Patent Document

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/803,949, filed on Jul. 12, 2010, which application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a holder for ice chests and similar devices wherein the holder overhangs the side of a boat in order to save space on the boat. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Boating is a popular pastime enjoyed by many, especially considering the fact that most Americans live a short driving distance from a navigable body of water. When the weather is agreeable, just load up the boat with fishing gear or other toys, food, drinks, and other whatnots, and then launch the boat for a fun filled day on the water. Although reasonable in size for their intended purpose, most boats, nevertheless, tend to be relatively small in size. Many factors dictate the need to keep boats relatively small including the costs of the boat, the high fuel consumption of a boat, the need to be able to tow the boat to the launch site, and the need to store the boat, among others. While even a small boat can be quite fun and relaxing, certain tradeoffs must be made. With several people on board a relatively small boat, precious little real estate, both deck space and seating space, remains for other items such as bait holders, coolers, picnic baskets, etc, items which are considered essential for all but the shortest of boat rides. Placing such items onto the boat crowds the deck and makes it more difficult for the passengers to move around. While many boats have below deck storage areas, such storage areas are often difficult to access and require the passengers to crowd to one section of the boat, which can be quite uncomfortable, especially when the outside temperatures are very hot. 
     What is needed is a device that allows boat captains to be able to take coolers and other items aboard a boat without sacrificing the relatively scarce deck space and seating areas aboard the boat. Such a device must allow quick and easy access to the items being held by the device without imposing an undue burden upon the boat&#39;s passengers. Ideally such a device should be of relatively simple design and construction and be easy to install, operate, and maintain. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The holder attachable to a boat of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a holder that is capable of holding typical coolers as well as various other items on board a boat without the need to take up any deck or seating real estate of the boat. The holder attachable to a boat allows for quick and easy access to the items being held therein without the need to herd the passengers to a particular section of the boat. The holder attachable to a boat is of relatively simple design and construction so as to be relatively inexpensive to manufacture making the device economically affordable to a large portion of the boat owning consumers. The holder attachable to a boat is relatively easy to install upon the boat, is easy to operate, and to maintain. 
     The holder attachable to a boat of the present invention is comprised of a frame member that has a horizontal plate that has a first outer surface and a first inner surface and at least one first opening (slit, J-channel opening, cleat opening, etc.,). The frame member also has a vertical plate that has a second outer surface and a second inner surface and at least one slit. The horizontal plate and vertical plate are attached to each other at an angle (preferably but not necessarily an approximate right angle). The frame member also has a first extension arm extending outwardly from the second outer surface of the vertical plate and a second extension arm extending outwardly from the second outer surface of the vertical plate and coextensive with the first extension arm. A basket has a top rail having a pair of longitudinal legs connected by a pair of latitudinal legs. At least one first strap is attached to each of the two latitudinal legs and to the first extension and to the second extension. At least one second strap is attached to the two longitudinal legs and passes through the slit and then the second strap attaches back to itself in order to secure the basket to the vertical plate. 
     The first strap has a first loop on a first end thereof such that the first loop encircles the first extension arm and the first strap has a second loop on an opposing second end thereof such that the second loop encircles the second extension arm. The first extension arm has a first upwardly turned lip on a first distal end thereof and the second extension arm has a second outer lip on a second distal end thereof. A board member has a first notch defining a first leg and a second notch defining a second leg with the first notch and the second notch located along an edge thereof. The board member is placed onto the first extension arm and the second extension arm such that the first notch receives the first lip and the second notch receives the second lip. The first extension arm has a third notch and the second extension arm has a fourth notch such that the board member is placed onto the first extension arm and the second extension arm such that the first notch and the third notch receive each other and the second notch and the fourth notch receive each other. The horizontal plate has a second opening and a third opening such that the board member is placed onto horizontal plate and such that the second opening receives the first leg and the third opening receives the second leg. A non-scuff material is located on the first inner surface and the second inner surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective environmental view of the holder attachable to a boat of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the holder attachable to a boat. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the holder attachable to a boat with the board member laying horizontal across the extension arms. 
         FIG. 4  a perspective view of the holder attachable to a boat with the board member vertically attached to the extension arms. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the holder attachable to a boat. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the holder attachable to a boat of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a frame member  12  and a basket  14 . 
     As seen, the frame member  12  comprises a horizontal plate  16  and a vertical plate  18  joined together at an approximate right angle. The vertical plate  18  may have a lip  20  running along its lower edge. A portion of the frame  12  including the inner surface of the horizontal plate  14 , the vertical plate  18 , and the lip  20 , as well as the outer edge of the horizontal plate  16  and the lip  20  may have an appropriate non-scuff material layer  22  (such as foam, rubber, neoprene, etc.,) thereon, in order to protect the surface of the boat B to which the frame  12  is attached. As seen, a set of first slits  24  is located on the frame member  12 , each set of first slits  24  comprising two or more individual aligned slits  24  that can be located on the horizontal plate  16 , the vertical plate  18 , or a combination thereof. Additional sets of first slits  24  can also be provided. As further seen, one or more second slits  26  are located on either end of the frame  12 , again on the horizontal plate  16 , the vertical plate  18  or both. Each second slit  26  is transverse relative to the first slits  24  and is aligned with a corresponding second slit  26  located on the opposing end of the frame member  12 . A set of third slits  28  is located on the frame member  12 , each set of third slits  28  being an aligned pair of slits  28  (although a single third slit  28  could prove satisfactory) advantageously located on the vertical plate  18  (although one of the pair of third slits  28  may be located on the horizontal plate  16 ). Additional sets of third slits  28  are provided, the number of sets being dependent on the length of the frame  12 . 
     A further seen, various openings may be located on the horizontal plate  16 . A J-channel opening  30  may be located on the horizontal plate  16 , as may be a pair of round or other shaped relatively large cleat openings  32 , as may be a pair of generally rectangular shaped board openings  34 , such board openings  34  being located proximate the ends of the frame member  12  and proximate the vertical plate  18 . 
     The frame member  12  has a pair of extension arms  36 , each extension arm  36  extending outwardly from the vertical plate  18  in spaced apart fashion. Each extension arm  36  has a notch  38  located at the arm&#39;s attachment point with the vertical plate  18 . A small lip  40  extends upwardly from each extension arm  36  at the arm&#39;s distal end. 
     The frame  12  and its extension arms  36  are each made from an appropriate sturdy material such as aluminum, plastic, etc., the choice of material taking into account the fact that the holder attachable to a boat  10  is used in a water environment, possibly a salt water environment. The frame member  12  itself may be of monolithic construction for ease of manufacturing and assembly of the overall holder attachable to a boat  10 , although such is not a requirement. Additionally, the frame member  12  and its extension arms  36  may also be of monolithic construction, although for ease of manufacture and storage of the holder attachable to a boat  10  when not in use, the extension arms  36  may be separate from the frame member  12  and attached to the vertical plate  18  of the frame member  12  in any appropriate manner well known in the art. 
     As seen, the basket  14  is generally rectangular in shape and has a top rail  42  that has a pair of latitudinal legs  44  joined by a pair of longitudinal legs  46 . A series of first generally U-shaped first straps  48  each have a pair of first ends  50  such that each first end  50  is attached to a respective one of the latitudinal legs  44 . The first ends  50  of each first strap  48  can be attached to their respective latitudinal leg  44  in any appropriate manner including direct attachment of the first end  50  to the latitudinal leg  44 , via stitching, adhesion, etc., by forming a loop at the first end  50  and looping about the latitudinal leg  44  and attaching the first end  50  back to the first strap  48  and securing thereto, again via stitching, adhesion, etc. However, preferably, the first strap  48  is attached the latitudinal leg  44  (stitching, adhesion, etc.,) and also has first sections of cooperating hook and loop material  52  on an inner facing surface allowing the first end  50  to loop back onto the first strap  48  and removably attach thereto to form a closed loop. 
     A series of second generally U-shaped second straps  54  each have a pair of second ends  56  such that each second end  56  is attached to a respective one of the longitudinal legs  46 . The second ends  56  of each second strap  54  can be attached to their respective longitudinal leg  46  in any appropriate manner including direct attachment of the second end  56  to the longitudinal leg  46 , via stitching, adhesion, etc., by forming a loop at the second end  56  and looping about the longitudinal leg  46  and attaching the second end  56  back to the second strap  54  and securing thereto, again via stitching, etc. However, preferably, for the longitudinal leg that is positioned proximate the frame member  12 , the second strap is attached to this longitudinal leg  46  in appropriate fashion (stitching, adhesion, etc.,) and also has second sections of cooperating hook and loop material  58  on an inner facing surface allowing the second end  56  (located past the attachment point of the second strap  54  with the longitudinal leg  46 ) to loop back onto the second strap  54  and removably attach thereto to form a closed loop thereby removably securing the basket  14  to the frame member  12 . 
     The top rail  42  and straps  48  and  54  may be made from a rigid material, but are preferably made from a flexible material such as Nylon, etc., (at least the straps  48  and  54 ) for ease of attachment of the basket  14  to the frame member  12  and for storage purposes. 
     The first straps  48  can be secured to the second straps  54  at their overlap points in appropriate fashion (stitching, adhesion, etc.). 
     Netting (not illustrated) can be located within the basket  14  in order to allow relatively small objects to be held by the basket  14 . 
     In order to use the holder attachable to a boat  10  of the present invention, the extension arms  36  are attached to the frame member  12 , if necessary, and the frame member  12  is attached to an appropriate area of the boat B or other object. Such attachment can be in one of various manners. Cleats or other uprights such as portable post or holding brackets placed in rod holders (not illustrated) located on the boat B can pass through the J-channel  30  or cleat openings  32 . As a further alternate, and possibly the most common attachment method is to use one or more straps to secure the frame  12  to an appropriate portion of the boat B such as the illustrated boat rail R. Each strap passes through a pair of first slits  24 , a pair of second slits  26 , or a pair of third slits  28  as appropriate, the number of straps being dependent on the size of the frame member  12  and the anticipated load L to be carried by the holder attachable to a boat  10 . The straps can be a separate item (not illustrated) or can be the second straps  54  that each pass through a respective one pair of third slits  28 , the second straps  54  looping back onto themselves with the second ends  56  being removably secured to the body of the second strap  54  via the second sections of cooperating hook and loop material  58 . Thereafter the basket  14  is attached to the frame member  12  (the remainder of the basket  14  is attached to the frame member  12  if the second straps  54  are used to secure the frame member  12  to the boat B) by encircling the first end  50  of each first strap  48  about its respective extension arm  36  and securing the first strap  48  in such looped position via the first sections of cooperating hook and loop material  50 . The holder attachable to a boat  10  is now ready for use. 
     It is expressly recognized that the basket  14  can be attached to the frame member  12  in other methods than described above. The basket  14  can be fixedly attached to the frame member  12  including its extension arms  36  in appropriate fashion such as by adhesion. Alternately, the basket  14  can be removably attached to the frame member  12  by using third sections of cooperating hook and loop material (not illustrated) located on the vertical plate  18  and the extension arms  36  and the corresponding sections located on the top rail  42  and/or the first straps  48  and second straps  54 , etc. 
     As seen, a board member  60  can be provided, the board member  60  being such that at least one and preferably both major surfaces that are flat. The board member  60  may have a pair of spaced apart notches  62  located along one of its longitudinal edges, such notches  62  defining legs  64 . The board member  60  may be laid flat on the extension arms  36  so as to provide a working surface (drink holder, cutting board, etc., the board member  60  dimensioned to substantially extend between the vertical plate  18  and the lip  40  on each extension arm  36  with each notch  62  receiving one of the respective lips  40  to help hold the board member  60  in position. Advantageously, although not necessarily, the upper facing surface of the board member  60  is generally flush with the upper surface of the horizontal plate  16 . The board member  60  may be positioned vertically such that each notch  38  of the extension arm receives a respective one notch  62  of the board member  60  to so hold the board member  60 . As seen, the surface of the board member  60  may have basketball markings  66  thereon for using the holder attachable to a boat  10  as a basketball net. The board member  60  may be dimensioned so that its legs  64  are receivable within the board openings  34  of the horizontal plate  16  as an alternate method of holding the board member  60  in a vertical position. The board member  60  can be made from any appropriate sturdy material, although since it is quite possible that the board member  60  may fall into the water, the use of a buoyant material, such as plastic is preferred. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 7