US4237812A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Jet ski grating
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-09-28
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Granted: 1980-12-09
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Expires: 1998-09-28
Abstract
Abstract A jet ski has a hull, a motor mounted in the hull for driving a pump in an aft section of the hull, and a well formed in the bottom of the hull in front of an opening to the pump impeller. A grating which covers the well has a scoop below and in front of an opening to the pump housing for scooping water and directing it toward the impeller during use. Water from the impeller is forced under pressure through a jet nozzle aft of the impeller for providing motive power for the hull. The scoop has a concavely curved, inclined surface with a continuous and uninterrupted bottom edge projecting below the plane of the hull bottom surface, which results in increased velocity of the ski.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerald S. Richardson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:58
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H11/00; B63H11/02; B63H11/04; B63H11/08; B63B; B63B34/00; B63B34/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
A jet ski comprising: a hull having a generally planar bottom surface; a well formed in the planar bottom surface of the hull, an aft portion of the well having an opening facing a pump confined within the hull, the planar hull bottom surface having a forward portion adjacent a front portion of the well and an aft portion adjacent an aft portion of the well; and an elongated grating secured over the well, the grating having a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated side bars extending generally lengthwise over the well for deflecting debris away from the well, an elongated opening extending between forward and aft ends of the grating between the side bars, and a scoop with an inclined surface at the aft end of the opening in the grating, the scoop having a concavely curved bottom edge extending laterally across the grating bottom surface between the side bars, the concave bottom edge of the scoop extending below the plane of the forward and aft portions of the hull bottom surface, the concave bottom edge being essentially at the point of maximum spacing between the bottom surface of the hull and the bottom surface of the grating, the concave bottom edge being continuous and uninterrupted across the width of the opening in the grating.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A jet ski comprising: a hull having a generally planar bottom surface; a well formed in the planar bottom surface of the hull, an aft portion of the well having an opening facing a pump confined within the hull, the planar hull bottom surface having a forward portion adjacent a front portion of the well and an aft portion adjacent an aft portion of the well; and an elongated grating secured over the well, the grating having a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated side bars extending generally lengthwise over the well for deflecting debris away from the well, an elongated opening extending between forward and aft ends of the grating between the side bars, and a scoop with an inclined surface at the aft end of the opening in the grating, the scoop having a concavely curved bottom edge extending laterally across the grating bottom surface between the side bars, the concave bottom edge of the scoop extending below the plane of the forward and aft portions of the hull bottom surface, the concave bottom edge being essentially at the point of maximum spacing between the bottom surface of the hull and the bottom surface of the grating, the concave bottom edge being continuous and uninterrupted across the width of the opening in the grating.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the concave bottom edge of the scoop extends for a substantial portion of its length below the hull bottom surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the concave edge of the scoop extends between about 0.05 to about 0.3 inch below the hull bottom surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the concave bottom edge of the scoop is continuous and uninterrupted between one side bar and the other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A jet ski according to claim 4 in which the opening in the grating is entirely open between the side bars for the entire length of the side bars.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A jet ski according to claim 4 in which the aft portion of the grating is formed as a plate extending between the side bars; and the plate has a top surface which is generally continuous with the top surface of each side bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the surface of the scoop, at its center, extends at an angle of about 45° or greater relative to a vertical plane through the concave bottom edge of the scoop at the center of the concave edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the concave bottom edge of the scoop is continuous and uninterrupted for at least about 11/8 inch across the width of the opening in the grating.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the portion of the grating bottom surface extending from the aft end toward the concave bottom edge tapers farther from the hull bottom surface; and the portion of the grating bottom surface extending from the concave bottom edge toward the forward end of the grating tapers narrower toward the hull bottom surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
201 words
In a jet ski having a hull with a generally planar bottom surface, a well in the hull bottom surface, the well having a front end and an aft end, a pump inside the hull aft of the well and exposed to the opening in the aft end of the well, the improvement comprising: a grating secured over the well, the grating having a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated side bars extending generally lengthwise over the well for deflecting debris away from the well, an elongated opening extending between forward and aft ends of the grating between the side bars, the grating having an inclined scoop surface adjacent the aft opening in the well, the inclined scoop surface intersecting a bottom surface of the grating to form a bottom edge extending across the width of the grating between the side bars, the bottom edge of the scoop being spaced below the plane of the hull bottom surface and being generally at the point of maximum spacing between the bottom surface of the hull and the bottom surface of the grating, said bottom edge of the scoop being essentially continuous and uninterrupted across the width of the opening in the grating.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
201 words
In a jet ski having a hull with a generally planar bottom surface, a well in the hull bottom surface, the well having a front end and an aft end, a pump inside the hull aft of the well and exposed to the opening in the aft end of the well, the improvement comprising: a grating secured over the well, the grating having a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongated side bars extending generally lengthwise over the well for deflecting debris away from the well, an elongated opening extending between forward and aft ends of the grating between the side bars, the grating having an inclined scoop surface adjacent the aft opening in the well, the inclined scoop surface intersecting a bottom surface of the grating to form a bottom edge extending across the width of the grating between the side bars, the bottom edge of the scoop being spaced below the plane of the hull bottom surface and being generally at the point of maximum spacing between the bottom surface of the hull and the bottom surface of the grating, said bottom edge of the scoop being essentially continuous and uninterrupted across the width of the opening in the grating.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The improvement according to claim 10 in which the bottom edge of the scoop extends for a substantial portion of its length below the hull bottom surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement according to claim 11 in which the edge of the scoop extends between about 0.05 to about 0.3 inch below the hull bottom surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement according to claim 12 in which the bottom edge of the scoop is concavely curved.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The improvement according to claim 13 in which the bottom edge of the scoop is continuous and uninterrupted for a distance of at least about 11/8 inch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
A jet ski according to claim 1 in which the aft end of the grating is secured adjacent the aft portion of the well, the forward end of the grating is secured adjacent the front portion of the well, and the opening in the grating is essentially uninterrupted from the surface of the scoop to the forward end of the grating.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
The improvement according to claim 10 in which the aft end of the grating is secured adjacent the aft end of the well, the forward end of the grating is secured adjacent the front end of the well, and the opening in the grating is essentially uninterrupted from the surface of the scoop to the forward end of the grating.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement according to claim 10 in which the bottom edge of the scoop is continuous and uninterrupted between one side bar and the other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement according to claim 17 in which the opening in the grating is entirely open between the side bars for the entire length of the side bars.
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) | 1983-12-09 | 1984-06-09 | 1984-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-09 | 1988-06-09 | 1988-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-09 | 1992-06-09 | 1992-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |