Patent Abstract:
A shade for a personal watercraft includes a canopy and a canopy support frame. The shade is formed to provide a clearance such that a person thrown from the craft to either of its sides is not in danger of striking the canopy or its frame. The frame is easily broken down into small, easily transported components and is quickly assembled and mounted onto the craft. A breakaway strap holds the shade in position at the helm of the craft.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to sun shading and sheltering tops for watercraft, and more particularly to a sun bonnet assembly which is easily installed and broken down when removed for compact stowage. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The following art defines the present state of this field: 
     Gaschenko et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,228 describes a boat shade comprising of a cover and a frame. The frame being formed of three inverted U-shaped components, one of an inverted U-shaped component of said frame being erected vertically and fastened at its ends to the opposite sides of the boat with the possibility of being pivoted. Two other inverted U-shaped components of the frame, arranged on both sides of the component of said frame. Hinges join said sliders to the ends of the inverted U-shaped components carrying the cover. 
     Pepper et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,298 describes a boat comprising of a deck having a forwardly located helm, a canopy including a rearwardly located permanent cover, spaced apart portions extending forwardly defining an open opening. A second cover does not extend over said opening but when in an extended position it does extend over the opening. A canopy is located above said helm and spaced so as to permit an operator to stand or sit adjacent said helm. 
     Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,807 describes a generally low profile, lightweight canopy assembly for a watercraft which embodies a transom member with a top edge, generally coplanar with peripheral side wall gunwale areas, said craft also having a plurality of interiorly disposed, peripherally spaced attachment means adaptable for attaching various items, a safety grab line, as well as canopy-supporting frame members. 
     Burns, U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,110 describes structures such as rack, shelters and the like which are adapted to be attached to a vehicle top that are assembles with corner members which are shaped to receive and grip different lengths of pipe. These structures are also provided to the vehicle top whereby the structures are readily attached to the top of a vehicle or to the side thereof. 
     Hansen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,016 describes a frame structure for supporting a flexible material for a marine vehicle convertible roof operative to provide protection for a vehicle occupant area having a predetermined length. 
     Voldrich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,184 describes a canopy for an open boat comprising a frame, the frame consisting of a pair of reversely L-shaped fixed angled tubular supports mounted on either side of the boat said supports having substantially horizontal and substantially vertical portions. 
     Pinkley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,353 describes a convertible top for boats and the like having a deck or support structure surrounding a passenger compartments and preceded by a windshield. Removable side rails extend from the top side edge of the windshield over the passenger seating area, and then downwardly to the deck. A cross bar extends between the rear of the front generally horizontal portion of the side rails. 
     Carmichael, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,900 describes a canopy for use an open-topped vehicle such as a boat, tractor, or the like having two spaced-apart, substantially parallel, side rails. 
     Gibson, U.S. Pat. No. D307,347 describes a design for a fork lift canopy cover. 
     Stengel, U.S. Pat. No. D259,340 describes a design for and open side top for jeeps. 
     The prior art teaches various shading devices and top for watercraft and other vehicles. However, the prior art does not teach a shading device for a personal watercraft that provides shading from the sun overhead and also is not an obstruction to a rider being thrown laterally or rearwardly from the watercraft. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
     In certain sport watercraft, usually referred to as personal watercraft, a rider and also one or more passengers, sit astride the craft&#39;s beam. In sharp turns or in rough waters, one or more persons are frequently thrown from the craft. This is generally not a problem as the clearance around the craft is sufficient such that a person thrown from the craft is not apt to be injured by striking structural members of the watercraft. However, it is desirable to provide a means for shading persons on such watercraft from the sun. The present invention is a shading means for personal watercraft. A primary objective of the present invention is to provide shade from the sun and rain in a personal watercraft without hampering operation of the craft. Another objective is to provide such a shading means that maintains the typical clearance around a personal watercraft so that a person thrown from the craft is not in danger of striking the shading means. A further objective is to provide such a shading means that also is easily broken down into small components for compact storage off the watercraft or stowage on it. A still further objective is to provide such a shading means that is light in weight so that operation and performance of the watercraft are not diminished by its use. A final objective is to provide such a shading means that is structurally sound so as not to be damaged with the normal use of a personal watercraft. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a bonnet support means taken in accordance with line  7 — 7  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  8 — 8  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  9 — 9  of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 10 is a partial side elevational view in accordance with cutting line  10 — 10  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a shading device for a watercraft  5 . The shading device may be considered as a separate inventive entity from the watercraft or may be considered as an integral part thereof. In either case, the shading device includes a rigid superstructure  10 , as best seen in FIG. 2, preferably constructed of tubular members, preferably of aluminum or steel. It includes a rectangular frame portion  20  made-up of a pair of opposing longitudinally oriented elongate side members  20 A and  20 B, interconnected with a pair of opposing laterally oriented elongate end members  30 A and  30 B, the rectangular frame portion  20  is preferably a closed figure preferably comprising a pair of horizontally oriented, removably and mutually engaged, C-shaped members  40 A and  40 B which are joined amidships, and define an open central area  50  of the frame portion  20 , and it is supported in a horizontal orientation above a means for seating  60  of the watercraft  5 , by a strut means  70 . The strut means  70  is removably engaged with both the frame portion  20  and with the watercraft  5  so that the superstructure  10  is removably interconnected integrally with the watercraft  5 . The strut means  70  is preferably comprised of two laterally disposed strut members  70 A and  70 B, and its interconnection with the watercraft  5  is positioned forward of seating means  60  so that a person (not shown) falling sideways out of the watercraft  5  is not likely to strike the strut members  70 A and  70 B. This is a critically important feature of the construction of the superstructure  10 . Strut members  70 A and  70 B are interconnected with frame portion  20  at lateral frame member  30 B as shown in FIG.  4 . In the preferred embodiment, portion  76 A of strut members  70 A and  70 B terminates at a first attachment means  125  and  126 , joined by a screw, as shown in FIG. 4, the attachment means  125  and  126  preferably encircles frame member  30 B so as to ensure a strong but removable joint. It is assumed in this embodiment that portion  126  of the attachment means is permanently fixed to strut  76 A. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 5, the frame member  30 A is attached to struts  70 A and  70 B by second attachment means  115 , preferably a pair of collars screwed to struts  70 A and  70 BA respectively. Preferably, superstructure cover  80  is made of a flexible fabric material such as canvas or other fabric and extends over the rectangular frame portion  20  and the strut means  70  so as to be laid-out in a generally horizontal orientation for providing shade over the seating means  60 . A means is provided for removably attaching the cover  80  to the rectangular frame portion  20  so that the cover  80  is tightly stretched over it. Such an attachment means is preferably a sleeve hem  80 A sewn into the cover  80  along stitch line  82 , as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 10. 
     Preferably, at least one interconnecting strap  90  joins the shading device with the stern  6  of the watercraft  5 . The strap  90  provides a means for quickly releasing  90 A the strap  90  from the stern  6  when a lateral force is exerted upon it such as a persons body might, as it falls out of the craft  5  rearwardly. Such a quick release means mechanism is preferably a hook and loop type fastener solution such as Velcro®. The placement of strap  90 , too, is critical to the successful operation of the shading device since personnel frequently fall out of certain types of watercraft, such as high speed personal watercraft. When a rider strikes the strap  90 , it releases from the stern  6  of the craft  5  so that the rider and the shading device are not injured or damaged respectively. 
     The strut members  70 A and  70 B are preferably positioned generally in mutual parallel juxtaposition, one of the strut members  70 A running generally along the port side of the watercraft  5 , the other of the strut members  70 B running generally along the starboard side of the watercraft  5 , each of the strut members providing a generally horizontally oriented first portion  72 A and  72 B, laid adjacent to the deck  5 A of the watercraft  5  and engaged therewith for supporting the shading device. This first portion  72 A,B is positioned preferably forward of the operator or passenger on the watercraft  5  so that if either the operator or passenger are thrown sideways from the craft, they are unlikely to strike the first portion  72 A,B of either of the strut members  70 A,B. A generally horizontally oriented third portion  76 A and  76 B of the strut members  70 A,B is positioned above the deck  5 A and preferably extends above a substantial portion of the means for seating  60  of the watercraft  5 . This portion is generally over the top of the heads of operator or passenger so that it is not an obstruction to personnel movement either into or out of the craft  5 . A second portion  74 A and  74 B interconnects the first  72 A,B and third  76 A,B portions of each of the strut members  70 A,B preferably forming a modified (reverse) S-shaped pattern, so that it acts to support and hold the third portion  76 A,B in position at all times and along with it, the rectangular frame  20  of the superstructure  10 . Preferably, each of the strut members  70 A,B is comprised of two or more strut sections  78 A and  78 B which are interconnected to assemble each finished strut member  70 A,B. 
     A means for removably attaching  100  the superstructure  10  to the watercraft  5  is provided. This attaching means  100 , as seen in FIG. 6, is preferably a pair of tubular stanchions  100 A attached to the forward portion of the watercraft&#39;s deck  5 A. The first portion of the struts  72 A,B are engaged within these stanchions  100 A so as to be rigidly and securely held in place. A pin  100 B or other connector is preferably used to hold the strut means  70  in place within the stanchions  100 A. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1