[0001] The invention is related to a boat canopy structure which can be opened and closed,
comprising auxiliary ribs which support covering material and which are used to articulate
the canopy to the edges of the boat.
[0002] It is commonly known to use boat canopy structures which can be opened and closed
as needed. However, one considerable disadvantage in these structures is that the
attachment thereof to the edges of the stem section of the boat when the canopy is
closed and the detachment thereof from the edges of the stern section when the canopy
is opened requires a considerable amount of work and strong fingers from the user.
This is due to the fact that all known canopies are attached to the edges of the stem
section by using a large number of separate, generally threaded fastening devices,
press studs or the like which become difficult to use because of corrosion in particular.
Principally, the opening and closing of canopies is carried out from the outside,
the edges of the boat, causing a security risk.
[0003] The object of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages and
to provide a boat canopy which is safe and quick to open and close.
[0004] The objects defined above are accomplished by the canopy structure according to the
invention which is characterised in what is defined in the characterising clause of
Claim 1.
[0005] One essential advantage of the invention is that it minimises the opening and closing
operations. Another advantage is that when the canopy is opened and closed, these
operations do not have to be carried out on the edges of the boat.
[0006] In the following, the invention is described in detail with reference to the appended
drawings.
[0007] Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of the canopy structure according to the invention
in a closed position, taken from the outside of the boat.
[0008] Fig. 2 shows the locking mechanism of the canopy structure according to the invention
in a larger scale than in Fig. 1., taken from points I of Fig. 1 and shown in an axonometric
view.
[0009] The canopy structure according to the invention is used in boats where there is some
open space in addition to the driving cabin. The boat canopy structure, which can
be opened and closed, comprises, first, auxiliary ribs 5 known per se which support
covering material 10. The auxiliary ribs are typically attached by articulates 11
to edges 6 of boat 12 or the stern section of the boat, whereby canopy 1 turns around
articulates 11 to be folded to the open position and back again to its closed position
which is shown in Fig. 1. According to the invention, the edge of canopy 1 which is
to be opened, for example edge 2 or 3, or possibly two opening edges 2 and 3 have
a stiff retaining arch 7 placed thereto, having a shape that corresponds to the shape
of the stern section of the boat. Edge 6 of the stern section of the boat where this
retaining arch is, is provided with latches 8 at locking spots 4 of the canopy, for
example, quick-locking latches, to which retaining arch 7 of the canopy can be fitted
without special additional measures. When the canopy is opened, tongue 9 of the quick-locking
latch is pressed, for example, upon which the edge of the canopy can be lifted ( if
the opening is carried out by first edge 2) or, correspondingly, lowered down (if
the opening is carried out by second edge 3) from this retaining arch 7. The closing
of the canopy is carried out by inverse measures, whereby retaining arch 7, when pressed
in direction S, snaps behind tongues 9 of latches 8, as can be seen in Fig. 2.
[0010] When the canopy structure according to the invention is used, whereby stiff retaining
arches are placed on the edges to be opened, only one or two latches 8 on each edge
of the canopy that are opened are mostly enough to lock the edge of the canopy to
boat 12. In Fig. 1, where the canopy can be opened by two edges 2, 3, has, therefore,
only four latches 8 but, according to the description above, it could perhaps only
have two latches on the opposite edges of the canopy. Canopies that are opened by
one edge have, correspondingly, fewer latches. It is obvious that the latches can
be of other types than the ones shown in Fig. 2.
1. A canopy structure for boats which can be opened and closed, comprising auxiliary
ribs (5) which support covering material and which are used to articulate (11) the
canopy to the edges (6) of the boat, characterised in that the edge (2 or 3) of the canopy (1) which is to be opened or, correspondingly,
the edges (2 and 3) of the canopy which are to be opened have a stiff retaining arch
(7) placed thereto, the shape of the arch corresponding to the shape of the edges
of the stern section of the boat, and that the edge of the stern section of the boat
where the retaining arch is, is provided with latches (8) to which the retaining arch
(7) of the canopy is locked.
2. A canopy structure according to protection claim 1, characterised in that the latches (8) comprise a tongue (9) behind which the retaining arch (7)
snaps when pressed, without additional measures.
