Abstract:
Pontoon boat assemblies and methods stabilized against rolling, pitching, or g-forces via, at least in part, a mechanical or electronic means are discussed.

Description:
PRIORITY OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/820,926, filed Jul. 31, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This patent document pertains generally to suppressing a rolling or pitching motion of a boat. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this patent document pertains to a self-leveling pontoon boat assembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Boats, such as pontoon boats, often experience rolling and pitching motions due to waves or unbalanced vertical loads (e.g., when passengers board a boat). These rolling and pitching motions may cause passengers or gear located on, or boarding, a surface of the boat to be thrown around, possibly resulting in injury to one or more of the passengers. 
       Overview 
       [0004]    The present inventor has recognized, among other things, an unmet need for suppression of roll, pitch, or gravitation force (“g-force”) experience by a subject on a deck of a pontoon boat assembly. 
         [0005]    In Example 1, a pontoon boat assembly comprises two or more pontoons; at least one deck disposed above the two or more pontoons, the deck being rotatably movable relative to the two or more pontoons; and an actuating means to rotate the at least one deck in response to a motion of at least one of the pontoons such that the deck remains substantially level. 
         [0006]    In Example 2, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 1 is optionally configured such that the at least one deck includes an upper deck and a lower deck, the lower deck disposed between the upper deck and the two or more pontoons. 
         [0007]    In Example 3, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 2 is optionally configured such that the upper deck is independently suspended above the two or more pontoons. 
         [0008]    In Example 4, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 2 is optionally configured such that the actuating means is disposed between the upper deck and the lower deck. 
         [0009]    In Example 5, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 2 optionally comprises at least one curved track support member disposed between the upper deck and the lower deck. 
         [0010]    In Example 6, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 5 is optionally configured such that the actuating means includes a mechanical gyro having one or more struts and one or more wheels attached to an end of the struts, the one or more wheels configured to rest and move along the at least one curved track support member. 
         [0011]    In Example 7, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 2 is optionally configured such that the actuating means includes an electronic gyro configured to provide sensed electrical information to a controller. 
         [0012]    In Example 8, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 7 optionally comprises two or more piston devices positioned between the upper deck and the lower deck, the two or more piston devices configured to adjust in response to a rolling or pitching motion of the two or more pontoons using an actuating signal provided by the controller. 
         [0013]    In Example 9, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 8 is optionally configured such that the two or more pistons comprise at least one of air or hydraulic pistons. 
         [0014]    In Example 10, the pontoon boat assembly of Example 7 is optionally configured such that the electronic gyro is disposed adjacent a middle portion of the at least one deck. 
         [0015]    In Example 11, the pontoon boat assembly of at least one of Examples 1-10 is optionally configured such that the actuating means is disposed between the two or more pontoons. 
         [0016]    In Example 12, a method comprises supporting a deck relative to a pair of pontoons using a curved support; and keeping the deck substantially level regardless of a position of the pontoons. 
         [0017]    In Example 13, the method of Example 12 is optionally configured such that supporting the deck relative to the pair of pontoons includes supporting an upper deck relative to a lower deck using the curved support. 
         [0018]    In Example 14, the method of at least one of Examples 12-13 optionally comprises supporting the deck relative to the pair of pontoons using a mechanical gyro having one or more struts and one or more wheels attached to an end of the struts. 
         [0019]    In Example 15, the method of Example 14 is optionally configured such that keeping the deck substantially level regardless of a position of the pontoons includes moving the one or more wheels along the curved support. 
         [0020]    In Example 16, the method of Example 15 is optionally configured such that moving the one or more wheels along the curved support includes rotating a first portion of the deck along the curved support to a position near a top of a first pontoon; and moving a second portion of the deck along the curved support to a position distant from a top of a second pontoon. 
         [0021]    In Example 17, a method comprises supporting a deck relative to a pair of pontoons using two or more piston devices disposed between the deck and the pontoons; sensing a change in position of at least one pontoon; generating an actuator signal using the sensed change in pontoon position; and causing the two or more pistons to keep the deck substantially level regardless of the positions of the pontoons. 
         [0022]    In Example 18, the method of Example 17 is optionally configured such that supporting the deck relative to the pair of pontoons includes using four piston devices, each piston device disposed at a corner portion of the deck. 
         [0023]    In Example 19, the method of at least one of Examples 17-18 is optionally configured such that causing the two or more pistons to keep the deck substantially level includes moving at least a first piston in a first direction and moving at least a second piston in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
         [0024]    In Example 20, the method of at least one of Examples 17-19 is optionally configured such that causing the two or more pistons to keep the deck substantially level includes suppressing a rolling or pitching force applied to the at least one pontoon. 
         [0025]    These and other examples, advantages, and features of the present pontoon boat assembly and methods will be set forth in part in following Detailed Description. This Overview is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. The Detailed Description is included to provide further information about the present patent application. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals describe similar components throughout the several views. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document. 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is an end view of a pontoon boat assembly, as constructed in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a pontoon boat assembly, as constructed in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    The pontoon boat assemblies discussed herein provide a pontoon boat having a deck that is independently suspended above the pontoons. Advantageously, the deck remains generally level in response to a roll, pitch, or g-force regardless of the position of one or both pontoons. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates an end view of one example of a pontoon boat assembly  100 . The pontoon boat assembly  100  may include an upper deck  102 , a lower deck  104 , and two more pontoons  106 A,  106 B. In another example, the pontoon boat assembly  100  includes a single deck. In an opening  130  between the upper deck  102  and the lower deck  104 , the pontoon boat assembly  100  includes at least one mechanical gyro  108  including one or more struts  110  and one or more wheels  112 , for instance, adapted to rest and move along one or more track support members  114 . In certain examples, a mechanical gyro  108  is positioned at a middle width portion of the pontoon boat assembly  100 , such as along a roll axis  120 , thereby providing one-axis leveling to the pontoon boat assembly  100 . In certain examples, the track support members  114  include a U-shaped or otherwise curved track support. 
         [0031]    Through the use of the one or more struts  110 , the one or more wheels  112 , and the track support members  114 , the upper deck  102  is able to move relative to the pontoons  106 A,  106 B (as shown in phantom). In this way, the pontoon boat assembly  100  is able to suppress roll experienced by subjects located on the upper deck  102  relative to the roll experienced by the pontoons  106 A,  106 B. For example, when a wave approaches and comes in contact with a longitudinal side of a first pontoon  106 A, the upper deck  102  portions nearest the first pontoon  106 A may rotate along the track support members  114  to a position near a top of the first pontoon  106 A, while the upper deck  102  portions nearest a second pontoon  106 B may rotate along the track support members  114  to a position relatively distant from a top of the second pontoon  106 B. In this way, the upper deck  102  maintains a generally level orientation regardless of a position of the pontoons  106 A,  106 B. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic view of another example of a pontoon boat assembly  200 . In this example, like the example of  FIG. 1 , the pontoon boat assembly  200  may include an upper deck  202 , a lower deck  204 , and two or more pontoons  206 A,  206 B. In addition, the pontoon boat assembly  200  of this example includes one or more electronic gyros  208  which provide sensed electrical information to a controller  224 . In certain examples, the electronic gyro  208  is positioned along two axes which coincide with the roll  220  and pitch  222  axes of the pontoon boat assembly  200 . The controller  224  is configured to, in turn, provide an actuating force to one or more hydraulic or air pistons  210  (or the like) mounted at one or more corners of the pontoon boat assembly  200  in an opening  230  between the upper deck  202  and the lower deck  204 . The actuating force can be aimed at providing two-axis leveling to the pontoon boat assembly  200 , such as counteracting or suppressing any rolling or pitching motion of the pontoon boat assembly  200 . 
         [0033]    Through the use of the one or more electronic gyros  208 , the controller  224 , and the one or more hydraulic or air pistons  210 , for example, the upper deck  202  is able to move relative to the pontoons  206 A,  206 B, and is thereby able to suppress both roll and pitch of the pontoon boat assembly  200 . For example, when a wave approaches and comes in contact with a longitudinal side of a first pontoon  206 A, the electronic gyro  208  and controller  224  may together sense and generate an actuator force which is communicated to the one or more hydraulic or air pistons  210 . In one such example, the one or more hydraulic or air pistons  210  adjacent the first pontoon  206 A may move in one direction, while the one or more hydraulic or air pistons  210  adjacent the second pontoon  206 B may move in the opposite direction. In brief, the one or more pistons  210  adjust in such a way that the upper deck  202  maintains a generally level orientation. 
         [0034]    Closing Notes 
         [0035]    The above Detailed Description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the Detailed Description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0036]    In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. 
         [0037]    The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more features thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
         [0038]    The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.