Universal accessory mount for watercraft
A socket ( 11 ) designed to be installed on the surface of a watercraft such as a sailboard or a stand-up paddle board can accept a number of alternate accessory mounting plug-in inserts such as an adapter mount ( 12 ) for a vent plug ( 9 ), a paddle strap mount ( 16 ), leash or universal joint ball mount ( 18 ), for example. The insert can be positioned in a number of discrete horizontally angular orientations byway of commensurate interlocking crenelations in the form of equidistantly angularly spaced apart splines ( 35 ) and keyways ( 36 ), and secured into the socket by a pair of locking screws engaging angled channels ( 27,28 ). A top flange ( 22 ), lateral gusset blades ( 25,29 ) and a resin dam ( 40 ) facilitate the insertion and gluing of the socket into the foam core of the board.
1 . A device for mounting accessories on a watercraft board having a skin and a solid core, said device comprising:
a socket comprising:
a tubular wall;
a radial flange projecting outwardly from an upper edge of said wall;
a pair of opposite radial blades projecting outwardly from said wall and tapering down toward said lower edge;
a plurality of equally spaced apart radial splines formed inwardly into said wall; and,
at least one tubular channel extending from said flange to an inside surface area of said wall.
2 . The device of claim 1 , which further comprises at least one accessory mounting insert having an outer peripheral geometry commensurate with said inside surface.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein said geometry comprises a plurality of peripheral keyways intimately matching said splines.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said tubular channel has an interior threaded surface.
5 . The device of claim 4 , which further comprises a pair of diametrically opposite, inwardly angled ones of said tubular channel.
6 . The device of claim 3 , wherein said socket further comprises a circular bottom proximate a lower edge of said wall.
7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein said bottom has a plurality of bores.
8 . The device of claim 2 , wherein said insert has a circular groove in line with said channel when said insert is positioned within said socket.
9 . The device of claim 8 , in combination with a watercraft board, wherein said socket is inserted through a skinned surface of the board and secured into its core.
10 . The device of claim 8 , in combination with a watercraft board, wherein said socket is inserted and secured into the core of the board, and partially covered by an applied skinned surface of the board.
11 . The combination of claim 9 , which further comprises locking screws inserted in said channel and penetrating said groove.
13 . The device of claim 3 , which further comprises at least one of said splines or keyways having at least one elongated longitudinal drainage furrow extending along a length of said at least one of said splines or keyways.
14 . The device of claim 2 , which further comprises said insert including at least one fastener receptacle, and a accessory mount having a fastener commensurate with said receptacle.
15 . The device of claim 14 , which further comprises a load spreader having said insert including at least one fastener receptacle, and a accessory mount having a fastener commensurate with said receptacle.