or passengers. The pilot P is generally either in a standing position with vision lines above the top of the windshield S, as depicted, or in a sitting position with vision lines through the windshield S. However, the instruments and controls of the boat are typically arranged below the windshield S. Accordingly, in order to read these, the eyes of a standing pilot P must deviate from forward lines of sight much greater than do the eyes of a sitting pilot.  
         [0028]    Therefore, instruments or other devices for providing information to the pilot P during operation of the boat B may be provided as accessories A on the bracket  10 . For instance, a digital readout may be provided indicating the speed of the boat B, or a warning may flash indicating shallow water is being approached, or a number of other status or operational indications such as fuel remaining or oil pressure may be made by the accessory A on the bracket  10 .  
         [0029]    As discussed above, a rearview mirror assembly  12  may be mounted on the bracket  10 . In order to mount the mirror assembly  12  for viewing a wakeboarder being towed, for instance, the mirror must not be aligned with the pilot P and the wakeboarder. Otherwise, the pilot would only see their own image when trying to see the wakeboarder. As discussed above, the bracket  10  provides a mount for an accessory A such as the mirror assembly  12  allowing a clear view of a towed wakeboarder. The accessory A is adjustably secured above the sight lines of a standing pilot P while being viewable by the pilot P by looking in a direction only slightly above horizontal. As the wakeboarder or skier behind the boat moves laterally relative to the direction in which the boat is pointed, the pilot&#39;s view of the wakeboarder is not obscured by the body of the pilot or another occupant in the boat. It should be noted that the mirror assembly  12 , or any other accessory A, may be multi-functional. That is, for instance, the mirror assembly  12  may also include a display section for other instrumentation such as an indicator of the boat&#39;s speed.  
         [0030]    As is discussed above, the accessory bracket  10  may be used with many types of accessories other than mirrors. For instance, lights or speakers may be mounted on the accessory bracket so that they may be directed in a desired orientation. Instrumentation may also be secured with the bracket  10 . The accessory being attached to the bracket  10  often will determine the proper orientation of the accessory. In other words, a speaker may be secured so that it can broadcast to people outboard of the boat, while an instrument panel displaying underwater sonar information may be directed to a pilot or other occupant in the boat, and lights likely would need not be directed into the face of a pilot like a mirror would. Therefore, it is desirable that the bracket  10  is easily and quickly adjusted, that the bracket  10  is able to securely mount a potentially heavy object such as a television monitor or other electronic device, and that the accessory may quickly and easily be removed or changed.  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of the bracket  10  is depicted with an accessory A in the form of the mirror assembly  12 . The bracket  10  includes an arm section  16 , a post section  18  attached to one end of the arm section  16 , and a clamp section  20  attachable to the other end of the arm section  16 . The arm section  16  includes a hemispherical surface  22  at the end attachable to the clamp section  20 , and the clamp section  20  has a hemispherical surface  24  facing the hemispherical surface  22  of the arm section  16 . The hemispherical surfaces  22 ,  24  form a mount in the form of a cylindrical port  26  when the arm section  16  and clamp section  20  are attached. As noted earlier, the bracket  10  may be mounted to the tower T, itself typically a structure including tubular members. The geometry of the cylindrical port  26  is constructed so as to fit around a tubular member of the tower T, preferably with approximately {fraction (1/8)}″ clearance between the cylindrical port  26  and the tubular member of the tower T. A set screw (see FIGS. 6-8, set screw  100 ) may be inserted into a portion of the bracket  10  (for example, at point  28 ) such that the set screw drives into a member of the tower T to secure the bracket  10  thereto. As depicted, the clamp section  20  is attached to the arm section  16  with bolts or screws  30 , though any other fastener or structure for connecting these may be employed. For instance, a quick-release clamp (not shown) may be used so that the position of the bracket  10  may be released and re-secured without employing the set screw. In addition, other structure may be provided whereby the bracket  10  may be adjustably secured to a portion of the boat B so that the bracket  10  and the accessory A are above the lines of sight of a pilot P.  
         [0032]    The arm section  16  is preferably secured to or formed integral with the post section  18 . The arm section  16  has overall cross-sections generally of a rectangle, while the post section  18  has a cross-section generally of a circle. The post section  18  has the mirror assembly  12  secured thereto in the present embodiment. The mirror assembly  12  is equipped with a clamp  36  that may be tightened with a bolt (not shown) so that it is held in place frictionally. However, the clamp  36  is made of a polymeric material so that the mirror assembly  12  may be rotated manually around the post section  18  to a proper alignment for the pilot&#39;s rearward viewing. The clamp  36  is further secured by a pivot (not shown) to the back of the mirror assembly  12  so that, in the pilot&#39;s view, edges  38  and  40  of the mirror assembly  12  may be adjusted fore and aft. The mirror assembly  12  includes a mirror plate  42  for displaying a rearward view.  
         [0033]    In FIG. 2, a cut out  50  is depicted in the arm section  16 . The cut out  50  reduces the weight of the bracket  10  and provides an aesthetic quality to the bracket. In a further embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the bracket  10  has a pair of cut outs  52  and  54  on either side of a hinge  60 .  
         [0034]    As discussed above, the pilot P may be either standing or sitting. Accordingly, the bracket  10  is provided with the hinge  60 , thereby permitting the bracket  10 , while secured about the tubular members of the tower T, to be raised or lowered, depending on both the stance and the height of the pilot P. As the bracket  10  permits other accessories, not simply a rearview mirror assembly  12 , to be mounted thereon, the use of the bracket  10  may provide an instrument or accessory redundant to those located below the windshield S, or may obviate the need for particular accessories to be located below the windshield S. FIG. 3 depicts the mirror assembly  12  in a lower position  66  and, in phantom lines, in an upper position  69  by rotating around the hinge  60 .  
         [0035]    As can be seen in FIGS. 3-5, the arm section  16  is comprised of a secure extension  70  and a rotator extension  72  is rotatable relative to the secure extension  70  by the hinge  60 . The secure extension  70  has a first end forming the cylindrical port  26  and secured to the tower T and a second, mating end  74 , and the rotator extension  72  has the mirror assembly  12  attached at a first end and a second, mating end  76  that mates with the mating end  74  of the secure extension  70 . Each mating end  74 ,  76  of the extensions  70 ,  72  that has a smaller thickness T1, T2, respectively. Therefore, when the mating ends  74 ,  76  are placed together, the combined thickness T3 is generally that of the arm section  16  overall. The mating ends  74 ,  76  are held together with a bolt  80  or other fastener which passes through a cylindrical bore  82  of one of the mating ends  74 ,  76  and into a threaded bore  84  of the other mating end  76 ,  74 . The hinge  60  may further have a polymeric (such as nylon) bushing or washer (not shown) between the mating ends  74 ,  76  to facilitate rotation of the extensions  70 ,  72 . The mating ends  74 ,  76  may additionally have recesses  86  for counter-sinking the head  88  of the bolt  80  or a nut (not shown) for receiving the bolt  80 .  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, a further embodiment of an accessory bracket is depicted as  110 . The bracket  110  includes a mount  112 , an arm  114 , and a securing clamp  116 . The mount  112  includes an opening  120  which is depicted as circular or cylindrical though it may have another configuration such as a configuration to mate with a structure on a boat to which it may be attached. The opening  120  is formed between a removable clamp portion  122  securing to a base portion  124  of the arm  114 . The clamp portion  122  and the base portion  124  may be secured with a plurality of bolts or screws  126  (see FIG. 7), preferably countersunk into the clamp portion  122 . The mount  112  further includes the set screw  100  which may be driven into the structure to which the bracket  110  is secured.  
         [0037]    The arm  114  includes a quick release joint  130 . The quick release joint includes a peg or screw  132  that joins the base portion  124  of the arm  114  to an extension portion  134  of the arm  114 . The base portion  124  and extension portion  134  have cooperating steps  136  and a pair of pegs  138 , each including a friction fit bushing  140 , for securing the base portion  124  and extension portion  134  together and for resolving and distributing forces therebetween. The screw  132  may be driven through the base portion  124  and extension portion  134  at one of the steps  136 , as is shown in FIGS. 6-7 to secure said portions. The screw  132  is driven by a knob  140  attached to the end of the screw  132  for easy hand-turning. In order to remove the accessory and the bracket  110 , the screw  132  is simply removed. Therefore, the accessory and bracket  110  can be removed if one desires, which one may done for many reasons such as for storing the boat, collapsing the tower, changing the accessory, or removing the accessory, such as a speaker from a boat on a small lake, because it is prohibited or a nuisance. One may also then attach a different bracket  110  with a different accessory, if desired.  
         [0038]    The arm  114  is similar to the arm  16 , discussed above, and may be secured to or be integral with a post  18 , discussed above. In addition, the arm  114  may include a pivotable portion including hinge  60  (FIG. 3) or some other pivot structure. As depicted, the arm  114  has a post  148  which is secured to the arm  114  by a protrusion in the form of a screw  150  which is received by a cooperating opening or threads (not shown) in the arm  114 . It should be noted that, in an alterative embodiment, the arm  114  may included the protrusion  150  and the post  148  may include a receiving opening for the protrusion  150 .  
         [0039]    Referring now to FIG. 9, the bracket  110  includes a securing clamp  116  including accessory mount  160  for securing an accessory thereto. Alternatively, the bracket  110  may be secured to an accessory with the clamp  36  as shown in FIG. 3. The accessory mount  160  includes a body  162  secured to the post  148  with a pair of set screws  164  driven through a collar  166  on the body  162  and into the surface of the post  148 . In order to mount, release, or adjust the accessory mount  160  (and, hence, any accessory connected thereto) around the central longitudinal axis of the post  148 , the set screws  164  may simply be tightened or loosened without being freed from the collar  166  itself.  
         [0040]    The securing clamp  116  forms a vise  170  for clamping an accessory to the securing clamp  116 . The vise  170  is formed by a portion  172  of the body  162  and by a clamp  174 . The clamp  174  includes a post  176  which is threaded through an accessory (not shown) and is then drawn through a post hole  178  in the body  162  and secured to the body  162  by a screw or other fastener. The securing of the clamp  174  to the body  162  secures the accessory (not shown) therebetween. Alternatively, the clamp  174  may be integral with the accessory such that the accessory is attached in vise-clamp fashion to the body  162  of the accessory mount  160 . In order to adjust the clamp  174 , one need only loosen slightly the screw or other fastener. Using the clamp  174 , the accessory may be rotated around the post  176  in the post hole  178  relative to the arm  114 .  
         [0041]    While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.