Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to watercraft and, more particularly, to a storage compartment configuration at the engine cover of the watercraft.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In the nautical industry, watercraft propelled by deck-concealed engines are popular items for their aesthetics. The engine is hidden within the inner cavity defined by the deck and the hull. In a typical configuration of such watercraft, the engine is positioned in the stern of the watercraft, aft of the passenger-receiving area. An engine cover is provided on the deck for access to the motor, for maintenance or repair. The engine cover is a panel removable from or hinged to the deck. The engine cover has a relatively large size, so as to provide sufficient space for the engine to be accessed and attended to in instances of repair.  
         [0003]     The free space between the engine and the closed engine cover has been used to create storage volume. Storage trays used in this storage space typically consist of a panel having storage trays formed therein. The panel is hung onto the deck for the storage trays to occupy the free space between the engine and the closed engine cover. Accordingly, the storage trays are accessed by opening the engine cover. The panel of storage trays is removable so as to access the engine of the watercraft.  
         [0004]     The additional storage provided by these storage trays is quite convenient in that space is limited on a watercraft. Moreover, the configuration of such storage trays allows items to be kept out of the sun, in the shade of the engine cover. The engine cover represents a non-negligible portion of the watercraft area. To optimize the use of the surface of a watercraft, it has been known to adapt engine covers into passenger-receiving areas. For instance, engine covers in some watercraft models have been shaped into seating or lying surfaces.  
         [0005]     While being convenient, engine cover storage is to some extent impractical. The engine cover is relatively large and requires some effort to be opened. The engine cover must be free of objects or passengers to be opened.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an aim of an aspect of the present invention to provide a novel engine cover storage configuration.  
         [0007]     It is a further aim of an aspect of the present invention that the engine cover storage configuration provides isolated compartment access.  
         [0008]     It is a still further aim of an aspect of the present invention that the engine cover storage configuration is accessed by a passenger on the engine cover.  
         [0009]     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an engine cover assembly for a watercraft of the type having an engine access opening, comprising: an engine cover operatively connected to a watercraft, so as to be displaceable between an engine cover closed position in which the engine cover shuts the engine access opening, and an engine cover opened position in which the engine cover is away from the engine access opening to allow access to the engine access opening, the engine cover having at least one cover opening for accessing the engine access opening; a first door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a first door closed position in which the first door shuts at least a first portion of the cover opening in the engine cover, and a first door opened position in which the first door is away from the cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening; a second door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a second door closed position in which the second door shuts at most a second portion of the cover opening in the engine cover, and a second door opened position in which the second door is away from the cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening.  
         [0010]     Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a watercraft of the type having a hull, a deck connected to the hull, an engine in an engine compartment, a propulsion system and an engine access opening for accessing the engine compartment, comprising an engine cover operatively connected to the watercraft, so as to be displaceable between an engine cover closed position in which the engine cover shuts the engine access opening, and an engine cover opened position in which the engine cover is away from the engine access opening for allowing access to the engine access opening, the engine cover having at least a first cover opening for accessing the engine access opening; a first door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a first door closed position in which the first door shuts at least a first portion of the first cover opening in the engine cover, and a first door opened position in which the first door is away from the first cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening; and a second door operatively connected to the engine cover, so as to be displaceable between a second door closed position in which the second door shuts at most a second portion of the first cover opening in the engine cover, and a second door opened position in which the second door is away from the first cover opening for allowing access to the engine access opening. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a watercraft having an engine cover constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view, from a fore and port standpoint, of the watercraft showing the engine cover in an opened positioned;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view, from an aft and port standpoint, of the watercraft showing the engine cover in the opened position;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the engine cover having a starboard door in an opened position and a port door in a closed position;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the engine cover having the starboard and the port doors in their respective opened positions; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partly fragmented exploded view of a stern end of the watercraft having the engine cover removed, illustrating a storage tray panel, constructed in accordance with the present invention, to be received in an engine access opening. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a watercraft having an engine cover constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at  10 . The watercraft  10  has a bow B, a stern S, a port side P and a starboard side D. The watercraft  10  has two main parts, namely a hull  12  defining an underside of the watercraft  10 , and a deck  14 . The hull  12  buoyantly supports the watercraft  10  on the water. The deck  14  has a recessed passenger area  16  designed to accommodate passengers. An inner cavity (not shown) is defined between the hull  12  and the deck  14 , and the engine  18  of the watercraft  10  is received therein, at the stern S of the watercraft  10 , as well a propulsion system (not shown). The watercraft  10  is a jet-powered boat, and may have more than one engine. An engine cover  20  is positioned generally above the engine  18 , and between the passenger area  16  and the stern S of the watercraft  10 , so as to selectively provide access to the engine, for repair or maintenance. Seating  19  is positioned at a rear end of the recessed passenger area  16 , adjacent and forward to the engine cover  20 .  
         [0019]     In  FIG. 1 , the engine cover  20  is in its closed position on the deck  14 . In this closed position, the engine cover  20  is sealingly positioned on the deck  14  so as to substantially prevent water from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft  10 . In the closed position, the engine cover  20  defines a sundeck  21  outside of normal passenger area  16 , whereupon passengers may sit or lie when the watercraft  10  is idle.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the engine cover  20  is shown in its opened position. The engine cover  20  has a base structure  22  and a top panel  23 , fixed to a top end of the base structure  22 . The base structure  22  has a hollow body, for instance consisting of the same material as the deck  14  (e.g., fiberglass) or other suitable material (e.g., plastic). In  FIG. 2 , an underside of the top panel  23  is visible through the hollow body of the base structure  22 . The base structure  22  is pivotally mounted to the deck  14  by hinges  24  ( FIG. 2 ). The rotation axis of the hinges is generally transverse to a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft  10 . Although the base structure  22  is shown pivotally mounted at its rear end to the deck  14 , it is contemplated to pivotally connect the front end of the base structure  22  to the deck  14 , rather than the rear end.  
         [0021]     The engine cover  20  is latched to the deck  14 , by a latching mechanism (not shown) in the deck  14  cooperating with a latch stud  25  on an underside  31  of the base structure  22 . The latch mechanism of the deck  14  is, for instance, remotely triggered by a lever positioned at the driver&#39;s seat of the watercraft  10 , or in a lockable compartment (e.g., glove compartment). It is preferred that the latch mechanism be lockable to lock the engine cover  20  to the deck  14 . Cylinders  26 D and  26 P ( FIG. 2 ) are provided to maintain the engine cover  20  in its opened position, but retract under manual force for the engine cover  20  to be closed. It is pointed out that like elements positioned on opposed sides of the watercraft  10  will be affixed with letters “D” and “P” in the figures to indicate the starboard side or the port side (e.g., cylinders  26 D and  26 P). Grab handles  27  ( FIG. 3 ) are conveniently positioned on a stern-facing portion of the base structure  22 , and on the deck  14  at the stern S of the watercraft  10 .  
         [0022]     An engine access opening  28  ( FIG. 3 ) is defined in the deck  14 , and the inner cavity and the engine of the watercraft  10  may be accessed therethrough. A ledge  30  ( FIG. 3 ) bounds the engine access opening  28  ( FIG. 3 ). A storage tray panel, as illustrated at  29  in  FIG. 6 , is held onto the ledge  30  and a flange  30 A in the engine access opening  28 , so as to block the engine access opening  28 . A seal  29 A (fragmented in  FIG. 6 ) may be provided to seal the contact surfaces between the storage tray panel  29  and the engine access opening  28 . An insulator layer  29 B (fragmented in  FIG. 6 ) may be provided on an underside of the storage tray panel to form a heat barrier between the engine compartment and a tray  29 D of the storage tray panel. The storage tray panel is simply supported by gravity. The storage tray panel may alternatively have a pair of trays (e.g., a port tray and a starboard tray). Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the underside  31  of the base structure  22  has a gasket  32  ( FIG. 2 ) that will be seated onto the ledge  30  when the engine cover  20  is in its closed position. The ledge  30  and the gasket  32  cooperate to substantially prevent water from infiltrating the inner cavity of the watercraft  10 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the sundeck  21  has the top panel  23  and doors  36 D and  36 P supported by the top panel  23 . The doors  36 D and  36 P are separated from one another at a central longitudinal axis of the watercraft  10 . The doors  36 D and  36 P can be opened so as to access the storage trays supported in the engine access opening  28  ( FIG. 3 ). However, in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the doors  36 D and  36 P are in their closed position. The doors  36 D and  36 P each typically consist of a rigid base (e.g., plastic) supporting a cushion or cushions.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the doors  36 D and  36 P are shown in their opened position with respect to the top panel  23 . The top panel  23  has openings  38 D and  38 P. The openings  38 D and  38 P provide access to the inside of the base structure  22 , and hence to the storage trays supported in the engine access opening  28  ( FIG. 3 ) or to the inner cavity of the watercraft  10  in the absence of a storage tray panel. Alternatively, the top panel  23  may have a single large opening (not shown) rather than the openings  38 D and  38 P, that would be partially covered by either one of the doors  36 D and  36 P.  
         [0025]     The doors  36 D and  36 P are pivotally mounted to the top panel  23  by hinges  40 D and  40 P, respectively. Cylinders  42 D and  42 P are respectively provided for maintaining the doors  36 D and  36 P in their opened position, but retract under manual force for the doors  36 D and  36 P to be closed. Gaskets  44 D and  44 P are provided on the undersides of the doors  36 D and  36 P, respectively. The gaskets  44 D and  44 P ensure a generally watertight relation between the doors  36 D and  36 P, respectively, and the top panel  23 , such that water is substantially prevented from entering the inner cavity of the watercraft  10  through the openings  38 D and  38 P, when the doors  36  are in their respective closed positions.  
         [0026]     In  FIG. 4 , the door  36 P is shown in its closed position with respect to the top panel  23 , whereas the door  36 D is in its opened position. The door  36 D has a pair of locking mechanisms. Firstly, a latch mechanism  46  is positioned on the underside of the door  36 D and cooperates with a latch stud  48  on the top panel  23 . The latch stud  48  is positioned in a recess  49  in the top panel  23 , in which the latch mechanism  46  is accommodated when the door  36 D is in its closed position. The latch mechanism  46  can be released by a flexible handle  50  thereof. The handle  50  emerges from between the doors  36 D and  36 P when same are closed ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ) to be pulled for opening the door  36 D. The recess  49  is provided with drain holes to drain water out of the recess  49 , to substantially prevent accumulation of water therein.  
         [0027]     Secondly, a slide bolt  52  is also positioned on the underside of the door  36 D. The slide bolt  52  cooperates with a catch  53  provided on the periphery of the opening  38 D in the top panel  23 . The slide bolt  52  can only be triggered to lock/unlock the door  36 D to/from the top panel  23  from an inside of the base structure  22 . Accordingly, the slide bolt  52  can be used to lock the door  36 D to the top panel  23 . As the base structure  22  is preferably lockable onto the deck  14 , as mentioned previously, the door  36 D can be locked to the top panel  23  for restricted access to the storage trays through the door  36 D.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the door  36 P has a tab  54 . The tab  54  extends planar with the underside of the door  36 P beyond an edge  55  of the door  36 P. The tab  54  has a groove  56  that is in register with the latch stud  48  of the top panel  23  when the door  36 P is in its closed position, so as not to interfere with the latch mechanism  46 . The tab  54  will extend partly under the door  36 D when both doors  36  are in their respective closed positions. Accordingly, the door  36 P cannot be opened unless the door  36 D has been previously opened. As the door  36 D is lockable to the top panel  23  with the slide bolt  52 , the door  36 P is also locked to the top panel  23 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the top panel  23  has gutters  58 D and  58 P formed therein, so as to guide water off the top panel  23 . Other gutters may be provided on the top panel  23 , to substantially prevent water from pooling thereon.  
         [0030]     It is contemplated to provide each of the doors  36 D and  36 P with its own latch mechanism  46 . In such an embodiment, both doors  36 D and  36 P could be opened separately, as opposed to the previously described embodiment. It is also contemplated to provide each of the doors  36 D and  36 P with its own slide bolt  52 . Ultimately, each of the doors  36 D and  36 P may each have an own latch mechanism  46  and an own slide bolt  52 .  
         [0031]     Each of the openings  38 D and  38 P may be provided with an individual storage tray panel (not shown). These individual storage tray panels could be hung on the periphery of the openings  38 D and  38 P, similarly to the positioning of the storage tray panel  29  in the engine access opening  28  in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0032]     It is appreciated that the above described preferred embodiment of the engine cover  20  is practical in that a person seated on the door  36 P can have access to one of the storage trays under the engine cover  20 . However, it is also contemplated to provide the hinges on other edges of the doors  36 D and  36 P. The above described configuration allows for a single latch mechanism (i.e., the latch mechanism  46 ) to be used while nonetheless having both doors  36 D and  36 P lockable onto the base structure  22 , by way of the tab  54 .

Technology Category: b