US3577576A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible surfboard or sailboat
Assignee: COLGIL ENTERPRISES Inc
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Filing: 1969-06-24
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Granted: 1971-05-04
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Expires: 1989-06-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a collapsible vessel having an inflatable hull which is suitable for use as a surfboard or sailboat. The inflatable hull is formed of a flexible sheet material such as polyvinyl chloride and incorporates inflatable air and watertight compartments therein which are interconnected by chambers or pockets to receive and hold rigid reinforcing elements in place relative to the hull. The reinforcing elements extend lengthwise of the hull and may be interconnected by crossmembers to form a rigid reinforcing frame. Both the hull and the reinforcing elements are collapsible for purposes of transportation and storage. Components which enable the hull to be utilized as a sailboat are attached to and are supported by elements of the reinforcing frame.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward Vernon Lobb
- 👤 Raymond W Coburn Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:01
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63C; B63C9/00; B63C9/08; B63C9/081; B63B; B63B32/00; B63B32/50; B63B32/51; B63H; B63H9/00; B63H9/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A collapsible vessel for use as a surfboard or as a sailing craft, which comprises: a. a hull formed of a flexible material which is impervious to air and water; b. said hull including a series of interconnected inflatable airtight compartments extending lengthwise thereof; c. pockets forming part of said hull and connecting said airtight compartments; d. said pockets having openings therein; e. reinforcing members extending through said pockets; f. said reinforcing members being held in laterally spaced relation to each other within said pockets; and g. a platform of relatively rigid material extending over an upper surface of at least one of said compartments and being secured to at least two of the laterally spaced reinforcing members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A collapsible vessel for use as a surfboard or as a sailing craft, which comprises: a. a hull formed of a flexible material which is impervious to air and water; b. said hull including a series of interconnected inflatable airtight compartments extending lengthwise thereof; c. pockets forming part of said hull and connecting said airtight compartments; d. said pockets having openings therein; e. reinforcing members extending through said pockets; f. said reinforcing members being held in laterally spaced relation to each other within said pockets; and g. a platform of relatively rigid material extending over an upper surface of at least one of said compartments and being secured to at least two of the laterally spaced reinforcing members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the reinforcing members have forward and rear ends extending beyond said pockets; b. a second set of pockets formed as part of the hull and extending across the hull at forward and rear ends of some of the airtight compartments; c. a rear crossmember extending into the lateral pockets at the rear of the hull; and d. a forward crossmember extending into the lateral pockets at the forward end of the hull; e. said crossmembers being detachably secured to the ends of said lengthwise extending reinforcing members and forming a rigid reinforcing frame therewith.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the lengthwise extending reinforcing members are formed in sections; and b. the sections of the reinforcing members having abutting ends; c. said ends being detachably held in engagement with each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 3, which includes means in the form of removable sleeves extending over and detachably holding the abutting ends of the sections of the reinforcing members in engagement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 2, which includes a skeg attached to and extending downwardly from said rear crossmember at the center thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 2, which includes: a. a mast-stepping bracket removably secured to at least two of the spaced reinforcing elements at a point forward of the platform and extending over an upper surface of at least one of said airtight compartments; b. said mast-stepping bracket having a mast-receiving socket located centrally of the hull; c. a centerboard detachably secured to at least two of the lengthwise reinforcing members and extending downwardly from the hull at the center thereof; d. a rudder pivotally carried by the rear crossmember at the center thereof; e. said rudder being removable from said rear crossmember and having a tiller extending forwardly therEfrom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 1, wherein the lengthwise extending reinforcing members are positioned vertically in the pockets connecting the airtight compartments of the hull.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the hull is formed of two superimposed layers of a flexible material; and b. opposing faces of said layers defining said airtight compartments are welded together along lines defining said compartments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A collapsible vessel as defined in claim 8 wherein: a. the hull is formed from sheetlike layers of a heavy duty heat sealable material; and b. said layers are heat sealed together and into a homogeneous layer along lines defining said airtight compartments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-03 | 1974-11-02 | 1975-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-03 | 1978-11-02 | 1979-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-03 | 1982-11-02 | 1983-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |