Convertible boat top
View Patent ↗A convertible boat top provides a covered area to protect the occupants from environmental concerns such as sun, rain, etc. The convertible top is easily deployed and can be unobtrusively tucked away into a storage area. The top can be provided as original equipment or may be embodied as a kit to adapt an existing boat.
1. A convertible boat top comprising:
a canopy; and
a support structure supporting the canopy and shiftable with the canopy between a stowed position and an installed position, wherein the support structure comprises,
a main support bar engaging the canopy and coupled with a sliding mechanism, the main support bar being disposed in a first position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the stowed position and in a second position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the installed position,
a pair of interim brackets respectively pivotally attached at one end to the main support bar and attached at an opposite end to the canopy, and
a secondary support bar pivotally secured to the main support bar and including a crossbar extending across a width of the main support bar, the secondary support bar supporting a middle portion of the canopy.
2. A convertible boat top according to claim 1 , wherein the interim brackets are attached to the canopy via respective canopy brackets.
3. A convertible boat top according to claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a first sleeve through which the main support bar is threaded and a second sleeve through which the secondary support bar is threaded.
4. A convertible boat top according to claim 3 , wherein the first sleeve is disposed at a rearward end of the canopy, and wherein the second sleeve is disposed at the middle portion of the canopy.
5. A convertible boat top according to claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a canopy trim defining a shaped rigid forward perimeter of the canopy.
6. A convertible boat top according to claim 5 , wherein the canopy trim comprises a rigid or semi-rigid rod threaded into a pocket formed in the forward perimeter of the canopy.
7. A convertible boat top according to claim 5 , wherein the canopy trim is bowed such that the canopy does not sit flush with a top trim of a boat windshield frame.
8. A convertible boat top according to claim 5 , further comprising an attachment clip secured to the canopy via the canopy trim, wherein the attachment clip is selectively securable to a top trim of a boat windshield frame.
9. A convertible boat top according to claim 8 , comprising at least two attachment clips spaced along the canopy trim.
10. A convertible boat top according to claim 5 , further comprising means for removably securing the boat top to a top trim of a boat windshield frame.
11. A convertible boat top according to claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a first sleeve through which the main support bar is threaded.
12. A convertible boat top comprising:
a canopy; and
a support structure supporting the canopy and shiftable with the canopy between a stowed position and an installed position, wherein the support structure comprises a main support bar engaging the canopy and coupled with a sliding mechanism, the main support bar being disposed in a first position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the stowed position and in a second position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the installed position,
wherein the canopy comprises a canopy trim defining a shaped rigid forward perimeter of the canopy, and wherein the support structure further comprises a pair of interim brackets respectively pivotally attached at one end to the main support bar and attached at respective opposite ends to ends of the canopy trim.
13. A convertible boat top according to claim 12 , wherein the interim brackets and the canopy trim are pivotable to a position adjacent the main support bar in the stowed position.
14. A convertible boat top according to claim 12 , further comprising a secondary support bar pivotally secured to the main support bar and including a crossbar extending across a width of the main support bar, the secondary support bar supporting a middle portion of the canopy, wherein the interim brackets, the canopy trim and the secondary support bar are pivotable to a position adjacent the main support bar in the stowed position.
15. A convertible boat top comprising:
a canopy; and
a support structure supporting the canopy and shiftable with the canopy between a stowed position and an installed position, wherein the support structure comprises a main support bar engaging the canopy and coupled with a sliding mechanism, the main support bar being disposed in a first position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the stowed position and in a second position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the installed position,
wherein the sliding mechanism comprises a slide rail attachable to an interior boat surface and a sliding bracket mounted in sliding engagement with the slide rail, wherein the main support bar is pivotably secured to a first end of the sliding bracket, wherein the sliding mechanism further comprises a pivot device pivotably secured between a second end of the sliding bracket and the main support bar, and wherein the pivot device is configured to bias the main support bar toward the installed position.
16. A boat windshield assembly comprising:
a bottom trim member securable to a boat frame;
a windshield supported by the bottom trim member;
a top trim member affixed to the windshield; and
a convertible boat top comprising,
a canopy; and
a support structure supporting the canopy and linearly shiftable with the canopy between a stowed position and an installed position, wherein the support structure comprises a main support bar engaging the canopy and coupled with a sliding mechanism, the main support bar being disposed in a first position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the stowed position and is slideably displaced in a straight line to a second position in the sliding mechanism when the support structure is in the installed position,
wherein the canopy comprises a canopy trim defining a shaped rigid forward perimeter of the canopy, the canopy trim being selectively attachable to the top trim member in the installed position, and wherein the support structure further comprises a pair of interim brackets respectively pivotally attached at one end to the main support bar and attached at respective opposite ends to front end of the canopy.
17. A boat comprising:
a boat frame including a passenger area and a motive power support area;
a bottom trim member secured to the boat frame;
a windshield supported by the bottom trim member;
a top trim member affixed to the windshield; and
the convertible boat top as claimed in claim 1 , the convertible boat top being selectively attachable to the top trim member in the installed position.