US20070163482A1

US20070163482A1 - Cargo Transport Device for Towing Behind Watercraft

Info

Publication number: US20070163482A1
Application number: US11/620,771
Authority: US
Inventors: Shawn WHITNEY
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-17
Filing date: 2007-01-08
Publication date: 2007-07-19
Also published as: CA2573188A1

Abstract

A cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft features a watertight container and a connection member extending along a longitudinal axis between the container and the watercraft. The connection member includes a swivel such that the container and watercraft on opposite sides of the swivel can pivot freely about the longitudinal axis. This free pivoting allows relative rotation between the container and watercraft such that each can react to outside forces, for example those exerted by waves, independently. As a result, rolling of the container does not tend to induce rolling of the watercraft and so the ride quality of the watercraft is not significantly reduced by towing the device. The container has a streamlined shape narrowing towards opposite ends thereof to reduce resistance to motion through water.

Description

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/759,069, filed Jan. 17, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a towable cargo vessel and more particularly to a watertight cargo vessel that can be towed behind a watercraft with minimum detrimental effect on the watercraft's ride quality.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People using watercraft for travel or recreation often find that storage space for cargo such as camping equipment, clothes, food and other supplies is quite limited. This is particularly true in the case of smaller watercraft, for example a canoe or kayak. One known solution to this problem is to pack articles inside a watertight bag, often referred to as a dry bag, and then tie the bag to the watercraft with a rope or other suitable line. The bag can then be dragged behind the craft within the water while keeping its contents dry. These bags are generally limited to carrying relatively small items, increase the resistance to motion of the craft through the water and tend to develop leaks over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,280 describes a towable cargo device having a boat-like shape for towing behind a watercraft. The device is connected to the watercraft by means of conventional tow lines. During forward acceleration, these tow lines become taught due to the weight of the device being pulled. However, a loss in forward acceleration may cause the ropes to become slack. This may cause the device to collide with the rear of the watercraft or create a jerking effect thereon when the watercraft accelerates forward and removes the slack from the toe lines. With the lines are slack, the watercraft is only pulling the relatively insignificant mass of the lines forward. Once the lines are stretched taught between the craft and the towable device, the mass of device is added to the load being propelled forward. This sudden increase in mass causes a sudden reduction in the acceleration rate of the watercraft achieved by its driving force, causing the jerk or kickback effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,752 describes a towable cargo device having a tongue formed by two metal bars for towing behind a watercraft. At a forward end of the tongue, there is provided a hook for attachment to the towing means of the watercraft, which are not detailed in the patent. Where the towing means is a rope or similar flexible connection, it should be appreciated that the aforementioned jerk or kickback may also be experienced when using this particular invention. Alternatively, it may be possible to connect the hook directly to the watercraft to provide a rigid connection which eliminates the jerking effect by maintaining a fixed distance between the watercraft and cargo device. However, this would not allow any relative movement between the watercraft and cargo device, thereby eliminating independent reaction to irregularities in the water surface and therefore reducing ride comfort.
As a result, there is a desire for a cargo carrying device that can be towed behind a watercraft without creating excessive drag or substantially reducing ride quality and corresponding rider comfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:
a watertight towable container; and
a connection member extending generally in a direction of a longitudinal axis from a first connection point for connection to the container to a second connection point for connection to the watercraft;
the connection member comprising a swivel disposed between the first and second connections points and arranged to allow relative pivotal motion between portions of said connection member on opposite sides of said swivel about the longitudinal axis.
The relative pivotal motion allowed about the longitudinal axis by the swivel in the connection member helps maintain independence between the reaction of the watercraft and the container being towed thereby to outside forces. For example, the container is allowed to undergo rolling due to crashing of waves against its sides without tending to induce similar rolling of the watercraft. This would prove useful in situations where the watercraft and container are not aligned parallel with oncoming waves, as a single wave would impact the watercraft and the container at different times.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:
a watertight towable container; and
a connection member extending in a longitudinal direction from a first connection point arranged for connection to the container to a second connection point arranged for connection to the watercraft;
a distance between the first and second connection points being substantially fixed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:
a watertight towable container; and
a connection member extending in a longitudinal direction from a first connection point arranged for connection to the container to a second connection point arranged for connection to the watercraft;
the container having a streamlined shape narrowing toward opposite ends thereof in the longitudinal direction.
The streamlined shape of the container reduces the resistance to forward motion experienced by the container as it is pulled through the water by the watercraft, thereby increasing towing efficiency. In other words, the amount of drag exerted on the container during towing is kept relatively low. Maintaining a constant distance between the connection points reduces the occurrence of jerking or kickback on the watercraft as the container will tend to move with it.
Preferably the streamlined shape narrows in a horizontal plane toward the opposite ends of the container.
Preferably the connection member is pivotable about a pivot axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis at one or both of the first and second connection points to allow relative vertical movement therebetween. This further allows the watercraft and container to react to outside forces independently and thus increase ride comfort.
Preferably there is provided wheels supported on the container for rolling motion thereof along a ground surface.
Preferably the wheels are disposed proximate proximate one end of the container such that lifting of an opposite end engages the wheels with the ground surface. Rolling motion allows easy transport of the device over a relatively flat surface by eliminating the need to lift and carry the entire container.
Preferably the connection member comprises a fixed portion at the second connection point for fixed mounting on the watercraft.
Preferably the fixed portion of the connection member is riveted for attachment to the watercraft. It is also preferable that the fixed portion of the connection member is also epoxied for waterproof attachment to the watercraft.
Preferably the connection member further comprises a detachable portion removably connected to the fixed portion for selectively disconnecting the watercraft and container.
Preferably the connection member is adapted at the first connection point to be selectively detachable from the container.
The connection member may be connected to the container adjacent a first end thereof and the device may further comprise a second connection member attached to the container adjacent a second end opposite the first end for connection to a second watertight towable container.
Preferably the watertight container is closable to define an enclosed space therein.
The device may be provided in combination with a kayak extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the container of the device is less than or equal to the kayak in width measured transverse to the longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane.
The kayak and container may be of substantially similar shape in at least the horizontal plane.
In one embodiment, the first and second connection points of the connection member are joined by an elastic member such that the first and second connection points are spaced by a first prescribed distance when the elastic member is in a relaxed state and such that the first and second connection points are spaced by a second prescribed distance greater than the first prescribed distance and are biased towards the first prescribed distance when the elastic is in a stretched state.
In an alternative embodiment, a distance between the first and second connection points is substantially fixed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the watertight towable container of the cargo transport device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overhead plan view of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an overhead plan view of the connection member of the cargo transport device connecting the container to a kayak.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the connection member of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the connection member connecting the container to a kayak.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the container 10 of the cargo transport device features a body 12 having the general shape of a kayak, that is narrowing toward its opposite ends in both horizontal and vertical planes to reduce resistance to motion through water. The container 10 is hollow inside to allow the storage of various cargo within. Access to the container's interior is provided by openings 14 in the top surface 16 which are closable by means of lids 18. Each lid 18 is pivotally supported along an edge 20 of its respective opening 16 nearest a respective end of the container 10. With the lids mounted in this fashion and at least partially opened, as shown in FIG. 1, the interior of the container 10 can be accessed from either side. The body 12 is constructed to be water tight to prevent leaks and retain buoyancy when placed on the surface of a body of water. The lids 18 are closable in a sealing manner such that the container 10 as a whole is rendered watertight with the lids in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2. This ensures that the contents of the container 10 remain dry regardless of the container's exposure to water from any direction. The container 10 may include fastening loops 21 supported on the top surface 16 for the attachment of tie-down straps or cords for stowing cargo that is not water sensitive on top of the body 12.
An integral handle 22 at each of the front and rear ends 26, 28 is defined by a transverse hole 24 through the body 12 to provide a convenient gripping surface for lifting of the container. A pair of wheels 30, each individual wheel disposed on an opposite side of the container 10, is supported near the rear end 28 for rotation about a common axle 32. Due to the upward slope of a bottom surface 34 of the body 12 toward each end, the wheels 30 are supported so as to be spaced upward from a flat ground surface with the container 10 resting thereon. Lifting the front end 26 by the handle 22 thereat pivots the container body 12 about a transverse axis thereof, causing the wheels 30 to move downward and engage the ground surface. Still using the handle 22, the container 10 can then be pulled along the ground surface for travel over land, eliminating the need to lift the entire container where ground conditions are suitable for rolling motion. The bottom surface 34 of the body features a recess 36 extending transversely inward on either side of the longitudinal axis of the container 10 near the rear end 28 thereof. The wheels 30 are supported in these recesses 36 so as to not extend outward from the body 12 in the transverse direction. The wheels 30 and axle 32 may be mounted in a removable manner so that they may be attached and detached for transport of the container on land and in water respectively.
As seen in FIG. 1, a hole 38 is provided through the body 12 adjacent the front end 26 in order to facilitate connection of the container 10 to a watercraft for towing thereby. FIG. 3 shows the container 10 connected to a kayak 40 by the connection member 50. The connection member 50 features fixed mounting elements 52 for attachment to kayak. Each mounting element features a lug 54 extending upward from a mounting pad 56 that is attached to an upper surface 42 near the stern 44 of the kayak 40. The pad 56 is attached to the kayak 40 by rivets or other suitable fasteners and then further secured with epoxy in order to provide a waterproof seal between the kayak 40 and mounting element 52. The lug 54 of each mounting element 52 features a hole through which a respective end of bent rod 58 is passed. The rod 58 is bent to define two legs 60 that diverge moving from the container 10 to the kayak 40 so as to extend along opposite sides thereof and then bend towards each other such that their ends pass through the lugs 54 of the mounting elements 52. Opposite the leg ends, the rod 58 is connected to a self-locking hook 60 by a swivel 62. The hook 60 is allowed to lock after being passed through the hole 40 near the front end of the container 10 to removably secure the connection member 50 thereon. The swivel 62 permits relative rotation between the hook 60 and the bent rod 58 about a longitudinal axis along which the connection member 50 extends. This allows relative rotation between the container 10 and kayak about the same axis such that each can react independently to forces exerted thereon during water travel. The rod 58 is free to pivot about a pivot axis extending through the lugs 54 transverse to the longitudinal axis. It should be appreciated that the connection member 50 can also pivot about an axis defined by the hole 38 in the container body 12, as the hook 60 and hole 38 do not provide a rigid connection. This pivotal arrangement allows relative vertical movement to occur between the kayak 40 and container 10. These degrees of freedom help ensure that the kayak 40 and container 10 can react to outside forces independently such that the towing of the container has not significantly affect the ride quality of the watercraft. Furthermore, the substantial rigidity of the rod 58 in the longitudinal direction prevents the creation of slack between the container 10 and kayak 40 so as to avoid the jerking effect experienced with a flexible connection, such as a rope.
The ends of the rod 58 can be pulled back through the lugs 54 of the mounting elements 52 so as to disconnect the rod 58, swivel 62, hook 60 and container 10 from the kayak 40. The mounting elements 52 do not interfere with regular use of the kayak 40, but allow fast and easy connection of the towable container 10 when needed. Disconnecting the entire connection member 50 from the container 10 by removing the hook 60 from the hole 38 and then disconnecting the rod 58 from the mounting elements 52 allows the majority of the connection member components to be stored away, for example within the container 10, when the device 1 is not being towed. In other words, a detachable portion of the connection member 50 defined by the rod 58, swivel 62 and hook 60 improves the portability and storability of the device 1 by allowing selective reduction of its overall size, while a fixed portion of the connection member 50 defined by the mounting elements 52 improves the ease of use of the device 1 without detrimentally affecting the appearance or use of the kayak 40 alone.
The legs 60 of the rod 58 diverge to opposite sides of the kayak 40 as shown in FIG. 3 before connecting to the mounting elements 52 so as to allow use of the present invention with a kayak having a stern mounted rudder without interfering with the mounting and operation of thereof. It should be appreciated that the rod 58 may be replaced with an alternate member that extends between the container 10 and kayak 40 on only one side of a central longitudinal axis of the kayak so as to go around an area left open for the mounting of a rudder on the stern. Obviously, in such a case, there would not be a need for two separate mounting elements on the kayak.
Shaping the container 10 similar to the kayak 40 provides the towable device 1 with similar handling characteristics to that of the watercraft towing it. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention may be used with watercraft other than kayaks. Keeping the width of the container 10, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, equal or less than that of the watercraft helps keep the towable device 1 inside the wake of the watercraft so as to minimize the disruption of smooth motion through the water. The container 10 may be equipped with one or more keels or ribs on the bottom surface 34 in order to encourage travel in a straight line. Different types of keels, including those adapted for removable mounting, are known to those of skill in the art of watercraft and may be applied to the present invention, so long as the container is built watertight to keep the interior dry.
A second pair of mounting elements 52 may be provided near the rear end 28 of the container 10 such that a second container may be towed behind it by means of a second a second connection member.
By reducing resistance to motion through water, the streamlined kayak-like shape of the container increases the efficiency of towing. This allows more cargo to be towed with less energy input required. For example, use of the device with a paddled watercraft allows a paddler to transport a greater amount of cargo or reduce the strain experienced in transporting a particular amount of cargo. The device can be easily transported on a conventional kayak or canoe carrier supported atop an automobile.
Turning now to FIG. 5, a further embodiment of the attachment between the connection member 50 and the front end 26 of the container body is shown. In this instance, the self locking hook (or latch) 60 is similarly used for cooperation with the hole 38 in the container body. The hook 60 is attached to the rod 58 of the connection member 50 by two swivels 62 connected by an elastic member 80 connected in series therebetween. Accordingly a first one of the swivels 62 is coupled in series between the hook 60 and the elastic member 80 while the second one of the swivels 62 is coupled in series between the other end of the elastic member 80 and the rod 58 of the connection member. In this arrangement, the first and second connection points of the connection member for connection to the container body and the kayak respectively are joined by an elastic member such that the first and second connection points are supported at a movable distance relative to one another as the elastic stretches. The first and second connection points are spaced by a first prescribed distance when the elastic member is in a relaxed state and are spaced by a second prescribed distance greater than the first prescribed distance in a stretched state. In the stretched state, the elastic nature of the member 80 biases the connection points back from the second prescribed spacing to the first prescribed spacing. The elastic member 80 is useful for maintaining a taught connection between the towable container and the kayak.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:

a watertight towable container; and

a connection member extending generally in a direction of a longitudinal axis from a first connection point for connection to the container to a second connection point for connection to the watercraft;

the connection member comprising a swivel disposed between the first and second connections points and arranged to allow relative pivotal motion between portions of said connection member on opposite sides of said swivel about the longitudinal axis.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the container has a streamlined shape narrowing toward opposite ends thereof.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the streamlined shape narrows in a horizontal plane toward the opposite ends of the container.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the connection member is pivotable about a pivot axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis at one or both of the first and second connection points to allow relative vertical movement therebetween.

5. The device according to claim 1 further comprising wheels supported on the container for rolling motion thereof along a ground surface.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the wheels are disposed proximate proximate one end of the container such that lifting of an opposite end engages the wheels with the ground surface.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the connection member comprises a fixed portion at the second connection point for fixed mounting on the watercraft.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein the fixed portion of the connection member is riveted for attachment to the watercraft.

9. The device according to claim 7 wherein the fixed portion of the connection member is epoxied for waterproof attachment to the watercraft.

10. The device according to claim 7 wherein the connection member further comprises a detachable portion removably connected to the fixed portion for selectively disconnecting the watercraft and container.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein the connection member is adapted at the first connection point to be selectively detachable from the container.

12. The device according to claim 1 wherein the connection member is connected to the container adjacent a first end thereof and the device further comprises a second connection member attached to the container adjacent a second end opposite the first end for connection to a second watertight towable container.

13. The device according to claim 1 wherein the watertight container is closable to define an enclosed space therein.

14. The device according to claim 1 in combination with a kayak extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the container of the device is less than or equal to the kayak in width measured transverse to the longitudinal direction in a horizontal plane.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein the kayak and container are of substantially similar shape in at least the horizontal plane.

16. The device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second connection points of the connection member are joined by an elastic member such that the first and second connection points are spaced by a first prescribed distance when the elastic member is in a relaxed state and such that the first and second connection points are spaced by a second prescribed distance greater than the first prescribed distance and are biased towards the first prescribed distance when the elastic is in a stretched state.

17. The device according to claim 1 wherein a distance between the first and second connection points is substantially fixed.

18. A cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:

a watertight towable container; and

a connection member extending in a longitudinal direction from a first connection point arranged for connection to the container to a second connection point arranged for connection to the watercraft;

a distance between the first and second connection points being substantially fixed.

19. A cargo transport device for towing behind a watercraft, said device comprising:

a watertight towable container; and

the container having a streamlined shape narrowing toward opposite ends thereof in the longitudinal direction.

20. The device according to claim 19 in combination with a kayak extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the container of the device is less than or equal to the kayak in width measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction in a horizontal plane.