Cover for Personal Watercraft

Abstract

A cover for a personal watercraft, the cover comprising a shield member that attaches to a dock; and a cover member that is moveable relative to the shield member between a retracted position and an extended position. The shield member has an open back end for receiving a front of the personal watercraft when the personal water craft is positioned on the dock. The shield member also has a right side wall and a left side wall, and a storage space that is located between the right side wall and the left side wall. The cover member is substantially received within the storage space when the cover member is in the retracted position, and is configured to be moveable from the retracted position to the extended position while the personal watercraft is positioned on the dock. When in the extended position, the cover member substantially covers the personal watercraft.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cover for a personal watercraft, the cover comprising:
 a shield member that attaches to a dock; and   a cover member that is moveable relative to the shield member between a retracted position and an extended position;   wherein the shield member has an open back end for receiving a front of the personal watercraft when the personal water craft is positioned on the dock;   wherein the shield member has a right side wall that at least partially shields a right side of the front of the personal watercraft when the personal water craft is positioned on the dock;   wherein the shield member has a left side wall that at least partially shields a left side of the front of the personal watercraft when the personal water craft is positioned on the dock;   wherein the shield member has a storage space located between the right side wall and the left side wall;   wherein the cover member is substantially received within the storage space when the cover member is in the retracted position;   wherein the cover member is configured to be moveable from the retracted position to the extended position while the personal watercraft is positioned on the dock; and   wherein the cover member is configured to substantially cover the personal watercraft when personal watercraft is positioned on the dock and the cover member is in the extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the shield member is substantially rigid. 
     
     
         3 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the shield member has an open top. 
     
     
         4 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the right side wall has a generally triangular shape when viewed from a right side, and wherein the left side wall has a generally triangular shape when viewed from a left side. 
     
     
         5 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the right side wall and the left side wall each have a bottom edge for attachment to the dock, a rear edge that slopes upwardly and forwardly from a rear of the bottom edge up to an apex point, and a front edge that slopes downwardly and forwardly from the apex point. 
     
     
         6 . The cover according to  claim 5 , wherein the front edge of the right side wall and the front edge of the left side wall curve towards each other and connect at a front connecting portion. 
     
     
         7 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the shield member has an arch-like shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         8 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the shield member defines the storage space for receiving the cover member when the cover member is in the retracted position, and a watercraft receiving space for receiving the front of the personal watercraft when the personal water craft is positioned on the dock;
 wherein the storage space is located around an inner periphery of the shield member; and   wherein the watercraft receiving space is located at a central position spaced from the right side wall and the left side wall.   
     
     
         9 . The cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover member comprises a collapsible frame that supports a flexible covering material. 
     
     
         10 . The cover according to  claim 9 , wherein the collapsible frame comprises an arcuate rib that is pivotable relative to the shield member between a raised position, in which the rib extends upwardly from the dock, and a lowered position, in which the rib extends forwardly towards a front of the shield member. 
     
     
         11 . The cover according to  claim 10 , wherein the arcuate rib is a front arcuate rib, the collapsible frame further comprising a rear rib member;
 wherein the rear rib member comprises a left rear foot, a right rear foot, and a rear arcuate rib;   wherein the left rear foot and the right rear foot each extend from a rear pivot attachment point to a rear rib attachment point;   wherein the rear arcuate rib extends between the rear rib attachment point of the left rear foot and the rear rib attachment point of the right rear foot;   wherein the left rear foot and the right rear foot are pivotable relative to the shield member between an expanded position and a collapsed position;   wherein, when in the expanded position, the left rear foot and the right rear foot extend rearwardly along the dock, with the rear rib attachment points positioned adjacent to the dock and the rear arcuate rib extending upwardly from the dock;   wherein, when moving from the expanded position to the collapsed position, the rear rib attachment points move upwardly and forwardly relative to the dock; and   wherein, when in the collapsed position, the left rear foot and the right rear foot extend upwardly from the dock, with the rear rib attachment points spaced upwardly from the dock and the rear arcuate rib extending forwardly towards the front of the shield member.   
     
     
         12 . The cover according to  claim 11 , wherein the collapsible frame further comprises a middle rib member;
 wherein the middle rib member comprises a left middle foot, a right middle foot, and a middle arcuate rib;   wherein the left middle foot and the right middle foot each extend from a middle pivot attachment point to a middle rib attachment point;   wherein the middle arcuate rib extends between the middle rib attachment point of the left middle foot and the middle rib attachment point of the right middle foot;   wherein the left middle foot and the right middle foot are pivotable relative to the shield member between a first position and a second position;   wherein, when in the first position, the left middle foot and the right middle foot extend rearwardly along the dock, with the middle rib attachment points positioned adjacent to the dock and the middle arcuate rib extending upwardly from the dock;   wherein, when moving from the first position to the second position, the middle rib attachment points move upwardly and forwardly relative to the dock; and   wherein, when in the second position, the left middle foot and the right middle foot extend upwardly from the dock, with the middle rib attachment points spaced upwardly from the dock and the middle arcuate rib extending forwardly towards the front of the shield member.   
     
     
         13 . The cover according to  claim 12 , wherein, when the cover member is in the extended position, the front arcuate rib is in the raised position, the left rear foot and the right rear foot are in the expanded position, and the left middle foot and the right middle foot are in the first position;
 wherein, when the cover member is in the retracted position, the front arcuate rib is in the lowered position, the left rear foot and the right rear foot are in the collapsed position, and the left middle foot and the right middle foot are in the second position; and   wherein, when the cover member is in the retracted position, the collapsible frame is entirely positioned forwardly of a rearmost point of the shield member.   
     
     
         14 . The cover according to  claim 13 , wherein, when the cover member is in the retracted position, the collapsible frame is entirely positioned below of an uppermost point of the shield member, and rearwardly of a forwardmost point of the shield member. 
     
     
         15 . The cover according to  claim 13 , wherein the rear rib member further comprises a terminal arcuate rib that is pivotally connected to the rear arcuate rib;
 wherein, when the cover member is in the extended position, the terminal arcuate rib extends rearwardly from the rear arcuate rib; and   wherein, when the cover member is in the retracted position, the terminal arcuate rib extends forwardly towards the front of the shield member.   
     
     
         16 . The cover according to  claim 12 , wherein the rear arcuate rib is pivotally connected to the left rear foot and the right rear foot; and
 wherein the middle arcuate rib is pivotally connected to the left middle foot and the right middle foot.   
     
     
         17 . The cover according to  claim 10 , wherein the collapsible frame further comprises a static support member for supporting a front of the flexible covering material. 
     
     
         18 . The cover according to  claim 9 , wherein the flexible covering material substantially blocks UV light. 
     
     
         19 . The cover according to  claim 9 , wherein the flexible covering material comprises acrylic fibers; and
 wherein the shield member comprises carbon fiber.   
     
     
         20 . The cover according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lock mechanism for locking the cover member in the extended position.