Patent Publication Number: US-8122842-B2

Title: Retractable boat roof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to watercraft. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in the roof structure of watercraft which allow for the deployment and retraction of the roof for easy storage and road transportation of the watercraft. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Watercraft with retractable roofs are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,558, discloses a boat with a retractable roof. However, the retractable roof disclosed in this patent has several drawbacks. The roof is manually operated, which, for larger roofs could require considerable strength to operate. It is possible that the person operating the roof could be injured while moving the roof by trying to control its movement. Also, once the roof has been unlatched for movement from the deployed position to the retracted position, there is nothing preventing the rapid movement of the roof between the two positions. It is desirable to have a retractable roof which can be automatically moved between the deployed and the retracted positions. It is also desirable to have a retractable roof which can be moved automatically in a controlled motion, while remaining horizontal, between the deployed and retracted positions. It is also desirable to have a roof which covers only a portion of the boat deck when the roof is deployed so that a portion of the deck is in the sun and a portion is in the shade. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a retractable roof assembly for a boat. As used herein roof refers to either a roof attached to a roof support structure, a roof with an integrated support structure, or a roof with sufficient structural integrity such that no support structure is needed. The retractable roof assembly preferably includes four struts pivotally attached to the boat. The struts are preferably attached to pivot anchors near the boat&#39;s deck which are supported by an internal framework. The roof is operatively attached to at least two of the four struts. The roof includes at least one cam surface. At least one of the struts preferably includes a roller attached to it which is adapted for movement along the cam surface. A motor or plurality of motors moves the roof such that the roof moves from a first position in which the roof is above the boat to a second position in which the roof is substantially closer to the boat. Preferably, when moving from the first (deployed) position to the second (retracted) position, the roof remains substantially horizontal. The motor can move the roof with a screw drive, a belt drive, a chain drive or other driving mechanism. Preferably, the assembly includes a second motor. The motors can be attached to guide members on the roof. Preferably, one or both of the guide members have cam surfaces. As will be described in more detail below, the cam surfaces allow for movement of the roof while maintaining the roof in a generally horizontal orientation. Alternatively, a curved slot can replace the cam surface to achieve the same result. 
     In some embodiments, the guide member includes a slot and a support bar is attached to the struts. The support member passes through the guide member such that the support bar moves within the slot as the roof moves between the first and second positions. It is also possible to include a second guide member. A second motor can be attached to the second guide member. The second guide member can also include a slot and the support bar can pass through the slot in the second guide member such that the support bar moves within the slot in the second guide member as the roof moves between the first and second positions. 
     The roof is preferably sized such that it does not extend along the entire length of the boat deck. In some embodiments, the roof covers less than eighty percent of the boat deck. The roof can leave a portion either a portion of the bow or a portion of the stern uncovered. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 . is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the roof partially retracted; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the roof fully retracted; 
         FIG. 4   a  is a perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the details of one motor used to move the roof; 
         FIG. 4   b  is a perspective view of another portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the details of another motor used to move the roof; 
         FIG. 4   c  is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4   d  is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7 , the retractable roof is shown in connection with a pontoon style boat. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the retractable roof of the present invention can be used in connection with many other types of boats. Preferably, the boat  10  includes a deck  12  with four lower pivot anchors  14  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 , only two front shown) attached to the deck  12 . Two front struts  30  and  32  are pivotally connected to pivot anchors  14  with pivot connections made in a conventional manner. The pivot anchors  14  are supported by internal framework  16  to support the weight of the struts  30  and  32 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the struts  30  and  32  are connected to one another through rod  38 . Two rear struts  34  and  36  are pivotally connected with to pivot anchors  14  in a conventional manner. The struts  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  are preferably made from any suitable material such as fiber-reinforced plastic, thermoformed plastic, aluminum, or other suitable material. For structural rigidity, the struts  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  can have a metal tube core (not shown) surrounded by foam (not shown) with a fiber-reinforced plastic shell. 
     Preferably, a roof support structure  40  is provided with support members  42  ( FIG. 5 ). The roof  60  is mounted on the roof support members  42 ; those of skill in the art will recognize that other structures are possible to support the roof  60 . It is also possible to integrate the roof and support structure into a single structure. The roof  60  is preferably made from fiber-reinforced plastic, thermoformed plastic, aluminum or other suitable material. Preferably, the roof  60  and other structures of the boat  10  are made from material which will not deteriorate in the harsh conditions found on freshwater and saltwater marine environments. 
     In one embodiment, the front rod  38  extends into pivot attachments  52  (only one shown) in the roof support structure  40 . The roof support structure  40  has two downwardly hanging guide members  70  and  72 . Guide member  70  includes a slot  74  and a lower cam surface  76 . Similarly, guide member  72  includes a slot  84  and a lower cam surface  86 . The roof  60  includes a generally horizontal surface  62  and a downwardly extending peripheral lip  64 . Preferably, support rods  44  and  46  extend between the front rod  38  and struts  30  and  32  respectively. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , a guide rod  66  extends from the strut  34  on a first side  22  of the roof  60 , through slot  74  and through slot  84 , and to the strut  36  on the opposite side  24  of the roof  60 . Support rods  90  and  92  extend from the guide rod  66  to struts  34  and  36 , respectively. Rollers  110  and  112  are attached to struts  34  and  36 , respectively. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 4   a , in one embodiment, a motor  120  is mounted to guide member  72  by mounting frame  122 . A collar  130  surrounds guide rod  66  and includes a threaded ring  132 . The motor  120  includes a screw  124  which is threaded inside of the ring  132 . The screw  124  is rotationally supported by support  126 . When the motor  120  turns the screw  124  the ring  132  moves toward and away from the motor  120  depending on the direction that the screw  124  is turning. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 4   b , in one embodiment, a second motor  140  includes a screw  164  supported by support  166 . The second motor  140  is mounted to guide member  70  by mounting frame  142 . Ring  152  is connected to collar  160  and the guide rod  66  moves with the ring  152 . Because the struts  34  and  36  cannot move to the left as viewed in  FIG. 1 , movement of the guide rod  66  causes the roof  60  with the support structure  40  to move to the right as viewed in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIGS. 4   c  and  4   d  show another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the slot  74 ′ is curved and the surface  76 ′ is straight, but angled. In  FIG. 4   c , the motor  140  is attached by mounting frame  142  and has a screw drive  164  which moves collar  152  and causes the guide rod  66  to follow the curved path of the slot  74 ′. In  FIG. 4   d , the motor  140  and screw drive  164  act on the roller  110 , through link  168 , instead of the collar  160 . The motor  140  and screw drive  164  can also act on the roller  110  in the embodiment of  FIG. 4   a  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIG. 4   d.    
     As the roof  60  moves, rollers  110  and  112  slide along cam surfaces  76  and  86 , respectively. The curvature of cam surfaces  76  and  86  ( FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b ) or the curvature of the slot  74 ′ ( FIGS. 4   c  and  4   d ) is designed such that in all positions of the roof  60 , the roof is maintained in a substantially horizontal position. When the roof  60  moves from the deployed position as shown in  FIG. 1 , through the partially retracted position as shown in  FIG. 2 , to the retracted position as shown in  FIG. 3 , the struts  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  pivot downwardly and to the right as viewed in  FIG. 2 . In the retracted position, the roof  60  is closer to the boat deck  12  than when the roof  60  is in the deployed position. In the retracted position, the roof  60  covers a different portion of the boat deck  12  than when the roof is in the deployed position. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the roof may be designed to cover different portions of the boat deck  12  than as shown in the figures. For example, in the deployed position, the roof can be covering primarily the aft section  16  of the boat  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or can be covering primarily the fore section  16  (not shown). 
     One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are many equally feasible physical arrangements of the various elements described. The foregoing description is meant to provide a conceptual overview and should not be viewed as limiting the invention. While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.