Foldable fin for watersport equipment

Abstract

The present technology is generally directed to a fin assembly for watersport equipment, a watersport system including thereof, and a method of using thereof. In various embodiments, the fin assembly includes a support base and a foldable fin. The support base may be configured to attach the fin assembly to a surface of the watersport equipment. The foldable fin may include a fin portion configured to move between a folded position and a use position. The support base may have a locking member configured to lock the fin portion in and release the fin portion from the use position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fin assembly for a watersport board, comprising:
 a support base comprising a channel and configured to attach a foldable fin to a surface of the watersport board; and   the foldable fin comprising a base portion coupled to the support base and a fin portion extending from the base portion, wherein:   the foldable fin is configured to move between a folded position and a use position, and   the channel is configured to receive the base portion of the foldable fin to releasably couple the foldable fin in the use position.   
     
     
         2 . The fin assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 the channel extends along a longitudinal axis of the support base, the longitudinal axis parallel to a direction of movement of the watersport board when the watersport board is in use. 
 
     
     
         3 . The fin assembly of  claim 2  wherein:
 the channel comprises a first channel portion and a second channel portion; and 
 the base portion comprises a first pivot member positioned in the first channel portion and a second pivot member positioned in the second channel portion. 
 
     
     
         4 . The fin assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first pivot member and the second pivot member are spaced apart from each other on opposing end portions of the base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The fin assembly of  claim 3  wherein the first channel portion comprises a recess portion configured to receive and limit movement of the first pivot member when the fin portion is in the use position. 
     
     
         6 . The fin assembly of  claim 3  wherein:
 the first channel portion comprises a first wall portion configured to limit movement of the first pivot member away from the support base, 
 the second channel portion comprises a second wall portion configured to limit movement of the second pivot member away from the support base, and 
 the base portion remains attached to the support base at least in part by the first wall portion and the second wall portion when the foldable fin is in the folded position. 
 
     
     
         7 . The fin assembly of  claim 2  wherein the support base comprises:
 a mounting side portion configured to be mounted on the surface of the watersport board; and 
 an outward projecting portion extending along the longitudinal axis of the support base and projecting away from the mounting side portion of the support base. 
 
     
     
         8 . The fin assembly of  claim 7  wherein:
 the outward projecting portion comprises the channel, and 
 the channel has an opening facing outward away from the mounting side portion of the support base. 
 
     
     
         9 . The fin assembly of  claim 7  wherein the outward projecting portion comprises a first wall and a second wall laterally spaced apart from each other by a distance to receive a middle portion of the fin base portion therebetween and provide lateral support to the fin base portion when the fin portion is in the use position. 
     
     
         10 . A watersport system comprising:
 watersport equipment having a surface; and   a fin assembly mounted to the surface of the watersport equipment, the fin assembly comprising:
 a support base comprising a channel and configured to attach the fin assembly to the surface of the watersport equipment, and 
 a foldable fin movably coupled to the support base, the foldable fin comprising a base portion coupled to the support base and a fin portion extending from the fin base portion, wherein:
 the foldable fin is movable between a folded position substantially parallel to the surface of the watersport equipment and a use position substantially perpendicular to the surface, and 
 the channel is configured to receive the base portion of the foldable fin to releasably couple the foldable fin in the use position. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The watersport system of  claim 10  wherein the watersport equipment is a board. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using a fin assembly on watersport equipment, the method comprising:
 rotating, along an axis that is parallel to a direction of movement of the watersport equipment, a foldable fin of the fin assembly;   translating, in a first direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the watersport equipment, the rotated foldable fin to move the foldable fin into a channel of a support base of the fin assembly; and   translating, in a second direction parallel to the direction of movement of the watersport equipment, the rotated foldable fin to move the foldable fin into a use position within the channel of the support base.   
     
     
         13 . The method of using the fin assembly on watersport equipment of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 translating, in a third direction opposite the second direction, the rotated foldable fin;   translating, in a fourth direction opposite the first direction, the rotated foldable fin; and   rotating, along the axis that is parallel to the direction of movement of the watersport equipment, the foldable fin to rotate the foldable fin into a stowed position.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 maintaining attachment of a base portion of the foldable fin to the support base when the foldable fin is in the folded position.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first direction and the fourth direction are substantially perpendicular to a surface plane of the watersport equipment to which the fin assembly is attached.