Inflatable towable float

Abstract

A towable structure is configured to be towed behind a boat while floating above the surface of a body of water. In one implementation, the towable structure has a platform for supporting one or more passengers thereon extending between or otherwise supported by at least three water engaging base members. The base members are buoyant to extend above the surface of the body of water. The platform extends from a location sufficiently elevated on each of the base members so that the platform stays out of the water under normal operation when unloaded and when supporting one or more passengers.

1 . A structure to be towed in a body of water while supporting a passenger, the structure comprising: 
 an air inflatable, non-rigid platform member having an upper surface and a lower surface spaced apart from the upper surface with an air-filled space therebetween, with the upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant air inflatable, non-rigid support members, the support members being non-rigidly but securely attached to the platform member with the support members extending downward therefrom, the support members in combination having sufficient buoyancy to hold the platform member elevated above the body of water while supporting the passenger when the support members are placed in the body of water and to define an air space between the lower surface of the platform member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       2 . A water sport play structure to be towed in a body of water while supporting a passenger, the structure comprising: 
 a non-rigid platform member having an upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant air inflatable, non-rigid support members non-rigidly but securely retained adjacent to the platform member during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the platform member and being positioned about the platform member to stably support the platform in a desired orientation with the at least one rider thereon, the support members in combination having sufficient buoyancy to hold the platform member elevated above the body of water while supporting the passenger when the support members are placed in the body of water and to define an air space between a lower surface of the platform member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       3 . The structure of  claim 2  wherein the support members each comprise an inflatable buoyant bladder coupled to the platform member by a flexible shell.  
   
   
       4 . A water sport play structure to be towed in a body of water while supporting a passenger, the structure comprising: 
 a non-rigid platform member having an upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon;    at least three spaced apart buoyant support members; and    a flexible shell having the platform member and the support members positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the flexible shell non-rigidly retaining platform member relative to the support members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the platform member and having sufficient buoyancy such that when the support members are placed in the body of water, the platform member remains elevated above the body of water while supporting the passenger to define an air space between a lower surface of the platform member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface, wherein the support members are each positioned within a support member portion of the flexible shell and coupled to the platform member by the support member portion of the flexible shell.    
   
   
       5 . The structure of  claim 4  wherein the platform member is positioned within a platform member portion of the flexible shell.  
   
   
       6 . The structure of  claim 5  wherein a flexible strut is attached to and extends between each support member portions of the flexible shell and the platform member portion of the flexible shell.  
   
   
       7 . The structure of  claim 6  wherein the flexible strut is attached to each support member portion of the flexible shell at a location below the platform member and attached to a lower side of the platform member portion of the flexible shell at a location below the platform member.  
   
   
       8 . The structure of  claim 4  further including a tow line attachment attached to the flexible shell.  
   
   
       9 . The structure of  claim 8  wherein the tow line attachment is attached to at least one of the support member portions of the flexible shell.  
   
   
       10 . The structure of  claim 9  wherein the platform member has at least three sides defining at least three corners with at least one of the support members positioned at each corner.  
   
   
       11 . The structure of  claim 8  wherein the tow line attachment is attached to the platform member portion of the flexible shell.  
   
   
       12 . The structure of  claim 4  wherein the support members are substantially spherical in shape.  
   
   
       13 . The structure of  claim 12  wherein the platform member is positioned adjacent a mid-portion of each of the substantially spherical support members.  
   
   
       14 . A structure to be towed in a body of water, the structure comprising: 
 a first member having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein at least a portion of the first member has a chair shape with an upper torso portion and a lower torso portion, the lower torso portion having a lower surface and two side surfaces; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant second members extending from the first member and having sufficient buoyancy such that when the second members are placed in the body of water, the first member remains elevated above the body of water to define an air space between the lower surface of the first member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface, different ones of the second members extending from the lower surface of the lower torso portion and each of the two side surfaces of the lower torso portion to elevate the lower surface of the lower torso portion above the level water surface.    
   
   
       15 . The structure of  claim 14  further including a tow line attachment attached to the first member.  
   
   
       16 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       17 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid first bladder with the upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid second bladders, and further including a flexible shell and a tow line attachment attached to the shell, the shell having the first bladder and the second bladders positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the first bladder being non-rigidly retained relative to the second bladders, the second bladders extending from the location of the first bladder downward.  
   
   
       18 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein the upper surface of the first member is non-rigid and forms a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid support members, and further including a fabric shell having the first member and the support members positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the fabric shell non-rigidly retaining the first member relative to the support members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the first member, the support members each being positioned within and coupled to the first member by at least one portion of the fabric shell.  
   
   
       19 . The structure of  claim 18  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       20 . A chair shaped structure to be towed in a body of water, the structure comprising: 
 a chair shaped member with an upper surface and a lower surface, and having an upper torso portion and a lower torso portion, the lower torso portion having a lower surface and two side surfaces; and    first, second and third buoyant members, the first buoyant member being positioned to a left side of the lower torso portion and extending downward therefrom, the second buoyant member being positioned to a right side of the lower torso portion and extending downward therefrom, and the third buoyant member being positioned under the lower surface of the chair shaped member at the lower torso portion and extending downward therefrom, the first, second and third buoyant members in combination having sufficient buoyancy such that when the first, second and third buoyant members are placed in the body of water, the chair shaped member remains elevated above the body of water to define an air space between the lower surface of the chair shaped member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       21 . The structure of  claim 20  further including a fourth buoyant member positioned under the lower surface of the chair shaped member at the upper torso portion and extending downward therefrom.  
   
   
       22 . The structure of  claim 20  wherein the chair shaped member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       23 . A structure to be towed in a body of water, the structure comprising: 
 a first member having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein at least a portion of the first member is elliptically shaped and another portion of the first member is cylindrically shaped, the cylindrically shaped portion being coupled to the elliptically shaped portion along a portion of the upper surface of the first member; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant second members extending from the first member and having sufficient buoyancy such that when the second members are placed in the body of water, the first member remains elevated above the body of water to define an air space between the lower surface of the first member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       24 . The structure of  claim 23  further including a tow line attachment attached to the first member.  
   
   
       25 . The structure of  claim 23  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       26 . The structure of  claim 23  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid first bladder with the upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid second bladders, and further including a flexible shell and a tow line attachment attached to the shell, the shell having the first bladder and the second bladders positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the first bladder being non-rigidly retained relative to the second bladders, the second bladders extending from the location of the first bladder downward.  
   
   
       27 . The structure of  claim 23  wherein the upper surface of the first member is non-rigid and forms a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid support members, and further including a fabric shell having the first member and the support members positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the fabric shell non-rigidly retaining the first member relative to the support members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the first member, the support members each being positioned within and coupled to the first member by at least one portion of the fabric shell.  
   
   
       28 . The structure of  claim 27  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       29 . A structure to be towed in a body of water, the structure comprising: 
 a first member having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein at least a portion of the first member is ring shaped; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant second members extending from the first member and having sufficient buoyancy such that when the second members are placed in the body of water, the first member remains elevated above the body of water to define an air space between the lower surface of the first member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       30 . The structure of  claim 29  further including a tow line attachment attached to the first member.  
   
   
       31 . The structure of  claim 29  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       32 . The structure of  claim 29  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid first bladder with the upper surface sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid second bladders, and further including a flexible shell and a tow line attachment attached to the shell, the shell having the first bladder and the second bladders positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the first bladder being non-rigidly retained relative to the second bladders, the second bladders extending from the location of the first bladder downward.  
   
   
       33 . The structure of  claim 29  wherein the first member has a central aperture with a non-rigid cover extending over the aperture and forming a platform with a platform upper surface sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid support members.  
   
   
       34 . The structure of  claim 29  wherein the upper surface of the first member is non-rigid and forms a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid support members, and further including a fabric shell having the first member and the support members positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the fabric shell non-rigidly retaining the first member relative to the support members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the first member, the support members each being positioned within and coupled to the first member by at least one portion of the fabric shell.  
   
   
       35 . The structure of  claim 34  wherein the first member has a central aperture and the fabric shell extends over the aperture and forms the platform sized to flexibly support the at least one rider thereon.  
   
   
       36 . A structure to be towed in a body of water, the structure comprising: 
 a first member having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein at least a portion of the first member is disk shaped and the upper surface of the first member has a circular shape; and    at least three spaced apart buoyant second members extending from the first member and having sufficient buoyancy such that when the second members are placed in the body of water, the first member remains elevated above the body of water to define an air space between the lower surface of the first member and the body of water when the body of water has a level water surface.    
   
   
       37 . The structure of  claim 36  further including a tow line attachment attached to the first member.  
   
   
       38 . The structure of  claim 36  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.  
   
   
       39 . The structure of  claim 36  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid first bladder with the upper surface forming a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid second bladders, and further including a flexible shell and a tow line attachment attached to the shell, the shell having the first bladder and the second bladders positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the first bladder being non-rigidly retained relative to the second bladders, the second bladders extending from the location of the first bladder downward.  
   
   
       40 . The structure of  claim 36  wherein the upper surface of the first member is non-rigid and forms a platform sized to flexibly support at least one rider thereon, and wherein the second members are air inflatable, non-rigid support members, and further including a fabric shell having the first member and the support members positioned and securely retain therein during towing of the structure without use of rigid support frame members, the fabric shell non-rigidly retaining the first member relative to the support members, the support members extending downward from adjacent the first member, the support members each being positioned within and coupled to the first member by at least one portion of the fabric shell.  
   
   
       41 . The structure of  claim 40  wherein the first member is an air inflatable, non-rigid member.