Leisure boat

• US 5,052,955 A
• Filed: 05/16/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shiratori Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shiratori Company Limited
• Inventors: Shiratori, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brahan, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/524,077
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 114/346, 440/7, 440/75, 440/80, 440/84, 440/86, 440/1, 440/81, 340/436
• US Class Current: 440/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/00 Water roundabouts, e.g. freely floating
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/041 with disk-shaped hull
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2005/1258 with electric power transmission to propellers, i.e. with integrated electric propeller motors
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/22 the propulsion power units being controlled from exterior of engine room, e.g. from navigation bridge; Arrangements of order telegraphs
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/52 Parts for steering not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A leisure boat is provided in a round form having a diameter of about 1 to 2 meters, and includes propeller means provided at a position closer to its bow from the center of the boat and the bow and having a mechanism for changing its driving direction and sensor means provided on the outside of the boat for sensing external force. The sensor means is so connected to the propeller means that when the boat comes in contact or collision with another boat, etc., the sensor means detects the resulting external force to transmit it to the propeller means, thereby changing its driving direction.

Claims

1. A leisure boat comprising:

a substantially round body, sensor means positioned on the perimeter of said boat body for sensing the application of an external force applied to said boat body, propellor means offset from the center of said boat comprising a pair of propellors adapted to drive said boat in different directions and a combined clutch and power transmission means adapted to selectively actuate one of said propellors, said combined clutch and transmission means adapted to selectively actuate one of said two propellors in response to a signal received from said sensor means indicative of the application of an external force to said boat body, and propellor drive means operatively connected to said propellor means through said combined clutch and transmission means.

2. The leisure boat of claim 1 wherein said propellor drive means comprises a gasoline-powered motor means.

3. The leisure boat of claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises a piezoelectric element capable of detecting applied pressure.

4. The leisure boat of claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises a push-button tape-like switch capable of detecting applied pressure.

5. The leisure boat of claim 1 further comprising steering means connected to said propellor means to permit steering of said boat.

6. The leisure boat of claim 1 further comprising shock absorbing means attached to the perimeter of said boat body.

7. The leisure boat of claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors positioned about the perimeter of said boat body.

8. The leisure boat of claim 7 wherein said plurality of sensors are arranged about only a portion of the perimeter of said boat body.

9. The leisure boat of claim 7 wherein said two propellors are oriented at fixed angles of from 90 to 180 degrees to each other.