FR2611646A1 - Inflatable boat - Google Patents

Abstract

Manufacturing method making it possible to construct entirely welded inflatable boats using a fabric of current quality. The present invention is characterised by reinforcements 5 incorporated into the edges of the envelope 8 and which may be replaced by rods. These reinforcements are clamped by rigid or semi-rigid bars 1 and 2 which prevents the fabric of the envelope from twisting up and holds the bladders firmly in place. The bottom and the escutcheon are not secured to the envelope, the inflatable keel is designed in the same way as the body, its rigid closure also allows it to be fixed to the board.

Description

 The present invention relates to inflatable boats.

 These boats are traditionally inflated by air or gas and made of synthetic rubber, plastic in the form of sheets or coated fabric.

 The sheets have the advantage of having a good seal but they are very fragile. The fabrics are more resistant but they require higher technology for their manufacture and therefore, the higher the performance required, the higher their price.

 The new generation boats "object of this patent, allow on the one hand to exploit the waterproofing of the leaves and, on the other hand the robustness of the coated fabrics. The originality of the invention does not lie in the marriage of the two materials used but to the process used in closing the envelope. This process consists of wrapping 1 or more foil bladders by a coated fabric envelope and closed by a set of rigid bars. These rigid bars are intended to clamp the fibers of the Textile reinforcement thus avoiding any twisting due to the framing between the weft and warp threads of the fabric, in addition they also serve to pinch a lip of the internal bladder preventing it from twisting and causing premature aging.

 This process makes it possible to use for the external envelope a fabric of current quality, but weldable, the bladders being able to be in sheet of any material weldable and gas tight.

the boats thus designed have the following advantages:
- Fully welded manufacturing.

 - The closing bars can be upper, lateral external or internal, or lower.

 - Removable rear panel maintained by ropes welded to the enclosure. The attachment to these ropes is obtained by rigid clamping.

 - The keel is inflatable, of the same material as the flange, also closed by rigid bars which serve to fix it to the floor.

 -The bottom is removable, it is held in place by pinching either between a soda rope on the lower part of the envelope and the edges of the floor, or between the rigid bars of the lower closure.

 According to a variant, the internal bladders can be replaced or shaped by plastic foam. This origiral system has the advantage of eliminating the internal compartments and of avoiding any untimely deflation in the event of a more or less serious accident. Avoid any internal pressure check due to the porosity of the materials used according to temperature changes. It makes it possible to remove all the inflation and intercommunication devices.

 As a result, greater safety is obtained in the use of the boat and a saving of time in its manufacture.

 The accompanying drawings illustrate the originality of the invention which resides in the various manufacturing processes.

 Plate 1; / 5: Figureslv2 and 3 respectively represent the sections of the external closures (upper, lateral, lower and internal) Fig. 1 Upper closure composed of (1) clamping bar on the screw side (2) clamping bar on the insert side ( 3) clamping screw (4) insert (5) clamping reinforcement (6) lashing cable (7) bladder (8) body casing Fig. 2 External lateral closure with elements 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 already described .

Fig. 3 Lower closure composed of the elements 3 4 5 7 8 already described and (9) the floor (10) the bottom (11) bottom reinforcement (12) clamping element. The internal closure is symmetrical with respect to Figure 2 which represents the external closure.

Plate 2/5: Fig 4 shows a variant of closure,
Fig 5 the attachment of the bottom when the closure system is upper, lateral (outside or inside). Fig 4 is characterized by the fact that the mark (5) which represents the bridle reinforcement is replaced by rods which can be rigid or semi-rigid. Fig 5 is made up of (3) clamping screws (4) insert (10) bottom (li) bottom reinforcement strap (12) clamping element (13) fixing luff (14) clamping reinforcement on luff.

Plate 3/5: represents the fixing of the table and the inflatable keel. Fig 6 (15) transom (16) headline (17) rods (1 & internal flange (19) external flange (20) clamping screw
Fig 7 (21) keel clamping bar (22) clamping side insert side (23) keel clamping reinforcement (24) keel casing (25) keel bladder (26) fixing screw on bottom,
The envelope is closed by mechanical means consisting mainly of rigid or semi-rigid, metal, plastic or composite reinforcements (5) incorporated into the edges of the envelope (Pi. 4/5). Alternatively these reinforcements ( 5) can be replaced by rods (17) which can be rigid or semi-rigid, metallic or plastic incorporated at the edges of the envelope (Pl. 5/5)
These reinforcements are clamped by rigid or semi-rigid bars (1 and 2) made of wood, metal, plastic or composite materials
These bars (1 and 2) are assembled by mechanical screwing, locking or clipping means.

 The closure allows the lip of the bladder to be pinched, preventing it from twisting.

The bottom is not integral with the envelope, it is pinched either in the lower closure (Pi. 1/5 Fig.3) or between a rope and the floor (Pi. 2/5 Fig. 5)
The rigid or semi-rigid, metallic, plastic or composite reinforcements (23) are incorporated at the edges of the envelope, they are clamped by rigid or semi-rigid bars (21 and 22) made of wood, metal, plastic or composite materials.

 the internal bladders can be replaced by separate moldings allowing the reconstitution of the cylinder.

The bladders can be removed and replaced with injected plastic foam, which directly shapes the envelope.

 The cylinders can also be reconstituted by juxtaposed plastic foam washers.

 The elements making up the cylinders may have an internal location for housing an inflatable chamber which has the purpose of holding these elements in place, making them perfectly match the shape of the envelope.

Claims (19)

 1) Inflatable boat characterized by the closing of the envelope, the bottom and the removable keel. The keel is concluded in the same way as the body. The rigid closure of the envelope also allows it to be fixed to the floor. As a variant, the swelling of the bladders can be replaced by plastic foam. The envelope is closed by mechanical means.  2) Boat characterized according to claim 1 in that this mechanical means is mainly constituted by reinforcements (5) rigid or semi rigid, metallic, plastic or composite, incorporated into the edges of the envelope (Pi. 4/5). As a variant, these reinforcements (5) can be replaced by rods (17) which can be rigid or semi-rigid, metallic or plastic incorporated at the edges of the envelope (Pi. 5/5)  3) Boat characterized according to claim 1 in that these reinforcements are clamped by bars (1 and 2) rigid or semi rigid in wood, metal, plastic or composite materials.  4) boat characterized according to claim 1 in that these bars (1 and 2) are assembled by mechanical means, screwing, locking or clipping.  5) Boat characterized in according to claim T in that the closure makes it possible to pinch the lip of the bladder thus preventing it from twisting.  6) boat characterized according to claim 1 in that the bottom is not integral with the envelope. It is pinched either in the lower closure (Pi. 1/5 Fig. 3) or between a rope and the floor (Pl. 2/5 Fig.5)  7) boat characterized according to claim 6 in that the periphery of the bottom (10) traps a frame (11) which can be flexible rigid or semi rigid thus creating an extra thickness which pinches between the rigid floor (9) and the reinforcement of the headline (14) seals.  8) boat characterized according to claim 6 in that according to the assembly (Pi. 2/5 Fig.5) the rope (13) has a reinforcement (14) of the same nature as those used for closing the envelope.  9) Boat characterized according to claim 1 in that the table is removable. j  10) Boat characterized according to claim 9 in that the holding of the table (15) is made by pinching a double lip rope (16) by means of 2 inner and outer flanges (18 and 19) held in place by screwing (screw 20)  11) Boat characterized according to claim I in that (Pi. 3/5 Fig.7) the keel consists of an envelope (24) inflated by a bladder (25) closed by rigid bars (21 and 2-) assembled by mechanical screwing means (screw 3 and insert 4) These bars are also used to fix the assembly to the floor.  12) A boat characterized according to claim 11 in that the closure of the envelope (24) is made by mechanical means mainly consisting of reinforcements (23) rigid or semi rigid, metallic, plastic or composites which are incorporated into the edges of the envelope.  13) A boat characterized according to claim 11 in that these reinforcements (23) are clamped by bars (21 and 22) rigid or semi rigid in wood, metal, plastic or composite materials.  14) Boat characterized according to claim 13 in that these rigid bars also serve for fixing the keel to the floor, fixing effected by screwing, clipping or locking.  15) Boat characterized according to claim 1 in that the bladders can be shaped by plastic foam.  16) Boat characterized in that the bladders can be replaced by cylindrical moldings or by separate moldings allowing the reconstitution of the cylinders.  17) A boat characterized according to claim 1 in that the envelope can be shaped directly by plastic foam, which removes the bladders.  18) Boat characterized according to claim 6 or that the cylinders can also be reconstituted by juxtaposed plastic foam washers.  19) A boat characterized according to claim 16 in that the components of the cylinders have an internal location to accommodate an inflatable chamber which aims to keep these elements in place making them perfectly match the shape of the envelope.