Detent latching, bi-directional strut with offset hinged inserts

• US 6,353,969 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John M. Lemole
• Original Assignee: John M. Lemole
• Inventors: LeMole, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEAVEY, ENOCH E
• Application Number:
  US09/190,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 163/52, 403/102, 403/161, 403/157, 403/101, 512/1, 511/3, 5 9/91, 114/361
• US Class Current: 16/352
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/1204 Control devices, e.g. for compensating tolerances, for defining movement or end position of top, for tensioning the top or for switching to an emergency mode
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/02 Awnings , including rigid weather protection structures, e.g. sunroofs; Tarpaulins; Accessories for awnings or tarpaulins
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 19/02 Clear-view screens; Windshields canopies connected to windshields B63B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 15/48 foldable, i.e. having pivoted or hinged means E04H15/405 and E04H15/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/10 Arrangements for locking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32409 Members locked in axial alignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32951 Transverse pin or stud

Abstract

An articulating strut capable of assuming an extended in-line and a folded configuration with rigid cylindrical tubing having proximate ends configured to fixably receive an offset hinged insert that provides for folding and unfolding of said strut. When fully unfolded the strut acts as a single rigid structural support member held in the locked position by a bi-directional slidable locking sleeve. The hinged insert has full faced load bearing surfaces which together with offset hinge pins tends to direct the strut members under compression to assume an over-center locked position. Such struts have particular application as bimini or dodger marine coverings that fold or become taut without tensioning straps or supporting tension in the covering material itself.

Claims

1. An articulating strut for coverings having an attachable strut-securing fixture at each end of said strut for securing said strut between two fixed points, said strut exhibits, when extended, a central longitudinal axis lying on the center line of a longitudinal center line plane, and said strut also having a folding plane orthogonally located relative to said center line plane, said strut being manually collapsible between said fixed points in adverse weather conditions and comprising:

a pair of stiff tubular strut members consisting of two hollow rigid cylindrical tubes having proximate ends;

said tubular member pair adapted at each remote end for connection to strut-securing fixtures of a covering of which said strut is an integral part;

a pair of identical but opposed hub inserts that are fixably insertible into said proximate hollow ends of said tubular members, which hub inserts on the inboard ends thereof each have partially relieved in the lower portion thereof a bridge rotation slot longitudinally positioned essentially from about the center line of each hub through the lowermost surface of the hub insert with the upper portion of said inboard ends of said hubs being non-relieved;

a bridge cross piece rotatably set into said bridge rotation slots, said cross piece having two orthogonal pin receiving holes, which holes are offset below the centerline of said longitudinal axis;

hinge pin means orthogonal to and also offset from said longitudinal axis for securing said bridge cross piece to said insert hubs for an arc rotation in said folding plane from 0 to 180 degrees only, thus permitting said tubular members to extend from a folded position of 180 degrees into a straight position of 0 degrees causing the inboard non-relieved faces of said inserts to be in face-to-face contact with each other;

a freely slidable bi-directional sleeve which is non-removable from said strut but which may be manually slid from either direction along said tubular members toward or away from said strut-securing fixtures to either lock same as an extended strut for deployment of said covering or to permit said strut to fold for collapse of said covering;

each tube having located therein detent balls that are spring loaded upwardly beyond the ends of said sleeve for holding said sliding sleeve in locked position over said folding cross bridge piece when said strut is in an extended in-line configuration;

said detent balls being manually depressible thus permitting said bi-directional sleeve to slide from either direction in order to unlock said bridge piece and thus allow said strut to fold back upon itself while said strut remains fixed at each end; and

said hub inserts being further characterized in that each inboard end is a flat face having surface areas which cover a majority of the inboard flat face ends of said hubs and which bear against each other when said strut is extended in order to serve as an extending stop limit and as flat load bearing surfaces which, together with a moment couple geometrically favor an extended position for said strut thereby providing increased strength and strut rigidity for said covering when same is deployed.

2. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 1 and said strut further comprises;

a generally rectangular shape having rounded rotation corners for said bridge on the folding side of said hinge; and

a folding space formed between said rounded rotation corners for housing said tube ends when said strut is fully folded,

said space being large enough to allow the folded members to move back and forth thus accommodating slightly unequal tube lengths for field installations.

3. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 1 wherein said strut has a pair of ends remote from said bridge with each remote end being fitted with end caps for a single plane pivoting connection at strut-securing fixtures, said strut further comprising:

a collection of tubular bows creating a structural skeleton over which is stretched a form fitting weather protective covering for a small marine craft;

a windshield and an aft deck covering formed by said tubular bows; and

said pivoting connections of said strut further comprising

receiving jaws and cap eye attachment fixtures forming pivotable attachment points for connecting remote ends of said folding strut in said structural skeleton; and

said struts together with said bi-directional sleeves permitting said covering to be folded either with said windshield up in place or with said windshield and said deck covering foldable to the deck of said craft.

4. An articulating strut having an extended in-line and a folded configuration in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising in said plane:

at one or the other of the remote ends of said strut, means providing at least one additional direction of freedom of motion for said strut.

5. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising in said plane:

attachment means at the remote ends of said strut providing a pair of additional freedoms of motion which are variable in direction and dependent upon the geometric position of said strut and the intended strut folding function.

6. An articulating strut in combination with a small marine craft skeleton, said combination capable of assuming a deployed and a folded configuration, said strut having a central longitudinal axis and a single folding plane, said combination comprising:

structural members of rigid cylindrical tubing which may be configured either as unfolded/locked or as folded/unlocked for an arc rotation in said single folding plane from 0 to 180 degrees only;

hinge means fixably inserted in the proximate ends of said strut members with said hinge means being offset from said longitudinal axis and located below face to face extending. limit and load-bearing contact at the inboard ends of said offset hinge means;

a manually slidable bi-directional locking sleeve for said strut adapted to manually move over the complete hinge means for locking purposes;

strut-securing fixtures attached at each end of said struts which form part of a craft covering skeleton for said marine craft;

said locking sleeve being freely slidable manually from either direction along said structural members toward or away from said strut-securing fixtures to either lock same as an extended strut or to permit said strut and thus said skeleton to fold collapse of said marine vessel covering;

each structural members having located therein detent balls that are spring loaded and upwardly positioned at the ends of said locking sleeve for holding said locking sleeve in position over said folding cross bridge piece when said strut is in an extended in-line configuration;

said detent balls being manually depressible thus permitting said bi-directional sleeve to slide from either direction in order to allow said strut to fold back upon itself; and

said strut, when in a fully unfolded and locked configuration, becoming a single rigid structural support member with rigidity provided by said bidirectional locking sleeve and said face to face load-bearing contact at the inboard ends of said offset hinge means.

7. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 6 and having a pair of ends, one end each of said pair being remote from said hinge means, and said strut further comprising:

means connecting said strut at said remote ends to a covering framework such that said strut forms part of said framework; and

manual unlocking means capable of either simultaneously folding part of said framework to a desired folded position or raising same to a taut upward position free of any supporting tension in said covering or external straps connected to said framework.

8. An articulating strut in accordance with claim 7, wherein said covering is at least a two bow covering for a small water craft, and further comprising:

a first and second or more bows forming the framework for weather protective covering over a hatch area for said small water craft; and

a pair(s) of struts incorporated in said framework, one strut each on each side of said hatch area such that, when said struts are in an unlocked position, one or more bows of said covering may be folded independently of the other bows.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising:

one bow as an aft bow and other bow as a forward bow, with said bows pinned together so as to form a triangular shape between the pinned bows, with said bows defining a windshield frame area and a hatch cover;

said pair of struts positioned essentially horizontally and joining said two bows together across said triangular shape.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 and further comprising:

such struts when unfolded allowing the user to fold the hatch portion of said covering into a chosen forward, folded position.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 and further comprising:

said forward bow forms an forward windshield brace; and

another pair of off-vertical struts connected between the bow of the craft and the forward bow in order to define a rigid windshield area for said covering.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising:

said partially folded covering allows the first bow to fold forward while said rigid windshield remains upright free of any tension straps or supporting tension in said canvas or canvas-like covering.

13. A method of field installing an articulating strut having a longitudinal axis and a single folding and extending plane, said method comprising the steps of:

cutting, from tubing typical of existing weatherproof covering framework, a pair of tubular members having proximate ends;

inserting a detent ball and a companion keeper spring in each end of the cut tubular members, with one ball/spring for each detent;

selecting a pre-assembled, double knuckle for insertion into said cut tubular members, which double knuckle is hinged for rotation in said folding plane by hinge pins that are located off axis;

inserting said double knuckle into the proximate ends of said strut members to allow for folding and/or unfolding of said strut in a single plane between 0 and 180 degrees only;

adapting said hinged double knuckle with a predetermined face to face load-bearing contact at the inboard ends to act both as an arc-limiting stop when the strut members are in line and to increase the strength and rigidity in said strut when said strut is in said in line extended position and said face-to face contact at said inboard ends increases the amount of compressive loading to which said strut may be subjected; and

sliding over said double knuckle a single bi-directional sleeve that fully covers said hinged double knuckle when locked and held in position by said one each ball and detent keeper springs in said strut members.

14. A method of incorporating said strut of claim 13 in a small craft weather covering having a hatch cover area and a windshield area, and comprising the further steps of:

arranging said strut with a pair of remote coupling ends, one each remote from said hinge means, which coupling ends are available for connection to other covering framework members;

connecting said strut at said remote ends as supporting struts for a small water craft covering; and

selectively folding part of said small craft covering to a folded forward position independently of the upright or folded condition for the remainder of said covering.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said weather covering is at least a two bow covering, and said method further comprising the additional steps of:

manually raising said weather covering to a taut upward position free of any supporting tension within the covering material or any external tension straps; and

holding said covering in said upward position by locking said supporting struts.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 and further comprising the additional steps of:

placing one bow aft and another bow forward of a cockpit area on said small craft;

pining said bows together so as to essentially form a triangular bow shape supporting structure including said supporting struts and having a windshield associated with said forward bow;

horizontally mounting, essentially across said triangular bow structure, one strut each of said struts on opposite sides of said covering framework; and

joining said supporting struts across said triangular bow shaped area so that the bows may fold when said struts are unlocked.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 and further comprising the additional steps of:

adapting a multi bow covering for a small water craft into a free standing covering in which the hatch area may be folded while the windshield are remains upright; and

equipping each of said supporting struts with a bi-directional sleeve adapted to slide from either direction over said hinge means.