Abstract:
A multi-component hardtop is adapted for mounting above an operator station of a boat or the like. The hardtop includes a tubular frame which is provided with a self-trimming edge adapted to mount a sheet-like panel in a substantially flush orientation relative to an upper or lower edge of the frame.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/019,704, filed Dec. 22, 2004, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/532,794 filed Dec. 23, 2003, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to the field of structures that are added to the top surface of boats. Generally the structures are located over the “bridge deck” area of the boat, typically encompassing the operator station of the boat. These structures are used to support a cover to provide shade and weather protection over the operator&#39;s station as well as to support antennas and other items. These structures with covers are known generally in the art as “hardtops.” 
         [0003]     The available “hardtops” or boat covers are fabricated from a cored fiberglass part molded with an inner and outer skin. The fabrication of available hardtops may be performed in a permanent mold, where an inner and outer shell are bonded together. At the higher price end of the recreational boat aftermarket, a temporary mold is made, and the hardtop is laminated with a balsa or synthetic core material between two layers of fiberglass. The hard top is then mounted on and supported by a welded metal structure usually aluminum. This type of construction is extremely labor intensive and as a result a hardtop for a small 25-26 foot boat will sell for $5-6,000 going up to $30,000 for boats in the 50-60 foot range. However, despite the cost, the appearance of this type of construction is the most sought after in the boat aftermarket.  
         [0004]     A significant trend in structures on boats today is away from canvas or fabric tops to permanent hardtops. For the past 25 years or so hardtops have been manufactured in one of two ways. Before that they were typically wood, or wood covered with fiberglass.  
         [0005]     Another method is a fiberglass panel or sheet of fiberglass supported by a structure of standard aluminum extrusion profiles. One of the difficulties with this construction is finishing the edge in a manner that looks professionally fabricated and not “homemade”. Among the prior methods were the use of moldings of various types including using a square or rectangular extrusion on the perimeter and a “j” molding to clamp the fiberglass to the top and “trim” the edge. The advantage to this method is that it is relatively easy to make a wide variety of shapes and sizes without expensive molds or tooling. As a result, it is used widely but almost exclusively in the aftermarket.  
         [0006]     One object of the present invention is to allow construction of hardtops with the ease of the second method and the look of the first. Another object is to create such hardtops which are ⅓ to ½ the weight of cored glass tops, and about ⅓ to ½ the cost of manufacture.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A hardtop for a boat includes a peripheral frame and a panel sized and shaped so as to cover a central opening in the frame. An inboard portion of the frame is provided with receiving means, such as a notch or pocket, for receiving a peripheral edge of the panel such that an exterior surface of the panel is substantially flush with an upper edge of the frame in close proximity thereto. Even if the frame is made from a plurality of tubular elements, the hardtop has the appearance of a one-piece (i.e., seamless) structure. In addition, the hardtop has clean (i.e., trim) edges which further enhance its aesthetic appearance.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment, the hardtop employs only an upper panel. Alternatively, two panels may be employed, one being oriented flush with the upper edge of the frame and the other being oriented flush with a lower edge of the frame. Both embodiments are adapted for positioning above an operator station of the boat. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a typical installation of a boat with a hardtop installed over its operating station.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate one embodiment of a hardtop constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2A-2C .  
         [0013]      FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate a second embodiment of a hardtop constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates a third embodiment of a hardtop constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a fourth embodiment of a hardtop constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Although the present invention can be used in many different locations on a boat or the like, it is particularly suitable for use in connection with a boat&#39;s operator station. Accordingly, the present invention will be described hereinafter in connection with such a station. It should be understood, however, that the following description is only meant to be illustrative of the present invention and is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, which has applicability to other areas of a boat, such as its after-deck and/or its cockpit.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a hardtop  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention is mounted on a boat  12  above an operator station  14 . The hardtop  10  sits atop a deck-mounted support structure  16 , such as the one disclosed in Tull U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,799, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0018]     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the hardtop  10  includes a generally rectangular frame  18 , which delimits the periphery of the hardtop  10  and which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The rectangular shape of the frame  18  is especially suitable where the hardtop  10  is used in connection with the operator station  14  of the boat  12 . It should be understood, however, that the frame  18  can have shapes and sizes which conform to other areas of the boat  12 , such as an after-deck (not shown) or a cockpit (not shown), resulting in hardtops of various different sizes and shapes.  
         [0019]     The topside of the hardtop  10  is formed by a generally planar top panel  20 , whose construction and function will be described in greater detail below. Similarly, the underside of the hardtop  10  is formed by a generally planar bottom panel  22 , whose function and construction will also be described in greater detail below.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 2A-2C  are cross-sectional views showing various portions of the hardtop  10 , especially the frame  18  and the top and bottom panels  20 ,  22 , respectively. As can been seen in  FIGS. 2A and 2C , the frame  18  is constructed from tubular member(s)  24  having a profile (i.e., cross-sectional shape) which resembles a keyhole oriented sideways. An outboard portion  26  of each tubular member  24  is rounded off for aesthetic purposes, as well as for safety reasons (i.e., the avoidance of sharp edges). An inboard portion  28  of each tubular member  24  is squared off because the panels  20 ,  22  hide it from view and render it inaccessible to the operator or other occupants of the boat  12 .  
         [0021]     With continued reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2C  and with further reference to  FIG. 3 , the inboard portion  28  of each tubular member  24  is provided with a pair of notches  30 ,  32 , one (i.e., notch  30 ) facing the topside of the hardtop  10  and the other (i.e., notch  32 ) facing the underside of the hardtop  10 . The notches  30 ,  32  are sized and shaped so as to receive corresponding edges of the top and bottom panels  20 ,  22 , respectively. More particularly, the notch  30  provides each tubular member  24  with an upper shoulder  34  and an upper ledge  36 , while the notch  32  provides each tubular member  24  with a lower shoulder  38  and a lower ledge  40 . The functions of the upper and lower shoulders  34 ,  38 , respectively, and the upper and lower ledges  36 ,  40 , respectively, will be described hereinafter.  
         [0022]     As can be seen best in  FIGS. 2A and 2C , the notch  30  has a depth which is essentially the same as the thickness of the top panel  20 , while the notch  32  has a depth which is essentially the same as the thickness of the bottom panel  22 . As a result of this dimensional relationship, when the panels  20 ,  22  are inserted into the notches  30 ,  32 , the top panel  20  lies flush with an adjacent upper edge  42  of each tubular member  24 , while the bottom panel  22  lies flush with an adjacent lower edge  44  of each tubular member  24 . This dimensional relationship also allows the top panel  20  to rest on the upper ledge  36  in abutment with the upper shoulder  34  of each tubular member  24 , while the bottom panel  22  rests on the lower ledge  40  in abutment with the lower shoulder  38  of each tubular member  24 .  
         [0023]     The tubular member(s)  24  can be made from any suitable material, such as extruded aluminum. The panels  20 ,  22  can be made from any suitable material, such as rigid fiberglass. Any conventional means can be employed to attach the panels  20 ,  22  to the tubular member(s)  24 .  
         [0024]     Even though it is assembled from several individual parts, the hardtop  10  has the appearance of a one-piece (i.e., seamless) structure (see  FIGS. 2A and 2C ). Moreover, the assembled hardtop  10  has clean (i.e., “trim”) edges which further enhance its aesthetic appearance (see  FIGS. 2A and 2C ).  
         [0025]     Depending upon the size of the hardtop  10 , it may be necessary to provide the frame  18  with an intermediate structure  46  in order to maintain the desired spacing between the top panel  20  and the bottom panel  22  (see  FIG. 2B ). If required, any such structure would be made out of a material that would lend itself to attachment to the other component parts of the hardtop  10  by any suitable conventional means. Alternatively, the top and bottom panels  20 ,  22  may be replaced with a single (e.g., composite) panel (not shown) which is equal in thickness to the frame  18 , thereby eliminating the need for the intermediate structure  46 .  
         [0026]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are cross-sectional views of an alternate embodiment of the hardtop  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . In the alternate embodiment of  FIGS. 4A-4C , there is no bottom panel. Accordingly, there is shown a hardtop  110  made from a frame  118  and a single (i.e., top) panel  120 . In describing the alternate embodiment of  FIGS. 4A-4C , elements corresponding to elements of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  will be designated by corresponding reference numerals increased by one hundred. Unless otherwise stated, any such corresponding elements will have the same features and functions as their counterparts in  FIGS. 1-3 .  
         [0027]     Since the hardtop  110  has only one panel (i.e., the top panel  120 ), each tubular member  124  requires but a single (i.e., upper) notch  130 . Depending upon the size of the hardtop  110 , there may still be a need for a support structure  146  to prevent the top panel  120  from sagging (see  FIG. 4C ).  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is cross-sectional view of another alternate embodiment of the hardtop  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . In describing the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 5 , elements corresponding to elements of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  will be designated by corresponding reference numerals increased by two hundred. Unless otherwise stated, any such corresponding elements will have the same features and functions as their counterparts in  FIGS. 1-3 .  
         [0029]     Continuing to refer to  FIG. 5 , a hardtop  210  is made from a frame  218  and a single (i.e., top) panel  220 . The frame  218  is made from tubular member(s)  224 , each of which has an oval cross-sectional shape. Rather than being notched like their counterparts in the two previously described embodiments, an inboard portion  228  of each tubular member  224  is provided with a recessed pocket  248  sized and shaped to receive a tongue  250  formed on an undercut end  252  of the top panel  220 . By undercutting the end  252  of the top panel  220 , an upper (i.e., exposed) surface  254  of the top panel  220  can be aligned evenly with, and in close proximity to, an upper edge  256  of an adjacent tubular member  224 , thereby providing the hardtop  210  with a trimmed appearance.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is cross-sectional view of yet another alternate embodiment of the hardtop  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . In describing the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 6 , elements corresponding to elements of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  will be designated by corresponding reference numerals increased by three hundred. Unless otherwise stated, any such corresponding elements will have the same features and functions as their counterparts in  FIGS. 1-3 .  
         [0031]     With continued reference to  FIG. 6 , a hardtop  310  is made from a frame  318  and a single (i.e., top) panel  320 . The frame  318  is made from tubular member(s)  324 , each of which has a rectangular or square cross-sectional shape. Rather than being notched like their counterparts in the first two embodiments, an inboard portion  328  of each tubular member  324  is provided with a recessed pocket  348  sized and shaped to receive a tongue  350  formed on an undercut end  352  of the top panel  320 . By undercutting the end  352  of the top panel  320 , an upper (i.e., exposed) surface  354  of the top panel  320  can be aligned evenly with, and in close proximity to, an upper edge  356  of an adjacent tubular member  324 , thereby providing the hardtop  310  with a trimmed appearance.  
         [0032]     As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the thickness of the top panel  320  is less than the thickness of the frame  318 . If additional support is required for the top panel  320 , an element similar to the structure  146  (see  FIGS. 4B and 4C ) can be provided. The need for any such additional support structure may be obviated by replacing the top panel  320  with a panel  320 ′ (shown in phantom in  FIG. 6 ) having a thickness equal to, or even greater than, the thickness of the frame  318 .  
         [0033]     It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.