Inflatable watercraft with battery powered motorized cassette

Abstract

An inflatable watercraft comprises a motorized cassette and at least one inflatable chamber. The at least one inflatable chamber is foldable relative to the motorized cassette at least when the inflatable watercraft is in a deflated configuration. The motorized cassette includes a motor, an impeller, at least one battery, and a pump configured to inflate the at least one inflatable chamber. The pump can include a reversible pump configured to deflate the at least one inflatable chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflatable watercraft having at least an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, the watercraft comprising:
 a motorized cassette comprising a watercraft drive system contained in a housing, the watercraft drive system comprising:
 at least one battery, 
 a pump, 
 a motor operatively coupled to the battery, and 
 an impeller operatively coupled to the motor, wherein no components of the watercraft drive system protrude from the housing; and 
   at least one inflatable chamber fluidly coupled to the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the watercraft comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized cassette at least partially forms a base portion of the watercraft. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft of  claim 3 , wherein the motorized cassette at least partially forms a keel of the watercraft. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a reversible pump. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is operatively coupled to the motor. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a pump motor. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the pump motor is operatively coupled to the at least one battery. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a pump housing, the impeller positioned within the pump housing. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one inflatable chamber is fluidly coupled to the pump and the impeller through an exhaust port of the pump housing. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable chamber is configured to fold onto or around the motorized cassette to form a portable unit comprising the watercraft and the motorized cassette at least when the watercraft is in the deflated configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the motorized cassette comprises a controller configured to regulate a power distribution from the at least one battery. 
     
     
         13 . A deflatable watercraft having at least an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, the watercraft comprising:
 a motorized cassette comprising a watercraft drive system comprising an impeller, a motor, and a battery enclosed within a housing, wherein no components of the watercraft drive system protrude from the housing; and   a deflatable watercraft body attached to the motorized cassette and configured to fold onto or around the motorized cassette to form a portable unit comprising the watercraft and the motorized cassette.   
     
     
         14 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein the motorized cassette comprises a pump, and wherein the watercraft body comprises at least one inflatable chamber fluidly coupled to the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The watercraft of  claim 14 , wherein the motorized drive system forms the pump. 
     
     
         16 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , further comprising a container configured to contain the motorized cassette and watercraft body when the watercraft body is folded onto the motorized cassette. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the container comprises a handle. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein the housing forms at least part of a base portion of the watercraft body. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft of  claim 18 , wherein the housing comprises water inlet openings and water exhaust openings. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating an inflatable watercraft, comprising:
 inflating at least one inflatable chamber of a watercraft body with a pump, wherein the pump is contained within a motorized cassette attached to the watercraft body;   propelling the watercraft with a watercraft drive system within the motorized cassette; and   deflating the at least one inflatable chamber with the pump.