Abstract:
A watercraft utility harness having a hanging piece and a utility pocket attached to the hanging piece. Separators may be disposed in the utility pocket to divide the utility pocket into sub-pockets that may house necessary items. There are attachment straps and flaps on the back of the hanging piece, allowing the watercraft utility harness to be hung on watercraft guardrail cords. There are front straps on the front side of the utility harness, preventing the items stored in the utility pocket from falling out. The utility harness is particularly suitable to store fuel containers and provide backup fuel supply for the watercraft. The utility pockets and sub-pockets may be sized specifically for this purpose.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application 61/624,669, filed on Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a watercraft utility harness and more particularly relates to a watercraft utility harness that may be attached to boat guardrail cables to carry supplies such as fuel containers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Watercrafts, such as sailboats, fishing boats and yachts, are widely used for practical and entertaining purposes. It is desirable that the watercraft is capable of housing ample supplies such as fuel, drinkable water, and foodstuff to sustain a trip. However, due to limitations on board a watercraft, the ability to carry more supplies is in most occasions insufficient. In particular, having an extra supply of fuel, such as diesel, may enable the navigator to extend a trip and prepare for unanticipated conditions such as bad weather or accidents, thus improving the level of safety and enjoyment. Moreover, also due to the limited space on a watercraft, it is desirable to have a storing device that does not occupy too much space and that is easy to implement and access. 
     The current invention addresses such concerns by providing a watercraft utility harness that may be attached to the cables, especially the horizontal guardrail cables on a watercraft. Moreover, the utility harness introduced here may have broad usage aside from carrying supplies on a watercraft. With multiple advantageous designs in its attachment assembly and the materials used, the utility harness may be used in other environments as long as appropriate anchoring positions may be provided. In addition, the current invention provides the benefit of lightweight, portability, easy attachment, durability, and being inexpensive. 
     Some devices and systems have been developed for additional storage on a watercraft. These designs, however, show shortcomings in one aspect or another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,455 discloses a utility saddlebag which has a top, sides, and ends and, of woven fabric attached together by seams of thread configured to cover the engine compartment enclosure of a jet-propelled watercraft. The saddlebag is held in place by the use of an elastic member sewn into a bead on the skirt or periphery of the device allowing it to be stretched over and held in place by tucking the ends under the edges of the housing. A number of pockets on the sides and on rear provide storage compartments, and strap assures closure on the sides. The invention provides storage for a watercraft, without any modification or alteration. 
     This design, however, requires the attachment of the saddlebag to the engine of the watercraft, making the usage of the saddlebag rather limited. Other various implements are also known in the art, but fail to address all of the problems solved by the invention described herein. The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a watercraft utility harness having a hanging piece and a utility pocket. The hanging piece has an upper edge, a front side and a back side. The utility pocket has a top opening, a front piece, a back piece, and side pieces. The back piece of the utility pocket is attached to the front side of the hanging piece. There are one or more front straps attached to the front side of the hanging piece and releasably connect to the front piece of the utility pocket. There is a back top flap having a top edge and a lower portion, the top edge being permanently attached to the back side of the hanging piece and the lower portion releasably attached to the back side of the hanging piece. Moreover, there are one or more back straps each having an upper point and a lower part, wherein the upper point is permanently attached to the back side of the hanging piece and the lower part of the first back strap is releasably connected to the back side of the hanging piece. When the front strap is connected to the front piece of the utility pocket, it partially covers the top opening of the utility pocket, preventing the items stored in the utility pocket from falling out. 
     The watercraft utility harness may be attached to the horizontal guardrail cables on a watercraft. In almost all the watercrafts, guardrail cables are used to serve as a fence at the edge of the watercraft and prevent accidental falling of persons or items into the water. The guardrail cables are attached to the guardrails and form horizontal barriers. The structure of the guardrails is generally robust and the guardrail cables are strong and well-positioned. These are the ideal places to hang extra supplies, especially when the proper devices like the utility harness introduced in the current invention are available. 
     In most occasions, there are two guardrails cables attached to the guardrails and these two cables are aligned horizontally parallel to the floor of the watercraft, with one cable positioned higher than the other. The back top flap of the hanging piece of the utility harness may embrace the upper guardrail cable when the lower portion of the back top flap is connected to the back of the hanging piece. Similarly, the back straps may embrace the lower guardrail cable when the lower parts of the back straps are connected to the back of the hanging piece. The back flap and back straps provide the support to hang the utility harness or at least anchor the utility harness by preventing it from falling down or tilting over. The two-guardrail-cable design is particularly suitable for the latter purpose. It should be noted that with proper selection of materials that make up the hanging piece and proper design for the thickness and robustness of the back flap and back straps, it is possible to hang the utility harness on a single guardrail cable. However, it is preferred to utilize both upper and lower guardrail cables to hang the utility harness. 
     The utility harness may be used to store anything. It is particular useful for the carrying and storing of watercraft supplies such as fuel, drinkable water, food stuffs, and safety devices. The specific design of the hanging piece and utility pocket may vary according to the type of watercraft and the items and substances that will be carried. For example, the utility harness may be designed specifically to carry fuel containers with a fixed size. The extra fuel may enable the user of the watercraft to prolong a trip and deal with unanticipated events such as bad weather and accidents. 
     The utility pocket may be used as a unitary structure, or it may be divided by separators into sub-pockets that may be individually useful for storing the same or different items. For example, two separators may be disposed in the utility pocket to divide it into three sub-pockets, with each sub-pocket being sized to carry a fuel container. The fuel container may have a handle and the front strap may be threaded under the handle before being attached to the front piece of the utility pocket, ensuring that the fuel container is firmly placed in each sub-pocket. 
     The hanging piece and utility pocket may be made from various kinds of materials. Preferably, the hanging piece and the utility pocket are made from lightweight materials that are robust and durable. Such a design not only improves the portability of the utility harness and makes the implementation particularly easy, but also ensures that the utility harness is safe, reliable, and may be used for a long period of time. In addition, it is preferable that the utility harness is made from waterproof and porous materials, preventing the accumulation of water in the utility pocket and preventing damping of the utility harness. 
     In general, the present invention succeeds in conferring the following, and others not mentioned, desirable and useful benefits and objectives. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a watercraft utility harness that is safe and easy to use. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a watercraft utility harness having multiple sub-pockets or compartments for storage. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a watercraft utility harness that may be easily attached to cables. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a watercraft utility harness that may be easily attached to the guardrail cables on a watercraft. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a watercraft utility harness that may be used to house one or more fuel containers. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a watercraft utility harness that does not cause water accumulation. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a watercraft utility harness that is robust and durable. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a watercraft utility harness that is inexpensive. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide watercraft utility harness having different sizes and dimensions to fit the needs for different watercrafts, different storing requirements and different conditions. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a watercraft utility harness that is easy to manufacture. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a top back perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the watercraft utility harness when it is hung on the guardrail cables. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the watercraft utility harness when it is hung on the guardrail cables. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top front perspective view of a sub-pocket when a fuel container is stored therein. 
         FIG. 4  shows a top front perspective view of the details of a snap fastener assembly. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified, as far as possible, with the same reference numerals. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto without deviating from the innovative concepts of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a top back perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the watercraft utility harness when it is hung on the guardrail cables. Shown in  FIG. 1  is the watercraft utility harness  1  comprising a hanging piece  10  and a utility pocket  20 ; the hanging piece  10  has a back side  18  and an upper edge  21 ; the utility pocket  20  has a back piece  25  and side pieces  22 . Also shown in  FIG. 1  are the back top flap  90  having a top edge  93  and a lower portion  96 , the top edge  93  of the back top flap  90  being aligned with and permanently attached to the upper edge  21  of the hanging piece  10  and the lower portion  96  of the back top flap  90  being releasably attached to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10  with a plurality of snap fastener assemblies  70 . In addition,  FIG. 1  also shows a first back strap  100 , a second back strap  110 , and a third back strap  120 , each having an upper point  121  and a lower part  122 , the upper points  121  are permanently attached to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10  and the lower parts  122  are releasably connected to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10  with snap fastener assemblies  70 . For clarity purposes, not all snap fastener assemblies  70  are marked. 
     “Permanent attachment,” as used herein, refers to the type of attachments that may not be broken without damaging the integrity of the basic structures of the connecting mechanism or the parts being connected. On the other hand, a “releasable attachment” refers to an attachment that may be broken without the destruction of the connecting mechanism or the connected parts. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the watercraft utility harness  1  is hung on guardrail cables comprising an upper guardrail cable  150  and a lower guardrail cable  160 . When the lower portion  96  of the back top flap  90  is connected to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10 , the back top flap  90  and the hanging piece  10  embrace the upper guardrail cable  150 . Similarly, when the lower parts  122  of the back straps are releasably connected to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10 , the back straps and the hanging piece  10  embrace the lower guardrail cable  160 . These structures provide the necessary forces that hang the watercraft utility harness  1  on the guardrail cables. At the very least, even if the watercraft utility harness  1  is not fully suspended, the hanging piece  10 , the back top flap  90 , and back straps anchor the watercraft utility harness  1  and prevent it from fall down or tilting over. 
     In addition to the back top flap  90  and the back straps, there are anchoring holes  125  on the hanging piece  10 , wherein attachment cords  180  may be used to thread through the anchoring holes  125  to provide more stability to the watercraft utility harness  1 . Preferably, the anchoring holes  125  are located on the corners of the hanging piece  10 , allowing easy access by the attachment cords  180 , which may be connected to the guardrails or other stable structures on the watercraft. 
       FIG. 2  shows a top front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the watercraft utility harness when it is hung on the guardrail cables. Shown in  FIG. 2  is the watercraft utility harness  1  having a hanging piece  10  and a utility pocket  20 , wherein the hanging piece  10  has an upper edge  21  and a front side  15  and the utility pocket  20  has a top opening  24 , a front piece  27  and side pieces  22 . Also shown in  FIG. 2  are a first front strap  55 , a second front strap  60 , a third front strap  65 , with one end of the front straps being permanently attached to the front side  15  of the hanging piece  10  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) and the other end of the front straps being releasably attached to the front piece  27  of the utility pocket  20  with snap fastener assemblies  70 . For clarity purposes, not all snap fastener assemblies  70  are marked. Also shown in  FIG. 2  are the upper guardrail cable  150  and the lower guardrail cable  160  being used to hang watercraft utility harness  1 , the anchoring holes  125  on the hanging piece  10  and the attachment cords  180  threaded through the anchoring holes  125 . The basic usages of such structures are discussed above in  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the utility pocket  20  is divided by a first separator  35  and a second separator  45  into three sub-pockets. The first separator  35  and the second separator  45  are disposed in the utility pocket  20  and are generally parallel to the side pieces  22 , dividing the utility pocket  20  into a first sub-pocket  30 , a second sub-pocket  40 , and a third sub-pocket  50 . Three fuel containers  200  are kept in the three sub-pockets. Each fuel container  200  has a handle  210  and the front straps thread under the handles  210  to connect to the front piece  27 , ensuring that the fuel containers are properly secured in the utility pocket  20 . 
     It should be noted that the utility pocket  20  does not necessarily have to be separated, nor is it paramount that the utility pocket  20  be divided into three sub-pockets. The utility pocket  20  may be a single pocket or it may be divided into two or more sub-pockets having similar or different sizes and locations. The compartmentalization of the utility pocket  20  may be adjusted according to the size and weight of the supplies to be carried, the durability of the guardrails and cables, and the actual necessities of the user. 
     The key function of the front straps is to prevent whatever that is stored in the utility pocket to fall out. The possible tumultuous environment a watercraft may encounter, such as storms and heavy rain, requires that some enclosing mechanism be employed to secure the storage in the utility pocket. However, the design shown in  FIG. 2  is not the only possibility. The precise format of the enclosing mechanism may be altered according to the specific needs of the user and the likelihood of falling out. For example, a cover completely enclosing the top opening  24  of the utility pocket  10  may be used to ensure full closure. 
     In terms of materials, the hanging piece  10  and the utility pocket  20  may be made from the same or different materials. More particularly, the various components of the watercraft utility harness may be made from the same or different materials. The materials that may be used include but are not limited to: metal, rubber, and plastic such as, but not limited to, polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyesters, vinyl, (HIPS) and polycarbonate (PC), mesh fabric, or paperboard coated with a suitable waterproof coating such as, but not limited to, polyethylene, or some combination thereof. The material is preferred to be safe, strong, flexible, and waterproof. Moreover, it would be desirable that the material is inexpensive and easy to manufacture. 
     It is preferred that the utility pocket  20  is made porous so that water does not accumulate in the utility pocket  20 . Due to waves, splashes, and rain, it is very likely that water may get access to the utility pocket  20  when the utility harness is installed on a watercraft. However, the accumulation of water may cause deterioration of the substances stored in the utility pocket  20 . Moreover, the accumulated water adds to the weight that needs to be sustained by the hanging piece, making it more likely to collapse. Therefore, it is preferred that the utility pocket  10  is made from porous material. The preferred material for the hanging piece and utility pocket is Phifertex® mesh fabrics. 
     The dimension of the utility harness may be adjusted according to the supplies being carried, the necessities of the user, and the actual conditions likely to be encountered. The variations for the dimensions of the components of the utility harness are almost limitless. As shown  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , this particular preferred embodiment is designed to carry fuel containers. The width, height, and depth of the sub-pocket here may range from 1 to 100 inches (2.5-2500 cm), with the dimension of approximately 13×16×8 inches (33×40×20 cm). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the fuel containers  200  have container handles  210  that are exposed. The front straps may be threaded under the container handles  210  to ensure that the containers are properly secured. 
     As to the size of the hanging piece  10  and the utility pocket  20  as a whole, there are also many variations. It is preferred that the width of the hanging piece  10  is similar to, but not smaller than the width of the utility pocket  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the width of the hanging piece  10  and the utility pocket  20  may range from 5-100 inches (12.5 to 1250 cm), with the preferred width to be approximately 50 inches (127 cm). The space between the back strap and the back flap is another essential dimension of the utility harness. In particular, it is preferred that the distance between the top edge  93  of the back flap  90  and the first point  121  of the back straps is similar to the distance between the top guardrail cable  150  and the bottom guardrail cable  160 . With such a design, both the back straps and back flap structures are put to use when the hanging piece is properly attached to the guardrail cables. 
     It should also be noted that although the preferred embodiment is designed to hang from guardrails cables on a watercraft, it is still possible that the utility harness introduced by the current invention may be hung on other structures on a watercraft. Moreover, it is also possible that the current invention be used in other settings not a watercraft. As long as the key structures are the same, the use of the utility harness may vary according to the user&#39;s needs. 
       FIG. 3  shows a top front perspective view of a sub-pocket when a fuel container is stored therein. Shown in  FIG. 3  are the second sub-pocket  40 , the first separator  35 , the second front strap  60 , the front piece  27  of the utility pocket  20 , the snap fastener assembly  70 , and the fuel container  200  having a handle  210 , the fuel container  200  being stored in the second sub-pocket  40 .  FIG. 3  provides a more detailed depiction of how the fuel container  200  is being secured in the utility pocket  20 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a top front perspective view of the details of a snap fastener assembly  70 . The snap fastener assembly  70  shown here is just one of the possible ways to releasably attach the front straps to the front piece  27  of the utility pocket  20 . It is also one of the many possible options to releasably attach the lower part  93  of the back flap  90  to the back side  18  of the hanging piece  10 . Similarly, it is one of the options to releasably attach the second point  122  of the front straps to the front piece  27  of the utility pocket  20 . Other possible options include but are not limited to: cross snaps, rivets, magnets, and hook-and-loop structures. Here in  FIG. 4  the example demonstrates the snap fastener assembly  70  used to attach the second front strap  60  to the front piece  27 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the snap fastener assembly  70  comprises an oval ring  85  encircling an oval opening  80 , the oval ring  85  and the oval opening  80  are located on the second front strap  60  (not shown in  FIG. 4 ). The snap fastener assembly  70  further comprises a fastening fin  75  rotatably disposed on a base platform  72 , the base platform  72  being secured to the front piece  27  (not shown in  FIG. 4 ). The length of the fastening fin  75  is shorter than the long diameter of the oval opening  80  but longer than the shorter diameter of the oval opening  80 . Thus, the fastening fin  75  may be inserted through the oval opening  80  when the fastening fin  75  is aligned with the longer diameter of the oval opening. After insertion, the fastening fin  75  may be rotated to secure the fastening fin  75  on the oval ring  85 . 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.