Transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport and carrying device (2) for transporting and carrying a watercraft (4). In order to provide a device (2) for a watercraft (4), in particular for a motor-driven watercraft (4), which allows an easy and fast launch of the watercraft (4) even without a special launching device, it is proposed that the device (2) comprises: two lateral floats (6) spaced at a predetermined distance from each other, a connecting front element (8), which interconnects the two lateral floats (6) and keeps them at the predetermined distance from each other, a surface-like support structure (10) attached laterally to the lateral floats (6) and preferably also at the front to the connecting element (8), wherein the support structure (10) has openings through which water can pass, a receiving area (12) for the watercraft (4), between the lateral floats (6) and the connecting front element (8) and above the surface-like support structure (10), and lifting elements (14), for attaching the transport and carrying device (2) to an external lifting device (22) and for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device (2) by means of the lifting device (22).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16: A transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft, comprising: two lateral floats spaced a predetermined distance from each other; a connecting front element interconnecting the two lateral floats and maintaining the two lateral floats at the predetermined distance from each other; a sheet or mesh support structure attached laterally to the lateral floats, the support structure having a plurality of openings through which water can pass; a receiving area for the watercraft defined between the lateral floats and the connecting front element and above the support structure; and at least one lifting element configured for attaching the transport and carrying device to an external lifting device for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device.

17: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the support structure is also attached to the connecting front element.

18: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the lateral floats are oriented parallel to each other along at least a portion of their lengths.

19: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the connecting front element is disposed at a front end of the transport and carrying device and extends transversely to the lateral floats.

20: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the connecting front element includes a front float.

21: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 20, wherein: the front float and the lateral floats are integrally formed as a joint float assembly.

22: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 20, wherein: the lateral floats and/or the front float are inflatable.

23: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the support structure comprises a net.

24: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, further comprising: a plurality of detachable retaining elements configured to retain the watercraft in the receiving area when the retaining elements are attached to the transport and carrying device.

25: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein: the plurality of detachable retaining elements includes at least one rear retaining strap configured to extend along a rearwardly directed part of the watercraft when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area, the rear retaining strap being configured to be attached to at least one of the connecting front element, the support structure and the lateral floats.

26: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein: the plurality of detachable retaining elements including at least one top-end retaining strap configured to extend along a top end of the watercraft and to be attached to the two lateral floats when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area.

27: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein: the plurality of detachable retaining elements includes: a top-end retaining strap configured to extend along a top end of the watercraft and to be attached to the two lateral floats when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area; and at least one rear retaining strap configured to extend along a rearwardly directed part of the watercraft when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area, the at least one rear retaining strap being configured to be attached to the support structure and to the top-end retaining strap.

28: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 27, wherein: the at least one rear retaining strap includes two rear retaining straps located laterally on either side of a central propulsion unit of the watercraft when the two rear retaining straps are fastened about the watercraft.

29: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 27, further comprising: a plurality of securing elements disposed at a rear end of the lateral floats and/or at a rear end of the support structure, the securing elements being configured to retain the top-end restraining strap and/or the at least one rear retaining strap when the respective retaining strap is detached from a position in which the retaining strap retains the watercraft in the receiving area.

30: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, further comprising: a plurality of detachable retaining straps configured to retain the watercraft in the receiving area when the retaining straps are attached to the transport and carrying device, and a plurality of fasteners configured to attach the retaining straps to at least one of the connecting front element, the support structure and the lateral floats, the fasteners being selected from the group consisting of buckles, plug-in fasteners, snap fasteners or Velcro fasteners.

31: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein: the at least one lifting element comprises at least one eyelet located on top of one of the lateral floats or on top of the connecting front element.

Description

[0034] Further features and advantages of this invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the Figures. It is noted that the features shown in the figures and/or described below can also each be essential features of the invention on their own, even if this is not expressly mentioned. It is further emphasized that the features shown in the various figures may be combined in any manner, even if such combination is not specifically mentioned. In the figures:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from above of a transport and carrying device according to the invention in accordance with a first preferred exemplary embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the transport and carrying device of FIG. 1 with a watercraft received therein;

[0037] FIG. 3 shows an example of a lifting device for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a further example of a lifting device with transport and carrying device attached thereto;

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from above of a transport and carrying device according to the invention in accordance with a further exemplary embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 6 shows the transport and carrying device of FIG. 5 with a watercraft received therein;

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the transport and carrying device of FIG. 6 from the top and from the front; and

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the transport and carrying device of FIG. 5 from below.

[0043] A transport and carrying device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 2. The device 2 is used for transporting and carrying, in particular for launching, a watercraft 4 (cf. FIG. 2). In the example shown, the vehicle 4 is designed as a Seabob? as known, for instance, from DE 10 2004 049 615 A1. However, the vehicle 4 could also be designed as any other watercraft, in particular for recreational purposes, for instance a jet ski, kayak, canoe or a small motorboat, in particular a tender.

[0044] The device 2 comprises: [0045] two lateral floats 6 spaced at a predetermined distance from each other, [0046] a connecting front element 8, which interconnects the two lateral floats 6 and keeps them at the predetermined distance from each other, [0047] a surface-like support structure 10 attached laterally to the lateral floats 6 and preferably also at the front to the connecting element 8, wherein the support structure 10 has openings through which water can pass, [0048] a receiving area 12 for the watercraft 4, between the lateral floats 6 and the connecting front element 8 and above the surface-like support structure 10, [0049] lifting elements 14, for attaching the transport and carrying device 2 to an external lifting (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4) device and for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device by 2 means of the lifting device.

[0050] The buoyant lateral floats 6 provide sufficient buoyancy for the transport and carrying device 2 to float on the water. At least in a rear section 6a, the floats 6 have a longitudinal extension in parallel to a longitudinal axis 20 of the device 2 and in parallel to each other. The longitudinal axis 20 preferably extends exactly between the rear sections 6a of the two floats 6. Parallel rear sections 6a of the floats 6 are joined by front sections 6b of the floats 6, which converge toward the connecting front element 8. Starting from the rear sections 6a of the floats 6, a distance between the two floats 6 continuously decreases in the front sections 6b of the floats 6 up to the connecting front element 8. An imaginary separation between the front and rear sections 6a, 6b of the floats 6 is shown in FIG. 1 by a dashed line 6c. The shape and arrangement of the floats 6 depends on the shape and dimensions of the watercraft 4 to be received in the receiving area 12. It would therefore be conceivable to offer different devices 2 with differently shaped and disposed floats 6 for different watercraft 4. In the example shown, the floats 6 have a rectangular cross-section (with rounded corners). Of course, the cross-section can also be arbitrarily different, for instance, oval or round. The floats 6 are preferably made of an inflatable material. A closable opening 16 is provided for inflating the floats 6. In the example shown, the floats 6 are made of a so-called drop stitch material.

[0051] When the device 2 floats on the surface of the water, the surface-like support structure is 10 preferably at least in part underwater, in particular along the longitudinal axis 20 of the transport and carrying device 2. In this way, the watercraft 4 in the water can easily enter the receiving area 12. In so doing, even the propulsion of the watercraft 4 can be used, either due to momentum from a previous propulsion movement or due to an activation of the motor drive of the watercraft 4. Even without using the propulsion of the watercraft 4, it can be maneuvered into the receiving area 12 of the device 2 without much effort when it is floating on the water. The surface-like support structure 10 is preferably flexible and can adapt to the shape of a hull of the watercraft 4. This ensuresat least on the underside of the hullthat the support structure 10 is fully in contact with the watercraft 4. In this way, any forces 4 occurring during transport or carrying of the watercraft are distributed as evenly as possible across the entire underside of the hull and do not just act locally.

[0052] In the example shown, the surface-like support structure 10 is attached to the lateral floats 6 and the forward connecting element 8 across the entire lateral and forward extent. However, it would also be conceivable for the support structure 10 to be attached to the floats 6 only along its lateral extent. Likewise, it would be conceivable for the support structure 10 to be attached to the lateral floats 6 or the connecting front element 8 only at points or in sections. The surface-like support 10 may be reinforced by one or more support straps 18. In the example, support straps 18 are provided along the rear and in a central area of the support structure 10, approximately at the transition between the rear section 6a and the front section 6b of the floats 6. The support straps 18 have the effect of reinforcing the surface-like support structure 10.

[0053] The lifting elements 14 are designed, for instance, as eyelets, D-rings or loops. An external lifting device 22 (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4), which is attached to a yacht 24 or a boat, for instance, can be connected to the lifting elements 14 of the transport and carrying device 2 (cf. FIG. 4). The lifting device 22 may be a launching device already present in the yacht 24 or boat anyway. The launching device is a manually or electromotively operated crane oras in the example showna manually (or electromotively) operated launching device (so-called davit). Likewise, it would be conceivable that the lifting device 22 is not a launching device already provided in the yacht 24 or the boat anyway, but a lifting device temporarily (during the launch process) or permanently attached to the yacht 24 or the boat (cf. FIG. 3). If the lifting device 22 is permanently attached to the yacht 24 or boat, it can preferably be folded away or stowed when not in use. If the lifting device is 22 only temporarily attached to the yacht 24 or boat, it can, for instance, be attached to an existing mount on the yacht 24 or boat (e.g., for a plug-in table or for a removable railing or for an awning). However, it would also be conceivable to attach the lifting device 22 to or in the yacht 24 or boat by means of an additional fastening device. This could be done, for instance, by plugging, screwing, bracing, clamping or the like. To raise or lower the transport and carrying device 2 together with the watercraft 4 located in the receiving area 12, the lifting device 22 is operated, for instance manually or by an electric motor.

[0054] The lifting device 22 comprises an angled arm 26 that can be swiveled about a largely vertical swivel axis 28. The lifting device 22 may comprise guide elements or passages 30 for a rope or cable 32. In the example of FIG. 3, the lifting device 22 has a pulley 34 to reduce the force to be applied to lift the device 2. A hook 38 is attached to a loose pulley 36 of the hoist 34, to which a rope or cable 39 to the lifting elements 14 can be hooked or to which a lifting element 14 can be hooked directly. Further, the lifting device 22 comprises a device 40 for securing the rope or cable 32. In the example of FIG. 3, the device 40 is designed as a cleat. In FIG. 4, the device 40 is designed as a rope/cable clamp. Other designs of the device 40 are also conceivable. The lifting device 22 of FIG. 3 shows an insertion stub 42, which is delimited at the top by a collar 44 from the rest of the device 22. The stub 42 may be inserted into any receptacle on the yacht 24 or boat to retain the lifting device 22 in a swiveling manner to the yacht 24 or boat. The lifting device 22 is manually operated after the rope or cable 32 is detached from the securing device 40 by pulling on the rope or cable 32 (to raise the device 2) or releasing a handle around the rope or cable 32 (to lower the device 2 by gravity). Alternatively, a motorized drive of the lifting device 22 would also be conceivable.

[0055] The eyelets, D-rings 14 are preferably made of metal or a hard plastic. The hook 38, in particular a snap hook, of the external lifting device 22 can be detachably secured in the lifting elements 14, for instance. Preferably, the transport and carrying device 2 has three lifting elements 14, two laterally on the floats 6 and one centrally on the connecting front element 8. A so-called painter line 62 can be attached to the front lifting element 8when using a lifting device 22 that can be pivoted about the vertical axis 28in order to swivel the device 2 with the watercraft 4 accommodated therein onto the yacht, boat, quay wall, pier or the like after it has been lifted by the lifting device 22.

[0056] When the watercraft 4 is lifted out of the water by the device 2, excess water can easily drain through openings in the surface-like support structure 10. This has the advantage that the weight to be lifted is reduced and hardly any water can reach the deck of the yacht 24 or boat. When the watercraft 4 is lifted, the surface-like support structure 10 can bulge downward under the weight of the watercraft 4 in a trough-like manner, i.e., at least the underside of the watercraft 4 is received in the trough. In this way, any unintentional launching of the watercraft 4 out of the receiving area 12 during transport and carrying can be prevented. This is in particular true if the back end of the surface-like support structure 10 has a reinforcement, for instance in the form of a support strap 16, which is less stretchable than the remaining part of the surface-like support structure 10. In this case, the rear reinforcement would then be positioned (e.g., support straps 16) higher than the rest of the surface-like support structure 10 and would effectively prevent the watercraft 4 from sliding out. Additional safety can be gained by additional retaining elements, for instance in the form of retaining straps, retaining nets or the like, which secure the watercraft 4 to the transport and carrying device 2. The retaining elements ensure that the watercraft 4 is securely and reliably held in the receiving area 12 of the device 2, even in rough seas or if the device 2 bumps against the yacht 24, boat, quay wall, pier or the similar when transporting or carrying a watercraft 4.

[0057] In the example shown, the transport and carrying device 2 comprises detachable retaining elements to retain the watercraft 4 disposed in the receiving area 12 when the retaining elements are attached. The retaining elements preferably extend along the sides of the receiving area 12 where there are no other boundaries, for instance in the form of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10. To this effect, it is advantageous if the retaining elements 12 delimit the rear end and/or the top end of the receiving area and, in the attached state, 4 extend along at least part of the rear or the top of the received watercraft (cf. FIG. 2). The retaining elements can, for instance, take the form of one or more retaining straps, a retaining net, a retaining bar or the like.

[0058] The retaining elements are preferably detachably attached to the lateral floats 6 and/or to the connecting front element 8. The retaining elements are preferably detachably secured to both sides of the transport and carrying device 2 to be able to be attached and detached equally from starboard and portside. This facilitates the handling of the proposed transport and carrying device 2 by people on the yacht 24 or boat.

[0059] The flat support structure 10 can be, for instance, a single (water permeable or equipped with openings) sheet of material or a mesh of belts, straps, tapes or the like. The design of the surface-like support structure 10 depends on the type, size and weight of the watercraft 4 to be accommodated. Preferably, the support structure 10 comprises a net. The net may comprise a plurality of interwoven, knotted and/or knotted straps, belts, tapes or the like. The surface-like support structure 10 is preferably made of a plastic material that is particularly resistant to salt water, UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, etc. It would be conceivable, for instance, to implement the support structure 10 as a polyester net, polyamide net, polypropylene nets or the like.

[0060] Preferably, the connecting front element 8similar to the lateral floats 6is implemented by a front float. The front float 8 can provide additional buoyancy, i.e., the side floats 6 may be designed having smaller dimensions or volume. The floats 6, 8 can, for instance, be made of a buoyant material (e.g., Styrofoam) or a hollow body filled with air or a buoyant material. Particularly preferably, the floats 6, 8 are made of a drop stitch material. The front float 8 and the lateral floats 6 are preferably formed integrally as a joint float assembly. The floats 6, 8 made of the flexible material, which encompass the received watercraft 4 on at least three sides (right, left, front), act as fenders that prevent the watercraft 4 from hitting the hull or superstructure of the yacht 24 or boat during boarding and causing damage.

[0061] The retaining elements preferably comprise at least one, in the example two are shown, rear retaining straps 46, which delimit the receiving area 12 to the rear. With the watercraft 4 disposed in the receiving area 12, the rear retaining straps 46 extend along at least a part of the rear of the received watercraft 4 and may be attached to at least one of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10. In this way, the watercraft is prevented from unintentionally sliding out of the receiving area to the rear.

[0062] In their attached state, the two rear retaining straps 46 extend laterally to either side of a central propulsion unit 48 of the watercraft 4. The central propulsion unit 48 may be, for instance, an outboard motor, a marine propeller, or, as in the example shown, an outlet nozzle of a water jet propulsion system. These typically extend beyond the rear of the hull of the watercraft 4. Securing the watercraft 4 with rear retaining straps 46 to the right and left of the central propulsion unit 48 provides additional lateral stabilization of the watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12.

[0063] Further preferably, the retaining elements comprise at least one top retaining strap 50 that extends along a top surface of the watercraft 4 and can be attached to the two lateral floats 6 when the watercraft 4 is disposed in the receiving area 12. Of course, even more top-end retaining straps than the one top-end retaining strap 50 may be provided distributed along the longitudinal axis 20. The top retaining strap 50 delimits the receiving area 12 upwards and extends along at least a part of the top of the received watercraft 4. In this way, the watercraft 4 is prevented from inadvertently popping out of the receiving area 12 in an upward direction.

[0064] The rear retaining straps 46 are preferably attached on the one hand to the surface-like support structure 10, preferably to a rear end (e.g., a rear reinforcement 18) of the support structure 10, and on the other hand to the top retaining strap 50. This embodiment combines the advantages of securing the watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12 to the rear as well as to the top. Unintentional sliding of the watercraft 4 out of the receiving area 12 is almost impossible. By loosening the connections on both ends of the top retaining strap 50 to the lateral floats 6, both the top retaining strap 50 and the rear retaining straps 46 can be swiveled downwards away from the rear of the receiving area 12 as a joint retaining element and provide access to the receiving area 12.

[0065] The retaining elements may further comprise front retaining straps 52 attached to the lateral floats 6, particularly to the front sections 6b of the floats 6, and can be looped around and/or attached to grab handles 54 of the watercrafts 4. Additional bracing between the individual retaining straps 46, 50, 52 may provide additional dimensional stability and positional accuracy of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 with respect to the received watercraft 4.

[0066] It is particularly preferred if the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 are directly or indirectly detachably secured to the at least one lateral float 6 and/or the forward connecting element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10 on both sides, i.e., portside and starboard. In this way, the watercraft 4 received in the receiving area 12 can be secured from both sides (portside and starboard) and the handling of the transport and carrying device 2 is greatly facilitated.

[0067] The detachable attachment of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 to at least one of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10 can be implemented in any which way. It is particularly preferred if plug-in fasteners 56 are used to detachably attach the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 to the lateral floats 6. These ensure secure attachment of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 and, on the other hand, can be detached quickly and easily if required. A plug-in fastener 56 comprises a first (e.g., male) plug-in element attached to one end of the retaining strap 46, 50, 52 and a second (e.g., female) plug-in element attached to a lateral float 6 that interact with each other. The two plug-in elements can be plugged into each other such that spring snap elements of the first plug-in element engage with indentations or recesses in the second plug-in element and detachably secure the retaining strap 46, 50, 52 to the float 6. The attachment can be released again by pressing on the snap elements for them to emerge from the indentations or recesses.

[0068] To prevent the loosened rear-end and/or top-end retaining straps 46, 50 from floating uncontrollably in the water and obstructing the intake of a watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12 of the transport and carrying device 2, for example because they come into conflict with the running propulsion unit 48 (or matching water intake openings on the underside) of the watercraft 4, it is advantageous if securing elements 58 (cf. FIGS. 5, 6 and 8) are disposed on the lateral floats 6. These are configured to retain the at least one rear retaining strap 46 and/or the at least one top retaining strap 50 in its disengaged state from the at least one lateral float 6. In this way, the loosened retaining straps 46, 50 can be securely and reliably held in a home position that does not interfere with the intake of the watercraft 4. In addition, once the watercraft 4 has been taken in, the retaining straps 46, 50 can be quickly grasped at any time to secure the received watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12. The securing elements 58 preferably each comprise a second (e.g., female) plug-in element of a plug-in fastener 56 attached to a lateral float 6, with which the first (e.g., male) plug-in element of the plug-in fastener 56 attached to the retaining straps 46, 50 can engage.

[0069] Preferably, the lifting elements 14 and/or the retaining straps 50, 52 are disposed on a top end of the lateral floats 6. The lifting elements 14 and/or the retaining straps 50, 52 and/or the securing elements 58 are preferably attached to particularly reinforced points 60 of the transport and carrying device 2.

[0070] The exemplary embodiment of the transport and carrying device 2 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 5-8 differs in some details from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. Those parts of the device 2 from FIGS. 5-8, which are identical to those in the first exemplary embodiment, will not be explained separately here. The explanations below are limited to the differences.

[0071] In the second exemplary embodiment, two top retaining straps 50 are provided that are connected by a joint surface-like retaining element 64. The surface-like element 64 delimits the receiving area 12 at the top end and comes to rest on the top of the watercraft 4 when the watercraft is received in the receiving area 12. A central lifting element 14 is disposed approximately centrally on the surface-like retaining element 64, which is located approximately above a center of gravity of the device 2 and of the watercraft 4. In this case, practically the entire weight of the device 2 andif presentof the watercraft 4 is transferred to the central lifting element 14. A further lifting element 14, in particular for attaching a so-called painter's line 62, is attached to the front of the connecting front element 8 (cf. FIG. 7). The rear retaining straps 46 are joined together at the top end and are detachably connected to the surface-like retaining element 64 by a joint plug-in fastener 56. On one end of the surface-like retaining element 64, the top retaining straps 50 are each detachably connected to the surface-like retaining element 64 by means of a plug-in fastener 56. A handle 66 is disposed on the top end of the connecting front element 8.